Ganz wichtig: My sim card broke. Meaning I can't take any pictures. I don't know where to find a new one. Can you send me one? Luckily I don't think I lost very many pictures.
So there is a huge favor that I would love you to do for me. That is, to gather the quotes of the week that have something to do with my companion (just Sister McEwen and most importantly Sister Siems who really wants them). We do this thing where you make your former companions a baby scrapbook about your time together (but who has time for that? No one). But Sister Siems really wants the quotes of the week in hers but I don't know when I would collect them all.
Does Bishop Davis know my blog address? I know he likes to keep close tabs on the missionaries.
Yesterday Sister Blohm had a really hard day. After Sacrament she went in the bathroom and cried for half of Sunday School and then again for all of Relief Society. I didn't know what to do and I felt so sad that I didn't feel like I could help. I basically just left her there after checking on her and then took care of her after church. Yesterday in Gemeinderat the bishop pretty much gave one of our investigators to the Elders because he is a man and it just makes more sense. But it really tore Sister Blohm apart. The Elders are having much more "success" than we are at the moment (they have another baptism on the 1st of June). And the investigator that the bishop gave to the elders is the one we had just written that ward email about. He is probably the one who is closest to having a baptismal date (he has had one once before but said he wasn't ready) and he was our only investigator at Guiseppe's baptism and the only one who came to church yesterday. Sister Blohm just felt like why are we even here if the Elders can do all the work? We meet with a lot of less actives which the Elders don't really do, and that's really not as "rewarding" as meeting with investigators. Actually, Sister Blohm has had "success" on her mission, as in she has played a part in 5 people choosing to be baptized. One got baptized a week after she got into her golden area (so even though she wasn't a huge part of the teaching, it was still great to be a part of), then there was another baptism in her golden area, then she baptized two men in St. Gallen (unfortunately both of them are not only inactive now but literally MISSING. No one knows what happened to them.). And then she had another baptism in St. Gallen who was a referral from a member. Anyway, she's been frustrated and I've been frustrated because I don't feel like we teach well enough together to prepare anyone for baptism anyway (I know, that's so awful but we both are still struggling with our German sometimes!). We have a challenge teaching together, mostly because neither of us are really strong as we would like to be in our German. Our English lessons go much better. So we've had to talk a lot about what "success" really means, which I feel like every missionary should understand, and I think is particularly important for Sister Blohm to understand so she doesn't get so discouraged. SUCCESS IS IN THE INVITATION. If you are inviting people to come closer to Christ through commitments and following up, then you are doing your job. If you are not inviting people, then yeah you are not doing your job as a missionary. I'm grateful to be learning right along with her though.
Jocelyne and her daughters are still doing okay. It was too stressful for them to come to the baptism on Saturday (which literally broke my heart). And she was visiting a friend in the hospital yesterday. We visited them last night to figure out what was up. I think things have been going a little too fast for Jocelyne. The communication barrier does not help. So we just need to go slower, be more patient, and also clearer (we need to be good at teaching!).
But we had a good week. Like I said, I love the less active members we work with. One of them wasn' home when we showed up for our apointment but I felt better when she called us and texted us yesterday to say sorry and to talk about the flooding in her home country. She really is sweet. She gave the elders two new investigators by promising two of her friends that the church would give them jobs. They came to the church (she gave them the address), and the elders were here and explained that that's not actually true but it turns out they are actually interesting in the church and loving the Book of Mormon. The other less active came to church yesterday!! Which is huge. And it was cool because one of the missionaries who taught her was visiting. Plus she also just communicated with us more this week so I am happy.
Guiseppe's baptism was amazing. The members were so supportive. Guiseppe is a miracle. He bore his testimony in Sacrament meeting yesterday in Italian (with translation from a member) and three of his kids and his wife were there to hear it. He even told the ward to let him know if there is anything he can do to help them.
Thank you to Ciarah for my package!!! And to the whole Cook family for my birthday wishes. You guys are the greatest.
I need the music of the arrangement I sang at my farewell. Can you please send it?
Also I forgot to say that last week we got to have a fireside for the missionaries from the temple president. That was pretty neat.
So Saturday was a good day because we went through the temple with a new convert, Guiseppe was baptized, and we had a great lesson with two members present after the baptism.
The other best part of the week was when our new convert told us that she hadn't smoked in 10 days (although I'm not sure that still stands). She's really great though.
We also did a service project helping a less active clean her house. She was so appreciative.
Quote of the week:
Sister Blohm and I were walking home last night and there were these tractors working in a field.
Me: "Why are they here? It's a Sunday! They should go home."
Sister Blohm: "This isn't Utah . . ."
Elder Kelly and I talking about Guiseppe's children.
Me: "His daughters are really nice!"
Elder Kelly: "Yeah? I think (insert the name of the son who was at the baptism) is the nicest. And by nicest I mean the most interested in the church."
From our lessons with Guiseppe when he feeds us all spaghetti:
Guiseppe: "Essen! Essen!"
When we're not eating enough (according to him) . . . "Keinen Kompliment!" (that's not a compliment to the chef!)
Really Guiseppe is just the best person ever.
So the week really was good. I am happy. I know what it means to be successful and I love being a missionary for the Lord Jesus Christ. Inspiration has come to me this week in the way of a line from "Come, come, Ye Saints." "Why should we think to earn a great reward, if we now shun the fight?" Men are that they might have joy, but we are also here to fight. We are here to prove ourselves. As much as we might not like it, life is not meant to be a breeze. But it isn't just about this life. This life is the time to prepare to meet God. We may have much joy in this life, but there is also much joy awaiting us on the other side. Don't shun the fight. Remember the real reason we're here. That's a lot easier to do as a missionary, but I want you all to remember it too. Love you family!
Short emails and long letters are still good Momma. Love to all!!!
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