4.30.2012
April 30, 2012
Welp.
I have officially hit my 6 month mark on the mission. Weeeeeird. Also I have a feeling some of you are thinking, "Oh golly gee, that went by fast!" Poo poo on you, it feels like I've been here for an eternity and that I never really did have a life before this. Blah.
Also my new companion is Sister Schaerr. She's really nice. And really pretty. Too pretty. I look like a piece of poo in her presence. Sometimes I'm self-conscious. Whatever.
Well let me tell you some really awesome things.
1. Tigran got the priesthood yesterday AND passed the sacrament! I am so proud of my little baby. He is the most excited new convert I have ever seen in my life. And he's been bugging us about getting him a picture of Jesus smiling to hang up in his room. I kept telling him that all the pictures of Jesus smiling are kinda creepy but he wouldn't listen. So WHATEVER.
2. Frau Bastan-Mehr and Yalda came to sacrament meeting!!!!!!!!!! It was awesome. Yalda was REALLY upset that they had to leave so her mama promised they would come back next week and stay longer. I love my life. I love them. I am so happy we teach them, even if they're our only investigator. And I'm not exaggerating. They really are the only investigators we have hahaha.
3. Elias came to church!!!!!! He's a less active that is AWESOME and has asked us to help him make major changes in his life. We've been trying to visit him ever since I first got here but now he invites US over and he came to church for reals! I am so happy for him.
So.
Wanna hear the stalker story of the week? Yes you do.
The other day we were boppin' around, just doin' our thang, and we turned a corner and BAM. A weirdy man is standing in the middle of the street. This is never good news. People like that are just WAITING for someone to latch on to. And, of course, he did. We decided we would just try to walk past him but it didn't work. He immediately started to follow us and talk to us. His name is Axel, and he's from the Netherlands. No idea what he is doing in Germany. He used to be in a rock band. These are the things we learned about him as he followed us. Also he only has one arm and I'm not really sure what happened to the other one. ANYWAY. So he's following us, and Sister Schaerr says that he probably doesn't have a bus pass so we could just get on one and he'll go away. It seemed like a good idea. WRONG. He had one and proceed to follow us across town. We get in the neighborhood of some members so we stop the bus and get off, with him right on our tails. At this point we've already told him to leave us alone and he's not allowed to follow us, but he was so high I'm not sure he really understood what was happening. He's also crazy in the head, so that didn't help. So I call these members, this old dude and his wife that love me a lot and maybe wouldn't mind if I brought a crazy man around, and asked if we could hide from this man in their apartment. YES OF COURSE was the answer, and we started running. And oh yes, Axel started to run after us. Really, he's harmless. He kept asking if he could hang around because he was so lonely, and I did feel bad for the fellow. He was really nice. But you just can't have a crazy following you as you do missionary work! So we ran until we saw good ol' Bruder Wolff walking down the street, coming to pick us up. So we meet him with Axel coming up close behind. I really wish ya'll knew Bruder Wolff. It would make a lot more sense when I tell you that he recited a poem to Axel about this guy who got shot for following women around. Hahahahahahaha. Anyways, long story short, he managed to convince Axel that he is more than welcome to come to church on Sunday but not to follow us around. Then we stayed with the Wolffs until Axel was long gone.
Being a sister missionary is nuts, in case you were wondering.
Loves.
Sister Young
4.27.2012
April 23, 2012
Ok ok.
Transfer results are in and I have good and bad news.
Good news? I'm still in HAMBURG!!!!!!!!!! So this is the start of my 4th transfer here, and by the end of that I will have been here for 6 months. Wowza.
Bad news? I'm still in a freaking trio. WHAT THE HECK. It's like God hates me or something. Also it's super weird because I'm now Sister Moon's trainer but I'm also getting a senior companion...?!?!? Don't ask. It's just DUMB.
BUT. Best news ever. Frau Bastan-Mehr AND her husband AND her daughter Yalda came to a ward activity!!!!!! So exciting. Yalda is already best friends with everyone there and Frau Bastan-Mehr was holding someone else's baby the whole time hahaha. They're already a part of the ward. At one point we went into a different room and we were able to answer a lot of their questions and it was so great. Her husband said that the second he walked in he felt calm and peaceful, so we explained that was the Spirit and blah blah blah I CAN'T WAIT TILL THEY'RE BAPTIZED. But we're taking baby steps. No worries. And now I get to stay here and work with them more!!
