When the sisters get together after weekly work is done. (Week 31)

Pday shopping with Sister Harger and Sister Wayment

Dirndl shopping (yes, I bought one.. I never have to worry about a Halloween costume ever again = success. I bought the one Sisters Koch and Johnson are wearing)

Wohnung special in the elders apartment

Freiberg ft. Kid shooting us

Last day in Freiberg

Temple!

Dear family,

This week flew by. We were so busy at the temple. I worked video rooms (I have that film memorized), put on Überzieschühe, took them off, and worked the reception tent all week long. It was great. President Uchtdorf's son came to the temple open house one day. (Also, President Uchtdorf is coming next week, so I'm a little bummed I won't be there, but that's okay). Also, Sister Koch and I finally got to go through the temple on a tour! It is beautiful and the spirit is so strong (check out this link to see pics: https://www.lds.org/church/news/see-images-of-renovated-freiberg-germany-temple-opening-august-12-for-tours?lang=eng ). I met people from all over Europe, because this temple services all the members in the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Poland, etc. Some people drove over 10 hours (with small children) to come to the temple open house. I met a family from Hungary who drove 7 hours to come here, and are coming next month to actually go to the temple because they haven't been able to go yet this year. Everyone laughs when I tell them that my temple was 15 minutes from my house because it is such a sacrifice here to come to the temple. But it is worth every effort, big or small. The temple is our goal and our focus. It is the house of God and it is where we can be sealed to our families forever. We learn of God's plan and why we are here on this Earth. I know that this temple is more than a beautiful building. There is a special spirit that you can feel, even before it is dedicated and given to the Lord as His house. The temple is so important to me, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to work here and share it with other people. 

I got to take the new missionaries finding this week! It was so fun! I went out with two of them and gave out temple invitations, even though most everyone in Freiberg has already heard about the temple. They were exhausted and still on Utah time but so excited to be here. I love new missionaries and their enthusiasm! On Wednesday, the trainers/trainees went through the temple and then went to their areas (aka 4 sisters moved out of our apartment.. It's much better with only 4 of us). I got to see my friends Elders Castillo and Nay because they are both training, so that was fun.

We were super busy for most of the day every day, but we tried to stay in contact with our ward and friends in Stadthagen. We got a phone call from a sister in our ward. She told us a random lady came to church, loved it, wants to meet with the missionaries and stop smoking! She came again yesterday apparently, and we will meet her on Sunday. I know the Lord is hastening His work and I am so grateful to be here and to help Him help these people. I am ready to get back to normal missionary work.

Sunday, we went to church in Freiberg and then traveled home. Apparently Sunday is the day that everyone and their mother in this country travels, so it was a looong ride home. And I kept getting kicked out of my seat by people who reserved them. But we made it home (despite sitting in 6 different seats in 5 hours) and it is good to be back.

When I worked in the video rooms at the temple, I would read talks from LDS.org in between groups and I was studying Matthew Cowley, who was a missionary in New Zealand, then later a mission president, then an Apostle. It was kind of a random thing to study, but the choir director in the MTC talked about him a little and I wanted to read some of his experiences. He has really neat experiences that happened because of his faith and the faith of the people he was serving. He saw great miracles because he believed that God had the power to bring them about. Elder Cowley only ever spoke about the basic principles of the gospel because they are most important. The gospel of Jesus Christ is simple but it is so important. Christ is the only unfailing foundation that we can build our lives upon. When we pray in faith, the Lord will answer our prayers and we will be able to recognize those answers. When we have done something wrong, we can repent and be forgiven. Sometimes it takes a little bit more than that, but for the most part, the gospel is simple. Because of Jesus Christ, we can become better human beings, our nature is changed. His commandments are His instructions that help us become better, and because of His Atonement, we can repent and keep progressing. The path to God is known through revelation, both old (scripture) and new (personally and through prophets) and faith in Jesus Christ moves us down the path. God's plan is intricate, perfect and brings soul-filling hope and happiness. He will bless us with miracles if we have the faith to ask for them. He loves us and is always there for us. 

I love you all! I love the temple. I love God. I love Germany. 

Tschüss! 

Sister Simpson