Life is Funny Sometimes

This week has been quite interesting -- full of strange, wonderful, and great experiences! It snowed AGAIN, about 6 inches! Also, a couple of quotes of the week...

We were teaching our 9 year old investigator and his family, who are trying to come back to church. We were talking about the importance of setting goals and planning how to reach them. His older brother related it to cross country and how he has to set goals and practice to get better. The 9 year old then proceeded to say..."This man (pointing to his brother) has got a hundred dollar body, and a MILLION dollar legs!!" It was so incredibly random and we all were in tears! He's such a funny and good little kid. :) Also, while biking around town we stopped to talk to some men who were outside. After a few minutes, one of them interrupted us and said, "Well, honey, we sure love y'all, but we are drunk on liquor right now!" I'm glad they gave us some warning...they then continued on to dig up a small tree and re-plant it a foot away in the middle of the driveway...it was interesting to say the least.

We also had some really wonderful experiences this week! We were finally able to meet a less-active woman who we have been trying to get in contact with for the past 5 months! She is so sweet and told us several times how glad she was that we stopped by. It was amazing to see her open up and really just light up. We also had dinner with a less-active sister who is starting to come back to church again. She had us over for Valentine's day and we were able to share more with her friend who was there as well. It is amazing to see this woman change! She woke up one Sunday and knew that God wanted her back at church. So, she just got up and did it! She is so excited to be learning again and growing in her testimony and faith.

We had several experiences this week in which we got to talk with some very religious people and discuss our faith. It is neat to hear their beliefs and to be able to share ours and add upon them. I know that the things we have to teach bless lives. I have seen how living the gospel of Jesus Christ changes people. As we have faith, repent of our mistakes, are baptized, and strive to follow the Holy Spirit and be obedient to God's commandments for the rest of our lives, we will find strength and peace. I know that God is always there for us. He is never far away, but He also will never force us to come to Him. He loves us so much that He has allowed us the freedom to choose our path. Every day, we are given experiences and opportunities to learn from. Though we may not be able to choose our circumstances, we can decide how to react to them. I have been trying to reflect throughout each day by asking myself, "What can I learn from this experience?" As I have done so, it has helped me to appreciate the little things more and to find miracles in each day. I know that God loves me, and that we are all special to Him. He has a plan for us to follow, and it is up to us to choose if we will or not. I know that it is hard, and I certainly am a witness that we are not perfect. But, as we show God that we are trying, He will work through us to make miracles happen!

Love,
Sister Dieter

More snow!

Sister Lewis and I

Biking :)

Happy Valentine's Week!

Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well! This week has been pretty interesting, definitely some unexpected things, but that's how life goes! Winter is definitely here in North Carolina, but I'm told it won't last much longer. 
This week we had some pretty great miracles! We were out biking one day, and planned on stopping by a few people to visit. None of them were home. As we rode past one man's house that we have talked to in the past, I felt like we should just stop and see how he was doing. He came outside and we were able to talk with him for about 40 minutes! It started pouring, but that didn't even matter, it was so great! He has a ton of questions about Jesus Christ and about faith, our purpose in life, etc etc. It was wonderful to be able to share my testimony with him and the things that I know because of the gospel. I just felt so much concern for him and knew that God loves Him a lot! Another neat experience...we stopped by a less-active member's home, but they weren't there. We stopped to talk with her neighbor who was outside, but busy and had to go. Before we left, we asked her if she knew anyone that needed a message about Christ. She referred us to a house down the street, and the man there happens to be the son of a less-active member! He is willing to meet with us! It goes to show that if you follow the guidance of the Spirit and work hard, great things will happen! This past Sunday, a lot of people were at church that hadn't been there in a while! It was great to see them and that they are doing well. What was even better was to see the other members welcoming them so openly and striving to get to know them. 
This week, in honor of the holiday I suppose, I am working on learning how to love people more and to show that through kindness. I know that everyone we see is a child of God and that they are important to Him. We have the ability to change their lives through small acts, whether it be sharing our testimonies, or even just a smile or an encouraging word. People need love and as we strive to develop that charity for others, we will be happier, they will be happier, and the world will be a much better place. Everyone has trials, weaknesses, and setbacks. But as we are patient with one another and do our best to be kind, we all change experience change and become better! I'm so grateful for the opportunity that Christ gives me to learn, to improve, and to change. I can't imagine not being able to do so...I would just feel so stuck and pointless. I'm grateful to know that we all have the potential to be better. What can you do this week to show others that you love them?

Sister Dieter

Snow!

