Sister Bakker and I went to Nürnberg!!!!!!

Liebe Familie und Freunde,

This week, we did stuff. Namely, Christmas stuff. We went caroling with the Elders and the Zink's! We kidnapped a kid from the ward to come sing with us after we sang at his house! It was great! A great time was had by all! So obviously, no one took pictures. Schade. But it's okay! Because this week we went to Nürnberg for P-Day (yet again), and look who I found!!!!

 

SISTER BAKKER!!!!

Several dreams were fulfilled on this p-day. 

1. Sister Bakker was able to go to the city she has dreamed about since the MTC. 
2. Sister Bakker and I were TOGETHER in our beloved Nürnberg, and it was glorious. 
3. I bought a plant that is guaranteed to never die. No matter what. It's great. 

All-in-all, it was a great day. :)

As far as the week goes, that was also good. We went caroling and only sounded mildly terrible. We did take a kid named Leon with us once we went by his family. He definitely helped sound and tone-wise. I am constantly amazed with the youth here. Especially the Young Men. Everyone is practically brothers with each other and they are all best friends. It's cool to see how tight and family-like this ward is. It's even cooler to see how much they take care of each other. I really love the Erlangen Ward. I am so grateful that I get to serve here. :)

We have zone training tomorrow! I'm very excited to hear the Thema's that will be given. Sister Quain is going to be saying her first public prayer in German! She's going to do great, I just know it. :) We've been working a lot on pronunciation and reading skills this week. Sister Quain continues to astound me with how fast she learns. We'll practice a vowel combination and then she'll start to correct herself when we read together in German. It's really cool to see, and I'm excited to see how much she learns by the end of our time together. :)

This week, Sister Quain and I were asked to come up with a weekly challenge for the Zone that will help us work toward our zone baptismal date goal. We chose to have everyone do their best to show the Light the World video as much as possible before Christmas. It's the last week for the Christmas Initiative, and we want to push ourselves! I also want to invite you to share the video with someone you know this week. And when you share the video, bear your testimony of Jesus Christ as your Savior. Because a nice video is good and all, but it's the Spirit and the testimony behind it that make the difference, and it's a difference we all can make. :) So go share your testimonies and light the world around you!

I love you all! Sorry the last few weeks have been kind of sparse, but we haven't had a ton of time. But I want you to know that I KNOW that Jesus Christ is the living Son of the living God. He loves us, and He died for our sins. He gave us the greatest gift possible because we couldn't give it to ourselves. He wants he best for us, and He will help us through all of our trials. I know that, and I know that He loves each and every one of you. If you have doubts, please, just ask Him what He thinks. There is no such thing as "too far" or "too bad." He loves all of us, and He wants to help us. 

I love you. Have a great day, and an amazing week, and an absolutely lovely Christmas. :)

Liebe Grüße,

Sister John

Frohe Weihnachten!

We have the Area Book planner app..... but it's hard to use without wi-fi, and Sister Quain has been doing the planning for this week. So I made another planner cover. It's not finished yet, but hopefully by tomorrow. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hiked up to the castle. It was a grand time. I have missed this Sister so much. :)

 

 

 

 

The BEST Lebkuchen in ALL of Germany. ;)

Street Displays and More Christmas Miracles

Liebe Familie und Freunde,

 

My hands are cold again. Motor skills are not at their finest. Please excuse me. 

 

This week was pretty great! We had a street display in Erlangen and it was way long, but way good! We spent five hours talking to people, and Sister Quain was way awesome! She only talked to four or five people on her own, but each of those people talked to her for 10 minutes (only one) or 30 or longer (everyone else)!!!! She did a great job, and she basically doesn't even need me anymore as a trainer. But she's stuck with me for the next seven weeks, so too bad. ;)

 

