Goot en tog! (Just kidding): June 2015

May 25th, 2015

What a week. Where to begin?

Oh I know! Saying goodbye to Sister Lyman. I may sound like a broken record, but I feel like I was a turkey being stuffed for Thanksgiving dinner this last week. We had TEN eating appointments in TWO days. TEN. That is ridiculous. But I think it is a testiment to how much the members loved and cared for Sister Lyman. Everyone wanted to meet with us to see her off to her new area.

On Thursday morning, Sister Lyman and I rolled out of bed and sat on her overstuffed suitcases trying to get everything zipped up and together. A train later we were in Kaiserslauterern where we said our goodbyes (yes, I cried.) and I joined Sister Williams and Sister Brough on a split as I anxiously awaited for my new companion to meet us in K-Town.

Sisters WIlliams, Brough, and I headed out into K-Town for a HUGE service project! A member in their ward had recently suffered a death in the family and were out of town. While they were gone, the Husband gave us their house keys so that we could do some service. They are a family of six and the house was in really bad condition. With the stress and loss of a family member - there were mountains of dishes to clean, piles and piles of laundry to do, a hurricane of toys throughout the house, and a lawn that was in desperate need of mowing.

With the help of 10 Missionaries - and five hours of hard work, we transformed the three story house. Sisters Williams and Brough made a hand-made card where we all signed our names. We left the house with the keys inside and then we all went back to our areas.

Pure religion is service.

---

So here I am still in Saabrücken with a new companion! Sister Bates! She is from Utah and has been out in the field for nine months. She is very different from my last companion - which will be good for me to see what it is like to work with someone else. Sister Bates is very sweet, and she always surprises me by doing small acts of service for me. On Friday, I broke the arm of my studying chair and didn't think anything of it. I assumed it would be broken forever and I would just deal with it. On Saturday morning I went into our living room to do my studies - and then I saw that Sister Bates had taken the time to fix my chair for me during her free time! Ahhh. Sister Bates is very kind.

I want to share something I read a few weeks ago during my Personal Story. It is from Elder David A. Bednar's Talk "The Tender Mercies of the Lord":

"In a recent stake conference, the tender merices of the Lord were evident in the touching testimony of a young wife and mother of four whose husband was slain in Iraq in Decemeber of 2003. This stalwart sister recounted how, after being notified of her husband's death, she received his Christmas card and message. In the midst of the abrupt reality of a dramatically altered life came to this good sister a timely and tender reminder that indeed families can be together forever. With permission I quote from that Christmas card:

'To the best family in the world! Have a great time together and remember the true meaning of Christmas! The Lord has made it possible for us to be together forever. So even when we are apart, we will still be together as a family.

God bless and keep y'all safe and grant this Christmas to be our gift of love from us to Him above!!!

All my love, Daddy and your loving husband!'

Clearly, the husband's reference to being apart in his Christmas greeting referred to the separation caused by his military assignment. But to this sister, as a voice from the dust from a departed eternal companion and father, came a most needed spiritual reassurance and witness. As I indicated earlier, the Lord's tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

I bear testimony that the Lord's tender mercies are all around us. So often we think of things like this that happen as "coincidences." I have learned that there are no such things as coincidences. I have seen and felt His tender merices time and time again on my Mission. Needed reassurances from the Lord. I know that He loves me and that He is proud of the work I am doing. I know that God is aware of each and every one of us. He loves us perfectly.

Liebe Grüße,

Sister Helmick