Sunday, October 25, 2015

I Really Am Grateful For The Time I Have To Serve The Lord And The People Here.


October 19, 2015

ICH WAR KRANK but now I'm back.

Yeah so not that much happened this week, as Sister Reed and I were both pretty sick for a few days. Many days spent in bed in the jams, and pug shirt. Lots of reading in the scriptures.

We DID find some health to meet with Rene and Holger this week. RENE IS SO COOL. So last Sunday in church we had talked about baptism, and during our lesson this week, Rene said that he does have the desire to be baptized, but he doesn't know if he can. His reasons for not getting baptized are all really good! I know that sounds lame, but what I guess I am trying to say is that he really understands what it means when we choose to get baptized. He said that right now everything is freiwillig, all voluntarily done, but when he is baptized he has promised to do these things. YES THANK YOU. He likes going to church and talking with us, but he just needs to realize that he NEEDS these things. When we know and feel how the commandments enrich our lives, we become willing to keep them. We strengthen our willingness when we strengthen our testimonies. So that is what we will do with Rene, help him feel the spirit confirm to him that it's all good and worth it. We talked about the plan of salvation, and it went really well. Haha, Holger had forgotten everything from our lesson with him so it was a good review. I love those too. Rene had to work yesterday so he didn't come to church, but we will see him again this week. Man I love them!!

Yess transfer calls are on Saturday. Change would be cool! This district is really old so it would be goood to go somewhere where everyone is a little more fresh on the mission. I have three transfers after this week so it's totally possible that I leave! I really love it here, and I love the people I serve and serve with. Oh Leipzig. We shall see!

Sister Reed is doing well. She and I sang in church yesterday and it went sooo goood!! She sings so well, and we sounded pretty darn good with our harmonies. Goooood times!! Singing was so much fun, I wish I could do it more often. I really love Sister Reed and spending like every waking minute of the day with her. We laugh and just stick it all out together. I would hate to have to leave her.

ON WEDNESDAY IT SNOWED FOR LIKE 3 HOURS. Thankfully it did not stick. We were sick so we were inside. It was way cool and pretty though!! I hope this winter isn't too coold. mal schauen. That sight though was definitely a highlight of the week.

HEY like a year ago in Braunschweig, the last Sunday of my first transfer this one lady just showed up to church, wanting to learn more, and so Sister Harris and I (haha mostly Sister Harris since I was so new and I couldn't understand her so well) taught her a few times before I left. SHE GOT BAPTZIED THIS WEEKEND!!!! waaaahhhhh crazy right!! I am so stoked for her. I just remember her giving me a hug after I had written down her number and address and trying to say in broken German that we would love to come visit her. What a tender mercy it is to know that she has entered the covenant of baptism :)) Life is so goood!!!

I really am grateful for the time I have to serve the Lord and the people here. My mission means so much to me, my testimony and growth are so important and precious to me. I love being here. I love my Father in Heaven, and I love my Savior Jesus Christ. They live!

alles liebe aus Leipzig,

Sister Mittleman
Snowing in Leipzig

Monday, October 12, 2015

This City Is Gorrrrgeous. I Love It :)


October 12, 2015

This week was goooood I'm tired right now so sorry if this is short.

It is turning to autumn and feels like winterrrrr ahhhhh this week was chillly. Time to start missing California again!!!!!

We met with Renè and Holger this week. They brought us some Christstollen Bread. it's like fruitcake you see during Christmas. We taught the restoration, it went really goood. We gave Renè some good suggestions for reading in the Book of Mormon, and he was excited. We asked if he came to church what he wanted the investigator class to be about, and he said baptism is really interesting to him. Woohoooo. Yesterday he came to church in this cute little sweater. He stayed for all three hours!! Our gml taught a solid lesson about baptism. It was awesome. Rene loved the verses in Mosiah 18 talking about Baptism. I love that guy, and I am grateful he is making his way forward.

Thursday we had a zone training meeting. That was cool, sister Reed and I gave a short thema on Elder Cook's talk from conference. I love missionary meetings :))
The Assistant’s were there, and before it all started, they and we had gotten there earlier so Sister Reed and one our Zone Leaders could practice something together, and before they started, Elder Wpf went up to the podium and told me to come with. Haha he is from Canada and sooo precious! He had Elder Siddoway play and then we just sang together, oh my gosh he was so excited and it was all just so random but fun.

Transfers will come again in two weeks. So the last Saturday of this month we will find out. After this transfer I only have 3 LEFT. That's nothing!!!!!!

Moving quickly on to the next question...

Yeah for p-day here we stroll around the city center, or take a nap. Next week we hope to go to this cool war monument-Volkerschlacht Denkmal. Can't believe I have been here 4 months and have not been there..... Honestly just walking around Innenstadt here is a tour enough. This city is gorrrrgeous. I love it :)

Hardest part of the week was the chilly weather.