As far as the rest of the week goes, Sunday was definitely the highlight of the week. One of the people we talked to at the street display came to church! That was way cool! Also, Sister Quain and I saw a Miracle! We sat down for Sacrament Meeting, and a few minutes after the meeting started, this woman and man come in and sit right next to us. We don't recognize them, but we figure they're probably visiting or less-active so we'll talk to them after Sacrament. Well, the meeting ends, and we start talking to this woman. Turns out, she had met the Elders once before a couple months ago because they were visiting her friend and for reasons I still don't understand they had to meet at her house with her friend, her, and her husband. Well, her husband died a week ago, and she wanted to go to church (but not her church because she doesn't have friends there  and hasn't learned anything as well) so her friend who the Elders went to visit took her to our church. A ton of members came and shook her hand and welcomed her to church and she loved it! She kept telling us how she loved how everyone was so friendly, and it wasn't like other churches where you just have to go enough times to start recognizing faces. She was so nice and she wants to come back and learn more! So we tausched phone numbers and we're going to meet with her this week to help her learn more, and specifically learn about where her husband is and how she can be with him for eternity. Needless to say, we love her so much already and we're really excited to meet with her. :)

 

We had originally wanted to go to Regensburg today, but the Bayreuth Elder's train was delayed so we missed the train by LITERALLY five seconds. So we spent the day at the Nürnberg Christmas Market again. Totally not complaining about that. :)

 

I had my quarterly interview with President on Friday. I love my mission President so much. He is absolutely fantastic. Every time that I talk with President Stoddard I learn so much. And I know that he loves me. He loves every single one of us. Just like Christ does. 

 

The amount of love that I have felt on my mission is incredible. And whenever I try to think of the amount of love that Christ has for us, for EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, I can't even comprehend it. He suffered the pains of our sins for us so we don't have to. He helps us with our problems and helps us erase our mistakes. It's hard, but He does it because He loves us. The Atonement is real, and it's powerful. And it starts this month with the birth of a little baby. That is incredible. That is the real miracle of Christmas. 

 

I love you all, so much. Thank you for trying to find ways to serve others, and listening to the Spirit as you serve. Friends have been helped, and lives have been lifted because of your efforts. Thank you for showing the Light of Christ within you. 

 

I love you. Have a great day, and an amazing week!

 

Liebe Grüße,

Sister John

 

Frohe Weihnachten!

 

One of the Christmas markets in Erlangen. It's a bit older and medieval themed, so it's pretty cool. Ellie would like it a lot. :)

 

 

 

 The lighting was perfect the other day on our way home from church. I only had my iPad dabei, but it was beautiful, I promise!

 

                                           There were SO MANY ducks!!!

A Slow Week, but Christmas is Coming!

Lieber Familie und Freunde,

Today we are in Nürnberg for the Christkindlesmarkt and it is absolutely FREEZING. It didn't actually snow, but this morning there were ice crystals floating in the air that kind of looked like snow. Maybe we can get some more people to let us in their homes at least for a few minutes to warm up. And share a message about the Gospel. ;)

This week we didn't have a lot happen work-wise, but it was still a really good week. We had a lesson with our miracle man from last week with a member of our ward dabei and that was pretty cool. He mostly just wanted to discuss about different religions and the similarities and differences and what we can do to respect each other more. It was a good conversation, and we were able to work parts of the Restoration into what we talked about, so it worked out pretty well. We just need to meet with him again to finish it the whole story. :)

Our church meetings this week were fantastic. This ward keeps surprising me with the amount of love and care that they keep showing us. After Sacrament meeting, a woman from the ward came up to us and said, "Tuesday is Saint Nikolaus day and I wanted to make sure that you have something." And then she gave us chocolate bears. It was way sweet. Both literally and figuratively. I love how the ward keeps looking out for us. It is a great feeling, and a great thing in general. I hope you all are making sure that your missionaries in your wards feel loved! Because missionaries are people too, and sometimes we need a bit of extra love. 

This Saturday we have transfer calls. It feels like those were just a week ago, really. Five week transfers are weird. But it will be fun. We're getting at least one new district member because Elder Barnhill is going home. That will be sad, because he's a great Elder. He was district leader in Michelstadt when I was in Frankfurt and it was so much fun to be in the same district this transfer. But yeah. Everyone goes home eventually. 

