The Journey Continues

This week was a good one. We were able to teach a lot which is always a good thing and we had some good experiences! The weather has been cooling off, which is both good and bad :) I am usually comfortable now wearing a sweater or cardigan around all day. Its not cold enough that I need a coat or jacket yet. I guess that in the winter the sun sets at 3:30 and rises at 8.... I'm enjoying the sun while I have it (if its out :P)!

We had a huge miracle this week! On Monday night were were headed to an appointment which luckily/unfortunately she stood us up for. We walked past 2 Chinese guys sitting in the grass and we went up to them and gave them a mormon.org.uk website. It was so cool because one of them started talking and said he knew a little bit about us. His friend from China studying in another area of England had just started meeting with the missionaries! His friend had explained a lot to him about the plan of salvation and our purpose here on earth. Really cool right? So we asked if we could share more of our message with him and his friend and they said yes! We meant sometime in the future, but they didn't so they said sit down! So we sat down in the grass with them and had a first lesson with them. It was seriously so cool. Heavenly Father truly does answer prayers! We had been praying for new investigators, and 2 just fell into our lap! There names are T2 and H and they both just got here from china on the 9th of August. They are both pursuing masters degrees at the University of Birmingham. 

The miracle continues! We were teaching T on Tuesday and I just randomly asked him if he knows either of them because T has struck up quite the business helping Chinese students coming in find housing. T knew  T2 because he helped him find housing for this upcoming year. It is the coolest miracle ever because T has a solid testimony of the church and is well incorporated into the young single adult scene at church so he can help fellowship T2 (which is super funny because T hasn't even been baptized yet!) We were also able to teach T2 and H on Friday and had a good lesson on faith. We spent a half hour on Alma 32:26-27 explaining all the words in there and what they meant. It was pretty cool to dissect the verses with them so they could understand what they meant. I hadn't really thought about the usage of certain words, but it was pretty radical for them because its Old English and so it doesn't follow the same patterns and things they learn in English class. We walked up to church on Sunday together with T and T2 (H didn't come unfortunately) and they had a good time. T always enjoys church though :) 

Funny story: On Saturday morning we had a really long conversation with a Muslim woman we had given a book of Mormon to about 3 weeks ago. She and her husband had actually read the assigned chapter too. I don't know what will come of it, because they are pretty staunchly Muslim and very firm in their beliefs, but they are curious and do want to read it. And, if they read it and read it will real intent, they will then know the book it true, which would be so cool! It was probably one of the more interesting conversations I've had (and I've had lots) but I felt like I learned a lot and it really helped me think about and re-confirm my testimony of the Book of Mormon. 

We also had zone meeting (happens once a transfer) and it was really good. The theme was "Rising to your Potential". It was the perfect topic because we can only become the missionaries(or people) we need to be as we recognize our goals and vision for what we want to happen.

This upcoming Sunday K, a 9-year old we have been working with is going to be baptized! Yay!! I am so happy :) I love that family so much- they have truly touched my heart and I have grown with them. There will be a picture next week. We had to push T baptismal date back a week because of Stake Conference, but he is still solid.

The church is true! There is so much good all around us and there is so much good that we can do as we rely on the Lord to consecrate our efforts and show us the way. I have started studying a Christlike attribute for 5 min of my personal study each day and it has been so rewarding. I challenge you all to do it :) I have already learned so much! 

I love you all! Thanks for your continued love and support :)

 Sister R

Sister Sopi and Sister Roscher on Monday night- the day of miracles ;)

All the sisters in the zone- there are six of them now!

oscher

Week 16

Family! 

I was so glad to hear from you all this week! :) It is so weird to think that school will be starting soon! The whole summer is pretty much gone. It seems surreal being on the mission. 

This week has been a lot better than last week! Last week I felt pretty overwhelmed but this week I was taught that with the help of Heavenly Father I can do hard things. We were able to have some really good lessons! We met with S, T and a few other investigators. Unfortunately not all of them, but we will keep on trying. Both lessons we had with T this week were really good. He just gets it. And he asks amazing questions! We were teaching him about prophets and he asked how a prophet was chosen. When we explained it to him he thought for a minute, nodded his head and said "That makes sense. I want to meet one of these men who are so experienced." (Referring to the Quorum of the 12 and First Presidency). We also taught him a whole lesson on prayer and it was was cool because he came up with his own analogy in the middle of the lesson about prayer and aligning our will with God's. And it related to the NBA too, which is his favourite :) 

S has set a baptismal date for Sept 15 and we are still working with him to quit smoking and come to church. S has so much to gain from the gospel of Jesus Christ, he just needs to have the courage to do hard things and the faith that God will be with him as he does this. 

This week Sister Sopi and I got to know one another better and I think we are going to work well together. We have had quite a few laughs too. 

