Boy, Do I Have a Story for You - Oct 30

Hahahaha boy do I have a story for you two!!

Disclaimer: I did NOT ask my mission president if I could call home! Oh my goodness this was the funniest weekend ever. I wish I could just send you my journal because the story is way too long to retype.

I am doing absolutely great though! Besides a few thousand overwhelmed tears when I heard my parents voices this weekend, I'm really doing well! The story simply goes that I just worried about you a bit on Monday when I emailed you. It was spontaneous and shortly before I come home, Idk maybe I thought it would be jynxed. I was fine all week, I just prayed a little hard for my wonderful family. Then there's the zoko story which I actually did write on my tablet and maybe I'll just attach it. It's pretty funny, but was totally in God's plan. We took the wrong train after zoko and it wasn't good because that put us at getting home at midnight! So we went back to Leipzig and stayed the entire weekend for stake conference, so I also got a very spontaneous trip this weekend! So spontaneous I got to wash my garments and blow dry them every morning, that was pretty exciting! We had SOOO many laughs it was a really good time. But Saturday session of conference I was feeling a little sick and couldn't concentrate well. I ended up just reading my scriptures a little instead. Then I just got this wave of worry come over me about you traveling and sometimes you send me things in the week and I don't expect it at all, but this week I was just a little extra thinking of you is all! Sister Walker looked at me and immediately asked if I was okay. I just sighed and said "I miss my family". She just put her arm around me and hugged me. She is SO sweet Mom, she's one of my favorite companions! We've really bonded and I really love her a lot! She's a huge example to me! Then she showed me a scripture, doctrine and covenants section 100. It was really comforting. 

Then I got the thought as President and Sister Leimer gave their testimonies to ask for a blessing. This would be my chance. I told Sister Walker and she thought it was a good idea too. After the meeting I legit felt like the woman looking for Jesus in the crowd just trying to touch the skirt of his robe. It was not easy to find them but we did and he was more than willing! We had to wait quite awhile but then he came and asked to just meet briefly before he gave the blessing. That made sense, he probably wanted to know why! We sat down in an interview room and he just asked me how I am. I'm such an open book, that's the only question he needed to ask! I just explained that I worried about my family and it was weird because it was just this week and I just wanted a comfort blessing to feel peace. That's all I asked for!!! I did say that part of the reason I was scared is because of the week before Tanner came home from his mission, John passed away. I admitted that would be the hardest thing for me, anything happening to my family so soon before seeing them. It really worried me a lot, and I just couldn't feel peace. We just talked for a bit, really like 5 minutes when he pulls out his phone, smiles at me and asks "Well, do you know your parents phone number?" I slightly screamed in my head hahah!! Seriously I remembered all of those phone numbers through the spirit, I even remembered Grandma Cherry's and I'm POSITIVE that I never had that one memorized! When he started calling you I lost it and cried, I couldn't believe it was actually happening and that it was THAT easy?!?! But then we couldn't get ahold of anybody (if you were a missionary in our mission that wouldn't be acceptable 😉) and I was like it's okay President. I saw the business man in him because he in no way looked like he was going to give up! He is really like my dad, I love him a ton. He told us at zone conference that they would do absolutely anything for us, and this showed me he really meant it. He is so kind. After everything didn't work I remembered Logan wrote me his phone number on hangouts for a skype call for Christmas! Well that was divine design! It was so weird when he picked up, it didn't feel real. Talking to you was so sweet but I realized immediately that I really freaked you all out!! 😂😂😂 I'm so sorry. I think he felt very prompted to call, and it was good to hear your voices. I love you all so much and do really miss you like crazy. I have to trust that God is taking care of you and blessing you, because I'm doing everything that I can do on my side. I can't wait to see you really. That will be a beautiful day and I can't even imagine it well enough. Expect some tears then because I couldn't even keep it together hearing your voices over the phone! Talking about families all of the time with people really makes your heart go out to your own! 

