The Reality: This Work is Truly the Errand of Angels

Dearest Family and Friends,

What a marvelous and magical week this was!  We saw many, many miracles that truly led me to recognize and be more fully grateful for the importance of my calling as a missionary, that in all reality this work is truly the errand of angels.

We had a great appointment with a very sweet less active woman in our ward, Schwester Börner. We went with our Relief Society President Schwester Cyron, and had  cheesecake (German cheesecake, that is....not American at all!), and talked about the blessings of the temple. Schwester Börner did not know Schwester Cyron, her long time friend, was coming along, and Schwester Börner began to weep with joy when she saw Schwester Cyron with us at her door! An even more addition to this story is that Schwester Börner came to church on Sunday! We will be visiting her every other week and helping her with various house help, and giving a lesson.

We met with Mirjam also this week. When we first met Mirjam she was so very hesitant to take a Book of Mormon, and this lesson Sister Wunderli and I really wanted to stress the importance to her about the Book of Mormon and how it is the "keystone" of our religion. We enjoyed lunch together by making homemade käse spätzle....much like our American Mac N Cheese but SO much better!!  We wanted to talk to Mirjam about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the five steps of Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End are all essential and a process that is continuously repeated, but the lesson through the beautiful guidance of the Holy Ghost switched to the Restoration. We talked about Joseph Smith, his journey for truth, and at the end we shared our testimonies of the First Vision. I even got emotional when I shared it with Mirjam!! Sister Wunderli and I both have the blessings of the Gospel in our lives, we know what the Gospel message entails, and it is with greatest desire we wish others to have it as well. I think that's why I felt the Spirit was so strong when we taught Mirjam the Restoration, because I could see her for who she really was, I could feel her aches and frustration in confusion, and I desired more than anything for her to understand what we are giving her. At the end we gave her a Book of Mormon with our testimonies written inside, and she graciously accepted it. We challenged her to read the introduction, to write down questions she has about anything, and then to read the first chapter. We hope all goes well this week when we meet again....

We also met with Lian and her mom Lisa. We enjoyed freshly pressed apple juice, a few rounds of the game "Blinde Kuh" (German version of Marco Polo) and then talked about the ten commandments. We even watched the way old Church cartoon film for it on the church website, but Lian loved it and ate it up. She now has the goal to memorize the commandments in order in German and in English. So proud of our little girl!!

One miracle we witnessed this week was that with Maria. Maria was an investigator found by Elders in her homeland of Portugal, but she lived here in Germany. After teaching her three lessons she came back and told the missionaries here she wanted to be baptized. Within a few short weeks something happened, and Maria was afraid, and still had the desire to be baptized, but had many questions. We decided to stop by on this former investigator and she how she was. Our guidance to her on Friday was completely led by the Spirit. After getting lost and taking the wrong bus, being late to GMK, and thirsty and needing to use the restroom, we were about to turn back, but we still felt the impression to visit Maria. After arriving (finally) we klingeled Maria and no one answered. "Well great" I thought. But I wasn't about to not leave at least a note.....we traveled the entire way to her so might as well leave something. We klingeled her neighbor and told them we were to visit Maria so they'd let us in, and they didn't. Then, right before we were about to leave, Maria answered the door and let us in.

Our meeting with Maria was quite unexpected. She told us she was sick, very sick, and it was not anything nobody could cure. She broke down into tears and told us how she has very serious depression. She has sought help and was in therapy for 2 months, but that didn't help. The day we dropped by was the day she was thinking about taking her life to rid herself of the pain. We spent one hour testifying and teaching and sharing testimony of the incredible healing of the Atonement, and that this cross that Maria said she was carrying could be lifted. Perhaps not right away, but it would be lifted. Maria sobbed and at the end grabbed me in the biggest and strongest hug I've ever felt a 75 year old woman give, and she thanked us and thanked Heavenly Father for sending her "her angels." Maria is leaving to Portugal for a few weeks at the end of June with her daughter, but she said that we should come see her often before then and reteach her everything. She says she wants to be baptized because she knows the Church is true.


We also met with Lu this week! Lu is from China, and was first taught by Sister Smith (whom I replaced here in TÜ) and Sister Wunderli. He's a student at the university and has no religious background, but wants to know who this "God" everyone talks about is, and how he can relate his perspective of God to that of the laws of nature. In his mind, everything has a purpose for existing. We used the Elders, Elder Badders and Elder Byers, as joint teaches. It. Was. AWESOME. We talked about how God is our loving Heavenly Father, read in Alma 32 about faith, and how developing faith is something that takes time but once there and we continue to nourish it, it will be strong and mighty. Lu loved the metaphor to a mustard seed. At the end of our lesson, we taught him how to pray, and Lu, this sweet Chinese student who has no previous knowledge of his Father in Heaven, said the most humble and sincere prayer I have ever heard anyone give. He said, "I don't have to ask for anything if I don't want to, right?" I found that cute/really sweet. Lu then said his prayer, which consisted of "Dear Heavenly Father......" opened his eyes and looked at us and said, "did I say that right?" and continued to thank Him for the fun he had with the missionaries and that he could learn more about who He is. The Spirit was SO STRONG. It was incredible.

