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 

Crescendo......

Crescendo..........
is a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases. Usually we start with one voice, joined by another one soon to symbolize that each one of us has to make his/her own decisions and that power lies in a companionship.  But there is more, there is the power of Crescendo of increasing every day and step by step to fulfill the purpose to help and to invite others to come unto Christ. At the end, the Mission family with more than 240 missionaries shows that we help each other, pray for each other, and are there for each other if needed.
Kindly forced by beloved missionaries, Sister Kosak and I were asked to start this time. Usually a Sister or an Elder begin... To feel the strength of unity is the goal. This movie is just a little glimpse of what we all experienced.


As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught in General Conference 10-1985, "In case you hadn't noticed it, in the last days, discipleship is to be lived in crescendo", let us start today!

Hello Everyone!

 
This week was crazy! It was so busy yet so much fun! We were going to be out of town the whole second half of this week so we decided to put all of the appointments that we normally have in one week on Tuesday and Wednesday. But they all went really well. :)

 

Thursday, we drove up to Berlin before the big mission conference. I finally got to see the Berliner Dom and spent some time walking around the city! It was so big and city like compared to Hohenstein.

The meeting that we had in Berlin was all about iPads. The Berlin mission is the first mission in Europe to be receiving iPads. We learned all about how we need to be smart about using technology and how we can really use it to benefit us. I really learned a lot about self-mastery that I will use after my mission as well. Technology can be a wonderful tool of learning and growth, but it can also be a huge distraction.

This weekend, we also had stake conference. Präsident and Sister Kosak came to speak. They said so many wonderful things about the missionaries. But he also talked a lot about this generation and all of the things that we can accomplish. He talked about the strength that we have and the energy and passion that we put into the things that we love. But he brought up a really cool parable.

A bird doesn't sit on a branch trusting that it will not brake and fall, but trusting in its wings to fly.

We really need to trust ourselves to do the things that we know that we can do.

D&C 115: 5-6

"Verily I say unto you all, Arise and shine forth, that thy light might be a standard for the nations..."

Everyone is special and wonderful in their own way. I know that you all can do wonderful things but sometimes it takes letting our wings open and fly.

I love you all! I hope you have an awesome week!

Sister Reed

My original MTC District! Love these Missionaries

 

Fasting and Prayer....

 

“Let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually.”—Alma 34:27

 This week, we had the opportunity to fast. We spent 24 hours without food or water and really focused on the work and listening for promptings from the spirit. Sister Barlow and I this week decided that we were going to try something new. We decided to do something new called "Power Finding". Before we left for the day to go do some finding, we stopped by the house of a member and asked them to pray with us to help us find the people that were prepared and ready to hear the message that we have to share. Saturday was our day of miracles! After going to a member’s house to pray with them, we drove up north to a little village called Durrengerbisdorf. A young family ended up letting us in to talk. We discussed who God was and more about the Bible. It was really great. At the end, they told us that we could come back again. We continued knocking on doors throughout this little village. Everyone was so nice. Although some of them didn`t have any interest, they were all willing to talk with us and help us with our German :) Towards the end of the day, we met a man that was living alone and his wife was in a retirement home. He seemed really sad and lonely. We invited him to read in the Book of Mormon and maybe go read it to his wife. I hope that we can go back and visit him soon. My testimony in fasting and prayer has really been strengthened this week. I have really seen the influence of my savior and the spirit working through me this week. This is not my work but the work of the Lord and I am so humbled to be able to serve him.  

This week, we also came across this lady. She let us right in. She had a small little apartment with not much furniture, a few cats and a small TV set. She was so sweet and so humble. She loves having people come speak to her and read from her in the Bible because she can't read. She is letting us come back this week and wants to come to church. She told us that she loves God. Although her life has obviously not been easy, she was still happy and loving. She was an example to me that when we really humble ourselves like a child and are willing to open our hearts to what we know is right and true and open our ears to the small quiet promptings of the spirit, our Heavenly Father will really be there to guide us.

Sister Barlow and I had a really uplifting, hardworking beginning of the new transfer! I am so excited to see what happens this next week! I love you all! This week, I challenge all of you to make it the best week of this year. Do whatever you can to make it the best one! Work hard, talk with friends, listen to music, and eat good food. Enjoy life :) Our Heavenly Father has given us so many blessings in our lives.

Have a lovely week!

Sister Reed 

Pictures!
One is of the car outside of the small village we were in... there is nothing out there. And a traditional German dinner! Klöße, rot kohl, apfel schörle, and some meat.

 

Driving in the snow! ;)

I never drove in the snow until I came to Germany!

Easter Snow!!!

Easter Tree!

Easter Snow!!!!

It is still snowing here in Hohenstein-Ernsthal. I thought it would have ended by now. But as I speak it continues to fall from the sky.

But, on the bright side, this week we had the amazing opportunity to listen to General Conference. I learned so much. One of my favorite things that I learned was used in an analogy using music. The speaker talked about how we can all learn how to dance but we need to hear the music. He told us that when we are doing the things we should be, we will dance a beautiful dance. But even if we are dancing beautifully, sometimes it looks funny without music. That's where the spirit comes to play. The spirit is the music that we hear while we are dancing. I loved that analogy.

This week was Easter and Germans take their Easter break very seriously. So naturally, everyone was home :) Sister Barlow and I decided to go caroling with Easter songs about Christ. Many people said no. But the ones that said yes told us how much they enjoyed the message of the Messiah coming to take upon the sins of the world and to be resurrected so that we all have the blessed opportunity to return to live with him again. I love being a missionary and having the opportunity to serve the people here in Germany and share with them the message of Christ, repentance and love.

I heard a quote this week that I wanted to share with y'all. I am not exactly sure who said it but,

"I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun. Not because I can see it, but because I can see everything."

I know that through Christ we really can see everything. My mission has allowed me to really open my eyes to see what I can accomplish through faith, hope, charity and love. I love you all and I hope you have a lovely week. :)

Sister Reed

 

P.S. The Germans hang Easter eggs on trees :)