Also. So the Hamburg stake had a youth activity last Saturday where they could sign up to follow us around all day and be a missionary. Normally I would think that's super cute, but it happened to be the most stressful thing EVER. We found out about it like 5 days before and it was super confusing. We also found out that some Sisters would be coming from another city to help us out, so we needed to make appointments for FOUR COMPANIONSHIPS on ONE DAY. It was impossible. We made a total of ZERO, in case you were wondering. So basically I spent my Saturday walking around with a 16 year old trying to talk to people. Poor girl. Now she REALLY knows what missionary work is like. OH! And the one time she got the courage to talk to someone on the street it was a Jehovah's Witness. They can be pretty brutal, so she may or may not have been scarred from this experience.
Whatevs. Wanna hear something funny? Cool.
So there's this Bruder in the ward here who's pretty awesome. His family invites us over all the time and gives us referrals so we like them a lot. ANYWAY. My favorite thing about this Bruder besides his very old sense of humor and his bald head is the fact that when he feels the Spirit, he starts laughing hysterically. Like, he can't stop. Every single time we share a spiritual thought, he just starts laughing. And sometimes you'll look over at him during church and you can see his shoulders bouncing up and down from laughter. His wife says it's uncontrolable in the temple hahahahaha. Isn't that the funniest/coolest thing ever? I think so.
Well my beautiful people, I loves yous a lots. Don't forget about me. And I like letters.
Lurves.
Sister Young
4.16.2012
April 16, 2012
Well. First things first.
Tigran was baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay yay yay. Everything is super GUT. And also his mom and brother and a bunch of friends came. Over 100 people! He is so loved. And his mother was super super worried that he was joining a cult but after talking to Sister Risenmay for like a hour she said her heart "feels lighter." And, of course, she's going to check out the church in her hometown!!! Woooooo. Win win win.
Also Frau Bastan-Mehr came to the baptism with Yalda!! They're that family from Iran, if you can't remember. And Yalda's the cutest thing on the planet. And they're coming to a ward activity on Saturday!!! Oh, my heart is beaming with joy.
Also you want to know something else good?! I only cursed 3 times this week. And none of those times was in reference to someone else! I am making progress! Maybe I'll be an angel by the time I come back. Maybe.
Oh yes. And Crepe Boy is doing great, despite the little tiny setback we call WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HIS NAME IS. Oops. BUT it doesn't matter because we've taught him the first lesson and he was eating out of the palm of our hands. Then he kept asking questions that deal with the second lesson, so basically we like to call him a golden investigator. Ha.
Ok and I have the awkward story of the week. Ready? Ready.
So remember how I was getting love texts and stuff from an investigator? Well for our next lesson we set it up so that I was chillin with a member while Sister Risenmay and Sister Moon (it's so handy to be in a trio) taught him. Too bad so sad, he didn't show up. But he called and we set up another appointment for a different day. So again, we planned for me to be at Sofia's home and teach her while my companions went to the appointment. Except this time Sofia wasn't home for an unknown reason and she doesn't have a cell! Bad news. HOWEVER we found TIgran outside who had forgot his keys and had no idea why Sofia wasn't home either! So we invited him to be a joint teach because we were already going to be late. So we're at the church with Tigran waiting for our investigator and then the confusion starts - what the heck do I do? Sister Risenmay was under the impression that because TIgran was there I would come to the lesson too. Sister Moon thought that I was going to hide in the bathroom. I wasn't really thinking. SO. Our investigator shows up and Sister Moon just yells "Get down!!!" and I drop to the floor to hide. The problem? HE SAW ME DROPPING DOWN. So I just pretended I lost an earring and shot back up and ran to "go to the bathroom." And then I stayed in the bathroom for the entire lesson. And then I heard the lesson was horribly awkward because a) I guess he hates the idea of joint teaches and b) he knew I was hiding in the building somewhere. BUT I guess he wants to meet again. And next time I will be 50 miles away. Hopefully.
Oh, to be a sister missionary.
