Week #42 - Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!!

Hello Liebschens!!

We had such a wonderful, fun week here in Lüneburg!!

I don't have a lot of time this week, but I will do a quick sum up:

We met with Alex again, the American who is studying to be a Catholic Priest.  In our first lesson, he wanted to debate and bible bash a little bit, but we were really firm on just bearing testimony and promising blessings and inviting him to read and pray and find out for himself.  The lesson was powerful and we prayed that he would. 

 THIS WEEK he came back and just said that he understood now why we wouldn't fight with him, because it took away the Spirit and that he really respected that.  He listened to what we had to say as we taught the plan, and you could just feel the change in his attitude.  He was reeeeaaalllllyy listening.  He wanted to know.  We taught and testified of what we KNEW, and he felt it.  

He gasped when we read 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 and talked about what we knew was God's plan for us after this life.  It was an amazing lesson.  While I was on tausch (missionary splits) later in the week, Sister Knecht and Sister Jardine met with him again and taught him the gospel of Christ.  As he prayed at the end, he prayed so sincerely and so beautifully.  I am so grateful for the MIRACLE that it has been to find and to teach him.  He goes home this week, but hopefully we will be sending him to some missionaries there that will be able to help him continue to discover the truth himself.

Tausch was AMAZING!!!!  I learned so much and was just so filled with joy the entire time!  I KNOW this is the work of God!!  And that it is rolling forward and that nothing in this world can stop it, and I am just so grateful to be a part of it!!

On Wednesday, we went to the Chocolate Factory in Hamburg with our district.  #fatandhappysister

Also, exciting news this week, Sister Knecht cut her hand open this week, which sent us back to the hospital...good thing we have such good practice with that already!  They will know us there by the time we get transferred!  Dont worry, she's all good now, and got to wear a big old wrap on her hand for a while :)

Okay, and MOST EXCITING NEWS....Saturday we spent the day helping a less active in her garden (they use stinging nettle here to make tea, so we harvested that...), and then....we went to Hamburg...AND WE SAW THE FAWSONS!  It was wonderful to be with my family, my aunt, uncle and cousins,especially for my birthday!  We went out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant and I got to spend the evening with the kiddos crawling all over me and listening to my family joke and laugh and it was just so perfect.  I am SO BLESSED.  And I am so grateful!!

Also, yes, my birthday!  I am 21 folks!  Crazy!  I am so grateful to be out serving the Lord at this time!  For my birthday, Sister Knecht made crepes and decorated the house with balloons, I GOT A PACKAGE FROM SISTER TOLMAN because she is the cutest, chocolate and a cd from my wonderful district leader, and I got tupperware from ward members.  Also my Zone Leaders and President and Sister Kosak called and sang to me.  Couldnt be happier :)

 Well that's it folks!  I am happy, I am grateful, I am blessed, I am old, and I love being a missionary!  And I LOVE YOU!  Be good, keep smiling and remember how much Jesus loves you!!  I'm praying for you!!

Love, Sister Dally

P.S. President Kimball is remembered for his statement, “My life 

is like my shoes—to be worn out in service.” 

Don't worry, pday activity is getting some new ones so I dont look like such a hobo. Love it though!!

Week #41 - FROHE OSTERN!

Happy Easter evryone!!  I hope you all had a wonderful day and felt the love of the Savior!!!  What do mormons believe about Easter?  Here you go: 

http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694

I know He lives and I feel His love and His presence every day of my life.  I am so grateful and humbled by the opportunity to represent Him and carry His gospel to the world.  I love this work!

Easter is celebrated a little differently here.  In Germany they have work off for Green Thursday (no idea), Black Friday, Easter Sunday, and Monday (absolutely no idea).  It is really cool though because it gives you a little more time to really think about the Savior and everything that He has done for us!  Germans have their holidays down :)

So this week was AMAZING!  An Easter miracle, truly.

We had several incredible and powerful lessons, and on Friday, we went to an Easter concert in Hamburg.  Hamburg is an hour away by train, but guess what...we had TWO investigators come!  TWO!!!  Bruder Roberto and Sigrid both came with us and loved it.  They both said they were so moved (Sigrid cried and Roberto said his whole body was filled witht his warm, good feeling and had goosebumps everywhere).  It was a MIRACLE.

And then, on Sunday, an even greater miracle....

SIGRID CAME TO CHURCH WITH US!!!!

Let me repeat, WE HAD SOMEONE AT CHURCH!  This never happens folks, ever.  No one has come to church in our area for at least three or four transfers, because it is so far.  But Sigrid did!  We rode the train with her, and then some ward members picked us up from the train station so we didn't have to walk another half hour. 

 It was a miracle, an Easter miracle!  She loooovedddd church.  She felt the Spirit so strongly, and everyone introduced themselves and just made her feel so welcomed and so loved.  It was perfect!!  This ward is amazing and truly is like a family, and just understand and live the gospel.  After church, some of the members even drove her home while we went to our eating appointment.  I love the members here!!  Sigrid spent all of her money on train tickets to the concert and to church this weekend, so we are praying praying praying that we will be able to find a way to get her there this week too!  She is really loving and learning about the love of God!  

Then, after church, all the missionaries were invited to Familie Glück's for Easter.

