Home!

Thanks to Uncle Pete for
catching us in deep anticipation

See you Friday evening... our house! 

Maggie's return (take 2)

 This just in:  Maggie's flight is taking off in 1 hour. 

If you have a minute, come to our house this Friday, April 30, for a "drop in and see Maggie". We'll feed you something between 5:30 and 7:30.

Maggie will be speaking at our Milo Way chapel (2625 East Milo Way (4910 South), Holladay) on Sunday, May 9 at 10:50am. We won't be feeding you (You should be cooking for your mother that day).

Dahlem

Here's what the mission blog said about last week:

"These terrific missionaries thought they were going home, however, volcanic ash grounded their plane for another week. Sister Habermann's family couldn't wait so they jumped in their car and drove from Münich to pick her up. The others are back to work and are still smiling."

So Maggie and Sister Pruden (her mtc comp) are in an apartment in Dahlem. Maggie emailed: "Looks like they'll have to find a new speaker for Sunday huh? Sad I'll have to wait so long. Maybe it will help me regain my ability to teach the gospel in English again... Sorry about the disappointment, but there is still gold to be found here in the mission!.. We are going to be staying in Dahlem - so we can go visit everyone here in Berlin! Love Sister Mags"

New Countdown

Maggie's flight was canceled. She'll now be arriving on Tuesday, April 27 at 4:30. We'll update her Homecoming talk date when we know.  It's all because of.the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano

Last email

   I have learned so much in these last eighteen months.  The Lord has shaped me, purified me and taught me.  My greatest desire is to now apply all of it!  I know there is a God.  I know He lives and that He knows us.  He answers our prayers and guides us.  He loves us so much that He was willing to sacrifice His son, Jesus Christ, so that we could return to Him.  Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  Christ is in the middle of everything we do.  He is my hope and my peace.  Repentance is real and works.  I know with all of my heart that Joseph Smith was a prophet called from God.  He saw God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.  That has been confirmed to me over and over on my mission.  This is something that was always "weak" in my testimony and I am proud to say that I know, without doubt, that the Restoration really took place through the power and direction of God.  The Book of Mormon is proof that this is true.  This book contains a strength and a power found within no other book.  I love the people in Germany, I love the culture, I love the language.  I am going to miss it greatly but know that there is a time and a season for everything in this life.  I am ready to take the jump of faith into the unknown.  Through our faith there will never be anything we cannot accomplish.  Faith starts action, fear stops action.  I am ready to overcome my fears and trust in the Lord with all my heart. 
   See you soon!

Last post

 

I played an April Fool's joke on Maggie and Nick - told them Dad was going to offer a prayer at General Conference. When they both believed me, I emailed their mission moms and asked them to tell them the truth on Thursday (4/1). Sister Pimentel wrote:  "I can't believe she is headed home so soon. Sister Ryser is one of those missionaries we would like to keep forever. I know that would not make you happy but she is dearly loved." 

 

 Haojian and us

Manfred!

 

Manfred's daughter and and him, with missionaries.

 

Manfred started to realize that we don't have a lot of time to eat so he'd prepare food for us: carrots, tea, cookies, a piece of bread with meat on it. Ha ha.

March 29:  Manfred received the Priesthood on Sunday.  We came by that night with one of the members and he had his certificate saying that he received the Priesthood hanging up. He told Sis. Hung he will have to find a frame for it! 

Maggie's talk

Maggie will be speaking at our Milo Way chapel (2625 East Milo Way (4910 South)) on Sunday, April 25 at 10:50am. Let me know if you're coming - we'd love to know who to expect (and who reads her blog).

Manfred wurde getauft!

 

Picture of Germany Berlin mission when

President Uchtdorf visited

More about Manfred:

manfred was earlier in the roman catholic church but knew it wasnt the true church. he never denied his faith and continued to believe but knew what they did wasnt right.  he continued to pray that god would take him by the hand and show him the way.  on christmas eve his daughter showed up at his door and said lets go to the christmas market!  he really didnt want to go, hed been before and it was just crowded, and nothing too exciting.  she made him go and they were waiting on the gleis for her friend to come.  as they waited we talked to him.  our strassenbahn came and we had to go so we gave him our card.  as we drove away i said hey cool! look, hes reading our card!  his daughter said you know the bible but what is that other book? he said i dont know, but i want to know what it is! i want that book!  so... two weeks later he called.