Sorry for the sparseness of this letter. My fingers are cold and typing is slow going. 

The Sister Training Leaders came to our district meeting last week, and our Ehepaar, Sister and Elder Green, made us a funfetti cake. You know, the white cake with the sprinkles in it that looks really yummy but it is actually just pure sugar and really gross? Yeah, we had that and it was good, but WAY too sweet. Sister Young told me that I've become a German because I don't like anything too sweet or American. I personally don't see anything wrong with that. But as Sister Quain and I went through the rest of the week, we kept finding more and more ways I've become German. I even look German! But then I open my mouth and everyone hears how American I actually am. To be fair, the German accent is hard. At least no one thinks I'm from England anymore. That was just embarrassing. :P

As far as spiritual stuff for the week, it was a great week for studies. I've actually been studying the Isaiah chapters found in 2 Nephi and it's been really great. I've learned a lot about how the Lord helps us with our fears and our challenges. He never leaves us alone, and He always gives us exactly what we need. There's a Mormon Message called, 'The Refiner's Fire' and I would recommend that you all watch it. In it, a woman talks about her experience with cancer in her family and how she was given help and strengthened through the challenges of supporting her family go through their various forms of treatment. It's a great testament to me that the Lord gives us what we need, when we need it. We don't always want or understand it when we receive the challenges and trials He gives us, but it always helps us become more loving and Christ-like. 

In this Christmas season, I'd like to invite you all to do an act of absolute Christ-like service. It doesn't have to be big or especially special. It can be something small, like helping someone with their groceries. But help someone this week purely because you want to help them. Not because it's an organized service project, or your parents told you to, or because you might get something in return. Just do it because they need help, and you are able to help. I promise that you will feel God's love for them, and for you as you do so with an open heart. And if you need ideas on what to do, there's 25 of them on Mormon.org right now for the Christmas Initiative. If you're feeling extra motivated, you could do one every single day and bring the light of Christ into the lives of even more people, and strengthen your own light in the process. You know, if you're feeling up to the challenge. ;)

I love you all! I hope you're having a great day, and a fantastic week! If not, I wish you both of those things!

Liebe Grüße,

Sister John

These are the only two photos I got from today.... But it was so cool to be back in Nürnberg for Christmas. If y'all ever get the chance to go to Germany for Christmas, don't even think, just do it! It will be the best decision you ever make. I promise. :)

Christmas Initiative, Christmas Markets and Christmas Miracles :)

Mom note: This was a day late getting sent to us due to the circumstances she talks about.

Liebe Familie und Freunde,

It's another late email from a train, and I'm going to try and keep it short because I am exhausted and have a headache. 

We went to Frankfurt (again) to try and figure out my visa. We went on Sunday evening, arrived in Frankfurt, went to the STL's apartment, realized we forgot to tell them we were staying over, then went to bed. Today, we woke up at 4:30 and went over to the visa office. We waited in line for two hours and froze, and were then told that yes, I should theoretically be able to get a visa, but they had no waiting numbers for that day and were only accepting people with appointments and I should try again on Wednesday. 

Yay. 

So, we went to the Mission Office and had a chat with Elder Markle and decided we're just going to try and sort this whole mess out in Erlangen now. Which should hopefully work out. The proximity to Nürnberg has me a little bit worried, but I think it will work out okay. I'm pretty convinced at this point that there is someone in the Erlangen visa office who has been so prepared for the Gospel and has just been waiting for Sister Quain and I to come and introduce it to them. There's no other logical explanation. So yeah. I guess we'll just have to find them and baptize them. I think that's not too bad a trade-off for all the problems I've had. 

