Wisdom from Sister Sherry's Henry's Alpine German-speaking Mission
I am trying to focus a lot on
diligence and giving my all every day. There is a difference between a
missionary who looks out the window on the bus, and a missionary who says hallo
to the person next to them. There is a difference between a missionary
who says hallo and a missionary who asks how you're doing. There is a difference
between a missionary who asks how you're doing and a missionary who looks for
any opportunity to teach this stranger even a nugget that will improve their
lives. And then there is a difference between a missionary who looks for
an opportunity to teach a nugget and a missionary who will flood that moment
with a testimony and a spirit of love that the stranger can't deny. My
goal is to reach that last phase. But, I have also learned that it's
important to just diligently work schritt für schritt. Elder Uchtdorf
says to start right where you are. I couldn't agree more. The only
way we can reach where we wish to be, is if we take the small step today.
Are we looking out the window? Well then start saying Hallo. It
may take a while, but I promise you will master the Hallo.
The only way I have been able to improve
is by the little steps. There is a reason missions are 18 months.
There is a reason life is 80, 90, 100 years. The fact of the matter
is, change in us, change in others, takes TIME. The key is not only
patience, but diligence as we work to make ourselves better.
You asked if it is hard to be myself in
another language. Mom, do you really think that another language could
keep ME, Sherry-Lynda-Henry-Dance-Across-The-Video-Camera-Look-At-Me-Mom, from
talking? I get frustrated sometimes, I can't lie and say it's easy.
But, the only person that keeps me in the way of being me auf deutsch, is
me. A big lesson I have learned serving in another country, is that language
isn't who we are. I have met people from France, Ghana, Peru, Turkey, Japan,
Syria, Pakistan, Iraq, and countless other places and cultures. When we
talk to each other in German, I am thinking this emotions and thoughts auf
Englisch, translating it into German, then they receive it in German, and
translate it in themselves to whatever language they have. Regardless of
the Sprache, the things we say are always the same because in reality, everyone
speaks the same language.
It's
just, we don't remember that language because we were dumb enough to try and
build a tower to heaven before they had even invented Automobiles. Come
on people, it would have been much easier with a tractor or two.
When I'm feeling
Glum,
and my heart won't
seem to hum,
I look around with
desperate eyes,
thinking happiness
is in disguise!
I then ask,
"Can I hear it?
Sometimes one's
eyes can seem to fade,
But surely my ears
function well,
the same as when
they first were made."
Oh yes, Oh gee, Oh
silly me,
How could I think
to hear or see!
We all know the
sense that goes,
for happiness
really is the nose!
But I have learned
through many tries,
that happiness
isn't found through nose, ears, or eyes.
Happiness that is
really worthwhile,
will only come when
we learn to smile!
As I was standing there
listening to this woman talk to us, I thought of how phenomenal of an
opportunity this mission is. How many times can a person say they talked
with a random 90 year old German woman on the street? She had so much to
say, and I know I have so much to learn from her. The greatest part, is
that as a missionary, It wasn't just listening to this woman ramble. I
have the opportunity, and the blessing, to be able to listen with my heart and
to let this woman know that she is loved by God. This woman is loved by
the most incredible, powerful, magnificent being in the universe. Maybe
we weren't able to say that out loud, but by the way she was looking at us, I
know that she felt it. She felt that love, and as we continue to listen
to her and talk with her, we will have the opportunity to teach her about that
love.
Missionary work is
all about patience. The opportunities won't come unless we are patient
enough to work on the Lord's time. His time is in terms of eternity, so
we have to adjust accordingly.
There is absolutely
no doubt in my mind that God loves us.
He loves us so much. He loves you
so much. That is the message I
share. Everything points back to God
being our loving Heavenly Father. That
is the first principle we as missionaries teach, before Joseph Smith, before
the Book of Mormon, even before Jesus Christ.
The first principle, the foundation for existence itself, is that God is
our Father in Heaven and he loves you.
As I was sitting in
Sacrament with all of these young women, and thinking of H, I had such an
overwhelming feeling of happiness. As I was able to share the joys of my
missionary work with the young women, it only helped my joy grow exponentially!
Mom, it is not easy for me to be here. I will say that frankly.
I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss my language, I miss my down
time, I miss my alone time! But this work makes me so happy, the joy I
feel here is so great, that it makes it all worth it. It is not easy, but
the overwhelming moments when I feel that joy and that love for these people,
the pure happiness that comes through this work, makes it all worth it. I
have never felt so much fulfillment in my life. I have never felt the love
of God so purely.
I am so grateful to
be here. Through the hard times, through the tears, and the sadness.
Through the homesickness, the long days, the sore feet. I would not
trade the things that I have felt, the things I have learned, and the people I have
loved, for the world. This mission is everything to me. I am so
eternally grateful for what it has done for me. I am so indebted to my
God for giving me this opportunity.
