Woche 19: Making Eye Contact

In teaching Frau Lange this week, we talked about repentance and how we recognize that we need to repent. Because the mistakes they make aren't always huge or breaking the Ten Commandments, we don't always take the time to ask for forgiveness. We compared it to the straight line of Gods will and we're often the toddler tracing the line. Sometimes it's spot on but a lot of the time, we're right next to the line with a little gap. Repentance helps us move our life and choices directly in accordance with His will. I'm still studying about charity and how most of the sins we commit are sins against charity. Pride, jealousy, overlooking a need etc. Repentance is baby steps to overcoming the natural man and obtaining Christlike attributes. 

I've thought a lot about study habits this week. I didn't have horrible study habits in college but it was definitely sometimes half hearted or distracted. The scriptures are something I can't afford to even think about studying that way. They've become such a guide for me. We had two days this week where we had only hour or none of our studies. Those days were different, we were missing our daily bread. My delicious Sonnenkorn Brot of the scriptures. I grow more and more grateful for the stories I read and particularly how people refer to and talk about Christ in the scriptures. I still think about the quote on my wall every day - You can know about Christ without knowing Christ. Find the difference. 

Transfer calls was hilarious. Sister Godwin got called to serve as a sister training leader a whole 40 minutes away. She's never leaving the Frankfurt zone hahaha but it means we get to split every transfer!! She was on edge the entire call as they announced each set of STLs but they left Frankfurt zone for last so she knew by then and just couldn't believe it haha

At our last zone training, Elder White talked about Thanksgiving and the things we fill our selves up on. The mashed potatoes of the scriptures and the rolls of prayer with the butter of fasting etc I've thought about it this week in comparison to time. Is our time just being filled? Are we spending too much time doing service that won't lead us to more teaching opportunities or having appointments with members without uplifting them? I'm excited for this next transfer, trying new things and FINDING!!! 

My Friday night was made multiple times over. After our weekly planning session, (during which Sister Godwin got her call from President Stoddard and we had a mini pause for a bit  ausflippen of course) we headed to our appointment with Cleide, the less active mother of a family that we're working with. She wasn't home me we couldn't reach her so we doored a couple houses and took a bus to Bahnhof. Our train didn't leave for a while so we decided to stop by their clothing store. She was there!! She had tried to call but had an old number for the missionaries- oh missionary cell phones. I don't even know what to say about the lesson we had with her but we came away with a great hope for her and her family :) On the train home, we sat across from a girl with beautiful earrings. Bingo, conversation starter. I commented on them and asked where she got them. She was explaining how she made them when she took them out and gave them to me! She order the pieces abound put her own design in, really cool. We had a great talk with her and I was reminded of how much I love it when people don't avoid eye contact with you on trains haha Please flick me in the forehead if I ever pay more attention to my phone than the people around me ever again. Biggest pet peeve here haha

But they also knew that “many of the things you can count, do not count. Many of the things you cannot count, really do count.” - Präsident Dieter Uchtdorf

Just an all around good week :) 

Liebe Grüße, Sister Riser

Woche 18: Happiness is...

Whoever you are and wherever you may be, you hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can now imagine. Every day and every hour you can choose to make or keep a covenant with God. - President Henry B. Eyring 

🎶Gotta find to teach

Gotta teach to find 

Tell you all about when I got the time 🎶

Saturday was my miracle day this week. We had lunch with Schwester Harder and her 'sister'. They eat together every Saturday at 12pm.  Her friend is Catholic and with Schwester Harder as a friend, has had lots of contact with the church. She believes that we all have the same goal and however we get there with our individual faith is our personal choice. We shared about how the Bible and Book of Mormon work together. We read about Christ being baptized in the Bible and why He did in the Book of Mormon. Afterwards she asked us the difference that we see in us now versus before becoming a full time missionary. That was one of the sweetest moments I've had. I hadn't really thought about the difference, mostly because the changes come in the everyday and aren't always something you notice. Being able to not just bear testimony of the importance of the Atonement but how it's changed my life was a testimony builder for me. I feel Heavenly Father changing me to be who I need to be. Listening to my companion talk about how a mission was something that was completely new for her helps me understand her better too. 