Etwas lustiges(Something funny).....one time Sister W and I really, really needed to use the restroom while waiting for our train. We were in a teeny, tiny little dorf in the middle of nowhere, and the only available WC was the local gambling center. We got so many strange looks when we walked in!! Thankfully I had my handy dandy disinfectant spray! 



Sister Wunderli, my cute little Hungarian companion, also asked me this week if they translated the Harry Potter movies from British English to American English. She's so funny and cute and we are having a wonderful experience together. Her German and English is coming along well!

We spent our Sunday dinner with Familie Dornhausen in the southern most part of our area of Albstadt. WHAT a GORGEOUS area! The Dornhausen's are our genealogy experts here in Tübingen, and have been doing genealogy for over 11 years. With the permission of President, we will be going every other Tuesday to help them with Genealogy. Schwester Dornhausen made delicious chicken and rice for dinner, and then played her accordion for us! Quite the German moment.....and it was heavenly.  I LOVE GERMANY!!!!! So so blessed to be here.

This week I read a talk from Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson titled "Be Ye Converted" and studied a little bit more about the prophet-warrior Joshua in the Old Testament. I absolutely love what Sister Oscarson taught when she emphasized the importance of being converted NOW. NOW is the time to gain our testimonies, and not just that, but to share them and be steadfast and immovable in the Gospel. This week I watched carefully as God taught me just a little more how my mission is another step in the conversion process, how this life-changing experience is one that blesses, tests, strengthens, and solidifies our conversion, if we but consecrate ourselves. It is that with each of us! We do not need to be full missionaries to have the experiences that lead to conversion as Joshua the prophet warrior experienced. We simply need to apply the LITTLE things into our daily routine, as prayer and scripture study and weekly partaking of the sacrament, that give us the spiritual nourishment that in today's world we so desperately need. It has therefore become my resolution to be as Joshua of old, to be converted and be converted NOW, because the time is running short! We need to harvest that white field and get to work!!

I love you all so  much. I feel your prayers strengthening me each and every day. How grateful and demütigt I feel to contribute if but even a small part to this great and marvelous work.

Have a wonderful week!!

Love your missionary
Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

A Mothers Day Miracle

Dearest Family and Friends,

What a blessing and wonderful gift it was to talk with you yesterday for Mother's Day!! I honestly thought I would come away homesick, but rather it was the opposite. I came away feeling so incredibly GRATEFUL for the family and support I have at home. Missionary work is hard, but knowing that there are prayers and support all in my behalf is very, very humbling and helps me resolve to work that much harder.  I know I am über-blessed to have the kind of family I have...I know for a fact that there are quite a few missionaries who I serve with who really have no one championing them from home.  Your sweet words of encouragement and your tears of joy are going to continue to carry me when the days get a little long.  It is with the knowledge of eternal families that this point really hits home.  We are eternal with no limits on our love.  Isn't that overwhelming to comprehend?  Wow, I sure love the Lord. 

Sister Motto and her horses…..never too far apart

This week was wonderful!!! Sister Wunderli and I are seeing our hard work begin to pay off as we had a week full of lessons! We saw the miracle yesterday at church when 3 less active families we have tried to contact came to church, along with 2 of our investigators!! It was so rewarding to see those people sitting in Sacrament and attending the seperate classes, and then to tell us later of how special it was for them to come and to see so much peace and happiness in their faces. It truly was a Mother's Day Miracle!!

One investigator in particular, Patricia, loved her first experience at church. Her daughter passed away 3 years ago to Lukemia, and since then Patricia has felt that there is something more to life, that her daughter isn't gone forever. Patricia is about 53 years old, and does facepaint for a living. She dresses like I did when I was 15, with flower headbands and skinny jeans and ballet flats. She is proud of the fact she cannot speak High German. Patricia believes in God and Jesus Christ, but also believes in angels....she's a character for sure, but has a heart of gold. We met last Monday at McDonald's, and outside of that being a little bit awkward, it was a wonderful appointment as we explained the entire Plan of Salvation. When we taught Patricia about the Spirit World and Resurrection, she slammed her hand down on the table and in crazy Schwäbisch said "I knew it!! I knew it!!" Patricia then promised us "mit meine' ganze' Herze'" that she would attend church Sunday. She was late, but made it for Relief Soceity, where Sister Wunderli and I taught the lesson. Patricia met Bischof Dobin, our Relief Society president, and many other wonderful members. Sunday night around 10pm Patricia texted us and said "I think this is a new beginning for me. Thank you for a wonderful and uplifiting time at your church. I love you both." She's coming again next Sunday and we have a meeting following with our Relief Society President.  Isn't that great?!   Our members in Austria and Germany are just the best.