2 highlights not missionary related were 1. The gemeinde ausflug to torgau. Spent good times with the ward on a little outing, saw a castle, ate bratwurst, eis, and flew kites on this huuuuuge field. It was awesome. 2. Yesterday our eating appointment before church was at this old couple in the ward. schnitzel, rotkohl, potatoes, and gravy over it all. IT WAS SO GOOD. Oh my gosh German food is amazing and I love when little old German ladies make us heaven in the form of food. For dessert we wad Mandarins, they also served us this "wein" that was like 100%direkt saft of grapes without alcohol. Germans know how to drink their juice.

We sing on Sunday in sacrament meeting, Elder Clarke will play, and Sister Reed and I will sing together. "Our Savior's Love" I love it and I'm stoked.

A scripture I read this week and which was also mentioned at my Zone training meeting is Alma 23:6. It's not important to just believe, but to be CONVERTED. two different things. Sometimes it is clear to see in others if they believe, or if they are truly converted with their whole heart and soul. Sometimes it is harder to see that in ourselves. May we all ponder our personal comittment to the truth! 
I know that Joseph Smith restored the church of Christ. I know it’s our responsibility to do while here on the earth. I know God loves us, we are His.

alles liebet
Sister Mittleman
Gemeinde Ausflug



OH GERMAN RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENTS AND THEIR FUN IDEAS.


October 5, 2015

We are sitting in the Internet laden, and some guy in a bandana next to me is getting angry that the Internet isn't working. He is mumbling angrily in Spanish wooooo goooood times....

ANYWAY......

This week was automatically goood because of general conference!!!!! But other things contributed as well.

We got to spend the evening of Elder Clarke's birthday with him at the Todd's. Sister Todd made texas sheet cake and it was sooo rich. It was really fun, I was glad to be there. haha can't believe he is finally 20!!! 

Tuesday at district meeting the couple serving here half the week, Elder and Sister Hilton, shared some thoughts on discipleship. I LOVE THE HILTONS. (Yes parents of Brother Hilton, instructor at BYU) they shared some of their own experiences, and it was just so cool. They are schon älter, so they are very wise! They gave such strong testimony of the importance of this work, and how all of our sacrifices are worth it. I was actually a bit surprised at how touched I was. Seeing people who have been Disciples of Christ for so long, and who are STILL choosing the right and defending the truth was really meaningful for me. I hope I can be like Elder and Sister Hilton one day. I'm glad I can be here with them.  They feel so much like family. What a blessing.

Friday at church there was this KARTOFFELFEST aka a potato party..... OH GERMAN RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENTS AND THEIR FUN IDEAS. Haha probably the first and last time I will attend a party full of songs, poems and food dedicated completely to potatoes. It was soooo fun!!! A less active sister from the ward came with whom it is hard to meet with. She had a chill time. Lots of members brought friends with whom we had good talks with and of course the food was amazing. There was potato salad, the Todd’s brought funeral potatoes, bratkartoffeln, kartoffelpuffer, potato soup, even some sweet potato bread. Kartoffelfest 2015 did not disappoint.

Thursday we had an AMAZING lesson with Rene and Holger. It was our first real lesson with just the two of them. FINALLY. Rene curiously read through the baptismal interview questions, and asked awwwweeeesome questions about several things. He talked about how he'd had this amazing feeling at church but then he left he lost it, and so he wanted to know what to do to keep it. Music to our ears!  That was probably one of the most spiritual and funniest appointments I have ever had. Those two are just so sweet and sooo funny. Oh man it was so gooooood! 
They said they would come to one of the sessions of conference, and might bring a friend. haha, so we were standing outside the church yesterday, checking out the scene, and then this blue slightly hippie looking van pulls across the front and turns into the parking lot. We couldn't really see who was driving, and so we were like who can this be? Then all of a sudden (while the car was still moving along) the back door slides open, and there is Rene, smiling and waving. Oh man it was so funny!!! Totally unexpected but so good! I am proud to call them our investigators and friends. They did bring a friend. This one was a little like the one from a few weeks ago, but better still. They stayed for a session, and found it overall good. Can't wait to see them this week!

SO CONFERENCE. Totally good! As I read through my notes from today I realized that I received solid revelation for the questions and concerns that I have. I watched the women's conference and 3 others (the Todd’s are having us over for fhe to watch the Sunday afternoon session with their family wooo) Some of my favorite talks were President Nelson's and President Monson's as well. President Nelson just said it so well about the women we need in the church. I like that he said we need women who will not just make covenants, but who will keep them. I mean, it can be easy to make covenants, but keeping them is the sifting part. I was just so encouraged and strengthened in my resolve to be strong and constant in my conversion. And with President Monson I loved that he talked about being an example. The world is bad. Our standards and faith really do stand out. We have the light of our testimonies, and therefore we have a responsibility to stand up for them. It is hard, but it feels right and it brings peace. 

I know that the men and women who lead the church are called of God. They are not just people who we have chosen who we think and hope will do a good job. We can feel assurance that THEY are the ones chosen by God. I know through the Holy Ghost that President Monson is God's chosen prophet. I know that Christ leads this church. I know His Gospel is true. I love my Redeemer. The Atonement is real. I love being His representative, I looooove being a missionary. 

ALLES LIEBE
SISTER MITTLEMAN
Leipzig Lerche Filled with Marzipan
Altes Rathaus, my faaavorite sight of Leipzig