Dear family and friends! 

First off thank you all for ALL the Birthday Wishes! They were great! I loved them. 

This week was a little out of the ordinary. I think we spent a total of 48 hours here in Hannover. 

On Monday we actually didn't even have P day, we had to meet with so many people because we couldn't meet with them during the week. Tuesday we left to Hamburg where I got to sing in a missionary choir. Let’s just say it was something else, ha-ha. It was fun though. 10 sisters slept in this little tiny tiny apartment overnight. There wasn't enough room in the morning so a bunch of the sisters had to go over to the Church to get ready in the morning. Just image about 6 Sister Missionaries with their overnight bags, still in pj's marching over to the church at 7 in the morning. Ha-ha I am sure it was definitely

a sight for all those on the street that day. Luckily it is only a block away from the church

We had an amazing Mission Conference though. Elder Johnson came and spoke to us. He talked a lot about having faith and acting on that faith, and Alma 32. It was good, it helped me to realize the importance of conversation. When we teach others, we really need to focus on their needs and teach them rather than just the needed lesson. We need to make sure they understand how to nourish this seed, in order to remain deep rooted in the Gospel. 

Thursday was my birthday and of course it was special, just because I could be here and spend the time with people I love. Sister Stacey made me feel so special, and everyone did so many nice things that day. I especially loved it because I got to see so many people I loved, and just spent the time helping and serving others.  We helped Lydia find some place in Hannover and we went over to our friend Gaure's to teach her, and later we went to Knabe's it was a blast. I just tried to enjoy it to the fullest seeing that was my last birthday as a missionary and for whatever reason, the best birthdays happen on Missions. 

The next morning we woke up again bright and early and headed off to berlin for MLC, with president Fingerle and Elder Johnson. Can I just say how cool Elder Johnson is? I like him a lot, I hope one day he will be able to be a mission president because he just so powerful and motivating. He reminded me a lot of President Kosak in that way. He also made us just feel so loved. 

He gave the time to us for the last 45 minutes just to ask questions and to get to know him a little more. One of the last questions that was asked, was How do you remain humble, while still keeping confidence. His response was, 

"Humility is knowing that we don't have all the power, and confidence is knowing that the power is from God"  

We spent a good portion of the time on this topic. 

We then spent a good two hours after MLC learning about family history. It was so cool, I am excited to go home and find ancestors.  That I can take to the temple and do the work for. It is a big goal in the mission to really help this work a long, not for us but to know how to do it so we can help our investigators and new converts take names to the temple someday. 

During that time, I got a visit from Bucky! It was so good to see him again. He is doing great, and he actually just went to the temple a few weeks ago and said he loved it. 

Things in Hannover are pretty good, we keep seeing miracles all the time. We still haven't received contact with Linda. It is sad we hope we can soon, I have faith that we can. 

Please keep these people in your prayers that they can make their baptismal dates. 

Linda 

Gloria 

Richard. 

You all are wonderful, thanks for all that you do! I love you all, 

Sister Toma  

Der Wille Gottes

Hallo Familie und Freunde!!
Ich hoffe, dass ihr alle eine gute Woche gehabt habt. Ihr seid alle wunderbar, und kann Ich euer Gebete und Unterstützung sehr Stark spüren.  Vielen vielen Dank dafür.

Ok now I will speak in English! You don't have to translate that! I don't think it will make too much sense anyways!!

Well, this week as been a little bit of a test of my faith for me. It is good though, I know God gives us trails and test to help us grow. There is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone.

Sister Toma, Lydia, Sister Stacey

Linda one of our investigators on baptismal date went to Berlin on Monday. We haven’t had contact with her all week, but her brother told us in hope that she would be coming home on Friday. She went to go get her Visa renewed, and sometimes here in Germany it can take a while. So with that Sister Stacey and I were praying and fasting that she could make it home before Friday at the latest, so she could make her baptism on Sunday. I kept stressing out over it and couldn't sleep because of it. She is so ready but due her dumb Visas she couldn't be here. I didn't want to make her wait! On Friday as I was in my personal study, I was reading in 1 Nephi 17 

in vs 7-8 it is God commanding Nephi to build the ship, then In vs 9 is really where it hit me

7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.

