MY FAM (:

     In young women’s, we’d always go on boating trips. On one particular lake outing, we all decided we’d go cliff jumping. I was (still am) terrified of heights, but resolved to do it, anyway.

Well, I stood up on that cliff for quite some time. I couldn’t bring myself to jump! Countless times, I thought 'okay. This is it. I’m going to do it" and then I’d run to the edge...and then stop short and turn back. I remember the anxiety (BECAUSE HELLO CLIFFS= DEATH), as well as the frustration I felt (WHY CANT I JUST JUMP!?!)

     I was about to give up and walk back to the boat when sister white joined me on the cliff. The conversations between us went a little something like this:

     Her: okay Brooke. Come on. We’re jumping. Right now.

     Me: I can’t I can’t I cantttttt

     Her: yes, you can. Come on.

     Me: no really, I can’t.

     Her: no really, you can. And you will. Let’s go.

     And then she took me by the hand, counted to three...and we were off!! And? I let go of her hand right before the ledge.

     Well, sister white marched right back onto the cliff AFTER I COMPLETELY BETRAYED HER, held my hand WITH THE GRIP OF DEATH and practically drug me off the cliff with her.

     Right now, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of that cliff again. Talking to random people on the street, on the bus, on the train, in the store fills me with so much anxiety! Countless times, I’ve thought 'okay. This is it. I’m going to do it. I’m going to talk to this person'...and I’ll walk up to them...then stop short and turn back. Then comes the frustration- why can’t I just open my mouth!? I feel like such a failure! Such a coward! And the worst part? there’s no sister white talking be by the hand and helping (FORCING) me to overcome these feelings...SO HERE I AM AT THE TOP OF THIS CLIFF; A TOTAL BASKET CASE, COMPLETELY LOSING IT DUE TO FEAR AND FRUSTRATION. So just continue to keep me in your prayers. I can definitely feel the effects of all the ones offered on my beheld thus far. This week has definitely been much better than last, but I’m still having a rough time so PRAY PRAY PRAY: Danke.

 

     

     I got my first door slammed in my face this week! We went knocking and I walked up to my first door of the night, rung the klingel and this sweet old lady answered BUT SHE SHUT THE DOOR WITHOUT SAYING A SINGLE WORD BEFORE I COULD EVEN FINISH INTRODCUING MYSELF. But guess what? We knocked on the next door and? Found a potential investigator!! So booyaa to that! We're going to have an appointment with him this week...so pray that goes well!

     I went on my first split this past week! I went to Neurenburg (THAT PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL). It was just a blast. Funny story: we were walking to an appointment and this American couple yells 'sisters!' from behind and then starts conversing with us. Apparently, my brain can no longer process the difference between English and German, because they asked a question and I responded auf Deutsch and I didn’t even realize it...until I noticed their blank stares. So that was pretty freakin’ awesome.

     Anyway, I love y'all so much. I am so grateful and blessed to have a family as wonderful as you...hope you have a great week! I pray for y’alls happiness and safety every day.

Miss you so incredibly much.

Love, Sister Terry

FAMILY

     Oh my goodness. I miss ya'll so much. In the MTC, I dreaded P-days. They stressed me out and made me incredibly homesick. Here in the field, however, they’re currently the only thing keeping me alive.

     I'm not going to lie, I’m struggling a lot right now. I just want to come home. I wake up each morning on the verge of tears and have about 7 break downs before I even step foot outside (not exaggerating one bit). I don't know what’s wrong with me! My energy, my optimism, my sense of humor...it’s gone! All of it! And it seems like the harder I try to be happy, the harder it gets! I don’t understand why I’m so miserable. Missions are supposed to fill you with joy, but I’ve never felt so downtrodden. They’re supposed to lift your spirits, but I’ve never felt so weighted down. Everyone always told me what an awesome missionary I’d be, what amazing things I’d do, how many lives I’d change. Those people would be so disappointed. So let down. I'm not even slightly good at being a missionary. I can’t muster up the courage to talk to people, can’t find the strength to correct other missionaries and can’t work up enough energy to labor as hard as I desire/ be the missionary I always envisioned myself being.

     Aside from my constant stream of tears, this week was great for many reasons. We had a lesson with one of the girls we met walking home from Bahnhoff last week! She brought a friend with her, which was AWESOME. Neither one of them were genuinely interested, but they were super sweet. Ha-ha their guy friend walking in during the lesson, shook my hand and said "Sister Terry? You’re really pretty" and then proceeded to invite me to a party he'll be throwing last month...So naturally, I told him the REAL party was the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and that he should join us next time we had a lesson. Boom baby.

