Trio Life is Fun! - (Aug 19 - Group Email)

Trio life is FUN!! We had a blast this week.

     This week I had many opportunities to teach and to be taught. Someone I've worked with for 6 months now has experienced a "change of heart" as Alma described in the Book of Mormon. We had an amazing lesson, and she wants to do as her Savior Jesus Christ did and be baptized in His name! I felt that change of heart as she bore her testimony of the reality of the Savior's Atonement making her clean. Second chances for all that want them, and this wonderful lady is an example to me of reaching out to the Savior in faith.

     Time never seems to be on my side while writing emails… Well, enjoy some extra pictures! 😄

-Sister Ingalls

Trioooo!

Sis Baldock introduced us to Turkish chocolate...

Soccer today with Dahlem league!

The Bensons are leaving the office, we will miss them☹

I Love You a Million German Language Studies! - Aug 19

Mom!!
What an eventful week! The pictures of the lake that Dad sent me were so beautiful, I got a little bit of lake longing from it haha! It's like you got to go on a mini vacation. I even remember that cute malt shop in Duluth, they have great ice cream! I am convinced that Germany has the best ice cream though. Just sayin 💁‍♀️

Awhh I would love a voice recording from you and Tanner, that would make my whole week :) 

Also, thanks for the little picture quote you sent me this week! I drew it and hung it up on my wall. I've been thinking about that a bit this week. How can I be happier with myself? How can I feel really good about the work I'm doing? The answer came pretty simply, the same words President Hinckley's father wrote to him: forget yourself and go to work. Sometimes it's hard because I want members to love me and know I'm there for them and I want to make the big difference in the lives of the people we teach, but the reality is it's really not about me. It doesn't matter if I see these people baptized or not (I worry about getting transferred), but it's all about focusing on others and forgetting my own worries. 

The next thing I'm trying to work on is to let others shine. Ideas come to my mind and I feel good about them and share them and want to make that happen, but sometimes that leaves me stressed thinking its all on me. So I'm trying to learn right now how to depend on others and not get stressed by them making mistakes and just letting them shine. I really need to learn that, baby sibling syndrome has a stronger hold on me that I thought!

Hannah F. and her boyfriend look so cute! She is so cute, I'm really happy for her. Tia is the RS president? That's so good! She's amazing and definitely does a wonderful job. Maybe I'll visit her once. Singles wards terrify me though hahha.

I'm sorry about your knees! That's not good. That must be really painful having the screw sticking out. Why don't you get the surgery to fix it? It won't get better and otherwise will just be painful the rest of your life. Surgery doesn't have to be a scary thing, those doctors definitely know what they're doing :) Pray about it!

Oooh have so much fun with the boys! Aghh I just love them so much, give them the biggest squeeze for me. I talk so highly of them to everyone, my family is awesome! Take pictures and just enjoy their company. Have you already met Logan's girlfriend (is it spelled Brianne?) When are they going to get engaged? I'm excited for them to get married, thats really cute and I hope they are happy together. Have they talked about when they want to get married, like winter or spring or what? I gotta get in wedding shape! 😉

You know how you've given me the advice basically my whole life that I take on more than I can handle? I finally humbled myself this week. I was very prayerful about it, and I felt very at peace with leaving the Arabic program and not studying it anymore. The classes were very ineffective lately and I felt myself dropping behind and feeling bad and just feeling like Arabic was a burden. Plus, my German was kinda going downhill! And I really love German! So I called the group leader yesterday and officially stopped. I feel so good! For the past few days I've been studying German again and I just LOVE it! I really have so much love for this language. This was divine, God knew how much joy this language would bring me! So I will just focus on German for the next 2 transfers. I'm so happy about that. I think it'll probably be useful. Funny thing is, I just got my Arabic nametags last week! So I guess I just have a trophy for what I did accomplish. I mean I can have pretty basic conversations and teach the first lesson! That's pretty cool in and of itself. Arabic is hard but I loved it a lot. Maybe I'll take a class at school, who knows! I also just thought, focusing on German for 2 transfers will help me prepare for the test to get the German credits at BYU! That will be really cool.

P.S. I'm also working on not speaking danglish (deutsch english) so I either speak one or the other. It's hard! I have learned some new English words! I totally forgot about the word "strenuous" haha. "Anstrengt" hört sich besser an.

I had a really good week this week. Milica decided to be baptized in a month! I've worked with her for almost 6 months, and she is completely different this time! I really think she's going to do it this time. She was in the hospital for 10 days and couldn't smoke, and honestly, that was a blessing to kick start her into quitting. God works in mysterious ways. She did ask us if we prayed for her to get sick😂 she's a funny one. I mean we just prayed for her to stop smoking and God worked his plan soooo kinda? Whoops sorry Milica!

