I don't even feel like I'm away from home because this feels like it!

Guten Morgen Alles!!

I realized that here in Osnabrück it is 12pm and everyone is still sound asleep in their beds, except for maybe my friends in Germany and Japan! ;)

So let me just catch every one up on the last few days. So I got to Osnabrück on Thursday afternoon and I have had the worst jet lag EVER!! Personal study in like the hardest thing I have ever had to do haha. The city is beautiful here and the people are so nice as well! The nice thing about Osnabrück is that they are known for having really good German!! Yeah no accents. The best part of Osnabrück is the branch! It is a tiny group of members here; however, they are so strong and they love the missionaries -- like LOVE us! We get fed all the time! Yes. What a blessing. It is not a huge city I am in but from already riding my bike around town it is awesome and way more cool than American cities haha! It pretty much is like walking around in German town in Busch Gardens!! So awesome! The other nice thing is that the people here don't really know who we are so everyone we talk to is more than happy to get to know us a little bit!  And everyone is super nice! Plus I think the missionaries here have done and awesome job in the past! My companion is Sister Blake she is SOOO COOL ah man I totally love her.  We get along so well and have so much fun together already. She is an awesome trainer and I am excited to learn more from her about being a better missionary. She is my age and is from Provo, Utah! She has been out on her mission for about a year! She is so great!

Sisters Toma and Blake

 So some highlights of the week! Well to start off  we have three baptisms coming up in the next couple of weeks! Ahh so amazing! Our first one is a girl who is dating an inactive member; however his family is super active and has totally brought her into the Church! She knows so much and is progressing so fast too! So exciting! We also have a large group of Chinese kids going to the college here! They are all so cool and a lot of who we are teaching are Chinese people trying to learn German like me! ;) So we have another girl who is from China who is getting baptized here soon as well! Our last one is a girl who is so awesome, she is a lot different from most people however if we can continue to progress with her I know that it will help her life soo much! ahh it is so exciting and we are teaching and learning everyday here! I can't even say how amazing a mission has already been, even if I can't understand anything anyone says to me! haha oh boy that has been interesting! My German is getting better every day though and my companion has been teaching me some good things to do so I can getting faster! Hoffenlich!! Wunsch mir Viel Glück! lol The work is hard! and I am so tired every day we ride our bikes everywhere! we have a fun ride for about an hour tomorrow to an inactive members house! will see how it goes lol! However I know that every day that I hid the bed hard was a good day because I spent that time doing what I was supposed to! I am so excited we are meeting and helping so many people receive happiness!! (the Gospel of Christ). It doesn't matter what I learn from this mission what is most important is that now so many more of Heavenly Fathers children are able to have happiness for eternity!! 

Let me just also say the food here is sooo good.. well the bread and chocolate!  A lot of people like potato salad and hot dogs! don't ask me why but they do! Not my thing though lol! But man I could eat bread here all day! Germany is so cool! I don't even feel like I'm away from home because this really feels like it! I am so excited to find out more about my great grandpa and what his story was here in Osnabrück! I can't believe this was his home!! what a miracle! We met a Schmidt the other day going door to door maybe we are related!! we are teaching her tonight for the first time!! Hopefully everything goes well!

I love you all Have a great week,

Sister Toma

Sister Toma arrives in Germany

Sister Toma has arrived in Germany!!  We have not received a letter from her yet, but have received communications from her mission and new area.  We thought it would be fun to post them and some pictures below!

19 June 2014

Sisters Toma and Blake

Dear Brother and Sister Toma,

We are pleased to announce that your daughter, Sister McKinzie Toma, is safely with us in the Berlin Mission. We have had the opportunity to get to know her, and she is ready and excited to be here. Sister Kosak and I look forward to working with her and will do all that we can to help her serve a happy and successful mission. Sister Toma’s first companion will be Sister Blake, and they will work together in Osnabrueck for the next several weeks.

We have all discussed the mission goals and agreed that we will start right, work hard, and finish strong in order to fulfill our purpose to invite others to come unto Christ.

We, along with your daughter, appreciate the support which you give through your weekly letters and daily prayers in her behalf. Thank you for raising your daughter so that she can be part of this amazing work.

For a glimpse inside the mission, including occasional pictures of your missionary, you can check the blog we maintain at http://germanyberlinmission2012-15.blogspot.com. 

