Being Born Again

Meine lieben Freunde und Familie,

Bruce R. McConkie once said,

"Being born again is a gradual thing, except in a few isolated instances that are so miraculous they get written up in the scriptures.... we are born again by degrees, and we are born again to added light and added knowledge and added desires for righteousness as we keep the commandments."

My mission has been a born again experience. I am so grateful for each moment that I have had to allow my faith and testimony to be tested, proven, and strengthened. This quote has been one of my favorites of the past little bit, as Sister Ahlm and I have seen investigators and less actives progress and add to their own light and knowledge.

This week we were extremely busy, to a point where Sister Ahlm and I went to bed and woke up the next morning feeling like there were only seconds in-between. I feel so blessed to be so busy, and one of the greatest tests of my faith has been to see if Heavenly Father can support someone as tired and exhausted as we!! We were able to meet with Sparks a couple times this week, one of our lessons being over the phone. Sparks has had a lot of questions lately, but all very good questions that have helped his understanding of the Gospel grow. Sparks is one example I think of in this "born again" stage, where, at this point in time, he is already such a different individual than when we first met him. We also began teaching him the Plan of Salvation, which was kind of a big step for him, something a little different that he  had a more difficult time understanding. Sparks being Sparks however, said he would pray about it and really study the scriptures we gave him so he can know what we're teaching him is true. His baptismal interview is this week: we're so excited!

We had a really great Zone Training this week, where President Auras, our stake president, was in attendance. It was an amazing Zone Training, and I had the privilege of bearing my testimony as a soon-to-be "departing missionary". That was so strange but still a good, special experience.

We met with Gerhard. He's an older German man who grew up behind the wall in the former DDR. He hasn't had the easiest life, and from his experience has dedicated his life to helping the poor and starving in Africa. We taught Gerhard about the Restoration and he LOVED the metaphor to the Apostasy as being a broken mirror, and through Joseph Smith the broken mirror was restored. I love metaphors, especially when teaching. Gerhard got it, and is anxiously awaiting our next appointment. We're hoping to set a baptismal date with him this week!

I went on Austausch, 3 for 3, with Sister Smith from Munich 3 this week! She's such a darling missionary, and it's been fun to see her progression over the past 3 transfers. On Austausch we met with Klaus Nudlbichler and Niculina Muntean. The Muntean family is still set on their goal to come to church the 23rd, and Klaus has enjoyed reading in the Book of Mormon, although we are not 100% sure how much he understands. We also got to meet with Tenzin and Ngawang at a Chinese Resturant, drank some Apfelschorle (fizzy apple juice), and talked about the Word of Wisdom again.

Something new! We went to a Moonie party with the Goeb's. The Unification Church celebrated their 50th anniversary of being in Munich, and Sister Ahlm and I went after being invited by the Goeb's. It was pretty interesting, we had some delicious cake and fruit tea, and the Goeb's were really happy we went to support them. 

I feel so blessed to be working with Sister Ahlm here in Munich. She's such a great missionary who has blossomed into a confident, excited missionary. She's always been so, but even from the beginning it's been a neat opportunity for me as her trainer to see how she's grown. I love her so much and am so grateful for this time we have together!

Whenever I experience an uphill climb here on my mission, I think of that Bruce R McConkie quote. The Lord is so brilliant to allow us to have to endure some things, so that we can become stronger and more refined. Just as a rough stone becomes smooth after the river's waves rush by after a period of time, and as the bumps and jagged edges wash away, so it is with us. Being born again is to be made whole and new. How grateful I am for the Sacrament each week, so that at the start of each new week of various challenges and obstacles, I have that clean slate to begin again. It's a step by step process, a gradual thing, and I am so grateful to know I have a patient and loving Father in Heaven and merciful Savior who constantly remind, reassure, forgive, support, and love me.  I have the most humble desire to stay strong, to finish strong, to fight for the Lord and for His Gospel until He no longer needs me as His full time missionary.  I'm savoring each and every day. 

I love you all so dearly! Have the most marvelous of weeks.

Your missionary

Sister Natalie Motto

Driven To My Knees

My dearest Family and Friends,

Happy, happy November!! How can it already be November??

Sister Ahlm and I have stayed busy and anxiously in good causes throughout our week. We were able to say goodbye to a couple of the departing missionaries at the main train station before they left, just in passing through. It was kind of a weird moment for me recognizing the Sisters I came out with were leaving. It was a bitter-sweet moment and my heart this week has been full of gratitude that I have the opportunity to stay one more transfer.  Oh and guess what.....I'm officially the "oldest" (longest out) sister missionary in the mission!! (as far as mission time goes, that is.)

We met with Tenzin this week, and both meetings went very very well. He has the goal to be baptized in December, and we're doing everything we can as missionaries to help him reach that goal. Tashi, his wife, has no disagreements with him being baptized, and in fact, Tashi even sat in for a few mintues during one of our lessons! How much she really listened to, I'm not 100% sure, but we have a really good relationship with Tashi and have a solid foundation of trust. She even invited us to come over sometime to make Tibetian dumplings!