As far as the week goes, THE CHRISTMAS INITIATIVE CAME OUT!!!!!!!! Oh my GOODNESS!!!!! I love it so much. It is SO good. If you haven't seen it yet, you can find it on Mormon.org. It's called Light the World, and it's great. It's all about service and helping others and really just doing what Christ would have done and being even more Christ-like in our day-to-day activities. It is so lovely, and I feel the Spirit so strongly every time I see it. I highly recommend that you all go and watch it. :)

So.... Yeah. That was kind of the week. Well, not all of it, but the theme of the week was definitely Christmas. We saw our first Christmas Miracle! We had stopped by the church house to download the new video and do some other things, and then we walked outside and the first person we see see's us and smiles and then walks over to us. He said, "I know you! You were at my house about 3 or 4 weeks ago and you talked about Jesus Christ and then left me a card and told me to look at the website. But I don't have internet, and you never came back! Do you have time when we can meet and talk more about Christ?"

MIRACLE.

So we're going to meet with him on Tuesday morning and talk about Christ and it's going to be great. I am super pumped. :)

Also, the Christmas Markets opened this week!!!! 

This is Frankfurt, but it was the first one we went to, seeing as we were in Frankfurt for the whole p-day. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. Especially seeing as our plans for basically the whole day fell out at like, 8 in the morning. So yeah. We did studies! We took a nap! We went to a Christmas Market and bought Kinderpunsch! Seriously, my favorite thing about Christmas is Kinderpunsch and the special mugs it comes in. It's great. 

After walking around the Weihnachtsmarkt in Frankfurt for a bit, we headed back to Hauptbahnhof, and now we are on another train that will take us home. 

I'd just like to say that I really appreciate all of the prayers that you all say for the missionaries. I know some of them are meant for me, and some of them are for missionaries in general, but I appreciate all of them just the same. Prayer is a powerful thing. With it, we can ask the Creator of the Universe for help with problems that to Him, probably seem incredibly small and inconsequential. But He helps us anyways because it's important to us, and we asked. 

Through prayer, we can literally call down miracles and angels and the powers of heaven to help us here on our earthly journey. Prayer is  Iggy and powerful and I am so grateful for the chance that I have to speak with my Creator, and tell Him how thankful I am for all of the many blessings He has given me, and the many prayers He has answered for me, and for the investigators I've been privileged to teach. 

My challenge to each of you this week, is to make your prayers more meaningful. If you're struggling to say your prayers every day (because I know there are always some who are), start by saying just one prayer a day. Just talk to your Father in Heaven. He wants to hear from you, and He is waiting for you to just ask Him for help. You just have to start the conversation. 

For those who already say your prayers regularly, evaluate how much time and real intent you have when you pray. Do you take time to talk to you Heavenly Father? Or are you rushing through just to be able to say that you said your prayers? Think of your personal prayers as personal interviews with God, and speak to Him as you would speak to Him if He were sitting across from you. God wants to hear from us. He wants to help us. He knows us perfectly, but He wants to hear from us how we're doing. Don't hold that back from Him. 

I love you all. I hope that you had a fantastic Thanksgiving, and that you remembered to make a list of five things to Thank God for in prayer. If you haven't done it yet, there's always time, and there's always repentance. ;)

Have a fantastic day, and a wunderbare Woche!

Liebe Grüße,

Sister John

P.S. I hope y'all are staying warm. Frankfurt was FREEZING today. Both in the morning, and in the evening. We napped for part of the day, so that was warmer. 

P.P.S. I am not writing any other emails today. I am too tired. But thank you to everyone who did write. You are amazing, and incredible, and I am grateful for your friendship/familyship/Teil in meinem Leben. I'm just going to be a bit selfish and sleep for a bit before we get to Erlangen. 

My Zeil. It's a mall in Frankfurt, and the glass makes a tube thing through the whole building. It's the perfect size for lighted reindeer to go flying through. :)

Christmas lights in Germany. I love how much light there is. It makes a perfect introduction for talking about the Light of Christ. :)

The MASSIVE Christmas tree at the Frankfurt Christmas Market. It's gigantic!

