Guess Who's in GERMANY??? -- July 16

MUTTI!!! 

That's right, I am officially emailing you from the church computer in GERMANY! So, President must like me because I got assigned to the BEST area, Zwickau! If you are trying to find that on the map, I am in south eastern Germany, sort of near Leipzig, Hof and Dresden. Oh man, it is the coolest area. The locals probably think I am crazy because I can't stop looking at everything, its just the biggest culture shock! At the same time, it still doesn't seem real that I'm on a different continent than home. This week has just been insanely good and I'm never ever ever ever coming home. Sorry. ok jk but for real no.

So I guess you heard about my first day! The plane trip really was not bad at all. I was pretty tired and sick on the flight to Chicago but I got some medicine and the flight to Frankfurt was great. I slept a little bit, but I mostly studied and talked to the missionaries and flight attendants. We were on a Lufthansa so they were all German. Food was good, pasta and salad. It was funny, they loved helping us out with grammar questions or pronouncing words, we made great friends! Our little one hour flight was good too, I talked to a man next to me the entire time about the church and it turns out his company actually works with church distribution of bibles in German. Small world. The rest of the day was HARD. I was officially awake (besides 2 hours total of napping, plus I only got 3ish hours the night before) for a total of 36 hours. I have never been so tired in my entire life. When we did baptisms at the Freiberg Temple, I was in the last row of people to go. Finally I stood up and told myself I was not allowed to sit back down until it was my turn. It was effective, and since everyone else was falling asleep too, I went very last. Wow that was real strength. But that nights sleep was the best nights sleep I've ever had in my entire life. 10 hours and I did not move one bit from start to finish. Next time that'll happen will be about a year and a half haha!

The next day, after an awesome morning run, we finally got down to business. Now I'm sure the President likes me, because I got assigned to have Sister Alton as my trainer! Man, she is just so cool. We get along really well. We took the train back to Zwickau from Freiberg, and it was a good hour and a half ride so we got to know each other a bit. She has a crazy life! She moved a total of 26 times in her life before her mission, the last one being Guam where Hannah is serving! After the train ride we were going to catch a bus to our place, but we ran into a family in our ward! I quickly realized that I had no idea what they were saying (don't worry, that will be the theme of this email), but they were there to surprise us and pick us up! Sister Alton has been here for 4 transfers now (this is actually her last transfer here! Talk about a newborn and a grandma companionship haha!) so she is really close with the members of the ward. This family especially. So we got back to our apartment and ITS SO NICE. Man, the sisters really do have it nice, let me tell you. I unpacked and we got stuff situated and went to ward choir! It was funny, we made up the entire soprano section. I'm glad sister Thorpe made me go to MTC choir so I could practice a bit.

Every day since has been awesome. There are ups and downs, and honestly a mission is really hard, but I won't let it get to me! I had my first lesson on Thursday with an awesome investigator named Phil. Before meeting with us, he read everything on mormon.org and visited SLC, and he set a baptismal date the first week of meeting with the missionaries! HE IS SO READY! I didn't really know what to expect, but we met him at the church to teach him the lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said the opening prayer, and I just felt a feeling rush through my entire body I had never felt before. I didn't understand all that he said, but the Spirit was invited so strongly to our lesson that it brought me to tears. You know me, I hardly ever cry! It was a great lesson, and he pretty much taught us to the whole time. He's funny.

The rest of the week consisted of visiting less actives, delivering letters and getting to know the ward. I'm not kidding at all when I say everyone in the ward is related. It's seriously like 3 families that all married each other and generations all live in the same houses (apartments). When we say ward family, we mean it literally around here ahah! Actually though, our area of Zwickau is really the Blaine of Germany. We live about 30 minutes by bus outside of Innenstadt (the center of Zwickau) and it just a nice little town. 

Saturday was a treat. It rained in the morning so we had to push the plans back, but our ward went on a Fahrradtour! That's basically just like a big huge bike ride. We planned on 20 km, but somehow it ended up being 36 [22 miles]. Yeah, I definitely felt the difference the next day... It was so fun and was great to get some real exercise. I was also impressed by all the little 8ish year old kids that did it too. It was really good for me to practice my German and get to know the ward. I tried SO hard to talk to these people. I already love them so much, I feel like family. The older generation tends to not know English very well, yet they even tried when I didn't know how to say things. It was great and I know that I am going to love it here.

