Hello fellow American Citizens,
I have to say I have never liked this holiday much. I don't know why but I am totally ok that this is the 3rd 4th of July in a row that I have been absent from. I actually think I might like it better celebrating Independance day in other countries. No one else knows why you walk around with a speical lift in your walk that day. Instead of convincing everyone that their life really wouldnt be better if they moved to America, today I can just be proud to be American. This morning we had a great rendition of all the patriotic songs in our English hymn books, even threw God Save the King in there just for kicks. The best was probably Battle Hymn of the Republic which was accompanied by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We even did a long run this morning down by the Donau and a lot of bikers passed by and I tried to pretend I was on one of our many bike rides that we take on the 4th. And then we made french toast. Last week we also did a run on the Donau, it was very very hot, I think we were the only people running, everyone was biking since at least with that there is a breeze. We are enjoying being comps who like to run but I think we were both pretty dead after running that long.
We received permission for A to be baptized in our ward and the members are excited. He wants to get baptized in the Iller, one of the rivers here. We teach him on the phone every couple days and got permission to leave our area on Saturday and went and taught him. That reminds me, we have a new Mission President. We meet him on Thursday. Transfers were supposed to be this Wednesday but since he is so new they are pushed a week which means this transfer is 7 weeks. Which means my last transfer is 5 weeks. Which means it will fly even faster, which is scary. Its weird to think I am where Sis. Mecham was when we met. And I am past where Sis. Beutler was when I was with her....crazy...
Sister Dietz asked me this week what I hold onto when I doubt. I realized I don't really know. What do you hold to when you doubt your faith? I read Elder Hollands' talk, "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" which Jennifer told me to immediately print out when I told her I decided to go on a mission. I looked at my copy, I printed it out on Oct 16th 2010. I read it this time with whole new eyes, with different concerns, and it really touched me. Doubting might be part of the process, but it is in those moments when we fear that we see the depths of hell. But crying out to God, he will always deliever us. Just like Moses, just like Joseph Smith, and just like each and every one of us.
Love,
Sister Alder
cool sunset last night
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