Desiree got a calling this week!! She's the secretary in FHV! And her daughter turned 7 last week :) 

We found an old record of someone in our member book that wasn't even on our Ward list and decided to go by. Cleide Dias' family is all active in Brazil but she hasn't been to church since moving to Germany. She has two children-Nicole just turned 8! She wants to understand baptism and we hope that her uncle will be able to baptism her later this year :)

Talking with Cleide was so interesting. Everything she said had a gospel answer. I felt like it was an MTC role play transcript haha But she recognizes that without the church, she's not happy. She worries about her family and what she should do to teach her children what's right. They're a golden family and I'm so excited to see the ways that loving and living gospel will change them for the better. 

There have been days where the whole day seems unproductive and slow and just bad. I come home expecting to feel discouraged and less than excited for the coming day. But as I write about the things that have happened, it seems easier and easier to find the miracles, blessings, and good things each day. EVERY single time I'm happy and excited to do this work, were blessed. No exceptions. The Lord measures our success by how quickly and willingly we do His will. 

We were grateful for the challenge given to us by the Assistants this past week to find three new potentials. A few days were a little slow for finding and Sunday morning, though we'd had some great conversations and met interested people, we weren't able to get any contact information. After church we were contacting-streets and doors. People were either uninterested or were irritated that we were interrupting their Sunday. But just as we were about to be done and head home, we stopped to talk to one more person. It's funny how much time we spend practicing new approaches and questions and then end up using the simple ones we normally do haha We asked her if she had heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Not only were we able to get her information and set a new appointment but she committed herself to church and we taught a full lesson on the street! We are ridiculously excited about our newest investigator and have been seeing the blessings of using all the time we're given. 

Last PDay our district went to Oppenheim. Google it, beautiful beautiful place. There's a cathedral and ruins with a view over the whole town. On some days the organ player is there and you can hear it played streets away. They also have a series of tunnels underneath all of Oppenheim. They give tours and lead you with torches, super excited for next time! And today we were apple picking with the Hirsch and Fugal families and Denise. It was such a great day! I love the mix of fall colors in the leaves and how open it is in Sitters. 

Discovering true happiness. Happiness is finding someone willing to talk to you when it's freezing outside. Happiness is homemade applesauce. Happiness is smiling kids that are excited that missionaries are here to play kicker with them. Happiness is 'Our Search For Happiness' ;). Happiness is finding an outfit that isn't dorky and still keeps you warm-score. Happiness is having a companion that makes you laugh with mustaches her family sent her and never stops taking pictures. Ever. Happiness can be found every single day and I'm pretty dang happy here in Mainz :) 

I come to you with a question about eternal memories you are building in your lives. Are they followed by the comment “I wish I had,” or can you say, “I’m glad I did”? - Elder L. Tom Perry

My scripture to ponderize this week is D&C 84:88 

Transfer calls on Saturday!! Can't believe we're on the last week of the transfer! 

Liebe Grüße, 

Sister Riser 

Woche 8

Who cares if the back fender's held on by zip ties, this sisters got a bike!!

Life is Good!

This week has been so packed with appointments that we almost never cook at home and we're becoming pros at unterwegs (on the way) contacting :) We've gotten to know a lot of our members better, especially those that live farther away. Missionaries in the past didn't really visit the members that far out but we've been able to work with them and get rides or go home with them after church and it's been a serious blessing to know their families better. 

This past P Day might have been the best one yet! 

Fact: castles in Germany are a major tourist attraction. 

Fact: it took us over two hours to find Burg Frankenstein, instead of the recommended 15 minutes. 

