All Good Things

Three baptisms!

Highlights:

 

*An investigator texted us on Monday, and said he wanted to be baptized on Saturday...and he was!

*I got to eat FUFU for the first time in my life!! It was DELICIOUS!

*We had called a couple in the ward a while back to ask if we could do come contacting with them by their apartment. Before that could happen, they went the second mile, contacted a lady by themselves, invited her to church, she came, and wants to learn more! Turns out she had met someone from the church years ago, and had been super impressed by what she saw and felt, feels ready now to learn more. She is incredible!

*I bawled like a baby in church yesterday. The feelings of love and charity and everything else were incredible. I will miss Germany!

*Met a group of Bulgarians standing outside of our church building, trying to read the sign on the wall. We invited them to the ward summer party, and showed them a Mormon message in their language. The Spirit was there, and they are curious to learn more!

 

This week has blown my mind. It has been absolutely incredible. Like I am speechless...so I'll just send pictures. :)

 

 

 

As mortals, we have to accept that all good things come to an end. But, as eternal children of a loving God, we know that good things never have to end, and that endings are only a gateway to new surprises.

When a chapter in a book ends, it doesn't mean that the book is finished, it just means that something new, wonderful, or exciting is about to happen. Life is that way too.

And because we believe in an Eternal God, and that we are children of said Eternal God, we know that our stories will never, ever end.

 

Hallelujah!

 

much love,

 

Sister Roderer

 

 

Small Things

Favorite pic from the Köln Dome

Highlights:

*That one time you tell an older gentleman that the missionaries are
his postcard from God telling him that God knows his name and loves
him, and he kisses your hand...

*You get offered a slice of pizza by a guy riding buy on his bike..

*You try to head to the Ubahn the normal way, and the Spirit says to go a different direction, and you start walking and he points to one person in the whole Bahnhof and says "That one!" and you talk to them and they want to learn more about the church.

*A new convert from Iran brings all the people he meets on the street to church and sets up appointments with you for them...and one of them wants to get baptized.


The Lord cares about the small things. They mean a lot to Him. He even wrote a scripture about it..."by small and simple means, and great things brought to pass..." or something like that.

If you ever feel like what you do is not enough, don't worry. It never will be.
haha
We're human.
But, we believe in a God who appreciates and treasures the small things.
So, even if what we have to give is small, it is accepted by Him Who created us.
By our loving Father.


Love you!!


Sister Roderer

Why?

Richard!!

Highlights:
 *referrals from our Iranian members just keep coming in!
*One of our investigators told the story of how they survived crossing the Mediterranean in a tiny boat that should have sank, and surviving death at gunpoint, while sitting in their living room, folding clothing for children in war torn countries and talking about faith in Jesus Christ.
*Spending the third hour of church with an adorable special needs daughter of an investigator, drawing cats and dogs and the story of Noah and the Ark.

We were on our way to Bonn today, and the Elders spoke with a couple studying at Cambridge. They were shocked to hear that we only skype twice a year and that we don't have more than weekly communication with our families. It made me take a second and think what it must be like for someone who doesn't know the church to wrap their heads around what we do.

Haribo Outlet in Bonn

I guess it would seem really strange! But you know what, it's not if

you know it's true.
I know it's true!

I made a list of things that I lost from coming in a mission, and then the things that I found. It amazes me that at the end of 18 months, I
can honestly say that I have lost nothing, but gained everything.

So why is it worth to try?
Why is it worth it to fall, and try again, and fall, and try again?
Why is the confusion worth it?
Why is the sacrifice worth it?
Why is the dedication and the discipline and the determination worth it?

Because it's true.
Because Christ lives and He can fix it.

People ask me all of the time why a loving God would let there be so
much injustice in the world. I tell them that the story isn't finished
yet. Justice is real, and it will all work out in the end. I believe
that with every part of my soul.
That's why.

Love always,

Sister Roderer

Mana from Heaven

It doesn't rain like this in the desert!