Also, Sister Risenmay and I play chess every single day to keep our minds limber. Watch out, we're getting real gooooood.
I love you all. And I love you all more when you send letters.
Lieeeeeebe,
Sister Young
Tigran was baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay yay yay. Everything is super GUT. And also his mom and brother and a bunch of friends came. Over 100 people! He is so loved. And his mother was super super worried that he was joining a cult but after talking to Sister Risenmay for like a hour she said her heart "feels lighter." And, of course, she's going to check out the church in her hometown!!! Woooooo. Win win win.
Also Frau Bastan-Mehr came to the baptism with Yalda!! They're that family from Iran, if you can't remember. And Yalda's the cutest thing on the planet. And they're coming to a ward activity on Saturday!!! Oh, my heart is beaming with joy.
Also you want to know something else good?! I only cursed 3 times this week. And none of those times was in reference to someone else! I am making progress! Maybe I'll be an angel by the time I come back. Maybe.
Oh yes. And Crepe Boy is doing great, despite the little tiny setback we call WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HIS NAME IS. Oops. BUT it doesn't matter because we've taught him the first lesson and he was eating out of the palm of our hands. Then he kept asking questions that deal with the second lesson, so basically we like to call him a golden investigator. Ha.
Ok and I have the awkward story of the week. Ready? Ready.
So remember how I was getting love texts and stuff from an investigator? Well for our next lesson we set it up so that I was chillin with a member while Sister Risenmay and Sister Moon (it's so handy to be in a trio) taught him. Too bad so sad, he didn't show up. But he called and we set up another appointment for a different day. So again, we planned for me to be at Sofia's home and teach her while my companions went to the appointment. Except this time Sofia wasn't home for an unknown reason and she doesn't have a cell! Bad news. HOWEVER we found TIgran outside who had forgot his keys and had no idea why Sofia wasn't home either! So we invited him to be a joint teach because we were already going to be late. So we're at the church with Tigran waiting for our investigator and then the confusion starts - what the heck do I do? Sister Risenmay was under the impression that because TIgran was there I would come to the lesson too. Sister Moon thought that I was going to hide in the bathroom. I wasn't really thinking. SO. Our investigator shows up and Sister Moon just yells "Get down!!!" and I drop to the floor to hide. The problem? HE SAW ME DROPPING DOWN. So I just pretended I lost an earring and shot back up and ran to "go to the bathroom." And then I stayed in the bathroom for the entire lesson. And then I heard the lesson was horribly awkward because a) I guess he hates the idea of joint teaches and b) he knew I was hiding in the building somewhere. BUT I guess he wants to meet again. And next time I will be 50 miles away. Hopefully.
Oh, to be a sister missionary.
Also, Sister Risenmay and I play chess every single day to keep our minds limber. Watch out, we're getting real gooooood.
I love you all. And I love you all more when you send letters.
Lieeeeeebe,
Sister Young
4.09.2012
April 9, 2012
Hello hello.
I have hilarious things to say to you.
First things first, I have officially received my first love letter of the mission. Well, actually, it was a text. BUT IT COUNTS. And it was a LOT of texts that told me all about my beautiful aura and my lovely features and my awesomeness. Duh. It's just too bad he's an investigator. Now we have to go on splits for his lessons so I don't have to be there. And we've devised strategic plans for how I can avoid him when he comes to church. Gah. It's just ANNOYING. I heard it just gets worse. The second I move to the East I'll get proposed to at least 50 times, or so I hear.
Speaking of the "East," Germany is the most divided country ever. People in the west don't like the DDR (doesn't even exist anymore, but that's how people refer to the east), nobody likes Saxon, and everyone loves to make fun of Byron. Ridiculous.
So. For those who are always asking what I do on P-days, the answer is COOL THINGS. I've seen a lot of Hamburg. Things to google that I've visited: Rathaus, St. Petri's Kirche (I paid an euro to walk up to the very tipy top of the steeple = scariest thing EVER), St. Michael's Kirche, Altona, Stadt Park, Planetarium...I think that's about it. Sorry if I spelled the church's names wrong. Oh, and last week we decided to go to a concentration camp and it was INTENSE. It's called Neuengamme, you should wiki that. Crazy. A ton of the biggest camps are in our mission, so I'll keep you posted on all the ones I visit.