Bustling Busy and Beautiful Munich

Remember Hashim? Our super cool investigator from Somalia? We haven't had contact with him in the past couple months and we and the Elders were kind of bummed that he dropped off the planet and despite our best efforts we couldn't locate him. It just so happens that this week after going by on some less actives and getting just a little lost, Sister Ahlm and I hopped on the Ubahn to run into none other than Hashim! Because of his work schedule and because he got a new cell phone number, he had no way of contacting us and we had no way of contacting him! I was so grateful for even this small little miracle so that we can continue teaching Hashim.

We met with Sparks and Kai this week and had a fantastic lesson reviewing the Restoration. Sparks simply eats up the Book of Mormon, he absolutely loves reading in it. He even downloaded the LDS app onto his smartphone so he could read the scriptures and other Church materials while on the train going to school and work! He read the chapters we asked him to and beyond. In everything we ask him to do, he goes the extra mile! Kai is also a huge source of support to Sparks. Like I've said a thousand times, member-missionary work is the only way to go about this work! Sparks is going a thousand miles an hour to prepare for his baptism on the 29 of this month and smiling the entire way. Sparks is a perfect example of showing how the Gospel edifies and changes our lives for the better. 

As of late we've had the chance to make some visits to the older senior women in our ward. One of my really good friends I've made since being here in Munich is Schwester Seeber, a Swabian born and Swabian raised woman who has lived in Bayern with her husband for about 20 or so years. Bruder Seeber is nearly deaf and has many health problems, so he doesn't come to church very often. We had some "tee und kuchen" with the Seeber's one evening, and Bruder Seeber showed us all of his cool collections, which included model "old timer" cars (that's what Germans nickname vintage cars, "old timers"), beer coasters--Bruder Seeber has over 700, and old American stamps that date back from the 60's. Bruder Seeber gave Sister Ahlm and I each a model car from his collection to thank us for our visit. 

We began teaching a man by the name of Klaus this week. He was a referral from the Church. He watched a pretty interesting movie about the Mormons and in his curiosity he looked up our church on Wikipedia and found mormon.org. He loved so much what he saw there that he placed an order for a Book of Mormon, we got the referral the next day, and we met him two days later. Klaus grew up in a circus and is not super religious, but he says that he is on the search for hope and light in his life, hoping to turn his life around. Well, if anything can change anyone's life for the better, it would be the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We look forward to continue teaching him. (And whenever I say his name I can't help but smile. Such a great German name!!)

Herr Muanza is doing really well. We met with him with Sister Kohler as our joint teach, and we taught him about the Restoration of the Priesthood. Herr Muanza says he likes his church ward better, but he knows that everything we've taught him is the truth. We get the feeling he's scared and has some deeper concerns, and that's why he won't be baptized. We are still praying for him and hoping that he will have a change of heart. 

This week at District Meeting, I was really touched with our topic of prayer and answers to prayer. Elder Huff brought up a really good point when he mentioned that the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this magnificent gospel we have on the Earth today and everything that pertains to it, all began with one question. It all started with one simple, heartfelt question. When we sincerely desire to know something, and we turn to the Lord, He will bless us with an answer! He loves us THAT MUCH. No matter how great or how small our question may be, He will answer in His own beautiful way and in His own perfect time. I've seen that on my mission. There have been and there are things I greatly desire! I've seen the blessings of getting on my knees and simply asking. 

I love what President Abraham Lincoln once said,

"I've been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."

When life gets more than we can stand, don't forget that we can kneel. Some of the most powerful statements uttered are not in mighty speech, but in that of a whisper to the Almighty.

I love you all so much!! Have a wonderful week!!

By Small and Simple Things……..

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week was by far one of my favorites here in Munich. It started off with an awesome Pday last week to Schloß Nymphenburg -- an elegant baroque summer palace for the many kings of Bavaria and guess what? It's in my own back yard!! Munich is unbelievably awesome! Later that evening we spent such a delightful Family Home Evening with Sister Kohler, Tanner, and Erika. Sister Kohler invited at last mintue a member named Svetlana, who brought her mother visiting from Moldova. Her mother, unbeknownst to Sister Peterson and I, decided she wants to be baptized, was being taught by the Zone Leaders, and at last notice was baptized on Sunday! Elder Vitel, one of the Romanian Elders who is one of our Zone Leaders, baptized her, and translated everything from German to Romanian and visa versa. It was a beautiful way to start off our Sunday yesterday!

Schloss Nymphenburg in Munich

Tuesday we met with the Muntean family one last time before they left for their 3 week trip to Romania.  I am so thrilled to report that the two of them have been reading in the Book of Mormon regularly!! They've been praying, reading, and asked us where the missionaries are in Romania, or even if they had missionaries in their town. We sent their information through our Mission Office to the mission in Romania, and will soon be in contact with the missionaries there about the Muntean's progress. They are such a special and neat family! Herr Muntean was explaining that he enjoys reading the Book of Mormon, but that he doesn't always understand it, so he needs to read the passages two or three times. He said "I think it's because my faith is really small right now." And then, my friends, where did we missionaries then turn to in the Book of Mormon? ALMA 32! Adrian LOVED the analogy of a seed being planted, growing, being nourished, and one day blossoming into a strong and mighty tree. We explained to him and Adela the importance of going step by step, and how day after day they will add to their knowledge and understanding of the Gospel if they simply do what we commit them to do. They both committed, and promised to do it with Nikolina as well, to read and pray and meet with the missionaries while they are in Romania. The Muntean's are one incredible, faithful, devoted family. And they get a kick out of my name, and have given me the nickname "Sister Thema". (kind of another word similar to "Motto")