I went on exchange with Sister Bowler and Sister Barker was with too! The cool thing is that we were all in the same mtc group, and we were able to reminisce about everything that's happened over the past year. It's been really cool to see how much we've changed. I really really appreciate my mission, hard times and all. I've learned so much and just had the best time! I'm mentally preparing myself for transfer calls on Saturday. As much as I dont want to admit it, I think I'm awaiting a new challenge. It'd be good but my heart hurts thinking about the remote possibility of leaving these wonderful people. Ah this area has been amazing!

We are just chilling again today. The older you get on your mission the more exhausted you are by pday! I will forever have mercy on the missionaries on Sunday, that day is so hard and we are just so tired! Love em up!

Have just the best week ever! I love you a million German language studies!😁😊🤓

Love, Sister Ingalls Jr.

Funny Conversation With Mom 💕

Oh please please please send me some pictures! 📷 I think I will die without them! 💀 Some are better than none. It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve received any and I spent the best part of a day one day ☀️ 🌙 saving all your files of pictures from Google Drive so you’d be able to clear room for more! 👀
I am a desperate woman!!!!!! 😂
💕MOM

I will have some! For now enjoy me eating my coconut curry soup at the moment, writing you ;-)

ADORABLE!!!!! You are the cutest thing ever! I love seeing that sweetface!!! Best Monday Morning ever!!🤗😏🤪🥣

Now im writin' you on the bus!

I'm writing you from the car!

Neukölln Throws Yet Another Curveball - (Aug 12 - Group Email)

This area has been quite the experience. From learning about leadership, to getting the Turks, to now getting another companion!! Sister Barker joined us last week, we have had a blast.

Top 5:
-Sister Barkers investigator was baptized on Saturday!
-Mishell is doing amazing, and now her brother asked to learn and be baptized!
-8 of our friends came to church on Sunday, it was a miracle we controlled the slight chaos! #blessings
-on exchanges in Leest, we did a street display and I was very humbled by mean people haha it was awesome
-ZOKO! Learned so much, felt the spirit and ate pizza. 10/10 day

Have a happy week! Sister Macey Ingalls

Pday last week in Potsdam!

I'm Happy, I'm Good, I'm Learning - Aug 12

Hey Mom!
Life is goooood! Man we've seen some cool miracles this week. God is just raining his blessings down on us.
I loved walking in the Bunker Beach lazy river! I think I did that with Alana and Mara a long time ago. How fun! I feel like water is just exhausting! Like, you know when we go to the beach and you're just draaaained after the day? Yes.

Nash is so cute and so dang chunky haha. He still looks very babyish so that's good. Start teaching him how to say Macey so I can get a head start on being the favorite cousin!!

Haha funny things happened this week. Neukölln has DEFINITELY been an adventure for sure😂 learning this STL thing, getting the Turks, finding out Sister Baldock is going to Bulgaria and now... we got a new companion! We are now a trio, how fun is that?! So the short story: Sister Barker and Sheffield were our sister training leader trainers, and they serve on the other side of Berlin in Dahlem by the mission home. Well, they decided with President Leimer that their position wasn't really needed or stated in the white handbook so they were going to be released at the end of the transfer anyway. Super sad, but its all good. Then a sister on the other side of the mission had to sadly go home, and Sister Sheffield got blitzed (or just suddenly sent there in between transfers) to replace her. Sister Barker was comps with the sister going home for a day or two, but then President Leimer prayed about it and needed her here! We are pumped, we love Sister Barker!

So that happened Friday morning, so we have been enjoying the past couple of days! It's really fun, it's an adjustment, it's good. We got to go to the baptism for one of the people they have been teaching the next day, that was really special! That would be hard to suddenly leave your area and each other the week of the baptism, but they are such champs about it.

We also cleaned their apartment after to prep for a senior couple coming in. Thanks for teaching me how to edge clean! It was a good time and such a blessing because they have a bunch of extra skirts from older sisters that are still pretty nice, so I packed those up for Katheryn and her sisters! They don't have a lot of church clothes and things are a bit crazy for their family right now. They'll be excited to get those.

Ahhh then we met with the lovely Mishell. I love her so much! I really hope and pray I get to see her get baptized. I'm not sure if I'll stay another transfer now, but I know it's in Gods plan and it will be okay. She's so receptive to the gospel. She loved the plan of salvation! I love teaching that. It made me realize this time around that we are just one stage ahead of the premortal life in our existence, and I really need to think more in an eternal perspective! The little things that block me or frustrate me really don't matter in the long run. You know the spirit taught the lesson when you, the teacher, learn something too! It was so good.