     I have a new best friend. She's the branch president's 7 year old daughter. We made up a handshake, she drew me a picture of a cat AND she helped me learn my colors with the colored pencils she was using! I love her. She sat by me during sacrament meeting and got all cuddly AND I JUST WANTED TO CUDDLE HER BACK BUT MY NAME IS BROOKE TERRY AND I HAVE SELF CONTROL SO I DIDN'T :(

     A family from the ward invited us over for lunch yesterday! I HAD MY VERY FIRST HOME-COOKED GERMAN MEAL. And? IT WAS DELICIOUS.

Minus the mineral water.

That stuff is nasty.

     You want to know what’s worse than mineral water though? When your investigators don’t come to church. We're teaching this Brazilian lady who showed up at church the other week and asked for us missionaries to come teach her. I can’t remember if I already wrote ya'll about her...basically she wants to get baptized...but isn’t willing to move out with her boyfriend. So that’s a problem. Anyway, she was supposed to come to church, but texted us Saturday night & said she was too sick. Lame. I’ll keep you posted with that situation, for sure.

     Anyway, I gotta go. I miss ya'll like crazy. Really, you have no idea how badly I wish I were with you right now. Pray that I can stop being such a little Eeyore, please! Talk to you next week!

 -Sister Terry

Greetings from…Coburg!

You heard me. COBURG!

As in one of the most beautiful places in all of Germany, Coburg.

As in this place looks like it comes straight from a postcard, Coburg

As in "Which area are you in? COBURG!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME IVE WANTED TO SERVE THERE MY WHOLE MISSION IM SO JEALOUS PLEASE LETS GO ALL FREAKY FRIDAY AND SWITCH BODIES PEASE"

That Coburg.

Seriously though.

It’s BEAUTIFUL. 

Here are some deets about this lovely wonderland I now call home:

- It’s a biking area!!! Which I actually really like...minus the fact that the streets are really narrow & people here drive way fast & there are lots of twists and turns and hills and I’m pretty sure I’m going to die but WHATEVAHHH.

- We don’t really have any solid investigators...which is a bummer. At the pairing meeting, I heard all these other trainers talking about their areas and all the people they're teaching and successes their having...and we don’t really have too much of that. WE WILL, THOUGH. Just give me, sister Hamner and the Lord a couple weeks & we'll have this place up & running in no time.

- SISTER HAMNER. She's my trainer. And she rocks. Seriously, she's been SUCH an angel!! We get along really, really well.

- MY BRANCH IS THE GREATEST. There's only about 40 active members...but they’re all the sweetest people on earth. Ugh I love them so much already!!

- speaking about church, there may or may not be a castle on a hill right outside the relief society room's window (minus the may not part...AHHHH THERES A CASTLE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE RELIEF SOCIETY ROOMS WINDOW CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!?! WHY AM I IN A FAIRYTALE LAND!?!)

     I'm SO stoked to be here. I got off to a really slow start. We landed on Wednesday morning & spent all day doing orientation/ interview stuff. We stayed in a hotel that night and then woke up the next morning for our pairing meeting. Everyone left later that day...but my companion had to stay in Frankfurt for a training meeting on Friday afternoon, so I just sat around with a bunch of other goldens until Friday night. It was really bad, because I had a lot of time to just sit/ think/ worry/ freak myself out...so when we finally got to Coburg, I was a little bit of a basket case. I turned into a scared little turtle and hid in my shell. And cried a lot. We'd be on our bikes and I'd see someone up ahead and think okay, Brooke. Start small. Just smile. Smile and wave at this woman. And I’d smile and wave but I was holding back tears while doing so, so I’m pretty sure I just looked like Cici when she makes her ugly chupacabra faces and scared everyone.

     Things have been much better since that first day, though. I’m still a little bit of a wreck & have to give myself pep talks 50 times a day, but that’s okay!! (:

STORY TIME WITH SISTER TERRY:

     Sister Hamner & I were walking around contacting yesterday...but we weren't really talking to anyone. After about 5 minutes i was like "Okay. This is getting us nowhere. Let’s pray and ask heavenly father where we should go" so we did. And we stood for a few seconds afterwards, listening for any thoughts or impressions put into our hearts or heads by the spirit. Then sister Hamner said "let’s go to Bahnoff"...so off we went. We stopped and talked to people, but no one seemed too interested. We were walking back to our bikes when two girls came out of their house and started walking behind us. We turned around and started talking to them...and long story short, we gave them a book of Mormon and set up an appointment for Friday!!

Heavenly Father answers prayers!

Personal revelation is real.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true.

Meet with the missionaries.

Ask God.

He'll tell you the exact same thing.

I love you all so much. Thank you for your letters, emails & most importantly- your prayers!!! Keep 'em coming (:

 

Talk to you next week!

Gotta go harvest some wheat (;

-Sister Terry