8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.

9 And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?

God commanded Nephi to build a ship, which for him was pretty impossible. For having not ever built one in his life before. However, all he responded with was... where shall I go to get materials to make this ship. So much faith, so much humility. Not even questioning, just doing. He understood Gods will for him, and had so much faith to just do it.

I realized in that moment, that instead of asking God, Please make it possible for Linda to come home in time for her Baptism, I needed to just say God whatever your will is for Linda, Help me be ok with it.

Then on Saturday, still with no contact, I felt that it was Gods will for her to wait. That she maybe needed a little more time, and that we should put off her baptism. Her brother reassured us that she would be home by Saturday morning, so before we even knew that she wasn't home yet we sent out the message that her baptism was being pushed back and submitted ourselves to the will of God.

That evening we went by again, and found out she was still in Berlin. We are still not sure when exactly she is coming back, but please continue to keep her in your prayers!

This experience helped me so much this week to realize how much more I actually need to rely on God. That part of this mission on earth is involving our Heavenly Father in our Joy, our sorrow, and the many other earthly experiences that we have here on earth.

My most favorite story about fallowing the will of God is from D Todd Christofferson. He recalls a man who was a gardener and his experience with Gods will. It called "The Will of God"
there is a Mormon Message too, here is the link

The Will of God (3:02)

I love this talk so much, It has helped me so much throughout my mission. I know one of the biggest things or weaknesses that I need to overcome is being more humble and submitting myself to Gods will, or even being humble in other situations. 

 

However, there was many other humbling experience this week that helped me to realize there is so much Growing that I need. I have a long way to go and still a lot to learn. 

Elder Oran F Whitney once said, 

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. . . . All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. . . . It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation that we gain the education that we come here to acquire.” 

Oh it was cool this week. There was a wedding from the brother of our bishop, and it just happened that the girl he is marrying is from Osnabruck... She is one of my favorite people ever too so I was just so excited for her, but because she is for Osnabruck a bunch of people from the ward came and I got to see them. I got to see President and Sister Habermann's cute new little baby. It was a sweet reunion. I saw Matthias Habberman, and told him I would be in Osnabruck in a few weeks and he decided to set up a bunch of appointments for when I come. I am really worried, because I am trying to make sure the exchange doesn't become a huge reunion, rather for me to go there and focus on the sister I am exchanging with. Can you send any advice my way?? Ha-ha it will be good though, to see those I love in Osnabruck again. 

 We did have one Baptism this week and it was wonderful! Lydia was baptized on Sunday!! 

She is such a sweet little Ghanan Woman. We met Lydia through one of our new members. We went to go help her with some translation and when we got on the train the first thing she said was, "Hey I found someone new for you to teach" ha-ha then we met Lydia. She had just moved from Holland and will be having a baby in about a moth. The week that we met it her things just fell right into place! We met with her, she came to church, and then she told us she wanted to be baptized! She is an amazing lady, she just loves us and the church so much! Ha-ha, she loves when we come over, but knows why we are there. We don't come to small talking right when we sit down she ask us to pray. Then we start right into the lesson! She is so great! We are friends though she is so funny! 

 

Life is great though! I love Hannover, and all the wonderful miracles and wonders of this city! I am so blessed to be here, with amazing people and an amazing companion! 

 

Thank you all for your wonderful love and support! Your prayers are so helpful! And Wonderful! 

I Love you All, Have a Great Week. 

 

Liebe Grüße, 

Sister Toma

 

Ps. Update on Lucas and his family! 

They came again to church on Sunday and they brought another one of the family members from Lucas's host family! I got a picture with them too! They really enjoyed church, I kept praying and praying that I would know what to say so we could get an appointment with them, or even get their number. I asked a few times and she said no every time, finally sister Stacey asked if we could bring Tori Shultze with us one day and just come by, she said she will think about it. Just pray that he and his family will feel the need to call us and learn more! They are so so good and could be so prepared, I think they are just scared. All I hope is we left a good impression with them! At least they enjoyed church! It is still a miracle in and of itself though.  

