It's been a great week! 5/4/14

We are such hipsters....

I feel a lot, a lot, a LOT better! I thought my body was breaking down last week. But everything is better now. Better than better, because we're both staying ANOTHER transfer together here in Mannheim! It was really a surprise, even though we did have some feelings...but it really was crazy. That's six transfers in Mannheim for Sister Lehman, and we'll be together four transfers. That is a really, really long time to be with a companion...but it's okay, cuz Sister Lehman is so cool and we get along really, really well. I love her!! I'm so happy we get to work together more. After her...I might only have one more companion. So weird!! But cool thing is that you guys can see her next Sunday, haha. You all have to be really funny cuz I told her how funny you all are and how I'm probably the unfunniest (is that a word?? German has kinda messed up my English) in the family.

I'm not sure what we're doing next Sunday. It really snuck up on us. We knew it was coming...but then yesterday afternoon we realized that next Sunday was actually May 11 and we haven't asked anyone. But don't worry, we'll figure it out this week and see if we can send you a quick email letting you know when/where we can do it. No fears!

I have letters for a lot of people ready in my bag. I just need stamps now. That's usually the thing that keeps them in my apartment the longest, haha. I just have to get out and buy international stamps. But I've promised myself that I'll get them out today. I forgot my camera card reader, so sorry about the lack of pics this week. But the hike last week was really fun and nice! Sister Lehman and I bought a 'comp unity' item last week. Matching hipster glasses! So we've been having fun having 'hipster moments' of the day. Sad to say I'm not a very good hipster...I can't get that blank/slightly depressed look to look good. Mostly I just look in pain. But you guys can see for yourself whenever I find my card reader. ALSO I made that cinnamon roll cake the other night to celebrate the start of our fourth transfer together. It's SOOOO good. Sadly I used up the rest of the brown sugar...but it was so worth it. Ughhh I felt like all

Cinnamon Roll Cake

that sugar and butter clogged up my arteries. Totally worth it.

It rained a lot last week, which sadly cancelled the ward activity! :( But we have a Gemeindewanderung (ward hike) in a couple weeks, so hopefully that'll make up for it. Also we got a new Bishopric (sp?? whatevs Bischofschaft) yesterday! We are so pumped. The new one is really young, but we're so excited to work with them. We really feel that this new change is going to get Mannheim going. Woooo! AND two cute eight year-olds are getting baptized on Saturday. We've been teaching one of them the lessons at the request of her Grandmother. She's so cute. She's actually Jasira's little sister. So we're really excited for Saturday.

This week was pretty good, but of course there were plenty of trials. Something that I really learned this week is how much the Gospel can bless families. Yesterday we were at an appt. and it was really, really bad. That poor family--the whole family was there, and it was just so sad to see how they treated each other. We left crying and I felt so horrible all night. It might sound corny or cheesy, but the principles taught by the church (and obviously by Christ) really do bless families and make families what they should be. Basically...all I learned was that the Church is true and that its really structured to help support and teach families, because families are so important! Okay...that wasn't groundbreaking, but you hear all these things throughout your life, and then coming out here and seeing it happen (or not happen) is just a huge testimony-builder.

Today we're celebrating Cinco de Mayo!! Woo happy Monday! I'm not sure exactly what we're going to do. I think we might go to Frankenstein castle. I'll take lots of pictures and hopefully be able to send some next week.

Two Transfers Left! 4/28/14

Okay April showers only happening on PDay, of course. But we won't let that deter us! I think we're going to go on a hike today and try to find some castle ruins. We'll see if we actually manage to do that, haha. But April is almost over. That's such a crazy thought.

 

That's me!

Missions are the best! Also really hard, but the best ever. This week was not that exciting because I was sick a lot and ended up sleeping. Woops. I thought of President Uchtdorf's talk from last Priesthood session about sleeping through the Restoration. I don't want to literally sleep through my mission! Lol, I'm a lot better now though, so hopefully I won't be sleeping so much this week. But it made me realize just how tired I really am! I'm soooo tired. But it's okay, I can definitely stay awake for another couple months. There's not much time left!

 

But really...this week wasn't too interesting besides my being really sick. We taught some really awesome people and then talked to some really cool people in parks as well. Finally got in contact with an investigator who dropped off the face of the planet for over a month, haha. That was a miracle. We had a street display in another area, but I was still feeling sick so I wasn't able to help out much. Mostly I tried to entertain these two little Chinese girls who came over to watch us, and they didn't know any German at all. So that was fun. They were really cute. Church was really good, though! We had a couple people come, so that was also a miracle. This week the ward is going to a really huge, pretty park on May 1st for a ward activity, so I think we'll go for a little bit as well. I love this ward!

