TICK TOCK

Hey Mumma!
I have to say this week probably more than any other I have really felt the power of the prayers. I've been able to stay really focused and Sister Jensen and I have been able to do a lot of good work. Thanks for putting our names on the prayer roll (in the temple) and helping that awesome lady from Germany receive her temple ordinances :) I've seen the name Fock a bit so that's kind of neat. I AM way grateful that I came on a mission. There is nothing in life that compares to it. It is so hard to describe all the lessons you actually learn and why it means so much but it does. Thanks for supporting me to come on a mission and helping me grow through these 18 months.

So my plans that I know are as follows... a bajillion eating appointments this week so members can say goodbye and then somehow manage to get packed. Then next Tuesday I will be taking a train from Bremerhaven to Berlin, I'm supposed to arrive in Berlin around noon. Once I 'm there we leave our suitcases in the office and then go through exiting interviews with President Kosak, turn in our emergency €50 as well as a letter to President reporting on our mission and a letter to yourself that they will mail back to us in two years time. I will also be sitting down with the financial clerk to make sure everything is in order. I believe we will be eating dinner at the Kosak's and having a testimony meeting and then early Wednesday morning (usually around 5 or 6 am) missionaries catch their flights home. Kind of weird knowing all this stuff. Sister Jensen likes to remind me that I'm finishing in 8 days.

This week we also had nice weather. I even went one day without tights AND a coat! CRAZY! But it's back to being cold again so I had to pull my scarfs out again and wear my heavy coats. Are you making a quilt for Tami, the one you work with?

 A scripture that really gave me more strength this week in Doctrine and Covenants is in 64:33 which says,'' Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.'' Missionary work can be tiring work but the Lord specifically told me to not get so worn down when we don't see the results we want right away because from these little things we do add up to building up his kingdom here in Germany or Bremerhaven. And I'm little and great things have come because of my well-doing. It's just something I need to keep remembering to push me until the very end.

We were given two referrals last week and so yesterday we finally had the time to contact them. Both were not interested but we continued to door the two streets they were on. We approached this one house with a garden and saw a sign on the gate that said watch out for free roaming dogs. We opened the gate and shut it behind us and then approached the door. As we rang the door bell we saw this lady's dog just hanging out in the yard. He looked at us and we said hi to him and then he went back to eating his treat. The woman came running to the door yelling is the gate shut?! We said yes and then she was really relieved. She said normally her dog barks a lot when people come into her yard but he barely barked and so thought he got away. She said he must like us and that was a good sign as to who we were. I thought that was pretty neat. The lady held a nice conversation with us but was cooking at the time so we made out an appointment for this week. We're both excited to go back.

Have fun with CRCT testing this week Mumma. Thanks for all the love and support you've offered me. Love you!
-Ariel Nell