"Hear The Music"

I love Germany so much this time of year... but it really kills on the sinuses. Ha-ha!

This week was really awesome. I had the opportunity to play a music piece in church on Sunday. I think that is one of my favorite parts of church. Music can really have such a powerful effect on us.

                 

"...the joy of dance will be experienced only when we come to hear the music."

-Elder Wilford W. Anderson

 
Sister Barlow got sick this week so we had to stay home for about 2 days... what do missionaries do for two days at home? We watch Meet the Mormons :) For those of you who have not seen it yet, I highly recommend it. It is really a cool movie that explains who "Mormons" really are. While I was watching it, I found out that I actually knew someone in the film! Super cool! I think the film is also good for those already acquainted with the church. It is a very motivating film. After I watched it I was so ready to just go out and keep working hard.
 
Sister Barlow and I go over to our neighbor’s house every week to help her work in her garden. On Friday while we were working, we decided to invite her to our ward activity that we had on Saturday. Sure enough, Saturday morning she showed up! It was really cool to see her there and make some new friends with people in the branch. At the end of the hike, our branch präsident spoke with her a little about what we do as missionaries. He told her that we teach people about Christ. She decided that she wants to take the lessons from us. We are super excited!
 
My favorite scripture this week was in Alma 37:36-37

I really think there is a lot that we can learn from this scripture, but the biggest thing that stuck out to me this week is how much we really need to put our trust in God. When we don’t trust him, how will we ever be able to get anything accomplished?

 
I love you all and I hope that you have a fantastic week.
 
Sister Reed

Moritzburg Castle in Dresden on our way to Berlin
 

A German Men's Holiday...sort of!

Hohenstein and some surrounding cities

A group of men on "Christi Himmel Fahrt" Holiday

This week was crazy long but really great. So much happened this week. But that is the life of a missionary. :)

Monday, we had Family Home Evening with our Branch President. Normally we give the spiritual thought because we are missionaries, but this time he decided to give the thought. It was really cool. He talked about being mothers and how important of a duty it is, but also about how, as sisters, we can accomplish so much in this world. It was a really good "Go get em" speech.

We had zone training meeting this week and had our last interviews with Präsident Kosak. He is awesome. It was hard to say goodbye. But! I am excited to see how another mission president works too. It is a cool opportunity to be able to have two mission presidents. Zone training meeting was really spiritually uplifting. We talked a lot about the "why". When we really understand the why, we will have a stronger determination to accomplish any task. We also talked a lot about prayer. Sometimes we say prayers just because we know we need to. But when we really want to pray with sincerity, we need to pray with faith. My mom sent me a quote this week that said "prayer is a priceless privilege". Isn't it amazing that we have complete access to talk to the most powerful being whenever we want? We can receive help, comfort, strength, and guidance whenever we need it? This week I want to be more committed when I say prayers and remember the why. Why is praying with faith so important?

This past Thursday was a holiday called "Christi Himmel Fahrt" (Christ rides to heaven)... ha-ha! It is kind of just a men’s appreciation day. All of the men go for walks or hikes and they drink a lot of beer and hang out together. But! It is also a day where people just get together and enjoy each other’s company.   
Because I am a little over half way through my mission, I would like to quote my stake president back at home. He shared this with me right before I was set apart as a missionary, and I have remembered it my whole mission.

"Faith with hard work produces miracles."

I know that is true. I have seen it and lived it.

I love you all and I hope you have a fabulous week.

Sister Reed 

 

Engel (Angel) Happy Mother's Day

And these are the flowers I would have sent to my mom for mothers day....love Summer

Engel

Angel

Es war einmal ein Kind, das bereit war geboren zu werden.

There once was a child, that was ready to be born.

Das Kind fragte Gott: "Sie sagen mir das du mich morgen auf die Erde schicken wirst, aber wie soll ich dort leben wo ich doch so klein und hilflos bin?

The child asked God: "They tell me that you will send me to the Earth tomorrow, but how will I live when I am so small and helpless?"

Gott antwortete: "Von all den vielen Engeln suche ich einen für dich aus. Dein Engel wird auf dich warten und auf dich auf passen."

God answered: "Out of all of the angels, I will pick one out just for you. Your angel will wait and watch out for you."

Das Kind erkundete sich weiter: "Aber sag hier im Himmel brauche ich nichts zu tun als zu singen und lachen und frölich zu sein."