Eine witzige Woche

Dear Family and Friends. 

This week has been a wonderful one for sure. We are enjoying the nice weather. It was surprise for us, we are so thankful though because it really helps the work!! :) 

Honestly this might be a boring email, I have been thinking all week what I could share, and I got nothing' ha-ha. 

There have been some pretty funny things going down though. I thought maybe you could use a good laugh! Here are a few highlights. 

Gifty: this week we went to go visit our friend Gifty who is super pregnant, but her baby wasn't due till the middle of august. When we went by on Tuesday she told us her washing machine was broken. We took a look to see if we could fix it, but as soon as we turned the washer on buckets of water started flying out from the top. She wanted us to call the store where she bought it from, because she can't speak German. As we described in our simple German that the washer was broken, all we could say was "there’s water coming out, from the top right corner. We can't describe how or exactly where! All we know is there's water coming out!! It's broken!" We never got anywhere with them so we just gave Gifty the number of a handy man in our ward and hoped she could get things figured out. A few days later she called us to tell us she needed us to go to the store with her to tell the people that the machine was broken and she needed a new one. We couldn't go that day so we planned to go the next day and told her a time and everything. When the time came to go help Gifty we were running a little late so we just decided to call her to let her know. When we called the first thing she said was, Sister sorry I forgot to call you, I can't come I am giving BIRTH! Ha-ha we started laughing a little just because that was the only good excuse I have heard my entire mission for why an appointment fell out lol. Gifty is doing fine, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl ❤️

Lydia: We were heading out to an appointment to visit our friend Emma, when we got a phone call from Lydia, I asked her how she was doing, and she calmly replied, "I'm fine, how are you.." After a few seconds of greeting she then started yelling in my year with her thick African accent about how she was locked somewhere in her apartment and needed us to do something with her keys and something, something.. I couldn't quite catch it all, but I just told her we were on our way and would be there in a few minutes. When we showed up she was basically hanging out of her 5 story apartment window dangling her keys. She yelled "CATCH!" And threw them out almost hitting a car, but by a miracle it didn't. We ran upstairs and opened her front door, and realized that she had locked herself (or the door handle fell off her bedroom door) in. All we could hear was her panting and grunting in the other room, so we quickly fixed the door and opened it for her. She came running out to give us the biggest hugs, she kept repeating "I love you, I love you," Sister Stacey then asked her how long she had been in her room for. She said "since morning". It was now 4 in the afternoon!! She ran out the room supper mad and Sister Stacey and I couldn't help from laughing our heads off. Lydia went off for about 10 minutes it was sad I felt bad, she had nothing in her room, except water, and she hadn't eaten breakfast or gone to the bathroom and she is pregnant!! She is doing good now though, and she is so excited for her baptism next week :) 

Elders: Now my companion seriously is a total babe. Literally every elder is in love with her. The other night we got a call from one of the zone leaders in the mission. We exchange with some of their sisters, so we thought that he might be calling for that reason. But after about 10 minutes of him going off about how he knew Sister Stacey before the mission we were wondering the point of the phone call. After about 20 minutes he pretty much told Sister Stacey is whole wedding plan for them, and then ended with how much fun they will have in Australia together!! Ha-ha, we literally tried to end the phone call 20 times but he just kept going and going. I guess not every Zone leaders follows the rules!! I was seriously losing it the whole time though!! It was transfer week so there were a bunch of elder picking their trainees up.  One of them of course just happens to also be in love with Sister Stacey and had to come through the Hannover Train Station in order to catch his trains to Freiburg. But every time he literally found every excuse to see Sister Stacey there. The first time was on Tuesday, but luckily we had an appointment. But on Thursday his train was coming through again right when we would be at the train station after our weekly eating appointment. We almost missed him, however "his train was late to his city" so they ended up having to overnight here in Hannover. It doesn't help that our Zone leaders are best friends with this Elder. Ha-ha so we ended up seeing him! It was funny! He is a good elder though, just in love with my companion! ;) 

Scavenger hunts for chocolate: We were at the train station and Sister Stacey was craving chocolate. They have a million vending machines in the train station. Pretty much on every platform. However, we literally had to walk up every set of stairs, and search every platform just to find a vending machine who's first chocolate bar ready to drop wasn't expresso or coffee Rittersport. Finally found one on the last platform, and it just happened to be her favorite. Miracle!!  