We had 8 people at church this week! EIGHT! EIGHT CHILDREN OF GOD COMING BACK TO HIM! It was so amazing. Mishell and her siblings came, it was so cute. They loved it. It was a little crazy, because President and Sister Leimer visited as well! They are taking care of a sick sister in our zone so their companionship came to our ward too. Let's just say the ward was very confused 😂

Today was awesome and we just chilled. It was nice to just clean up the apartment and lounge and talk. Good times.

Yesterday night we finished our weekly planning. At the end of weekly planning, you always do comp inventory. Its really good and teaches us to talk openly. At the end I like to do something called "3 Nice Things". I learned it from one of my tausch sisters, and its just like the title. It was fun to give them to Sister Barker then to give them to Sister Baldock, but when it came to me... ugh it's hard sometimes to accept compliments but this was impossible! Satan works so hard on me. I realized then that I've been trying to improve myself so much, that in the past week I haven't said a single nice thing about myself! That was a hard realization and made me super sad and cry. Well, I had a long, long talk with God last night on our balcony. It was really good. Sometimes I feel like life it going so fast, it's easy to not take the chance to really talk with God. That leaves room for Satan to come in and try to tell me things I know aren't true. It's so good to talk with my Heavenly Father. I feel like He just let me talk and then when I felt I was done, I had a really good feeling like, "That's all I needed to know". Some special experiences are either best told in person or kept private, and this was a really special one. I'll write it down to maybe share it at a later time.

Slightly related, didn't you receive a promise a long time ago that Parker would be with us missionaries while we were serving or what was that? It's true :)

I'm doing really well. I'm happy I'm good I'm learning. I love hearing that you are doing well and what you're feeling so thanks for the wonderful emails as always :) Enjoy the time with Tanner! Make a voice recording together! I would love that more than anything. Eeek Teresa looks SO cute! Will the baby be born in Idaho.? What are they going to do for the holidays?

I love you a million talks with Heavenly Father. Prayer is the best!Have a happy week!

Love, Sister Ingalls Jr.

Mini conversation before the email came:
Macey: Schönen guten Morgen! Hey lovely parentals. My shoes are completely trash and I really need to find something new today! Could you transfer over some of my money for, hopefully, 1-2 pairs of shoes? Pray I actually find some! Thanks love you, talk to you later today! Love, Sister Ingalls Jr.

Dad: Hey Bare Feet! I transferred some money into your account just now. Happy shoeing!
Love you! Dad and Mom

Further email:
Oh I forgot to say, I bought some new shoes today! I found the PERFECT shoes! They were slightly pricey because they are leather, but I needed my pair of European shoes! I'm so excited. They were also 18 euro off on sale that I didn't even know about! Score! I bought those and a pair of black flats, I'm seriously praying these are the last shoes I have to buy! I'm going to be broke!

13 euro! So comfy and i LOVE EM!

Also. I forgot to answer your questions haha. I do not eat red meat until I have to. So maybe once every couple of weeks. So I probably have meat once a week. It's nice and cheap to buy veg. I also still refuse to drink milk ick.

Heck YEAH I miss heels! Don't worry, my calves are so buff from walking all the time haha I wont have problems. Legit they are so buff.

Yeah it wasn't politically safe in Turkey for Sister Baldock and her group. It's not a Christian world and politicals are sometimes extreme. There weren't any direct threats on them, she felt safe, but something with the mission president, the country didn't like a Christian leader there. Idk. All I know  is that they are good and safe now! Love you!

A Baptismal Date, a Homie Ladybug and an Interesting Phone Call - (Aug. 6 Group Email)

1. Mishell decided to be baptized!! She is so amazing and has found so much joy in her relationship with God. The Book of Mormon does wonders. When we first met, she didn't feel God directing her life at all, and now She's receiving answers to personal prayers! AMAZING! We are excited for her.

2. I finally went to Spandau this transfer on exchanges! Sister Walker is a legit baller. Like we legit played basketball in the morning. HAH there is a reason I played tennis, she destroyed me! She did teach me some sweet footwork (it's really just like dancing!) and I will definitely get less schooled next time.

3. After a long, hot afternoon, we rang the last person we were visiting. They didn't answer, but there was this lady bug on the doorbell panel stuck in a spider web! We were trying to get it out for a minute and then this family came out of the apartment: speaking Arabic! It was so cool, they a.) helped us with the ladybug and b.) We became instant friends and they were super interested in learning about our beliefs!  Had we not saved the little ladybug's life, we wouldn't have met this wonderful family. #goaboutdoinggood #serviceofyourfellowladybug

4. Today we went to Potsdam and saw the Sanssouci Palace! It's so crazy hot and we walked around all day, but it was totally worth it. There were 4 castles all in this Greek-ish garden. Felt like the Sahara though.

