And Just Like That...

Hello All and Happy Cinco de Mayo-

There are two common American phrases that I keep thinking about
that could define this email- First, 'don't shoot the messenger' and the second phrase is 'learn to expect the unexpected'.
One thing I can say for sure is that the Lord is a big fan of throwing curve balls, especially at the person who is serene and comfortable where they are! Just when I start to feel like I am feeling comfortable again, the rug gets pulled out right from underneath me! Maybe it's because the Lord knows how easy it is for me to get stuck in a rut when things are too comfortable, so He always has to do something to keep me on my toes :P

Julia is going to go on a mission. She will be wonderful!

My in-field ''birthday'' was this week, which means that when I read in my journal entries from a year ago, I am finally in the mission field!  It is a really neat experience to read through the problems I had at the beginning of my mission, the ways I coped, the miracles I saw, the lessons I was learning, and to remember how odd it was to transition from a ''normal'' person into a missionary, and how long 18 months seemed to be at the time. 

A beautiful Spring morning- I love this time of year!!

Well, now, one year later, I am having the same experiences, but reversed! My mind is trying to get used to the idea that at some point, I will NOT be a missionary, and how fast the next 4 months will fly by. I feel like I am counseling with myself, just by reading in my journal every day. Previously, writing in my journal was always something that I would do as a means to vent my ideas and thoughts, I never thought about how much value it would have in the future. But it's cool to see how I have grown, and how the trials that I went through a year ago help me cope with the trials that I go through at this point in my life. Maybe it has something to do with hindsight being 20/20, Hmm. The prophets are pretty smart people when they tell us to keep journals!

Good-bye M

Cute and crazy kids- Abscheid is always hard

Towards the end of the week, I asked Elder Didenhover for a blessing of comfort and counsel. I just felt tense and distracted all the time, and a little bit of uneasiness. Like something big was coming; a big change- and my body didn't know how to process this change, so it reacted by always being sore and tense and heavy. I asked for a blessing, just to kind of calm me down, and it was a very helpful blessing (especially in hindsight.) Surprisingly, there wasn't a whole lot that was said about specifically about Linz or my position as a trainer. There was just a lot that was said about trusting in the Lord, trusting that He knows best and He knows my position, and that I will be qualified to do the work that I was called to do; nothing too specific, it was all very general. I just had to shrug my shoulders and be content with the fact that I didn't know everything and would understand someday. But I was blessed with peace of mind and heart for the rest of the week. Which was really helpful, because I needed as much peace and comfort as I could get to prepare me for Saturday morning!

Just so you know, I USED to think transfer calls were so exciting- 

I might have quickly changed my mind!

Saturday morning was the day scheduled for transfer calls, but neither Sister Pentz nor I were thinking much about this transfer because Sister Pentz has six more week of her training. Sister Pentz and I had just assumed that we would be together for the full 3 months of training time. Although there was always the thought in the back of my mind that it was possible that I would only train Sister Pentz for half of her training, it just never felt right- it was never a worry.  

But there were so many times that I would get the impression that I needed to prepare Sister Pentz to take over this area as soon as possible. It was a very uncomfortable thing for me, and at times, it made me feel like the ''mean trainer'' because of the things that I was prompted to ask Sister Pentz to do.  There would be times were I felt that she needed to walk us to appointments, even if it meant we got lost and were 30 minutes late somewhere. Or I would get the impression to give her the phone and NOT to take the phone back when she didn't know how to communicate in German and would try to give me the phone back. It was very weird, because in all the times I have trained, I have never felt the urgency to do such things. I was actually always such a firm believer in NOT forcing companions to do things, no matter what good intention it was. But as frequently as I got these promptings, the thought in my mind was never that I would have to leave. It was never a question-in my mind, I was staying in Linz until mid-June. Honestly, in my mind, it was totally possible to stay in Linz until September when I went home!

Saturday morning rolled around, and that's when it hit me. The uneasiness, the understanding, the realization... 

The Zone Leaders never called to say we were staying together. I seriously felt every imaginable emotion possible; it felt like the situation with Sister Erdenetsogt all over again. I remember how hard it was for me to get separated from her, feeling as if we weren't done learning from each other, that Sister Erdenetsogt's and my time together was cut short. And in all honesty, I didn't like it, and I struggled a little with it!  

Heavenly Father truly is merciful because it didn't take long for my emotions to turn from crazy to completely content. I was still sad that I only got to spend one transfer with Sister Pentz, but I felt at peace. I totally know that she is ready to take over Linz (she really is an awesome missionary) and I know from my own experiences that she wouldn't have been called to take over unless she was ready for it! So even though we were only together for 5 weeks, I was able to see her grow so much :)  

 

... SOOoooooooo where in the world am I going, you ask?

