A letter in the mail!

Meine Familie,

Well let's see ... What could I say more in a letter than I already said in an email. I will say ... I love to nit (knit). We're sitting on a train right now on the way to Berlin so Sister Christiansen can go to her training thing and we're both nitting like crazy ... I'm making a scarf. Anyways, things are great here. I'm striving to be obedient with exactness. I get up every morning at 6:30 to do some sort of work out. It's hard in the fact that Sister Christianson doesn't really wake up ... but at least I get up to do something.

Life here is good, though the language is tough. I guess it's just I get frustrated that I can't fully express myself in German. I honestly did so much better in the MTC. I'm still having a hard time understanding people, but I for sure have seen the power of the gift of tongues with me at times. I'm striving to do my best though ... I just get so nervous speaking German.

Tomorrow when Sister Christiansen goes to her training, Sister Singer is going too, so I'm hanging out with Sister Jordan who is Sister Singer's companion. Sister Singer is from Texas too and Sister Jordan is that missionary from Germany who is still waiting for her visa to go to the Temple Square mission. It'll be fun serving with her while our companions are in their training. I will for sure take advantage of the fact that she is a native German speaker. LOL. Everyone keeps telling me that understanding comes fast, but then why isn't it coming fast for me? I wonder that alot and wish that I will just wake up one day automatically speaking German. I wonder how well the other Goldens are doing as far as the language is concerned. I just keep praying ... I mean I have been blessed with the gift of tongues and I am working for it ... just it seems like nothing is happening. I just don't know what more I can do.

My companion gets really frustrated at times ... whereas I am actually very happy all the time, but then when she gets in her moods it's hard for me to really feel the spirit. I don't really know what to do about that. My companion asked me one day if I every get mad or upset ... I just replied yes, but for this 18 months I have decided to just be happy because my mission is not about me.

I have found how much easier the Christlike attributes are and how much I can feel the Savior's love when I am just happy. Transfer calls are on the 5th of February ... We'll see what happens ,,, I may stay or move out of Rostock. So, I am super excited to see what happens. You are considered a golden for two transfers, so the next transfer ... the one after the 5th will be the end of my golden days. I would like to work with a different sister for the second half of my training, but we will see.

Thanks for the emails every week mom and dad, and thanks to mom for your weekly mailed letters. That's the only mail I get during the week and it makes me very excited and humble, because I realize how spoiled I was in the MTC. I mean, I may be getting some other mail that people are sending to the office address ... but we only get that mail for zone conferences when the mission president comes and brings them. But, I am perfectly content with people writing there too, because it gives me something to look forward to at zone conference ... lol.

I wrote Emily and Katie a letter. Have you been able to find out Jessica's address?

Well, I will be super excited when winter is over ... just cause it won't be really cold ... I heard it gets pretty hot here during the summer.

Well, I found a really fun gift to get for Neil, Garrett, Caleb, and Lydia when I come home. Or maybe they can get it sooner if I send a small package home some time during my mission. I have a picture of the one I got. It's this chocolate egg thing that has a prize inside. They are actually illegal to make in America, because someone could possibly put something dangerous inside the chocolate egg ... but they are everywhere here in Germany.

So, I can't wait to go to the Christmas markets here in Germany ... They apparently have super cool things ... too bad they are only once a year, but I have to wait for December, or maybe they start in November? Well, a day in the life of a mission is for sure tough ... Most of the time you do feel alone and sometimes you feel your eyes start to water for no reason at all. The majority of your time is saying little personal prayers throughout the whole day for comfort. And at the end of the day you're just ready to lay your head down on your pillow. Most of the time you long for a motherly hug or for someone just to say "I love you". At this point of my letter you could probably imagine tears in my eyes right now. But as the Savior once said, "I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it." I know this is worth it. And as a missionary you begin to feel what every kind of emotion feels like. But I know my Savior is there and he won't abandon me. These are the times there is only one set of footprints in the sand.

I know this is the true church. I know my Savior loves me and has a work for me to do here in Germany. This is not about me. This is about the people and the Lord will provide a way for me to communicate with them. The Lord performs miracles ... I just need to be patient.

I love y'all ... familie and freunde.

Just remember happiness is always the key.

Love,
Sister Brittany Anderson