Reaching people, teaching myself

Hi.

:)

I don't even know where to start.

I really love you a whole lot. :) I hope you know.

Last Monday, we were planning on going to FHA, but then no one could come, so we went contacting down by Ostendplatz. The most interesting one was talking with a man named H, who kept asking us for the proof of how we know the Book of Mormon is true. He told us we should "read the Bible with our minds." It was a really funny conversation. Sister Angeloudis did AWESOME. She was so calm, so assured, and it was wonderful. But then, after trying and trying and trying, we gave a man named M a Book of Mormon, which was really wonderful. He was so sincere. He has our card......... But it felt so good. I love things like that.

Tuesday was good. Hehehe…Sprach Studium…just lying down on the floor because my head was dead from allergies. But it was still good. I LOVE GERMAN GRAMMAR. I'm weird, I know. But something that I've seen is that Heavenly Father has given me the ability to teach simply---and that goes for German as well, which really helps. But I understand it well enough that I can teach it simply enough for others to understand. It's a blessing.

We went to E's in the evening and taught P (Emily's 8-year-old daughter) the Restoration. But it really, really touched E, which was so good. 

Afterwards, we had to run something up to the center (up four or five houses from E's) to give Sister Zaugg a bag she'd lent us. Sometimes she's in the kitchen, so we went there first. The lights were off, but sitting in the eating area was D, who was a little sniffly. I asked her if she was okay and she kind of replied, "Not really, but it'll be okay," so I went and gave her a hug, and she just cried into my shoulder. That was POWERFUL. Because she shows such little real emotion that to have her just cry---to me, whom she really doesn't know---was one of the sweetest things that I have maybe experienced. She said it was just something that she had to work out between her and God. I told her that Heavenly Father loved her SO MUCH---because I have felt it. He loves her quite powerfully. But I don't know if she has ever felt that. But I told her that I feel it so much, and I think it reached her, which is one of the first times something has reached her down to her heart. It was powerful. I love that girl. I just want to be friends with her and show her so much love.

Wednesday, we visited MG, which was wonderful, as always. Then! We went to Killesberg park to go draw the Plan of Salvation in chalk. We got "Der Erlösungsplan" written out, "Der E" bolded, Vorirdische Dasein, Schleier, and the beginnings of Earth drawn..........and then a man came to tell us that we weren't allowed to do that in the park. Schade!! It was going to be awesome. We kept watching people just walk by and look at it, wondering what it was.......if only we could tell them! 

Anyways. We had invited R and some people to come see, then had to cancel. But R still wanted to come, so we waited for him.  We showed him the partially finished Plan (well, just the start of it) and then we sat down to read some Book of Mormon. And it was so great: he prayed that we would be successful in helping bring the Plan of Salvation näher an the people in Stuttgart. He's the best.

Friday---the best thing was going to the Ks with R. We talked about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and it was wonderful. The Ks are A-MA-ZING. I love them.

Saturday, we visited the Js, which was good, but not what it should've been. Sigh. After that, we went to go meet up with U, which was good, since we haven't met with her in a long time. Man. Every time I leave from hers....it's just heavy. I don't know how to help her. Sigh. There's so much and she's seeking guidance and there's multiple reasons why it's not coming. It's all just really heavy. 

After that, we ran back to Weilimdorf to meet R, who'd had a rough day and there were things that he wanted to talk with us about. 

That's the thing: a missionary's life is wonderful and difficult. Because you get to deal with the salvation of everyone's souls. :) It's a really incredible work. But with that, naturally, comes all the problems people are having.  We are trying to direct them to Christ, and it's difficult. I keep thinking about the Atonement. Christ took on a whole lot. And it must have been really heavy, because one person's problems is already so heavy for me. But then also trying to guide them to the Savior, who actually DOES the healing.  

And the thing is, I'm learning that, too. He’s healing me.

Sunday, we went to six hours of church. Three hours of American church, then three hours of German church. And during the Deutsche Gemeinde, I was asked to play piano for everyone in every meeting. I also played the organ. After dinner, we STUDIED. Studies are the BEST. 

So I'm reading the Bible, right? I don't think I told you that. I finished the Book of Mormon right around my birthday and wanted to read the Bible, so I'm reading the New Testament at the moment  I intend to finish on January 14, 2015. Hehehe. But anyways. Yesterday, I was in Matthew 27, in the middle of the Atonement and Crucifixion and the Resurrection. And I just read read read, mostly in my new Luther Bible! :) But it was good. And it just calmed me and sorted everything out, and by the end of it I was back to normal. A whole lot of healing for me. I am really, really grateful for the Atonement, for my Savior, who comprehends what I am going through. He understands perfectly---and sometimes I have to be reminded of that, but when I do understand, it means infinitely much to me.

I love it. I needed it.

So that was this week. 

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. You mean the world to me.

Love,

Sister Beth Winters

Luther Bible