Spandau!
Hallo liebe Familie und Fruende!
So it's true everyone, I am now in Germany! woooooo
We left the MTC at 3:30am on Monday morning last week then three flights later, we landed in Dresden on Tuesday morning! We were greeted right away by our Mission President, his wife and a handful of other missionaries. They gave us our first genuine German Pretzle and some orange juice. It was great! Then we loaded on a bus and went up to this amazing place in the town of Radebeul which overlooked the town, which was such a breathtaking sight (that I didn't get a good enough picture of...mehh). It was a place where Thomas S. Monson dedicated and promised many great things would come to the people of Dreseden, including the ability to go to the Temple and paticipate in the work there. That was really cool to learn about because it gives me a widened perspective of how much the Freiberg Temple was prayed for and needed and how amazing it is that they now have it! After that, we actually got to go to the Freiberg Temple and do work for our own ancestors. Some of the names I brought were actually some of my German ancestors so that was really special!
As soon as we were done with the temple, I got slammed with jet lag. I thought it had passed me by and that I was gonna be just fine but no... it was awful. When I was trying to get all the paperwork and such done, I was so dizzy and felt like I was gonna pass out. Then I drank a whole lot of water (bubbly water...because Germany) and I felt better for a while. Let me just tell you, I think I literally fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow that night. wow.
The next day we were assigned our Trainers and areas, which was super exciting! My trainer is Sister Christensen! She is awesome and I'm super excited to work with her here in Spandau!
On the train ride to Spandau from Dresden, we sat next to this man and I said hi and then Sister Christensen asked him how he was... well long story short, we basically gave him all the lessons right there on our train to Spandau. What an experience to have for my first contact in the field!
On Thursday we had district meeting and it was good!! There are four elders and four sisters in our district and they all seem to get along really well and it's great to plan with them, set goals together, discuss how we can help each other better fufill our missionary purpose, and have a good time! I also got to meet our Bishop and he is amazing! He is so organized and it's so clear that he takes his calling seriously and has a sincere desire to help us as missionaries do the best we can. I'm very grateful that we have him as our Bishop!
Friday was a bit crazy. We were supposed to go to Tiergarten to pick up another sister for the day but when we got there, they no longer needed us to take her so it was as if we traveled all the way there for nothing... But of course not. Everything happens for a reason. And turns out that we were able to get a referral on the bus ride down there and it wouldn't have gotten to us if we didn't travel all the way to Tiergarten! Little miracles are everywhere! It's so great! The Lord really is on our side. We were also able to meet with one of the new converts in our ward and that was great. She shared her testimony and talked to us about how she came to find the Church and know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love hearing the testimonies of others.
I experienced my first appointment where the person we are supposed to be meeting with doesn't show up :( it's sad. But you just have to follow up with them and make due. So we decided to go out and talk to people on the street. I love talking to people about the family because family means so much to nearly every single person! Family is the centeral part of God's plan, He wants us to be able to live with our families for eternity and I know that is true. I know that families are eternal and I know that because I know God loves His children and wants us to be happy, together.
On Sunday, I realized that I need to get to know every member in this ward schnell because Sister Christensen and I just have this feeling that it is through the members that we are going to be able to make this ward grow and thrive. I already love them all but I just need to learn who they all are. I gave the opening prayer in sacrament meeting and then I introduced myself and bore my testimony. I'd done all of those things a bunch of times at the MTC but something about doing it in front of an all German Speaking audience, makes it a lot scarier. But I survived. And then the teacher for Sunday School class didn't show up so we had to teach that class too. It went really well though, the members have great things to say! We had an eating appointment with one of the awesome families in the ward and it went well! It's definitely a bit overwhelming to only hear super speed German all day long but it's fun! Even though I can't respond or speak super well yet, I am glad that I can at least understand a good majority of what they are saying!
Okay almost done, Today was P-day and we went to the Zitadelle here in Spandau! It was really pretty and fun even though there were basically no people there...haha but yeah! It's been a great week here in Germany. I have realized that there is a LOT of work to be done here but I'm ready for the challenge and I'm excited to watch as we help people find the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives! I know that He lives and that He loves us and I know that He has prepared and will prepare people to hear His word. I can't wait to find those people :)
Love you all!