Eating cow tongues: The Africans love to feed us! I don't know why. They have no money to do, however it is their pride and joy!! So Lydia invited us to come and eat with her this week, I was praying it wouldn't be something nasty and when she brought out only rice I was stoked. However s few minutes later she brought a little bowl out with her homemade stew. She put some on our plates and at first it just looked like some beef, but was we started digging in I realized there was one piece of meat that just didn't look like the others. I turned it around, and realized it was fuzzier than normal meet... It didn't take me long before I realized we were eating COW TOUNGE. mm yummy. So I just cut mine up into tiny pieces and tried to eat it without chewing. Ha-ha are you proud mom that eat All my food now! 

No P day: This week we were so busy, we just didn't have any time for an actual p day. We spent most of it in appointments and running around for other people. It was so good though during that day we saw countless miracles. We ran into less actives who we haven't been able to get in touch with for weeks. Two people even found us! We were sitting at a train station, when two ladies from Afghanistan came and sat next to us. They started up a conversation and we ended up talking on the train all the way until we had to get off, where they quickly shouted out we want to know more please come and visit us. And then yelled their address us. There were so many other wonderful miracles we saw that day, but working that much with no brake got to me on Wednesday. I woke up and couldn't walk straight. I was so dizzy the room was spinning during my whole personal study. It was like that till around 3 in the afternoon, until I finally told Sister Stacey we were going home for lunch and I was taking a nap. When I woke up it was gone, but man oh man was I exhausted. It feels so good to be working hard, but the mission takes a real toll on you. However, even though we sacrifice all these things, the Lord gives us so so so much in return. He truly knows our every need, and our every prayer. I know that will all my heart! 

-- Mosiah 2:17

"17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

I miss you all so much!! Please keep Linda and Lydia in your prayers this week. They will be getting baptized hopefully on Sunday! Have a great week, 

 Liebe Grüße, 

Sister Toma 

Tempel ist ein segen des Herrn

Guten Morgen,

Hope all of you are having s great week. Please send my greeting so everyone and tell them I love and miss them :) how much longer do you have left on vacation? By the time you come home you will only have 3 weeks to prepare for hunter to come home! That is insane! I still cannot believe it.

Wow we had a MLC this week it was so good. President Fingerle has changed a lot of things in the mission already. One of them is his focus on the temple. He has such a strong hope that we really can not only help the new members make it to the temple but really untimely use that as our entire mission vision.  He changed the entire new missionary conference so that when we arrive we will all go to the Freiberg temple together and then when we go home we will also end our missions there. The only sad part is, is that the temple is under renovation until next year. Lame huh? However it will be good. They created a new district called the temple district, and they are a set of Elders and a set of sisters called there to be temple Elders and Sisters. It's pretty cool if you ask me. It is kind of sad that I will miss out on it though, because it probably won't really be that different for the next 6 months or so. We have to wait for the Freiberg temple to open and then he has so many other plans he wants to implement.

Any who, I have a quick question about my home coming talk? Would it be possible to move it back one week after I get home? I only ask now because Kirstin Emailed me a few weeks ago and told me she wants to come for my homecoming/ homecoming talk, but also wants me to meet her so to say "fiancé" who is coming on the week of November 8th to visit so it would be a perfect opportunity. She also said that Mark wants to come as well, but I just have to let them both know soon so they can get plane tickets and make plans. Also I don't want to mess up any plans you might have already made, if you have or if family is planning on coming out? So I just want to let you know now so you have time to plan/ get back to me if that works or not?