We were able to meet with both Tenzin and Nga Wang this week. It's been an interesting journey finding a balance between what to teach Tenzin--who already belives in Christ, knows the Book of Mormon to be true, and is preparing for baptism--, and then what to teach Nga Wang, who we are teaching that Jesus is the Christ -- starting at the beginning, so to speak. We were able to teach, in the most basic and simple terms, the Plan of Salvation to Nga Wang. At the end of the lesson, when Sis. Peterson and I weren't quite sure what/how much Nga Wang understood, and were about to leave, Nga Wang looked at us with the most childlike and eager expression, putting his hands together and said "pray?" Talk about a HUMBLING moment! This man, who was previously a Tibetian monk, asked US... if we could pray at the end of the lesson.  His heart is in the right place, and Nga Wang said that if he comes to know that Christianity is true, he will do anything and everything to give his life up for it.

At last minute last week, the Elders invited us in behalf of the Haueter family, to go Thursday evening for a dinner appointment with the Haueter's, an American family in our ward. We weren't sure how far the appointment was, and when the Elders typed into the Navi where the Haueters lived, we were shocked that they lived over an hour away. While driving, we went more and more south, passing Starnberg, Tutzing (the most Southern areas I've been to in my zone so far).....then I began to notice road signs that said "Garmisch-Partenkirchen." I didn't want to get my hopes up, but after 30 minutes I couldn't help it once I saw the first glimpse of the majestic Bavarian Alps on the horizon. We drove for another 25 mintues or so, right into the heart of these mountains, to find ourselves in the middle of town in GARMISCH!!!!!!! Sister Peterson and I have been praying and figuring out a way to get to Garmisch, either for Pday or to go find, but with a 2 hour train ride, it was never super appealing. Through a simple dinner appointment, we were able to enjoy the breathtaking view from the Haueter's home, enjoy American burgers and rootbeer, and sit at the foot of the Zugspitze and talk about the Atonement. WHAT AN EVENING. My heart ached to be back in the mountains and I was so grateful for the tender mercy of the simple invite from the Haueter's to make my heart's wish come true :)

Driving on our way to Garmish-Partenkirchen

This week, more so after the Muntean's appointment, I began studying the importance of small and simple things in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have noticed the power and strength that comes from STEP by STEP, day by day, building upon and adding to our faith and our testimonies. As of late, I have been reading a favorite CES Fireside talk from Elder D. Todd Christofferson called "Give Us This Day our Daily Bread". Elder Christofferson shares  the importance of partaking of our "daily bread", or the spiritual nourishment for our spirits. Just as the human body needs nourishment day by day, so does our Spirit, otherwise we become weak and susceptible to the elements of distraction, temptation, and the storms of the adversary. By this thought of "small and simple things", it isn't through drastic amounts of bread that we get the nutrition and nourishment we need. What good does it do to eat a giant loaf of bread on Monday, and expect to stay full until the following Sunday? By partaking of our spiritual daily bread--daily scripture reading, daily prayer, and weekly church attendance, all the primary answers!--will we receive the strength to go on and continue forward with faith. I love what Elder Christofferson says,

In reality, there aren’t very many things in a day that are totally without significance. Even the mundane and repetitious can be tiny but significant building blocks that in time establish the discipline and character and order needed to realize our plans and dreams. Therefore, as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against. As you retire to bed, think about the successes and failures of the day and what will make the next day a little better. And thank your Heavenly Father for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day. Your reflections will increase your faith in Him as you see His hand helping you to endure some things and to change others. You will be able to rejoice in one more day, one more step toward eternal life.

It is my hope and prayer that we all take the time to partake of our daily substance. I know and have seen the blessings here of it here on my mission. Granted, I do have a wonderful whole 2 hours each day dedicated to this study, but even 10 minutes will suffice! Give the Lord just the smallest amount of time to shower the blessings of heaven upon you.

I love you all, and wish you the best of weeks!!

Love

Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

Your Alpine Miss ;)

Servus Aus Bayern - I Made It To Munich!

Hello Family and Friends!! 

Servus Zusammen!

Well....I made it to the amazing Bavarian capital and majestic city of München!!!  I arrived here safe and sound and was greeted by a wonderful missionary companion, Sister Peterson. Goodbyes in Tübingen were hard, they always are, but it's comforting to know that there is still such thing as Facebook and email and Skype outside of the mission life :)

Last Monday Sister Pentz and I had a very neat experience! Our last Pday together had kind of been a little anti-climactic, and after walking around the main Tübingen Innenstadt, we noticed a flyer for an organ concert that night at 8pm. It was to be held at the big, beautiful Stiftskirche right in the heart of the city in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach's death day. Sister Pentz and I started our 3 hours of proselyting time right then so we could attend the concert! It was so neat!! A thunderstorm rolled in right at the beginning of the concert, and you can only imagine what a magical experience that was! Lightening would flash occasionally across the stain glass windows, and thunder would rumble and echo over our heads, all while listening to the most beautiful Bach Preludes and Fugues. A wonderful last day in Tübingen!!

Onto Munich! Sister Peterson and I have already begun to see many miracles, and I am eager and anxious to help the ball to continue rolling. So many great missionaries have left an incredible legacy in this ward. 

