Stress reaches a new level (28.3.11)

Spring has Sprung and we've finally hit 17° and always sunny. Flowers are popping up under the brown leaves.

This week, a lot happened - Ulmer Miracles as always. Sister Dietz was unexpectedly transferred 2 days ago (Saturday). We got the call Tues night after an EXTREMELY stressful situation with Jenny and we were up all night (till 2) making sure she was alright and got home safely after institute (long story short, she had to walk home for 2hrs by herself because her stepdad purposely didn'T come pick her up). Sis Dietz is NEEDED by a Sister in Switzerland. She won't be staying there though because of Visa things with the US. And I was given that Sister's companion. Things are not going well and I have regressed from who I had just learned to be. My self-confidence and strength is waning. President Condie gave me words of advice and strength Thurs at Interviews but wouldn't tell me who my new companion was or what to expect. Her name is Sis Hecht, age 25, convert of 2yrs, from Dresden. Please pray for me!!

Franziska is more than ready for her baptism and we can't wait. She came to church on Sun and we had an appt with her Sat to resolve her concerns. She was worried about not being perfect after she'S baptized. We talked about the sacrament and the Atonement. In the middle of the appt, her daughter Pam (in Utah, getting baptized on the 3rd of April) called and wanted to talk to me. She talked about her love and appreciation for me and Sis Dietz for finding her mom and getting her to baptism. THis family is awesome and I can'T wait to get back to Ut and visit. After the phone call, we talked to Franziska a bit more then she just stopped, thought, and said 'WEll, what are we going to do.....(pause)....I'm going through with it. Saturday is my day.' PERFECT!!!!

How is Grandma Lind doing? How did she fall? What's the status on her head and hip?

After an extremely stressful Tuesday night, we were determined to prepare Ulm for this unexpected and stressful transfer. Jenny will hopefully be moving out this week and into a new apt so we will be able to set a firm baptismal date with her. Her family has caused a lot of problems for her in the past and she's ready to be set free. This weekend, she planned to come to church and so she borrowed her stepdad'S bike (without asking) in order to ride from the middle of nowhere to Ulm so she could stay at a member'S house so she could attend church Sunday. Saturday night at 9.30 when the couple arrived home from the temple (after Jenny had arrived at 8.30pm) they noticed that the bike was gone. Jenny hadn't locked it up and someone had stolen it. Because she is deathly afraid of her stepdad, she decided it would be best to go home Sun morning and face him rather than think about it all day at church. We called her that night and she told us everything was ok and she'd be paying for the bike)

General Conference this weekend will be amazing. Just before the YW broadcast on Sat, Franziska will be baptized in Tübingen (we don'T have a font and Conference is only broadcast to 3 places in this stake. Then, we'll get to watch the Sat Sessions in English. Sun, we'll see them again in English (always better) cuz I get distracted by watching their lips move and the voices not lining up or a woman translating for Pres Monson (messes with my brain). SATURDAY IS MY HALFWAY MARK!!!!!!! Sis Dietz and I calculated it and indeed April 2nd is halfway.

Back update - went to Dr. No need for MRI anymore, but continue with medication and Physical Therapy for awhile. I even get to add massages for the next 2 times. Too bad I'm extremely ticklish on my back or else I could just chill out and relax.

Have a great week and enjoy conference
Alles Liebe
SISTER CHOCOLATE

Pic 1- The first flowers in Ulm
Pic 2 - OUr District. (Elder Chandler, Vernal UT; Elder Graff, Spanish Fork UT, Elder Barluschke, Wuppertal Germany; Elder Hamilton, UT)
Pic 3 - Before Sis Dietz left, she requested Spaghetti Eis one more time.

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Spring has Sprung...a leak (21.3.11)

