Week 59: It's Raining, it's pouring ... the Old man is Snoring!

Man, it has been chilly and rainy this whole week here!  Hope the weather has been happier over where you are (haha).  But hey, it means its getting close to Christmas.  But more importantly, it is getting close to GENERAL CONFERENCE!  Man, I can't believe that is almost here again!  I am so beyond excited!  It is going to be fantastic.  To those of you who aren't members and are reading this, General Conference is when we get to listen to our wonderful Prophet and Apostles guide us in our lives and inspires us to do good.  I am so excited to hear guidance they have for us this time.  It is such an incredible blessing.

This week I found a "Daughters of our Kingdom" book in our apartment.  I remember receiving this a few years back, but I never read it.  But, I picked it up and started reading it, and man it is so great!  I basically read the whole book this week.  There was a really cool quote about Charity that I read in it that I really liked:  "Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down.  It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily.  It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings.  It is accepting people as they truly are.  It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time.  It is resisting the impulse to categorize others ... Life is perfect for NONE of us ... Charity has been defined as 'the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love,' the 'pure love of Christ ...; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.'"

I think it is really important not to only help other people, but to see them as who they are and what they can become.  When we truly love those we serve and do it ungrudging, then it becomes the pure love of Christ.

We had a really great week here in Dortmund.  Sniffles and coughs were around, but we got through it (haha).  Heavenly Father helped us position ourselves in the right places and the right times to find people that we needed to talk to.  We found two new investigators this last week that are way excited to learn more about the church.  They were at the most random places, too.  I think it is inspired how Heavenly Father works, because five minutes later or ten minutes earlier we could have missed these ready people.

Transfer calls were on Saturday, as well, and it looks like Sister Nielson will get to put up with me for another 6 weeks (haha ... jk).  We have a lot of fun together, so I'm very excited that we are staying together another transfer.

Oh man, I almost forgot the best part!  There is a member in the ward who has a clarinet and wants to do a musical number with me for a ward party that they are having on Saturday (haha)!!!  He let me practice on the clarinet and man, I am very very rusty on it, but it was so much fun to play on it! :)  It's going to be a great week this week!

Well, lastly I wanted to give another quote I found from a Mormon Message about giving thanks daily.  It says:  "Because we see things so often, we see them less and less."  It is so easy to forget what we have around us.  I know being out here and away from everything, I realize how grateful I am for everything I had, and I am grateful for the things I have now.  So, look around and notice the things that you have now and give thanks to Heavenly Father.  Notice the mountains, the trees, the people ... everything; and see the beauty in the world.

I hope you all have a fantastic week!

Take Care!

Sister Jordan Brown

 Stuck in the Rain!!

 Winter is Coming!