Mother's Day

Liebe Familie,

 

This week we had interviews with President Kosak. He is still extremely intimidating for me. He is so kind and loving but he is also so big and so German.

 

My two biggest fears are him and speaking German. In the interview I had to do both!

 

I went in there pretty dang nervous. He was so great though and gave me really good advice. The first thing he asked was "Do I still have the same energetic excited Sister Brown?"

 

Yes! Yes, he does.

 

He was super encouraging and just told me to keep going because there are people in Germany just waiting for Sister Brown. I tend to be kind of a stresser. (OK that may be the biggest understatement ever!)

 

My favorite President Kosak quote is "Don't Worry!" He tells me that all the time. He just says it with a big smile and his thick German accent so it sounds like "Don't Vurry" I love it. Good advice!

We had an appointment with Görtz this week. (He was the man we found after praying about which streets to go on) We went to the address he wrote down for us and he wasn't there. The house belonged to someone else. We klingeled in anyways but no one knew who we were looking for. It was pretty discouraging because we really thought he had interest. We tried his number too but we couldn't get a call to go through. We were kind of bummed out. Then later that night we tried calling again. The number worked this time and we got through. He told us his address and we realized we had misread his handwriting. We had gone to #25 but he had written #21. So we rescheduled and went back.

 

We had a wonderful lesson. We taught about Joseph Smith and the restoration and the priesthood power. That wasn't what we had gone in there prepared to teach but that was where his questions took us. He had even been reading out of the Book of Mormon. My favorite part of the lesson was his prayer. I had the opportunity to teach him how to pray. Then I said the opening prayer and showed him how to do it. When the lesson was over I asked if he would say the closing prayer. He didn't seem too sure. He was really hesitant and took a long time to think about it. Then he just started praying. He told Heavenly Father about his trip to Spain later this week. He was really nervous about flying on the airplane and he asked that everything would be OK and he would make it safe. It was a beautiful prayer. It was straight from his heart and that is all that matters.

 

We also had a cool finding experience. I was with Sister Schrade and we walked past an outside cafe. There were two ladies sitting down and they stopped us. I LOVE when people will stop and talk to us. It is much easier to talk sometimes when you aren't the one initiating it. So this was a wonderful surprise.

 

 

They said they saw us on the corner and we looked so happy and shiny. We looked like we were glowing and so they decided they had to talk to us. So we sat down and started talking. They are sisters who have been to our church and even met with the missionaries before. They had met for lunch and were telling each other about all of their problems. They had some hefty issues and didn't know what to do.

 

That was when we showed up.

 

We started testifying of Jesus Christ and the power of the Atonement and even shared a scripture.

 

When we were done they asked if we could read another one!

 

Oh yes we can!

 

So we started reading in 3 Nephi 11 when Christ comes to the Nephites. They both just kept saying how they couldn't believe that we found them right then and how we seemed to have answers to all of their questions. They were looking for something like this and then we showed up. I just kept baring testimony of how that is a sign that God loves them both so much. He knew what they needed so he sent us there. It was so nice to be able to know that we helped someone that day. It was also so cool to see how we could be used and directed to help play a tiny role in our Heavenly Father's big plan.

 

Ich liebe missionarsarbeit!

 

 Me and Sister Schrade

 

The highlight of my week this week was skyping my family on Mother's Day. It was so great to see them and hear their voices! It will be a long wait until Christmas...

 

We are now officially in a drit. Sister Avanesjan left this morning at 4 am. I will keep you posted on the adventures being in a drit brings. Wish me luck!

 

I pray for you all every day.

Have an amazing week!

 

Ich Liebe Dich!!!

 

Liebe Grüße,

Sister Brown

 

 

Package!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{editor's note: Sister Thornton quickly crossed out all the information on the customs form so she wouldn't know what was inside until she opened it.  Way to go Sister Thornton!!}

 

My closet is covered in German posters I made during language study. It looks like a German preschool...