I have been
learning a lot about patience as a missionary. The fact is that, I am not
in control of anything. Through studying the plan of salvation, so many
aspects of missionary work just make sense. When we understand why we are
here, we understand why things are hard, why things aren't happening, why we
need to do certain things. We know what blessings are, we know what
trials are, and we know who we are. I think about how great The Book of
Mormon is, how great the hope we gain from a knowledge of latter day prophets,
but the single most important doctrine for people to learn about from us is WHY
we are here.
The plan of
salvation is not just a piece of what we believe; the plan of salvation is what
we believe. I am so grateful for the peace and hope I have from learning
about it, and that peace and hope is why I am not discouraged one bit that
things aren't happening on my time scale. This life is much more than me.
So the other day it
was raining and it was just absolutely gorgeous. There are just some
times where I am here and think about how I am totally living a Fairytale.
But I know it's not because I am living in Germany. It's not just
because I am far away from home doing things I would have never imagined.
My life is a Fairytale because of the Gospel. I know what choices
are the right choices to make, and because I make those choices, my life is
blessed. When we do the right things, our lives will be Fairytales.
This Gospel is the path to happiness. If you don't know that yet,
find out. If you do know that, then tell someone else. I don't know
why in the world we are so afraid to spread happiness!
I love you all.
All of the emails, letters, love from my friends and family back home do
more than any of you could know. I read and treasure each one. They
get me through some tough times. I am so grateful for all of you.
Stay beautiful. I love you all so much.
God loves us.
We are his children. I know it. I want everyone else to know
it. It is such a happy day when someone learns who they are.
Every day here in Freiburg is filled with Love, Fun, Challenges,
and God. It is the most indescribable and amazing thing, to be here and
devoting all of my time to the Lord. Being a missionary is the single greatest
experience that has happened to me so far in my life and I am so eternally
grateful! I love these people so much! I love you so much! I love my friends
back at home so much! I miss all of you but I am also so grateful to be here.
This is where I am supposed to be. Ah, being a missionary ist am besten!
Before I came out
into the field, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let fear keep me
from using my talents on the mission. We got a phone call this week from a
Sister in the ward that plays piano for Primary. Before I had time to be afraid
and say no, I told her I would love to do it! So, yesterday in church I PLAYED
PIANO FOR THE PRIMARY!!! I just feel so proud and so accomplished and I know
you would feel proud too, Mom! It has been years since I played. But you want
to know the coolest thing? I literally have not been able to really play the
piano for a couple of years now. As I sat there looking at the music
visualizing it, I couldn't figure out how my fingers would work to play this
song. But as I started to play, my fingers and my hands remembered the
intervals. I felt God bringing this skill back to memory because he wanted me
to utilize it. It was the most phenomenal experience ever and I am so grateful!
I am so grateful to be a missionary! I am so grateful that as I give all of
myself to God, he makes me all that I can be!
This week we followed a prompting in an unusual way and ended up
going by on a Less Active. We went in and she was drinking wine with a friend.
There was a strange atmosphere and then after the friend left, she told us that
her daughter passed away. We sat with her, we comforted her, we loved her. The
next day we found out she struggles with Dementia and her daughter had passed
away 3 years ago. But her brother passed away that day we went by. This woman's
husband, only two children, and only sibling are gone. She is literally alone and
only 65. She lives alone, she has no close family left. There are people like
this in the world! People you are friends with, people you visit teach, talk
with who are this lonely and are hurting this much! I am so disappointed that I
spent so much time on Netflix and not enough time lifting up those with feeble
knees. There just isn't time to run around, there are people who need our love!
I am so grateful that as a missionary, that is what I get to do. I get to help
others, I get to lift and strengthen these people. There are people who need
us! I know we are busy, I know life gets in the way, but if everyone just makes
a little more effort, God will give us time. We do our part and he makes up the
rest. That is the way He works.
I am completely convinced that the
Love of God will change the world. That is really the reason I am here to
be a missionary. I am not a perfect teacher, sometimes I am not even a
good teacher! I am not the nicest, the kindest, the most patient. Try
as I may, it’s impossible for me as a mortal to be absolutely obedient 100
percent of the time in life. But those things are of no significance
compared to the power that I possess that each of us possess, through our
capabilities to love one another. Love is what changes loves, but not
just any love. The perfect love that comes only from living a absolutely
Christ-Centered life, and that life can only come through devoting our lives to
the teachings of the Gospel. The Gospel teaches us how to love, it's up
to us to utilize that love and to change the world!
I am so grateful
for this Gospel and what it has done for my life. I am not here as a
missionary to condemn people, fight with them, try to turn them from their
ways. I just know with my whole heart that this is the truth, that this
is what brings man more happiness than he has ever experienced. All I am
trying to do is share this happiness with other people because I know it will
make them happy as well! What a great message I get to teach, what a great
work I get to be a part of! I love it! I love being a missionary so
much! I love you so much, you all mean the world to me!
Don't forget how loved you are. Every
person on this planet is loved infinitely by the most magnificent being in
existence. How phenomenal! He hears us, he loves us even when we
turn to walk away from him. Never forget! He loves you! I love you!
