Things I love about Germany

- The people. :)

- All the healthy food I'm eating. My body is craving fruits and vegetables. Bananas especially.

Dearest Mom and Dad,

Guuuuuuttteeeeeennnn Moooooooooorrrrrrggggeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnn! :D OH meine Guete. This week has been really wonderful.   Basically, there are so many things and I'm changing and understanding everything so much more and on a whole different level.  And we've seen a TON of miracles this week. So I'll give you a run-down of what happened, then get into the important stuff.

Tuesday, we had District Meeting, Basteln (going to the rest home was really wonderful), then we had dinner with E2, an older woman in our ward who is American. She's so cute. :)

On Wednesday, SSB went on strike. So we didn't have any U-bahns or buses. Theoretically. There was one bus that we actually needed that WAS, in fact, running; I think the bus driver just used a private bus and decided not to strike. We went to Esslingen, ate Chinese food with our Sister Training Leaders, then tausched. Sister Wunderli (from Hungary) came back with me to Stuttgart. We visited a less active (doing visiting teaching with Schwester Kiefer), went to Sport Abend, wrote emails, then came home.

Thursday, we tausched back in Herrenberg, then came back up to Stuttgart. We visited EB (less active), who wasn't home :(, Br. M, who doesn't live there anymore, then went to our appointment with M, who didn't show up. We're worried about her. Afterwards, we went to English class (at the church this week), where we watched The Testaments, then had an FHV activity, celebrating the 172nd birthday of he Relief Society. All the women of our English class (the wonderful South American women) came to the FHV activity.

Friday, we did a lot of planning, got our planning treat (bananas and strawberries) at the market, then came back and planned some more. Then. We went to S and J's with E and had dinner there and a wonderful lesson. Our appointment with E was awesome, because the discussion developed into answering E's questions. And it was so good and so healthy and she has so many good questions.  I felt so close---so much closer---to the Holy Ghost and was so much more receptive to His guidance.  We were just able to talk about everything. 

Saturday, we found this referral out in he middle of nowhere Deutschland (well, that's not quite true)---but it took us an hour and a half to get out there, and it's in the corner of our area that no Bahns go to. But we made it and it was wonderful and the area is GORGEOUS. We met with E again that night and talked a TON. 

Sunday, we went to church, then were planning on going to a potential and giving him a Book of Mormon, but then the Gs invited us over for dinner, so we went (which was a HUGE blessing for Sister Gilmour and me both), then came home and had comp. inventory.

So, Mom, you said you had a dream that you were teaching E the Plan of Happiness.  Elder Benson called us on Tuesday and said that E was coming to Institute and asked if we could make it, and if not, what would be good to teach. We had the appointment with E2, so we couldn't make it, but we talked about it and called Elder Benson back, to tell him to talk about the Plan of Salvation. When he picked up, he said, "We were thinking about just teaching the Plan of Salvation." DEFINITELY right. I love it when the Spirit works like that.

My relationship with Heavenly Father is becoming so much deeper, and that is incredibly precious to me.  

We were talking about the Plan of Salvation, and one thing that I loved was the premortal life. And I've never thought about it a ton, but this week I did. That our spirits are thousands of years old---I have so much more experience behind me than the 20 years (well, almost) that I've been on the earth. It gave me so much more perspective.  I understand eternity better because I came from a place with my Heavenly Father, and my spirit understands things now that my body is learning and I'm rediscovering things about myself. Would it not make sense that in the premortal life, I wanted and desired to serve and help others? Because my spirit is the same person as it was before I came to earth. And it also put into perspective the purpose, the end, just eternity. My end goal is to become like and live with Heavenly Father---again. Because I came from living with Him, and that's where I'm headed.

Oh my goodness, I love the gospel. And being on a mission. And figuring things out. I know it's true. Without a shadow of a doubt. It's incredible. I'm changing, my mind is expanding, I'm becoming someone new.

I love it.

And I love YOU!!

All the love in the world,

Sister Winters

I love my companion!

We made a paper chain. There are thirteen days till conference. GENERAL CONFERENCE IS IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. Do we realize what this means??? I am SO EXCITED.

AH! The international elders got us Graham Crackers. 

You have no idea how much we've missed those.