Hello everyone! This was definitely a different sort of week. We got a few inches of snow and freezing rain on Tuesday, and as a result pretty much all of our appointments for the week were cancelled. They don't have the funds for plowing down here, since it usually doesn't snow much. So basically everyone just stays inside for a few days until the ice melts off the roads. I definitely learned a lot about patience this week! Despite the weather, some really great things happened this week! We had a wonderful lesson with a less-active man in another member family's home. They just reached out to him in love and support, and it was a very special experience. I can testify that a little love and charity goes a long way in changing someone's life. We can all reach out to those who are struggling and bring them comfort. We were also able to go on base to meet with an investigator's sister who was in the naval hospital because of an traumatic miscarriage. We were able to share more with her about the plan that our Heavenly Father has for us and that there is a way for her to be with that child one day. She was also able to receive a blessing of comfort and she told us she felt much better afterwards. It was a very special experience and I am so glad that we were able to help her in some way. Also, this week we have been really hoping and praying for someone that we can teach who is committed to learn and to change their life. Well, we got a text from some other missionaries in Arizona telling us that their investigator will be moving here to work for the Marine Corps and that we will be finishing teaching him! He is excited to be baptized and his member fiancée and he are planning on being married in the temple next year! Although things are not always easy, it is so worth it! Heavenly Father blesses us daily in so many ways!
Something I have been thinking about this week is the analogy of faith being like a seed. The seed itself is great; it has all the components necessary to become a strong, tall tree. But, that seed requires some nourishment and care to grow. We have to pray, read the scriptures, attend church, and strive to be obedient to the Lord's commandments in order to "water" our seed of faith and help it grow stronger and bigger. If we neglect that plant and it begins to wilt and die, it isn't because the gospel and the truth we believe in (the seed) was bad or wrong, it's because we weren't working to take care of that testimony. If we won't water our plant, the heat of the sun can scorch it so much easier. I know that no matter what point your "seed" is at in it's development, there is always opportunity for it to grow again and even more. What will you do this week to nourish that seed? :)


Sister Dieter

This is what two inches of pure ice and snow without any plowing or salting looks like!

Yes, M'am!

This week has been pretty great overall! We got to go to the beach on base last week with a member! It was so fun, yet so cold! We also had dinner that night with the sweetest Southern lady out there. We had your typical Southern meal, topped of with banana cream pudding! Oh goodness! We had zone conference in Wilmington and had the opportunity to learn a lot from our mission president and his assistants. I love being able to learn from those who have been where I am and to be able to set goals to improve. I went on exchanges this week with our sister training leader, and learned a lot about how to be more loving and organized in helping the people here! We met a few new investigators this week. Also, one of the less-active women who has been trying SO hard to be able to overcome her anxiety and come back to church came this Sunday!!!!!!! :) And of course, RG got baptized this Saturday!!!! It was a great service and the Spirit was so strong. I was honored to be able to speak about baptism and the fresh start that he would have. It is a new beginning for him, and I am so excited for him! He loves feeling the Spirit more in his life and is excited to help share that with others. I know that Heavenly Father placed us in his path that fateful day at the library for a very special purpose and that he will change so many lives!
Church yesterday was fantastic! It seemed like it was really focused on the importance of using our agency, or freedom to choose, in the best ways that we can. I know that one of our greatest gifts in life is to be able to make our own decisions. Heavenly Father loves us so much and He would never want us to go without that ability to choose. It makes Him sad to see us use our agency in ways that bind us and bring us trouble, but He is always there to help us if we are willing to accept it. I know that we have the power to choose our attitude and how we will react to life. Hard times are inevitable. Things don't always go as planned. In fact, they rarely ever do. But, we can choose to be happy and to recognize the blessings that we receive each day. A teacher in one of the classes asked us to think back on the worst period of your life...I am grateful to say that it took me a while to pinpoint what that would be. But I know that for many people, it's not like that. Sometimes it just seems like trouble after trouble keeps coming our way and that there is no escape. But, through faith and following the commandments of God, we can find enduring, deep, and real happiness. We can be at peace with the commotion that is going on around us. He will provide that comfort. I know that we all have such great potential to grow and that we just need to be patient with ourselves and with others. As we recognize our human frailty and do our best to rely on God for support, we can truly change. It may be in the most incremental and miniscule ways, but over time we will see how far we all have come. I love this gospel and I don't know what I would do without it. Though times are tough sometimes, I know that God loves me and hasn't forgotten about me. He loves all of us so much and His purpose is to help us learn to be happy.
I love you all!
Sister Dieter

Beach on Base

RG's Baptism

Why We're Here

Oi, como vai?