I've included a picture of Sister Toma, her companion, Sister Blake, Sister Kosak, and me.

May the Lord bless you in all that you do.

Sister Blake, Sister Toma, Sister and President Kosak

Sincerely,

Henry W. Kosak, President

Germany Berlin Mission

Dear Brother and Sister Toma,

i wanted to let you know that your daughter, Sister Toma arrived safely in Osnabrück, Germany. We are excited to have her serve in our branch.

She is currently serving with Sister Blake, a very faithful and hard working Sister!

Osnabrück is a city of about 165000 people and is located in the northwestern part of Germany. Its just about 50 miles from the border to the netherlands. 

Osnabruek

We have currently 2 Elders and 2 Sisters serving here and am thrilled to get to know your daughter! I am her ward mission leader and was able to met with her and her companion just  today! 

If you ever need my assistance, please let me know. The ward is really thrilled about missionary work right now, since 3 of our young men have just recently joined the ranks of the greatest missionary force. The sisters have currently three investigators that have baptismal dates! This is just an exciting time!

Thanks for your prayers and for preparing your daughter to be ready and worthy to serve here in Germany!

Sincerely

Matthias Habermann

I have such a strong testimony of God's love for us

June 11, 2014

Guten Tag Alles Menschen!! Wie Gehts es Ihnen?

Holy Moly, I cannot believe that in a few days my MTC experience will be over! Can somebody pinch me? I really need it right now because I seriously feel like I am in a dream right now! All the days blur together and I forget all the time if it is Tuesday or if it is Friday! Hopefully when I get to Germany, My days will get a little more busy and have some variety to them.

So to be completely honest, this week has been pretty uneventful.

It is interesting that both Mom and Dad had sent me a letter having a lot of the same message behind it. That I am of worth and the I need to let "the Gardner" or the Lord, prune me and help me become the best I can be.. or become to my full potential. I have been really hard on myself for that last few weeks, wondering how I can become a better teacher and make the lessons come a lot smoother, and Why I was put with my companion. On Saturday we taught our "investigator" Jenni, she is a 17 year old girl who's boyfriend is a semi active member. It is hard to teach her lessons sometimes, because we will go up to her and say " Hey we have planned this amazing lesson for you today about the Plan of Salvation, or the Gospel of Christ," yet she will ask us a million questions and we always end up never teaching her the lesson we planned, which is a bummer because we try to receive revelation from our Heavenly Father to teach them what we feel they need to hear and what they NEED! Finally my teacher Sister Judd pulled us aside and said "The lesson is in your hands, Heavenly Father trust you to teach his children what they need. Just teach the lesson you plan and feel free to end the lesson on your time, tell them they can ask ward member or read the scriptures to find other answers to their questions. Stop being so hard on yourselves you are great teachers and Missionaries, pray for spiritual teaching experiences, and pray for your investigators and each other every day." I really took head to what she had said to us that day and have been trying to do what she had said! It has been amazing how different the lessons have become with our Untersuchern. Thanks Mom and Dad for sending me the messages you have this week! I know that through your prayers you are also able to know and feel the messages and needs of your children, Even if they are a million miles away.

We had the wonderful opportunity for our last Tuesday devotional to have Elder Cook come and speak to us. It was interesting how both his and Sister Cook's tied into each other. They both had brought up being Shepherd for the Lord.  When Christ is speaking to his Apostle Peter and says "If you love me feed my sheep" He says that three times to Peter.. (you think that is important?) As I have been studding this week in PMG the third lesson in Chapter Three it talks about the Gospel Of Christ. Under Baptism we are taught that when we take Christ name upon us we are to strive to become like him, and be like him.. Now we are all not perfect so we need the Atonement. However as we take Christ name upon us and strive to be more like him we come to know and love our savior even more. So remember.. what does Christ tell peter? "If you love me feed my sheep". We are all children of God, we have taken Christ name upon us and strive to become more like him every day. As we do so he entrust us to take care of his other Children. We must strive for Christ like Attributes.. or as Elder Bednar says recognize the Character of Christ. Charity, Love, Hope, patience.... We must Feed his sheep. I think the thing that most impresses me is that We are soooo far from Perfect, however Christ still trust us to take care of his sheep. Heavenly Father has given us a promise that if we keep our Covenants that we make at Baptism and in the Temple that (that includes feeding his sheep) we will be blessed with more blessings than we have room for.  In Alma 42, Alma is speaking to his sons about Christ after he is finished the first and last thing he tells them to do is Preach the word to your fellow brothers and Sisters (Alma 42:31). It makes me realize that even when I come home from my mission I am constantly and always will be a missionary of the Lord.

