After Conference P-Day

Hello Family! 

It was great to hear that you all enjoyed Confernece too! The idea to write questions down is just what we told our investigators and less active members to do! I got answers to my questions and I am very grateful for them. 

Well, this whole week leading up to and including General Conference has been a Sunshine Moment. One great thing that happened was on Thursday, we went to the Temple as a District! I love the Temple :] I feel at home and loved whenever I step in the doors. 

The pictures are my District in front of the Temple. In the sitting down picture the back row (left to right) is Elders Colton, Gibson, Bangerter, Briner, Owen, and Goodsell. Front row is the new missionary couple ELder and Sister Bauman, me and Sister Neukomm.

Our football huddle pircutre made me think of our family pictures. My arm looks dumb. Wish I'd moved it. 

I have seen many miracles and learned many lessons both from working during the week and listening to Conference. Some examples of great things that have passed this week: On Wednesday after District Meeting, we went to work in the city Hoyerswerde. We had planned to stay all day but Sister Neukomm wasn't feeling well so we had to make new plans to shorten our time. We didn't, however, change our goals that we wanted to accomplish that day. We had set daily goals of 3 lessons and give out one Book of Mormon. We worked as hard as we could in our short time and were able to teach 5 Street Lessons, and at the end of two of them the people we taught asked for a Book of Mormon! We also had an appointment with a man who lives near Schwester Münch (one of our Less Actives) and there was construction all around his building block (like an apartment building but there are many appartment buildings all right next to eachother) that we could not get into the doors, all except his door which was in the middle of the block! What a tender mercy that we were able to get to him, teach, give him a Book of Mormon and make a return appointment! (Another wonder with that is Schwester Münch will be our Joint Teach when we go back today!) When we got back to Cottbus, we were planning on going straight home so Sister Neukomm could rest but I had a feeling we should stay out a little longer. We did and were able to talk with many more people and making out an appointment with two students. I know that the promise of giving us strength is real or else Sister Neukomm would not have been able to do the work we did that day. 
She has been having a hard week with not feeling well and being discouraged. Conference was great in that it helped her more in a few hours that I've been able to all week. There were miracles around General Conference too, including a huge rain storm that made a Less Active member, Sch Tomszyk, change her plans of working in her garden to come to Conference!We had two investigators come to see it as well, Chi-Yu and a new investigator Michael. Chi-Yu saw the one where the family was emphasised a lot (I think it was Sunday morning? The sessions were a bit scrambled for us) that was a blessing. Many of his concerns are how his family in Asia would react if he converts to Christianity. It was nice that he could see how much families matter in our Church as well. Michael is actually an investigator from the Leipzig Elders but he will be in our area for over a month so he is ours right now. We'll baptize him too and make him our member! He is a college student who very much wants to do what is right. We've had two lessons with him so far both with a member family that lives by him. At our last appointment, the Dad asked Michael if he would like to come to Conference with the family. Michael and the Dad (Bruder Kallenborn) ((great name, huh?)) came to Priesthood Session together! It was so cute. Both of these investigators and one more, named Ameen who is from Syrbia, will be coming with us to see the Prophet next Sunday! It's like General Conference is not over yet!! Yay :]

About the new age for missionaries, I am so excited!! I was watching the Session in German, so when I heard that my first thought was "Did I understand that correctly?" But when I realized I did I wanted to cry I was so happy! It made me reflect on myself when I was 19. I wanted to go on my mission so badly then. My guy friends were leaving on theirs and I wanted to follow them. Ever since Heather went on her mission I've wanted to go too so seeing my friends leave and I had to wait two more years seemed unfair and was hard. When the age for Sisters was dropped to 19 it was an answer to my prayers, just a little too late to matter to me. I then started thinking, a little grumpily, that if I could have gone on a misson when I was 19 this and this and this wouldn't have happened. For example- 

If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I wouldn't have had my heart so painfully broken when someone I loved left me. 
If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I wouldn't have made some of the mistakes I did that caused me and others pain. 
If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I wouldn't have gone through struggles with self worth and self image. 
If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I wouldn't have had so many tear filled and sleepless nights because of the things mentioned above. 

While wallowing in my self pitying and jealous state, a feeling came over me asking me what would have happened had I not had these things in my life? If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I would not have learned valuable lessons, I would not be who I am today. 

If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I would not have learned how to depend on Chirst's love for me nor would I have learned the healing power of forgiveness.
If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I would not have learned to appreciate the miracle of repentance nor feel the power of the Atonement wash me clean again. 
If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I would not have learned to see myself ,at all times, as a beloved Daughter of God who thinks I am worth more than the world, worth enough to send His Son for me. 
If I had been able to go on a mission when I was 19, I would not have gotten on my knees praying for the comfort that only He can give me so often. 

Yes, these lessons could have, and most likely would have, come later in life for me. But since I did have to wait till I was 21 years old to serve a mission, I learned these precious lessons before. I learned them and applied them in my life so now that I am serving a mission I can help others learn these lessons for themselves. Heavenly Father answered my prayers to allow Sisters to serve missions at 19, but in His timing which is perfect. 

I am so excited that Young Men and Young Women now have this opprotunity to serve the Lord our God earlier. The wave of new missionaries will be huge I am sure! I am so excited for Nathan and Chandler that can go earlier now and I would be so excited if Kimmy decides to come out now too. The new wave of soldiers of God's army will move the harvest along, the world will never be the same. I am excited to maybe have the chance to work with some 18 year old Elders and 19 year old Sisters! 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I love you all! 

Love, 
Sister Walker 

PS- no Mom, I have not received any packages yet. But transfer calls just came and you are lucky that I am staying in Cottbus for another transfer! It would have been sad if I left before the packages came. Fun news about transfers though, Sister Faerber is coming into my Zone! I get to see her again before she goes home :] 

Dad, keep babying your back, don't rush to get it better. It will get better. 

Kaden, Cameron, and Cole, you all are my heros. I love you all so much and think you are all rock awesome. (or in German they would say "Du bist Hammer!") Keep smiling!