Possible conclusions: we're all incredibly directionally challenged OR we should petition for better road signs hahaha 

The only guides we had were little castles painted on random trees on the 'trail'. Towards the end of we just hiked straight up the mountain instead of taking time with switchbacks. But it was beautiful! Germany is just so GREEN. 

So it seems the more I try to persuade Sister Godwin that her fear of flying things is irrational, the more I prove her point. Exhibit B: (the bird mistaking my hair for a nest being exhibit A) we were eating dinner with Schwester Dahlke and I crossed my legs. Due to my valiant effort to be ladylike, I smashed a bee on my leg, resulting in it leaving a nice little bee sting on my calf. Naja alles gut (Well, all is good) :)

At our last district meeting together, we talked about the differences we've seen throughout the past weeks and what we felt we should continue to work on. I've felt that while we plan and work and expect miracles everyday, we still sometimes put a cap on our potential. We seem to have a hard time setting achievable goals that still push us. As much as I'd love to get 3 new investigators everyday, we try to set goals within our capabilities. So it's a learning process :) seeing what we're capable of and ways we can improve. Our new transfer goals are exciting and this past week has been a great start! Our ward has been fasting and praying for missionary work and we've felt their efforts every day. Teaching with members is fantastic. They share something that we can't. They can relate to those we're teaching on a different level because sometimes it's hard to see past the missionary tag. Having members with us at appointments makes the church more personal and the gospel more real when they can see its effects in someone else's life.

"Has God not endowed you with the gift of speech? ... If you are endowed with the Spirit of God, mo matter how simple your thoughts maybe, they will be edifying to those who hear you."
-Eliza R. Snow

It's not our method of teaching that will change and inspire people, it's the message. The truths are powerful enough that no matter how simply they're spoken, the Spirit delivers the same feelings. I think how often I want to bear my testimony, share more experiences, or just explain a little more but my Deutsch doesn't quite allow for that yet haha  There's a notecard on my desk that reminds me- confidence in the truths of the gospel = confidence in German. 

Approaching the Throne of God With Confidence - I could read this talk everyday for the rest of my life! (Thank you Brother Chidester) 

I can't be reminded enough times of how the Atonement should be used every single day! The Atonement is 24/7 made just for us. 

We fasted with Suellen again this past week! She's still loving that golden feeling :) we're talking with her about being proactive! And setting goals for herself because it's not enough just to know that it's true. It becomes easier to prioritize other wants and fears over decisions that bring us farther down the road to eternal life. We've shared talks and scriptures with her about Christ making up the difference and that HE can make us enough and ready to go forward. I'm looking forward to seeing what decisions she makes and how we can continue to help her. 

One of our investigators, Desiree, has been praying for a baptismal date and we hope that she finds a peaceful answer soon. Michelle has been sick this past week so we didn't get to see her but next week we hope to finish the Commandments with her! The love that Desiree and Michelle have for Christ and their search for happiness and truth is inspiring. Desiree invited her daughter to our last lesson and was so open to the changes that the gospel is going to make in her life. 

I've thought a lot about scripture study and the attitude I approach it with. To think that we hold the words of God specifically for us in our hands! And yet sometimes we spend only a few minutes studying this chapters that can better our lives and make us happier than we can imagine. The Book of Mormon contains eternal truths that help us become changed through Jesus Christ. I know that my day and expectations change as I read; it's like having a golden ticket in your pocket :) 

Remember the
blessings of the gospel in your life as you study. Think of the times that the scriptures have guided you and remember the mini miracles of everyday :) 

Viele Grüße auch von Sister Godwin (Greetings also from Sister Godwin)

Alles gute!

Sister Riser

Woche 7: The Birds. Maybe Hitchcock was onto something

1 transfer down! Holy mackerel 

How do you get to love so many people in a month and a half?? 