Tuesday we met with Carina, our very sweet Neu Apostelische investigator. Her husband Oliver was baptized a member of our church last summer. Carina knows our church is true, but due to unrest in her family with her parents being completely against the Church (her father is one of the Anti-Mormon ringleaders in this area......), she has decided not to be baptized until a little bit later. We meet with her weekly at a member's house to crochet and eat and talk. Carina asked us how we came to know the church was true, because she had a concern that because she didn't have a big, angelic type of experience, she wanted to be sure that she could still recieve answers in smaller ways. We said OF COURSE!!!! Our awesome joint teach Samira (whose family is in Vienna stake and I know them well!) said something that ended up being an answer to MY own prayers. She said "It was all the little tesitmonies along the way that let me know it was true, instead of the individual moment."

This week I have really focused on how I personally recieve answers to prayers. As I go about my mission and teach people how to recieve answers to their prayers, I recognize more and more the way I find answers to mine. Heavenly Father is a God of Order. He is organized and perfect. In my little-bit-oldest-child/OCD female tendencies to want to know every little detail, and oftentimes immediately, I have been humbled as a missionary to learn that answers often come with TIME. Time is precious, and the greatest but most sparse here on a mission. As I begin to understand the divine nature of our Heavenly Father, I learn that He gives us understanding little by little because we (hopefully) learn to apply what we are given and use that, and then He will give us more. It's like a chocolate cake! Heavenly Father is wise in giving us only one slice at a time, rather than the entire cake, because He understands that we can only eat so much and if we ate the entire cake in one sitting, we just wouldn't appreciate it.

I am so grateful for the answers to my prayers I have recieved, and for the personal revelation I have been able to enjoy and treasure. God loves us and will give us the righteous desires of our hearts. In Matthew 7:7-11 it reads
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,and it shall be opened unto you...For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seekethfindeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will hegive him a stone Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto yourchildren, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven givegood things to them that ask him?

It is my testimony that Heavenly Father treasures each of us so dearly, more than anyone in our Earthly life could even fathom to love us (and that being said, trying to comprehend the love of a mother is even too much!!). As we truly, deeply, and earnestly seek for Him, just as in D&C 88, when we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. I testify that He hears us! I know He hears me, even when we feel as small and forgotten as a fallen sparrow. And because of His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement, They understand with perfection what we endure in this life, whether it be joys or sorrows and everything in between. I know He is there. Do you??

And, to end, a wonderful poem I found this morning during personal study.
When God makes a promise,
It remains forever true.
For everything God promises
He will unaterably do.
When you're disillusioned
and every hope is blighted
Recall the promises of God
and your faith will be relighted.

Let us always remember that because He will always give us His best, let us return the favor and give Him all we have, all we are, and all we will become. I promise it makes for a happier life!!

All my love this week dear friends and family!

Your missionary,
Sister Natalie Motto

"Work hard, my missionaries…WORK HARD!" Meeting with Elder Dyches of the Seventy

Liebe Freunde und Familie,

This Transfer went by WAY FAST!  (Probably because it was only 5 weeks rather than 6 weeks) For this next transfer things stay the same for me and I will continue working with Sister Wunderli in Tübingen. I love Germany and its particularly amazing in the spring.  Tübingen is so beautiful right now and I'm happily soaking it all in.  Sister Winters in Stuttgart and Sister Powell in Ludwigsburg are getting Little goldens, and I am so excited to work with brand new missionaries!

We had a wonderful week this week, having had the opportunity to meet with many less actives and see them all come to Church yesterday! Many of these less actives hadn't come for a couple of months and even years...so imagine the wards surprise when we they show up yesterday! It was such a great feeling.  This is such a wonderful ward who has gone through some hard trials and we are determined to help them strengthen and grow.  They appreciate our efforts and we feel their support and prayers.  Yesterday they told me how thankful they are that I was sent here...ahhh, I can't disappoint them so I am giving this ward, the Lord and his children my everything and all. 

Wednesday morning around 2am, the day we were leaving for Munich, I woke up with an incredible neck pain, so much that I could not move my neck whatsoever. I'm pretty sure it was sleeping on it wrong.  After lots of ibuprofen, ice, heat, massaging...nothing really worked. We called the Mission Nurse and she recommended purchasing a perscription of Naproxen (German Aleve) from the Apotheke, reassuring that it would help. It didn't. Our GML (Ward mission leader) Steven and the Elders gave me a Blessing Wednesday afternoon and if anything that blessing comforted and reassured me. The train ride that evening to Munich with the district leaders and Zone Leaders was way fun, but I still felt pretty miserable. The Muncih 3 Sisters, Sister Kutschke and Sister Threkheld, were SO sweet and at last minute provided space for us to overnight at their apartment because Sister and President Miles were in Switzerland and we could not sleep at the Mission Home. Throughout the weekend I had steady pain in my neck, but it eventually got less intense, and this morning I woke up with no pain at all. I am so grateful!  Prayers were heard and answered!

