Letter #10 (August 4, 2008)

This week have been really good. We had an appointment with Sonja on Friday and it was so great!! She keeps saying that she is waiting for an answer, but yet she says that she feels good when she reading in the book of Mormon. I told her that that is her answer. I told her that she knows that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and that this church is true and she agreed, but she is waiting for an answer. So I told her that when I got my answer I didn´t see an angel, have a huge spiritual experience, or have a dream/vision....I only had a good feeling in my heart. I told her that that was her answer. When she reads and gets a good feeling that is the Spirit telling her that it is true. We didn´t plan on talking about that, but I´m so glad that I did. The Spirit was so strong and I felt such a huge love and excitement for her as we talked. It was the best appointment that I have had since I got here. I was SO happy for the rest of the day!! I have been striving to remain that happy everyday...it is a struggle to always be positive and happy, but it is something that I am working on because I love it here.

Then Sunday came and I was still pretty happy. Then a member came up and said hi to me and gave me a huge. She is a very old lady who has always loved the missionaries. She is a convert and has had the missionaries over at her house for FHA (FHE) for the last 20 years or something...at least that is what she says. Well last transfer the Bishop and the GML (Ward Mission Leader) told us that we needed to be more involved with the JAE (JSA) by going to their activities...mostly FHA on Monday nights. So Sister Welch and I went and told this Lady that we were unable to go to her house anymore for FHA because we needed to be with the JAE. She took it pretty well at that time, but asked us to come for Sister Welch´s last Monday before she got transferred. So we went with the JAE for a few Mondays and then went to this lady´s house for Sister Welch´s last one. Then Sister Jones came and we have been super busy and every Sunday this Lady comes up and asks us if we are going to her house for FHA. We always have to say no because we either have an appointment or we are going with the JAE and an investigator. She has been getting more sad and more sad every Sunday that we say no. Last Sunday she even said that we are ruining her FHA. So back to Sunday (yesterday). She hugged me and then asked me if we were coming tomorrow to FHA. I said, "Nein..." and before I could say another word she made an angry sound, waved her hand at me to brush me aside and then walked away. I think that I had my mouth hanging open as she walked away because I was so shocked at her childishness. She finally came back and talked to me later and I got to explain to her that we have an appointment and our investigator is coming to the JAE FHA with us. I told her sorry, but she looked devastated. The thing is, is that the missionaries are not the only ones that go to her FHA. She was more people that she invites, but she cancels it if we cannot come. The other thing is that the bishop has talked to her and told her that if we have appointments or have an investigator that is going with the JAE then we can not go with her...she knows that because she has been told that many times. I love spending time with the members, but spending 2.5 hours at her place every Monday night is a waste of time. If it was every once in a while then that would be fine. When we used to go it was bad because we would have p-day then go straight to her place at 6pm (when p-day ends) and then leave her place at 8:30pm and go straight home to be home by 9pm!! That is a whole day with no missionary work. I felt so horrible on Sunday because she was mad at me and I couldn´t fully explain to her in German that I was sorry. It was really hard. I´m understanding more and able to say more, but I can´t fully express how I feel. It is hard in situations like this when all you know how to say is sorry. I have to be blunt because I don´t know how to sugar coat things in German!! The day got better though because we went and ate at one of my favorite families house. Schwester Perschk is SOOO cool. She reminds me of an American mom. She lived in Australia for 4 years and kind of adopted a more English/American way of living. She is so cool, but still very German!!

This week was so wonderful...with all the ups and downs I just LOVE missionary work!! It is only Monday and our schedules are already almost full for the week!! We are working on daily contact with our investigators, so with that and all the appointments that we have we have barely any time left. It will be a great week!!
I love this work, I know that it is true and that this is the Lord´s Church!!

Love,
Sister Jones