I found out some interesting news this week that Pertains to Germany.. Amazingly the work there is striving.. many missionaries are having 7-10 baptisms a month... In Europe. This is an Amazing Time to be serving a mission, the Lord is preparing people more than ever for the the Last Days. On Sunday we had the opportunity to watch a documentary about President Monson. One of the first things that he was called to do when he was called as an apostle was to help the people in Eastern Germany. Amazingly they were able to build the Frieburg temple and President Monson blessed the land that it would accept this gospel. It has taken many years, however from what I have heard the Germany people are amazing. I am so excited to serve the Lord there. So going into that I heard some interesting news from some of the Leaders in the Germany missions. Our branch presidency told us this week that because there are soooo many missionaries leaving, and there will be 150 missionaries going to Germany this summer, many of the missionaries are training themselves. We were told that we were the group of missionaries sent out first because we will become trainers within 3-6 months of being in Germany. Ahh so scary. We were also told that because of that our teachers have been working extra hard to prepare us for the mission field. ...so Back to what Elder Toma said about me having a Hard time in the MTC... well know I know why the MTC was so hard for all of us May 7th Germany Missionaries, we have many shoes to fill and a big responsibility a head of us. I can already see so many leaders in my zone the Lord Calls us when he needs us. We all still have so much to learn, and I only hope that when I get out there I can be a good enough leader to help the work in Germany. I Love the Mission, it is an Amazing Place to learn and Grow and build your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Thank you all for the Amazing letters that you send each week! I love the Dear Elders and hearing about your experience in what you do to participate in the missionary work. 

Thank you out to Grandma May The skirt is Beautiful I love it.. I havent worn it yet because I am saving it for Germany.. However it fits perfectly! Thanks Grandpa for the Amazing heartfelt letters you send as well the Make my day 100% more filled with the Spirit.

Thank you Mom and Dad for your letters and all the others who have taken the time out of their day to share their experiences and advice.. it is such a blessing. I learn so much for you, more than you can ever know. 

P.S. the 16th is that last day I can receive Dear Elders, after that its Emails and Snail Mail. :)

I have such a strong testimony of God's Love for us. We are his children and he is so proud of all that we do.

T

he next email you get will be from Germany!! :) so it will be a lot more interesting.

Well that is it for now! Hope everyone has an Amazing Week

Aufweidersehn Liebe,

Sister Toma  

I love being on my mission!

Hi Everyone

How are things going? Thank you so much for all the Dear Elders and the emails. It really made my day. It is always good to have a spiritual thought or an uplifting message to help me throughout the day! Oh I also sent out a little letter to you and dad this week you should be getting it soon! Can you believe that in a few weeks that I will be in Germany? Because I can't haha. I get my travel plans this weekend and I can give you all the details about what time we will be where! I am guessing that we will have a layover somewhere on the east cost? Maybe Boston? The German is coming a long good. This week it just really clicked in my head and I have been able to say a lot more! Ja! Schtimt! lol

This week has flown by and I feel like it has been a pretty crazy week for me. I feel like I have broken down and cried at least 6 times lol. Finally my teacher pulled me out and just explained that this mission is hard and is supposed to me hard! Just the other day we got thrown under the bus and ended up teaching four lessons in one day. I better get used to that though. Anyways we had a rough lesson with Renner, "our Muslim" investigator. We didn't really know how to explain about the priesthood and what it was. The same for our 17 year old investigator. Finally my teacher Brother Garlick explained it so well, now we can really make it personal and understandable.  I think that is what we have been working on this week.. just really making all the lessons personable. It is so important that we make those lessons relatable to them. Especially The Plan of Salvation. Sometimes we just go along and give them sooo much information, However then we are just offering them information and not salvation.

So this week as been way gross haha! The boys bathroom has been having problems and our building has been smelling like a mixture of stink bombs and skunk for past week.  It is absolutely horrible!! On top of that our teachers won't let us study outside. However we kind of broke that rule once because it was SOOO bad, our teacher actually came out and said it was okay just because it was so bad!

Mom tell Sister Lopez and Sister Moore thank you for me! Their dear elders were so kind and I enjoyed them so much!

