Hallo:)

2.5 weeks down, 3 weeks to go. We leave for Germany on the 15th, so I'm still in the states. I'm absolutely hating being confined in this 1,000 sq. ft. training center, but on Monday Sister Moeller had to go to the beloved BYU Health Center (Where I spent second semester) so we got a little field trip. We're working on seeing if she is eligible for a Temple Sq. Trip on August 5th because she's international. Sister Griffin got an email that she could go because she's international... but Sister Moeller's from Canada... and that's international, right?:P

On Sunday, Elder Bednar came to speak with us. HE has an amazing MTC devotional called "The Character of Christ". I don't know if you have access to it, but if you can find it, WATCH IT! He held an open question and answer session that was really inspiring. He basically told us to stop worrying about all the small things, like if we are feeling the Spirit or not, and to simply focus on being good boys and girls. He promised us that if we did that, then we would have nothing to worry about.

On Tuesday, we had an emeritus seventy speak to us. Elder Hunt?? I don't remember, but he bluntly spoke on obedience, and I loved it. He posed the idea that we cannot ask any of our investigators to follow the law of chastity or the Word of Wisdom if we can't even abide by the rules in the White Handbook. Of course, missionaries are still imperfect, and while that inspired many, people still wear maxi skirts and eat in the classrooms. I guess select obedience is a bigger problem than I realized. Like why can you do something that small, right after you have been inspired by the Spirit to do otherwise?!? I'm guilty of it too, but I'm glad that I recognized this in myself and others, and can therefore strive to be better. 

Our district has been having a hard time getting along. We all love each other, but Elder Harman and Allan learn differently (and by that I mean a lot of breaks/games/singing secular songs) while others, like the pair of elders and the other Sisters, get really annoyed by this. Sister Moeller and I have no side. We just go outside when we can't focus and we love them all, but the tension needed to stop. We had District inventory and since then it's been a little better.

The gym finally opened, so we don't have to burn our feet on the volleyball court outside, but now Moeller wants to play basketball. Her and Sister Farner get along really well, and they've taught me how to play a little. Sister Moeller is seriously a baller. After our first day playing a bunch of elders came up to her and drooled about her ball skills, it was hilarious. At the Tuesday devotional, the speaker said basketball is the celestial sport, so she really likes talking about that whenever I don't want to play.

Back to our district. Despite their insanity, Elder Harman and Allan actually are super fun and cool. They made up this ridiculous song to the first verse of D&C 4, it's super catchy. Everyone else in the building was trying to memorize, and needless to say we had so many teachers come to tell us to be quiet (our teacher was in a meeting).

This week, Sister Ahlm held personal interviews to check up on us. I was honestly doing absolutely fine until she sat me down and stared at me until I spoke about a problem. It took me forever to think of one and then I just got  all introspective as I do. She seemed really impressed with the fact that the biggest thing I'm struggling with is the fact that I am the only thing that defines me now. I don't have my family, friends, music, TV, or school. I literally only have myself to define me. I told her that I was basically just learning exactly who I am and who I want to be, and that that was the hardest part. I think she was expecting something like "german is hard" or "I'm homesick", but I don't really worry about those things because I know God is on my side, and that he will bless me with the Gift of Tongues as I continue to work on the language so that I can help and love the people in Germany.

Funniest thing - we teach Sister Ahlm, but she plays the role of an investigator she had on her mission. So, for us, her name is Frau Hoffman, an 82 year old woman. Every time we knock on the door for a lesson, she just sits in her chair and doesn't answer. We knock again. She gets up, and moves out of the view of the peephole. Then we knock again, and you just hear her quietly laughing. Then we bang on the door, and Frau Hoffman opens it slightly and says "You have to knock louder, my hearing's bad!"... but in German. We committed her to baptism this week:). The biggest lesson I've learned is that you need to focus on your investigator, and where he/she needs the lesson to go if you want to have the Spirit with you and if you truly want to help them. I'm trying really hard to get rid of this idea that I have to teach the investigators a lesson. All I have to do is be there to help them and listen to their problems, and then listen to the Spirit to help them find a solution.

I really miss normal life. Like a lot. I kind of can't wait to leave the MTC. I love being a missionary, but I don't love the MTC. It's too much like BYU and it makes me sad. 

The german is actually going pretty well. I can speak. The hardest thing about it is the articles. All nouns have an article that is masc, fem, neuter, or plural. This article can then be changed into a different one to change it from meaning, in the genitive case Das Buch Mormon (The book of Mormon) to Des Buches Mormon (of the Book of Mormon. There's also different ones for Accusative (direct object) and Dative (indirect object). But, in order to know what to change it to, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THE ARTICLE FOR THE WORD ORIGINALLY WAS. That's the hardest part, haha.

I love German though. I've also picked up a little bit of Armenian - Barevsevs is hello (but they have a different alphabet, so that's just phonetic spelling). 

I got the package. Thank you for the Breakfast food! Breakfast is the worst meal of the day here, especially on Sunday. All they have is cereal, with massive lines, and it's gross cereal!

I have to go do laundry -

Ich Liebe sie!!!

Sister Johnson

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Cambria Johnson