Pinch me I am dreaming. I have not been in a different country away from my family sharing what I know for a month already.... Nope. I am in Denial. Let's just pretend time is not going by this fast. Moving on.
What better way to celebrate this month-anniversary than by speaking in church... In german? Oh that was lovely. Although I think Ameilia was a little bummed because she came to sit by me during church so that I could help her make these little American Bracelet things and I just kept leaving... Ooop... gotta go lead the song.. oop... now I am praying.. Ooop now I got lead another song.. Ooop now I am speaking... Oooop gotta go to go talk to the visitors.. haha This is what happens when you are willing to do things... You do them ALL. haha. AND Raphael came all jazzed up in a suit and tie with a vest and everything... And we didn't even ask him to. What a saint. So it made it all worth it.
I can now say that Aiyana is officially my friend. Like really I love her. We had a little wrap party and tried these nasty fruit things that me and Sister T found at the grocery store... and laughed our heads off and talked about boys that she liked and this super fun dance she went to and all that jazz. Don't worry we taught her about the gospel and stuff too... but It is amazing how much smoother that goes when you ARE friends. When you are a real person. When they actually want to have lessons with you. I.love. her. I cannot wait for her to become a member of this church and have all the wonderful blessings that come with it.
Okay real quick I want to tell you about the world's best object lesson. Although I know it won't mean half as much from me telling it as it did actually being there. BUT I will try nonetheless. So we are all sitting in a giant circle and Elder Miller is standing in the middle and asks every missionary 'Do you want a chocolate bar?' 'Yes.' 'Elder Rock, Will you do 5 pushups so that he can have a chocolate bar?' This went on one by one. Some saying yes. Some saying no. He began to get tired. His arms shaking. And people began to laugh and make jokes again and again until we went around the whole circle. By this time Elder Rock was in a puddle of sweat. His face was red and he was breathing hard. 'Now,' Elder Miller said. 'Will everyone who did not take a chocolate bar please stand up?' There were 11 of us. 'Elder Rock will you please do 55 more pushups for those who rejected the chocolate bar?' Wait what....? He has to do them for us who didn't even get the chocolate too? But that doesn't seem fair...
That was one of the hardest things I have ever had to watch. The room was dead silent. All you could hear was the huffing and puffing of his breath and the occasional groan in pain but never once did he say he couldn't do this or give up.
I will never forget his facial expression. I stood there knowing that I had rejected this wanting to help him. Wanting to make him stop. Knowing how much pain that really was. I have never had something resonate with me so deeply. Christ suffered. Suffered for me. Suffered for every single person on this earth whether they choose to accept it or not. I know this. I have known that for my whole life... But what does that REALLY mean? This was the tiniest amount of suffering. But the Atonement. Literally I can't even begin to imagine that type of pain affliction and suffering that Jesus Christ felt for me to have the blessings of the gospel in my life. He felt every single thing. He felt way more than 200 pushups worth. He knows me. He knows everything I have been through. And yet he was rediculed. So many people laughed and made jokes while he was going through the hardest thing ever. People rejected Him. It has already been done. And yet so many people reject him. At times, Me included. How many times I choose to try to go through life alone always failing. It has already been done. It is up to me if I choose to accept that and change my life or not.
I stand all amazed at the love Jesus has for me. Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. I tremble to know that for me he was crucified. That for me a sinner he suffered.He bled. He died. Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me, enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful. Wonderful to me.
xoxoxox
Sister Heywood
German Word of the Week: Kindergarten (there is a whole story behind this one remind me when I get home to tell you it)
One of the people the Elder's teach gave us some really cute clothes........
And we had a little too much fun.
And we also had a well balanced 'American' meal of fries and pudding and orange juice with flies in it... mmm... protein.
It is amazing how many more people become interested in learning about God's plan for us when we draw it out on the sidewalk and ask questions like.. Where are we going? Why are we here? Where do we come from?
wrap party. holla.
three cheers for some super cute american bracelets from my two favorite girls on the planet.
Aiyana realllly likesss these actually... hehe jokes.