Ok cooool story. So we were having a really really hard time finding new investigators and we were really struggling for a while, especially because all our appointments were falling out. WELL. We prayed and fasted and we ended up getting 3 new investigators and now have 4 progressing investigators instead of 2!!! Prayer works. Fasting works. Doing both at the same time is GREAT. Oh, and one of our new investigators just asked before we started our lesson, "So when can I get baptized?" Bahahaha it was crazy.
Speaking of cool things, we were teaching Tigran about missionary work and we read that scripture in D&C 18 about how if you bring souls to Christ then you'll experience great happiness and whatnot. WELL. Tigran just looked down and said, "Well Sister Martinz and Sister Young can be very very happy because they found Sofia and I. I can promise that because they found me, thousands of people will be brought into the church." WOOF. It was like this feeling of...I don't even know...just swept over me. I was just thrilled that these two awesome people changed their lives and were baptized, but it occured to me right then that Tigran will get married and have children who will have children and ALSO Tigran said he wants to serve a mission!!!!! Thousands. Literally thousands will come through him. Buh. I can't wait for his baptism on Sunday!!!
Also. Being in a trio is far too much fun. We laugh waaaaay too much.
People. My darling people of the world. I am going to remind you right now that my birthday is coming up (May 24) and I'm expecting at least a card from every single one of you. And if you want to send me a package I really miss mac and cheese. In case you forgot, my address is:
Sister Lesa Young
Germany Berlin Mission
Zerbster Strasse 42
12209 Berlin
Germany
Our Mission President has asked that we have all the packages sent to the mission office, just so you know. But if you want to send a letter directly to my apartment, email me and I'll give you the address.
I love yous.
Sister Young
I have hilarious things to say to you.
First things first, I have officially received my first love letter of the mission. Well, actually, it was a text. BUT IT COUNTS. And it was a LOT of texts that told me all about my beautiful aura and my lovely features and my awesomeness. Duh. It's just too bad he's an investigator. Now we have to go on splits for his lessons so I don't have to be there. And we've devised strategic plans for how I can avoid him when he comes to church. Gah. It's just ANNOYING. I heard it just gets worse. The second I move to the East I'll get proposed to at least 50 times, or so I hear.
Speaking of the "East," Germany is the most divided country ever. People in the west don't like the DDR (doesn't even exist anymore, but that's how people refer to the east), nobody likes Saxon, and everyone loves to make fun of Byron. Ridiculous.
So. For those who are always asking what I do on P-days, the answer is COOL THINGS. I've seen a lot of Hamburg. Things to google that I've visited: Rathaus, St. Petri's Kirche (I paid an euro to walk up to the very tipy top of the steeple = scariest thing EVER), St. Michael's Kirche, Altona, Stadt Park, Planetarium...I think that's about it. Sorry if I spelled the church's names wrong. Oh, and last week we decided to go to a concentration camp and it was INTENSE. It's called Neuengamme, you should wiki that. Crazy. A ton of the biggest camps are in our mission, so I'll keep you posted on all the ones I visit.
Ok cooool story. So we were having a really really hard time finding new investigators and we were really struggling for a while, especially because all our appointments were falling out. WELL. We prayed and fasted and we ended up getting 3 new investigators and now have 4 progressing investigators instead of 2!!! Prayer works. Fasting works. Doing both at the same time is GREAT. Oh, and one of our new investigators just asked before we started our lesson, "So when can I get baptized?" Bahahaha it was crazy.
Speaking of cool things, we were teaching Tigran about missionary work and we read that scripture in D&C 18 about how if you bring souls to Christ then you'll experience great happiness and whatnot. WELL. Tigran just looked down and said, "Well Sister Martinz and Sister Young can be very very happy because they found Sofia and I. I can promise that because they found me, thousands of people will be brought into the church." WOOF. It was like this feeling of...I don't even know...just swept over me. I was just thrilled that these two awesome people changed their lives and were baptized, but it occured to me right then that Tigran will get married and have children who will have children and ALSO Tigran said he wants to serve a mission!!!!! Thousands. Literally thousands will come through him. Buh. I can't wait for his baptism on Sunday!!!
Also. Being in a trio is far too much fun. We laugh waaaaay too much.