Munich!! Wait, let me say it again the way it sounds in my head MUNICH!!!

Which is crazy, of all the places possible to serve in the mission, I told myself that my top two places that I would NEVER want to serve as a missionary were Vienna and Munich.  

They are just much too big of cities for me (I thought), and they have both have so many missionaries!  

Especially since Munich is the headquarters of the mission, and that's where the AP's (Assistants to the President) and President and Sister Miles are located. It just always sounded way, way too intimidating to me!  

I am really going to miss Sarah

Well, yep, that's where I will be going on Thursday! Munich 2 ward.  

And the best and most surprising part is that I get to work with Sister Erdenetsogt again!  

Which is crazy! I honestly thought that I would never be able to see her again, and here we are! I know there is a sweet and tender mercy here and I am so grateful for it.

It's sad to leave Linz and Sister Pentz behind, and if I wasn't going to work with Sister Erdenetsogt, I do not think I would have accepted the call to go. Well, I guess I would have, because I support my leaders and have no other choice...

but I do not think I would be too happy about it! 

I am very excited to get to go back to Germany. I started my mission in Germany during summertime, and I get to finish my mission in Germany in the summertime :)  

It'll be just like going home! Except Munich is a lot bigger than Freiburg!

We did have our little YSA Cinco de Mayo party. Of all the things I have done on my mission so far, this was probably the most awkward thing I've ever had to do :)

Left, two, three, four and Grapevine to the Right

Elder Croft has his dance face on :)

On Saturday morning we got together at the church with the Elder's to practice the line dances. We invited the Didenhover's to ''babysit'' us. The Elders and Sisters are not allowed to go places or be alone with one another, let alone dance together, which is pretty understandable! We got all of the awkwardness and weirdness out of the way so that we could teach the line dances to the Young Single Adult's (YSA's) on Saturday night. It was so much fun just be involved, to get to know them better and to just dance. It has been nice because we have more and more people who are coming to the YSA activities. There was quite a while that nobody ever came to the events, so this felt like HUGE success! Things are finally starting to pick back up again, which is what we have all been praying for in Linz. 

We had worked up quite an appetite

The Erlacher's

Before I wrap up, I wanted to add one of my favorite scriptures. I am not sure if I have already shared this or not, but I have really tried to make this scripture my motto for missionary work. It's easy as a missionary to remember that we are trying to share the gospel with others, but it's not as easy to remember HOW we do that. One thing that I have really come to understand in Linz is that the work comes so much easier when you love those you serve. You are better able to understand their needs; you know what to say to comfort them and you are able to have patience with them when it would otherwise be hard. Missionary work and love must go hand in hand, or it is not as effective. 

1 Thessalonians 2:8   "So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us." 

I know that as we pray to develop this love that missionary opportunities will follow naturally. Service opportunities will come to the surface, and it will no longer become a burden to share the gospel, but it will become something that we honestly and sincerely WANT to do.

I love this work so much and am so grateful to be a part of the Lords great work! Have an amazing week, and greetings (for one last time) from Austria!

Bis Aufwiederhören!

Sister Peterson

... And for your viewing entertainment, here is a video from the YSA Line Dancing Activity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJUGCxtgTJY&feature=youtu.be

 

Vienna: Third Time's a Charm

Hello All-

... or in honor of the line dancing class we are teaching this weekend "Howdy Y'ALL!" By the way, I wish you all could see the hilarious videos of line dancing that my sisters and brother sent! The first thing I am doing when I get home is post those on YouTube (is YouTube still a thing?)

Sister Pentz and I on p-day

I will start with last Monday for p-day. It was a holiday in Austria so pretty much everything was closed, so we hadn't made any really big plans for the day. Randomly, Schwester Seyr and her husband called us us to see what we had planned for the day. 

Schwester Seyr & her husband- we love them so much

Schwester Seyr said "well, that is just not acceptable to be in Austria for a limited number of Monday's and NOT have any plans!!  

Another selfie :)

They invited us over for lunch (a special curry and rice dish, which ended up being an answer to Sister Pentz's prayers!!) and then they took us on a fun little hike up to a place called Lichtenberg. It was a bit of a drive away, but I had no idea that Linz was so GORGEOUS!  

I wish pictures could do this natural beauty justice

Lichtenberg

 

It reminded me a bit of Schwarzwald (the Black Forest) where I started out my mission. It probably has a lot to do with the time of year, because it was this time last time last year that I first arrived in Freiburg. Whatever the reason, I just felt so "at home" in those rolling hills!