Exciting news...................WE HAVE ANOTHER BAPTISMAL DATE

Meet, Tante Toni (Franziska Pulga to the world). She was on the Potential Investigators list that we were trying ot make appts with. When we got to her name she said that she would be delighted to meet with us. So, Thurs we went by to visit her. She opened to us with open arms. (Her story now follows) . . Her daughter is now living in West Valley City (married to an inactive member) and her husband's parents referred Franziska. Her daughter's husband is working on getting the priesthood so he can baptize his new family (she had 3 children before they met and got married). Franziska goes and visits them every couple of months and goes to church. As we walked in, she asked us where the church is because she wants to go. As we were sitting talking to her, she pulls out the Gospel Principles manual saying that she'S read it 3 times already. We were blown away by some of the other things she said. Then, I just flat out asked her if she wanted to get baptized. She said 'of course. When's good for you?' After we picked our jaws and tongues off the floor we set a date - April 2nd before General Conference broadcast. THEN - we had a return appt on Saturday to go through the baptismal interview questions and talk a little bit more with her. When we got to the Word of Wisdom part (we noticed her coffee machine as we walked in) we asked her if she was ready to give up coffee. She said 'Of course. I don'T need that. Life's not about coffee, it'S about the Holy Ghost being in me and God being pleased with me'. (jaws on floor again). She is so ready for this gospel. In the missionary world, we say that she's a 'Golden investigator' (perfectly ready and prepared for the message). Well...Tante Toni is a Golden Golden.

Sister Dietz's mom sent me a card and inside was a surprise small sum of money. She wrote that she's so grateful that I'm her daughter's companion and some other things. Then, Sister Dietz told me she'd told her mom about the sad state of my backpack, so she sent the money for me to use to get a new one. That was a tender mercy!!

The weather is beautiful (with occasional rainy days) and the flowers are everywhere...in the lawns. Mom, those purple flowers you were talking about are EVERYWHERE. In the US we have dandelions, here - - crocuses and daffodills. I love Germany.

Sister Dietz made an extremely interesting calculation the other day during our lunch Pause. On Saturday April 2nd, we will hit our halfway point of our mission, have a baptism, and enjoy General Conference IN ENGLISH. What a beautiful day that will be!!

We have Interviews with President Condie on Thurs so any mail sent to the office, I will get. This transfer ends April 10 (when calls come).

Love you all - REMEMBER - I never let a letter go unanswered...it'd just be nice to get some...hint hint

Alles Liebe
Sister Chocolate

8 months on the nose (14.3.11)

HAPPY ST.PATRICKS DAY WORLD....minus Germany. We'll wear green, but there's nothing else around to signify this amazing holiday. I'm surprised they haven'T picked up on it..any excuse to drink their beer is always in fashion.

THe flowers are blooming and we got up to a whapping 14° degrees today and yesterday.

If it wasn't for dad's email and the 8 written in my planner, I would've totally forgotten about how long I've been here. Holy Moley time flies. SOme days I think, '8 months, THAT'S IT' and others ' I've been out HOW LONG?'. All in all, a great time.

We're in the process of doing the final touches on Jenny's baptism, but we can'T get a hold of her on the phone. She doesn't have money on her phones so she can't make calls. AND, she told us to call every night at 8 and she has yet to answer the phone. We're stressed and the ward is stressed. There hasn't been a baptism here in a year +. HOpefully, everything straightens out. Keep her in your prayers.

LUdmila is going strong. The language barrier is slowing us down, but it is teaching us to teach very very simply. We've started using more visual aids and scriptures that she can read out loud from her RUssian Book of Mormon. We're going to try and get her to come to church this week.

Friday to Saturday we did an Austausch (Exchanges) with the Sisters in Singen (right on the Swiss border). President asked us to do a three way and invite the new set of SIsters in the Zone (included Sis Anderson). STRESS!! We worked it out with Sis Condie (who said President doesn't understand that 6 girls in one apt all night and all day is not a good combination). So, SIs Dietz and I got to go Friday night and the other two came Sat morning. We did a street display where we sang while people walked by. It was a beautiful day. After that, we split into companionships and hit the town. Sis Dietz served in Singer for 4 transfers so she knew the place like the bvack of her hand. I was serving with Sis Ray from St. George. IT WAS AMAZING!! She and I went and tried to visit an old lady, but she was sick and didn't come to the door. So, we drove (they have a car down there) and went by on a couple of people. I even got to go into SWITZERLAND. We street-contacted people. Now I can say that I've served in all the countries in my mission. We only were there for a couple of hours, but it was beautiful. See pictures

Tonight we're going to the Beier'S home for dinner and we'Re teaching FHE. We're really excited AND we'Re getting an AMAZING spaghetti recipe. (Dad that's coming your way for sure). Last night we had dinner at the Blaschta'S and Sis Dietz and I both agree that it was pretty much the most delicious dinner we have eaten on our missions PERIOD. It was amazing Salad (Tomatoes and Cucumbers cut up and coated in a really easy Balsamic mustard, jam dressing. Getting that recipe too). THen, we had roast beef and mashed potatoes, and cauliflower with cheese. Sis Dietz and I had to be rolled home and put to bed, we were so happy.