It's been a great week here in NC! I was able to finish up all my FBI clearance stuff and get that in. We had some really great lessons and talked to a lot of wonderful people! We are helping RG to prepare for his baptism this Saturday! But he is already so prepared, it's amazing! He's looking forward to making a covenant or promise with Heavenly Father to follow Him and to serve Him. We know that being baptized will help him to find deeper happiness in his life and a sense of purpose. That is one of my favorite things about the gospel, is that it helps us to know why we are here on Earth, where we are going, and how we can get there. Check it out: http://mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation. I know that through Jesus Christ, we can overcome our sins and weaknesses and find true happiness. He helps us to see the purpose of life, of families, of continuing to try even when life is hard. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to gain eternal happiness with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ after this life, and also while we are here on Earth. As I have come in contact with people who do not open their hearts to God, I see the sadness it brings. I know that even though I am not perfect, He is there to help me and to give reason to my daily life. I know that this is true for all of us. God loves you and wants to help you to succeed!
This week we met a wonderful new investigator and had a fantastic lesson. The Spirit was very strong and she wants her whole family to do this together. We are excited for them to grow and to learn how they can find true and eternal joy in their lives. It is such a blessing to be able to serve others full-time. It is sometimes hard to put off your own selfish desires, but you will always be happier in the service of others than in selfishness. I know it because I have experienced it. Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us, and it is up to us if we want to choose it or not. He will not force us, but He is always there willing and waiting to accept us! :)

Sister Dieter

Chilly chilly!

Hello!
So this week we got some sort of arctic blast and it got down to about 17 degrees one day! That is pretty much unheard of here, so it was pretty exciting! And then two days later, it was in the 70s again. So weird. Anyways, we had a pretty good week! I found out this week that I have to get FBI clearance for my visa, so I had to get fingerprinted, etc. I am definitely learning the value of patience and in trusting in the will of the Lord. I know that He has a purpose for me being here, even if I don't know what that is. I pray that I may be able to do everything that He needs me to do here. 

One very exciting miracle of the week is that an investigator RG committed to be baptized on January 25th! He is very excited about it, and we are glad that we have been able to see him learn and grow so much. I've been thinking a lot lately about how the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us helps us to grow and become better. It's hard to see how much we change when we look at it from a day to day perspective, but if we look back and see our progress, it's amazing! I know that God blesses all of us each and every day and that He is fine tuning our capabilities, if we will only allow him to! I know that Jesus Christ died for our sins, our weaknesses, and all of our sorrows and struggles. He did this so that we could learn and become more like Him. As we focus our energy and efforts on serving others, we will be changed by the Spirit. I know that God knows us individually and loves us a lot. I love you all and hope you are doing well!

Sister Dieter

Happy 2014!

Happy New Year! This week has been full of adjustments and changes as my new companion, Sister Lewis got here on Tuesday! She's been out for 7 months and is from Idaho originally. I'm excited to work with her and to be able to learn from our experiences together! This week was fun and kind of crazy, but good! We had a wonderful zone meeting on Wednesday, and I learned a lot about the role of the Spirit. Like it says in Moroni 10:5, by the power of the Spirit is how we learn all truth. Anyone can know the truth of the gospel and the Book of Mormon by praying about it and paying attention to the feelings that they receive from the Holy Ghost. I know that Heavenly Father communicates to us through these feelings, and it is so important to act on them! We had a couple of great lessons this week with RG, and he is so excited to be baptized soon! He went to church for the first time yesterday, and LOVED it!! He can't wait to be baptized so that he can start fresh, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and follow Christ's gospel. He even mentioned how excited he is to one day be worthy to hold the priesthood of God. Wow, he is such an amazing soul! I am so blessed to be able to witness his growth. I know that God will help us with all of our challenges as we put forth our faith and show Him that we trust Him. Although things often don't work out how we expected or how we planned them to, if we are being obedient and following God's will for us, they always turn out better! He knows what we need to do, how we need to do it, and where we need to be. If we will show our faith and act on it, great miracles will occur! I know we are all blessed daily and each little thing that we do to follow Christ is an act of faith. Jesus Christ died so that we can be happy. So let yourself be happy! Don't focus on the negative, because there always will be something bad to find if you look hard enough. Allow yourself to see all the tiny miracles each day! I  know as I have been trying to do that, it helps so much! As we let God into our hearts, He helps us to fulfill our full potential.

Love you all!
Sister Dieter

Sisters of the Wilmington Zone

Snowman candy bar :)

Sister Lewis and I!