Hey Mom! I'm glad you all got my letters! It's weird that it took so long for you to get them, I sent them forever ago! I sent Katie a letter like two weeks ago? Maybe it got mixed up in the mail or something! I'll send another one before I leave. Thanks for the box (in advance!) You're the best! I haven't heard about my visa but, if my Austrian visa doesn't come through I'm still allowed to stay in Germany just with a current passport. So woohoo! Aww, Lauren is die am Besten! Ich leibe Sie! Thanks for all you've been doing for me - you're a trooper!!
I'm so excited to talk to you too! Here's the plan, I will either call around 7 (Utah time) from the Salt Lake Airport or I'll call from our layover in Minnesota (I'll get there around 1:20PM). I leave the MTC, Tuesday morning at 6 AM and go right to SLC. My flight leaves at 9:48 AM to the Minneapolis/St, Paul airport, I'll have like a 2 hour layover and then BAM! On my way to Amsterdam, where we'll have a 2 hour layover and then, finally, arrive in Munchen around 11AM (Munchen time) on June 12th. So we'll be able to go right out and start street contacting/meeting our companions. I think I'll find out the 12th where I'll be serving (Austria, Germany, or Italy). I don't know which one I'm hoping for haha Just wherever I'm meant to go! (Hopefully, somewhere with a trainer who speaks German fluently). It hit me last night, while we were watching the devotional that I leave the MTC next week! I'm so excited and so nervous! We've been practicing our German so much but still! There's SO much left to learn - stuff that I will need to just learn on the fly while in Europa. My favorite thing about the MTC is probably... being testified to in different languages. Sometimes Sister Young and I will go outside to do language study and companionships will walk up and ask us if they can bear their testimonies to us in whatever language they're speaking. So we've heard Cantonese, Russian, Spanish, Latvian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Sign Language. So cool! It's awesome that even though we have no idea what they're saying, we can feel the Spirit! The church is true in every language!
One funny story: an Elder C, headed to Washington I do believe, was teaching his third or so lesson with an investigator (TRC). He and his companion were teaching about personal revelation and Elder C said that he would pray and then flip through the scriptures really quickly - stop wherever he felt he should and read the first verse he saw. Elder C testified that every time he did so, the scripture would give him the revelation and guidance he has asked for. So to demonstrate his belief, he did the flip and stopped in 3rd Nephi 3:4. Go read it. Right now. Really. 3 Nephi 3:4 And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they would visit you with utter destruction. After reading it out loud, his companion turned to him and said, "What now, Elder?" and the two didn't know what to do. They closed the lesson with a "This is awkward." and a prayer. Safe to say, there are other ways to demonstrate ways to receive personal revelation ;).
One cool story! Really quick, because I'm a little short on time... one of our investigators, Christian, has been struggling with depression. We've taught him 4 or so lessons and he's really come to know that through Christ, sein Sühnopfer (his Atonement) and the Plan of Salvation, he can be happy! So we decided to teach him about Latter-day prophets. The lesson started a little rough (he almost fell asleep while we were reading a scripture... it was only one verse... COME ON!), it ended up really great! He agreed to being Baptized this Saturday and he says he's ready to accept the responsibilities that come with Baptism. And he only corrected us on our German like twice (that's pretty big for us) and yeah! So great!
Anyway, I love you and I CANNOT WAIT TO TALK TO YOU ON TUESDAY! You better be home haha :) Love you all and have a fantastic week!
Love,
Sister Harman
Best of luck to you Sister Harman... we'll be following you on the blog! Enjoy that MTC spirit for a few more days... We were just there on Wed. June 5 to drop off a young sister missionary who had flown in from Canada (a family from our Montreal Canada mission who we knew)- We were there along with 900 other newbies... AMAZING!!! We'll be praying for you.... Mormon 8:3
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