"It's so missionary of me" - November 18, 2013 - From Schaffhausen

 I love how Katie often says "We're such missionaries" in a way that is kind of making fun of herself.  She's wanted to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints since she was a little girl so it has always been a part of her life plan, and I know she is thrilled that this is HER time!  I can tell she loves serving and pictures like the one on the left are part of the "I'm such a missionary".  I love it.

This is the Chapel in Schaffhausen where the ward (congregation) where Katie
serves goes to Church.  

Dear Family, So once upon a time we were on a bus. That happens several times a day, every day. And this time there were a lot of people so I was standing up on the bus. And standing on the other end of the bus was this kid. We caught each other's eye, and he pointed to where a missionary badge would go if he were wearing one, as if to ask what it meant. That's a hard question to answer in a bus full of people where you are far away from each other and can't hear each other. So I just nodded. Then he pointed up, as if to say, "Is it about God?" I nodded a lot and he smiled and gave me a thumbs up and then showed me the cross he had around his neck. Luckily, everyone on the bus was just about to get off at Schaffhausen Bahnhof (train station), so we both got off and I got to talk to him and get his contact Information. His name is S. He is black, 18, and very Catholic. We had a quick conversation where he asked us how it is possible that God had a book in addition to the Bible. We answered him a little but said we'd love to talk more about it. We studied how to explain it to him, but our appointment ended up falling out and his sister said he couldn't come to church because it wasn't a Catholic church. Our appointment was to be for Saturday, so we studied for S. a little Friday night and some more Saturday morning. And then the appointment fell out. BUT. Also on Saturday I was talking to this woman across from me on the bus. And she knew I was from the Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage (Thanks to my name tag. I love that thing. It's so missionary of me. I'm worried I might be one of those missionaries who refuses to stop wearing their name tag or always keeps it with them after their mission or something weird) but we were talking about all her travels because she's traveled a lot and then we talked about where she's been in America and I asked her if she'd been to Utah. She made some joke like, "No, that's where the Mormons are!" Ha ha and that's when I drop the bomb that I am a Mormon and she feels awkward. One of my favorite things is to do is clear up misconceptions about Mormons. I feel like I've made great progress if I can get people to understand that the Mormon church = the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and that Mormons are not Amish. Like lots of people, she thought we were Amish and she talked about long skirts and bonnets and I just pointed to my skirt which was just below my knee. But through this conversation with her I met G., who wanted to chime in on our discussion about Mormons. Long story short, Sister McEwen talked to him when we got off the bus while I was still talking to the woman, and be came to church and we had a great lesson with him last night. He asked us how there could be anything besides the Bible. And what? WE HAD JUST STUDIED THIS FOR S. The scriptures were fresh in our minds and we were able to explain to Gabriel why it makes sense that God would bring forth another book of scripture and what Revelations 22:18-19 really means. Anyway, I hope that made sense. I love being a missionary!

Also remember how I tried to shout out to all the missionaries from the Cascade 4th ward? Well I think I forgot Brennan and also someone else but I can't remember who the other one was now. Oh yeah and Jamie and Rory. But I think there was still another. Is Jamie home yet? Am I our only sister?

I love my companion. I love my companion even when I catch her using my toothpaste and she says, "What? I like yours better!" Yeah, well me too! Mom, please send more of my favorite extreme clean toothpaste! Also, I really hope contacts are on the way. And you could send Twizzlers for Sister McEwen.

I love my companion. I love my companion even though she has almost burned down our apartment no less than 4 times since we've been together. We had an especially close call this week, which leads me to think that our fire alarm isn't working. And it probably isn't, because probably none of the missionaries in the last 17 years have bothered to check it. Yeah I'll work on that. And don't worry, we're going to keep working on Sister McEwen understanding that just because you turned the burner off doesn't mean it's not still hot.

I love my companion. I love my companion right now especially because just barely I told her that she smelled good and she said, "Thanks it's your perfume."

I love my companion. I love my companion even when she gets in my bed and won't get out because she doesn't want us to go to bed, she wants to talk. Also that maybe sounds bad. It's not. We do follow mission rules and DO eventually get to sleep! 

Ha ha I would not be telling you these things if they actually bothered me. It is a little bit like how Sister McEwen and I were in the MTC, but now we're comps! I can't believe we're together. She has grown SO MUCH in the gospel. I love it.

Speaking of which, remember when I went on austausch (FYI- Austausch = Exchange.  Sometimes missionaries will go on exchanges and switch companions for the day) with Sister Robben? Well I forgot to tell you that she mentioned again how sweet it was that you baked her cookies. 

This last week was zone training and zone conference! It was a big deal because we've decided to renew our Goal to baptize 290 people this year in our mission. This number was compiled by every branch, every ward, and every stake telling the mission how many they expected in the coming year. And it came to 290. So far we're at a little over 100. In other words, we have A LOT of work to do before the end of the year. We fast as a mission for something in specific every Fast Sunday, but we had another special mission-wide fast yesterday that we will reach our goal. I know that it's possible, I really felt the Spirit confirm that to me in zone training, but I guess I am lacking some faith in myself. This week our one baptismal date was cancelled and so it's hard to just only have thoughts that promote my faith.

