Welcoming Sister Davis to HERNE!!!

4th transfer and 4th companion!! Well like you all heard last time I got the call that I was training and so in the middle of this week Sister Williams and I said our last goodbyes (we spent the night doing facials and talking and ugly dancing... good times) then I headed up to Frankfurt (a 3 hour bus ride) and met up with all the other trainers. That was a fun adventure- once we got to Frankfurt we hopped a couple different streetcars (strassebahns) and got to the Frankfurt Chapel where we had dinner with all the new Goldens (newly arrived missionaries)! There are 4 sisters that came in with this group- they were sooo jet-lagged it was hilarious talking to them because it was never in complete sentences!

That night we had our Trainers meeting with President and the AP's. I took soo many notes. But I think the biggest thing that stood out to me was some advice that Sister Taylor told me before. She said, "Sister Shurts, the most important thing is to follow the spirit and be yourself- because you love this work and when your golden sees that she will learn to love the work, too."

That night we slept at a hotel! the Marriott... oh yeah! Then the next morning we all had a delicious breakfast and went into the meeting room with all the Goldens- we recapped a lot of what we talked about in our Training meeting-  Theeeeennnn. They said they would be announcing the companionships. Last time they started with the elders so I started messing with my papers not expecting anything, when all of a sudden the first name they call is "Sister Shurts!" I was so surprised I dropped my papers and bolted up and kind of squealed, "AH that’s me!!" haha it was embarrassing. But I introduced myself and that I was in Herne! which is the best Gemeinde (ward) in Germany because it is. And then they held up the picture of my Golden and announced, "Sister Shurts will be serving with SISTER DAVIS!" AHHH I've got a Golden!! Sister Davis is a cutie. Sisters can serve at any age- and Sister Davis is no exception! She is 32... she was in high school when I was 2! - I think it is so cool that she made the decision to serve even though she is older. We talked the whole way home (about 3 hours) and she owns goats, and chickens and loves Doctor Who and draws- so we are basically the same person.

While in Frankfurt we went to the Hauptbahnhof (central trainstation) for transfers! It was a lot of fun to see people again for the first time in 3 months. Sister Blackhurst was there- she got called to be a sister training leader this transfer! I'm soo happy for her. She kind of freaked out with me when I told her I'm training and that it feels kind of weird to train someone 12 years older than me haha she laughed and then gave me a hug and told me they have the best sister for the job. We'll see in 12 weeks haha.

Our first few days together have been great- Golden Power is real. That is what we call having someone new on their mission. We have talked to so many people and already got someone’s information!

While we were on a bus to visit some members we met an old man- he was on crutches and so I asked him if he broke his foot. He went off and off about some story where he broke his hip and had to have his leg shortened. We then started talking about how there is hope with God- and he said he couldn't see any hope. I was so grateful that I had the spirit with me, because I immediately thought of Ether 12:4 and read that to him. I then told him that he could keep the book of Mormon. He was so touched. He told me that he hadn't met a nice young lady like me in years- if it was polite to say so. We then told him that we could visit him and share our message with him. He was soo excited and gave us his address and his name and wrote a big "Danke" at the bottom. He then gave me his pen!

I also met  a German Mountain Man on the bus. He had the biggest beard and so naturally I had to talk to him! He said he owns a wolf in Yellow Stone... and he goes with Rangers to track it down, and this year he is going to give it a hug. (What?) He also plays Santa Claus at Christmas time and in the summer he goes to medieval festivals as a knight! I gave him our card and a Book of Mormon. Hopefully he calls!

Anyways, that was my crazy week! Sorry it was soo long, but I am excited to see what this next transfer will bring. I love you all!!

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

From the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

Sister Williams and I enjoying some CurryWurst. sooo good!!! 

last pictures with Sister Williams

goodbye pics with the district!

 

From left to right: My Golden Sister Davis (my daughter or the one I'm training), Me, Sister Williams (my mom or my trainer) and Sister McMurray (my grandmother or Sister Williams trainer). 4 Generations! ha ha What!! 

Herne Missionaries, and the replacements... *tear...sob* 

SISTER DAVIS and me - our first selfie

I took this picture as we were walking to an appointment in Marl- #missionary life