Less effective versus effective

Sometimes you have weeks that could be seen as less effective. But I think it's mostly in our attitudes, whether we look back on the week and say "Wow, we hardly accomplished any of our goals, that stinks" or we look back and say "I really learned a lot last week, I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here." To be effective and successful missionaries, all we have to do is be obedient and give our all to the work. That's the secret.

This past week we were both sick at one point or another. I had a nasty cold (I'm still getting over it). Just as I was starting to feel better, Sister Ackerman got sick as well (luckily not with the same cold). She was so sick she really couldn't focus on hardly anything, not even to read. We called the Elders from Ulm to come and give her a blessing. It was amazing: as soon as they put their hands on her head, she calmed right down. I could see the priesthood really WORK.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how God really is our Heavenly Father (check out this video, its awesome). He sent us here to this earth and has given us everything we need to succeed. We only see a tiny little sliver of His plan for us. But just like our fathers here on earth, He knows what we can become, He knows where this all is going. I think there is a lot to be learned about God in our family relationships, there is a lot more of the divine in our everyday lives than we sometimes realize. There is a lot to be learned in the little moments that make up each day.

Sorry this e-mail is more on the philosophical side. Here are some random tidbits from our week-

-The Elders in our district really like McDonalds for some reasons, we eat there a lot after district meeting. Not this week, however! We will be making pasta :)

-We went to visit a less active family on Saturday and she fed us big plates full of rice, just a few hours after we had eaten lunch, and then we went to another appointment and got fed a really tasty yogurt dessert. Needless to say, we did not eat dinner that night.

-This past week was interviews with President Miles. We are getting lots of sisters soon! Somehow I get the feeling that I may be whitewashing/training pretty soon...

-Transfer calls were on Friday- Sister Ackerman and I are staying! This transfer will only be 5 weeks long as opposed to 6

-We went to visit one of the less active sisters in our ward with her home teacher. Turns out her washing machine is broken. And by broken I mean there was a flood of water in her kitchen, luckily we cleaned it right up, so no damage done

-The weather goes up and down, we get tons of snow then it warms up and the snow melts and then we get snow again. Winter is really holding on tight! 

Ich liebe meinen Himmlische Vater und seinen Sohn Jesus Christus. Ich versuche diesen Monat, mehr über Hoffnung zu lernen, und wie ich mehr Hoffnung entwickeln kann. Ich mag Römer 15:4, die sagt, dass wir durch die Schriften Hoffnung bekommen können. Die Schriften habe mir Hoffnung gegeben, und ich werde sie weiterhin lesen demit ich einen "vollkommenen Glanz der Hoffnung" erlangen kann (2 Nephi 31:20).

 (I love my Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ. I have tried to become more hopeful this week. I like the passage Romans 15:4 which states that we can have more hope through the scriptures. The scriptures have given me hope and I will continue to read to develop a “brightness of hope” (2 Nephi 31:20.)

Ich liebe euch! Mach's gut!

(I love you, take care)

--Sister Stewart