Sometimes I feel like my faith is really lacking. I'm supposed to study a new Christlike attribute every month or at least every transfer but I still haven't gotten past faith, the first one I wanted to study 1) because I keep forgetting and 2) because I always just feel like I still need to work on it. (FYI - Faith is at the core of Christian belief.  Faith is to believe in things that are not seen and I think we are all challenged continually to keep our faith strong.  Personally, I have learned that you have to DESIRE to have faith and it is something that must be worked for.  The most precious things in life are not ours without effort.  In the LDS Church, we have what we call "The 13 articles of Faith" which basically are a summary of our church doctrine.  Article #4 states "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." )

I love you!!! The church is true!

"Will I get my missing letters in Heaven?" - November 11, 2013 from Schaffhausen, Switzerland

Dear Family!  So this week! I need to tell you about R! She has a baptismal date for the 7th of December and she had it before I ever got here but this week was the first week we were able to meet with her. We're really trying to encourage her to come to church with us regularly and we knew she could be ready for baptism if she will just meet with us a lot and come to church every week. And read in the Book of Mormon and pray and really take a little time to strengthen her testimony every day. So I guess she has a lot to do but she's already so great! She made me feel so welcome and loved right away. Sometimes it's a little bit hard to be the "new sister" but she was just so good to me right away. I have very high hopes from her. She's from Africa and we speak English. And yes we still have a lot of diversity among the people we teach.  It’s great.

We had Stake Conference this weekend! (FYI – Twice a year is “Stake Conference”.  A “Stake” is simply a region; a collection of individual wards...congregations....that are grouped together in what is referred to as a “Stake”.  There are individuals who are called to leadership positions in the Stake in a number of areas of responsibility; such as helping the Relief Societies, the Young Men and Young Women’s programs, the Sunday School programs etc. There is also a Stake Presidency who preside at these meetings and are among the speakers who provide counsel.)  It was so good. That means we traveled to Schwammendingen (Zurich) on Saturday for the adult session and to Basel for the Sunday session. (For adults in the LDS Church, the Saturday evening session is always really special.  Our Sunday worship services include all the children, so it can be a little trying as a parent sometimes! But the Saturday night session is a time to sit with friends and, if married, your spouse, to sing together,  to soak up the spirit and the counsel that will lift and sustain!)  We went by train on Saturday and with members on Sunday. Stake conference was so good! I was really impressed with how much I understood of the Saturday session. And President and Sister Miles spoke in the Sunday session! They were so great. Sister Miles just gets up there and gives a talk in German in front of hundreds of people and then President Miles does the same and has everyone laughing. We heard a lot about MISSIONARY WORK and temple attendance in stake conference.

The downside of stake conference is that is far away and expensive to get there so it's hard to get investigators there. We had one come with a member on Saturday but basically when we invited people to church we just had to say, but wait, not this week, next week!

Quote of the week: (me to Sister McEwen) "Do you think I'll get my missing letters in Heaven?" Sister McEwen to me: "Yeah and I better be opening up a package." (she's missing a package and I know I’m missing letters!)

Also did I forget a quote of the week last week? Because here's another one. This is a joke in the church here that I heard last week. So Mommy you know CH that stands for Confoederatio Helvetica (Switzerland's old Latin name). Well, the members joke that it actually stands for Celestialles (yeah please look up how to spell that right in German) Herrlichkeit. A.k.a. the Celestial Kingdom. The Swiss say that means in heaven we will speak Sweizerdeutsch (also spell that right . . . I'm in a hurry!). And hey, didn't President Uchtdorf also say something about speaking German in heaven?

Wanna hear a miracle? We bumped into a former investigator that Sister McEwen has taught but who stopped seeing the missionaries but we saw her and her husband and little boy at the train station and she said to call her and now we have an appointment for this week. Heavenly Father is not giving up on her!

But keep writing letters! Since I've been here I've gotten letters from Linds, Mom, and James (I know Daddy I don't know where yours is! And I know one of Lindsey's is missing too). I love letters!

This week we have zone training and zone conference. Lots of meetings.

I love you! The church is true! In every language! I'm so grateful for your support. Love, Sis. Kate

Also, this was Katie’s response to my question about the picture 

of her and the couple with the book I posted last week….

“Yeah Mom I meant to tell you. I went to my branch president's house (Sister McEwen mentioned that) and I was just obsessed with everything. First, they had little baby things they had collected from their travels displayed in this really cool box, kind of like the baby things that I have collected. Then, they had all these postcards all over their door, like how Grosi and Grosvati have all those postcards up at their house. And then they had all these Schallen Ursli books at their house that I had never even seen! And they had a picture that's from one of the books framed on their wall. And that's how I knew to ask about them. And they've been to Guarda. (a very favorite and beautiful, old, village in the Engadine part of Switzerland where my aunt & uncle own an authentic Engadiner home) and we had raclette and weya or however you spell it for dessert! Yeah so I was right at home.  Love you all, Sister Kate

****

The following is from Sis McEwen’s letter this week.