So That'S about it from my end as I emailed on Wed this passed week. Let me know if I've forgotten anything.



Love you all and can't wait to hear about your 'boring' adventures. SIS CHOCOLATE

PS
Amanda Link - YOur letter is in the mail on its way to you. Let me know when you get it.
Ashley - There'S a letter on its way to you
Ron and Sydna - Thank you so much for the card!! It made my day.


Could you email me your favorite articles out of the Ensigns from this year thus far. We don'T have those and we're running out of Conference Talks to read till next time.

Congrats to the Mabry family. I can'T wait to have another adorable shadow follow me around when I get home. (Mom, could you make sure they're still getting my emails. Sis Pitzer and Laura Michalsky as well.

Fasching (9.3.11)

Pictures
1 - District Pday (round 3) We played Basketball and found this awesome skatebowl. Best DIstrict picture ever. THis was from last transfer
2 - OUr District before this Transfer. Yep, we'Re the best and have the best bunch of Elders
3 - LIND...can't escape the softness
4 - Spaghetti Eis is for Champions...or two Sisters enjoying the 11° Heatwave

So, yes it is Wednesday and yes I am writing. Elder Richard G. Hinckley (President HInckley's son) is touring our mission this week and we had MIssion Tour with him. Mission TOur is when a General Authority comes and gives an all day Conference\Workshop along with his wife, Pres and Sis Condie, and the Assistants to the President. It was phenomenal. We also had Stake Conference this weekend so we made a grand total of 3 trips to Stuttgart this week. NAPTIME!!!! Little beknowns to us, Elder HInckley speaks perfect German, having served his mission in Frankfurt 1961-1963 (30 months long). He got up to speak at Stake COnference, opened his mouth, and out comes accent-free German. My jaw hit the floor. HIs wife used a translator.

Mom- in a previous email you asked what you can do to help the new members and investigators\missionaries. Here's a little list SIs Dietz and I compiled. 1) When the missionaries come to eat, ask them to teach you a lesson. You could even pretend to be an investigator and riase questions and concerns that investigator might have. 2) Offer for investigators to be taught in your home. It's a good way to get to know the investigators and to see how the missionaries teach. YOu can gain a lot of trust of them and then KNOW who you'Re giving referrals to. 3) Ask them to teach Family Home Evening. 4) Invite nonmembers to the house when the msisionaries come over. 5) Offer to pick up an investigator for church or activities. 6) Befriend the investigator. 7) Give the missionaries service opportunities. 8) Offer yourself as a joint-teach (mainly Dad if there are Elders there). That's where a member accompanies the Elders if they are teaching a single woman (at least in our mission Sisters aren't allowed to teach solo to men) 9)REFERRALS!!!! You will never know how much it means to a missionary to receive a name of someone to try and teach. It can be anyone you think could use hope, a friend, the gospel, or a new outlook on life. Please, make it a goal to give the missionaries a referral a month at least. It will help their spirit and yours as well when you see people you know begin a new life. Even invite someone who you think may have interest to come to your house and then have the missionaries over for dinner. THat's a perfect casual setting for this potential investigator to meet the missionaries without the oddities of a formal lesson or them going to their door.

FAsching was yesterday. It's like the German Mardi Gras. Parties, costumes everywhere, and parades out the wazoo. Really cool

LUdmila - We have been meeting with Ludmila regularly and will be extending a baptismal committment tonight. Cross your fingers. We showed her the Restoration last week (in Russian) and she loved it...and us of course.

Jenny - Baptismal date bumped up to the 19th. We're way excited. NOw we just need her to answer the phone a bit more. She's a bit flaky occasionally.

Dettlef - New Investigator we found in our Area book. He'd been taught by the missionaries in 2000 and for some reason had fallen off the radar. We visited him with Schwester Blaschta and he was great...aside from the constant cigarette smoke int he apt. ALSO, he was showing us some of his treasures, one of which was a 1900 German edition of Dante'S Divine Comedy. I'd been goggling at all of his old books, especially that one and as he pulled it out, Sis Dietz AND Schw Blaschta turned to me to see my jaw drop as he offered to give it to me. AND SO I NOW OWN AN ANTIQUE DANTE. Really cool! Dettlef is an odd sort of person. Rocker looking, plays organ and guitar, loves books, and is kind of edgy. He was kind of rude to Sis Dietz when she first called to make an appt because of her German. But, in person, we both love him. I'll keep you posted on him.

That's pretty much all I got from Ulm. Till MONDAY

Sister Chocolate