Hello Family

Hello Family!

So, because Mom was welcoming of the idea of Schwester Münch visiting, I invited another member and her husband. It is Sch. and Br. Dittrich, the parents of Sister Kosak. They are the ones who on my first pday here took us to Spreewald for the kayaking and pickles and on New Years we were with them as well. They are flying to Salt Lake on May 24th, then will go to Las Vegas, and then Sch Dittrich said they are thinking of going to Los Angeles after. I said that my family would be happy  to help them and show them around a little!  they should be in LA around May 30th or 31st for a few days. I thought a few ideas if you wouldn't mind would be Olivera Street, Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Disney, the battleship you have a year pass for, and the LA Temple. Just if you want :] 

Sister Dittrich's email address is barbdi@gmx.de . She speaks English very well, Brother Dittrich too. And fun story about her, she's in a book that President Monson wrote. "Faith Rewarded" is the book and she's on page 70 and 71. She got permission to leve the DDR to come to America for surgery. President Nelson opperated on her heart and President Monson gave her a blessing. They spelled her name Dietrich, but she just laughs at that. It would be nice to send her an email. And sorry I keep inviting people. I've just come to love these people so much, I want to you all to meet them too!

Anyway, time to stop being a Travel Agent and start being a missionary again. A funny thing happened this week for us. It made me laugh. We have tried something new from council we received at Zone Training and have been asking Members to choose a street for us to Klingle when they say they have no referrals for us. We went to the Family Grünewald's for our eating appointment and asked them to pray for a street for us to go to. When we called and got the street, we asked them to pray for us as we go there. They chose Finsterwalder Strasse. While doing doors we saw the name "Kosak" and were really excited. How fun would it be to have another family Kosak in the Cottbus Ward?! We started picturing this family Kosak in white at the baptism before we even pushed the doorbell! No one answered when we did push. After doing the other doors we went back, hoping they had come home. But still no answer. But we did teach a lesson on the street, gave out cards, and found and recorded 5 people who already had the Book of Mormon. We made a comment about the future 2nd Family Kosak members of the Ward while meeting with our Ward Mission Leader, and he and his wife just smiled and laughed a little then told us we had found President Kosak's house. :]

I was again very grateful for the topic of the mission's studying the Book of Mormon this week, focusing on the Holy Ghost. I have been able to recognise the Holy Ghost and His influence on me more. This week He prompted me to do something that made no sense to me at all, but when I did it I saw that it was important in helping Sister Neukomm. Because I followed His promptings, we were able to work out some little problems Sister Neukomm had before they got too big. Heavenly Father knows and loves her that He told me when I needed to do something I thought was a little silly. Sister Neukomm was very surprised that I was propmted how I was and she could feel the love of Father in Heaven that He cares even about the little things.

I have some pictures to show you this week! They are from last PDay when we went to Görlitz and with the Bauman's and the Elders did a walk to "Heiliges Grab." This is a pilgrimage walk that is supposed to be the exact same distance and geogrophical features of Jesus' walk from Pilate's palace to Golgotha. Someone in the 1500 from Görlitz went to Jeruselem and came back and made this walk and recreated a chapel that stood in Jeruselem over the spot the cross was supposed to be. This chapel in my picture is it. 

Then there is a recreation of the grave with an Angel proclaiming "He is not there, but is risen!" It was very neat to see this. When I went into the Grave and saw the empty bed I wanted to sing "He is Risen!" This Bread of Life bakery is supposed to mark the spot where Christ stumbled and Simon took the cross.

Thank you Dad for your insight about ending with a period, ellipses, or exclamation point! These next 2 weeks will end with an exclamation! And in 9 months, my mission will end with one too. But let's not talk about that. It's weird that my half way mark is almost here. Changing topics.

Your Utah trip looks and sounds like it was so fun! I'm a little sad I can't go with you right now so thank you for your pictures and videos! Drive home safely! Slow and steady wins the race. Sister Neukomm could not believe how big the van is. She liked that picture. And We both fell in love with Eli! So cute! What a fun time to play with both sides of family! Hope you told them all hi for me :]

Have a wonderful week this week! We are going to the Temple again! That is my favorite District Outing :] I would be OK if I never left Cottbus because that means I will get to visit the Temple my whole mission, there are only 3 Sister areas that are allowed to visit the Temple. How lucky are we!

I love you all!

Love, 

Sister Walker

PS- Tell Trey that he is not useless in Italy just becasue he doesn't get to talk too much. Sometimes the still small voice is the loudest. My advice would be 1-stand up when he wants to say something to get attention or 2- just talk in a whisper until the people stop talking and listen. He's doing a great job! Tell him I love him :] 

Hello!