 It was WONDERFUL, and just about as close to feeling like at home with the family as I could ever get. They live in a big farm house with lots of kids and sheep and chickens and bunnies and love.  I LOVE that family!!  

They invited us over and we played games, ate a wonderful dinner (potatoes and veggies and rotkohl and bunny), and THEN we had an Easter egg hunt!

  Ah!  It was so fun!!  They had made little goodie bags for all the missionaries and hid them around the yard, so we got to go find them and just have so much fun.

  I love this family so much!!  They just have so much love and share it with everyone, especially with the missionaries as their own daughter is serving in Italy. 

 I am SO BLESSED to be here.  I am so blessed to be here!  I am so blessed and so grateful!!  

I love my mission and I love my Savior and I love all of you.  Keep smiling and shining your light, and working on your relationship with your Savior.  He loves you!!  I am praying for you, und wünsche euch alles alles gute!!  

Liebe Grüße,

Sister Stringham

Week # 49 - Fruhlung

Hello everyone!!!!

So time is short this week, but I love you all and think of you always!!

We had a wonderful week here in Lüneburg!

We had a couple amazing lessons, two of them with Sidigred who is so wonderful AND we had a member drive all the way down here to be there with us, found some new people to teach!  Two of them were found as we were were sitting on the bus, and these two guys get on and sit down, debating religion.....IN ENGLISH.  What the?  We were stoked, to say the least.  Turns out one is Christian and the other is studying to be a priest in the catholic church, and they are here on study abroad from AMERICA.  CRAZY!!  Such a miracle, I know God is in this work!  Then yesterday, we ate with Familie Warnke who is so sweet, and have their own daughter out on a mission right now.  I love this work and I love this ward and this gospel.

That's all I have time for this week, but I love you all dearly and wish you a very Happy Easter.  Remember that is more than the bunnies and the colored eggs and the candy, but about our dear Savior, Jesus Christ.  He lives!  I bear testimony of that fact as His representative.  I love Him, and I love you!  Keep smiling!

Love, Sister Stringham

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/to-this-end-was-i-born?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/he-is-risen?lang=eng

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911129090001&cid=HPWE040914672

Week #39 - Come Hear the Prophet's Voice!

HALLO!!!

We had the best week we have EVER had here in Lüneburg!! 

We had a service project  for a less active in our ward, and a few lessons, AND...

...we had an eating appointment with Familie Liebich in our ward. 

Now let me tell you a little bit about the Liebichs:

Bruder and Schwester Liebich are humble converts of 41 years.  They have some of the most beautiful testimonies I have ever heard, and they are so strongly committed to this church and this gospel.  When Bruder Liebich bore his testimony in church, he nearly shouted from the pulpit how much he knew this church was true and how he would never ever fall away.

Bruder and Schwester Liebich make AMAZING bread (dont worry, I got the recipe), and this week when we went over we got to help make bread!  And then they gave us a loaf!!  Such an answer to the prayers of two sisters who hadnt gone grocery shopping that week....

Bruder and Schwester Liebich are shepherds.  Like real live shepherds, in Germany.  BEST moment of my mission was probably when Bruder Liebich loaded us into his car and drove us around the farm so that we could take pictures of his sheep, and to show us his pride and joy, the JakobSchafe (a sheep with 4 horns).  They made their entire living off their sheep, and now are down to just 80 in their retirement.  They showed us all the pictures of their past though, and it was like out of a fairytale...



Bruder and Schwester Liebich collect pioneer wagons.  Like, real pioneer wagons.  Bruder Liebich and his family fled to Poland in a wagon at the beginning of WWII, and when he joined the church and learned the history of our pioneers, he became fascinated and decided that he had to learn more.  Since that day, he has been finding and buying and collecting wagons from all over the world.  He has donated many to the church, and 20  years ago, he and his wife went on the trek reenactment for 3 weeks with their own pioneer wagon drawn by oxen from Germany.  

Bruder Liebich showed us all of his wagons, his bike and car from ddr time, and all of the other amzing things he collected.  He was just so excited and led us from room to room saying, "Do you want to see the BEST car in the world....Do you want to see the BEST wagon in the world....?"  AH so cool!

I can't even describe how much I love the people here.  I was just filled with so much JOY as I spent time on the Liebich's farm, with the sheep and the fresh german bread and the faithful members who love and live the gospel with ALL their hearts.  I am so blessed to be here.  I love my mission and I am so grateful that I can serve the people here, and have my own testimony so strengthened everyday.

Speaking of testimonies strengthened.....GENERAL KONFERENZ!  Best of my life!  Wow!  I learned so much and had so many prayers answered!  I am so grateful that we have a prophet again on the earth today, just like Moses or Noah, who speaks the word of God and helps and guides us on our path back to our Father in Heaven.  I am so grateful for trials and tests of faith that help us to be stronger and trust deeper.  I am so grateful for my Savior, and that I am NEVER ALONE, no matter what I may be going through.  He has gone through it all, and will not forsake me, but will ALWAYS be there by my side.  I am so grateful for His gospel, and I know and testify that it is true and that it will bless us with more happiness in this life and in the life to come than we can ever imagine.

I love you all and am praying for you!  Believe in God, listen to the prophet, follow the Savior, and keep smiling!!

Love, Sister Dally Stringham