Gibi Gibi

Hello Everyone! Sorry its been so long since I have last written one of these emails. I feel like I was so good at writing emails while I was in the MTC and now I just never have enough time on P-day to do all the things I want to do, like write to all of you. However, I am going to be better and try once again to write these every week. Anyway, its been a good couple of weeks and Sister Henderson and I have been working like crazy. Sadly, its been a little hard to find people recently who actually want to learn but its been a good thing because its helped us with our facebook game a bit. We had exchanges a couple of weeks ago and the way that exchanges works for us is one of us stays in our area over Turkey while the other goes to Mainz where the STL's are and is a German Sister for a day. This time, I was over Istanbul by myself while Sister Henderson went to Mainz. I taught three lessons basically by myself because the sister with me only spoke German, so that was an interesting experience. It was good to see how I could hold myself in a lesson and see how much I have improved since being out on my mission. Although I am not perfect in the language by any means, at least I can teach lessons in the most basic way. 

Germany has been transitioning into a phase where the weather is just dark and rainy, which has been, as you can imagine, super fun. Its not a hard rain, its just a light drizzle, but its just always overcast and dark. I think it makes us appreciate the sun a lot more though when it is out. We had a p-day a couple weeks ago where we celebrated halloween, which was just a couple days ago. We had a halloween treat bake-off and a curry cook-off, which was delicious. I literally have never eaten so much food in my life. It was so fun to hang out with our zone and just talk about everything and joke around. Also, the title of this email is a Turkish word I learned a while ago that was just hilarious to me. Yes, its a real phrase. It just means "so-so" but I think it might be my favorite Turkish words. I am sure there is more I could say about the work we are doing but I once again am running out of time, so I think I will just share a quick spiritual thought.

"Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter. Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace. As parents, we know how unwise it would be to indulge our children’s every desire. But children are not the only ones who spoil when showered with immediate gratification. Our Heavenly Father knows what good parents come to understand over time: if children are ever going to mature and reach their potential, they must learn to wait...[T]he work of patience boils down to this: keep the commandments; trust in God, our Heavenly Father; serve Him with meekness and Christlike love; exercise faith and hope in the Savior; and never give up. The lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our lives, and heighten our happiness...It is my prayer that patience will be a defining characteristic of we who hold the priesthood of Almighty God; that we will courageously trust the Lord’s promises and His timing; that we will act toward others with the patience and compassion we seek for ourselves; and that we will continue in patience until we are perfected." 

I am trying to be better at this Christ-like attribute when people cancel lessons with us, when a couple of hours of facebook work lead to people ghosting us, or even when I get angry texts from people who tell me that I should work on my Turkish before I try to teach the people in Turkey. It's been a little hard the past couple of weeks, but I know that as I try my best my efforts will be magnified. I know that I trust that the work I am doing is good and is making a difference, it will. I know that this work is so incredibly important and I feel so honored to be involved in it. I love you all and I hope all of you are well! Görüşürüz!