Guess what.
I just opened my inbox today and saw 34 emails. You know folks, I feel incredibly loved and appreciated, but please don't get mad at me when I don't immediately write back. I love you, but please don't hate me. I'll see you in like 6 weeks.
Ok.
This week was blah. But cool, I guess.
Michael passed his baptismal interview and bore his testimony at church yesterday. We are so proud of him! His doing so well and we are excited for his baptism next Sunday. I'm also super selfishly stoked because he's German and I've never had a German baptism before!! Ha.
Also did I already mention that we've started an English class with our Ward Mission Leader (he's from America!)? Well we have. And it's hilarious. We get a different sampling of people every week with different levels of English and we just have a blast trying so desperately to teach them haha. Last week one of our investigators came who has really really good English, so he just talked to our WML about computer things and I think I learned more from that conversation than the investigator did haha.
On Wednesday other missonaries from our district came and helped us do finding for an hour. Apparently the Elders had a hard time, but Sister Fugal and I had a ton of cool conversations and met amazing people and one lady even gave us a hug and thanked us for stopping to talk to her! People have never been so nice, it's just the weirdest thing. Don't tell the Elders, but I think it's because we're Sisters. Shhh...
We also did exchanges this week and I was able to have Sister Curtis come visit me!!! She and I knew each other from the MTC and it was soooooo great talking to her again. We stayed up really late just talking and laughing and seriously we will be best friends forever. And I was so happy that my comp got to go to another city and work with another Sister who's really young on the mission, because she stopped comparing her German to mine and found out that her German is actually good! Tender mercies, I tell you. Exchanges are tender mercies.
But ja....other than that this week was pretty uneventful. Sorry this email is so boring. Maybe I'll be more chipper next week.
Love you all,
Sister Young
2.08.2013
January 28, 2013
And so it begins. The final countdown to the end of my mission life.
Well actually, I started that countdown like...about 18 months ago. But now I'm on the home stretch! I'm aware this statement is a little premature, I have like 7 weeks left. I only bring it up because this week totally BLEW and I am just about ready to give up. But not quite.
Because I'm such a huge fan of lists, let's break it up into DAYS OF HORRIBLENESS.
MONDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
Somebody stole our phone! And if you're not aware of how precious phones are to an area or companionship, let me just say that every contact in the history of the area EVER is in that phone. And it was gone. So luckily our Zone Leaders had an extra phone, not sure how or why but we didn't ask questions. The problem was that we had to spend a chunk of our p-day and the last of my patience traveling to Hannover to pick it up and come home, which was the WORST because all the trains were late due to stupid snow issues! We got home really late and I was GRUMPY.
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
First of all, a member made us eat burritos with fruit in them. FRUIT. My burrito = corn, bell peppers, lettuce, chicken, bananas. Does that make sense? No. Ok, it wasn't so bad. But still. German tacos are just the weirdest things ever. But anyway, that's not the bad thing. Right after that appointment I expressed to my companion that we needed to go home right that second. Upon our arrival, I rushed to the bathroom only to discover that hey! MY BODY HATES BANANA BURRITOS. So I spent the better part of the night leaning on the toilet seat on the verge of death. I made my companion stay up with me (I just didn't want to be sick all alone, that's the worst) and made her promise that she would get my signature on a legal document that states that I will never have babies because I could never deal with pregnancy morning sickness. Then I slept on the bathroom floor and woke up at noon the next day in my bed...I don't remember how that happened. Then I ate 5 crackers and drank a glass of Coke and went to an appointment because I AM HARDCORE. Thankfully these wonderful members in the ward came over and gave me a blessing - I felt much better after that.
THURSDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
So our investigator Michael that is supposed to be getting baptized this week found out that he has to go to the hospital for some routine checks and might be in there on the day of his baptism! That obviously messed a lot of things up and we're still trying to figure out what is UP. Then later that evening we went out to dinner with this really really really German member who told me all the reasons that my German is horrible and why I'm doing missionary work wrong. Germans love insulting you, I don't know why.
FRIDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
Ok, this day wasn't so bad. We did end up receiving a lot of revelation for how we can help one of our less actives, so that was great! But it was just a long day in a lot of buses.
SATURDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
We went to an investigator's place expecting to have a great lesson and found out that he needs a LOT of time to figure out a LOT of problems and it was just really really overwhelming for us. Poooooooooo. Also it was really hard to get in contact with a lot of people that we were supposed to contact, so it was just all-around rough.
SUNDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
We were supposed to organize a ride for one of our investigators, but it just blew up in our face and I felt like the ward thought we were idiots. I was just grumpy the whole time we were at church. Then our appointment with this really cool girl fell out and we were devestated. After a spontaneous invitation to eat at a member's home, we made our way over to this cool new family from China that we started teaching, but they weren't there. That really broke my heart because a) they're asian and b) THEY'RE ASIAN AND ASIANS ALWAYS CALL TO CANCEL APPOINTMENTS. I just gave up and we went home.
Maybe this week will be better, I DON'T KNOW.
Love you all,
Sister Young
Well actually, I started that countdown like...about 18 months ago. But now I'm on the home stretch! I'm aware this statement is a little premature, I have like 7 weeks left. I only bring it up because this week totally BLEW and I am just about ready to give up. But not quite.
Because I'm such a huge fan of lists, let's break it up into DAYS OF HORRIBLENESS.
MONDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
Somebody stole our phone! And if you're not aware of how precious phones are to an area or companionship, let me just say that every contact in the history of the area EVER is in that phone. And it was gone. So luckily our Zone Leaders had an extra phone, not sure how or why but we didn't ask questions. The problem was that we had to spend a chunk of our p-day and the last of my patience traveling to Hannover to pick it up and come home, which was the WORST because all the trains were late due to stupid snow issues! We got home really late and I was GRUMPY.
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
First of all, a member made us eat burritos with fruit in them. FRUIT. My burrito = corn, bell peppers, lettuce, chicken, bananas. Does that make sense? No. Ok, it wasn't so bad. But still. German tacos are just the weirdest things ever. But anyway, that's not the bad thing. Right after that appointment I expressed to my companion that we needed to go home right that second. Upon our arrival, I rushed to the bathroom only to discover that hey! MY BODY HATES BANANA BURRITOS. So I spent the better part of the night leaning on the toilet seat on the verge of death. I made my companion stay up with me (I just didn't want to be sick all alone, that's the worst) and made her promise that she would get my signature on a legal document that states that I will never have babies because I could never deal with pregnancy morning sickness. Then I slept on the bathroom floor and woke up at noon the next day in my bed...I don't remember how that happened. Then I ate 5 crackers and drank a glass of Coke and went to an appointment because I AM HARDCORE. Thankfully these wonderful members in the ward came over and gave me a blessing - I felt much better after that.
THURSDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
So our investigator Michael that is supposed to be getting baptized this week found out that he has to go to the hospital for some routine checks and might be in there on the day of his baptism! That obviously messed a lot of things up and we're still trying to figure out what is UP. Then later that evening we went out to dinner with this really really really German member who told me all the reasons that my German is horrible and why I'm doing missionary work wrong. Germans love insulting you, I don't know why.
FRIDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
Ok, this day wasn't so bad. We did end up receiving a lot of revelation for how we can help one of our less actives, so that was great! But it was just a long day in a lot of buses.
SATURDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
We went to an investigator's place expecting to have a great lesson and found out that he needs a LOT of time to figure out a LOT of problems and it was just really really overwhelming for us. Poooooooooo. Also it was really hard to get in contact with a lot of people that we were supposed to contact, so it was just all-around rough.
SUNDAY OF HORRIBLENESS
We were supposed to organize a ride for one of our investigators, but it just blew up in our face and I felt like the ward thought we were idiots. I was just grumpy the whole time we were at church. Then our appointment with this really cool girl fell out and we were devestated. After a spontaneous invitation to eat at a member's home, we made our way over to this cool new family from China that we started teaching, but they weren't there. That really broke my heart because a) they're asian and b) THEY'RE ASIAN AND ASIANS ALWAYS CALL TO CANCEL APPOINTMENTS. I just gave up and we went home.
Maybe this week will be better, I DON'T KNOW.
Love you all,
Sister Young
January 21, 2013
Ok the chair I am sitting on right now is broken and I feel like a midget writing on a desk that's sitting almost at my shoulders right now. ANNOYING.