This week we met with Tenzin and Nga Wang. They are from Tibet, but do not speak much German. We communicate with Tenzin in English (who speaks English completely fluently), who then will translate for Nga Wang. We are setting a calender baptismal date with Tenzin this week, and we are so excited! He's truly incredible. Tenzin keeps expressing his excitement to help the Church translate the Book of Mormon into Tibetian, and then to share the Gospel with every Tibetian he knows. He said "Sisters, my people are ready. With your help, we can bring them this happiness I also have in my life." WOW!

I also got to meet a wonderful family from Romania. They are a family of a father, mother, and 14 year old daughter, who came to Germany about 18 months ago to live here. Their German is actually very, very good for the amount of time they have been here, and on Friday we were able to introduce the stop smoking program to the father. The wife, Nikolini, was as excited as a little 3 year old and kept telling her husband to "Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!" so we could start the program. Herr M is a quite the talker and after the appointment said "Next time, it's my turn to talk!" We told him he could only talk the whole time if it was what he learned in the Book of Mormon. He accepted. (Update: 3 days on the 7day stop smoking program, and he hasn't smoked once!)

Sister Peterson and I also met with the "T" family, a Romanian-Hungarian couple who are looking for an apartment so their family can move to Germany. They have the money, but the apartments around here are sparse. They live in a Wohnwagen, and we got to meet them again before Jolie (the mom) went back to Romania on Sunday. They are some of the most humble, loving, and kind people I've ever met. We shared with them Mosiah 24:14 in their discouragement with finding an apartment for them and their 4 children, and Frau T found it so beautiful that she wrote down the scripture in a book she saves only for "precious words." It is such a powerful thing on a mission to have individuals you meet, teach, love, and see them embrace the Book of Mormon. It is so incredibly rewarding.

Church in the Munich 2 ward was wonderful yesterday, and right when I began to feel a little overhwhelmed with getting to know all the names, Schwester Djantar from the Göppingen branch walked into Relief Society!! She was the Relief Society President when I was in Göppingen, and I cannot begin to describe my happiness in seeing her again! It was a mini spirit-world kind of reunion. We talked and talked and it was so wonderful catching up. Seeing Schwester Djantar was a tender mercy amist my fear of being a brand new missionary 14 months ago.  It was also a neat experience to share my testimony yesterday at the same pulpit where I gave my first testimony out in the field as a brand new golden literally the day I arrived in this incredible country. Not much had changed in 14 months, but I have and it was a humbling and tender feeling for me to have the sweet spirit of the Lord testify to me that I am where I need to be and that I still have so much work to do. As a then very tired, jet lagged missionary, I recalled the first time I bore my testimony in Germany….I had SO many of emotions…I remember the fire I had behind what I shared.

Being a missionary is the sweetest and most beautiful thing I have ever experienced, and I never, ever want to give it up!

I love you all. You do not understand what courage and hope I recieve through simply knowing what kind of team I have at home backing me up. You're the best support crew ever. :) Thank you for everything!

All the best this week!

Your little Alpine/Bavarian Miss,

Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

Off to See the Wizard and A Baptism

Dearest Family,

Well, your little "Munchkin" is headed on the yellow brick road of transfers, in the direction of the big, beautiful, Bavarian city of Munich!!  This week I'll be packing my things once again and on Thursday I bid farewell to the Rapunzel, fairytale town of Tübingen, and head to the Munich 2 ward (same ward as the Kohlers and the AP's).  I'm very excited!! I will be working with Sister Peterson, who trained Sister Pentz! 

This week was just wonderful. I went on great exchange with Sister Powell here in Tübingen. We had the chance to meet with Pia again with the Elders, and things went opposite of what we first thought. Originally we thought she would be ready for baptism, but rather she said she felt things were moving too quickly, and wanted a pause for a while. She said she would continue to read in the Book of Mormon, and then after her "Urlaub" in September, she'll give the Elders a "ring" and let them know her thoughts. At the end of the appointment she had us sign her Book of Mormon. Pia said she'd miss her "Short blonde Sister." I found it a compliment when I pretended to have a British accent when she said I sound like I am from the Cheltenham area (English genes coming through a bit).....she then asked if I knew where that was. Thanks to Grandpa Kenneth, I do! :) 

Lian had her baptismal interview this past week, and yesterday was her baptism!!  This cute 10 year old was so happy!! It was a neat experience being able to see her whole family there. A family, who was once less active and separated, has worked really hard to come back together to make this eternal family work. Since I got here in April they have made so much progress, including getting callings and coming to church each week, and yesterday the beginning of the end goal was seeing Lian baptized. Lian asked me to share my testimony at her baptism,it was a honor and such a special experience for me. Lian looked beautiful, and I am so happy for this little 10 year old!  

What a wonderful day!!!

This week on the way to an appointment with Valeria (who just proudly sent off her letter to the Royal family), we met a woman on the bus named Konstanza. We complimented her really cute bag, and the first thing she said was "we've talked before." Racking our brains to figure out exactly how we've talked with Konstanza before, she reminded us that we talked about one month ago on the train going to an appointment, and that we had discussed the Germany-USA game. The conversation continued and Konstanza began asking questions about who we exactly were and what we were doing here in Germany. We told her we were missionaries and had a message about faith, hope, and how we can find healing through our Savior Jesus Christ. Konstanza listened carefully and then quietly said, "I wish I could have that in my life too." We began a discussion about God, and what her perspective of Him is. She said that she has felt Him most in her life when she listened to music. The prompting then came to me to give this woman, who truly has seen so much hardship in her life, a copy of Lyceum Philharmonic's "The Master" that I had in my bag. It was originally planned for another less active that we were going to meet with, but I could not deny the powerful prompting I had. Konstanza afterward gave me the biggest hug, wrapping her thin arms around me and said "Thank you!" In the haste of "umsteiging" to our next bus we completely forgot to get her number, but we left her with ours and are praying that she contacts us.

