Saying Goodbye!

This past week was so full and busy and these next couple days are so booked too that I don't know when I am going to have time to say goodbye to everybody that I love here. Sunday was so nice. Everyone remembered that it was my last Sunday and gave me the biggest hugs, sometimes they hugged me and then looked into my eyes and then hugged me again, and then said beautiful words that brought tears streaming down my cheeks. I love them so much. They have touched my heart forever and I hope that I have done the same for them. I never knew that by coming out on a mission that I would gain so many friends. Not only friends but people that I honor and have learned so much from. I am going to miss them dearly.

I had my last appointment with Justine last night. Her faith has grown so much since I first met her. She explained on Sunday that when she first was meeting with us, she was just curious on what the differences were of the religions like Catholics and Lutherans versus us. Then she explained that now she will probably become a member of our church. My heart was pierced with warmth and love. Visiting that woman for every week for 6 months straight was worth it.. Tears filled eyes and made me not want to leave. I want to see her progress, and I want to see her baby boy that is due in a couple months. I want to see her enter the waters of baptism, and I want to see her in the temple being sealed with her husband. But those are a lot of selfish, needy wants. I am grateful that Sister Wrathall is here to enjoy those blessings coming up. I am excited for her to continue her mission and to witness miracles like I have. She deserves it. I am so blessed to have taught, met, and been loved by so many people here in this beautiful land. I love it so much and there is no way that I am going home and never coming back. For that appointment, we took a member with us and her name was Diana, like my mom :) On the way home from Königstein (where our appointment was) she asked me, "So Sister Tuschling, what are you taking back with you from what you learned on your mission?" It caught me by surprise. It really got me thinking of what I truly have learned and how I have changed. And the only thing I could think of was love. I love people more than I ever have before in my life. I love my family and friends more (probably because we are 5,000 miles apart!), but I realize now how much you guys mean to me and I love you. I see people through different eyes now. I truly see them the way Christ would, as they really are, as children of God. I have never cried over so many strangers before because they didn't come to church, or they didn't read, or anything in the sort, but I have never felt for them the way that I do now. My heart has changed towards people. I love people. Everyone has their own story and background and I love that! We are so unique and we all need some tender love and care sometimes. All in all, I have figured out for myself the true meaning of love on my mission. And I will continue to try and love others the way I have here. I am grateful for her question last night to kick me into gear and to think of what I have learned while being out here. I have learned a lot of things, but the biggest which has changed me to the very core is love. The Frankfurt Germany Mission is not the best mission because every mission in the nation is doing the work of the Lord, but the Frankfurt Germany Mission was the best for me. I have loved being out here and being a tool for my Heavenly Father. I have loved helping people put a smile on their face, or to give them a little bit more hope. I love it. And I will always love it. Thank you for your prayers, they were felt every day. See you all very soon!

Liebe, Sister Tuschling

The calm before the storm...

 The calm always comes after the storm and it is so true. After being cancelled on like 8 times this week, we finally saw the fruits! You just always have to press onward!! Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were the fruits of this "durch einander" week!. They were so good!!!! We were able to teach David from Ghana, Africa with a missionary couple from Lyman, Wyoming and we set a baptismal date with him for the 20th of July! And then we just had the hand of the Lord watching over us because everyone we went by on were home and they want us to come back :) And Justine (our cute pregnant Chinese woman that we are teaching) and her husband listened to what we had to say and that was the first time that he even sat in and listened!! And they are coming to church next week! And CHURCH!!! Oh don't even get me started on church!! The Spirit was so strong and I absolutely just adored the testimonies that were born. One very special testimony that was born was my dear friend, Alejandra. She is from Peru and is 24 and was baptized in November. Before, I recalled talking with her and she committed to bear her testimony in church before I leave and so I reminded her :) Missionaries never forget! She was so nervous, and she was worried that she didn't have a testimony or a "cool" story to tell. Which you don't need a cool story. All you do is go up in front of everyone and you tell them how you have seen God lately, or how you feel about him. Well since it was my last fasting testimony meeting I got up and bore my testimony. The entire time I had the feeling to read from Doctrine and Covenants 46:13-14. It talks about the gifts of the Spirit, and I tried to push that thought away because I didn't know how to tie that in on what I was going to say, but I followed the prompting anyways. After I get done, Alejandra got up!! This was her first time ever to bear her testimony in church!! Which is a big deal. And she goes up there and explains that she is doing it because she promised me, and that she dedicated it to me. She had already started crying before she got up there, and I tell you what, her tears were matched with mine. She said that after she was baptized in November, she always hoped and wished that Heavenly Father would send someone her age, because the missionaries are usually 18-21, and she being 24 needed someone to relate with. Then, she continued that she wished that she could talk to a convert too about her doubts, fears, and problems because all the other missionaries had grown up in the church. And even though she never really prayed for it, she had always hoped and wished for someone to come. Then she said, "He sent Sister Tuschling to me...." And then she was gone... and then I was gone... She told of all the similiarities that we both had, and then she added that just the night before she had been reading in Doctrine and Covenants 46 about the gifts of the Spirit too.. She thanked me, told me how much she is going to miss me, and how much I have helped her along this path... I felt so loved and needed at the moment and I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us all. The whole time in Frankfurt I have wondered, "What am I doing?? Why was I in Friedrichsdorf for so short of a time of only 6 weeks, and why have I had different companions every transfer here? Who am I helping?" Alejandra. I have been here for her and I have needed her too. He does truly know us. And I am so deeply touched and grateful for that knowledge. Liebe, Sister Tuschling