I Punched My Companion . . .

Liebe Familie und Freunde,

 

I should probably explain that subject line. This week we were at Gemiko with the Elders and our Ward Mission Leader and Bruder Zink was telling us a story of how he had accidentally cut himself at work by it didn't really hurt, it just bled a lot. Well, there's a German saying that says, "Der Indianer kennt keinen Schmerz." That means, "the Indian knows no pain." In an effort to help Sister Quain understand without just telling her what it meant, the Elders and I were saying it very slowly and describing every word. But she just couldn't quite get the word 'Schmerz.' So what's the easiest way to explain what it is? Have her experience it! I promise I pulled the punch, but it was like that time I accidentally punched Will in the face: not that hard, but surprising enough to make it seem more painful than it actually was. Needless to say, Sister Quain is fine and doesn't have a bruise and now she will NEVER forget what the word 'schmerz' means. 

Well, it's been another transfer with another transfer call. And guess what? I'm not going anywhere!!! In a completely unexpected turn of events, Sister Quain is leaving me for the delicious land of Essen (which means food, to eat, and is a city all in German, all at the same time) and I will be sent home by Sister Yeck. It will be a good time, so I am happy. Also, an elder from my MTC district is getting transferred to Erlangen! And another elder from that district is coming to the city just north of Erlangen! And then Sister Bakker is still in Coburg and life is good. Two Elders I go home with are the zone, so we now have four of the seven leavers in one zone. It's weird. Apparently I'm going home, but it hasn't sunk in yet. It can stay that way for the next six weeks, as far as I'm concerned. The ward already keeps making jokes about how I'm "dying." This is why mission slang continues. Not just because of the missionaries, but because of the members. Bleh. :P

As far as news goes, there is a LOT. I'm pretty sure you have all heard someone mention the new missionary schedule by now (because all of you are either on missions or live in Utah, which could almost be the same thing :P). We now wake up at 6:30, do our Morgensport (because we are obedient missionaries and because we eat too much chocolate), get ready for the day, and then plan for the day (which is weird because this step used to be at the end of the sixteen hour period that I'm awake for). 

 

After we plan we do studies, which consist of only a HALF HOUR of Personal on Preparation Day, and is still only an hour on all the other normal days. But then after personal Study, we normally do companionship study, right? Not anymore! Now we are allowed and encouraged to go out and proselyte! We are officially encouraged to move our studies to appropriate parts of the day where we might actually have time to do them, instead of just squeezing it all into the morning hours. This part is honestly one that we've already been doing, so now it's just an official thing. But here is the most important part for all of you to remember, and I am going to put it in caps so you see it.

 

PREPARATION DAY HAS BEEN MOVED TO THURSDAY IN THE GERMANY FRANKFURT MISSION. THIS IS EFFECTIVE STARTING 9 FEBRUARY, 2017. I WILL NOT BE WRITING AN EMAIL NEXT MONDAY, BUT INSTEAD ON THURSDAY. 

 

Okay, that looks dramatic, but it's important because I don't want any concerned emails asking what happened and if I'm okay. Also, President Stoddard doesn't need any more phone calls, so please just plan on hearing from me next in a week and a half. Okay? Okay. We're good. 

 

Work-wise, Erlangen is doing pretty super. We definitely had a surprise last night as we were finishing our weekly planning and doing a companionship review. Our investigator S. called us and asked when we could meet next because we didn't set up an appointment after we met last time. He said he had Tuesday free, which is the day of transfers, so that could be pretty tight. But he wants to bring a friend with him! Turns out, he's been talking to his friend about meeting with us and learning about the Book of Mormon and his friend wants to know more and meet with us! Plus, he speaks English, German, AND Amharic! We might have FINALLY found a solution to our translation problem with S.! The Lord is blessing Erlangen and I am so excited to see where it all goes from here. :)

 

I gave a talk on Sunday and I have been trying to prepare it for the last two weeks, but I was just hitting a roadblock. So on Friday night we get a call from Br. Schlien (who is a member of the Bishopric) reminding me about my talk. Nope, I hadn't forgotten but I didn't know what to say! It was supposed to be about how I know that God is there and has protected me in my life/the lives of my family and friends. Well, I have a couple stories about that, but I just couldn't share them. It just didn't feel right. So Sunday morning, I finally wrote down a few ideas in my notebook, then got up, went to church, started my talk by sharing Joshua 1:9 and then started talking. 

 

Friends, sometimes we really don't know what to do or say. We know that God has promised that He is there and that He hears and answers our prayers and that He will give us what to say in the moment we need it. But if you're like me, you like to know at least the first few sentences of what you need to say, if not the whole speech. But unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. 

 

"Faith is a principle of action." An Elder in my district said that after making me jump off a table blind-folded once, but it's true. Faith in God and faith in Christ lead us to trusting Them and walking forward even when we can't see where we're going. It leads us to opening our mouths even when we have no idea what to say or what needs to be said. It leads us to trusting Them even though the very gates of Hell may be opened against us, and we have no idea how the situation we find ourselves in could possibly get better.  Buy when we trust in God, we trust in His promises. 

 

I wish I could tell you that I gave a fantastic talk and it was perfect and my German was perfect and everybody was crying at the end and lives were changed for forever and everything was just dandy. But that would be a lie.

 

What I can tell you is that I felt the Spirit, and I know everyone else who paid attention did, too. I can tell you that I ended my talk early, because I was trembling so badly and that it didn't stop until well after Sacrament meeting. I can tell you that my testimony of God and His promises was strengthened, and that I hope it will be a lot easier the next time to open my mouth and let the Spirit speak. And I can tell you that at least a few people were touched by the Spirit, which was the whole point of the entire ordeal.

 

I know that God lives. He loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be hurt, mocked, scorned, scourged, and crucified for our sakes. They both love us so much, and They just want us to trust that Their plan is better than anything we could come up with ourselves. I know that is true. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet and Thomas S. Monson is a prophet today. I love this Gospel with all my heart. 

 

I love all of you. Thank you for your prayers and support. They mean the world to me. I look forward to seeing a lot of you in six weeks, but until then I want to do everything I can to honor the names that I put on my chest every day. I love being a missionary.

 

Have a fantastic day, and a stupendous week!

 

Liebe Grüße,

Sister John

 

The Elders all wore their lederhosen to Erlangen today. At least, all the ones who have lederhosen.

 left to right: Elder Smith (transferred-Erlangen to Frankfurt as a Tech Elder), Elder Wallentine (Bayreuth), Elder Crossley (District Leader-Grafenwöhr), Elder Stout (transferred-Bayreuth to Kaiserslautern English), Elder Gilmore (Erlangen).

P.S. Sister Siems is the new STL in Nürnberg!!!!!!!! I am so excited to see her again! I was her STL in her first transfer, and now she is my STL in my last transfer! Plus, we were companions in between so I am so excited to see her again. She is so cool. This transfer is going to be so great. :)

P.P.S. Apparently I am Health and Safety for Timberline this year. That is good to know. I need a First-Aid class to brush up on knowledge and skills. Would that be possible? Because that would be great. If someone is going to almost die on the course, I would like to know how to make that NOT happen. So yeah. 

P.P.P.S. Can someone give me Britney's email so I can write to her? I'd like to know how she's doing and where exactly in the world she is.