Something funny this week......we got locked out of our apartment! And there was bread in the oven!! We went to ask our neighbor for some baking soda when the door to our apartment suddenly slammed closed. The doors here in Germany don't have the incredibly convenient twisty doorknobs like in the States.....we were left barefoot, hair up on our heads, and phone-less. We frantically began to klingel all of our neighbors, and no one answered. Scared that our bread was going to burn, we contemplated completely exiting the building and climbing up the emergency escape ladders, when our neighbor across the hall answered his door. (For a funnier picture this man looks like Carson from Downton Abbey). I explained everything as quickly as I could, asked if we could borrow his phone to call the Elders who have our spare, and not saying anything and quite solemnly "Carson" brought me his phone. I made my frantic call to the Elders, who were luckily only about 10 Mu away, and then gave the phone back. I said thanks to Carson, and again, without a word, he closed his door. It was awkward/very hilarious, and Sister Pentz and I had to stifle our laughter as we pitifully sat outside of our door. The Elders made good timing to our apartment, thundering up the stairs, and we were able to rescue our very, very, very brown Zopf. :)

This week, over the course of the events that have played through, I have learned the simpleness and beauty of FAITH. Faith is something so pure and fine, that it makes no sense to make it complicated, as many seem to do. Just as Alma says in Alma 32, that when we even have the desire and wish to believe, then it will grow. It takes precious time, and thankfully our Heavenly Father is that Master of Time. He has His perfect ways and His perfect timing, and I am so grateful that I have these 18 months to progressively perfect having faith. Faith makes us whole. It is a lifeline. Just as a body needs nourishment to continue growing, so does our faith. I am so grateful for the scriptures, for my lifeline of daily prayer, and for the peace and wholesomeness I feel during the Sacrament.

Never forget that Faith without works is dead. Show your faith! Live your Faith!

I'm A Mormon Missionary.

I Know It.

I Live it.

I LOVE IT.

Your Alpine Miss,

"This Work is Tough Stuff but It Bring So Much Joy"

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week was very.....spannend (exciting). It started off last Pday getting hit with some sort of ridiculous torrential downpour after a very hot and humid week. We were with our Tübingen Elders, Elders Byers and Nelson, and went to visit a less active man in our ward together. On the way home from his appointment is when the rain and thunderstorm really hit, and with no other source of transportation home, the 4 of us braved the 20 minute walk back to the train station. We were already pretty wet when a car driving up to the 4 of us sped up and went right through a puddle. The four of us were then COMPLETELY soaked!!! We all got a great laugh out of it, and at least it was the end of our day. We thought of perhaps what the driver was thinking "Yes! 4-in-1 Mormon missionaries!"

This week I was able to do splits again with my wonderful friend Sister Winters!! After a really great Zone Training meeting on humility and prayer, we headed south to Tübingen. Upon our arrival we needed to burn a CD for a project we are doing for a less active (remember Valeria's story of writing the Royal Family? We finally finished the letter.) and overheard a man speaking American english. It was almost automatic how fast Sister Winters and I turned to him and said "So, where ya from?" Sean is from New York, works for the army, lives near Stuttgart, and has MISSIONARY FRIENDS serving in Poland and (previously in) Ukraine!!! We talked to him for about 30 minutes, right there in the internet shop, and afterward Sean asked for the church address in Stuttgart so he could come and get an idea for "exactly what his friends believe". It was so neat!! (A taste of what it would be like to serve in the USA!)

We met again with Marion this week. We went with our cute Young Women's leader Schwester Häring, and taught Marion the beginning parts of the Restoration. We talked a lot about prayer and how we get answers- through the gift of the Holy Ghost. Marion was so touched and kept saying she had a wonderful feeling in her heart. We're taking her for a tour of our church building this Thursday and again with Schwester Häring will finish teaching the Restoration. Sadly Christina was not able to be present, but we are meeting with her tonight.

We also met with the Elders' investigator Pia, a sassy and clever Yorkshire Brit whose mother was a member of the Church. Pia's relationship with her mother was incredibly strong, and when Pia's mom died last February, she wanted to know a little more about what her mother believed. So she turned, just as Elder Nelson said in General Conference, to the missionaries. We had an English breakfast together, complete with beautiful blue and white china and Caro. We talked a lot about answers to prayers, the Restoration, and how we get answers to prayers. At the end of the appointment we all prayed together on our knees, Pia offered the prayer. Afterward she grabbed her heart and said "I guess Mum was right!" We're going again with the Elders Wednesday (upon Pia's request) to see if she prayed about the Book of Mormon, and hopefully to set a baptismal date!!