The child continued: "But here in heaven, I don't have to do anything but sing and laugh and be joyful."
Gott sagte: "Dein Engel wird für dich singen, lachen und dir vorlesen, jeden Tag. Du wirst die Liebe deines Engels fülen und sehr Glücklich sein."

God said: "Your angel will sing for you, laugh and read out loud to you, every day. You will feel the love of your angel and be very happy."
Wieder fragte das Kind: "Und wie werde ich in der Lage sein die Leute zu verstehen wenn sie mit mir sprechen und ich die Sprache nicht kenne?"

The child asked further: "And how will I be able to understand the people when they speak to me and I don't know the language?"
Gott sagte: "Dein Engel wird dir die schönsten und liebevollsten worte sagen, die du jemals hören wirst. Und mit viel Ruhe und Geduld wird dein Engel dich lehren zu sprechen."

God said: "Your angel will say the most beautiful and loving words, that you have ever heard. ? And with calmness and patience, your angel will teach you to speak."

"Und was werde ich tun wenn ich mit dir reden möchte?"

And what will I do when I want to talk to you?"
Gott sagte: "Dein Engel wird deine Hände aneinander legen und dich lehren zu beten."

God said: "Your angel will place your hands together and teach you how to pray."
"Ich habe gehört das es auf der Erde böse Menschen gibt. Wer wird mich beschützen?"

I have heard that there are evil people on the Earth. Who will protect me?"
Gott sagte: "Ein Engel wird dich verteidigen mit allen Mitteln. Er würde alles riskieren damit es dir gut geht."

God said: "An angel will defend you by all means. She will risk everything to make sure that everything goes well.“

"Aber ich werde traurig sein weil ich dich niemals wieder sehe"

"But I will be sad because I will never see you again."
Gott sagte: "Dein Engel wird mit dir über mich sprechen und dir einen Weg zeigen auf dem du zu mir zurück kehren kannst. Ich werde wie er immer in deiner Nähe sein."

God said: "Your Angel will speak with you about me and show you the way so that you can return to me. I will always be by you:"

In diesem Moment herschte viel Frieden im Himmel aber man konnte schon Stimmen von der Erde hören.

In this moment, there was a continual peace in heaven, but man began to hear voices coming from the earth.

Und das Kind fragte schnell: "Bevor ich dich verlasse, bitte sag mir den Namen meines Engels"

And the child asked quickly: "Before I leave you, please tell me the name of my angel."

"Ihr Name ist nicht wichtig. Du wirst sie einfach *mama* nennen"
"Her name is not important: You will just call her *mama*."

I LOVE YOU MAMA!

Summer

Atonement

We (Me and Sister Barlow) have been talking a lot about the Atonement recently. I was thinking a lot about this painting. This is one of the paintings I guarded when I was a security guard for the BYU Museum of Fine Arts. You can’t tell in this photo. But in the actual painting, I remember the strokes on this painting are really thick and heavy. I think it is really symbolic for this moment in time. I was thinking a lot this week about how grateful I am for the atonement. I spent a lot of time while working looking at this painting. It means a lot to me. I really am so grateful for the atonement. Without it, I would not be here. I am also grateful that we have a Heavenly Father that is like a coach. He will push us and push us until we think that we are about to break and then he reaches down to comfort us and show us how far we have come. Präsident Kosak showed us a film in our Christmas Zone Conference of a young football player. His coach blindfolded him and made him bear crawl on the field with another player on his back. The coach told him to only go so far. But because he couldn’t see, the coach pushed him all the way across the field. I think sometimes we underestimate what we are truly capable of. But our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ both know our potential and will help us reach it as long as we let them.

This week was really great! Germans in this part of Germany do something called a hexenfeuer the last day of April. Everyone goes through and cleans out their yards and houses and then burns everything they dont need. The air smelled like smoke for a whole day. Spring Cleaning!

We had a friend come to church yesterday. It was a really cool experience to see how the members interacted with him and helped him to understand why the gospel of Jesus Christ is so important. They talked a lot about the Atonement of Christ and that no matter what if we want to make our lives better, we can.

So much happens every week on a mission it is hard to know what to write. But I love you all and I hope that you have a lovely week. Shout out to all of the wonderful mothers. You are all amazing and I wish you a wonderful mothers day. 

Alma 57:21

 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them. 

Sister Reed