We made Adventskranze for a Relief Society activity this week! Sister Quain and I aren't too good at it yet.... But once we get some candles it will look a little better. :)

A cool tower we found in a random little city in our area. Oh! We totally had a member appointment for Thanksgiving! With an American family!!! It was so good, and they had baked yams with marshmallows on top! They were way kind, and we had a great talk about the Gospel and some of the things they've experienced. I'm excited to meet with them again sometime soonish. :)

P.P.S. I bought a hat and gloves today. It was too cold without them. While trying on hats, the lady at the shop was trying to help me put it on correctly. Apparently I don't know how to do that, and she helped me out. Then the other woman at the stand came and helped her because I have, "So much hair!" And they didn't know what to do with it all. In the end, it was super cute of them to teach me how to put my hat on correctly, even though I still don't do it right, and they told me to come back tomorrow and they would see if I actually managed it without them. Probably not, but it was cute of them all the same. :)

Also, we learned that when your hands get really cold, you can't grip things properly. Which is a problem when you're holding a cone of pommes and you don't want to spill them all over. Everything worked out though, and life should be a bit warmer from now on. :)

Visa Adventures, Finally Meeting the Ward, and Being Thankful

Liebe Familie und Freunde,

To start with, I am writing this email from a train. That will be important later.

This week was pretty great. Sister Quain is ready to go out and talk to everyone and it is so cool! The only problem is that she can't speak the language yet! We're working on it!

But really, her German is progressing and she has gotten good at starting contacts which is great, because that is the hardest part for me. And she loves it! So she starts conversations and I keep them going and then invite her to bear her testimony and life is good.

This week we finally got to meet our ward! Church was super great, and I got to see some people that I had met before when I was in Nürnberg! It was funny to see their faces as they saw me and went, "What? Sister John, what are you doing here?? Did you get transferred? When did that happen???" Needless to say, there was a lot of laughter, and a lot of smiles as I realized this ward isn't so foreign after all.

We had Zone Conference this week. Oh my goodness, it was so good!!!! Elder Adler (who is an Area Seventy from a city called Bielefeld) and his wife came and spoke to us about finding and having the faith to find, especially with the Christmas season coming up. It was so spiritual. I wish I could tell you some more, but I left my journal at home. We did some practices at inviting people on the street to watch the upcoming Christmas Initiative video from the church (Nov. 24 friends.... Get pumped ;) ), and talked a lot about casting out our fear of talking to people. It was exactly what I needed, because quite honestly, talking to people on the street terrifies me. It has since the beginning of my mission and I would rather teach the law of chastity fifty times in one day than have to go out and talk to people all day.

Which is what we do in Erlangen.

Every day.

You see the problem?

Elder Merkley talked a lot at the beginning of the conference about casting out our fears. He challenged each of us to write down two things we were afraid of, and then kneel down in prayer and ask for Heavenly Father's help in overcoming them. Elder Evans talked about the faith and really knowing and believing that there are people that the Lord has prepared for us to find and teach, and also that everything we do is helping to prepare someone else to be found and taught. They both shared very powerful testimonies and scriptures, and their talks were exactly what we all needed to hear.

Sister Adler talked about how the Gospel is so great and so huge, and it is for EVERYONE. Not just the sinners or the wayward black sheep that we help to come into the fold, but also for the white sheep who sometimes get stuck or lost or need a bit of cuddling sometimes. I would have to say that her testimony resonated with me the most, and I am so grateful that she was so willing to share it with us. Sometimes I forget (really it's all the time. You'd think I would have learned by now) that when my companion and I teach people that God and Jesus Christ are there for them in EVERYTHING and in EVERYPLACE, that that means that They are there for me as well. I do a really bad job at remembering that, but it's true! The Gospel works, and it works wonderfully.  We just need to remember that it also works for ALL of us. All it takes is WORK. But that's another thought for another time.

So yeah, Zone Conference was AMAZING. Plus, Sis. Preis and Sis. Ochs made all of us lunch. It was SO GOOD. We were all very happy Elders and Sisters afterwards. And we had Sauerkraut!!!! I am pretty sure that it was the first time on my mission that I've had actual sauerkraut fed to me by a member. Oh well. Better late than never. :)

So for P-Day today, we have a very special day planned. Because we are on a train. And that train is heading to.... Wait for it.....