People. My darling people of the world. I am going to remind you right now that my birthday is coming up (May 24) and I'm expecting at least a card from every single one of you. And if you want to send me a package I really miss mac and cheese. In case you forgot, my address is:
Sister Lesa Young
Germany Berlin Mission
Zerbster Strasse 42
12209 Berlin
Germany
Our Mission President has asked that we have all the packages sent to the mission office, just so you know. But if you want to send a letter directly to my apartment, email me and I'll give you the address.
I love yous.
Sister Young
4.02.2012
April 2, 2012
Ello chaps!
I have a British zone leader so I'm trying to work on my amazing English accent.
Anywho, you want to hear the giant news of the week?!?!
I HAVE THE GIFT OF TONGUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Listen. I've been praying for this for like ever. And I think all of you have too, so thank you. I've spent a lot of time fasting and praying and crying and praying some more, and the most merciful God has granted me my most precious desire - the ability to communicate. I am NOT perfect by any means, but it was crazy. Like night and day. I just woke up one morning and I could understand and talk and teach and make out appointments and do crazy things. And my senior companion was like, "Oh my heavens, your German is UNREAL good." I am SO excited. I finally feel like a missionary!!!
You know what else makes me feel like a missionary? The fact that we had basically all of our appointments fall out. Seriously. Worst week ever as far as numbers go. It was really disheartening. BUT. I had the most amazing experience everrrrrr.
Mmk so I've already told you about the boy who works at the crepe stand, yes? Yes. Anyway, so I took my new companions to his stand, like we usually do every Wednesday, except this time when I started talking to him my companions (for unknown reasons) just stepped back and didn't say ANYTHING. So, I had to talk to him about God all by myself. But WOAH we had the most intense conversation EVER. And then I told him I would come back the next day and bring him the Book of Mormon and that he had no choice, he had to read it. But because I had to go to Leadership Training in Hamburg, I sent our little baby (new missionary) with another newbie to go give him this book with a note from me. And from what she said, the second she starting walking away he sat down to read it!!! AND I gave him Alma 5 to read. I know, I know. BOLD. It will BLOW HIS MIND. I'm very excited.
And yes, I am turning into a missionary. I can't help it. If it makes you feel better, I'm creating a reputation for being the craziest (but most awesome) sister EVER. No worries, Lesa is still in here somewhere.
I love you.
Loooooove,
Sister Young
I have a British zone leader so I'm trying to work on my amazing English accent.
Anywho, you want to hear the giant news of the week?!?!
I HAVE THE GIFT OF TONGUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Listen. I've been praying for this for like ever. And I think all of you have too, so thank you. I've spent a lot of time fasting and praying and crying and praying some more, and the most merciful God has granted me my most precious desire - the ability to communicate. I am NOT perfect by any means, but it was crazy. Like night and day. I just woke up one morning and I could understand and talk and teach and make out appointments and do crazy things. And my senior companion was like, "Oh my heavens, your German is UNREAL good." I am SO excited. I finally feel like a missionary!!!
You know what else makes me feel like a missionary? The fact that we had basically all of our appointments fall out. Seriously. Worst week ever as far as numbers go. It was really disheartening. BUT. I had the most amazing experience everrrrrr.
Mmk so I've already told you about the boy who works at the crepe stand, yes? Yes. Anyway, so I took my new companions to his stand, like we usually do every Wednesday, except this time when I started talking to him my companions (for unknown reasons) just stepped back and didn't say ANYTHING. So, I had to talk to him about God all by myself. But WOAH we had the most intense conversation EVER. And then I told him I would come back the next day and bring him the Book of Mormon and that he had no choice, he had to read it. But because I had to go to Leadership Training in Hamburg, I sent our little baby (new missionary) with another newbie to go give him this book with a note from me. And from what she said, the second she starting walking away he sat down to read it!!! AND I gave him Alma 5 to read. I know, I know. BOLD. It will BLOW HIS MIND. I'm very excited.
And yes, I am turning into a missionary. I can't help it. If it makes you feel better, I'm creating a reputation for being the craziest (but most awesome) sister EVER. No worries, Lesa is still in here somewhere.
I love you.
Loooooove,
Sister Young
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