June 16, 2014

Leah wrote this note as I bore my "farewell testimony".
Her mom wouldnt let me keep it because she
wanted it. Leah drew her dad at church, who has
been inactive for years. She said that I had to
come back and speak again, so that
this could really happen. 

First things first, thanks again for all of the birthday wishes, and Happy Father's Day Dad! I hope that you had a great day.  Sounds like things are going well there, like always.

And this is Charles. Probably my favorite person I have
taught on my mission. I am really going to miss this guy. 

Well, I'm leaving.  On Thursday, I will be leaving my favorite place on earth.  I can honestly say that I am shocked.  I wasn't expecting to go, but I am.  What’s more, all of the sisters in the Zone are staying together, except for us.  This is all of their FIFTH transfer together.  FIVE.  That is unheard of.  I am now going to be serving in Münster.  From what I have heard, the missionaries are great there, there are more bikes than people in the city, and the branch has about 15 people.  It is going to be a HUGE change from our ward here in Heidelberg, but if it is where the Lord wants me to go, I guess I will go.  I am really going to miss Heidelberg though.  Yesterday was a really sad day, saying bye to everyone, but I know that change is for the better. 

My birthday surprise from the Elders...

Our street display in Speyer on Finding Day. 

But for my last full week here in Heidelberg, it was a great week! We had a little bit of everything happen.  On Monday night, we had our sport’s night.  Charles, Obinna, and Abbey came, and it was great.  Everybody loved them.  We played Ultimate Frisbee, and they had never even thrown a Frisbee before, but they were amazing.  My team won! (Yes, I have actually gotten really good at Frisbee ...  you should all be impressed!) Afterward, Anna officially started her mini-mission.  Can I just say, I love this girl?  She is seriously the cutest, and she has the best conversion story, and strongest testimony, and she really helped my German.  Overall, I just love her and am so glad she was with us all week. 

Us with Anna - She was the best mini missionary ever! 

Tuesday, we went to the Schiffmans.  Kind of comical...Anna’s very first appointment as a mini missionary was with her family...whoops.  Oh well, it was great.  They fed us a classic German meal.  With Rot Kohl and all.  Taryn, that is the red cabbage your home teacher were talking about, and yes it is delicious.  I was so excited when I saw it on the table.  I might have eaten a little too much.  After that, we stopped by to visit a former investigator.  Her life has been really sad for the past couple years, and she opened up the door and let us right in.  Her husband passed away two years ago, and she said that she hoped that she would see him again.  The Sisters will be going back this week again to teach the Plan of Salvation.

It was a good week!

On Wednesday, we had Zone Training, and Rochelle, the elders recent convert, spoke.  It was great.  She gave us some really good advice on things that investigators need and want, versus what we probably shouldn’t say.  Her testimony is so strong, and she was just saying how much the gospel has changed her outlook on life in just a short amount of time.  It was great! That afternoon, we met with another past investigator and made a new appointment.  That marks 7 new investigators in the past two weeks, and a ton of new potentials.  Success! At least I can say that I am leaving this place in a good state for the new sister coming in. 

The Janatas 

Thursday, we had a finding day down in Speyer.  The are struggling down there, so three districts when down and we just spent the entire day down there finding.  We split up into four groups and just went off for the day.  My group did chalking for the first part and then just went street contacting.  By the end of the day, the Speyer missionaries had a ton of potentials and a few new appointments.  It was great! I got to talk to so many cool people. 

And heres Yannick, my pal. Oh man, this kid is seriously
 my favorite... they are all my favorite!

Sister Wrathall with Michelle....Cathy's
daughter that we are teaching. 

And then it was my birthday! It was a really good day.  During our lunch hour, there was a knock on our door, and I opened it to find the elders there.  Elder Hendersen played his guitar and they sang me Happy Birthday, and gave me a bunch of random gifts.  It was great.  Later that day, we went to Schwester Breitenhuber's home.  She told me that sometime after 12 am, she prayed to Heavenly Father asking him to help me to have a good birthday.  She said that she told him, "She is 20 now, but please help her to always stay as pure as she is now".  She said that she prayed and then while she was praying, she feel asleep haha.  Oh man, I love that lady. 

Wraps at our favorite place...

And saying goodbye to Cathy...

Here is part of the Spanish Branch. They are
seriously great. Man, I will miss them. 

And the Schiffmanns...they are the family
that translated a few of our family letters for us. 

That night, we had an appointment with a new investigator, Monika.  It was an amazing appointment.  We planned to just have a zero lesson, and just explain what we did as missionaries, and who God was for us, but somehow the lesson ended up being completely focused on baptism.  She said that she felt peaceful for the first time in years and that she wants more than anything to smile freely like we do.  We promised her that when she was baptized, she would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and that if she stayed worthy, she would always have this feeling with her.  She just sat there and asked us, "Really? Always? I want that."  We have an appointment this Tuesday with her, and plan on setting a date with her.  Anna loved her; she wants to come with us again this week. 

That night, we went home and ate cake and had a little party for my birthday :)

Saturday, we had transfer calls, I cried, and then we went to the Janata's home.  That night, we had an appointment with Dana and her family again.  We watched the Restoration DVD, and they said that they could feel something while they watched it.  The 15 years old said that she had time, and wanted to read through the entire Book of Mormon to know if it was true.  This family is great.  I know that there was a reason we got so lost that one day.  If we hadn’t been on the "wrong" bus, I would never have talked with Dana.  They want to see where the church is, so the sisters are meeting them at the church this Saturday.

Sunday, Charles came to church again! When he found out that I was leaving he told me that it wasn’t going to happen.  He said that he would pay for me to stay, if I would just tell him who to talk to.  Oh man, I died laughing.  He said that I couldn’t leave because Sister Wrathall and I were the ones that brought him to the church.  He's great.  The ward just loves him and he loves them.  He just loved the English Sunday school class.  He told me that he would miss me, but that there were people in Münster that needed me too.  Oh man, that guy is great.

This week, I get to say bye to all of my favorite people, and then I am off to a new adventure! I am sad to leave, but Heidelberg is doing great, and is in good hands.  This place and these people will always have a special place in my heart. 

Well, I love you all.  Have a great week.  Next time I write to you, I will be on the opposite side of my mission! 

Love, Savannah