I gotta say, I love the members! I don't think that any of us have any way of truly realizing how our little, seemingly simple acts of kindness make a huge impact to someone in our path. 

Everyone needs an ice cream break

I definitely know I didn't think anything of having the missionaries over for dinner at home, but NOW- we live for and thrive from our interactions with the members and their families. You might think a smile and a sandwich is no big deal- but to those kids who are far from home- it's the difference between crying and laughing sometimes! :)  

The view from a member's home here in Linz

I love this view of Linz

When I got the call two transfers ago that I would be working with Sister Ackerman, I pretty much knew that I would be staying in Linz for 5 transfers (7 and a half months) and I was pretty intimidated. Five transfers is a LONG time to be in one place! I was only in Freiburg for 4! So when I was told I would be with Sister Ackerman, one Elder here told me to be grateful for the extra time. He said that I would be amazed at how well I get to know the ward, the area, and the people. That has proved to be more true than I thought possible. I love how comfortable I am now in Linz, the friendships I have made, and how much I feel at home :)  Now the trick is to make sure that THEY don't get sick of ME...teeheehee

Kirchschlag means 'church slap'

On that note, the Didenhover's offered me one of the kindest things this past month. They have been here in Linz with me and talked to me the other day about a special fast they had decided to do. They had been fasting that one of our investigators would be baptized before I leave Linz. I know from my own personal prayers that if I don't ever have an investigator choose to be baptized that all is well- I'm here for more than I can truly comprehend. But it was so nice that they were thinking of me on that level to have a special fast on my behalf. We really do make a difference in each others lives. I'm telling you, by small and simple things are great things brought to pass! Don't ever forget that.

Sister Pentz's first Doner

We had a really cool activity in the church last week. There are a lot of Persian less actives in the ward who struggle coming to church. I think one of the biggest challenges in getting investigators to come to church and stay active is the language barrier. Imagine how intimidating it is to come to a church where the culture is different, the way of worship is different, the ideas of doctrine are different, and add on top of THAT the inability to speak the language of those around you. It IS pretty scary! I know it was scary for me my first few weeks in Germany, and I am a missionary!  

But the ward organized an activity based on the talk from conference about how we ''are no more strangers''. The Persian members were asked to prepare presentations, introduce themselves, and cook dinner in order to demonstrate their culture and show themselves to the ward. It was probably one of the coolest activities I have visited on my mission. Just to watch the Persian members connect with the ward, and feel involved, welcome, and just excited to be there! 

I often think back of my attitude on missionary work in America. How often would I see the Elders bring an investigator to church, and instead of being a friend, I judged?  Excuses of 'they cant speak English, they aren't wearing traditional church clothes, they have different standards than I do, they won't think I am genuine if I say "Hi"- these kinds of thoughts ran rampant through my mind all too much.  

But now, as I missionary, I realize how much trust and patience and faith I ask of the members every time I bring someone to church. And how grateful I am at the help we do get! We are not strangers!!  We are all Gods children! 

That person sitting next to you on the bus stop, who might not speak very much English, might actually be the funniest person that you ever meet. That girl who sits behind you in Sunday School who is really shy and dresses a little differently might actually be one of the most spiritually in tune people you'll ever meet- and she might be able to answer one of your much needed questions.  

It's kind of cool to think about. That lady that always checks out your stuff at Target might end up being your best friend. Her and her newlywed husband might end up accepting an invitation to come to the ward barbeque, which will help them feel comfortable enough to come to church, take the missionary lessons, get baptized, and be sealed to each for time and all eternity in the temple. You just never know- but the only way you'll find out is if you open your mouth and be a friend first. I'm telling you, friendship, love, fellowship! Every member has a story of a friend who made a difference! So go out and be a friend- who knows where it might lead you and the person you meet?  

Romanian Easter eggs

The Easter Egg Game

This Monday, all of the missionaries from Salzburg and Vienna zones met up in Vienna and had a massive finding day. I was able to work with Sister Green to go finding. It was so super, incredible, over-the-top fun! I love going on splits with other missionaries and just seeing how other missionaries do the work in their own areas.  

On Tuesday, we had Mission Tour. President and Sister Miles came to Vienna with Elder and Sister Dyches (from the 70) and led some pretty good discussions and lessons. It was overall a very spiritual and uplifting few days. I definitely learned a lot.

But, for me, it wouldn't be a trip to Vienna unless there was stress involved...

