Random Adventures!

So the other day we were on the Strasse Bahn (aka trolley like you see in San Fransisco but more high tech) and I see this nice looking guy with a cool hat so I decided to talk to him about it, and it was blistering hot outside and he was in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and I had to comment on it.  So I asked him if he was from Afrika (he was black) and where and wondered why he was wearing all his gear and he explained that he is from Southern Africa so this weather wasn't all that bad.  And he had to leave quickly so I gave him a card and told us to call us.  Well two days later he did!! This never happens!! When you meet someone and they leave with a card, you never hear from them again but he did!!  So we decided to meet downtown in Dortmund at an U-Bahn station (Subway station like in New York City).  We end up waiting for like 30 minutes until we see him.... AND his friend!  His name is Alfonso (isn't that romantic) and his friend's name is Louis!  From the first handshake we knew something wasn't right haha Alfonso asked if we could SIT somewhere and TALK.  Oh boy... Not really knowing what to do my companion and I said okay why not, we find a place and he baught us Milkshakes, aka not really milkshakes more like milk with ice haha.  The entire time he asked about my family and what I was doing here, and blah, blah, blah.  Meine gute that reminded me of a crazy first date I never want to go on ever again.  But because I locked my heart to any man that crosses my path, I was able to teach him about God, Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, the church and how we have 12 Apostles, and a living Prophet.  He actuallly took a Book of Mormon and said he would read it until our next appointment!!  But the most hilarious part about it was that Sister Sprouse and Louis were having engagement plans, wedding plans, and family plans made haha.  Louis is in love with her and the entire time I was trying to grab his attention with what I was explaining to Alfonso, but it didn't work.  Poor Sister Sprouse haha but she locked her heart too so Louis had no chance.  I love random adventures!! Random adventure number 2: Utte who is a random lady that comes to church sometimes finally asked us to help her.  Everytime she comes to church she just cries because she is so unhappy and being at church is the only thing that helps her feel better.  And everytime we ask her to help her, and she always says no, until this last week!  We made an appointment and we met up at her apartment.  She let us in and from the moment I saw her apartment it literally took my breath away.  I don't know if it was because of the smell or what I saw, but you would have never guessed that this lady who honestly doesn't have anything; no money, no car, no nothing would have so much stuff!    She doesn't even live in this apartment.  She keeps paying rent every month to keep her stuff there. All of this stuff that she finds is off the street.  She has had this apartment for at least 4-5 years.  Three rooms full, plus hallway, kitchen, and garage storage downstairs were full of boxes of rubbish.   For an hour and a half we just organized and moved her stuff from one room to the next.  We managed to persuade her to get rid of some, but then she decided not to.  The worst part of it all is that she lives on the very top floor of this buiding (6 flights of stairs) with no elevator!!! Meine Gute!!  She explained that her mom was very poor during the war so she kept all that she could find and she taught it to her children.  Utte is now just like her mom.... Its really sad and she said that she can't trust anyone to help besides us, and it is really touching because she asked us for help.  That is the first step.  I am so proud of her for that.  I love how I can see the difference the gospel brings to people's lives.  This is the first major physical experience of repentence that I have seen yet and it is really inspiring to see someone ask for help and receive it to change her life for the better! 

 Liebe, Sister Tuschling

Good Lessons

We were able to meet with the same people we usually do and have really good lessons.  We were teaching Merhawi (who is a person that I gave a pass along card to at a bus stop in May) and we taught the Word of Wisdom.  We got into discussion about it and then I felt the need to ask him how many cigarettes he usually smokes a day and he just looked at me and then looked away and then opened his mouth like he wanted to say something more but then closed it again.  I waited patiently for him to respond and then he said, "well actually it is funny because today I haven't smoked any!!"  And he just sat there really thinking why he didn't.  He said that he couldn't explain it but he just didn't want to today.  I know that when we strive to do what the Lord wants us to do, everything else falls into place.  And when we live the gospel, like coming to church, being charitable, and being an example, it changes you.  Not only a spiritual change, but a physical change as well.  I have a testimony of that.  I cannot explain it but when I read my scriptures, and learn more about Jesus Christ I truly do feel different.  I feel like a better person and I feel like I can do anything and maybe that is why Merhawi didn't want to smoke that day.  Just recently my dear little sister Ashley Kay was in a car accident and I just want to thank all of you that pray for my family.  I know that it was by God's grace that she is okay and is well.  And I know that it is because of those extra prayers of love and protection.  My family means the world to me and I am just so grateful that she is okay.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Miracles happen every single day.  One thing I learned is that when we see a miracle happen, we should always write it down.  Write it on a post it note, or in a planner (for all you missionaries haha) or anywhere because when we recognize God's hand in our lives, He just blesses us more and more.  He really does work by miracles and I testify of that.  Congrats to Jennifer Peterson with the new baby girl!!!!  She is gorgeous!! My mom sent me a picture of her :)  What a doll.  And congrats to my cousin too on her baby girl. :)  I love you all and always in my prayers.  Liebe, Sister Tuschling

Transfers...

