Some People Have Absolutely No Shame
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
My favorite part of Augsburg is Innenstadt at night. As we walk home past the closed-but-still-glowing shops, through quaint alleyways and across the cobblestoned town square where the silhouette of Rathaus dominates the skyline... it's peaceful. Some days are incredibly frustrating, filled with all sorts of fallen-out appointments and downright mean people. But some days as we walk home, I just cannot rid the smile from my face. There is absolutely nothing like the feeling that the gospel is bringing joy into people's lives, a little bit at a time.
For fun, here is a list I made before my mission of why I love the gospel so much!
SOME FANTASTIC THINGS THAT WENT DOWN:
- we gave out 2 Books of Mormon in ten minutes! Well, almost. The second lady in the end decided that the script is too small for her eyes to read so we will bring her back a book with bigger print.
- We led the mutual activity and made a mini MTC experience! I got to act out the part of a "nice" person, so when the youth knocked onto my door pretending to be missionaries, it was so awesome to hear their testimonies!
- We met with the same family again this week; we did a few hours worth of service and then they fed us Macedonian food! Since the parents are baptized but the children are not, we then taught a short white-board version of the Plan of Salvation. T
heir friend who was there remarked, "When you hear this, you know there is no reason to fear death!" The next morning, we were able to take the kids to church again!!
AND THEN, THE WEIRD THINGS!:
- SOMETIMES MEN ANSWER THE DOOR NAKED AHHHHK
- No like seriously I used to complain about guys opening the door in their underwear but OH MY HECK WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU RING SOMEONE INTO YOUR APARTMENT BUILDING WITHOUT ASKING WHO THEY ARE, SHOUT HELLO DOWN AT THEM, WAIT FOR THEM TO WALK ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP FLOOR, BE WAITING FOR THEM OUT IN THE HALLWAY AND NOT EVEN FLINCH WHEN YOU MEET THESE POOR STRANGER GIRLS WHO NOW GET TO SEE YOU, WEARING A SHIRT BUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE DOWN SOUTH
- We've been spending a lot of time trying to help our landlady figure out how to convince the government that her 97-year-old mother (whom we also visit every week) is actually not dead and actually still needs her retirement money..........
- Turns out a different elderly lady we bring the sacrament to every week is the grandma of a German celebrity who has literally acted alongside Brad Pitt
- There are frequently stories that people will bring up from last December that I'm just like wait what that happened? I was so ill and out of it that I literally forgot everything. For example, the elders having to get permission from the APs to come and give me a blessing?... I had no memory of any of it. Or Sister Franchino telling our zone leader he reminded her of a short fat dinosaur from the Land Before Time because it was 3 AM at the ER? Apparently a lot of weird things happened those few weeks when I was sick in lalaland.
- 19% sales tax on my conditioner whoohoo
- I'm hitting my 6-month countdown on Thursday....... WUT
On my mission I have met a number of people who are bitter with Heavenly Father about the difficulties in their lives. They wonder why, when they pray so much, God still allows them to have problems.
There is a part in Mosiah 24 that really stuck out to me:
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
The reality is that this life is the time to be tested, to do our best no matter what. We should pray to our Father in all times, good or bad, and whatever comes in our path we must continue to have trust in Him. Prayers will not always make the trials go away... But through our faith in God, He will give us the strength to endure it!
Love Always,
Sister Lundgreen
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