Thursday was SO spectacular!  We met at Rückertstrasse chapel in Munich for the District Leader Meeting, along with the Munich Sister Training Leaders, as special invite by Elder Timothy J. Dyches. For one hour as a leadership group were able to be specially instructed and taught by Elder Dyches. He talked about humility, teaching, and the importance of leading by example. (In one more embarrassing moment, Elder Dyches demonstrated how to properly use a planner. Because apparently sisters have amazing planners, Elder Dyches asked to use mine. (Pres Miles told him to use mine! He called it "very sisterly" and also very organized and methodical. It's not every day a member of the seventy looks through your missionary planner!) He talked to us about making our missions a foundation for the rest of our lives, and right at the end he got very quiet, looked us all directly in the eye and said powerfully but immer noch so quietly, "Work hard, my missionaries......WORK HARD."

Mission Leadership Council 

Mission Tour (Munich and Stuttgart Zones)

For our main meeting, as Stuttgart and Munich Zones, we were instructed by President and Sister Miles and Sister and Elder Dyches for Close to 3 hours. Sister Dyches quoted Elder Bednar in saying that if she could change the word "meeting" for "Revelatory Experience", she would. She also taught us the importance of studying, learning, and growing in this life, and that the things we learn here on our mission could not be replaced by any School in this world. Stimmt! (Isn't that the truth!?) . My Mission has only added hundred-fold to the truths I learned in Sunday School, Young Women's, Seminary, etc. How grateful I am for that decision I made to serve a mission. It is HARD but this purifying and sanctifying work is one of the greatest blessings I could have recieved in my life. Elder Dyches related it to a cruciable, like in Chemistry.  As we experience ups and downs in our mission and go through those common faith-testers, we are purified and made stronger. In relation to this, the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 18 came to mind. Verses 10-16 were the Topic I was asked to speak on for my farewell talk, and 11 months later I think I better understand what they mean.

With this image of a firey cruicable from Elder Dyches, I reread verse 15 in Doctrine and Covenants 18 which says "And if it so be that you shall Labor all your days in crying repentance unto this People, and bring, save it be one Soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" Our missions are  beautiful non-coincidences, perfectly personalized and set directly for us. Do I think it's a coincidence that I serve in the Alpine German Speaking Mission, when my mother, father, 3 uncles, a Cousin, and some of my closest friends all serve or have served here as well? Absolutely not. Is it a coincidence that I have had terrible Deja Vu daily since coming on my mission or that my parents lived here while working in Germany and were pregnant with me? After Elder Dyches taught us, not at all. I have the strongest confirmation that my mission, perfectly designed for me, is something that I perhaps talked about with my Father in Heaven before this life. Heavenly Father knew that I could help bring that one soul to Him through my service.

Missionary work does not end with a mission. Having experienced a miracle of finding a man my father taught on his mission, and after 26 years having them be reunited through Skype, I have begun to build a testimony of lifelong missionary work.(Natalie, through still some unknown search, found a man who Kevin taught and baptized on his mission but afterwards lost contact with.)  And so it shall be, my dearest family and friends. I shall labor all the rest of my days: throughout the rest of the days of my mission, and the rest of my life. Mission Tour and Mission Leadership Council were one of the best experiences I have had so far on my mission. It's similar to a returning from the temple feeling: refreshed, strengthened, and ready to take on the world!

I love you all!! I hope you have a fantastic week. Say your prayers, obey the Word of Wisdom, read your scriptures, say I Love You more, and be grateful for the many and overflowing blessings the Lord gives to you and me.

Until next week!!

Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

The Atonement Soothes All Aches

Hello Family and Friends!! 

Greetings from cold, wet, but nevertheless beautiful Tübingen Germany! I feel like the song from the Prince of Egypt, "When You Believe", fits perfectly for this week. Perhaps Alma 32 does even better….to have the faith of a little seed…. Either way, when we pray for miracles and put forth the effort-- they happen!

Last week as Sister Wunderli and I were going by on a less active sister, we came across a really neat American style RV (somewhat uncommon here). We decided to leave a note and some extra cookies as an Easter surprise, not forgetting our cell phone number. On Monday evening we got a phonecall from Familie Linke, the owners of the RV and proud enjoyers of our snickerdoodle cookies. I talked with Frau Linke for about 15 minutes about their travels in their RV, and how they ended up in Utah. For one year Frau Linke and her husband traveled around the states in their RV, and one of their favorite places was Salt Lake City. They loved the "beautiful cathedral" there, even though they weren't allowed to see the inside. When I told Frau Linke about who Sister Wunderli and I were, she was  excited to know that we were "the cute girls with black nametags." They are currently living in their RV somewhere near Stuttgart, but will be home within the next few weeks. When they get home they want us to come over and get to know them better.  Never underestimate the power of prayer, faith and homemade cookies. 

I was able to go on exchange/Austausch again this week, this time in Stuttgart with Sister Gilmour. SIster Gilmour is great and enthusiastic. She is from AF and we know lots of the same people.  We had such a fun time together!  I love this opportunity to serve as Sister Training Leader, simply for the chance to get to know the other sisters in the zone. Wonderful day!