My first Sunday was crazy. Everyone loves the sister missionaries here, so naturally everyone knew that I was coming. I had to stand up and introduce myself in every single meeting, including going to PV (primary). Sacrament meeting was good, and surprisingly basically everyone in the ward told me is was perfect German. I didn't believe them, but if they were right, it was definitely the Spirit doing his job hahahahah! As Sunday went on, and we went to the bishops house after church for lunch, I realized I don't know very much German at all. After like 4 straight hours of not understanding people and feeling kind of silly, honestly I got a bit discouraged. Looking back on yesterday, I can already laugh. How silly is it to think that I've only been here for 6 days and I expect to be fluent?! I quickly humbled myself before I was struck by lightning or something.

Also pday was cool. We ran around Innenstadt and wound up at a thrift store. Somehow I ended up in a leopard jumpsuit.... No idea how. Also, I found a Laura Ingalls Wilder type dress and took a picture. Literally everyone I meet says, "OH! Like the Ingalls people in the show!" Yeah, they all thought it was a fictional story but I have no idea how to tell them otherwise. Lol I'll work on that one. We also got some great sushi, actually, the only sushi I've ever had! I got a spring roll and something I couldn't pronounce, it was like chicken with avocado and cucumber. It was super cheap and amazing. Yeah, we will be hitting that up every pday.  Döners and berliners are a tradition to try, but they are ehh and actually the expensive chocolate is ehh too. [not really her favorite in America either]

All in all, I'm so happy. I find so much joy in waking up every morning to do something for a righteous cause. I want to be here. Not everyone figures that out so fast, but I did yesterday. I quickly realized how much I love these people and this work, and that Christ fills in all that I can't do. I know I can't say everything I want to right now, but my hope is that everyone that I talk to feels that I care about them. In a lot of ways, I feel like Moses, who was worried that he couldn't do hard things because he was scared of his own faults. But I decided last night, that I don't care if I can't speak perfect German because that isn't why I am here. I am here to bring hope to these people that they have the chance to turn their guilt and worry around through their Savior. I'm here to help them build a relationship with their Heavenly Father and with Jesus Christ, because not very many people know that you actually can and it will actually make a difference in your day to day life! Ugh, I just weep at the thought that the knowledge that I have of my Savior through the scriptures and my personal prayer. I also weep at the thought that I get to bring this message to God's children!

I love you parents, and I'm sorry I only had time to write one! I will actually have a bit more time next week, so I'll make sure to get to everyone else as well.

Please relay the following:
Grandma and Grandpa Weekley: I just LOVE you! Thank you both for the wonderful emails that you sent me. It's good to hear that you're enjoying summer. Actually, you're both retired so life is a party to you... Anyway, I hope that you're doing well! Grandma, my hair is growing and stronger than ever! I can't even believe it. I guess never dancing and putting my hair in a bun pays off. You were right about tying it up! Grandpa: Get to work in the garage, 'nuff said. Haha I'm kidding, but remember you said you'd have that car thoroughly worked on by the time I got home. Follow the counsel of the prophet and "do not procrastinate the day of your repentance" ;-) I love you both!

Sara and fam: Your email was just the CUTEST! I loved the pictures, I showed off my cute little cousins to all of my MTC friends. I'm glad you had fun on the lake and up north with the fam. Hope all is going well, and give my mommy a great big squeeze for me (leg lift is also a must)!

Emily: I loved the letter you sent me!! You should be getting one soon. I wrote it at like 1 am before leaving the MTC, so I'm just praying that I wrote the right address down. If not, one of your neighbors will feel very loved. Hope all is going well, give my mom a hug for me! Love you so much!!

Boys except Tanner: yo. shoot me a one sentence email to let me know you're alive.

Tanner: Thank you for the letter and I'm sorry I didn't have time to write you back. You are just the best. Oh p.s. marry my trainer she's a babe.

                  

Love you a million (chicken) sushi rolls! Keep the questions coming, its helpful!

Love, Sister Macey Ingalls