I don't know why, but lately I have been having a really hard time dealing with TIME. I have always told myself that no matter how ''old'' I get on my mission (age is defined by how many months serving not necessarily year of life), I won't have to worry about going home and all that that entails until a,b,c, and d happens. For example, until my year mark, until I have 5 months left, until my field year mark, until my last general conference, until my last time skype home to my family, etc etc etc. To focus on the work and keep my head in the game, I have definitely been procrastinating thinking about going home or ending my mission until it gets much closer....

But while in Vienna, it was so amazing to meet up with and see lots of missionaries that I have worked with throughout my mission. There have been so many people who were instrumental to my first few months trying to learn the language, feeling comfortable with a new way of life and feeling confident as a missionary- I have looked up to all of these awesome missionaries and have just kind of never thought of them as much more than my missionary mentors- but in Vienna, talking to them I realized that many of them are going home. Like going HOME NEXT WEEK!!  

I remember meeting them, hearing them say that they would be going home in May, and thinking that that was forever away. May is only 3 transfers earlier than me and I have all the time in the world left to be a missionary! 

Sister Garrett and I (I'm going to miss her)

I always look forward to seeing Sister Allman and she is going home too

But seeing them all together, especially because Elder Dyches made them all stand up and come to the front of the room, I think it launched a little panic attack. A few missionaries have told me that the 3rd to last transfer is the hardest to deal with. This is the transfer when you finally start to realize the reality of the fact that going home is going to happen, and sooner than you were expecting. Like really Soon. Fast. Schnell. 

They all have warned that you feel like you haven't had enough time to learn yet, that you are just barely getting the hang of missionary work and finally can cope with up and down days. It's so easy to think that it is in the distant future. But than all of a sudden it is looking you square in the face and you are afraid of becoming trunk-y and NOT focusing on the work, you start to get stressed about what you still have to learn and do, and it is emotionally and physically draining! Since it is still not close enough to your release date, you don't have the excitement and anticipation about going home yet, so it's all stress and panic.

Sister Lohmann: one of my first tausch's (going home next week)

Yes, I thought they were all crazy, but it is all happening now to me. My 3rd to last transfer begins next Monday. And I am already feeling it. I'm afraid I think about this a lot more than I should. I think this is one of the biggest blessings about my companionship with Sister Pentz. She is ganz neu auf Mission! She needs as much help as she can get to adjust to missionary life, to learn to love the language, the culture, the people, the rules. She, just like every other Golden I know, needs all of my time and attention. Her enthusiasm and the novelty of everything we encounter keeps me well grounded and joyful at our days together. I am very grateful for the opportunity to train again for this (and many other) reasons! 

I have already noticed how when my thoughts are on her (and my investigators and members, of course) I am happier. I am carefree, and time is not an issue, because I am not living for time, but I am living for the moment. But how to learn to do that all the time?  I have no idea!  I will let you know when I do ;)

One more selfie- I love this girl!

I love you all so much, and have a wonderful week!

Sister Peterson

Deja Vu

Guten Morgen Freunde und Familie,

     At the beginning of my mission, everything was so fresh and new! I was always on my toes, learning new things, trying new foods, and experiencing a lot of ''firsts"- "my "First" winter, my "first" Christmas, "first" General Conference in a new language. It's kind of funny to be experiencing all of these firsts again with Sister Pentz, but this time, most of them are my ''lasts". I am constantly being hit in the face with the weirdest feelings of deja vu, and fighting desperately against falling into the trap of working and teaching based on habits that I've create, doing what is familiar and comfortable, and getting stuck in a missionary 'rut.' I think this is especially true because I've been in Linz so long that everything is familiar and I have created a lot of habits here. Maybe that is one reason why I keep getting new Golden's. Because everything about missionary life is so new to them, they just keep teaching me new things. 

Beautiful Train Rides Never Get Old

     I was starting to feel a little guilty that these feelings of 'deja vu' were causing me to look forward to the end of my mission more than just enjoying the moment I am in right here, right now. But this week, I have figured out that some of these feelings of deja vu can actually be a very positive and can have a very rejuvenating impact on my life and my mission.  

     We got to do another Austausch (exchange) with the Sister Training Leaders in Salzburg this past week. After 3 transfers of trying, Sister Henry and I were finally able to work together again!! I was so excited. I have loved working with all the Sister's, both my full time companions AND the sister's I've met on exchanges, but I was excited to get to work with Sister Henry again. 

Ahhh, it's been awhile- happy to see her!