Hello Family! 

One Sunshine Moment that happened this week happened yesterday. We were walking from our eating appointent to our next lesson. We spoke with everyone we saw on the way but not many people were out or wanted to stop because it was so cold. So Sister Neukomm and I started singing. (This is one way that we thought we could keep better harmony in our companionship, and it is helping.) We sang all the German Hymns that I've memorized and were onto the Primary songs when we were crossing an empty field when on the other side a man who was about to go into his apartment stopped and waited. We stopped singing when we were getting closer to him so we could talk to him, but he talked to us first. He complimented our singing and asked why we were walking in the cold. We were able to then explain who we were and what we do. He said he would like a copy of the Book of Mormon and we made an appointment out for Wednesday. It was a good testimony builder to me that singing hymns really does invite the Spirit.

I don't really know why, but this week was really hard for me. Starting on Wednesday, feelings of inadequicy and doubt bombarded me. I really needed help and support this week, but when Sister Neukomm saw I wasn't doing very well she suggested calling President Kosak to ask for an emergency transfer. That hurt my feelings. It's now the 4th transfer I've been doing everything I can to help her and after 3 days of me asking for her help she wanted to leave. But I did find help from my District Leader, and Elder Riesen shared some scrptures that helped me (He is Sister Neukomm's cousin who is a Zone Leader here. He calls to check on Sister Neukomm a few times during the week and he gives me encouragement and says thank you), then reading scriptures on my own and lots and lots of praying. I re-learned something through my personal study; I can't compair. In Preach My Gospel chapter 1 it talks about not compairing ourselves with other missionaries and I added to mine I shouldn't compair other missionaries (or anyone) to me. Saying I've done this and this and this for Sister Neukomm and she's only done that is very bad. That is me being too prideful and I needed to humble myself a little more this week.  Also President Kosak asked the whole mission to read the Book of Mormon through before Conference in April with a focus on the Holy Ghost and how He plays a role in conversion. I received a comfirmation that forgiveness is real. I read a talk in an old Liahona that said one sure sign that we have been forgiven is when we feel the presence of the Holy Ghost. I don't know why old regrets and doubt kept jumping to the front of my mind but I have been able to fight them back by remembering times I've been lead by the Spirit.

Saturday night I made new goals how to help myself be able to get rid of thoughts of doubt. I've seen that doubts are the quickest way to bring me down. I thought back to when Jesus was tempted by Satan. Satan kept saying "If Thou art the Son of God..." If. Satan tries  tear down by bringing doubt. I was doubting I was a good missionary this week. One of my goals is singing more, saying more earnest prayers, rereading blessings (especially my Patriarchal Blessing) more often, and counting blessings. I've kept a miracle calendar where every night I write down the miracles I saw that day. On the days that I was feeling my worst, I didn't write any down. But when my District Leader, Elder Taylor, asked what miracles I'd seen, and I really had to think of them, I felt happier after! So I will not miss another day of my calender :] I also have a goal to develop more trust in myself, no more doubt! I do change Germany! I do help Sister Neukomm! Confidence! :] These next three weeks will be our best three weeks! She will go out with a bang!

Thank you for your confidence in me. I will keep doing my best.

My eye is all better and so is my ear. Yes I always remember my earmuffs now. The Ward stills sees to that. It's really funny how fast German Grannie Gossip spreads. There was another thing that everyone knew about me this week. (it really keeps me on my toes, I don't want something bad to go around) We had an eating appointment with the oldest couple in the Ward. The wife just turned 92. We got there and the table was pretty loaded with food and they told us all bowls and plates needed to be emptied. It wouldn't be hard for 4 people to do that. But then they didn't eat with us. It was all for the 2 of us. I thought I was going to pop. My favorite food here in Germany is Khlose, its a special Potato ball, like masked potaoes but more moist. It's hard to describe, I'll make it later so you can enjoy it too. Normally I can eat 4 and then I'm full. The Ward knows this is my favorite food, so this couple made some especially for us. They made 18 for the two of us. I ate 9 and could not even look at another one. Sis Neukomm ate 6. They were nice enough to pack th extra 3 so we could eat thm for dinner that night. So yesterday at church everyonewas teasing me about eating so many and jokes about how they will make sure I have a break from them for at least the next week. :]

I don't know why this week was hard when I do have so many people that love me. Both here in Germany, in America and on the other side of the veil. Stupid Satan. This week will be better!