This week I've been studying a lot about answers to prayers, particularly after our mission's focus on prayer and after Pia's appointment. In my personal study of the Book of Mormon, having just finished the chapters in 1 Nephi and getting on into the stories such as Enos, I began to reflect on how I receive personal revelation.The Lord knows us perfectly, and already knows what is there, but let's all remember how important and what a treasured time it is to spend one-on-one time with Him in prayer. Day and night. Let it become your LIFELINE.

I love what President Kimball says,

The blessing of revelation is one that all should seek for. Righteous men  and women find that they have the spirit of revelation to direct their families and to aid them in their other responsibilities. But … we must seek to qualify for such revelation by setting our lives in order and by becoming acquainted with the Lord through frequent and regular conversations with him...Remember: If there be eyes to see, there will be visions to inspire. If there be ears to hear, there will be revelations to experience. If there be hearts which can understand, know this: that the exalting truths of Christ’s gospel will no longer be hidden and mysterious, and all earnest seekers may know God and his program.

It is my testimony that God hears us! He hears us and answers us because He loves us. There can be no other explanation!!

I love being a missionary. This work is tough stuff. But it has brought me so much inexplicable joy, that I cannot imagine my life without such a gift as my mission. I haven't been perfect, but I've given it all I've got. I am so grateful for this Gospel and for the testimony that HE LIVES!!

I love you all!! Have a magnificent week!!

Your Little "Alpine Miss"

Sister Natalie Motto

What A Great Day It Is To Be A Missionary In This Beautiful Land of Germany!

Dearest Family and Friends,

FIrst things first.......WIR. SIND. WELTMEISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(.....and for those of you who need translation or who slept through the tsunami-size excitement of this entire nation:  WE ARE THE WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!)

Jumping for Joy!!! "I love being a missionary!" 

What a great day it is to be a missionary in the beautiful land of GERMANY. It's always been that way, BUT whoa...... what an even MORE amazing time it is at this moment! Pretty neat to live here and to experience what it feels to have Das beste Team der Welt win the World Cup!!  It was pretty insane last night around 12:45 AM when horns, whistles, drums, pots and pans, fireworks, car horns, shouts, screams, cheers left no possibility for anyone or anything to sleep. Admist our confusion of being startled awake, Sister Pentz leaned over the bunkbed and asked me "Is this the Sleeping Giant everyone talks about happening in Germany?" Perhaps not quite......but it was still an awaking of gigantic proportions, that's for sure. Wow, the Germans --and many throughout the world--are pretty excited about this...so we are too:)

This week was another surprising and crazy adventure. It started off last Monday as Sister Pentz and I decided to go visit Schloß Lichtenstein near the city of Reutlingen. We got off the bus and asked a farmer which pathway we needed to take to get to the Schloß. What he told us sounded a little bit like "gruff gruff gruff gruff gruff", so we thanked him and then followed the path that said "Schloß Lichtenstein, 2 km". We rationalized it not to be a bad walk, only about 1.5 miles, so Sister Pentz and I began our walk.

We don't need to get into too much detail........ but I can tell you that our "short hike" ended up taking 3 hours, getting lost, and walking 10 km. But we did eventually reach the castle (AMAZING by the way), took pictures, and even got to talk for 20 minutes with 4 British motorcyclists about the Church! I guess you could say it was worth it, until we realized we were completely stranded at this castle with no way of getting home. There was no bus system that went up that far that late in the day, and we didn't want to risk hiking back down the hill and get lost again. After praying, a few tears, and then calling our GML (ward mission leader), a member came and picked us up. (And just in time too! Later that night this area got hit really hard with heavy rain and incredible lightening.) Lesson learned on triple and quadruple checking plans? CHECK.

Sister Pentz and I met with Marion again this week, our cute investigator we found dooring on Finding Day a couple weeks ago. When we showed up at our appointment, Marion's friend Christina was there. Christina is a stereotypical "rough edged/no-nonesense/I-have-my-religion" German, and she was almost accusatory as we began our lesson with Marion. After 45 minutes of explaining her beliefs and thoughts on God, during which we couldn't manage to get a word in, Christina said "Ok. Your turn. Convert me." I was personally a little caught off guard but Sister Pentz  chimed right in and was an example of patience as we began our lesson with God is Our Loving Heavenly Father. We talked about the gift of the Book of Mormon, of living prophets, and of families. After the lesson we prayed and set up another appointment for this week, and then walked with Christina to the bus stop. For the next 25 minutes between waiting for the bus and getting to the Train Station, Christina had a complete change of heart. Sister Pentz and I witnessed a modern day Alma right before our eyes! This woman was so cold, so hard, loud, and unreceptive, and by the time we got off the bus (after getting her number and Information) to someone who was soft, gentle, quiet, and submissive and wanting to learn. We got off the bus, and Sister Pentz and I looked at each other in a way worthy of a movie, with big eyes and surprised expressions. Never before have I witnessed the Spirit work in such a way. It was simply beautiful. (We're meeting once again with Christina this week as well.)

This week we went to Munich and were able to enjoy time with President and Sister Kohler at Mission Leadership Council. It was a neat opportunity to get to know them a little bit better on a more personal level. We discussed a lot of the policies and rules of the mission, and talked about the various qualities of the missionaries of our mission, the "personality" of our mission, so to say. I got a little teary eyed as missionaries kept raising their hands and expressed their thoughts, describing our missionaries as diligent, obedient, hard working, caring, personable, humble, positive, humorous, loving, kind, thoughtful, impressive, dedicated, focused. I am sure it was just as powerful for President Kohler, because he then shared his testimony of how blessed HE feels to be here, and that meant a lot, especially as he is our new President. It is always, always important to know you are loved, and President Kohler expresses his love so perfectly. He is what this mission needs! 

