No Subject Group Email + Pictures - Sept 23

1. The week flew by with exchanges! They were such good learning experiences, the Sisters have so much to give to the work. We had such power experiences testifying on the street, I felt the spirit of God circle around us, I love seeing people feel and recognize the spirit for possibly the first time in their life.

2. Griffin and Mishell are preparing for their baptism next Sunday! We had an awesome lesson in which they both bore testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon in their lives. They are so ready and we are SO excited for them!

3. We went to stake conference this weekend, where all of the members in Berlin gathered. In the Saturday session, the recently returned missionaries gave their testimonies. It deepened my love for my calling and mission, the message of the restoration of Jesus Christ's gospel is the most important thing on Earth. My joy is encompassed in living it and sharing it!

4. I started keeping a line-a-day journal a couple of months ago to record how I see God's hand in my life daily. I am a changed person because of it!! He is always there, but the power comes from recognizing it and showing Him our gratitude. My biggest wish is that every one of God's children would feel His love daily.

5. The church came out with a new book called "Saints". It is so good, I've almost read the entire book today (and I'm picky!) I lack words to describe how grateful I am for it. God works through imperfect people (He works through me, that's testimony enough!) to bless others and build His church.

Sister Macey Ingalls

Hey Mom! - Sept 23

Hey Mom!
Sounds like you lived quite the party this weekend! I love hearing that the ward gets together and supports each other, that's seriously so cool. We have quite the creative ward! Plus a ton of people I don't know anymore 😂

I'd love to see a picture of how those wigs turned out! [I make them for The Magic Yarn Project, for little cancer fighters! MOM] Are you all finished? And what's the update or the next step with them? I think that's really cool how you did that.

Cool story with driving to MOA! Mostly just glad that you are safe and made it. I can't believe there were tornado touchdowns around you. Wow that's scary but I'm glad youre safe. That's really what God wants from us right, to make it back, learning experiences and scary expeiences and all. Cool analogy and I can very easily assume it was a great talk you gave on Sunday. You rock!

Speaking of weather, its gotten cold basically over night here! On Friday it was so hot we were sweating and later that night as we missed a bus and were out side only around 8 pm it was freezing!! Oh we came home and threw ourselves into warm clothes and thankfully the other sisters had made some yummy homemade (warm!) cauliflower soup. So today its 8 degrees celius which I would guess is maybe like 40 fahrenheit. But it's rainy and cold and feels like true Germany - its AWESOME! I broke and humbled myself and am currently wearing tights... my tights boycott didn't even last until October😂 oh well, I'll let go of my pride it's okay. It's definitely different walking when it's cold versus biking! Biking kept our muscles going well and gave us a little heat but walking is just not enough exercise to keep you warm! Last night we missed the bus by like 20 seconds and had to wait 20 minutes. So we went in the ubahn station and rode the escalators for awhile. Then I started running back up them for a little extra heat! It was really funny and, oh my goodness, my legs were so dead after. But I told you this to explain a video of it I'll send through Google Drive.

How are Caitlin's little babies doing? I bet they are so big!

Also I really love this pizza idea on the table. Easy and everyone is happy! I don't even remember what American pizza is like anymore... I've actually adapted to European pizza and like it haha.

Ok that's legit with the horse heads an hay bales and lassos at the Ward party?!?! What an awesome ward.

Sorry I'm all over the place, the elders are using the computer so I have to type this on the phone and it isn't as easy.

I loved your spiritual thought at the end of your email about one more day. I love that talk! It specifically touched me about forgiveness when I read that quote. Hard experiences in my life have really taught me to forgive. I don't remember if I shared this already or not but a lady last week in Relief Society said we need to stop and think about who we would be nervous to be in heaven with. Who we would be angry with or wouldn't want to be with. Then we need to forgive because earthly things like fights or pride or hard feelings can and will sadly carry into heaven. (okay I got a keyboard, now its real go time!) So I've been working on making sure I'm right with everyone and that I don't hold hard feelings. It's very liberating! Repentance and the Savior's gift of the Atonement are incredible. We preach repentance as missionaries, but that includes preaching forgiveness.

How have you implemented that into your life Mom? How has the Atonement of Jesus Christ blessed your life?

