Last email..... (Sept 9)

13 eating appointments, 7 days. That was pretty much my week. I'm pretty sure I could fast for a week and be fine. It was really fun to spend some time with the people I love. I've learned a lot. We have had a very eventful week. 

On Tuesday, we had district meetings. It was great we talked about Love and how it is the underling factor in everything! Brother Do__ came to the church and made our district some pancakes! After we met with Sonja. She is progressing so much. She is currently praying whether she should get baptized or not. With her we hiked the tour in Augsburg. It was quite beautiful. We then ran over to the GMLs and had GMK and some yummy weiß wurst, breze, and mustard :) 

Wednesday was a great day. We had an appointment with a less active I have been trying hard, for a long time, to meet with. We were able to talk about the scriptures and how they are important. She came to church on Sunday!  We then met with the Elder's investigators, but I mean, it takes a village to raise someone in the Gospel, right? Plus they are the coolest people ever. Sadly I miss their baptism by a couple days, but because she's having surgery, I had to miss it. We then visited the family Th__. They are so great and nice to he missionaries. They told us that what we are doing is so great. And that they put us on the same level of their kids. They think we are really going somewhere with life and wish other youth would do the same. Cutest Bayerisch couple EVER!

Thursday, we headed out to the new family in the ward. After the long train ride, we spent some time together and talked about YW and what it means to be a daughter of God. Then we headed to the Frö__Family. We always have a lot of fun there. But we were able to finally finalize the ward list. It was awesome! It’s cool to look at the ward list and see how much we have done. 

Freitag we went to Schwester Se__ for her Birthday. She taught us how to make my favorite German food, rolladen (see photo) and we taught her how to make banana bread. We visited another family and then headed back to Augsburg. We went to go visit a part member family. Guess what we had for dinner? ROLLADEN. I think it's still my favorite, just a lot of meat.... It was really cool to meet with them because they are honest about what they think. The Spirit was really there when we taught, so I hope they feel encouraged to thirst after further knowledge. 

Saturday, we prepared for the campfire. IT WAS A HIT. I was really worried many people wouldn’t come because it is summer vacation. But it was quite the party. Something interesting about German campfires is they make this bread on a stick, just like marshmallows. It was very cool to try. That night, Sister Mehr and I finally fulfilled my dream of sleeping on the balcony. As close to camping as I can get. It was a blast.

Church was great. We taught the YW class, and then had a class on family history. Testimony meeting was a bit teary. I have no idea if anyone could ever understand my testimony. Mom always talks about her emotions kicked in when she had kids. Well, the mission did it for me. I feel like a cry at anything these days. After church we went to a family and had some fun and then got picked up by another family. I felt like I was dating and cheating on the other families.... haha. Pretty much, my week rocked.

Love,

Sister Regnier

rolladen

Going Home Jokes, Moving Boxes, & Fuggerei (Sept 1)

Well, everyone thinks these going home jokes are funny.... Still not funny. But I did laugh at one. This morning I texted my district asking them if anyone had an extra train ticket, because I didn’t order enough.... Sister Mehr took a picture, I think it adds to the effect. Or just the fact that I laughed of happiness and shock for 5 minutes.

Sister Regnier, you can run but your transfer call will still come ;) No?

Other than the fact everyone thinks it’s so funny I am an oma (grandma-"old" in the mission), This week was great. My tausch (splits) was quite symbolic. I tausched with my first companion (SISTER PETERSON!) in the apartment that I did my first tausch in (München). tear. But we had a blast! We talked and talked, dyed our hair, and worked too ;) 

I came back to an exploding bathtub. As if our apartment wasn’t wet enough. Luckily our landlord had the pieces sitting in her celler and just came and did it for us! They are the best. Hopefully they come to our campfire this week. Yeah, we're having a campfire. We had to have one last activity before I left ;)

This week we helped the DÖrings move. They are the best! I really love them a lot and I'm really sad to see such a strong family go. Luckily two families moved into our ward this week. Needless to say, I am doing a lot of heavy box lifting!

Sportabend (sports activity) this week was awesome. A ton of people including investigators came! It’s awesome to have a place like sportabend to invite people! GENIUS!

On Saturday, we had our debut. All the missionaries from our zone came to Augsburg. We recorded a few songs so that people who can’t make it to church because physical problems can listen to some church music in German on Sundays. Its really sad how little is available in German. I think that it was a really cool thing to do.

We then had, well I think, my last bayerisch grill party Sunday. haha. Always fun. Don't worry, I will be gaining an additional five pounds this week. Average of 3 appointments a day..... wahoo!

Today, we visited Fuggerei (world's oldest social housing complex still in use). Something I have always wanted to do but never got around to. People in need can go there and pay 88 cents plus heating a year. Its SUPER OLD but people still live there, AND ONLY PAY 88 cents, today. It was cool. Lots of pictures of Hitler on the streets I walk everyday. It was interesting to see Augsburg, a city I know when It was bombed! Craziness!!!