 

The work is going really well here! I love it. It's way hard, of course, but that's how we learn and grow (sadly, haha). Also, I almost totally forgot to tell you that TRANSFER CALLS are on Saturday. Wow, the time goes by way fast! I almost forgot, lol.  I bought my Egg but forgot to bring it with me, so I haven't opened it yet. Woops! But we'll see what it predicts. Somehow we're getting feelings that Sister Lehman is staying here again! But usually my feelings on transfers turn out to be completely wrong, so we'll see what the Lord has in store. Like I said, I'm pretty sure that I'll be staying and dying here in Mannheim, so we'll see if I get a new comp or not. :( I love Sister Lehman so much!! Luckily she goes to USU as well so we can be friends afterward.) I got to talk to Sister Wilson last night. She got transferred back up to her very first area last transfer. It would be soooo weird to go back to Frankfurt. But she's doing well. Also Sister Beck is having fun over in Coburg now, apparently! She finally got transferred out of Hanau as well. She was there five transfers like I was. I feel like my time in Hanau was only a couple weeks. And my time here in Mannheim feels like a couple weeks as well. Actually...my whole mission feels as if it's flown by. Two transfers left!

Easter Email 4/22/14

Pide Bread

Today I have treat of writing to you while being serenaded by a drunk man in our internet cafe. Okay, not serenaded, per say, but he is really enjoying his song. It's been a really good PDay! Minus the fact I woke up with a yucky head cold. Seriously, what the hack?? I only get sick about once a year, so that's stupid. Oh well, it should only last a couple days.  But today was really, really fun. We went to these gardens behind this castle, and it was like Pride and Prejudice or like the gardens in Versailles in France. Really pretty. I'll send you a couple pictures. Then we came back to Mannheim and had lunch at this Turkish restaurant that Sister Lehman and I have always wanted to eat at. All the food looked way good and it always smells good when we walk past. And good news--the food was good. I got some pide bread with special Turkish stuff on it.

And last PDay was fantastic as well! Even though you lazies didn't do anything fun for Easter, our whole district dyed eggs and had an Easter Egg hunt. It was super fun! There's a fun tradition here of blowing the yolk out of the eggs and then dying them and hanging them up on trees. So we did that. It was really fun. Sorry you guys missed out and only wanted the candy! Ohhh you guys. Anyway, the whole weekend is pretty much a big holiday for the Germans. On Friday they all eat fish for Karfreitag. 'Only eat fish on Fridays...unless you forget!' But yeah, it's tradition. (Which we did not follow...woops.) And then on Monday it's just...another day for a holiday, I guess. But for Easter Sunday we went to church. Sadly more than half the ward decided to travel to other places and visit family! So we were a small bunch. But it was still good! All of the Primary leaders/teachers were gone, so they asked me to go play piano and help out. So I got to go to Primary. Those kids are so cute! Then Sister Lehman and I made special Easter pizza for our meal when we got home after church. I guess it wasn't that special...we just made pizza, lol. It was good pizza, at least. And it was good because I didn't make it. I thought I would learn how to cook out here...haha that didn't happen. One of the Elders we work with had a birthday last Wednesday, so Sister Lehman bullied me into trying to bake a cake. It was...really bad. Good thing the other Sisters brought cookies! I just threw the cake away and tried to pretend it never existed, haha.

It was also Sister Lehman's year mark last week, so in honor of it we went to this hole-in-the-wall pizza place, and it was really, really good as well. Don't worry, though--in between all these fancy meals we're eating cereal and sandwiches, so no fear of us spending money like crazy people, cuz we're not really. The ward is doing really, really well though. I love this ward! A typical day...hmmm. We wake up at 6:30, work out (or try to) for thirty minutes, get ready, study for an hour, then study together/plan lessons for another hour, then sometimes we have appointments so we leave, or sometimes we don't so we study German for another hour. Then sometimes we're able to stick lunch in there. Then we just have appointments and regular missionary stuff for the rest of the day. Also sometimes we are able to eat dinner before nine o' clock. Then we come home, plan for the next day, and do it all over again! Every day is like that. Except PDay, cuz then we can go see castles or something.

The Church is true and we're really blessed to be a part of it! Also, if you get a chance, go to LDS.org and watch the Easter video called 'Because of Him.' It is WAY cool.