Well I would be lying if I didn't say that I'm not getting a little trunky, especially because IT'S A BLIZZARD OUTSIDE PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO OUTSIDE I CAN'T DO THISSSSSSSSSSSS.
Ok, it's not so bad. It's only that my frozen toes are about to fall off and the 3 pairs of tights with leggings hasn't been keeping my body temperature at a normal level, but nbd I'll live. Oh, and did I mention that we only have 1 serious investigator (but he's great, no worries) and our phone was stolen today? Changed my mind, I think I'm going to die.
But I will tell you some funny stories about my comp. She's hilarious.
Funny story #1
So my comp was still pretty jet-lagged her first couple of weeks here and developed a habit of falling asleep on all the buses or trains we took, which is kein problem. But right as this sleeping thing was supposed to be getting better, it got WORSE. Now the story: so one day we were with this member who likes to read the Book of Mormon with us in English to practice. So I read one verse, he reads it back, my comp reads one verse, he reads it back...so on and so forth. Well I started to notice that my comp was nodding off (I don't blame her, it can be so boring), and so I kicked her awake when it was her turn. So then she goes to read and FALLS ASLEEP WHILE READING. Bahahahaha it was literally like "And it came to paaaaah..." GONE. Oh my heavens I couldn't stop laughing and I kept trying to hide it, but to no avail. No worries thought because I don't think the member even noticed hahaha.
Funny story #2
A couple p-days ago my comp bought a brand new winter coat and less than 4 days later, some part of the zipper broke. We were naturally upset and tried to super glue it on, but that definitely didn't work. So we brought the coat back and they gladly exchanged it for a new one. Well, my comp was so nervous about the zipper breaking again, that she decided to prevent anything from happening by just super gluing the same part as protection. So she comes into the room, beaming, and exclaimed, "Look! I super glued my coat!"
I just looked at her with a blank stare. "You're wearing the coat."
She was so confused, so I had to explain to her that she SUPER GLUED HERSELF INTO HER COAT. hahahahahahaha we both laughed hysterically and then later that day when we were at the church she had to step out of her coat because she couldn't get it undone. Oh heavens, I think I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard.
So basically what I'm trying to say is that at least in these rough mission times my companion and I are finding a thousand ways to laugh and have fun. And that's what it's all about, yeehaw.
I love you all!
Lurve,
Sister Young
Well I would be lying if I didn't say that I'm not getting a little trunky, especially because IT'S A BLIZZARD OUTSIDE PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO OUTSIDE I CAN'T DO THISSSSSSSSSSSS.
Ok, it's not so bad. It's only that my frozen toes are about to fall off and the 3 pairs of tights with leggings hasn't been keeping my body temperature at a normal level, but nbd I'll live. Oh, and did I mention that we only have 1 serious investigator (but he's great, no worries) and our phone was stolen today? Changed my mind, I think I'm going to die.
But I will tell you some funny stories about my comp. She's hilarious.
Funny story #1
So my comp was still pretty jet-lagged her first couple of weeks here and developed a habit of falling asleep on all the buses or trains we took, which is kein problem. But right as this sleeping thing was supposed to be getting better, it got WORSE. Now the story: so one day we were with this member who likes to read the Book of Mormon with us in English to practice. So I read one verse, he reads it back, my comp reads one verse, he reads it back...so on and so forth. Well I started to notice that my comp was nodding off (I don't blame her, it can be so boring), and so I kicked her awake when it was her turn. So then she goes to read and FALLS ASLEEP WHILE READING. Bahahahaha it was literally like "And it came to paaaaah..." GONE. Oh my heavens I couldn't stop laughing and I kept trying to hide it, but to no avail. No worries thought because I don't think the member even noticed hahaha.
Funny story #2
A couple p-days ago my comp bought a brand new winter coat and less than 4 days later, some part of the zipper broke. We were naturally upset and tried to super glue it on, but that definitely didn't work. So we brought the coat back and they gladly exchanged it for a new one. Well, my comp was so nervous about the zipper breaking again, that she decided to prevent anything from happening by just super gluing the same part as protection. So she comes into the room, beaming, and exclaimed, "Look! I super glued my coat!"