Highlights:
*Sister Markl is on the mend...and in the meantime we have had piles and piles of adventures! From catching allowed rides with the Elders to Sisters coming in from other areas to help with appointments, it's been a testimony to me that there really are angels among us.
*Had an incredible lesson with a girl from Kenya, who literally ran for her life because she believed in Jesus Christ.

Heading Back from the Multi-Stake Conference

*Came face2face with myself in a new way.
I'm so excited for life,
God is really good.
Hard or easy, rain or shine, this life is BEAUTIFUL!
*Got to go to Düsseldorf for church yesterday to hear Elder Christofferson in the multi-stake conference. Super cool!!
*Had a moment this week where I physically was not strong enough to lift something, and somehow was given just enough strength to move what needed to be moved. God really gives us "according to what we need".

Ok.

Power Split

I was on a power split with Sister Sant on Saturday, and we were at an apartment complex and saw this guy on the bottom level on his balcony, just watching the flies buzz by.
We went up to him and started talking about Jesus Christ. Turns out he's a Pentecostal Pastor. We showed him the Easter video which he LOVED.
All of a sudden I hear a
swish
And something whacks me on the shoulder.
Confused, I look down and see a large chunk of...
Bread?
Yes.
Bread.
Yes, please hit the one gluten-intolerant missionary in the head with bread.
Totally confused, we look up and see a lady on the top floor shaking out her kitchen tablecloth.
I make a comment about feeling like Elisha in the wilderness being fed by Ravens.
We keep talking, and then we get showered in...
SAND
We look up again, and there is a kid on a different balcony pouring a cup of sand out on our heads.
We took a couple steps back out of the splash zone to survey the situation.
The family was super apologetic and let us up.
We shared part of the Easter video and a card.


It made me think a bit about mana from heaven.
Our spirits as well as our bodies require daily nourishment. It requires care, thought, and time. And God is ready to give us exactly what we need in that moment. Though sometimes it doesn't look like the portion we would have picked out for ourselves.
Haha
Sometimes I'm like
"What!? I can't POSSIBLY survive on that!" But I can, and I do. And I'm so much, much better for it.
It reminds me of my favorite Mormon Message (Hope of God's Light)
Where he explains that answers come slowly, softly, and only as fast as we can digest them. And that "it is part of our condition as mortals to feel like we are constantly in darkness", when we really are not.
I guess my point is that there is enough mana for all of us, all of the time.
Sometimes even a little bit extra, haha.

I promise you that no matter how much you've feel you've lost, given up, or sacrificed, God repays in eternal proportions. He loves you. You are His precious child, and you mean heaven and earth to Him.

Love always,

Sister Roderer

You Bitter Believe It!

This week I've learned:

*that broccoli can go bitter, which is something I never knew...also bitter broccoli is incredibly disgusting.
*that The Gospel of Jesus Christ is best described as a loaf of bread:
Yeast: Faith
Sugar: Repentance
Water: Baptism
Salt: Holy Ghost
Flour: Works/endure to the End
Mix well, and add some heat!
*that I really only know "missionary" German. My companion had some medication she needed to take, and I was in charge of reading the instructions to her. Well...I'm clearly a missionary as I read
'Erbrechen" (throw-up) as "Ehebrechen" (adultery)
and "Vorbeugung" (prevention) as "Vergebung" (forgiveness).
Whoops.



My favorite thing about faith is that you don't have to always feel it to use it.
That is something that I will be eternally grateful for.
God promises us through Alma that if we "only desire to believe" that He can work miracles through us.
If we desire to believe enough to act on what we'd like to feel, it's enough.
I guess this is what you'd call "FAITH it 'till you make it".
For example:
Maybe one day 'I' don't feel like contacting someone on the bus. I can think of 1000 reason NOT to talk to that person across the aisle. But, I know that the promise is if I try to lose myself in His work, I will feel joy. I don't necessarily feel excited, or particularly hopeful, but I decide to try.
And the joy comes pouring in.
Or...
Maybe 'I' want so badly for such-and-such to happen, but it doesn't. In fact, I feel like it shouldn't. I have no desire to change what I want, and don't feel a huge excitement in what the Lord has promised me, but I choose to keep going anyway, because at some point, I hope it will change.
And it does.
One day at a time.