Two funny things: On Saturday night we were headed home for the night and going to do a little finding around our flat (it was around 8:30) when I gave a pass-a-long card to 2 men sitting on a bench by a pond. We ended up having a twenty-minute conversation with them! They were drinking unfortunately (everyone drinks here!) but they weren't too drunk. Regardless, it was a really great chance to practice teaching on the street and we actually had a really good conversation about the Plan of Salvation, the purpose of life and the Atonement. It was really interesting, but I found it really exhilarating because I was fulfilling my purpose as a missionary. I was able to teach and testify of Christ to someone who would listen. And even though they were drunk they recognized us as servants of God and stopped swearing around us. I can't fully put into words the experience, but it was cool.

So, we have a lot of Chinese recent converts in our ward (they are all amazing!) and after a baptism on Sunday (the other sisters had a Chinese university student be baptized) we were talking to them. One of them said, "What is the significance of your ring? All of the missionaries have them." He was referring to my CTR ring on my right ring finger. There were four others standing there, and they all asked too. I started to talk about how CTR meant choose the right. I came to find out in China they wear the wedding ring on the right ring finger so all of the Chinese converts thought all the missionaries were married! haha 

Also, I forgot to tell you, but two weeks ago, I ate sheep liver! Aren't you proud of me? I didn't gag or anything. It was actually pretty good! 

Heavenly Father has helped us out a lot this week! As I have humbled myself (and been humbled) I have been able to listen to the promptings of the Spirit more and say things in lessons that people really needed to hear. I think this week was the first time I have felt the spirit literally put words into my mouth as I have taught and testified. It was a really cool experience, and I hope that I can strive always to live so the Lord can make me a better instrument in his hands. 

I was reading in Alma, in the war chapters, and in Alma 43:9-12 the Nephites were preparing to go to war against the Lamanites. The Nephites (especially Captain Moroni) knew what they were fighting for, and they knew what they had to lose if they lost the fight. So I made a list of the things I am fighting for as a missionary, and what I have to lose if I do not keep the faith and continue to war against Satan. It was an enlightening experience. I have so much to fight for than I thought I did! I invite you all to do it if you get the chance. but instead fill it in with something relevant to you. Like what do I have to fight for as a mother, father, sister, home evening mom, member of the church etc. It really motivated me and helped me focus on why we keep fighting against Satan, and what we lose if we stop.

I am so grateful for your love and support! 

Sister Roscher

And here's some pictures:

This is our "family" picture. In the mission the trainer is the mother, the trainee the child etc.

So, Sister Mueller who has been out 9 months trained Sister miller for 2 transfers. Then she trained sister Dodds. Sister Miller trained me and now sister Dodds and I are both training. So it started with Sister Mueller and now she has two children, two grandchilren and a great-grandaughter! (Sister Sopi) 

Abbey road... not THE Abbey road, but A Abbey road :)

Week 15

Family! 

This week was an adventure, that's for sure! Monday was Sister Miller's birthday, so we had a district pizza and ice cream gathering at the chapel and we had a good time.  Tuesday we had lessons with a lot of people so that Sister Miller could see them one last time. It was cool to see how much people loved and respected her for her work in Harborne. She is now a sister training leader in charge of the Valley (Merthyr-Tydvale) with a car! Tuesday night and Wednesday morning were very bitter-sweet, that is for sure! 

Wednesday morning we trekked up to the mission home to await our new companions. It is always fun to be at the mission office because there are so many other missionaries! There are now 260 in the England Birmingham mission. We are now the biggest mission in the UK. This incoming group of missionaries had 27 elders and 8 sisters. 5 of the 8 sisters are ESL (English as a second language). And, guess what? My new companion, Sister Sopi, is from Paris, France!!! (ooh-la-la) She has taught me a few French words and my accent is terrible, but I have 12 weeks to get better! She is going to be a good missionary, and I am excited to be her companion. Heavenly Father put us together for a reason, and we are going to learn and grow a lot together. 

This week we had a hard time meeting with our investigators, but I have faith this week will be better. I felt bad because her first Saturday in the field we spent almost the whole day finding and tracting. But hey- its part of missionary work! 

This week has been even more humbling than last week (and last week was pretty humbling) but the Lord will help me. There is no way I can do this alone. We will work hard together and we will find, teach and baptize. 

T is still amazing, and he is well on his way to baptism. We also were able to meet with S. At the moment we are trying to help him overcome smoking and get him church. It is slow going, but he is changing. He has taught me so much. I was supposed to teach S, he has helped change me. He is a child of God, and he needs the gospel. Teaching him is always a cool experience because the Spirit is so strong. I continue to wait upon the Lord, and him, and have faith that he can change. Right now S is relying heavily on our belief of what he can become and what the Lord has is store for him. When he finally believes in it himself, and that he can stop smoking and that the atonement is for him too then we will see his progress leap. 

