Addiction Recovery & American Cookies

Hallo!

Hi everyone! One of the struggles of trying to straddle two areas is trying to serve two wards. As missionaries, we're here to strengthen the ward in any way that we can - it's hard to befriend the members when you only see them every 2 weeks! Every day we have 30 minutes to an hour of language study, which is frustrating for Sister Freimann since she...speaks...German. (Obviously.) So what we've started doing to solve both problems is bake cookies! Sister Freimann often makes chocolate chip cookies while Sister Smiley and I study, and then we'll drop them by less actives and members in the areas that we already have plans for that day. It's so fun! It's a great way to meet the members, it works with our schedules really well, and who doesn't love cookies? It's actually pretty funny, because a few times when we'll bring cookies by, the people have said "Amerikanische cookies?" I guess chocolate-chip cookies are pretty American. I had never really thought about it before! It's just funny because the American cookies are made by the German. Oh well.

 

The most magical rainbow of all time over Wien

 

With Sister Smiley, Sister Freimann, Elder Pugmire, and
Elder Pingle after church last Sunday in Wein 1



Treats from the Zone Leaders

Last Tuesday was awesome because we had Zone Training! I got to see everyone in the Wien zone for the first time. Apparently it's one of the smallest (if not the smallest) Zones in the Mission - there are 20 Elders, 5 Sisters, and an Ehepaar. (Married Couple) So 27 in all! Apparently our district is extra-special because it has Sisters AND the Ehepaar. We talked a lot about diligence, and what diligence really means. Mosiah 4:27 (in the Book of Mormon) talks about how diligence doesn't mean running faster than we have strength for, but doing things in wisdom and order. We obviously still need to work hard, but instead of focusing on working harder, we should focus on working smarter! Zone Training was also the best because I got to see Elder Howarth! He's the only other 'golden' who came to Wien - only 6 of the 17 that even came to Austria but the rest are in Salzburg. It was so fun to see an 'old friend.'

 

With Elder Howarth last week at Zone Training . . .
it was nice to see a familiar face.

 

Most Elders get 'Comp Ties' with their companions--
just matching ties.  Sisters have to be more creative,
but we found these at Primark for 3 euros!

So. Funny story. Last Monday we decided to venture to Primark, which is basically the European equivalent of Forever 21 except that it's 20 times better. We ventured there with Elder Durrant and Elder Rodgers, the Elders that we work with in the Wiener Neustadt ward. What we didn't know is that we were unintentionally flash-mobbing Primark with missionaries...we got a text that the Zone Leaders were also there, then ran into 4 other Elders from the wards in Wien. All in all, there were at least 11 missionaries there together. That's a lot of Priesthood in one room! Ha.

 

Another silly little story. If you didn't know. I'm a hardcore nail-biter. I bite my nails when I'm happy, sad, anxious, peaceful, breathing, etc. I've always felt like I should probably stop, but have never been able to do it for more than a few months at a time. Well, Sister Freimann wisely told me last week that I really should just figure out how to stop. We do so much growing on our missions - might as well shatter some bad habits as well! Preach My Gospel has a section in the back with the Word of Wisdom that talks about addiction recovery and how we can help people who are trying to overcome addiction...so I'm following the addiction recovery program! Haha! One of the first steps is telling people about your plans to overcoming addiction. So there you go. You've been told.
 

What it takes to adequately express yourself

 in Sacrament meeting...the red is

Sister Freimann's help with grammar

 I gave my first talk in church this week. Ah! I was so nervous. I had given my testimony in Wien 1 on Fast Sunday and briefly introduced myself in Sacrament Meeting in Wiener Neustadt, but this was my first full-on talk. It was about Agency and the decisions that we make. I talked about 1 Nephi 3 (in the Book of Mormon). We often think about Laman and Lemuel, Nephi's brothers, as the epitome of disobedience...but think about it. Who went into the Wilderness with Lehi? Who went all the way back to get the plates? Nephi...AND Laman and Lemuel. One of the biggest gifts that we have from our Heavenly Father is our agency. We have the choice whether we choose righteousness and goodness, or whether we choose to heed the natural man and not progress in this life. (2 Nephi 10:20) However, not only that, but how we choose to use our agency is important. Laman and Lemuel were totally obedient most of the time! They just had a really bad attitude about it, and that's what paved the way for all the destruction and heartache that occurred in the Book of Mormon. Choices matter - but attitude matters too!

 

I love you all to the moon and back! Have a wonderful, wonderful week.

Sister Bushman

 

Blast from the Past:  I didn't have many pictures from this week, so here are some great pictures I hadn't previously posted of our last week at the MTC.

I just loved being part of this Distrikt!  Elders Killpack, Howarth,
Hunt & Annen; Sisters Bushman, Smith, Fenton & Angeloudis

When Germany won the World Cup!

Just before getting on the bus for the Manchester Airport

 

With Sister Fenton on the bus ... goodbye Chorley, Lancashire, England!



Last Photo -- From Wein:  We have '5 Minutes of Fun' every day, and Sister Freimann wanted to check out this playground one time. This was 2 seconds before I fell.  Hope you don't fall down today!