Another Sunhine Moment was we were going to contact a referal one night but we couldn't find the address. While looking we saw someone on the street (it was schweine kalt so the fact that anyone was outside was a little crazy). He asked if we were Jehovah's Wtnesses. We said no we're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Well, it turns out he is a JW and he started Bible Bashin us. At first I wanted to Bible Bash back at him but before I could open my mouth to do so, I felt I just needed to bear testimony. So I did. After my few sentance testimony, he totally changed. He softened and listened and we were able to give him a Book of Mormon. Pretty cool! The Church is true and the Holy Ghost is the teacher in it.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you :]

Love, 

Sister Walker

PS- for Trey, I've had a few people have that problem too and after doing all that you've done I just asked them if they believe in God. Do they believe He aswers questions we ask in prayer? If yes, then I told them they won't get an answer just sitting there. There needs to be action for answers to come. Come to Church on Sunday and ask after if it was right. Maybe you can try something like that. 

PPS- Still no pictures, but next week! :] 

Another P Day in Cottbus

Hello Family!

Something made me laugh while reading Trey's letter. He said " I just felt so stressed and whatnot, I thought I was gonna pop a blood vessel in my head or something." Well, funny thing is that happened to me this week. K, maybe that's not funny. It was in my eye. On one side of the Iris was white, then the blue Iris, then all red. It looked kind of creepy. I was told not to stress and it would go away. Great advice.

Another kind of funny thing is I had to go to the Ear Doctor this week. Well, all siknesses have to be reported to Sister Kosak. When we called her she said to call a member of the Ward here to ask about an ear doctor because she worked for one. So we did and I went and all is OK, I just have to remember earmuffs because the cold wind had dried my ear out. But the entire Ward knew before I even left the Doctor's office! People called to ask if I was OK and then at Church so many people asked me about it and if I needed anything. There is no faster way of communication than German Grandma Gossip. 

The biggest Sunshine Moment for me this week was Schwester Münch came to our Aufbau Sunday School Class! (Schwester Münch is one of my very favorite people here in Cottbus. She is a Less Active who know the Gospel i true, he jut doesn't know that she knows. I always learn something from her at every appointment and I invited her to come visit California. So You may get to meet her!) We had a lesson with her on Friday and that was the commitment we gave her, she said she would think about it, then she came! (A few minutes late so that the rest of the Ward would already be in the big Sunday School Class, but it's a good start! :] )

But the best part was on Sunday night when she called me. Before she called, I had just told Elder Taylor (the District Leader) our numbers and was a little dissappointed at the zeros we had, and was thinking of what I should have done better for Sister Neukomm. I was trying to get over my not so happy thoughts and feelings by reading in the Book of Mormon when I read 1 Nephi 21:4-5 "(4)Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. (5)... though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength." This scripture came into my heart and I was able to say, I did my best this week. I can be happy with that. Then Schwester Münch called and said "Sister Walker, I just wanted to tell you after our lesson on Friday, I felt so good. Then in our Sunday School lesson I felt it again. I just felt so good." Then I told her that that was the Spirit speaking to her heart telling her what we said was true. She paused and said again, "I feel good." After we hung up I was just so happy that she felt the Spirit I got on my knees and said a prayer of thanks.

I was grateful for the chance to see some work go forward with Schwester Münch. I still need to work on feeling succesful even when not seeing. That is my goal this week. To not need reccognition of what I do and not need to see results to feel successful

This week was a little hard with Sister Neukomm for me. She is just ready to go home I feel like she has given up. During Companionship Inventory she complained that I expect too much from her while doing nothing myself. That was great hearing from her that I don't do anything. I really wanted to just start listing off everything that I do for her that she doesn't notice but then I realized that was me being prideful and selfish. It till hurt my feeling what she said but I don't know really how to fix it. So I will just continue on, doing what I need to do and not expecting anyone to say thank you or good job. Probably what a parent feels like. Well, Thank you Mom and Dad and Good Job! I'll be honest, I'm a little scared what for a companion I will get next. If one prepares you for the next, I don't really want to know what comes next right now... Positive thoughts!! :]

We had our English Class on Thursday and taughtthe Word of Widom. That was fun! The students who are all nonmembers actually put alcohol and tobacco in the bad coloumn without our help! That is amazing considering we're in Germany :] Only thing wrong was coffee was put on the good side :] hehe

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you :]

Liebe Grüße, 

Sister Walker

PS- My camera broke so I don't really have pictures. Just the door holding the batteries won't close so I'll have to tape it or something, just haven't gotten around to it yet.

PPS- Can you send me a picture of my Baptism please? Thank you! 

