Still having a great time!!!

Sister Heindel and I are still having a great time. We still are laughing like crazy but still working hard. We reached 20 lessons together!! We visited people when we could and kept going when we were very hungry and thirsty. One day was truy so crazy. On Saturday we didn't have any appointments so those days are called "white days" because there is nothing but white on your planner. Usually again this would worry me, but from experience and our two level heads, we were able to fill it up with ideas on what we should do. And we were excited about it too!! We had 6 families to go by on and we hoped and prayed that they would be home so we could teach them and have them feel the spirit. The morning came and we looked outside and it was a winter/white wonderland. I opened the balcony door to see if it was as cold as it appeared and yup, "da stimmt" it was freezing!! So we bundled up and did our normal studies next to our warm heater and every once and awhile we would look at each other and laugh and shake our heads because we knew we were going go out there and spend the enitre day out there. We finish up, and bundle up a little bit more and then we headed out into the blizzard like storm. I have been through worse in Wyoming but the humidity here makes it so much more colder! But we kept on walking forward because we knew that Heavenly Father would guide and protect us to what He wanted us to do. We ended up visiting with a member in the Offenbach Ward and her friend. And it was perfect timing when we saw Monika because she was on her way to go have "coffee" with her friend and she invited us to join her. We were able to teach about prayer and the Book of Mormon and it was awesome!! She was not a German native speaker, so it was hard to communicate but I was grateful that I was able to use simple vocabulary so that she could understand perfectly how much Heavenly Father loves her. And we have an appointment set up for next week :) Miracles! They happen even if the weather is -9 degrees Celcius with a wind chill!! And then we went by on some people who have been sick for a little bit now and gave them the warmth from which the gospel brings. I am so grateful that we were able to bring that to them. They all had smiles on their faces when we left, and so did we :) I love the gospel and I love the church. I love my companion and I love Frankfurt. I love this work!! It changes and saves lives :) Thank you for all that you do, keep going. Even if you think its too hard, its not. Just look to Heavenly Father and ask for His help. He is there. And He watches over us every second. He knows our concerns and He wants to help, we are the ones that need to go to Him first :) I have a testimony of that. Liebe, Sister Tuschling

Touched a Young Peruvian Heart!!

On Monday we went for another beautiful run in the forest. It was my go away present that I requested, and man o man, it is still February!!! It was so stinking cold, but no worries after about an hour and a half of running I was finally sweaty. It felt so good! I am grateful that my companions were able to put up with my exercise habits :) On Tuesday, we were able to go to a woman's house to clean her children's room and it was awesome to just clean. It felt good just to help take some weight off somebody's shoulders, even if its separating Barbies from Polly Pockets, and Hello Kitty from Legos. The next day, we visited an olderly lady, Schwester Knießel. It was wonderful to visit her, she is happy just to see a face because she is very old and has really no visitors ever. Its always sad to see them look out the window as we leave as well, but it warms my heart because people really do need love, and during this time on my mission I have been able to be that love for people, and I am so grateful for it. We then met up with Peter at a Chinese Restaurant in Friedrichsdorf. He came up to us and was hiding his left arm the entire time. I tried to peek of what he was holding and he didn't let me see. So he whipped around 3 beautiful yellow flowers and said, "Frohe Valentin's Tag." It melted my heart haha. So we went in and had dinner with him and it was cute. We just chatted about his baptism coming up and the things that he has learned along the way. His whole family will be there to support him :) And we called Präsident Schwarz to tell him, and he asked me personally where I would be on the 23rd of March, and I told him, "I don't know, I'll be in Frankfurt" and he said, "Oh I tink in Friedrichsdorf for da baptism." (In a German accent = its so cute!). Guissella is a 29 year old convert from Peru but hasn't been coming to church for quite some time. So we went over thinking we were going to practice English with her like we usually do, but as I was started to explain what a testimony was and out of now where she asked me in broken cute English, "what is your testimony?" I was caught a little off guard because she looked at me with her very intent eyes and really truly wanted to know. I told her that it took time, but I knew that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that the Book of Mormon is true and I know that from the feelings in my heart that comes through the Holy Ghost from Heavenly Father to tell me "Ya Sister Tuschling its true!!" And for the next 30-45 minutes it was just her pouring out her heart telling me that she wants one, and she wants to know for herself. During this time her English went back to German and so I switched back to German and it was amazing because that whole time I didn't have to think about what I was saying. I love how Heavenly Father helps us do things that are usually hard for us to do. It was Him in that room that night, not me, and I am grateful that I was able to be there so He could help and touch that young Peruvian heart. It was an excellent end to my life in Friedrichsdorf :) I eventually joined Frankfurt the next morning and let me tell you, we haven't stopped laughing!!! Sister Heindel is such a rock! I love her already. We just have a ball together. She just get to chatting, and bearing our testimonies and theories to each other and it brings us together. She has so much knowledge, life lessons, and love for the people here. She is an awesome teacher. I love teaching the gospel with her. She gets me. She listens. She basically is perfect and I can't believe Heavenly Father loves me so much to place me in such paradise :) It has been the fastest 4 days in my life and I am thinking these next 4 weeks are going to be so much fun and are going to fly by, so we are just enjoying the time while we have it. It is amazing how much work you can get done when you don't have to worry about anything, but the work. I see a ton of Hermana Avery in her and maybe that is why I love her so much already. She has a light and look in her eye that helps me keep going. She needs me and I need her and its awesome. So I am now working in the International Ward which is 100% in English. I haven't conversed with people at church in English in a very long time and let me tell you did it feel wonderful and I felt right at home. The ward took me in. I was asked to come up to bear my testimony and to introduce myself and I did which felt again amazing in my mother tongue!! But then so many people came up to me after the church meetings and thanked me for it. I feel so loved sometimes and I can't handle it :) But then I found out that 2 of the missionary couples here are from Wyoming!! And one set knows the Donely's back home (Branch President in my single's branch) and know the Murray's (1st councilor in the branch Presidency)! AND there is a girl from Sheridan, Wyoming who is over here for a year!! I love life!! Bis nächste Woche!! Liebe, Sister Tuschling