One small miracle that really made this week a powerful one was that when we found Kim. Sister W and I had been out the entire day, and nobody we went by on was home, or completely rejected us. Discouraged, tired, hungry, and frustrated, we went back to Rottenburg Bahnhof to wait for our train. As we sat and waited, I saw a really cute little mutt, and talked with his owner. The guy named Kim told me that his dog was his best friend. I continued a conversation with Kim about my little Panda. As every conversation goes, Kim asked what Sister W and I were studying, assuming we were students. We told him that we were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and that we have a message about Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and how His Atonement can heal any ache, soothe any hurting soul, and help each person who ever was, is, and will be, to turn around and have a better life. We told Kim that it is alone through Jesus Christ that we can return to our Heavenly Father and live with our families forever. Kim told us about his Family: he has a two year old son and a wife. Kim has been caught in drugs since he was about 18, and at age 24 was released from jail 3 years ago, after spending 4 years there. He has had a hard life, and Kim told us how he has been praying to God for a way to escape this vicious cycle of addiction and pain. We rode the train with Kim back to Tübingen, and were able to get his email to keep in touch that way. We are hoping to meet him next week with our Bishop after we get back from Munich. Sister Wunderli's and my prayer was answered that we would be able to find someone that day, and it was definitely no "Zufall" that we met Kim when we did. Please keep Kim in your prayers!

Saturday we met with Martin, a really neat guy we talked to on the bus a couple weeks ago. Martin was previously in the Catholic ministery, and grew up strong Catholic, but always felt like something was missing. We brought up the Book of Mormon and he was "sold". We talked about the Atonement and how through it, Martin can stop smoking. He, just like Kim, wants to start his life new. Martin even said that "you two missionaries are an answer to my long said prayers." Pretty amazing, huh?

We had a wonderful eating appointment with our Bishop yesterday. Outside of having to be driven to the airport, take an S-bahn, train, bus, and walk 15 minutes to get home, it was a great appointment and I really got to better know my Bishop and his wife. We talked a lot about the ward mission plan and what we can do personally as sisters, to help build the members here in Tübingen. (Mom and Dad, does the Name Oliver Dobin ring a bell? he was a missionary serving in your Frankfurt ward when you were there at the Marriott.)

The atonement has played a really big role in my studies the past week or two, and that is probably why we have met so many people who have needed to hear it's message. I think, also, because I am more understanding the role of the atonement in my life. I have always had faith in the atonement, and have had a testimony of it, but it has been after time and testing that I have the smallest part of understanding. Faith, testimony, Trial of that faith and testimony, and then a firmer and stronger knowledge: that's the way the Lord works. I now feel the power of the atonement in my life, how it is a gift in which we can rejoice! The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes us happy. We can find peace, assurance, and comfort. The Atonement soothes the deepest and harshest aches of the human soul. It gives us strength to forgive, and shows us the importance of humility when asking forgiveness. 

I am so grateful to be here on a mission. It is the greatest gift Heavenly Father has given me so far in my mortal life. He has given me the opportunity to grow, learn, make mistakes, be humbled, and of course, given the chance to really know my Savior. I know Him better now than I ever have in my life. That's why I am here! To preach, testify, and rejoice in Christ. (2 Nephi 25:26).

I wish you all the best week yet, and never forget how much I love you, and how much I love this work!!!

Your missionary,

Sister Natalie Motto

"You Are the MORMONS!!!"

Hello Family and Friends!!

Courtesy of the local Muslim internet shop here in Tübingen, I am able to write you emails today! Today in Germany and in Austria & Switzerland they are celebrating the second day of Easter, Easter Monday as it is called here, and every shop, bank, postoffice and bakery are closed. Everyone is either at mass or celebrating their day off with family. The streets are pretty bare and the ringing church bells are everywhere! It's also "European grey", foggy, and cold outside -- it's not the most exciting Pday but I'm happy to read emails and letters and write emails home.

I think I found my dream piano! 

Sister Wunderli had a great week together. In the past years, the work in Tübingen has slowed down a little bit but we are determined to pick it back up. Tübingen went from a branch to a ward in just 2 short years quite a few years back just because of the work missionaries did and Sister Wunderli and I are ever more determined to help this ward grow. They are a eager, enthusiastic little ward with a great zest for missionary work. 75% of the active members in the ward has served a full-time mission, and the other 25% are either children or recent coverts. Sister Wunderli and I have started concentrating on the less actives in our ward and updating the ward list for our Bishop. One part of our mission's year long focus is a technique called "Goldmining", introduced to us last May by Elder Teixeria when he visited our mission. Goldmining means that we ask for referrals from these less actives; as many of them have family, friends, and neighbors who are not members of the Church. Trying to find people to teach through these less actives is something President Miles is really encouraging.