I thought it was such a sweet summary of mission life! 

So grateful for her goodness and that Katie can share this time with her!

“The alarm rings. My head rolls under the covers. The alarm rings again! Time to get up! My knees touch the ground and im ready to communicate with the lord. My eyes are still closed as i memorise the way to the bathroom. The jumper goes on, shoes tied and the badge goes on. Another prayer, Its out the door. Gym time! We run the road watching the sunset rise, The rush of cold hits my body and my warm spirit heats it up. The door flings open and a rush to the shower. Again the badge goes on and the hair is brushed, Time for breakfast! The pour of cereal, milk and boiling water rings in my ears, Time to eat! My knees hit the ground again i talk to my father, Personal study! My eyes are opened and my brain is clear. The sweet words of hymn tunes come out of my mouth, Its companionship study! We hit the ground in prayer. BIBLE, B.O.M, PHONE, KEYS, LETS GO! Prayer and the sound of elephants run down the stair case for the bus. "Gruetzi" Our morning has just begun……. The door opens softly, too weak to push, our knees ache to get up the stairs and we fall to the ground in prayer to our father in heaven, Planning time! One, two, three potentials…yes we returned with honor! A brush of the teeth and its off to bed but not till i kneel to my father in heaven! I thank my father for my mission!”

Pictures tell the story

They say pictures are worth a 1000 words.  I'm not sure about that, but I do love opening "Dropbox" and finding pictures.  

She may not tell me anything about them, but they tell me alot.

So, here's some of those pictures that tell the story.

So yes, the pictures make me happy and I can tell that

she's happy! 

"HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUST! - November 4, 2013 - Shaffhausen, Switzerland

Hi Family!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUST! I love you! And your precious family. But you are still my family too! Write me!

I know Mom it's killing me to keep wearing shoes that are honestly not acceptable! So yes, I probably do want the brown shoes. 

So now I'm starting to read Jesus the Christ. But very slowly. Anyone up for that?

I had my first interview with my mission president! It was supposed to be 10 minutes and mine was 25 minutes long. Lots of people in our district had their interviews go long but I think mine was the longest . . . Oops. I just had questions!

This week we cleaned out the church as a branch. And Sister McEwen and I cleaned out our apartment and keller (basement....the basement is typically for storage and would be divided for people who live in the building). Yeah, gross. And so necessary. Future missionaries of our apartment in Schaffhausen, y'welcome.

Did I ever answer your question about senior companions? Sister McEwen and I are both senior companions. .

Sometimes we're a little clueless, but not really that clueless. We're doing a good job.

Okay, I want to say this to everyone.  This is from President Uchtdorf, "I invite each of you to open your heart to Him. Seek Him through study and prayer. Come to His church, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Learn of Him and of HIs gospel, participate actively, help each other, and joyfully serve our God."

I echo President Uchtdorf's invitation! With all my heart. I don't say a whole ot of spiritual stuff in my emails home, but I hope it always comes through in my emails that I know the church is true. This invitation is for EACH OF US, regardless of our current standing in relation to Christ's church. And I testify that it this is HIS CHURCH. That might sound pretentious, and I wouldn't say it unless I knew it to be true. 

Shout out to the Cascade 4th Ward! Our ward is STACKED. Me, Conner, Connor, Hayden, Carter, Brady, Chase, Matt, Mitchell, and McKay, ALL IN THE MISSION FIELD (uh I'm really sorry if I forgot anyone . . . awkward). And Ben and Devin who have just come back and who are I'm sure still being awesome missionaries. Tell Dev I'm proud of him! I hope our ward is proud of all the power houses they have in the field!

So remember B.? From last week? Bad news. We had an awesome lesson where he told us he really wants to find out the truth and that he will do everything we say for three weeks (read, pray, come to church . . .) and wait for an answer to come. And so we were totally going to have a lesson on Saturday but that fell out and on Sunday he didn't answer his phone. Or come to church. That happens sometimes. When you go on a mission, you are signing up for heartbreak.

And yes we've been teaching! Teaching is what we live for. We only had two lessons with a member last week, and five without a member, plus one lesson with a convert, and that's not that many. Plus a few fall outs. That usually happens. But I believe that as we step it up with the less actives we will find investigators. Fun fact, Schaffhausen just has its own flair. They call investigators freunde der kirche oder besucheren (friends of the Church or searchers) . Uh I don't know if I'm spelling that right. Mom, you can fix it. And they call weniger activen (less actives) vermisste freunde (missing friends).

It is really good being Sister McEwen's companion. Sister McEwen and I are just really open and if we get bugged we talk about it right away.

Yes I am happy! There's nowhere I would rather be. 

Love you family! Thanks for everything.

This is such a typical apartment house in Switzerland.