3rd P Day In Germany

Hello Family! 

Mom it was fun to "talk" to you today! I don't know if we'll be on the computer at the same time again since my computer time changes and it's late for you but I'm glad it happened to work out this time. I have been feeling a bit homesick (more family sick) this week. It was a hard week with most of our plans falling through so we had to do our Plan Bs which most of those fell through too! We needed to go to Plan E sometimes because people were canceling their lessons, not showing up for scheduled meeting times, and other things. We have weekly planning session every Friday and daily planning every night (plan for the next day) and I've learned how important it is to have the Spirit when we plan so that we know where to go, what to do, and whom to teach. Not just for Plan As but Cs and Ds as well. While we need to be ready for our Plan As which we make with help from the Spirit, the people of Bremerhaven do still have their agency. Which I think is a blessing and a curse hehe :]


We have two Investigators with this Sunday as their Baptism Date! We think we'll have to reschedule one, Andreas, becasue all three of our appointments with him this past week he canceled. (Here is when free agency seems to be a curse, I would like to just make him keep our appointments but that's not good, he wouldn't benifit if it was forced.) I did have a fun idea that we did for him though. He has been having a lot of struggles and is very sad lately so we made him a Happy Scripture Envelope that had tons of uplifting scripture references written on tons of paper so he could pull out a slip or two when he needs a pick me up. He said it was helpful, hopefully he learned that the Gospel makes us happy! (he liked my rejoice evermore scripture :] ) The other man, Thomas, who is still on track for baptism is still going strong from what we know. Work for him is time consuming but he says he knows baptism is what he wants so we are still planning on this Sunday! He can do it :] That's so cool about the 94 year old man being baptized in Claremont soon, yes we should get him and my 92 year old lady together! Hehe... She is going strong too still :] She loved the Plan of Salvation and was so excited that she could be with her parents, brother, husband, and daughter who have all passed away again!


In the email I sent addressed to Elder Walker I put pictures of the plan that my companion drew. We were using them to teach her which really helped her understand everything. I was to teach the Earth Life part but I made a mistake in my German that was really funny. Instead of telling her that we came to Earth to get a body (K�r) I said we came to Earth to get a suitcase (Koffer) :] Bahaha!! my bad! But she was great about it and understood what I meant from the pictures. She is so funny and always gives us, Sister F�er and me, a box of chocolate covered jelly bananas and a bag of cookies each time we come over. We have 6 boxes in our apartment and can not eat any more! We will give them to the Elders at the next District Meeting.

We are the only Sisters in the District but we have great Elders. They are so fun to be around and very helpful. We need to travel 2 hours by bus to get to DM but it's OK. and much better than the 4 hours to Zone Conference! 

My first Zone Conference was this week and it was a blast! I met other Sisters!! I feel that I have a disconnection with Sister Missionaries since I was a Solo at the MTC, only Sister Golden in 17 new missionaries, and int he only Sister companionship in my District. Meeting the others was so fun! This transfer we have two ZCs since we are changing Presidents. This week was the farewell of the Pimentels. They are a wonderful couple and I am sad to only know them for a few weeks. I wish it was longer. They taught such good lessons at ZC. Sister Pimentel went through 2 Nephi 5 and told us how we can have a happy life if we live after the principles it teaches about. Such as communicating and listening to the Lord, working hard, attending the Temple and ginving thanks. Pres. Pimentel said a lot of good things but my favorite was Pimentel's Plateau Theory. Which is "The injury from jumping and falling off the Cliff is the same. We are much less likely to jump or fall if we are away from the edge." Simple but profound. He talked about building fences so we stay away from the edge of the Cliff (sin). Fences like staying in church clothes all Sunday to help us keep the Sabbath day Holy. It was pretty great. If you ever meet him, ask him about it.

(if you want it, here is their contact information. I'm also giving this to you so I don't lose it :] Jay & Colleen Pimentel

3326 Constance Circle

Alameda, California 94501

510-337-4140

jay.pimentel@byu.net

colleenpimentel@byu.net

Facebook - Colleen Reed Pimentel

Facebook - Jay D Pimentel) 

 

Though I wish I could get to know them better, I am excited for the Kosaks to come here next week. On July 4th is my ZC with them. They send us a Power point to introduce themselves and they seem like such great people. They are both native Germans but have lived in Russia for the past while working for the Church Education Services. They have 3 children, two of whom have died, but their one daughter will be coming with them. They bore their testimonies of the Plan of Happiness in their PowerPoint and that strengthened mine. They also said they will keep the Mauer Platz tradition of dedicating your mission which I think is really neat. That's the place on the first day we went to dedicate our missiona and then go back on our last day to close it. I'm looking forward to going back. 

 

Remember how I was nervous to have to eat gross food? That was a silly fear becasue all food here is yummy but I still have had to sneak some into my purse because they just give us so much!! One sister in our ward, Schwester Burde, is also a 92 year old lady who joined the church 20 years ago and has been taking care of the missionaries ever since. She needs help grocery shopping so we help her and she buys us some and lunch after wards then every other Friday we have dinner with her. It's really nice of her and we appreciate it. Only problem is for 20 years she has taken care of Elders who eat more than Sisters! We have so much food and for dinner on Friday we had so much and she kept piling more and more when we got close to being done! I snuck bread into my bag but had to stuff the rest down. I am still full from dinner. :] Then last night we had dinner with a member and two less actives and had to stuff ourselves again! And finish a gallon of ice cream. I have never not wanted to eat ice cream more. I think it's funny that everything here is sold in one liter containers and then here is a gallon ice cream! Funny :] 

 

This Saturday our ward is having a missionary day! We are having a street both to hand out Books of Mormon and invite people to the Musical Fireside that night. I am sinigng "Ich wei�mein Erl� lebt" (I know that my redeemer lives) and Sister F�er is playing a few songs onthe piano (including Jon Schmit's All of Me") and then if you could hie to Kolab on the Organ. It will be so cool! Then next week Sister Faerber has a family that she taught in a nother city being baptized so we get to go see it and we will be singing at their Musical Fireside that night too! Lots of singing! Fingers crossed I don't mess up. 

 

Dad- I love that Pres. Hinckley quote, thank you. Are you enjoying the Agatha Christie book? Good luck with your catch up read! That is one of my favorite books ever, hope you like it! Does taking the boys to the parquore (spelling?) class make you want to do it? How were you able to convince Mom to do the gun class? Be safe with the guns. Maybe for Christmas you can buy yourself one of Jared's gun targets and pretend it's from me :] Thank you for working so hard to provide for all of us, you're a great example and I'm trying to work as hard as you. Something to strive for :] 

 

Elder Walker- please read the other email I sent specifically for you. Everyone else can read it too. 

 

Kaden- How was your first dance?! Tell me all about it! Did your Future Wife go too? Did you dance with her? Is it fun to go with the cousins to the dances?

 

Cam and Cole- How do you spell parquore? parqueour? Parkor? parkeor? You should teach the family :] Be careful in class, don't get hurt but have fun! You'll nedd to teach me when I come home! Cam congrats on having a big mouth and winnign the gum conest! 

 

Tell Alyssa good job on her 5k! She and Linds should run the Halloween Half marathon like me and Heather! 

 

I love you all and miss you. But serving the Lord is wodnerful and I'm glad we are a forever family. Yay for Temples! Have a wonderful week! 

 

-Sister Walker