I too am so grateful to be here!! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And in my imperfections as His servant, I have gone about my mission, and learned experience after experience, I have recognized and learned that perfection is a process. The very element of PROGRESSION is PERFECTION. As we focus on prayer--oh, how we need the healing and strengthening power of prayer--and as we focus on becoming more like the Savior, we are well on our way to perfection. The Lord commands us to be perfect, and He does not give us any commandment by which it is impossible to achieve.  Joy is just a small and miniscule blessing of perfection. Can you even begin to imagine the flood of blessings awaiting us who strive for perfection each day we live? A mission is refining, because we are about doing His work. In my heart, I know there is no better way to become more like the Savior than to be about doing His work. And what an incredible, humbling, and incomprehensible thought that is......that I am numbered, and called to help gather and number His sheep.

I love you all dearly. I hope you know that. I hope you also know that I am praying for you.....I know I say that each week, but I mean it. Prayer is powerful. Prove the Lord's blessings and PRAY.

 "6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut‍ thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth‍ in secret, shall reward thee openly."

3 Nephi 13:6 (Also Matthew 6:6)

I love you all. Have the most wonderful week.

Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

Hola from this German "Gringita"….Sister Motto serving in the Alpine Mission

Hola Family and Friends!!

One would think we were in South America --it's been so warm and über-humid here in Germany! We got hit with really heavy rain last night which generally in Utah would have cooled the place down...here in southern Germany it does the opposite! This morning it is like a sauna....HOT and HUMID again!  But that is not going to get us down...we have embraced our South American-like weather and to celebrate the nature of our climate,  Sister Pentz and I had a  really fun appointment with a Chilean family in our ward yesterday for Sunday dinner, where we enjoyed delicious homemade Chilean food. The son of the Apablaza's, Alvaro started calling me "Hermana Gringita", which I guess means "Little white North American Sister Missionary." So that's my new name! And Sister Pentz is Hermana Gringorta.....Big White North American Sister Missionary. :) We had lots of fun and enjoyed the chance to switch cultural settings for an afternoon. I really love these humble sweet people so I can see why so many missionaries who serve in places like Chile and Brazil bond so quickly with them.  I have 4 wonderful and fortunate cousins who are blessed to serve in South America! 

This week was a really good and busy week. For starters, last Pday we decided to experience some of the regional culture. (as there is SO much history and incredible architecture in this part of the world..why wouldn't we?) We discovered an incredible find in the Bebenhausen Monestary, which is just 20 minutes outside of Tübingen. It was really neat!!! Sister P and I had headsets where we were able to listen to narrations of how the monks lived, and about the different locations in the monestary. It was absolutely beautiful!! In some parts there were signatures on the walls with dates, and it was crazy to think that some of the names were written 400 years before America was even founded!!  Founded around the late 1100's, Bebenhausen is one of the best preserved Cistercian monasteries in all of Germany. I enjoyed the beauty of the stunning Gothic architecture in all it's elegant glory....very light and airy and not the least bit dark and dreary.  I could see why so many monks wanted to study there.  Even the manicured gardens were incredible works of art. 

We met with Anni this week, a Finnish lady who just moved into our ward. She served her mission in Frankfurt about 10 years ago, and two weeks ago with her husband moved to Germany for work. Anni's husband is not a member, and through negative experiences has not wanted to learn about the Church. Anni said that when she and her husband got to Germany and saw the brownies Sister Wunderli and I made for them, Anni's husbands heart was softened right away and asked that the Sister missionaries come visit them. The time we set up the appointment sadly was a time when he wasn't home, but it was then we made a "game plan" with Anni. Anni is AWESOME, and we're almost "zu dritt" (a team) with her. Sister Pentz and I have begun a very wonderful friendship with this solid, wonderful Finnish sister. We are hopeful that we can begin to teach her husband very soon so that they both can enjoy the eternal blessings of the Gospel. 

Here is something which doesn't happen every day.... Sister Pentz and I wrote the Royal family this week!! Yep.."THE" royals...as in Buckingham Palace. No joke. Valeria, a less active woman in our ward, is an aspiring artist, and after working 3 years on a painting of the late Princess Diana, she wants to sell it. To the royal family. Valeria speaks no English, so she asked Sister Pentz and I to translate. In exchange for our translation, we got to give her a lesson. She loved our deal so much that she wants us to come weekly to teach her the Preach My Gospel lessons, and she is inviting her neighbors across the street to come listen as well. Apparently, they have 5 very musical children...now that will be fun!