I promise I am not trunky. I have been asking a lot of people what to do to just stay focused on the rest of my mission. I got some good goals and plans for how I can do that. I'll make sure that these two next transfers will be the best yet. Sister Fingerle did a really good lesson in MLC on keeping our minds off the world and focused on our purpose, and on The Lord. It was really good and helped me so much.

Hey I am sending you two talks, You both will love them. This is really the reason why president Fingerle has made so many changes in the mission.  They are so good they made me cry :) I thought a lot about dad, and grandpa. How amazing that hey all could go to the temple together.

I am so stoked for the next two transfers. We have so much ahead of us and so much to look forward too.
Please pray for these few people
Gloria - she should have her Baby this week
Lydia
Linda
Richard
Yaw

The Lord really has prepared these people to be ready. I want to quickly just share a story. On Friday when we had MLC, I thought about this comparison. One of the senior missionaries threw us his keys one day and asked, "What is that?" We replied "keys?" He then said "exactly those are keys to my house car and the church, I need all of them to be able to get where I need to go, and we need all the keys in our life as well. We receive the first key at baptism. That is the key to the church, however in order to receive the keys to God's kingdom we have to go to the temple. Without the temple we really can't get in." That was so profound to me and such a testimony builder of the importance of the temple. I thought a lot about it after, what it really means and our role as members after we go to the temple. I thought, when we go to the temple we 1) receive the key for ourselves. But 2 also it is like we receive a box of millions of keys that we can give to others. It's really is in our hands. The Lord has entrusted us with these keys, with his children's salvations. Of course they have the choice to except it or not, however we need to offer them a key into God's mansion first. They need an invitation from us. Also if we have a big box of keys, why wouldn't we want to share that with others? It would be pretty lonely in Heaven if our friends and Family were not there. That is one thing that makes me so excited about missionary work! To share eternal life with ALL those I loved and invited to be in the Kingdom of God with me, because really all of Gods children are invited to come in, it solely relies upon us, and their agency whether they come or not.

We are helping God with his work
Moses 1:39
39 for behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Oh by the way I am staying in Hannover :)

Thanks that’s about it I love you, and miss you
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Toma

 

P.S. Sorry this is a little weirdly written but this is what I wrote to my mission president this week you will love this dad :) 

 "So a few weeks ago my father was returning home from an EFY session at BYU. In the plane he sat next to a young man and when they started talking it just happened that this young man was an exchange student from Germany. Not only was he from Germany, however he just happened to be from Hannover?!? Coincidence... Totally not. Any who, as they continued to talk my dad found out he had be living in Utah with a member family for the last 14 month and was just returning home to his family. My dad sent me an email soon after about him, and said I needed to watch out for him and his family. Well a few weeks went by and no sign of them, I actually had talked to the Schutlze family about it, to see if they knew him because they do exchange programs. However they didn't know him. But another miracle happened. One week Tori Schultze came up to me and told me that she had met a woman who was talking to her school about options for them after school. When tori went up and told her she wanted to serve a mission for her church the woman responded with. "For what church do you want to serve a mission?" Tori told her she was a member and the woman was so excited to hear she was a member and went on to explain how her son had just returned from an exchange program, and that he had lived with members for the last 14 months. Tori remembered the story I told her earlier about my dad and asked the woman the name of her son. Again not by coincidence, it happened to be the mother of the boy who my dad met. Tori then got her information and son’s information so she could get in contact with them. That was probably back in the end of June. Well yesterday at church a family walked in I was standing at the door greeting members when a boy came up and asked, hey are you sister Toma? I looked at him kind of funny as if it wasn't obvious that I was wearing a name tag, however he continued on to introduce himself as Lucas the exchange student who met my father on his plane ride home. He came to church!! And brought his whole family with him. It was so wonderful. I had the opportunity to sit with him and his family, to get to know them a little better. After the church services I asked them how they liked it. The mom responded, that she loved it and that she felt it was so personal and the people were so nice and friendly. She then, asked her whole family if they would like to come back again on the 16 together as a family! How amazing!! The Lord is really preparing people out there. I know that this is not just Coincidence. We gave them our number and hopefully we can start meeting with them soon. God is so good, he really every day continues never ceases to amaze me. " 

Kann nicht ein gute Title finden

Dear Friends and Family. 