This week I went on Austausch (exchange) with Sister Powell in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Another beautiful city!! Sister Powell and I had the chance to teach their new investigator, Louis, with a member named Monique. We went into the lesson prepared to teach the Plan of Salvation, but after we prayed Louis said right away that he could not be a member of this Church. After a few questions and awkward minutes, we found that Louis had recieved an Anti-Mormon article from a friend. In Louis's innocence to find out more about the Church, rather than being directed to a positive website such as Mormon.org or lds.org, a friend lead him down a different path. The story itself is long, but right as I saw that article I looked at Louis and said, "This article is not from our Church. This was written by people who do not like us. These things written in here are false." Sister Powell then bore an AMAZING testimony about descerning right and wrong, and we asked Louis to give the Book of Mormon, praying, and learning about the Gospel just one more chance. Louis is a very faithful man and promised that he would try again. 

After returning home Thursday afternoon from Austausch and dropping off my things, Sister Wunderli and I headed right back outside to meet a former investigator who said she had further interest to learn. Turns out that meeting end up being cancelled but we forged on and end up meeting Lena! ! Lena is about 60 years old, Russian, and a former piano performer. Lena moved to Germany about 20 years ago with her husband, who just recently passed away. On our way home from this appointment that fell out, Lena sat by me on the bus. After asking her for directions of where to catch a different bus (because we were lost) Lena was kind enough to help us find our way. She and I talked for 45 minutes about music, composers, piano, and the Gospel. She thought we were Jehova's Witnesses at first (as everyone does), but once Sister Wunderli brought up the Book of Mormon, Lena got really excited and exclaimed loud enough for the bus to hear "You are the MORMONS!! You people are so nice!!!!" We talked to Lena for a good amount of time, and right when we were going to ask for her contact information she said "Oh, no no no. I'm Jewish. But you sweet girls keep doing what you're doing." And then she ran away.  SIgh.  Although the end of our conversation with Lena was somewhat of a "flop" as Sister Wunderli says, we both know we were meant to meet and talk with Lena. Perhaps in future weeks, months, or even years, Lena will open her heart to hear the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Friday we had interviews and District Meeting with President and Sister Miles. It was C-O-L-D on Friday, but our souls were warmed with delicious crepes and great interviews. In quick chicken-scratch notes after my interview, these were some of the things I wrote:
"President said that gratitude is a gift from our Heavenly Father. When we are grateful for what He has given us, we have faith. When we have faith to obey, we become more grateful for the blessings that come. We need to live obedience until it becomes who we are."  Isn't that just awesome?
President Miles also complimented me on my obedience, enthusiasm for the work and always being a missionary he can rely on. That made me feel good!

Easter was beautiful. How can it not be?  We had wonderful Sacrament Meeting (where I spoke!) and eating appointments after. We got WAY too much chocolate, which I will most likely be sending home. :) During Sacrament Meeting as we sang the hymns, my heart swelled with so much gratitude to be a missionary.  Overall it one of the days where I fought back tears, not of sadness or homesickness, but of so much happiness and hope and beholden to my Maker for allowing me to serve Him.  Even now as I am typing this email....I pause and take a deep breathe so that my emotions don't get the better of me.  I love this country, these people, their hearts, their goodness...even when they are not good to me.  The Savior died for them too and so I owe it to them and to myself to teach as many of them as I can that HE LIVES!!!!!

I love you all. I hope and pray that you make this week the best yet! Reach out to someone in need, or in the very least share a smile and a compliment. Tell somebody you love them. This is the message of the Gospel: It brings JOY!!!!!

Love your missionary,
Sister Natalie Hannah Motto

PS Quotes from Sister Wunderli this week:
"Be happy you just need to use one dictionary." 

"If we just look….miracles are everywhere!"

"Forget Me Not"…..Thank you Elder Uchtdorf
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/11/forget-me-not

Dearest Family and Friends,

This week was surely a week of many, many miracles!  If we just look and recognize...miracles are everywhere!

Tübingen is really showing off her "spring-y-ness" to us....all sorts of glorious flowers are in bloom, baby ducks everywhere, everything is a vibrant shade of green and the smell of freshness permeates the air.  I love Spring in Germany!  Breathtaking beauty abounds.  After a incredible General Conference we felt so motivated and energized and our efforts to find people to teach were blessed! This week Sister Wunderli and I focused a lot on meeting with the less active sisters in our ward, and updating our very large less active list. As we traveled out to many small dorfs/villages to go by on these less actives, we didn't see any success.  Almost no one was home, and if they were, we were yelled at or ignored. It was super discouraging. Then, to make matters just that much more stressful, Sister Wunderli left her bus and train pass at home one day, and we both had left our emergency travel money at home. Having to pay with personal money we were finally able to get around, but it was still a frustrating experience. Nonetheless...having been proven time and time again...especially with His missionaries,  the Lord blessed us in our "afflictions" and truly expressed His love as we met Michael, Mirjam, and Claudia!