See previous post about Manfred. Then here's the rest of the story:

2/15:  We had an amazing week and an amazing sunday!!  MANFRED WAS BAPTIZED!!!  it was incredible.  the whole week he was counting down, had his clothes ready in his bag days before and couldnt stop talking about it.  he had invited his daughter nicole and we could tell he was really looking forward to have her there.  We walked into the church sunday morning and he was already there with his daughter.  he had already shown nicole the church and was so proud to have her there and explain everything.  His baptism was incredible.  I recognized the power of white and what purity and goodness it represents.  It represents the unity that we have as children of God.  elder hegewald has become really good friends  with him and baptized him.  as he came out of the water they sat and hug. manfred didnt want to let him go.  Manfred was beaming as he came back from changing.  i said it was nice huh? and his eyes got really big and he said ja!  He called us later that night so excited to plan a little celebration party for his baptism.

New email address

For some reason, Maggie's email address is changed to:

margaret.ryser@myldsmail.net

Here are a couple of photos from the mission blog:

 

Maggie's happiest news is a man named Manfred. Here's what she said on January 11:

...he called us on Monday and left us a voicemail telling us to call him back.  We gave him a call and he said that we had met him on Christmas Eve and that he was interested in learning more!  We were thrilled.  We had an appointment on Saturday and taught him about the Book of Mormon.  His name is Manfred Stulmüller.  He grew up in the Roman Catholic church but finds it very stiff and strict.  The Spirit was so strong as we taught and he accepted and agreed with all that we had to say. We asked him if he would like us to choose a chapter for him to read in the Book of Mormon and he replied that he just wants to read it all!  He said he would love to come to church and to our excitement he was there 30 minutes early!  He really enjoyed church and the members took great care of him.  he kept commenting on all the things he enjoys in the church that his church never had.  the members here are amazing!

Jan 18:  we had an appointment on sat. and brought the ehe paar here (sister hegewald used to be catholic) she shared her conversion story and manfred was just loving it.  talking about how we speak the truth.  he mentioned that the last couple of months he prayed that he could find more, his faith was always there but his beliefs were confused.  he read more in the book of mormon and found some verses that he loves.  we got to church and again he had beat us there and was excited to learn.  he soaks it all in and loves it.

Jan 25: at the end (of an appointment) we set a baptismal date!! he was soo excited! he said this is one of the most important days of my life.  this time the baptism is going to be my decision, what i want, not like when i was a baby. it was amazing to see how the lord was guiding us and knew what manfred was in need of. we visited him on thurs. and he bore his testimony for like 20 minutes and talked about the apostasy and the restoration and that joseph smith is a prophet, the book of mormon is true!  he is just so excited about everything he learns. he said there is nothing that will stop him from being at his baptism, if the weather is bad he will get a shovel and dig his way there.

Feb 1: Manfred is continuing to soar in the Gospel and within the ward.  The members love him and are inviting him over for appointments with them.  He will spend the day tomorrow doing geneaology with bru. menzel.  we talked to him on the phone one day and asked how his day was, he said i was really busy! i was writing letters the whole day, sister hadfield asked to whom he was writing letters.  he said he wrote one for the bishop, for bru. menzel and bru. gehlauf.  He asked them to read certain scriptures from the Book of Mormon at his baptism and signed it bruder manfred stuhlmüller. we were so excited!  Yesterday we taught him about tithing and he said he is excited to see and feel what blessings the Lord will give him as he pays his tithing.  The Hegewald's gave him a white shirt and tie and he went and bought new shoes, socks and pants for church.

Feb 8: we were at another member's home with Manfred during the week and he said, you know my opinion is that joseph smith wasnt just a prophet, he was the most important prophet that ever lived. amazing!  we had told him a lot about testimony meeting and what it is like and what a testimony is.  during the meeting he had his book of mormon open to a page that was all marked up with  w's (wichtig, important).  after the meeting he said he wanted to go up and bear his testimony but since he has a cold he didnt think that anyone could understand him.  he is a testimony to me of the power of the book of mormon.  reading the book of mormon with sincerity of heart will lead to great changes within us, and our lives with be brought in better alignment with that which god would have us do and be.

Stay tuned for notes about his baptism - keep Manfred in your prayers!

 Btw, Maggie's arriving in SLC on April 21st.

 

More photos

Maggie sent photos that required scanning so here they finally are:

Celebration of the Berlin Wall coming down - 20 years ago

Florence and family         

 American cupcakes are a hit in Germany.