This week a bird landed on my head in the middle of Hauptbahnhof square. Don't asked me why, though I'm secretly convinced that people are putting crumbs in my bag to attract them or something. Sister Godwin and I were waiting in front of the Strassenbahn when she screamed and backed away. I know that logic suggests that at this point, I should have done something.  But as this happens on a daily basis, I figured it was a bumblebee and her voice would return to its normal pitch momentarily. Unfortunately I soon found that this was not the case as I felt claws on my head, gripped ready to carry me off to a pigeon cavern or something. I shampooed my hair twice but somehow still feel marked, like at any moment a hoard will come and take me away. Maybe I should learn some bird calls. 

First Mainz street display was a hit! We set up in Schillerplatz and it was amazing to see people's responses. I honestly don't know how I would respond to some of the questions that we ask if I wasn't a member. But so many people were so open and if there's one thing I like about people here is that they don't lead you on- if they're not interested, you'll know it hahaha :) our whole district was there and we hit up the famous Eis shop afterwards. :)

Survived transfer calls and it looks like we have two new elders in our district and a new district leader! This P Day will be our last together. AND there are ZERO sisters coming in this transfer from the U.S.! There's one sister from Switzerland waiting on her visa that will join our mission for a while but the MTC teacher that we email sometimes said that there are no sisters in for the Germany Frankfurt Mission right now!! Crazy stuff, they've been having more leaving than coming home and a lot of people anticipate a pretty major mission boundary change soon. 

The past week I've had the chance to put a general authority quote to the test. Which I highly recommend, they never disappoint :)

A testimony is found in the bearing of it. ("The Candle of the Lord" by President Boyd K. Packer)

I know that Christ is my Savior and I know that this is His gospel. But if I didn't have to tell people what I believe and how I came to have a testimony of das Evangelium (the gospel), then I wouldn't know. I have a testimony of the church and modern revelation and I come to understand more and realize the difference that it makes in my life when I share it with others. I know that the feelings and experiences I've had with the Book of Mormon build on each other the more I read and my testimony of scripture study & prayer is strengthened every time we invite someone to read and pray because I absolutely know the difference that it can make in their lives. Promising someone something that the gospel of Jesus Christ will bring them doesn't make a lot of sense if I don't have a testimony of it. It's like handing someone a recipe you've never tried and saying its your favorite. 

The more we share of the gospel and teach by example, the more we'll see its influence in our lives and gain a greater personal testimony of it. 

I'll finish with sharing something that probably shouldn't have made me laugh as hard as I did. 

Did you know that Ireland is the richest country in the world?

Yeah their capital has been dublin every year. 

Self Proclaimed Peddling Bar! 

Liebe Grüße

Sister Riser

PS- This week we didn't have as much time because we're headed to a Castle in Darmstadt! Have a lovely week!!

Woche 6

The temple was wonderful! Our district did a session in German with 3 other companionships :) I love missionaries. And the temple. And Fredrichsdorf.  And curry wraps at the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. 

MICHELLE ACCEPTED AN INVITATION TO BAPTISM

Words, interpretive dance, or gang signs could not begin to describe how excited we are. She's so sweet and welcoming and like a sponge to the gospel! She's told us how her experiences so far have prepared her for something bigger and so she's ready for whatever God needs her to do. Seeing how prepared she is to do whatever will bring her closer to Christ and more in line with Heavenly Father's will for her, is motivating for me to want her to understand and know all that she needs to make this covenant. We hope to include her kids in the coming lessons :) A favorite moment I had was when she offered the closing prayer and compared the folding of arms to being hugged :) 

Our English class has dwindled to just one member this past week. But never fear, we've plastered the university with flyers and are constantly crossing our fingers- it requires a lot of duct tape but the class is worth it. This week we discussed participles with Mariaton over ice cream cones at Schillerplatz because no one else could be there at the church. No complaints here, I had hazelnut Eis (ice cream) :)

I love meeting people from the States here. We met a man from San Antonio after English class and we bonded over the South and how hard it is to du-est and sie-est in German hahaha

I've thought about one of my favorite scriptures this week in D&C 6:36. It becomes less about being directed in every thought and action but having Heavenly Father as a constant viewer of our lives. I don't need to doubt or fear because if I'm proactive and make my own decisions based on what I know Heavenly Fathers for me and for me to do, then He'll always be there. Even when I let pride or fear get mixed into my decisions, He'll still be there to pull be from my own little orbit back to the solar system where I can see and enjoy all of His work and plans. 