BTW, it is VERY important for me to not lose my faith, so I am well aware of that. Sister Barker and I were talking about it and she shared a quote from an apostle that said to avoid inactivity you need to first recognize that it can happen to you. So I've tried to be honest with what I believe and what I don't know and to really create a plan for long term progress. It started with the line a day journal. Then I learned how to better study and created a long term study plan that I can handle as a college student. I do NOT want to lose what I have learned, and I earnestly pray the Lord will not let me. Yes, my faith isn't perfect, but it is not weak and I will not let it break. God has had too much of an influence on my life for me to deny him now. No way. And Jesus Christ, I do not want to look him in the eyes on the day of judgement and have to tell him why I abandoned him. I know he will not leave me, and I will give everything I have to not leave him.

To answer some of your questions, I actually forgot to email Maddie last week so I just emailed her. I hope the looking process won't be too stressful but I think she will be able to help me. If she doesn't answer this week then I'll look somewhere else. Have you looked on Facebook at the BYUhousing page? There is a buy and sell thing I remember, maybe that is helpful.

I love all of my companions and  I feel like we have all been able to get along really well! Of course there are moments but we talk them out and I've very, very, very seldom felt angry with them. It's a really foreign feeling to me now and I don't like it. I looooooooove my sisters :)

This is random but then again so are all of my emails. But anyway, I find it interesting that all of my companions, every single one (even my trainer and we were barely comps) has told me that I taught them how to openly communicate better. It's so surprising how not open some families are about expressing themselves, and how it's completely the opposite for us. Maybe a little TOO open sometimes but I have to say I really love that!  I feel like we have a relationship of trust and it's okay to make mistakes and we can help each other. That definitely came over time, especially between you and I but I CHERISH that!!! It's helped me with all of my companions. I have mellowed out a bit and they don't have to tell me every single thing on their mind haha, but I definitely feel like we've had good open relationships.

I missed you quite a bit this week. I dont know what it was, but little memories together kept coming back to me. Love you Mom :)

But don't worry, I'm really happy and doing good here. I love it, don't worry about me even a teeny bit!

Just curious, have you ever talked to Grandpa Dennis about listening to the missionaries and just learning more about what we believe? Or asking him questions about his purpose on earth and what brings him joy? I was thinking about him a bit this week.

I hope you just have a huge smile on your face and know that I love you Mom! I love you a million times sharing my testimony on the street with strangers! Sometimes it makes me smile so big my face hurts!

Have a wonderful happy week!

Sister Ingalls Jr.

Funny Missionary Olympics - Video

Another Fun Video

Pictures of Pretzels and the Jüdisches Museum - Sep 16

Going Where the Lord Wants Us - (Sep 16 - Group Email)

1. We were waiting for the s-bahn to go to an appt. I pulled out my scriptures to do a quick study and I'm startled when a man asks me, "What book is that?" How did he know that's my favorite question?! We got into an awesome conversation and he was super interested to learn more. Our s-bahn came as we were exchanging info, so I quick grabbed his phone and called ourselves! Gotta do what you gotta do.

2. We did a super exchange in our area, meaning both Spandau sisters came to us. It was awesome, and we focused on member work. We power visited some members and sung primary songs with the ukulele and prayed together. It was incredible and the sisters were so excited to try that in their area.

3. The next morning we didn't have much time before they left but we really wanted to use our time effectively. We felt we should go out and talk to people in a certain area. Along the way, we struck up a conversation with a young hip Berlin girl and she was just so shocked when we told her what we do. She said she'd been praying for guidance just then, and knew God answered her prayer. God led us to each other and we told her about God's plan and shared our favorite book with her. She cried with joy. I hope to always remember this experience and know that God answers our prayers, no matter where, when or how they are said.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY SO MUCH!!!! I have no more time, but I promise there are more wonderful stories! This work is directed by Jesus Christ and His gospel helps us to be truly happy!

Sister Macey Ingalls

Berndt Jödocke: legendäre stake missionary

Jüdisches Museum

Heavenly Father Loves You a Lot - Sep 16

Hi Mom!
Ooh it's always the best to hear from you too! Sometimes I feel super far away and have no idea what's going on in America and at home! Haha it is true though. It's interesting to hear about life back home but man, I don't feel like I'm a part of it at all!!

Hey I totally ate the health food! The random rice syrup stuff no..... but I agree not everything! I have gotten a ton better about not wasting and eating things and just buying what I can eat. But I have like trauma from eating appts sometimes and just cannot finish my food because nobody is making me. It's really funny!

