A convert from Australia and a Döner

Servus!  (Hi!)

Munich is starting to experience spring! It is so exciting! I can finally see streets and sidewalks that I didn't even know existed when I first got here, there was so much snow.

Funny story: last P-day I showed Sister Pingree the Rathaus in Munich (Google it if you don't know what it looks like, it's pretty cool). It is the main tourist attraction in town, and we've been here for a month and Sister Pingree hadn't seen it yet! Now she has "seen" Munich. It's funny how your priorities are so different as a missionary. I've been to Munich a couple times before, but I can honestly say that until this past month I hadn't really "seen" the people here. Now I know and love the people of Munich much more than the beautiful buildings (although the buildings are still cool to look at).

This past week we got the opportunity to meet with a new convert, Tami. We met Tami right after Stake Conference last week. After the meeting was over we went out to go catch the bus. She came running after us and said "Are you Sister Missionaries? I'm so glad I found you! I just got here from Australia!" Tami's story is pretty amazing. She just got back from Australia where she lived for over a year. For part of that time she lived in Perth with an LDS family who she went to church with. A few months later she moved to Broom. The family from Perth gave her number to the missionaries in Perth, who sent it to the missionaries in Broom, who found Tami and taught her and baptized her! We met with Tami and her friend Sara, who is not a member. We taught about the Plan of Salvation. Sara is pretty skeptical, but I think she can see how the gospel has positively affected Tami's life. If I have learned anything so far on my mission, it is that one person can have a big influence for good.

This week I finally had a Döner! (Google it, it's like a Gyro) We went out to get them with one of the less-actives in the ward. We ate them as we walked along the river. Best. Lunch. Ever.

I feel like all I do in these e-mails is write stories about the people I meet and teach, but really, that is such a huge chunk of what occupies my thoughts. On Saturday we taught a woman named Jazna. She was a former investigator whose record we found in our area book. We went by a couple weeks ago. She didn't let us in, but we gave her a card and told her to call us (which people never do). But then something amazing happened: she called us! We set an appointment with her and went over. She has very strong faith in Jesus Christ and a strong relationship with God. We taught her about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. She wouldn't take a Book of Mormon, but we were able to set an appointment with her to give her a tour of the Church (setting firm appointments is key!). Unfortunately, something came up and she couldn't come. We will keep her in our prayers and try to make another appointment.

And now for some funny Denglish phrases (Deutsch+English mixed together). These are some of the things that Sister Pingree and I say, which will probably only be funny if you speak German, sorry-

"Let's go by on them"= "Let's drop by", in German the verb is "vorbeigehen" or literally "go by"

"Both our appointments fell out"="Both of our appointments were cancelled", in German you say "ausfallen"="fall out" for cancelled

"We can call them underway"="We can call them on the way there", in German you say "unterwegs"=literally "under way"

Ich bin so froh, hier in Deutschland zu sein. Diese Woche habe ich gelernt, wie wichtig es ist, geduldig zu sein. Ich muss geduldig mit mir selbst und mit anderen sein. Ich muss mich auf den Herrn verlassen. Alles wird in seiner Zeit und Weise passieren.

(I am so happy to be here in Germany. This week I learned how important it is to be patient. I must be patient with myself and with others. I have to rely on the Lord. Everything will happen in his time and way.)

Ich habe euch lieb! (I love you!)

Matt 5:14-16

-Sister Stewart