Who says I can't play out of state tags out of country??

We had dinner with the Marx family and they are Ahhhmazing! They shared stories with us about post war Germany. They're good friends with Dieter Uchtdorf & his wife Harriet and they told us about how he came to be a pilot and all the things they've done together. One time President Uchtdorf invited them to the Frankfurt temple on a Monday (what??!) and the temple president came down to ask Bruder Marx to be a counselor in the temple presidency and when he said yes, President Monson came out of the chapel to set him apart! Afterwards, Bruder Marx asked him to share a few words in German to which President Monson just said 'Ich liebe dich!' They have so many stories just like this and so many experiences to share! They've brought over 100,000 names to temple to have their work done! 

2 Nephi 11:6 - I love the references of joy that comes from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ 

:) we've started counting how many waves and smiles we get from people each day and it's a good reminder to me of how simple spreading the gospel can be! The Lord can't drive a parked car! He can't guide us and fill our mouths if we're not willing to get going and open our mouths! LDS- Let's DO Something!

On Saturday we had the brilliant idea to take our Morgen Sport run to the bakery a mile from our apartment. I still stand by this decision but I'll admit I wavered a little when an older man started laughing and shouted Guten Appetit! as we ran by with our little Brötchen bags haha 

Two investigators at church!! And Birget brought her daughter! The Hirsch family made lunch for the Gemeinde after church and then we had something similar to High Point/Low Point. (rest assured dad that I did not suggest it ) 

Reminders for this week! FEED YOUR SPIRIT

We like snacks, so does our Spirit!

Snackeroos: Alma 37:47, 2 Nephi 2:28, 3 Nephi 11

I love love love being a missionary! I love the stares, the studies, the WORK, and the Spirit!

BONUS LETTER : Woche 3: Fußball the World's Favorite Sport

***The Letter from Woche 3 was an adapted personal letter from Sister Riser.  She realized the next week that she had written an actual group Woche 3 email, but just forgot to send it.  HERE IT IS!***

 

Finally we got to play the  worlds favorite sport: Fußball! We got
shown up by a couple grade schoolers with mad skills before the game
started. We played with the Mainz elders, the ward mission leaders
family and a few investigators and other members. Elder Cloward
sacrificed himself for the ball and has a couple glory scrapes and a
good story to tell now.

There's been so much time for contacting this week!! We already know
that people wouldn't even think about listening to two American girls
talk about religion for two minutes. Thankfully, they have the spirit
to listen to if they stay long enough to feel it :) There's no end to
the Spirit that's invited and the miracles brought when you OPEN YOUR MOUTH!! We're trying to make the best use of our time in between
appointments and we've devoted the first few minutes of our language
study to memorizing German hymns to sing as we walk. I'd forgotten how
much I love that German Gemeinden stand for their intermediate hymns,
it's like a stretch/snack break because the toddlers next to us kept
putting pretzels on my lap ;)

I've spent a lot of time thinking about covenants this week and how we
continue to honor them. One of the qualifications and questions for
baptism is to have a determination to serve Christ till the end- how
do we continue to do that?

We have a temple trip date!!!!!!!!!! One of the first things my
trainer told me I would love about where we were serving is that we're
less than an hour from Frankfurt temple which means we can go once a
transfer! Unfortunately the temple closes for 2 years in September so
hopefully we get in twice before then! In the MTC we went altogether
twice and the on the day that everyone went finding in Manchester, the
three Americans that didn't have visas to proselytize outside Germany
stayed and went to the temple. It was just us and the temple workers
and so incredibly quiet and peaceful.