Happy Valentine's Day-Transfer!!

On Thursday we did some planning before I went on a split with the Mainz sisters. I went back to Mainz!!! And it was really awesome because the day I got there, it was actually the day I got to Mainz a year ago. Man was I was having flashbacks like no other!! We took the same train from Frankfurt to Mainz and floods of memories were filling my mind. I worked with Sister Marshall (she's from England!!!) for 2 days there. She picked apart my brain for people that I taught and what I did when I was there. I did my best and I hope I helped her!! And of course that wrote down the quotes that came out of her cute little mouth. A couple: "What the figgy wigget?" To every thing she liked she said, "Oh wicked!" And "Oh picketts!" How could you not love her?? Again, it was again Karnival there! I don't know if you remember but that is the holiday where everyone wears costumes!! It was so cool. I saw a lot of "cowboys," smurfs, and chickens haha. I love cultures!! I found out as well that I am again being transferred!! I will be working with Sister Heindel from Idaho!! I have a feeling we will only be together for a little bit but its going to be crazy!! Heiny and Tusch = the Bumm Sisters are going to work their bumms off!!! I am so excited!!! And we will be together on Valentine's Day. Cute nuh :) My last Sunday in Friedrichsdorf was perfect. They assigned me to talk in Sacrament about 2 or 3 weeks ago so it was perfect timing. I talked about Faith and how faith without doing something about our faith is worthless. There is a scripture James 2:17 in the bible that says, "Faith without works is dead." And I agree. So I talked about all the men in the Book of Mormon that have unwavering faith. I mentioned Nephi, Ammon, Alma, and the Brother of Jared. The thing about these men is that they had such great faith, but they also did something about it. Nephi was ordered to build a ship when there were no tools to do it, so he prayed and then went to work. He eventually built a ship that carried him, his friends, and family over to the Amerikas. Ammon was commanded to go out to preach and teach the worst of the worst people on earth and he did it. He asked the Lord for help, but he did it anyways. Alma, who was touched by the words of a dying prophet but then was commanded to teach and build up God's church, and he did it. And the Brother of Jared was also commanded to sail over the seas after building a ship, and after much time on his knees he did it. Faith without works is dead. When we have faith it moves us to do something about it. I am grateful that I was able to talk about it and to help others think about their faith and what they are doing about it. Even though I was not in the ward very long, the ward was sad to see me go. They truly think about their missionaries and love missionary work. I am grateful for my short but sweet time in Friedrichsdorf. I am so blessed that I was able to serve as a temple sister missionary, and was able to see the temple almost every day for a month and a half. Until next time!! I am sure I'll have new exciting adventures to report on in my new area and new companion. Take care. Liebe, Sister Tuschling

A busy week!