I just have to say I love Germany and I love my mission and I just love life right now! I feel like I'm just living the dream. It's the best time of my life! Im so happy, I feel God guiding us, its awesome. Not much more I could want. It's true you can worry less about me as a missionary, I'm doing GREAT! :)

Dad just told me a bit about jet skiing, so I'm actually not too informed what you did this week! Even if I did, I love hearing it twice :) that sounds awesome to have the boys home!! Boys are always going to be boys huh? Haha I bet they were a hoot.

Awh man, no wedding in December? I haven't been eating chocolate for nothing?!?!?! Hehe that's ok, whenever they are ready. Don't push off the wedding just for time with me though, I'm around way more often and weddings are a bigger deal!

I'll email Maddie about living together. I'd actually really love to! Or see if I can live in the same complex. We had fun together. Don't stress about it though, worst case scenario, I'm homeless and live with Kyle and Brittney. 🤷‍♀️

I will take care of registering for classes. How it's configured now, I can do it in advance on a pday and then it will automatically fill in my classes. Phew, that is a nice change. Also my mission president took care of my ecclesiastical endorsement, so I'm good there. The only hard part is I have to figure out what classes to take ahhhh!!

I took precautionary steps to introduce you to Sister Barker :) I love her tons and we are super good for each other, we really push each other and are super open. Love it . That's the key, fights don't happen if you're just open and honest in a loving way. [She sent a hilarious voice recording of her and Sister Barker doing an interview! Loved it! MOM]

Little Wicky is too young to get married. [Ricky Wiscovitch]

That's hilarious Dad is counting down the weeks. I actually did have to count down at the beginning of the week to make a plan for finishing all the projects I've started (I'll try to explain that a bit more later). I do not want to go home!!! I know you don't want to hear that but I don't wannnaaaaa! I love it i just love being a missionary i love smiling at people i love talking to people about whats important i love self improvement i love the scriptures i love Neukölln even if its a little ghetto i love this ward i love the Lord i just do NOT want this to end! If you cant tell ive been feeling a ton of missionary fire lately 😂 [Left this un-spell-checked because it was so funny and a big run on thought, which is exactly how she thinks sometimes! MOM]

Ohh thank you for asking me those questions! Those are really good ones to think about. I understand. We pray and plead and fast for these people and then they make bad choices. Why do it at all?

[MOM's Questions: If we can't change others, and Heavenly Father isn't willing to take away anyone's agency, what is the point of praying for others? 

Also, if we can't change the will of the Lord (and we shouldn't want to) why do we pray for the things that we want? Instead, shouldn't we always just pray to have His will be done?]

Think of why the Savior did the same thing. Before he even came to the world, he knew he was going to sacrifice a lot. He'd sacrifice a normal life to give others a chance. He healed people, he taught people, he sacrificed practically everything to allow people to heal and grow. He ultimately went to the Garden of Gethsemane in his last hours and performed the infinite sacrifice. Each of our names came through his mind, I'm sure of it, as he felt the burden of sacrifice completely overcome him.

His is the sacrifice that opens up more options. He knows how to succor (the German translation means to assist someone) his people. He gave up his life for something so much more.

But here's the thing: people STILL don't use His atoning sacrifice even though it's right there for them. Imagine how he feels, knowing he provided this great opportunity for all mankind to have eternal life, yet people still reject it. He must feel so hurt and so sad. But even so he doesn't get get upset and quit, pack up heaven and go on vacation! No! He is always there, hopeful of the future and of us changing.

So to answer your question, I don't always know why I keep praying for people that are going the opposite direction. Maybe it's to exercise my faith in Christ and to show God I'm practicing hope. In the end it makes me sad when they don't progress, but I know God loves me and accepts what I do.

Heavenly Father loves you a lot Mom. He accepts your sacrifices, small and big. He appreciates your "perfect brightness of hope" and is blessing you for it. Just because what you're wishing for isn't happening yet, doesn't mean that nothing is happening. :)

God has also promised us many, many times through the prophets that whatever we ask for, with real righteous intent, he will give it to us. That implies that He answers our prayers and is willing to give us what we ask for. He answers my prayers for people, especially by giving me ideas of how to help them. President Leimer always says "hope is not a strategy". That means we need to do something! We can ask to be a blessing to others, receive ideas how to do it then act on it. We can be angels for others on the earth! If you want to receive a stronger testimony of how God answers our prayers, I'd invite you to read Enos 1 like I did and look for HOW God answered Enos' prayers. There are 3 different ways.