After emails and grocery shopping on Monday, we saw a man on the bus. I complimented his HUGE ring on his hand, and he laughed and in English replied and told me it was from America. We got talking and this man had seen us board the bus earlier on our way to shopping but shook off the impression to say hello. He asked us who we were, and we talked for about 20 minutes telling him about our role as missionaries and about our message of the Book of Mormon. His name is Michael and he is from Sierra Leone. He has a wife and son in Stuttgart, and his mother lives in Virginia. After explaining to him the "tripod" (prayer, scriptures, church), Michael asked what our ultimate goal was, and what would happen after we taught him everything he needed to know. Sister Wunderli then shared a very simple and powerful testimony about baptism, and how that is the first step and first covenant we make in returning back to Heavenly Father. Michael was very quiet and then after a pause said "You know Sistas? I was thinking about baptism. But I jus' didn't know where to go to do it. I wan' it to be all proper with God and all, you know?" WELL......... One doesn't hear that very often as a missionary. :) We then talked about the Restoration of the Priesthood!! Our lesson with Michael was kind of everywhere, but we managed to stick to the basics in all our excitement, and we will be meeting with him again this week for further teachings.  He was excited and so are we. Miracle #1.

Later in the week we were coming home from the city of Rottenburg, a quaint little place, we were once again discouraged after being denied by everyone we had talked to. Our train stopped way down the platform, and tired and hungry we trugged home. Halfway down the platform a woman stopped us and asked if we dropped our ticket (which we didn't have tickets) and excitedly she began talking with us once she saw we were missionaries. Her name is Mirjam, and she grew up very Christian with very very strict parents. We walked together to the bus stop, and continued talking for another 15-20 minutes. The sweetest Spirit seemed to envelop the three of us with the sunshine as Mirjam told us some concerns and questions she has about life: where we were, why we are here, and where we go. Right on the spot we taught her about the Plan of Salvation and read from Alma 34:32. We are meeting again with Mirjam on Wednesday! Miracle #2.

Great story.....was when we met Claudia. We were on a train, and Sister Wunderli began talking to her about the book she was reading. Somewhere in the conversation Claudia mentioned she was from Vienna, and that's when I butted in and with probably more enthusiasm than needed, told Claudia how I just moved from Vienna. We talked about the city and places I had been, and that lead to Claudia asking "so what are you doing here, exactly?" LOVE that question!! We shared our testimony that, we are as it says in 3 Nephi 5:13, "We are disciples of Jesus Christ" and that we are called of a prophet of God. Claudia did not have much time, but asked that we could meet this week with her and her two sons. She was curious and wants to talk more.  Yep....Miracle #3.

These three stories of Michael, Mirjam, and Claudia are real miracles.  if you only knew how many people don't want to talk about God here -- you would be pretty impressed.  God blesses us when we put forth our best work! As Sister Wunderli and I try to built our sweet little ward and find those less actives, God has blessed us with opportunities to teach. These less actives are lost sheep, and God will not bless us with more sheep when we do not already take care of the ones He has given us to watch over. As He sees we are trying and seeking to find that lost one of the ninety and nine, He sends those who are prepared to hear our message.

This week, especially after thinking about Elder Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude, I simply want to be more grateful. I feel like I express my gratitude to Him often enough, but then He blesses me with more blessings than I could even count. I am so grateful to be a missionary. My wonderful friends and dearest family, I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! This work is the most rewarding. I have never been so happy in my entire life!! Quoted by Neil L. Anderson in a talk he gave in April 2011 conference, "The blessing of bringing others into the gospel far outweighs anything you will ever sacrifice." And surely, one gives a lot to serve a mission. But when I really think about it, I really haven't given up that much in comparison to what I have gained. Sure I gave up precious family time, schooling, friends and dating, work and money, and who knows what else, but the Lord has COMPENSATED it with blessings. The best word to describe my emotions and thoughts is that I am WHOLE. Here on my mission I have had some experiences that have broken me, but through them and through this incredible opportunity to share the Gospel, I have been made whole. The very Carpenter of Nazareth takes our broken things and makes them whole again. I have seen these blessings of the Gospel not only shape and change my life, but also the lives of those I have been blessed to teach. The Gospel changes people and makes us better. Of this I have a testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the very church Jesus Christ HIMSELF established on the Earth. We have a prophet, who as Moses and Abraham and Nephi and King Benjamin speaks to this people today. We have the precious word of the Book of Mormon, which is a testimony for the Bible and by reading I have come to know for myself it is true.

Our apartment balcony…spoiled much?

Beautiful Tübingen along the Neckar River

Small but mighty.  Our little Tübingen chapel

Love this little ward building and this ward is wonderful!

I am so grateful to be here.....to be His servant, His full-time missionary and follower.  I am eternally grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and for the priceless gift of His Atonement.

Have a great week my dear ones!! Until next week!!

Sister Natalie Motto
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/11/forget-me-not

Surely we must all bloom where we are planted

"Your Missionaries Love Tübingen Ward!