This week was kinda crazy. It all took off when PDay was over. We had an awesome lesson with a family who has a daughter and son that don't really have testimonies of the Gospel, so it felt good to really bear testimony and as I talked with the girl, her eyes met mine and I knew that she was feeling what I was feeling = Love :) It was awesome. And she came to church on Sunday and I hadn't seen her at church before! It was really great. Then the next couple days we were gone out of the apartment before 10am. It reminded me of the days in Dortmund being so busy. It was good to get out and about after being so cooped up in the apartment for two days. And we were able to meet one our new families we found!! The one with the little Bridger dog! The woman was so nice to us and let us right in. Her daughter was there and she wants to learn English so we taught her what we believe all in English and she wants us to come back!! She is so cute too. She is 18 and has the best questions concerning where we were before this life and what happens to us after we die. I love answering these questions because I know personally what happens to us. I have prayed about it, read about it, and felt that what we share has the answer to these deep, self-reflecting questions. I believe the Lord blessed us because I was so sick Saturday and Sunday because we found 4 new people to teach! Another one person we are teaching came from a person we are already teaching. Her friend is from Mexico!! Who knew how fast spanish speakers speak?!? I didn't!! And now I know because she speaks the same tempo, but in German with a heavy spanish accent!! I felt like I was brand new in the field again trying to understand what she was saying. But I fell in love with her hospitality and patience. And the other we found is a fairy tale, but at the same time 100% true! We went and took the long journey to a beautiful little city named Königstein, to contact someone who was in San Diego, California and gave her information to the missionaries there and so then we got the info to go. The address was wrong, with half of the last name. Sister Kreth and the other sisters before I came tried to find her and the house but it didn't work. Well we tried again!! And it took a lot of klingeling, knocking, and asking. We heard a lot of "neins." Actually, all we heard was no, so for me personally it was really hard to keep going. I started to lose hope, but the last house, in the dark, at the end of the street came up. I stood outside the door after I knocked and I prayed to Heavenly Father in my heart, "Please let them be home and want to hear what we share. They need Your love Heavenly Father please...." and right then a man opened up the door and so I asked if Justine was there. Not knowing if he understood because he was Chinese, and he said, "ya hold on." He left the door and I looked back to both of my companions and had a look of relief, excitement, and surprise on my face. We found her I lipped the words!! And long story short, she loved what we had to say. We are so excited to meet with her again, and to teach her the plan Heavenly Father created for us. I love it!!! We are going to leave a Book of Mormon with her today so she can read it. She already knows what we want, and knows that we pray in the beginning and at the end of our appointments, and she already prayed with us when she doesn't even believe in God. We are so excited to meet these people again and invite them to baptism :) From this experience, it really opened up my eyes to how hard thing can get before the break of the storm comes. I was losing faith, I was getting discouraged, but the whole time Heavenly Father wanted me to hold strong, because he knew we would find her. I love this work!! We also were able to go on some splits this week!! We were with the Düsseldorf sisters and it went so good! Sister Smith is from Nebraska and let me tell you, girls from Wyoming and Nebraska must be a different brand of folk :) She is legit! I was able to go out with her and I learned so much. She is so hard working and ready to do what it takes to bring people closer to Christ. I love her excitment and determination. And one family we by on, I feel like we really helped them, and can continue to help them as we go back. Their daughter, the 16 year old, was the sweetest thing ever, and absorbed everything we had to say. Sister Smith knows what scriptures to use, even though she made me read them because she doesn't trust her pronounciation haha, and she doesn't fear that her German isn't good enough. She talks, no matter how bad it sounds, she still talks and bears strong testimony. I wish I could have been that bold and brave when I was 2 months here in Germany. It is really inspiring to see and I am really excited to see all the sisters coming here in a month. If they are as tough and gung ho about the work like Sister Smith is, the mission is in good hands and the whole country will be baptized soon :) And we also went on some amazing runs when we were together and I hadn't breathed that hard and sweat that much in a long time :) I love this work!! Schöne Woche!! Liebe, Sister Tuschling