We're continuing to study attitudes and the powers of desire-
"Become a creator of circumstances instead of a creature of
circumstances." - Elder M Russell Ballard (from the talk "Do Things That Make a Difference"). The way we approach a day
makes the biggest difference! Being proactive can turn the slowest of
days into the most fruitful. Turn your day over the Lord! Don't wait
to be told what to do but be a ready recipient!

We taught our first English class this week! The members that wanted
to teach were on vacation so we had Adrielle- a less active Peruvian
who moved to Germany with his wife a few years, and Martine- a soon to
be Albanian student at the university here who called in from one of
our flyers AND he speaks 5 languages :) something tells me he'll be
teaching us quite a bit too. After class he brought out a bottle of
wine from his backpack to say thank you to us. I'm not sure if it was
the 'subtle' eyebrow raise or what that convinced him but we were
finally able to tell him that no we don't drink and no were not
allergic and yes were as young as we look. Note: contrary to
popular-ish belief, grandma shoes do not make you look more mature.
But it was great! He went from having no interest to wanting to know
more!!

Fun fact: Blue street signs run parallel to the R River, while red
signs point you towards it #themoreyouknow. Thank goodness for my
companion, we would never make it anywhere. I'm growing more grateful
for being geographically challenged, it makes me appreciate her even
more :

Nierstein is splendidly quiet and beautiful. And the sunsets outisde our window are the perfect setting for our daily planning and call ins :) Mainz has been in the high 90s or topping 100 this week and we've been melting just a little so today we're rejoicing in singing patriotic songs and wearing street clothes!! We may be two days late but our zone is meeting up for an All-American cookout and soccer!! We already celebrated with a failed attempt at solar cookers at the Fugels haha

Remember Zig Ziglar!! Opportunity + Preparation = Success!! God gives us opportunities to share the gospel all the time! Be prepared, study your scriptures, be brave, answer questions and BE AN EXAMPLE

We have loads of time for emails today so I can chat with most of you later when you're awake!! 

Side note: American matching was completely* accidental. 
PS- Kannst du mir unsere Familie Fotos schicken??

Woche 4

Suellen is doing fantastic!! After being taught for almost 10 years, she finally fasted with us is past weekend!! We were over the moon when she called and told us!! :) :)  

Quick note on how incredible companionship study is! Because she's been taught all the lessons and has been to church many times and has had over 15 missionaries teach her, were sometimes unsure of what to share with her. But we looked over a few videos and both felt like that's what we needed to prepare. That's sometimes a scary moment when you prepare something so specific not knowing what's going to happen. Thankfully the Lord knows exactly what people need :) On Monday we read together and shared the Patterns of Light video (II) by Elder Bednar. She talked about the answers and comfort she received that weekend while fasting but how very soon afterwards she convinced herself that she would have done those things and found those things regardless. She loved this video and we went on to watch a few more Mormon Messages after dinner. 

While teaching Suellen we heard a crack of lightening so loud we thought someone took a shotgun to a mockingbird. The sky was dark gray within just a few minutes! She gave us some of her sons shirts so we would we look presentable for our next appointment. I can't say I think it worked hahaha we booked it to the station and made it on time 

Notes of Interest
-American potato salad has NOTHING on Germans!! It's delicious and will forever have a place in my heart and tummy

-Ward Sommerfest! They had tug of war and a bounce house and waffles and chess and handpicked lavender and anything else you think might entice people to come and it WORKED! A woman named Birget has been semi interested in the church for a couple months and she came with her daughter AND a friend! She met almost everyone there and as she was leaving, asked us if maybe we wanted to come by sometime- cue internal rejoicing. She's fantastic!!! They also had face painting and the YSAs all got wrestlers masks. Maybe they could audition for Nacho Libre 2

-At zone training we talked about changing everything that's within our power (aka hustle factor) we can invite and ask for referrals but we can't make someone say yes or accept a Book of Mormon

-we had our weekly planning down by the Rhein and the swans kept hissing at me but no worries, I'll win them over with bread this week. 