One more funny story about this week. Here in East Germany almost everyone is a self proclaimed Athiest. Normally I don't really have a responce when they say that to me before they walk away or slam the door but this week I've been saying. "Well, I know that God lives and that He loves you." Then the majority just look at me a little confused and then many have taken a Book of Mormon or have listened longer after that! Made me smile :]

I know that God lives and He loves you too!

I love you too! 

love, 

Sister Walker 

Hello Family!

To be perfectly honest, this week I have been worn out and it was a bit of a struggle for me to be happy. I don't know why really. I think I have just been sad and discouraged more than normal when people say no. My heart hurts for them and sometimes I just don't want to hear "nein, danke" or "kein Interesse" anymore. I was not so good at my goal to be better at rejoicing evermore this week, but Sister Neukomm was a great help there. She would start naming some happy things or some small miracles like "there is still a flower on this plant to enjoy" or "you remembered to wear a hat today" and then the other reasons to rejoice were easier to find. I was very grateful for Sister Neukomm this week. I will try even better next week. 
One Sunshine Moment this week was we tried to keep track of how many people we talked to and how many cards we passed out. When we are to be the ones planting the Seeds in Cottbus, we want to keep track and records of where we plant so future Missionaries can have a good Harvest. This past week our numbers were (they probably are not 100% accurate, but are close) 83 people spoken to that responded to us and about 650 cards, pamphlets, and chumming brochures placed in mailboxes. We have been doing all we can do to hand out all the pass-a-long cards and pamphlets that are stamped with our phone number before we change numbers. That's a pretty good amount of seeds right there. I don't know why I was so disappointed. We are asking for miracles to come from our efforts and I know in the Lord's time, not Sister Walker's time, Cottbus will have a good Harvest as well. Just have to keep reminding myself of that.
One other Sunshine Moment happened on Tuesday. Monday Night we had planned something but on Tuesday I felt like we needed to change plans and try to visit our Neu Bekehrt Michael Horn in Lübbenau. I did not feel good until I told Sister Neukomm and we changed our plans. It didn't really make since to go there but we prayed and agreed we needed to go. Michael did not answer his phone but we still went and he was home! It turns out he really needed some help and it was a blessing for him that we went. On the way we also ran into one of our Young Women and were able to have a nice talk with her! The whisperings of the Spirit are always right even when they don't make since to us. 

One of the pictures is of a statue in an old German graveyard we saw while walking to the train station from Michael's house. By "Old German Graveyard" I mean 80 years old. You need to pay every 20 years here to keep a plot so normally people don't stay in the same spot for very long, they normally move the bodies to a mass grave after 20 or 40 years. Kind of strange for us, but for Europe it's normal. SOme countries you have to pay more often than 20 years even.

Another picture is of a snack Sister Neukomm made me when I was having an especially sad day. That made me feel better and that we switched places because normally I do that for her. It was a little humbling and a good reminder to keep trying. 

The last picture is of us modeling presents we got from members. I'm wearing Sister Neukomm's blue jacket to match a hat Schwester Schult knitted for us (matching hats) and Sister Neukomm is wearing a  fashion scarf Schwester Lehnig gave to us (also matching scarves). We feel very stylish with help from our Ward! I forgot to take a picture of it, but another Sister, Schwester Radewagen, gave us sweaters. Mine is mint green with a knitted V-neck. :] 

It was fun to see your fun pictures and hear about the indoor sky diving, I am excited to try that! Mom, your pictures all worked and it was fun introducing Sister Neukomm to our TV room. Her reaction was "That is a giant couch! Are all American couches so big?!"  

Gram and Pa, I got your Christmas card in the mail and I love it! Thank you for sending it! It's fun to see the whole family, I hardly recognised a few people. Everyone is getting so big. 

Kaden, Cameron, and Cole, I love you all and am very greatful for you all. Keep on being good boys and help Mom and Dad and eachother. Be eachother's friends. I heard (read) that you asked for "Preach My Gospel" for Christmas! That made me so proud of you boys! Keep building your testimonies and you will be strong enough to overcome any trial. 

Alyssa, I also got your package with the CDs and your card, thank you! I was dying for new music! "I, Nephi" is my favorite and I decided when I come back home I want to put on an "I, Nephi" Musical for the Ward as a Missionary Opprotunity. That will be cool, don't you think? Just need permission and the sheet music and then we're halfway there! Sister Neukomm's favorite is "Saturday's Warrior" Especially the "Jimmy oh Jimmy don't listen to them..." song. Thank you again! 

Mom and Dad, thank you for your wonderful examples and Dad it does help me to know that you love eachother. It makes it easier to talk about Forever Families when I can see my family does love eachother enough to be together forever. 

Have a wonderful week! Bis nächste Woche! 

Liebe Grüße, 
Sister Walker