I hope you all had a wonderful week/ Pioneer day. It is blowing my mind that we are now heading into August. Wow, that means Hunter (Elder Toma) will be coming home in a month. Unbelievable. The kids will be back in school before you know it and the beautiful summer season will be leaving us. Fall is already here in Germany. Sad to say but it’s true. We start early. The temperatures have dropped and it is back to sweaters and tights. Hopefully it will stay around this temp, till after September. I just packed all my winter things away and don’t want to have to pull them out again. Ha-ha

 We were blessed of course again with countless miracles this week. God and his work never cease to amaze me. Every Sunday we have a meeting with our Bishop about the missionary work. When he found out that this week was transfer calls he immediately exclaimed that none of us has permission to leave Hannover. He is really so happy with the work that we are all doing, he couldn't stop raving about it for 20 minutes. Well at least I know we won the heart of our Bishop over. ;) I know that it isn't 100% us though. It is really the Lord who is opening up these doors for us, we are just the tools that help him get the people through the doors. 

 So here is just a little recap on the week’s events :) 

 We just started teaching this really cute girl from China. Her name is Anna. After a zone conference one of the Elders was taking a big box of Book of Mormons back to his area, when Anna asked him what the books where. He started telling her about it and ended up giving her one. Luckily we were sitting right there so the Elder could introduce her to us and we could get her number. One thing about Anna is that she already believes in Christ. We told her about church and she is so excited to come. On Monday we invited her to Basketball because her boyfriend plays and she wanted to invite him. They both came and both had a blast. Before we also got to teach him a little lesson. We committed him to say his first prayer to God, and started teaching him about Jesus Christ. It was so amazing to have that feeling again. It has been such a long time since I have taught someone the first steps of gaining a testimony of Jesus Christ and God. I love watching these people grow in their Faith, and watching the atonement work in them. It is an amazing testimony builder for me that this Gospel is true. 

 Through a series of many miracles, we finally got Theresa Confirmed. Hallelujah!! On Wednesday we had an appointment fall out so we decided to see if we could by some miracle get in contact with Theresa. We waited for about 10 minutes outside her house, just hoping one of her kids would walk out or someone she knew would come from the house. As we were waiting a young African mom came strolling by with her baby. We stopped her and asked if she lived in the house. She replied that she didn't live there, but actually works there. We asked if she knew Theresa and by chance she knew her. We told her that we needed to talk to her and the woman said she would go and check to see if Theresa was home. After a few minutes we saw a crazy haired African running towards us, it took a few minutes before we realized it was Theresa. She came running into our arms to greet us with the biggest and best hugs, and couldn't stop expressing how much she missed us. After about 10 minutes of a sweet reunion we reminded her the importance of her coming to Church on Sunday. On Time! We set up another appointment and just prayed that she would be there. On Saturday we went by and again she wasn't there. However another Miracle, we saw Elizabeth coming home from errands and she went in and got her daughter for us so we could pass on the message that Theresa needed to be on Time. Well Theresa on didn’t make it in time, however right as the last speaker was about to finish she came through the doors and she was able to be confirmed right at the end of Sacrament meeting. What a relief and wonderful blessing. She is honestly one of my most favorite people here in Hannover. 

 Yesterday we went and met with one of my Favorite member families. The Metzigs. This family is such an amazing example to me of being truly converted unto the Lord. Every time we go to see them I get an overwhelming feeling of the truthfulness of the Gospel. Their life is for sure not perfect, but they have found Christ and who he is. Also not to mention that the Elders threw down an unbelievable spiritual thought. It had everyone in the room in tears. It made me think about the Goals I set. Are they goals that will help come closer to my savior? I think those are maybe the most important goals you can ever set for yourself. 

 
Well family and friends thanks for all you do, I love you all have a great week. 

Love,

Sister Toma