-Johannisbeeren (Black Currant) are divine! They're red or white and have tiny seeds inside that you can pop! Oppenheim has gardens on the outskirts that people rent for a few years. Apparently they can kick you out if you are growing enough. It's like survival of the fittest for apple trees. We worked with Schwester Frübel in hers and she gave us two big bags to make muffins with! 

Other thoughts from training:
~Dangers of rationalization: doesn't feel like sinning, makes bigger mistakes easier, easiest thing to give into, you're asking yourself how best to spend your time instead the Spirit. 

~With any lesson, it can be brought back to the Restoration. Ex: why do you believe that? How can man do that? How can we be forgiven? Why do we have that commandment? Etc. It's not a question as to whether a commandment is really important or whether a doctrine is true, it's a question of if they know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. 

~Many choices are not evil but they absorb our time from the best choices.
First splits with our STLs! (Sister Training Leaders)These girls are gems! Sister Gardener and I went dooring, sharing a video about Christ. On our last floor, at the last door, with a doormat that said 'oh no not you again', someone invited us in. Whattt

We blinked a solid 7 times before finally saying something. It was incredible!! That was the first that had happened for either of us and Sister Gardner's been out for over a year!!! The family is from Paraguay and normally went to a Protestant church. The only Book of Mormon we had was in German whoops :/ but we did talk to someone from Ghana on the Strassenbahn so that was good :)
We also had our first street display in Frankfurt!!! I learned so much, one of which would be to not wear full skirts on windy days downtown. I love the excitement you get from others!! No matter how many times you get shut down, when someone finally watches a video or talks to you or accepts a Book of Mormon- you want to Napoleon dance in market square because it's worth it! Every single day is worth it for the one person you meet. 

"As significant as these trials can be, they must not distract us from rejoicing in and celebrating Christ’s supernal intercession in our behalf." -Elder Quentin L Cook 

Whether they be trials, preoccupied thoughts, or tough decisions- we can't let them overpower the absolute JOY that we have because of our Savior. 

We listened to 'Gods Grace is Sufficient' by Brad Wilcox this morning while cleaning the apartment. It had a wonderful emphasis that YES we are saved by grace but are we becoming changed through grace? There will always be things required of us but it's not to repay our Savior, it's us learning to become like Him. ~We're not earning heaven, we're learning heaven. 

We had a referral about two hours by train so the Jarrards offered to take us out there but she didn't end up being home so we go to door the whole neighborhood and then they took us out to dinner and we found out that Elder Jarrard's sister lives across the street from the Risers now! 

"Experience How it Really Was" 

Sometimes when you're one month a missionary, you make tacos in your room. It's for fun.
We spent today at Freilichtmuseum in Bad Sobernheim (Open Air Museum) with Schwester Dahlke! 'erleben wie es wirklich war...' (experience how it really was) I'm happy to report that it was very educational. I also feel very sorry for anyone living there over 6 foot in 1607. They must have had a permanent bar on their forehead announcing to the world that the doors weren't tall enough. Thankfully society has made leaps and bounds. 

Crossing the a bridge at the Barfußpfad

We also did the Barfußpfad (Barefoot Path) which was so fun!! You got walk through mud and and a river and all sorts of wood platforms and at the end, pull yourself across the river in a boat! We definitely embraced the no shoes rule. It was so quiet and started to rain a little towards the end so there weren't many people there. We walked through wheat and corn fields and Sister Godwin took so many pictures I felt like a reality TV star. (Having experienced this, I've decided that it's not a career I think I'll pursue) 

"The Cutest" Border Collie

Temple day next Tuesday!!! we switched our PDay to Tuesday so Monday well go work at the Hirschs farm! Schwester Hirsch trains and breeds border collies and they are the cutest. She brought them to the Sommerfest and they were a hit with the kids. Ok ok the missionaries too :) 

Love you wonderful people! Thank you for sharing the missionary experiences that you've been having!! 