This week, I am especially grateful for the Savior and his atonement. I have frequently had those "should have had a V8" moments, but it is ok. Because the atonement is available to me as I live the gospel of Jesus Christ. It will be ok. I will make mistakes and I will learn and then not make them again. Heavenly Father will never give us more than we can handle- I know it. The Book of Mormon is incredible. It gives us the full truths which we need in order to progress and return to live with Heavenly Father. What a blessing! 

The Church is True! Being on a mission is such a blessing. Thank you for your love and support! 

Zone conference. We take lots of goofy pictures... this is one of my favourites for some reason! 

Our indian dresses! Aren't they gorgeous?! We got a WAY good deal on them because of Ramadan.

Sister Roscher

New Companion

We don't know much about Sister Roscher's new companion, but we do have a picture of them together (courtesy of the mission blog, http://ebmission.blogspot.com/ if you have a little extra time on your hands and want to see what's happening in the Birmingham mission). Sister Roscher is training her new companion, or teaching her how to be a missionary. I'll post more when I know more!

Trials and Triumphs

Family! 

This week has been absolutely insane. And very formative! 

So. T didn't get baptized this week. Way sad basically. When he was in his baptismal interview on Tuesday they got to the last question (Do you feel ready?) and he said no. He talked to his parents in China and they flipped about him being baptized after only meeting with us for one month... They want him to wait a little longer before he gets baptized. It was really sad. He knows its true. When we were talking with him and our District Leader he said he believes everything we are teaching him is true. That this is the true church etc. He has committed to live all the commandments (even tithing!) and he is ready. However, because he feels like he needs to appease his parents we had to reschedule his date for Sept 8 (over a month away!) It was a hard experience. Especially because we are supposed to have a baptism every transfer and we have't had any in 2.  However, I got a blessing this week (because of that and some other exciting news I will tell you) and in the blessing it said that T will be baptized and the day he is will not be a day he forgets soon. That helped my heart take courage. He is amazing! He was mad we didn't tell him it was fast Sunday and he ate breakfast. That is the kind of man T is a kingdom builder.

Wednesday night I got a call from President  Rasmussen and he extended the call to me to train for the next 2 transfers (this means she'll be teaching the new missionaries how to be missionaries). AHH! I didn't think I would be training so soon because so many sisters have now finished their training and are all candidates for being trainers. I feel humbled, blessed, excited, terrified and a whole host of other feelings! 

Thursday was Zone conference so we traveled to the mission home and had a good time. The theme was- Faith: The Power that is Centered in Jesus Christ. It was really amazing. Everything in missionary work relates back to our faith. finding people to teach, teaching them, baptizing,  and being obedient, hard-working missionaries. President Rasmussen told us this: "Faith in Jesus Christ is the source of desire, the soul of great courage, and the driving power of diligence." Pretty epic right? I think is sums up pretty well faith in missionary work. He also talked about the 5 doors to centering our lives on Christ. 1:  Prayer, 2: Immersing ourselves in the scriptures, 3: Charity, 4: Humility, Repentance, Renewal, 5: Keeping and remembering our covenants. All in all it was really good!

Friday I trekked back to the mission home (on exchange-ish) for the trainer meeting. President outlined our responsibility as trainers and we dissected the white handbook (A book full of rules and guidelines for missionaries) under gospel leadership. It was a really good meeting, but left me feeling pretty intimidated. There are a lot of things I struggle with as a missionary and that I need to be better at. In the blessing I received it told me I was supposed to know that this is what Heavenly Father wants me doing right now (training). There are 6 of the 11 girls I came to the field with that are training as well, so I am definitely not alone. I know that those whom the Lord calls He will qualify. I think that my experience training will be very challenging but very good. When talking to other sisters who have trained right after they finished being trained, they all say that my growth with double or triple because it has to in order to keep the work moving forward. Basically the only way I am going to be able to be a good trainer is through the enabling power of the atonement and 100% focus on my purpose: finding, teaching, and baptizing. One of my new favourite quotes from zone conference is " Saying I can't is saying He can't." 

I am sad to be losing Sister Miller. She has been an incredible trainer and has taught me SO much. I am so grateful for these past 3 months I have had with her. We experienced and grown so much together. We've laughed, we've cried and we've done everything in between.  I am so grateful for her example. I hope that I can be as good of a trainer as she has been to me. 

Although this week has been a challenge, with some pretty big disappointments I have felt my love for my Savior burn brighter than it ever has before. Even in the hard times, He still blessed us so much.  There are tender mercies all around us, we just have to recognize them! All things said and done: I wouldn't trade this week for anything. I have learned SO much, and felt SO much. I wouldn't trade coming on a mission for anything either. 

The Church is true, this is God's work, and He loves ALL of His children!   

Also, I received 2 packages this week! Best day ever! Nothing like the love and support of family to keep me going! 

I forgot my camera cord, so no pictures this week. Sorry! I promise I'll send some of me and my new companion next week though! 

Thank you for all your love and support! 

Sister Roscher

I found these pictures from zone conference on the mission blog :)