5. We received a pretty interesting call yesterday morning from President Leimer. Sister Baldock has yet again been reassigned missions! At the end of the transfer, she'll go to the Bulgaria Mission and continue to help in Turkish there. She is my hero. Anything the Lord asks her to do, she is humble and does it. I'm excited for her next adventure! This also means I'll probably be 5 transfers (7 1/2 months) in Neukölln! Whatever the Lord wants me to do, it's going to be great! 😄

Have a happy week! Sister Macey Ingalls

Sprinting to the S-bahn like usual

I skype Janina who leaves on her mission tomorrow, I'm SO proud of her!!

Finding on the edge of Berlin!

Sister Ingalls Jr. - (Aug. 6)

Hey Mom!

Those pictures of Trayson, Charlee and the cat in the jump chair thing are hilarious! I think I've actually squeezed myself into that as well at one point..

Haha yeah, I feel you on the coming up with exciting things that happen in the week and writing them pro email. It’s true, I do it because I love you! It is hard to put a week into words. Like there’s good things, of course to report, but Monday I’m tired and like, uhhh what did I do this week?!

That’s really funny you asked about the culture of breastfeeding in Germany. To put it short, Europeans are very liberally with their bodies.. They just really don’t care sometimes! I think there are some pretty extreme cases and not too many people do it very publicly, but nobody really cares. They are just liberal with their bodies.

The name of my group email last week was pretty lame, I was just thinking of the part 2 of the scripture and how I found that to be true. My group emails are getting slightly lame but I like to believe they are helping someone. It’s cute, Mrs. McCormick usually answers my group email and sends good motivational stuff.

Oh, Brenda Heath messaged me on facebook and I feel super bad because I didn't respond. I'm really just staying away from Facebook at the moment because thats what Pres. Leimer asked us to do. So can you send her a little message for me?

I’m glad we aren’t using Facebook for a while. While training other sisters, I see that while some use it very effectively, the majority struggle. President Fingerle always said scrolling is a sin… haha… true. But President Leimer asked us to just take a step back from it so they can plan something effective and really think it out. I’m really glad, I just deleted it off my phone and tablet. It’s sad, some people have used it super wrong and lately a couple of missionaries have been sent home. It’s really, really, really sad. But I mean, the rules and safeguards are laid out very plainly for us, so you definitely know when you’ve done something wrong.

As much as I don’t like Facebook and am very... hesitant with it, it has taught me a lot. They are trying to build a sin resistant generation against abusing technology. Just like they have in the past against alcohol or smoking. It’s really cool, and I think it’s also really cool that the safeguards we have as missionaries are translated into safeguards for the rest of your life.

This week was a good one, definitely one for the books! Mishell wants to be baptized, and that is a huge exciting thing! I do love helping people prepare for baptism. It’s definitely a testimony builder. I hope she can stick to the really quick schedule, as she agreed to be baptized in 3 weeks! I love her so much eek!

Also... A crazy call from President came yesterday. Sister Baldock has been reassigned again! At the end of the transfer, she'll be going to the Bulgaria mission! LIKE CRAZY RIGHT?! Yeah that was really unexpected. She will be going to the Turkish area and helping with the work there. Wow. The Lord has a huge work for her! She was all like, “Awhhhh man I just picked up prepositions in German”!! Haha she's funny. We had a really good time together and I’m really excited for her. Her name has gone to the first presidency quite a bit😂

That probably means that I'll stay here again next transfer! That'll be crazy, 5 transfers is a ton. Who knows, might as well just finish my mission here and do 6 transfers! I’ll just move my records here and become a part of the ward. I already joke with the members about that. I’m not complaining, this area is absolutely amazing and there is so much to do.

I’m lovin’ the work here! I’m happy and healthy, life is good. Slightly tired but I just have to get over and go enjoy it. I can be tired later :)

I’ll just bring the nametags back for you then. Sorry they never got there, that’s really sad! I should actually be getting my Arabic nametags soon which is pretty cool! Unreal that I’ve gotten to learn this language. I’ve met the coolest people because of this language. It’s amazing.

I love you a million Swarma! Oh man, I tried it for the first time on exchanges with Sister Walker this week! Do you know what a döner is? Oh man I think you’d love German street food. Swarma is roasted chicken in Arabic bread with delicious random sauces and salad and pickles! Oh, it was heaven.
Much love, Sister Ingalls Jr.