I just looked at her with a blank stare. "You're wearing the coat."
She was so confused, so I had to explain to her that she SUPER GLUED HERSELF INTO HER COAT. hahahahahahaha we both laughed hysterically and then later that day when we were at the church she had to step out of her coat because she couldn't get it undone. Oh heavens, I think I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard.
So basically what I'm trying to say is that at least in these rough mission times my companion and I are finding a thousand ways to laugh and have fun. And that's what it's all about, yeehaw.
I love you all!
Lurve,
Sister Young
January 14, 2013
Well well well.
This week seemed so productive and so good and then we looked at our numbers last night and they SUCKED. Weird how that happens.
BUT it doesn't matter because one of our beloved investigators is getting baptized in a couple of weeks! I think I briefly mentioned Michael once, he was having a little trouble recognizing the Spirit. We had set a date for him at the end of February but after praying about it, we asked him if he was ready to do that sooner and he said YES. And I've never seen him happier! The Spirit was so strong and Michael is just so ready. It was a blessed time.
What's interesting is that after leaving Michael's apartment, which is small and less than fancy and needs a good makeover, we went to visit another investigator who lives in a really nice place with super fancy furniture and smells really good. But the Spirit wasn't there at all. The comparison is so stark. In a clean, well-kept place the Spirit should be able to abide, but the man who occupies it resists it to the point where the Spirit is almost offended. And this man complains in every.single.lesson. that God must not be loving because there are so many poor people in the world who suffer and Africans are so sad and no, he can't even think about praying because prayer accomplishes nothing. People who pray don't change the world, says he. But then you walk into the humble circumstances of Michael, who has been trying his whole life to come closer to the Savior through countless acts of kindness and a warm, friendly character, and you are overcome by a Spirit of love and gratitude and humility and you know that those quiet, simple prayers to God uttered by him everyday have changed his world.
And that's the gospel truth.
You know what else is really cool? Getting one of your favorite investigators to agree to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it after having had resisted it for years and years, despite his wife's pleadings.
Ok ok ok I am done with this cheesy-ness. Well guess what. I visited another castle last week. That was pretty cool, I guess. Aaaaand...I don't think anything else exciting happened. Sorry. But I'll attach pictures!
#1. Bielefeld! Land of dreams!
#2. My comp and I with the coolest family ever!!!
Loves.
Sister Young
This week seemed so productive and so good and then we looked at our numbers last night and they SUCKED. Weird how that happens.
BUT it doesn't matter because one of our beloved investigators is getting baptized in a couple of weeks! I think I briefly mentioned Michael once, he was having a little trouble recognizing the Spirit. We had set a date for him at the end of February but after praying about it, we asked him if he was ready to do that sooner and he said YES. And I've never seen him happier! The Spirit was so strong and Michael is just so ready. It was a blessed time.
What's interesting is that after leaving Michael's apartment, which is small and less than fancy and needs a good makeover, we went to visit another investigator who lives in a really nice place with super fancy furniture and smells really good. But the Spirit wasn't there at all. The comparison is so stark. In a clean, well-kept place the Spirit should be able to abide, but the man who occupies it resists it to the point where the Spirit is almost offended. And this man complains in every.single.lesson. that God must not be loving because there are so many poor people in the world who suffer and Africans are so sad and no, he can't even think about praying because prayer accomplishes nothing. People who pray don't change the world, says he. But then you walk into the humble circumstances of Michael, who has been trying his whole life to come closer to the Savior through countless acts of kindness and a warm, friendly character, and you are overcome by a Spirit of love and gratitude and humility and you know that those quiet, simple prayers to God uttered by him everyday have changed his world.
And that's the gospel truth.
You know what else is really cool? Getting one of your favorite investigators to agree to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it after having had resisted it for years and years, despite his wife's pleadings.
Ok ok ok I am done with this cheesy-ness. Well guess what. I visited another castle last week. That was pretty cool, I guess. Aaaaand...I don't think anything else exciting happened. Sorry. But I'll attach pictures!
#1. Bielefeld! Land of dreams!
#2. My comp and I with the coolest family ever!!!
Loves.
Sister Young
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