Sometimes, it just takes the act of trying, and the belief comes.
I guess what I'm trying to say is sometimes doing good things won't be your natural or initial reaction, but if you try anyway, it works out on the end.
Waiting for all the complicated squishy mess that is your insides to find its way out of its emotional "human knot" before you act is like waiting for chickens to fly. They very rarely do, and if they do, they don't get very far.
Terrible analogy, I know, but I'm short on time.

Anyway,

God lives.
He's really there.
He's worth following.
He's worth trusting.

Love you all!

Sister Roderer

Hallo!

The Jazz Man

Highlights:

*Two splits, one Düsseldorf zone training, and one MLC make for one
very busy and wonderful week!
*Met a man in Essen who is about 89 years old, and is a Jazz
accordion/piano player. He had met with missionaries decades ago, and
told us about being 18 at the end of the war, and playing classic
American Jazz for the troops in Heidelberg. He told us how a
missionary's father sent him the most wonderful tie with an American
flag on it, and how he loved it, but wasn't sure where to wear it.
We told him to wear it to church. Haha
*We were standing by a bus stop in Köln and we saw this man who looked
at us briefly. The feeling to talk to him was pretty direct, so we
chose to do so.
1.5 hours later, we had traveled into the city on the same bus, and
taught him the ENTIRE lesson about the Restoration of the church in
McDonalds, given him a Book of Mormon, and committed him to read it
and pray about it.
He lives in Hamburg, and was cautious about giving his info out, but
the Spirit in the lesson was super strong.
So cool!
*The "Spider" gave his first talk in German yesterday in Sacrament
Meeting! He did such a wonderful job!!

They are Elders!!

*We had a "Persian only" class, where two newly baptized members taught two other interested people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the importance of being baptized. They shared their baptism experience, and the Spirit was there! So cool to be able to watch
their interaction (even though we didn't understand everything/anything that was being said hahaha) and share their newfound love for the Savior, His Gospel, and His church.


                                                                 

                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                
I was studying Preach My Gospel about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Under the first point it says:

"Becoming clean from sin is being healed spiritually"

That struck me like a jolt.
I was like
"Wait a second...that means that when we don't feel "healthy" or
"healed" or when we feel listless, lost, frustrated, forgotten, alone,
or confused, the solution literally is repentance."

At first I was not so comforted by this idea.
"Great"
I thought
"Yet another way we can fail.
Fail while you're failing...
Beautiful."
But then I realized that my understanding of Repentance was
fundamentally flawed.
It reminds me of another quote from Preach My Gospel:

"Repentance includes forming a fresh view of God, ourselves, and the
world. When we repent, we feel godly sorrow, then we stop doing things
that are wrong and continue doing things that are right. Bringing our
lives in line with God’s will through repentance is a central purpose
of our lives."

So, repentance is a beautiful thing, and it works.

That's all!

Love always,

Sister Roderer

It's true

Muenster - the Land of Bikes

 Highlights:

Last Saturday...round the world Book of Mormon tour

*We had Dortmund Zone Training this week, which is always fun.
*We met some incredible people who are willing to give literally everything up to hear more about Jesus Christ.
*Our new converts are thriving and progressing, and it just warms my heart! Their conversion strengthens mine.
*We got to go to a medieval fair for pday today, which was super fun!




I was studying the Restoration this morning, and I read a sentence that really hit me.

It's either true or it's not.

It doesn't matter if it's easy or hard, convenient or inconvenient, or fun or boring.
It comes down to six simple words.



It's either true or it's not.

And folks...it's true.


Love you!

Sister Roderer