Transfers!! My dear beloved companion Sister Garlick is leaving me and Sister Sprouse here in Dortmund for the beautiful city of Heidelberg.  Transfers are definitely from Heavenly Father because He knows exactly what needs to be done in the missions all over the world and He knows how to make missionaries grow into the people that He knows they can become.  Example, me and Sister Sprouse.  I am now technically the older companion but I am still in the first half of my mission and right now 1) We barely know Dortmund still 2) Still getting to know the ward 3) Barely can understand German 4) Barely can speak German and now we are together for at least 6 weeks.  Boy oh Boy Dortmund you better be ready and Heavenly Father You better be ready to help us :)  Bitte :)  I am excited for this point in my life to grow and to do things I have never done before.  I have a testimony of setting goals and when having the faith they actually come to life and become reality.  Our mission has a goal to find 10 new people to teach every week.  And we (the drit) have not been able to reach that yet so last week we set that goal to reach it!!  Yesterday we were still 4 people short.  After a wonderful day of church and being filled with the Spirit we had 3-4 hours to find them.  It all started after we got out of an appointment at 2pm.  We missed a call from an unknown number.  These are the best treasures because you honestly don't know who they are from!!  We called it back and it was actually a young man that I invited to come to FHE and gave him a pass along card.  I didn't think much of it but he called and wanted to meet that day!!  His name is Abdoul and comes from Africa and is really confused on why there are so many churches in the world and his parents are Muslim but he is not practicing\active.  He has a sincere heart and we explained the story of a yound man named Joseph Smith who had that same exact question.  The only way he found out was by praying to Heavenly Father and asking.  We taught him how to pray in the park on a bench.  After we said the closing prayer and after him promising next time he will try, he opened his eyes and said, "O das ist  nicht so schwer," und ich habe gesagt, "Nay, es ist nicht so schwer." :)  I love teaching people how to communicate with Heavenly Father.  He truly wants to hear from all His children because "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."  My life dramatically changed when I started to pray.  I started to understand that I matter to Him, that He loves me, and that no matter where I go or do He is always with me.  I am so grateful to be able to teach people how to pray to Him so that they can experience that for themselves too.  I love this work and I love hearing people say, oh that isn't so hard, and walk away wondering on what they will say to the One that always wants to listen.  And I love seeing the change in people.  Kathir is a man that the elders are teaching right now and we had the opportunity the other day to teach him.  He is from India and truly wants to know "the God."  He wants to know who "the God" is and how we get to know Him.  He has been to every activity the church has, every baptism we have been able to witness, and every church meeting.  Every time I see him he looks brighter and happier.  Just the other day the elders called us because he decided he would like to be baptized.... My heart filled with warmth and joy.  Someone who didn't believe in God is now wanting to enter into the waters of baptism.  I know that this gospel is true and I know that when we live it, it always changes us for the better, and we feel so much "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance" (Galations 5:22-23) and these feelings only come from God, because everything good comes from God (Alma 5:40).  I am honored to be a part of this work and to witness God's hand in my life and to experience it personally as well.  Bis Später!  Tschüß! Liebe, Sister Tuschling

Happy 4th of July!!

  I am so very blessed and loved by so many people here in Germany and all over the world.  I received the hugest package from Casper, Wyoming this week from my mama and it had America inside!!!! It is so perfect because for the 4th of July we are going to dedicate our time trying find just Americans haha and invite them to a 4th of July party at the church.  I am pretty sure we'll just have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sparklers (I hope).  Germans are so cute.  They have all kinds of different scarves but the ones that are "in" right now are American flags.  So Sister Garlick and Sister Sprouse will definitely be purchasing them and wearing them on Wednesday too!!  Another reason I am so loved is because the day of my 2 year marker for being baptized I got to have breakfast with one of our new converts Dani.  She made the breakfast appointment just for me so we could spend it together.  So one our way there we had to purchase ein par von Brötchen (really good bread!!) to take with us to have breakfast.  So we stopped by the Backerei and sprinted for the bus.  As we were running we heard an Australian voice yell "Oi!! Hey!! Where ya goin'?!"  We looked over and saw Elder Walker (from Australia), Elder Garlick, Elder McPherson, and Sister McPherson.  Running we answered, to catch our bus we've got an appointment!!  But we ended up stopping to see what they wanted.  The McPhersons (the Missionary Couple) made me muffins and breakfast burritos for my 2 year baptism anniversary :)  I tell you what my heart was so warm and tears were in my eyes.  They even gave me a present; a German hymn book that I have wanted for such a long time.  It is really cool because two years ago I received my first Hymn book from Clayton Avery's family.  Heavenly Father sure does know how to inspire people to feel loved :)  It was a great way to spend my 2nd birthday!! 
     One of the coolest days this week was that we dedicated Saturday our International Finding Day.  We were determined to find people all over the world to teach them.  We left the appartment with 9 different languages (Turkish, Polish, French, Russian, Greek, Spanish, Swahili, English, and German) of the Book of Mormon and were determined to give them all away!!  The first person we talked to was from Greece :)  Oh ya you better believe it that she left with die Wahrheit in her hands!  We then sat next to a girl that had only been in Germany for 2 days and she was from...... Poland.  She took it gladly too with promises from us to teach her German too!  We went to another area and we turned on a street and started walking towards a couple young men.  As they were passing us I recognized some French, they left with the most powerful book I have read in their hands too :)  On the same street we met another man and he knew 4 different languages.  He left with Spanish :)  On the street we were able to teach him how to pray too and it was so awesome!!!  On our way home we stopped at this cute little German house and knocked on the door.  A woman answered and said that she isn't interested because she is Buddist but right then a car pulled up in the driveway and she said, maybe he will be interested.  We ended up sharing about the Book of Mormon and he said that he would read it.  We ended up giving away more than half of our Books in ALL different languages.  Heavenly Father truly is there for us and knows what are plans are.  He wants to help but its up to us to find out and the best way is through prayer.  Prayer has changed my life.  The moment I prayed for the first time I remember my life never being the same after that.  Through prayer we can know what Heavenly Father wants us to do and its the best way to feel His love too.  I am grateful for this experience in my life and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to spend my 2 year marker here with my companions and the German people.  Happy 4th of July!!!!! Liebe, Sister Tuschling