One More Week!

Halo!
This week our district has been getting really close. The elders are finally starting to open up to us sisters and i don't know if its a good thing or bad thing because they are so stinking open with us haha "Hey Elder Fuller, where is your companion?" i say and he responds, "He's in the bathroom fighting a beast." "Thank you Elder I really appreciate that!!" But also they are funny because they're finding ways to push my buttons haha. They think it is so stinking hot in the room when really its not. They just want something to do so they find a fan that is loud so it can "cool them off" in the room during personal study time. We sisters are not hot, we actually freeze in the room and so when the fan goes we have perma goosbumps haha. So one day all of them left early to eat and so we decided to take and hide the fan in the teacher's room, so we did. And then the next day they freaked out!! And they went and found another one! Oh my goodness! So somehow when they asked where the other fan was my face said it all. And if you know me I can't lie so they found out it was me that hid it. sister nixon and I go out of the room for a couple minutes but when we get back, the door is shut. We knew something was up so we slowly opened the door and sure enough they were up to something. They had found the other fan, and so with that one and the one they found that morning, they had both going full blast blowing towards my desk. They thought it was so funny and busted up laughing and I have to admit I thought it was pretty good too. They had been planning it for the perfect moment and they got me good. I learned my lesson. Next time I will hide it on a different floor!! Little stinks! ~ Hosting this week was really fun this week! We had 75 sisters come in this week and it was awesome!! I got to host 3 sisters all by myself!! No mistakes this time ;) I learned my lesson! So the German sisters and I (mostly sister child and sister fish [spanish speaking]) thought it would be fun to work out our lower half during gym time. We ended up doing 100 lunges and more thigh and butt stuff and needless to say we couldn't walk the next day = hosting day. Hosting was fun but we all looked like penguins waddling around because we were so sore. This week I will not make that mistake!!

~Sister Tuschling

Being a Host!

So much has happened this week! First of all we got new Germans today! I can't believe that we have been here that long to have gotten new Germans! Has it really been 7 weeks already? It just seemed like yesterday that I was the new missionary lost at the MTC and didn't know where i was going but now we have newbies that feel that way now! On Wednesday when i arrived at the MTC I was hosted by a couple of sisters and they showed me around and helped me check into my room and get my books and dropped me off in my classroom while i waiting for my companion. This week I was able to be that Host! It was so much stinking fun! Tons of memories started going through my mind of what happened not too long ago. I helped my first sister by taking her bags and giving her a big ole welcome to the MTC hug and she was awesome and stoked to be here right from the gecko! Her name was sister Boying and she was from Connecticut going to England speaking Manderin Chinese! Holy cow i right then felt grateful for going to Germany to learn one language haha. But being a host you have alot of responsibility to help them feel welcome and not overly nervous. But for some reason Heavenly Father made this day a kind of a crazy day for me. One, we get her key to go to her room and we are in the elevator to go upstairs to her room and in order to do this you much have a swipe card. Me being the only person who needs one, forgot mine somewhere! We're sitting there in the elevator and we get to talking for about 2-3 minutes and she says, "sister tuschling why aren't we moving?" Instead of going upstairs the elevator was going down! I had never been in the elevator since my first day so i had no idea what was going on. so instead of freaking out i gently reach into my pocket to get my swipe card so we can move on the right direction. Then i realize that it isn't in my coat or around my neck! So instead of showing that i am freaking out, i just simple say, sister Doying I don't have my swipe card and we'll have to figure this thing out. so we're sitting in the elevator waiting for help to arrive and then we finally just brainstormed on what we need to do and we figured it out. But word to the wise, if you're a host on arrival day at the MTC, don't forget your swipe card that lets you in every door. Haha she was a good sport though. My second sister that i hosted was awesome too. I can't remember her name but she was going to Riverside California English speaking. Again the first thing I do is take her bags and give her a huge hug! Me not knowing this she was fighting back tears the entire time so when we stopped to get her key she looks over to me and says with tears in her eyes, "Thank you so much for giving me a hug. You have no idea how much it meant to me." So at this point I have tears in my eyes and I give her a big ole hug again and then she looked at me, wiped her eyes, and said, "Let's get to work!" I love the spirit of the MTC and the willingness and charity missionaries have. This week has really opened my eyes on how wonderful it is to be the tools and instruments of our Heavenly Father.