Liebe Grüße ❤️
Sister Riser

Woche 2: RISE & WIN

First days in Germany!!! I've missed so much here! The Strassenbahns, the food, the members, the Danglish, all of it!! 

My trainer is Sister Godwin- She's from Georgia and an absolute delight.  Last night we had a revelation which led to our first motto as a companionship: 

Sister Riser and Sister Goodwin RISE & WIN everyday! 

We win by taking opportunities to talk to new people. We win by setting goals. We win by managing our time well. We win by using study time fully and effectively. We win by being exactly obedient! 

This will soon be on our apartment wall :) Slightly cheesy and may be later turned into a fight song to motivate us on days when people just stare us down when we door. (Knocking doors to find people to share their message with)

Goodbye MTC! I'll miss Preston and everyone we got to work with.  

Traveling from Manchester to Frankfurt 

**This international keyboard is teaching me to be patient, sorry if there's mixed up Ys and Zs! 

Yay for iPads! 

We are now an iPad mission!! So excited!! We have a list of 26 approved apps as of now and we can download and share messages and videos! The only problem so far is because of privacy laws here, none of the Europe missions have been approved for the Area Book app. But I enjoy looking through each entry from previous missionaries so that's okay for now :) Im also in need of good quotes, specifically for my background so feel free to Pinterest stalk for me some so I may think of you daily when I teach hahah :) 

Yesterday was my first sunday and it was so incredible! Theres a record 5 YW and a really strong JAE (Junge Alleinstehende Erwachsene: Young Single Adults) group.  I bore my testimony and Sister Godwin taught FHE (Family Home Evening) AND gave a talk- what a superstar. She really is incredible. She's been in Mainz for 3 transfers and there's so much to do here!! There's to sets of missionaries in the area and our Elders are hilarious. WE get to teach a missionary workshop for the youth in September :)

Peter I hate when you're right, but my English is already a struggle. We speak mostly German everywhere except sometimes at home and during missionary correlation meetings.  

Things I loved and learned this week: 

-Anti social sidewalks. All over these little villages there's little tiny sidewalks for only one person that make you keep checking if your companions following you 

Sister Goodwin on an Anti-Social Sidewalk

-Kellen Freeman's mission boundaries have changed and may now include the Riser fam  in West Jordan! 

-For her lesson, Sister Goodwin copied her name tag and we wrote the members names and backed that with cardstock so they each had a missionary tag :) We talked about every memeber a missionary and that now is the time to pin one to zour heart. Missionary work is incredible you guys!! 

-New perspectives on exact obedience 

Sister Riser in her new apartment.

-My humor and sarcasm (but mostly sarcasm) doesn't translate well 

-Fun fact: missionary tags made at the England MTC have a smaller name  

-That Sister Godwin is terrified of the birds here which are EVERYWHERE! They fly on the streets, in the Bahnhof, I'm really just waiting for one to follow us home. I've almost started crying of laughter to see her shreik MOTHER OF PEARL when one sweeps past her head hahahaha 

-The last speaker we had at the MTC. An area seventy that spoke to us about finding our own purpose within the missionary purpose. 'Go to Disney for fun. Missions are for fulfillment.' 

-1 Nephi 6:4 The fulness of mine intent. EVERYTHING I do! 

All that I can do, I should do.  

-our alarm clock. I'm thinking of naming it Eunice.

So if it ever doesn't work...EUNICE why didn't you wake me!!

Love love love you all!!

Sister Riser

PPS- Apparentely we send packages to the mission office and letters to our apartments. Sorry :/  

ADDRESS FOR LETTERS:

Sister Sarah Riser

Pariserstrasse 10

Mainz 55131

Deutschland 

 ADDRESS FOR PACKAGES: 

Sister Sarah Riser 

DER HEILIGEN DER LETZTEN TAGE 

Deutschland Frankfurt Mission
Missionsbüro: Corneliusstr. 18
60325 Frankfurt am Main 
Deutschland

Finding this is my study journal was one of the greatest moments this week! :)