I hope these were okay answers because they were great questions! :) The gospel is so rad Mom!

That makes me super sad they aren't getting along. That is sadly really immature and when I look at it from an outside perspective (that one is a pretty easy one for me to do hahah) it just honestly doesn't make sense. Forgive and forget and help your family out. It's silly things like this that just lead to bigger problems. I've seen it in so many families here. Strong wholesome relationships are centered on Jesus Christ. That means that they constantly partake of His Atonement, allowing forgiveness and healing. I'm a big advocate for forgive and forget. The more relationships are centered on the gospel, the happier they will be.

Hah I am not without fault and I am the absolute last person that gets to cast a stone at anyone. I think I've changed quite a bit, especially in the past few months. Sister Barker and I were having a conversation that if we had expectations for who our future husbands are, we need to become that person. One thing that's really important for me is a love of the scriptures. I felt I had that, but I didn't feel it was very deep. I really worked on that by making study plans and focusing on the missionary library, standard works and PMG. I can honestly say I look forward to personal study every single day! The scriptures are AWESOME! It is so fascinating and I love how they make me feel. It's honestly become addicting. Comp study is super fun too because we share ideas and study together.

I also don't know if I told you this, but Sister Barker got me into "family" scripture study every night. We do this because she didn't have regular family scripture study growing up, and that's really important to her in her future family (like our family did all those years!) . So she wants to practice! There is an alarm (love is spoken here!) and we read in the Doctrine and Covenants. I love it so much and I'm going to continue it! Never too early to start!

Okay this is crazy but I think I actually managed to write you a longer one! Wooo hoooo! That's an accomplishment.

We just had a really fun pday and visited a Jewish museum! We thought it was a memorial museum about WW2 but no. It was legit a Jewish museum. Haha it was interesting though and cool to learn about. The Holy Land is a really fascinating place. I took a few pictures of the couple exhibits having to do with the holocaust. They were pretty deep. There was this one thing called the Holocaust Tower that was pretty spine tingling. It was a closed place no bigger than our upstairs at home and the walls had to be at least 80 feet tall. It was super cold and just had a bit of light and represented a concentration camp. Super spooky. Sad stuff, but I'm glad I learned a bit more about it.

Other than that I can just simply say it with I'm happy and excited for the next week! I'm excited for what I can learn and who we get to meet and help and how we will see God's hand in our lives. It will be good.

What can I do to support the family better? I love you all more than imaginable.

I love you a million crispy red apples on a fall day!!

With love, Sister Ingalls Jr.

It is Good to be Here! (Sept 9 - Group Email)

This week was so exciting!!

1. Mission Leadership Conference was great as usual. President and Sister Leimer trained us well, and we received some material to help us feel more organized (I'm always a fan of that!) I also saw some amazing friends, I just love this mission and these missionaries so much!

2. We went on exchanges in Dahlem with Sister Young and Sister Lewis, two POWER missionaries! It was such a good exchange, filled with miracles and learning. Sister Young and I came out of an awesome lesson and ran into a woman who was like "I know you... Sister Ingalls... ah yes!" I was slighly creeped out but then it came back that we met months before in an U-bahn! It was a miracle to reconnect with her and introduce her to the sisters in her area.

3. On Sunday us Sisters and Elders performed a musical number. Lucky us, because President and Sister Leimer surprise visited us! It was the tune of "Come Thou Fount" with the words of "Joseph Smiths First Prayer". The spirit it brought was so powerful, it was almost hard to sing! It changed the entire atmosphere of the meeting, and the meeting brought a few of our friends to tears. It was a really good Sunday.

4. Saturday I called Joseph's family in Elmshorn. It completely brought me to tears hearing Joseph's voice and that he is loving membership in the church! Then they told me they are planning on coming to Mishell's and Griffin's baptism at the end of the month! I can hardly believe it's actually happening. I know the Lord has me serving in the right place, this is all part of his divine choreography. I love Him, and I love being a part of His work!

5. We visited the East Side Gallery today! Because it was my second time, I decided to spice up my pictures. Enjoy.

Love you all, have a happy week! Sister Macey Ingalls

Glimpses of Neukolln and the Berlin Wall - Sept 9