Sister Elizabeth Winters: Valentine's Day

Dear Mom and Dad,

So.........I'm being transferred back to Stuttgart. I can't really describe all my thoughts and feelings right now. I'll try. :) It will be VERY different---it's one of the biggest cities in our mission. I'm SUPER excited. The thing is, though, that I'm leaving Neustadt. This place has become my second family. I bore my testimony yesterday in church. I thought about how much things have changed from when I first got here. I've been in this ward for 30 weeks---that's long. And with serving and serving and serving them all the time, you can't help but grow to love them. And I do---so much. What has brought me a little comfort was the blessing that Elder Helbig gave me back at the end of first transfer, in which he told me that I was supposed to be here and become friends with them, but more importantly, that I would stay friends through this life and the next. I need that. I love these people.

I wasn't so great about contacting this week. BUT, I am learning. And one thing that I've seen is that when I push myself, when I really want to and try to talk with every single person in my way, that Heavenly Father blesses us with enough people to reach our goal. It sometimes doesn't look like it, but one by one by one by one person that we talk to, it adds up. Definitely a lesson on faith. :) Heavenly Father will provide away if I believe---and show my belief by trying.

We had kind of a rough German class on Tuesday. We had J (from Nigeria) there, M, E, and Z. And each one has a VERY different level of German. But because the elders were teaching S English, we had to have them all in the same group, which was a little rough. But, we made it through.

We had a lesson with A that night. So good. We started talking about the plan of salvation, and I started seeing the gears turn in her head. She's thinking about it. I think things are starting to become possible in her head. I'm just going to keep praying. We had cuajada for dessert---I wanted to ask you, Mom, if you had that while you were in Spain. It's like a yogurt-y thing---kind of. We put honey on top and mixed it in.

We had a really interesting PFK that night. The only people there were Bishop H, Bruder P, and D, the ward secretary. Which wasn't great---the ward needs all of the people necessary to attend, but it was nice, because then we could really get into every individual person we're working with. And just talk about them. Bishop stressed the point that the most important thing that investigators and less actives need to do is read the Book of Mormon, because doing so will work through whatever problems they have.

Friday was Valentine's day!!! It was a lot of fun. We made sugar cookies (or the closest thing that you can get to them here), and pink frosting. We then took them to some members and P and H, which was fun. I love making people's days. We finished our computer time, but then we got to translate the "Stop Smoking Program" into English, which was an adventure....... :) The thing with reading and translating is that I understand completely in German; I just don't know exactly how to properly express it in English. :P But it was really funny. :) We had to keep asking A and J Schiebl (Young Women) (who were getting ready for a Valentine's Activity) to help translate. :)

That night, we went to P and M's. It was SO GOOD. We just talked and laughed and laughed and laughed. So much fun. We shared Moroni 7:45-48 (of course, it's Valentine's Day!), and talked about charity. Oh, my goodness. I love them so much.

Yesterday was so hard, knowing it's my last Sunday there. (For now.) I sat next to Sonja during FHV and tried not to cry. I sat with them also during Sacrament Meeting and again had a harder time not crying. I bore my testimony during Sacrament. Afterwards, I just sat and talked with S for a while. Oh, man. It's going to be so hard to leave. We went to the Ps’ for lunch, which was so fun. The rest of the evening is kind of lost. We got a Book of Mormon to one of our potentials, finally. Anyways.

It's just going to be really hard. I love this place so much. But on the bright side, I'm almost done packing, except for the bare necessities over the next few days! That's good.

I love you so much! I hope the Valentine came that I sent..... Have a great week! I will email you next from Deutschland.... :)

Love,

Sister Elizabeth Winters

Valentine's treats for members and investigators