Cassidy Nichole: Monday November 16, 2015 Gera, Germany

Hallo!! I'm glad to hear that everyone had a good week! Riv went to the temple, Hadlie had fun at Studio C, Colt...did homework, but he goes on a trip this week! SO fun! I don't have much time today, but I'll do a quick update.

Montag: Met with Lucy and then made a plan for our activity that we are planning with the activity days age girls in the ward!

Dienstag: We had Frau Dhillion. She was this time a little less excited about the family history thing. And she didn't write the dates down. If she doesn't do it next week then we will do it with her. She was SO excited last week! Then, we taught little Fynnlay! He is awesome and understands all of the basics. We reviewed the word of wisdom and he said "yeah, I remember all the bad things about it but there has to be good things too! What are the good things that we are supposed to do? I think you forgot to teach those to me good." Haha! Yes, indeed we forgot to teach them the good things about the word of wisdom. Next time:) Then we had Gemeinde Abend at Schw. Kretchemar’s and we read the Book of Mormon. Then, Gemi-Co. Bruder Krause is great and very willing to help us!

Mittwoch: Distrikt meeting. Distrikt lunch. We cooked pizza at the church! The zone leaders where there so that’s always fun! Then, we went by on Schwester Schwabe. She is active, and her husband was a member, but is not anymore. We stopped by with some flowers and she let us right in! We had a great talk, and a great spiritual thought. Bruder Schwabe cried. We are hoping to meet with them again soon. That would be awesome for them to come to church together! Then, we met with Sch. Dörlitz. At Stake Conference she fell down some stairs and she hurt her back and ribs pretty bad. She really wants to keep doing everything herself. But I said we were coming over on Friday to help her in her back yard with her wood. She was going to shred wood by herself. Independent women! Gosh!

Donnerstag: Went to Meerena and dropped off a few cards by members. Getting to Meerena is crazy and all the roads are closed. So we wasted kind of a lot of time trying to drop the car off to the elders in Werdau. But, we made it back in time to help Sch. Dörlitz in her back yard! That was great!

Freitag: We got a text in our comp study telling us that we were having a mission conference call. That means there's something big and exciting, or that we are all in a lot of trouble. Luckily for us it was big and exciting this time! President told us that M. Russell Ballard was coming to Berlin on Sunday and that Pres. decided to invite ALL of the missionaries!! WHAT?! So...we had to take some time and plan for our weekend. The zone leaders called to tell us that we should drive the car and take the other sisters with us. WHAT?! Me...driving in Berlin?! Gosh! So I also mentally prepared myself for that. We did some weekly planning and met with Lucy. And then...we had Sport Abend!! We got to go play volleyball with the ward and they were good and invited a few non-members! Cool! We will try to do that every Friday! Especially because it's a really good stress reliever for me!

Samstag: We helped Lucy paint her apartment with the elders! That was really fun and I'm so excited for Lucy to move in! Then, we finished our weekly planning!

Sonntag: Church! The most peaceful part of the week! The Meckels came....on their own...with their own car!!! This, people, is a milestone for this family. Not the whole family was there...but we'll take what we can get!! Then...off to pick up the Hohenstein Sisters and then to Berlin...in the dark...and the rain...on the Autobahn (yes, I drove on the Autobahn. But I can't go over 130km/h). It was an adventure to say the least. Our car has no cruise control and traffic makes me want to take the back roads. By the way...driving IN Berlin is like driving in New York, but worse cause its Europe. Checking that one off my bucket list! Then...we got to the church. The whole mission was there...which meant I got to see Sister Medley:) It's feels like an eternity since I've seen her! Then, all the missionaries orderly lined up in the gym so Elder Ballard could shake all of our hands. Which he did. I haven't washed it since...Just kidding. Then we heard from a couple members of the 70 and then Elder Ballard. He was awesome!! He is so funny and he sounds like Grandpa Stewart. I about cried when I heard him talk. He's got that cute Grandpa Stewart country accent. This night was exactly what I needed. He challenged us to talk to 10 extra people a day. Not including when we are finding. Just to talk to them and invite them to meet with us. I need to do that. It's terrifying! But I need to do it. It comes from an Apostle!! I also got the feeling I need to be more bold. He told us that like 5 times. OK!! I get it! Thank you!! But yeah...I'll also be working on that!

So today...we got up, and I drove us the 3 hours back...and now we are emailing. So. I'm tired, hungry, and emotionally drained. I cried when Elder Ballard left. The feeling he brought was amazing and I didn't want him to go! Well, I need to go. We've got another busy week ahead, and I'm sure it's going to get busier. Life is too fast paced sometimes....I wish I could just take the back roads and not have them be closed.

Now off to Sch. Heiland to get a referral:) wish us luck! Love you!!