When in Schwarzwald…….birthing cows and nothing really changes but me

Meine liebe Familie und Freunde,

And just like that.....I'm back in Germany!!! I arrived safe and sound Thursday evening around 7pm in the majestic Black Forest region of Germany, in the quaint, charming, hilly university town of Tübingen. This town is really very beautiful. Our apartment is right on the Neckar, a river that flows right through the middle of the city, and we have a great view of the town. We have a porch and everything! Breakfast has been quite enjoyable the past couple mornings, sitting outside in the fresh spring early morning air. My companion, Sister Wunderli, is from Hungary. She is a hard working missionary, with a great love for the Gospel. She was baptized 6 years ago with her sister and mom. Sister Wunderli has a heart of gold, and serves me constantly. I am excited for the chance to work with her for this next transfer.

Leaving Vienna was bittersweet. It was a moving sight seeing the missionaries run us off, a fun tradition we have here in our mission. (Missionaries who stay in Vienna literally run along the gangplank of the train tracks as the train departs -- they run along side the window of their departing companions.)  The train ride was very long  but beautiful and as we rode through Ulm, Geislingen (Steige), and right through Göppingen, a strange wave of emotion hit me and it felt as though I had never left this place! Not much as changed, and I couldn't help but paralell it with eventual returning home from my mission. After being away from this region for some time, I oddly assumed that dramatic changes would have happened. However quite the contrary is true, not much has changed except for a few small details, and I will realize that in fact I was the one who changed. I am such a different missionary than when I was here in Stuttgart last. My German has improved, my understanding of the Gospel is richer and deeper, and my desire to do more effective missionary work is much stronger. Overall I know that I am a much stronger person and a formidable challenger to the adversary, not afraid to speak up about the Gospel, the truth which will set us all free.  I better understand my role in this missionary world and each day I learn more and more about myself. As I began my mission in Göppingen (about 2 hours NE from here), I got a taste for the sweetness of this work. I could only grow to a certain point when I was in Göppingen and the same is for Vienna. I grew A LOT while in Vienna: I have returned to Stuttgart Zone a little older, wiser, more confident servant of the Lord.  I am feeling very grateful to my Heavenly Father for the chance to serve here in Tübingen and to see how I develop here, and what things I will learn.

I have some sad news. Sister Green informed me that our sweet, blind investigator Ludwig, passed away this week. She got word from our member Anna, and then passed the information to me this morning. Although this news was intitally a surprise and very sad, I am so grateful that Ludwig is in a better place. He was in a lot of pain, and now he is free. He now has the opportunity to continue learning about the Gospel in a place where he can fully learn and understand! I will never forget his last words to us, "Bleib treu in Christus!" Stay true in Christ. What a beautiful message to remember, especially comparing it to the messages shared in General Conference this weekend.

Unfortunately my camera battery died on transfer day and I left my charger in Vienna. Long story short, one of the sisters in Ludwigsburg is charging it for me, and I'll get my charger in a few weeks from Sister Green when she sends it through mission mail. Hence why I have not so many photos.

My first day in Tübingen was VERY interesting and pretty incredible. We got up at 5 am to catch a 6 am train to some little town in the heart of the Black Forest to do a service project for an investigator. Upon arriving, we had to wait for some time before Frau Seeger came to instruct us on garden work. Her son, Thomas, invited us to come in their barn to look at their 40 something cows. It just so happens that as we walked into the barn, we were able to witness a cow giving birth. And we stayed for the whole thing, which lasted somewhere around 30 minutes. That's something you don't get to experience every day!! The baby cow and mama Kuh were doing just great, and I took upon myself naming the little baby Ferdinand.

It's not everyday when you can see a cow be born….but when in Schwarzwald...

Beautiful Tübingen

I absolutely LOVED the Women's Meeting and General Conference! My feelings from conference were mostly those of peace, stillness, and quiet. I think the Lord was reminding me that that is how He works: in stillness. I was reminded that we need to take time to simply Be Still and feel of His presence. Satan is powerful, but not as poweful as our Father in Heaven, and the adversary can by no means duplicate or copy the feelings of peace. It is not in his power. The entire conference I felt so still as I listened to the messages given, and for me that simply testified TRUTH. To everything that was shared this weekend I went to share my testimony and witness that we have living Prophets. They have spoken to us with modern scripture for our day. Did anyone else notice how many messages were directed FOR THE YOUTH? (McKenna, Isabelle, Jameson....I hope you're reading this.) I have such a testimony that the youth today were preserved to fight in this stage of the battle. We are among the strongest to fight Satan with everything we have, and to defend our beliefs. One missionary said something at our last Zone Training that really touched me: are we working as hard as Satan is? Am I giving my ALL to this cause? So many people stand for what they believe, but they don't do it with all the energy they could. Satan is giving his EVERYTHING to bring down God's army. Are we fighting back with just as much force and diligence? Let us use these messages from Conference to better protect ourselves, and to use them as weapons against evil.

The Lord speaks today. He speaks through His apostles and chosen Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. Let us give our all in this fight for the right, to stand up for what we believe. Obey with exactness, hold tight to the rod, uphold and stand for the commandments of God, share the Gospel with exuberance and excitement, 

………..and then let us watch the majesty of God come forth.

I love you all, and wish you all the best this week.

Your faithful little missionary -- back in wonderful Germany!

Sister Natalie Hannah Motto