      It is really cool to see how the Lord's hand is in literally every aspect of the work, including Tausches. Up until this point, it had never felt right for Sister Henry and I to work together on the Tausch. But last week, working with her was exactly what I needed at exactly when I needed it. I was starting to feel over burdened with so many feelings of inadequacy, doubt and stagnancy. The questions of 'What in the world am I still doing in Linz?' and 'Why why why why WHY am I training again? I cant do this!!' and 'What purpose do I even have here?'  were swimming in my mind, and it was starting to get hard to focus on the work and on the people because of all of these distracting and unproductive questions.  

     From Tuesday to Wednesday evening, Sister Pentz went to work in Salzburg and Sister Henry came to work with me in Linz. It was refreshing to just work with somebody that I admire and love so much, and it was so cool to see how she has grown as a missionary!! I had forgotten how quirky she is. It was freezing cold one morning, and Sister Henry had heard that a member of our ward owns an ice cream shop and that missionaries get free ice cream cones. So we were walking home from an appointment, and she begged to go get free ice cream, just to say that she had been there! We got ice cream and walked home in the cloudy and windy weather, shivering as we were licking our ice cream cones...but we were laughing the entire way home, of course!!  

Shivery day + Ice cold Ice Cream + 2 friends= a warm feeling inside

      At the end of the tausch, we talked a bit about what we had each learned. I was shocked to hear Sister Henry say the things that she did, and just express her gratitude for what she learned from me as a trainer before, and the things that she still sees that I do now. All of my fears and my doubts about everything were answered, and I knew that this tausch, where we had been allowed to serve together again, had been saved until that very week that I needed Sister Henry the most. It renewed the excitement, motivation, and confidence that I needed to keep going forward and just work on being the best companion for Sister Pentz that I can be! And being the best missionary I can be!! And the best support and influence for the Linz ward that I can be!!! Sister Pentz is really awesome- she deserves the best that I have to offer- and that's what she's going to get :)

Just a cute couple walking in the park- but it solidified we are right were we are supposed to be

      Which actually brings me to a thought that I had this week, it was kind of a cool thought. Sister Henry was telling me how she feels like I was exactly the person that she needed to train her, and how much of a testimony that she has that we are paired up with our trainers for a reason, and how I am exactly who Sister Pentz needs right now. It got me to thinking a lot and I realized that I could have easily trained Sister Pentz anywhere. I mean, this is my 5th transfer in Linz! I had already been in Linz for 6 months when I got the call that I was training again AND that I would be staying here. President could have easily moved me out of Linz and into a new area after my 2nd transfer, which would have been totally normal. But being in an area for 5 and 6 transfers, half of my mission- that is pretty odd.     

A lovely view from my days here in Linz

      And for a while, I was stressing out, trying to figure out what in the world I was still doing here, what on earth I still had to offer to Linz! It was then that I realized that the Lord has kept me here in Linz, partially because my work here isn't done yet, but because Sister Pentz's work here is just beginning! She really needs to be here AND I really need to be her trainer. Though I could have trained here anywhere else, SHE needs to be here!! So I was kept here, so that I could train her in this spot;  RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! 

Sister Pentz

     This thought really changed my perspective so much, and its made me a lot more selfless. It has helped me to really focus on how to teach Sister Pentz to love this area, get to know this ward, and to take charge. It has also helped me view her as more of an equal, and to focus on including her in every aspect of the work, just remembering that we are both called to be in Linz right now. Isn't it funny how a little perspective changes everything?

Easter messages from Sister Pentz- she is so sweet!

     With summer coming up and the sun coming out earlier and earlier every day, I really have no excuse to just stretch for Frühsport (morning exercise) anymore. I keep setting goals of actually working out in the morning, but it has never really happened before. It's too late to start the 6 months to sexy missionary diet, but I have decided that it's never too late to start the 5 months to fit diet!!  And if I continue to procrastinate, there's always 4 months to fit, 3 months to thin, 2 months to toned, and 1 month to...well...if I wait until 1 month to start working out than lets be honest, it probably won't end up happening :P  But Y'all would be proud of me, I mustered up enough energy to jump rope this morning! And then I rewarded myself with some lactose free Easter chocolate...teeheehee ;)  Missionary life is fun!

Our Study Board

     Next week, the Salzburg and Vienna Zones are gathering in Vienna on Monday and Tuesday to do a massive finding day, and then to have Mission Tour. So I won't be able to do emails until Wednesday.  But until then, have a good week, and I love y'all so much!!

     I know by the time y'all get this email or read the blog, it will be past Easter, but I wanted to share this video. I have watched it so many times already, it is very much worth the watch, even if it is after Easter- Watch the Easter message here

Hugs and prayers from Austria!

Sister Peterson