FRANKFURT!!!!!! 
(Please forgive the face, it was late and we were on a train for 3 hours)

No, we did not get President's permission to go to Frankfurt for a P-Day. That is way too far, and too expensive. But, we do have permission to try and go and get my visa!!!! Which.... Didn't actually work. My papers from Nürnberg FINALLY got sent to Frankfurt (right as I left), so we get to try and get my stuff all done in Frankfurt and it did not happen. Apparently I'm still missing some papers and they're upset because some of the papers I need just happen to be in English. I'm sorry the company that is providing my medical insurance coverage is an American company and therefore speaks English.   There really isn't a whole lot I can do about that. 

Anyways, to make a long story short, Elder Markle and I decided that I'll just have to come to Frankfurt again another time to try and get my visa. If it doesn't work that time.... We'll try and process things in Erlangen, and I might get an unanticipated extension to my mission. Mal schauen. 

It really has been a great week. Church was great, Sister Quain bore her testimony for the first time in German, and we got to come to Frankfurt for a very stressful, but also good P-Day. I know that the Lord knows what we need. He knows us perfectly, and He wants to help us. Sometimes, He helps us learn and grow by giving us challenges and trials that stretch us seemingly past our limits. But no matter what trials we may face, we have a promise that He ",giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7) We just need to look for His hand and the ways that He is helping us. Sometimes we have to look hard, but it there because He will never ask us to run faster than we are able. He will ALWAYS give us help. I know that to be true. 

This week, make a list of the ways the Lord has helped you in your life. With the big, and the small things. Make a list of at least five, and then get on your knees and thank Him in prayer. It's perfect, because this week is Thanksgiving. So let's all give a little bit back to God. :)

I love you all. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. Have a great day, and a fantastic week!

Liebe Grüße,

Sister John

   

We were tired. I am still tired. We got up at 4:30. Have a great week.


Splits with Sis. Young. We had so much fun!!!              

Winter, New Missionaries, Bus Rides, and Spiders

Liebe Familie und Freunde,

It has been a crazy week, but a good week. Last Monday I spent the day packing, and this Monday I get to spend the day unpacking and cleaning the apartment. It's nice to finally have time to do all of these things.

Tuesday we welcomed all of the new missionaries into the mission! Sister Jameson, Sister Siems and I didn't get to go to the airport to pick them up, but we did see them at the street display! It was a lot of fun, but very cold. Thankfully, we weren't there for too long because we had an appointment that morning. At the end of the street display, we went to the chapel and had the Pairing meeting! It would have been more dramatic, but I already knew who my new missionary was. Perks of there being only one sister.

After the pairing meeting, our new missionary companions went to the hotel to sleep, and all the trainers went to another meeting to prepare us for being trainers. In case you were wondering, being called to be a trainer is inspired. Everything in missionary work is inspired, but especially the call of a trainer. Your trainer helps set the course of your mission. Hopefully, it is through their good example that you start to really develop those good habits of missionary work that will help you throughout your mission. Sometimes, it's not always like that. But there is something you can learn from every companion. Whether it is through their good, or bad example.

The the Train the Trainers meeting we went to the hotel and went to bed. I got to bed at 9:30. That NEVER happens! Missionaries are to be in bed by 10:30, and sometimes you're scrambling to get everything you need to done by then. If you get to bed by 10:15 you feel pretty good about yourself for being so early. But 9:30 just doesn't happen! If you're lucky you get to actually finish daily planning by then. So yeah. It was a good night.


Wednesday morning we woke up and went to breakfast and then had a meeting with President and Sister Stoddard, the Assistants, and all the trainers and new missionaries. After that, we went to Frankfurt Hbf, and waited for our bus to come. Yep, we took a bus down to Erlangen. Remember what happened the last time I took a bus down to Nürnberg? A two hour trip took five hours instead. This time, our bus was an hour and a half late, and we finally pulled into Erlangen just after 5:00. It wasn't too bad, and we got to have an awesome conversation with a man from Prague before the bus came.

