Monday, December 1, 2014

Transfer Week!!!


We had a great Thanksgiving here.  One of the members invited us and all her non member friends so that was awesome.  We are really hoping to make one of the families investigators really soon, cuz we have met with her twice now and she said that she would be interested to meet with us.  We have developed a really good relationship, and she would make an awesome member with her family.  So pray that it works out.   
This week has been crazy.  We had so many appointments, but they were mostly with other people.  For example we went with the Elders and helped them teach their investigator, and we also had a couple of Skype lessons with Mongolians.  So that was really fun.  I went to Stuttgart for a day, and that was interesting.  I am so grateful for my companion and that she loves to talk to people.  I really need to be better cuz I had a hard time with my companion in Stuttgart.  She doesn't like talking to people really at all.  I even had a hard time talking to her, cuz I would ask questions and she would answer and then be silent again.  She started to open up a little, but even when I was talking with someone on the train, she was silent.  And it isn't cuz she doesn't speak German.  She has perfect German.  She is going home soon and she studied german before coming.  It made me so grateful for what I have and for what I need to do to be a better companion.  I feel so bad for sister E that she has had to deal with me being so silent all the time.  But we are doing really well.
And the biggest surprise of the week.  I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED!!!  Crazy!!!  I have a lot of emotions about it actually.  I am really sad cuz our ward is amazing.  In church yesterday I just cried and had to bear my testimony.  All the members were telling me how much they would miss me and how I need to come back and visit.  I had 2 people offer me their homes to stay in when I come back. :)  This ward is amazing.  We also had Mission President and his family in the ward yesterday which was such a blessing.  Sister Kohler really helped me since I was more than a little sad.  But I only cried once which was a miracle.  Something about the mission has really changed me and I have become the most emotional person I have ever met.  I feel like Chelsie, cuz I always want to cry.  I don't like it.  But I know that where I am going needs me and even though I am sad to be leaving right before Christmas, and leaving this amazing ward, I will be ok.  But it doesn't stop me from being really sad about it.  President said if we didn't have so many sisters that needed to be trained, I probably would have stayed here.  But this is the life of a missionary I guess.  I hope I get used to it one day and stop getting so attached to everyone.  The hardest person to say goodbye to was P.  She was super upset that I was leaving.  She told me I needed to come back for Christmas and I had to explain that I couldn't.  And her little boy was the worst.  Every time I go over he says "Sister Poll is here!!!" and then gives me a big hug.  And I had to try to explain to him that I am leaving.  I don't think he really got it.  Saying goodbye is the worst!!!  But I keep telling myself that I a just going to make my family bigger with the people in my new area.  And President said that it might be possible for me to come back, since we are loosing so many sisters.  Next transfer we are closing 4 sister areas because we are losing 8 sisters and only getting 1.  And this transfer we lost 11 and only got 9.  It is really sad. So I am really hoping that maybe next year for Christmas I will be back in Tübingen.  One can hope right? :)
That brings me to where I am actually going.  Sister E is staying here and training a new golden.  I am heading to a place called Passau.  My companion is from Hungry.  So that will be interesting.  I think I am just bound to have international companions.  First from Saudi Arabia, then Mongolia, now Hungry.  But it has been the best experience ever.  Hard, but the best.  I am excited and really nervous.  I have so many conflicting emotions.  Cuz I am excited to go someplace new and have a new companion, but I am also terrified.  Cuz we all know how I deal with change.  So I am praying that my anxiety won't be too high.  I am going to ask the elders for a blessing this week which I know will help.  But I have heard a lot of great things about Passau.  It is really pretty and the ward is little.  That will be different, but hopefully I will adjust.  Apparently they only have 15-20 people.  I am just hoping we have some good investigators.  And it will also be good cuz I will speak more German than I am here.  I speak a lot, but not as much since all our investigators are English speaking.  So I am excited for that.  I have no idea what my address will be yet, but I should by next week.  And when I do you will be the first to know.  Just keep a prayer in your heart that I will be ok this week.  
I also went by and said goodbye to M this week.  I have a super cute photo of her baby and hopefully I can send it soon.  She is on track for baptism, kind of.  She just needs to realize that she needs to do it, but she isn't quite ready to give up her wine yet.  We are working on it.  She knows and wants to be baptized, but her desire isn't quite as great as it needs to be to give up her vices yet.  We are really praying for her. 
I am super excited for Christmas here.  I have a hard time remembering that it is ok to enjoy the experience and look at things. So I am excited for Christmas and what it will bring.  There are already so many Christmas markets up and we haven't had a chance to go to one yet, but they are up for the whole month of December.  I am really excited. 
This week is going to be so busy.  We are going by as many members as possible as well as investigators so that I can say goodbye.  It is really hard, but it will be good.  I am excited for Sister E to train.  She is nervous, but excited as well.  I am going to miss her a ton.  I learned a lot from her.  And I have learned a ton about myself.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to be here as a missionary.  It is hard and trying, but it is also amazing.  I have learned so much about myself and how to become more like my Savior.  I have gained a strong testimony about this Gospel and I know without a doubt that it blesses our lives.  The Church of Jesus Christ is true.  Our Savior loves us so much and wants more than anything for us to return home to him.  I am so grateful to have grown up in this Gospel, and that I have received my own testimony that it is true.  I am grateful to be sharing it with others as well.  
Love you all and think of you always.  You are all amazing examples to me.  Have a wonderful week!!!
Liebe Grüße
Sister Poll

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