We also have the 2nd biggest fair in Deutschland here in Augsburg this week. (2nd to Oktoberfest) Its really cool, people are coming from all over to see it. The funniest thing I saw was the merry-go-round bier garten (beer garden). haha picture!

Also, during weekly planning, we decided to make a brezel (pretzel), well, we forgot, we are lucky the fire department didn’t come over!

Well that’s my week!

Love you!

Sister Regnier

A lot of Success (Aug 25)

Last week we went to Neueschwanstein. Beautiful. 

Sister Mehr and I have been working pretty hard and trying to see the success of our labors. Wednesday was a pretty good sum up of this week. We had three appointments. The first one wasn't home. The second one dropped us before we could sit down. The third one was a miracle and we talked about baptism. So ist der Arbeit! (So is the work)

Luckily Sister Mehr and I are having fun. We see a lot of success and we see a lot of work that doesn't work how we'd like it to. It's been really fun to work together. With her right at the beginning of her mission and me at the end. We are trying to do everything. This includes trying new ways of contacting, find new ways to study, and try all the bread at bakeries.... I've sworn off any food that is not German. We are making the funnest meals, even if we end up having to call members to understand how to cook them ;) 

A pretty eventful day was our day in a small city called KISSING, cute right? haha. Well we contacted some less actives that lived there. Well on the way back, I had forgotten to stamp our ticket, so I told sister Mehr to hold the door and I ran to stamp it. I ran back as the doors lock and I see Sister Mehr's face of panic as she drives away, alone, in a train, no phone, and no ticket. I couldn't help but laugh. Everything worked out, it was just funny. Who knows what she wrote her family this week ;) 

This week we also visited a less active for the first time. She lives in the smallest dorf (village) I have ever seen. There is not even a grocery store, or a bakery in this town, and that’s saying something! It was really hard to see how much she’s suffering. Her sister in a different country is going through a lot. It is also beautiful to see how much strength someone can get out of reading the words from the prophets. This week we have been faced with a lot of people getting married to people they wish they hadn't. Sign for the soon returning sister Regnier? No idea. But, scary nonetheless. 

Sunday was the farewell for Le__. She is going to be the BEST SISTER EVER. She got up there and just talked about how excited she is. Then a member got up and talked about his mission. Well needless to say, I decided I am staying. I would give anything to just keep my name badge on and start all over. Maybe I'll convince Sister Mehr to give me her nametag, and she’ll be getting off the plane in a couple weeks in Oakland. Hört sich gut an (sounds good to me). Who wants to come home and get married anyway? I just have such a strong desire to serve. And those who have a desire are called to the work! Sooo.... I know I know, I still can serve when I get home..... I just would rather do it here. Something will work out I’m sure of it. 

Well that’s all I have to say. tschüss! (Bye)

Sister Regnier

Neuschwanstein and the other castle (Aug 18)

This week has been great. Our new investigator is progressing so quickly. It was so cool to meet with her and to feel how much love she had for God. She was very excited about the whole Joseph Smith story and came to all three hours of church this Sunday. She only has one day off a week, and she uses it to meet with us. It's really awesome teaching someone who is so prepared. 

This week we had zone training. It was weird to think the next one I have will be the week before I head home. 

I forgot if I mentioned last week. But there is a leak in the apartment above us. So 3 of our walls are pretty wet, and moldy. It stinks, but don’t worry, they said it’s not dangerous. It’s been hard dealing with this because it’s a whole new vocab and they speak with very thick dialect. But the problem was finally solved this week, and we just have to wait for the walls to dry. So funny the stupid little things that take our time when we are trying to save souls! 

This week a member had a breakfast so that we could have a spiritual thought with her friend, our investigator. This is someone who once was a member of the church. We were really disappointed when she left so quickly after we said we were now going to share a spiritual thought. You think someone is ready, and then they go on vacation with their boyfriend.... I HATE BOYFRIENDS: Another one of our investigators is planning on moving in with her boyfriend. It will really be a test to see if she wants to really accept the gospel and follow its teachings. 

We really did have a lot of appointments this week. It's been really cool to see the investigator work picking back up. Today, we mapped out all of the potential investigators we have not yet contacted, so that when we are close by, we can contact them. I hope we see success from that. 

A cool miracle we saw this week was with the lady I told you about last week, that I dropped her, then the next day I saw her in the bahn (train). Well the morning before we decided to pray and really set a goal that we would focus on asking for referrals. For the first time in my whole mission, we received a referral from an investigator. Its cool to see how goals and God go perfectly together :) 

Today, we visited Neuschwanstein. We toured the other castle, that no one can remember the name :) It was cool because I remember that I’ve seen it, but it was cool to really be able to enjoy the details. It's a beautiful place :) 

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Sister Regnier