The rest of the week has been spent getting to know the area, having Gemiko, and meeting with one investigator. Also, Stake Conference was this weekend, so we still don't know a ton of people in our ward yet. But we know our GML, and our Bishop so that's a good start. :)

Our one investigator lesson was with a woman named Martha. She is a scientist and has met with the missionaries for quite a while. When we met with her, we were actually planning to Tschüß her because she hasn't made any progress for a while. When we got there, though, it was a way different story.

We taught the Restoration and  it was kind of scattered, to tell the truth. But then Sister Quain recited the First Vision, and it was so good. The Spirit just entered the room and you could tell that Martha was feeling it. As we talked with her some more, we learned that she's not even sure if there is a God and if there is then what is He? How can she know if He's there is she doesn't know what He is? We talked more about Joseph Smith and she kept saying how she can relate to his story. She wants to know the truth! So we shared Moroni's promise with her and told her she can get answers to all of her questions through the Spirit. When we said that she asked us if we had ever gotten those answers and we said yes. She then told us she's never gotten an answer to a prayer so we talked about that for a while and what she could do to invite the Holy Ghost to come and give her answers. It was a way powerful lesson, and at the end she agreed to pray every day to know if God is there, and if He knows and loves her. She kept trying to say that she doesn't even know what God is, but we told her to simplify and just ask if He's there first. It was so powerful, and I look forward to meeting with her again. :)

As far as Stake Conference goes, it was great! All three Stake Conferences that I've been able to attend on my mission have been in the same stake, so that's kind of cool. In the Saturday evening session, one of the speakers talked about how he used to catch Black Widows as a kid and keep them in glass jars in his bedroom. Of course, his parents didn't like it and warned him about how dangerous Black Widow spiders are. But that just intrigued him more, so he went on catching them.

He talked about how one time he caught one of the biggest spiders he had ever seen, and he was so excited so he ran home to put it in a jar. But in his excitement, he forgot to put the lid on the jar. When he woke up the next morning, the first thing he saw was this huge spider, staring at him from on top of his bedsheets, right by his face. Terrified, he threw the covers off, and ran down to the kitchen where his family was eating breakfast. At first, no one believed him, but after a careful search of his room with thick gloves, the spider was found, and promptly removed from the home with all of the other spiders.

The speaker said that as he thought back on this experience, he was terrified at what could have happened. He was young, and a spider bite could have seriously injured him and sent him to the hospital. But what was more terrifying was the thought that if the spider had gone into the room next to his, it would have found his baby sister. A spider bite to her would have had far more devastating consequences. The analogy he made was that he had allowed something dangerous into his home because he had thought he could control it. He could admire it and have it close by, but not be affected by it. As his story shows, that is not the case.


How many spiritual Black Widows do we let into our homes and into the lives of our family members because we think we can control it? How many times do we say, "One time won't hurt," or "It's not even THAT bad,"?
Satan tries to deceive us by presenting these tiny little spiders that appear harmless,  but actually have a deadly bite. We need to watch out for these deceptions, and not be fooled by what Satan says is alright and harmless, and instead trust the Lord and His rules and principles. When we fill our homes with what is light and good, it will permeate every aspect of the home, and good thoughts and feelings will dwell.

Uwe and Brigitte

I hope you all look for the Spiritual Black Widows in your lives, and do everything you can to get rid of them. They may not even be that bad, but through "small and simple things are great things brought to pass." And that includes a fall from righteousness.

I love you all! Thank you so much for your love and encouragement. I definitely could not get by without it. I hope you remember how great and wonderful you are, too! Have a great day, and a fantastic week!

Liebe Grüße,
Sister John

Elder Merkley! We were in the same district for seven transfers!!!! That is almost a year! It was way hard to say goodbye at bahnhof, but he's still an Assistant so we'll see him at Zone Conference on Thursday. He is a way cool Elder who has a lot of love for the missionaries he works with. It's been an honor to serve with him for so long. :)






Elder Evans! Our other illustrious Assistant in this mission. :) He is seriously one of the most consecrated missionaries I have ever met. He is way sweet, and a SUPER hard worker. #givepamphletstoALLthestoppedcars We will also see him at Zone Conference so I'm excited. :)