Liebe,
Sister Hymas
So it's true everyone, I am now in Germany! woooooo
We left the MTC at 3:30am on Monday morning last week then three flights later, we landed in Dresden on Tuesday morning! We were greeted right away by our Mission President, his wife and a handful of other missionaries. They gave us our first genuine German Pretzle and some orange juice. It was great! Then we loaded on a bus and went up to this amazing place in the town of Radebeul which overlooked the town, which was such a breathtaking sight (that I didn't get a good enough picture of...mehh). It was a place where Thomas S. Monson dedicated and promised many great things would come to the people of Dreseden, including the ability to go to the Temple and paticipate in the work there. That was really cool to learn about because it gives me a widened perspective of how much the Freiberg Temple was prayed for and needed and how amazing it is that they now have it! After that, we actually got to go to the Freiberg Temple and do work for our own ancestors. Some of the names I brought were actually some of my German ancestors so that was really special!
As soon as we were done with the temple, I got slammed with jet lag. I thought it had passed me by and that I was gonna be just fine but no... it was awful. When I was trying to get all the paperwork and such done, I was so dizzy and felt like I was gonna pass out. Then I drank a whole lot of water (bubbly water...because Germany) and I felt better for a while. Let me just tell you, I think I literally fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow that night. wow.
The next day we were assigned our Trainers and areas, which was super exciting! My trainer is Sister Christensen! She is awesome and I'm super excited to work with her here in Spandau!
On the train ride to Spandau from Dresden, we sat next to this man and I said hi and then Sister Christensen asked him how he was... well long story short, we basically gave him all the lessons right there on our train to Spandau. What an experience to have for my first contact in the field!
On Thursday we had district meeting and it was good!! There are four elders and four sisters in our district and they all seem to get along really well and it's great to plan with them, set goals together, discuss how we can help each other better fufill our missionary purpose, and have a good time! I also got to meet our Bishop and he is amazing! He is so organized and it's so clear that he takes his calling seriously and has a sincere desire to help us as missionaries do the best we can. I'm very grateful that we have him as our Bishop!
Friday was a bit crazy. We were supposed to go to Tiergarten to pick up another sister for the day but when we got there, they no longer needed us to take her so it was as if we traveled all the way there for nothing... But of course not. Everything happens for a reason. And turns out that we were able to get a referral on the bus ride down there and it wouldn't have gotten to us if we didn't travel all the way to Tiergarten! Little miracles are everywhere! It's so great! The Lord really is on our side. We were also able to meet with one of the new converts in our ward and that was great. She shared her testimony and talked to us about how she came to find the Church and know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love hearing the testimonies of others.
I experienced my first appointment where the person we are supposed to be meeting with doesn't show up :( it's sad. But you just have to follow up with them and make due. So we decided to go out and talk to people on the street. I love talking to people about the family because family means so much to nearly every single person! Family is the centeral part of God's plan, He wants us to be able to live with our families for eternity and I know that is true. I know that families are eternal and I know that because I know God loves His children and wants us to be happy, together.
On Sunday, I realized that I need to get to know every member in this ward schnell because Sister Christensen and I just have this feeling that it is through the members that we are going to be able to make this ward grow and thrive. I already love them all but I just need to learn who they all are. I gave the opening prayer in sacrament meeting and then I introduced myself and bore my testimony. I'd done all of those things a bunch of times at the MTC but something about doing it in front of an all German Speaking audience, makes it a lot scarier. But I survived. And then the teacher for Sunday School class didn't show up so we had to teach that class too. It went really well though, the members have great things to say! We had an eating appointment with one of the awesome families in the ward and it went well! It's definitely a bit overwhelming to only hear super speed German all day long but it's fun! Even though I can't respond or speak super well yet, I am glad that I can at least understand a good majority of what they are saying!
Okay almost done, Today was P-day and we went to the Zitadelle here in Spandau! It was really pretty and fun even though there were basically no people there...haha but yeah! It's been a great week here in Germany. I have realized that there is a LOT of work to be done here but I'm ready for the challenge and I'm excited to watch as we help people find the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives! I know that He lives and that He loves us and I know that He has prepared and will prepare people to hear His word. I can't wait to find those people :)
Love you all!
Liebe,
Sister Hymas
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