So tired

Hey Mumma,

 I hope Frankenstorm doesn't hit too bad. But hey a week with no school could be nice too right? I had a dream last week that I was talking to you about my concerns for voting and not knowing what to do. And before you could give me your ideas I woke up for the day. Its funny how I seem to tell you my concerns in my head even though you're so far away. I have read the talk that you taught about by Elder Scott. I really enjoyed it. I think writing down our spiritual inspiration is another reason why we are asked to keep journals. As I have had ah ha moments in my study I have tried to record them in my journal so when I go back and read it I can know of whatever piece of truth I learned and the testimony it gave me. I have also found that writing it out for me helps me organize my thoughts and allows for more spiritual guidance. I like that Elder Scott also talks about dreams being a form of revelation. If we really prepare ourselves it most certainly is a way that we can be guided by heavenly father. I dreamt about buying good tampons last night so I don't think that was guided but it was funny.

   Our weather has turned to winter too. Its very cold and rainy outside now. Earmuffs, gloves, hats scarves, coats, basically anything that'll keep the heat in is being worn. This past week we really had an adventure. Sister Dean and I parked our bikes, locked them up, and went into a lesson and had a fabulous lesson and then came out 40 minutes later to find that her bike was stolen with the lock. My bike and our helmets were left there. So then we had to call the mission office and then the police and the police said that we had to come in to their office so we found their office and guess what? There's no place to lock bikes up outside. That was dumb. So I figured I'd just bring my bike in with me so I did. I carried it up the stairs to the office we needed to go to and when Sister Dean talked to the police they told her she could tell her friend that she could leave her bike in the hall that no one would steal it. Ha! So then I went with Sister Dean to be questioned and file a report. No news of her bike yet but hopefully we will be getting a new one for her this week. Till then we will be on buses.

   So one investigator that we are teaching is Bruder XXXX. Sister Dean said they were doing emails in the church one P-day and they heard someone ring the door bell so they went to see who it was and it was Bruder XXXX. He said he had always seen the church and wondered what they believed. He literally came to them. Well this last week we had an AMAZING lesson with him. We planned on teaching about the restoration but he asked us why did God sacrifice Jesus, why did he have to do that. So then Sister Dean and I taught about the why of the atonement and how it works. It was a very spirit filled lesson and was really neat to see Bruder XXXX's understanding and appreciation for Christ grow throughout the lesson. At the end we asked if we answered his question and he said we did and that he really likes it in the church. He comes almost every week to church already! Sister Dean and I are hoping to invite him to be baptized this next week. We committed another investigator last night to baptism, Bruder XXXXXX. It's really amazing to see how the Lord prepares people and when they're ready they will take the steps they need to to be baptized and begin their journey home.

     They do celebrate Halloween here in Germany but more of the younger generation. Halloween is where they tend to dress up as scary things and then in February they have a holiday called Fasching where they dress up as happy/fun things. We explained to members that we would dress up as angels or boy scouts and things for Halloween. They thought it was funny because they only do scary things. When the kids go door to door they say Suß und Sauer, literally meaning sweet and sour. It's a pretty good translation to trick or treat. We have one investigator with three little boys who didn't want to meet with us Wednesday evening because it will be Halloween so her family definitely celebrates it.

   Well I hope this week is a better one and that your parents calm down a little bit more. I love you Mumma and am so very grateful for you! I'm glad the Halloween party went so well. can't wait to be there for the next one!

-Ariel Nell