Happy July

Hello Family!

Happy July! Do you know what is strange about July in Germany? I am still wearing jackets... Last year this time I was loving the sunshine and now I'm freezing. Another weird thing is I can count how many more months i will be on my mission on one hand. While on that trunky sounding note, yes Mom I am planning on going back to BYU in January. I have no idea if you need to do anything for that. Maybe find out when my class sign up date is please? And maybe around September/October look for housing? Maybe also a job at BYU? I have no idea. To be honest I'm nervous to go back. My grades aren't the best so I'll have to focus really hard on those which will make going to a job hard and no time for friends but that's OK because all my friends are gone or married now. Last thing about that, I have decided to not study art history anymore, just English and become a High School English Teacher. But enough of that. I'll think more about it later. 

As for Germany for Christmas break, I would love that!! I would love to show Mom, Dad, and the 3 boys around my areas! A few days in Bremerhaven, mostly to go to the cool museums, then Cottbus and say hi to the Dittrichs, Berlin to see the tourist sights and Bergedorf! I kind of think I will stay in Bergedorf till my time is up but if I get a 5th city we can visit there too. Maybe even a skip down to Switzerland and say hi to Sister Neukomm! hehe

Enough now of trunky.

My week last week was good. We made 2 new baptism appointments out with investigators who were referrals from the Branch! Yay for member missionary work! :] One was with Solomon, the Spanish speaking man. We had a joint teach with us who is from Spain and it was good. I understood less because they were talking so fast to each other but still understood main ideas and could bear my testimony in Spanish. Sister Hinkle even said a prayer I wrote out for her so that she could participate a little. I haven't been focusing too much on learning the language but more just being about to teach principles and bear testimony. He wants to be baptized so badly, Satan has stopped him before but he'll make it this time!  

The other baptism date is Paul, from Poland. He is one that we met at the Summer Party the Branch put on. He is very polite and thoughtful. To our last appointment he brought us flowers to say thank you for helping him get closer to Jesus. 

Another sunshiny moment was on Saturday we just spent the whole day contacting referrals from a member family, Family Imbeck. We also had a lunch break with them and ate delicious pizza and then after sharing a spiritual thought, Brother Imbeck said that he would come with us to contact the other referrals. To introduce us to them and not just send us to their doors. The first person didn't answer and while walking back to the street Brother Imbeck say that the neighbor, who he also knows, was outside so he said "Sisters come with me and we'll talk to him!" It was great! The man had no interest but seeing our member not afraid to introduce us and trust us enough to do so was great to see. Sadly nothing came from the referrals yet, but we'll keep working. Inviting is all we can do. 

On Tuesday we finally met with a less active and part member family that we had had about 11 appointments already that all fell out. It was  nice to finally meet them and start helping them come back. We did a whole day for less actives this past week and Mike was with us! We delivered cookies and letters and talked to people on the Street. We are trying to convince Mike to go on a mission and thought this taste of mission life would help him decide to go. He did a great job! He even stopped bikers to talk to them. 

We started a game night that the youth can come to and bring their friends to and Friday was the first one. Only Mike, and one young man came, and the mom of the young man stayed too. We played the Bible and Book of Mormon card game that Mom sent me. It was fun seeing the members introducing Bible people Mike didn't know yet. I think he is a little confused from all the details thrown at him but he did a great job! 

We watched the leadership training as a Branch in Sunday school and RS/Priesthood. It was so cool! I loved the parts where they kept saying missionaries are there to teach not to find. And that the Ward Mision Leader should fill our planners. We'll do it! 

Well I hope you all have a great week! Have fun at summer school boys and at work parents. Don't get hurt anymore. Be safe. I love you!

Love, 

Sister Walker 

So one downer about Germany is there is no spicy. Alyssa's level of spicey is the country's as well. So I have been missing it a lot. Well, we heard a rumor that there is a very spicy Curry Wurst stand (curry wurst is bratwurst with red curry sauce on it that is very popular everwhere in Germany and not spicy) in Elmshorn, one of the cities we Exchange with. So hot in fact that you have to show your drivers license to get the hightest spicy to prove that you are over 18 years old. This picture is me showing my licence and holding the wurst. And it was spicy! I cried my first bite. My tastebuds are not used to spicy any more. It was so good! The best part was dipping the fries in the spicey sauce :]