I can't believe that Brother Laulusa came and saw you.  That is sooo cool! I kind of wish I was there haha.. I am also so glad to hear that Conner is doing so well. I am so proud of him! Tell him I love him!  Oh and thanks for the dear elder.

Thanks Grandma May for the skirt I am soooooo excited to see it! :) it means so much to me.

Thanks Namma and Pappap for that wonderful talk from sister Nelson I love having that to carry around with me! Such good learning material.

My friend Sister Moderziski she is going to Sweden

Elder Kitchen photo bombed it though!!      

I love being on my mission.  It is so wonderful and I have grown and learned so much at the MTC.  It is really is a place of learning and growing and I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to go to an MTC to learn about the doctrine and teaching and language. The mission really is a calling from God. It is amazing to me to see what gifts he blesses us with while we are serving with all our Heart Might Mind and Strength. We were studying that the other day and it was so amazing to read all the blessing we receive from our heavenly father when we are obedient to what he ask of us. Not just somewhat obedient but completely and exactly obedient.  We learn so much about being obedient in the temple and through making those temple covenants! Ahh it just makes me feel so warm inside thinking about Heavenly Fathers Love for his Children. We are his literal Children! That is an Amazing thing! Think about how much you love your fathers and Mothers! Just because I am far away and I don't get to see them for a year and half doesn't mean I don't want to talk to them or hear from them or speak with them. Our Heavenly Father is our literal father and loves us and wants to talk to us and see us and know how we are doing. We must pray always! Be obedient to his commandments our covenants, try our best and pray always, that is all he asked! (Enduring to the end) Then we will be able to return to him... we will finish our missions and live with him! What a great blessing and promise!

Well my last funny thing! I have a new Nickname! The Temple Schlaffer! (sleeping auf Deutsch). We have temple time at 1:40 right after lunch! I feel like that is a terrible time because  you're always tired after you eat lunch... and I am ALWAYS tired around that time! I try so hard I even hold my eyes WIDE open with my hands.... lol not really! BUT I really do try because I love the temple and I love learning from the temple! So pray for me this week that I will be able to stay awake! haha (just thought that was something funny for the day)

Liebe Sie Alles,

Sister Toma      

 

Das Woke is kommt gut!

Wie Gehts Mine Freunden und Familien!!

Das Woke is kommt GUT!! :)

This weeks has been so good! This have been going well here at the MTC and my zone and district are all getting anxious to get into the mission field! The Language has really picked up this week for me and I find I am understanding more and more everyday as I pray for help from my Heavenly Father to have the Gift of Tongues. I know that if it wasn't for the spirit to guide us Missionaries we would not be able to touch the hearts of so many around us! I would not be able to speak Deutsch as well as I do and those in Germany would not understand the importance of our message!

Nothing really new happened this week it pretty much is the same things every day. Wake up at 6:30

have study

eat breakfast

gym

class for three hours

lunch

more study

class for three hours

dinner

and then three more hours of study!

then bed at 10:30.... Wow you think they are really pushing for us to learn something?

All I know is as longs as I try to be the most obedient Missionary I can be and fallow the Missionary schedule with exactness the Lord will bless me! I have already seen some of those blessings.

I love having this time in the MTC to learn and grown it is such a blessing they don't just drop us in the middle of our countries and send us on our way to fend for ourselves!

Elder Nelson came and spoke at Devotion on Tuesday. It was such an amazing talk about being a good missionary and how to be personable! I think some of us think missionaries have to be so formal that we can't have a conversation that isn't related to the gospel. However we need to build a good personality, a likable one, be personable with others and build relationships with those around us, learn to love and learn to care about others.

The other thing is I know that Elder Nelson is such an amazing missionary. The whole time I was in there I was bawling my eyes out because I just wanted to thank Elder Nelson so much for the words he spoke to my Grandpa that helped him be able to eventually be there when I went through the temple and I know now that I can be sealed to him for all time and eternity with my grandma and my parents and my siblings.

I know when I get to Germany I can help others feel that same way about there families!

So I guess the funny story for the week is apparently I can't say anything right and I kept say we would fly to Hamsterdam in a few weeks? When really it is Amsterdam.  Everyone makes fun of me for that all the time now and we don't use any other word for the city anymore. We all call it Hamsterdam now...

Well I hope everyone has an amazing week Lots of Love

Leibe

Sister Toma