Our 4 of July was not as exciting as we had hoped (no fireworks on this day for us...:) , but it was still fun. We "celebrated" by enjoying Burger King for lunch and then did our weekly planning. Not realizing the game between Germany and France that day, Sister Pentz and I wore our patriotic red white and blue!.....BIG OOPS!!! (You should have seen the looks we got..)  We were able to hear the Germany-France game all through our planning session from the crowd watching it at the pub below our apartment, and we were very pleased to hear our beloved Deutschland won!! Onto the semifinals!!!! (I am pretty sure I could hear MY FAMILY screaming and rejoicing of GERMANY's win)

Very early Saturday morning we went with the entire Zone to Munich for a combined Munich-Stuttgart Zone Conference. We were able to greet and get to know President and Sister Kohler in companionship interviews. Change is always a little hard (and we can apply this to all stages of life, wherever we may be) but as we prayerfully approach the Lord with concerns and questions, He always answers. And I got an answer! As I sat in the conference listening to President Kohler, the Spirit softly and gently testified to me that he really is the man called to lead our mission at this time. The Miles' left an incredible legacy, and I know the Kohler's are here to simply build upon the foundation left by missionaries and mission presidents before. I am SO excited to work with such another amazing man and already we LOVE his wonderful family!!!

We're off to Munich (again) in just a few days for Mission Leadership Council. I feel so blessed for the chance to get to know President Kohler on a more personal level while serving as Sister Training Leader!

I love you all!! Have a MARVELOUS week!!!  The Gospel is wonderfully, beautifully, perfectly true and the Lord lives and loves us all! 

Your little "Gringita" missionary,

Sister Natalie Motto

"New Beginnings…a Lesson in Starting Over"

Dearest Family and Friends,

I love new beginnings....so grateful for them. And this new transfer will be another great beginning!

With the beginning of summer, comes lots of birds chirping, green rolling hills, picturesque and quaint warm evenings on cobblestone streets in small Swabian villages, a few bugs here and there, the air feeling sometimes so heavy with humidity that you want to wring the clouds out for a good shower....less clothing for the locals, ah hem...and eating a bit of gelato now and then. 

This transfer, I have the privilege of working with Sister Pentz from Colorado. She is 5 foot 10, blonde (another tall companion with 5'3" Sister Motto), blue-eyed, half Swiss, and super fun!! She's on her 3rd transfer, fresh from training, and I feel so lucky to work with such an enthusiastic missionary.  Already we have really connected well, haven't stopped laughing and are off to a fabulous start!  

This week was wonderful!!  We had a really inspiring district meeting Tuesday with the theme "Today We Do It the Lord's Way", and had time to reflect inwardly with "how often do I do missionary work HIS way?" Am I spending each and every second I breathe here on the mission, going about each act and saying each word with the exactness and precision in which He commands me? My new motto and mindset for my mission is simply that: Today (and each day for the rest of my life) I will do it His way. I will do things the Lord's way. I need to continually repent and try harder and give more. I cannot afford to NOT do things His way.

Avo, (our investigator Maria), will be leaving for Portugal tomorrow for the next two to three months. It was really hard saying goodbye, for both me and Sister Wunderli, and it's even harder to explain how hard it was for Avo. She waved from her front door step in the apartment building as we walked away from our appointment Wednesday evening. We were able to share one last lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and bear our testimonies to Maria about the blessings of the Gospel. She promised us to continue to pray and read in the Book of Mormon, and that she would visit church while in Portugal. She said if missionaries come to see her, she wanted them to be sisters. WELL.... since missionaries are pretty well connected ;) ;)...we figured we'd contact the Lisbon mission and found sister missionaries in her exact area to continue teaching her the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ!  We can't wait to follow up with them and see how it goes with Avo.

Thursday I picked up my awesome new companion from Stuttgart Bahnhof after spending the afternoon with the Ludwigsburg sister missionaries. It was way fun spending the day in Ludwigsburg and working with both Sister Powell and SIster Smiley at once, not just one of them from an Austausch :) They are great and fired up and we did some wonderful contacting and appointment gathering while waiting for Sister Pentz to arrive. 

Saturday we spent the afternoon teaching Lian with the Elders, her family, and some other members of our ward in a beautiful place near Nagold in the BLACK FOREST. We enjoyed some delicious German/Filipino style BBQ.  It was important for us to keep busy and working that day so we incorporated some valuable contacting and preaching in the area.  We ran into an older couple hiking and we had the prompting to stop and talk to them. We talked for about 20 minutes, and nothing much came out of it.  But you never know:)  We walked back to the BBQ platz when Bruder Rudloff, Lian's dad, came over to us and said, "Sisters, I have to say I am very impressed. Thank you so much for your small yet powerful example of missionary work just now." That was great.  Maybe by simply acting on the prompting to talk with the couple, we were an answer to Bruder Rudloff's prayers.

I have gained such a testimony of new beginnings. When I speak of new beginnings I, of course, think of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I most recently studied the talk Elder Bednar gave from this last conference, "Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease". I love what he says as he explains the Atonement. 

"Not only does the Atonement of Jesus Christ overcome the effects of the Fall of Adam and make possible the remission of our individual sins and transgressions, but His Atonement also enables us to do good and become better in ways that stretch far beyond our mortal capacities....It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ came to the earth to die for us. But we also need to appreciate that the Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to enliven us not only to guide but also to strengthen and heal us."

I leave my testimony with Elder Bednar. It is through the Atonement that we find sweet, unbelievable, heavenly relief from the pains of the world, and where we are quickened and encouraged and inspired to grow and become better individuals. How eternally grateful I am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that I can, in small and simple words, BE MADE BETTER.

I love you all so much. Thank you again for your incredible support and encouragement.  Now I got to get off this computer and get back to finding ALL the Lord's wonderful sheep!

All my love,

Your little Alpine Missionary

Sister Natalie Motto

Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

I learned to make Zopf!