Liebe Familie,

 

So, we are almost to our half-way point at the MTC! Then I will be in Deutschland! I talked to a senior couple who is also going to the Alpine Mission. They said they are leaving August 27 at 8 am (which would put the flight around 11). I sure hope we are on the same flight! Sister Young is convinced that the senior missionaries and the 21-year-old missionaries don't fly out together, but I don't understand why they would book two separate flights. That is just gas and time wasted to go to the airport two days in a row to pick up all the new-bees. Aber, so ist es. Anyway, if we are flying with the senior missionaries, we have our layover in Atlanta, and we go from there to Munich. So, we will see!

 

This was a pretty good week! We have another Sister Young on the floor where we have classes. She is going Portugese-speaking. She and my Sister Young traded nametags yesterday afternoon. We convinced our entire zone that President Brown had pulled Sister Young out of class that afternoon and told her that after a lot of prayerful consideration, they felt she should not go to Frankfurt, but was needed in the Congo Portugese-speaking. She would have today as a P-Day to move, and such. Then, on Wednesday, she starts her new Portugese classes. This also would mean she would have to stay an extra four weeks. We had such a fun time telling people this story! Most people figured out it was false, but one elder in our zone still believes. :]

 

So the temple opens tomorrow. Finally! Which means we can go to the temple for the first time as missionaries next Tuesday. Our whole zone is going together, so that will be great!

 

Our investigator, Felix, seemed to not be making any progress. I mentioned last week that he just absorbed everything like a sponge. Which would be fine if his testimony seemed to be growing because of it. We pulled one of our floating teachers aside for about half an hour this week and asked her what to do. After 20 minutes of discussion, we came to the conclusion that we couldn't come up with something on our own. Sister Alder told us that usually something would come to her head, but this time, her mind was a total blank. She explained that since we are wearing black nametags, and hers is white, we are entitled to receive revelation for our investigators. She said that Heavenly Father was probably trying to teach us not only that we could receive revelation, but how we could. She knelt down on the ground with us. I called on Sister Young to offer the prayer. After the prayer, we pondered for a few minutes. Then Sister Alder left us. We pondered a little longer. All I could think of was our next lesson with Felix. We had spent two lessons on the Plan of Salvation, and we were finishing it up next time. We just had to cover final judgment and the three degrees of glory. All I could picture was the little sun we made that represented the Celestial Kingdom. After a few more minutes of pondering, I looked up to see Sisters Young and Perkins frantically writing the things the spirit was telling them. I asked what they thought we should do with Felix. Sister Young said we should talk about temples, and Sister Perkins said sealings. We then discussed and went back to the classroom to prepare for this lesson. I was very frustrated. Why hadn't I received any inspiration? I am usually very in tune with the spirit. Why wasn't I receiving revelation now? Do not misconstrue my feelings as jealousy. There was no jealousy whatsover. I was very happy they had received inspiration; I simply didn't understand why I hadn't felt the same things they were feeling. I asked Sister Perkins if she would come with me to practice the piano for sacrament meeting on Sunday. Sister Young wanted to stay, so she went on splits with Sister Odenwalder and Sister Larson. Playing the piano always makes me feel better. After learning two of the songs, I was at peace. I remembered that from the very beginning, I was the one who said we needed to teach the Plan of Salvation. We didn't teach it for a few lessons because my companions were scared to teach such a hard lesson. Admittedly, I was a little bit, too. Also, I was seeing our little picture of the sun. Good grief. I was receiving revelation. It's because of temples and sealings that we can live in the Celestial kingdom. I am just learning how to interpret promptings now. Exactly what Sister Alder said we needed to learn...

Anyway, we taught our lesson to Felix yesterday. This time it looked like we finally struck a chord. He didn't have the 'always-agreeable' face he usually has. This time he looked like he was actually contemplating what we were teaching and figuring out why that would be important. We asked if his wife would be at the next lesson. We are having Sister Alder pose as his wife. We are very nervous for our next lesson, but it's a good nervous. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out!

 

Yesterday for PE, we went on splits. Sister Larson and Sister Perkins went to the secret gym, and Sister Young, Sister Odenwalder, and I went to the field. We are not allowed to play soccer with the elders. But we all really wanted to play. So we played on the side of the soccer field. We had a pathetic goal that belongs in the backyard of a little leaguer. We had three separate teams, and one person on each team. The elders in our zone (who were playing soccer on the actual field) were laughing at our little game. But we had so much fun!

 

I am the unofficial official pianist in our zone. So, that's been fun! Everyone is so grateful I can play. I am, too. I love sharing my talents. And I love playing the piano! Also, I am pretty sure I'm the only one in my zone who plays. So I don't have to really worry about being fired!! Such a relief!

 

15 seconds! So, Adieu!!

 

Liebe,

Sister Stephanie Reid