The blessing he gave me was really beautiful. My zone leader Elder Buehler helped too, which was cool because he was my district leader in the MTC and gave me a sick blessing about 3 weeks in! Haha they mirrored each other! He blessed me to give it one last go and everything I've got to these 3 weeks and that our awesome companionship would be able to accomplish a lot. He also said that I would bless people here that would otherwise waver from the church. That was pretty crazy. Surprisingly enough it said nothing about my family, so I think that was God just saying dont worry about it haha. Oh and he also said that my mission would open my horizon in life, bless me in future callings and overall just be the thing I can look back on as where I gained a lot of experience. I have it written down in my notebook better but that's the jist for times sake.

Our wifi at the church is still out, so I'm typing this on my tablet again. It takes forever! Sorry for the spelling errors, I don't have time to make it perfect!

So okay, that was the story! Now to answer the rest of your email, (which by the way rocked!) your trip and week sounded super fun! Except for Elvis' chest hair that was pretty nasty. They make buttons ya know. I've always wanted to go to Missouri and liberty jail! I just want to do a church history tour starting in New York, I think that would be really cool. Sounds like you got some yummy food too!

Thanks for answering all of my questions, you are a good example 😘😉

Oh nah Sister Walker isn't actually scared, it's just the roads are narrower and it's just different. But I was like heeeeeck no I'm not getting in that car if you say you are scared and not confident! She laughed super hard and said she's fine and loves driving we just have to memorize all of the random signs together! Hopefully we finally get her license and the car this week, we've been waiting a really long time. I'm not complaining though, these calves are rocks!

I honestly don't know how this is happening but I'm down 5 pounds since I got to Plauen! I'm a little lower/at about the same weight as when I first came on my mission now, so I guess I beat that fear and stereotype of gaining weight on the mission! I honestly don't know what's happening, maybe I'm just a ton less stressed here and we walk more and eat at home! Life is good! I feel good!

Whatttt Maddie got a boyfriend? Oh heck no she is not allowed to get married yet on my watch! But I guess if that's what God wants so be it. I'll send her another email today otherwise yeah I just need something. I don't even know how to get housing ahh!!

You're a really good Mom I hope you know that :)

I had some awesome spiritual experiences this week. I've really loved studying in the scriptures and I feel like I've developed a really good habit to keep going on. I still want to read my scriptures every morning, even if it might be a little shorter but I feel like life won't be nearly as busy in a couple weeks, maybe I'm mistaken, but maybe I'll get some more time.

You may notice I'm talking a lot more about home in this email that usual. In my interview with President (at zone conference the day before we called you and I got a blessing) I was like President. I am not ready to go home. I don't want to go home. Please don't make me. He agreed that we could accidentally lose my plane ticket (He has some good dad jokes!). But then he said that I have a lot ahead of me and that took me as a bit of a shock. I was like yeah, help the missionaries!!!! And he's like yes, that and go to school and date!! And I'm like uh uhhhh no, ministering and being a joint teach! And he's like, yes. And date!! This went on for a good minute and then he won the debate. It was really funny we were laughing so hard 😂 but he made me realize I've blocked out everything about home. I know I did that on purpose and it was good for me, but I didn't think about adjusting to post mission life at all. That was another worry I had and still kind of have. I just don't know that I'm ready. I want to see you but I can't even begin to explain how painful it will be to leave this beautiful country and people. It broke me. I realized I need to make it a little less painful and start adjusting myself to normal life. I need to make a plan and think about it, if I don't prepare it will be SO hard on me, I already know. So yes, I need to think some trunky thoughts or else the bandaid to rip off will be more like ripping off wax from my extremely hairy leg :) haha, I kid, I promise I shaved in the last month. I think.

I'm doing well and giving it everything I have Mom! I'm doing it for God, for my faith and for my family.

P.S. I got a German license plate with our family name on it, it looks super cool!! It was a close call between that, wienerschnitzel and flitzpiepe ;)

I love you a million phone calls hearing your happy (exclude the slightly worried) voices!! You are the best and I can't wait to see you soon! Til then, keep reading the Book of Mormon, praying and saving a seat on the couch for me to snuggle (cat not included!)

Love, Sister Ingalls Jr.