3 More Weeks!

Last night (Sunday) we went to a movie/talk from one of the apostles that was recorded and they just play it and play over again so we can learn from it and it was called, "Missions are Forever" by Elder Jeffrey Holland. He is known to be very enthusiastic and just down right blunt when it comes to does and don'ts and by listening to his words my life is forever changed. I think he talked to everybody's heart because of the fact that it was pretty dang silent after it was done. And I could feel the Spirit. I didn't want to leave the room. I was silent and in awe all night! He basically told us that we should get to work and do it the way the Lord wants us to do it. No more sluffing off and not doing what we're supposed to be doing. He says as long as we are doing our hardest and doing all that we can we are doing just fine. And he doesn't care if there is only one convert on our mission even if that convert is you. This is the Lord's gospel not ours. Do it the way he wants it to be done and that is only done by being obedient. I love his words and I will forever strive to do this work the way the Lord wants me to. I love this gospel with all my heart, might, mind, and strength and I'll do anything to have other people come unto Christ because of how much joy, peace, and love I get from living and learning it. I love my Heavenly Father and I know he loves all of you too. He knows each once of us by name and He knows what we need and He answers our prayers. I'm grateful to be a servant and to be an instrument is His hands
~With Love, Sister Tuschling

Prayer

The biggest thing emphasized here this week has been prayer. I personally have needed help since I've been here and I have been praying like crazy for it and low and behold Heavenly Father ALWAYS answers! The question sometimes is what do I pray for? My life is good, I have a good job, I am happy. But that is when we can pray the most. We can pray and say thank to Him that gave us all of this!! And He always loves to hear from us and so He will never be bored :) He will never get tired of hearing from us! One of the biggest things here to pray for is the Spirit. Everything single thing on this earth is ran by the Spirit. Little thoughts you have everyday that say you should do something, that is the Spirit and we need to learn how to recognize it and act upon it. If Christ was right next to you and He told you to do something, would you do it? I don't know about you but I would!! The Spirit comes from the same source and just because the Spirit doesn't have a body doesn't mean He isn't real. Last night I saw Elder Yarger and he is healthy and well :) He is so excited to leave and I could tell, but one thing he told me before he left was to never take anything for granted. He told me to enjoy the MTC while I still have it, and I promised I would. And I will because it is so special here. I love this work and I love the Gospel. ~Sister LeaAnn Louise Tuschling

Happy New Year!

On Saturday night Sister Child, Sister Bice, Sister Nixon, and I (the roommates and companion) had a little party and stayed up past curfew so we partied hard!! Sister Child received fake mustaches and a bottle of Sparkling Cider in the mail so we put on our mustaches and toasted to the new year! The pictures are hilarious and I'll send them as soon as I can! We all sat in a circle in our room and talked about our New Year Resolutions! They were all great to hear. This year I am going to try and not worry so much and have more faith! Worrying causes nothing but headaches and stomachaches! So I'm going to try and cut that our of my life. What are your New Years Resolutions??
Sunday was an amazing uplifting day! We had about 7 hours of study time to read anything we wanted and it was so nice!! We also had Mission Conference which was spiritually uplifting!! One of the warnings was for Satan's Webs and we should not waste time being in them. However with the right kind of light we can see it coming and dodge it! With the Lord, we can do anything! So yesterday was fast Sunday and it was crazy! That is why we had so much time to study. Instead of going to the cafeteria, we just stayed in our classrooms. Let me tell you, the cafeteria on fast Sunday at dinner time is pretty much like being in the wild. You know that scene in Mean Girls when the students turn into animals and go crazy in the cafeteria, that is the MTC on fast Sunday. You just don't get in the way of hungry elders!! Haha but it was nice because they had an awesome ham and potato dinner with ice cream for dessert. What a perfect Sunday :)
With all my love,
Sister Tuschling