This will explain a bit about the impact the lowering of the missionary age has on the missionary work. In our case, it will result in the total number of missionaries in this mission alone increasing by about 90 missionaries in the next year. As you know, besides working directly with the Young Single Adults, (which in and of itself could be a full-time job,) we have been asked to oversee the 11 missionary apartments in the Stuttgart Stake, which is the Stuttgart Zone. We have been asked wherever practicable to double up missionary companionships in the same apartment to help accommodate the increase the number of missionaries coming. We just recently finished cleaning up and repairing the first apartment and acquiring additional furniture to accommodate a second companionship. We have been shopping online for used, inexpensive furniture to turn the first apartment into a foursome. This was done so that a new sister companionship could be sent to the second apartment in the next two weeks. The second apartment is in such poor condition, that we have been working like crazy to strip floor coverings and get the walls and ceiling painted so that we could get a young recently-baptized member (a carpenter out of work) to step in and replace the kitchen counters, cupboards, and appliances and replace floor coverings to get it ready for the sisters. There is such a high humidity level in the Stuttgart area that mold is a constant problem in these apartments, especially since they are occupied by youngsters who aren't used to caring for an apartment, or even making their bed or washing their dishes. (Parents: Please see that your missionary sons and daughters learn these basic skills before the responsibility of a missionary apartment is turned over to them and another inexperienced youngster!!!!!)
Today, mission-wide, we participated in an apartment cleanup day to get rid of old abandoned junk in every apartment and get them cleaned, finally! It will take a few small miracles to get the second apartment ready for the sisters to move into in less than two weeks.
We have one more apartment currently occupied by one companionship in another city that we must prepare for a second companionship to occupy the following transfer around the 1st of May. And so it goes missionwide. Fortunately we have a military ward in our stake with a number of American families transfering in and our of the area who are looking to unload a lot of their furniture that they must leave behind. Your mom is getting pretty good at finding great deals on an online yard sale site, where we have picked up much of the needed additional beds, desks, closets, etc., that we need to turn a twosome into a foursome. Most of the ward members will not know that renters here are typically required to supply their own kitchens as well as clothing closets, etc. Closets are not built-in here as they are in the U.S. And maintenance of kitchens, and appliances and fixtures in the rooms is usually the responsibility of the tenants. In fact, housing rental agreements in Germany are generally weighted heavily in favor of the landlord/owner and against the tenant (us).
The good news is that we are seeing the hearts of people softening and changing for the better. Early upon our arrival in the Stuttgart German-speaking ward, which we attend normally, our bishop assigned us to teach a long-time less active member lady, Sister Moser, who is 53 years old. The bishop explained that she came from a family with a very active mother and an active sister. She has a son and a daughter who are both inactive. Since her early teens, she has pulled herself away from the Church and has gone through some pretty hard times. She smoked and drank regularly most of her adult life until about two years ago, when she decided to stop. She has about every health issue in the book. She is diabetic, has failing kidneys, has frequent seizures, is nearly wheelchair-bound, and cannot care for herself. She takes a bucket load of prescribed meds several times a day, along with a number of injections. She is on permanent home health care. All of these ailments, with the plethora of meds and side-effects, have taken a serious toll on Sister Moser. She recently learned that she likely has cancer spots on one of her lungs, but she is not strong enough to undergo a biopsy. Our calling with her is to simply teach her the gospel each week. But in addition to that, we have simply fallen in love with Sister Moser. And she is undergoing the most miraculous new awakening and childlike curiousity about things spiritual. It has been so delightful to see this miracle develop in her life. A few weeks ago, when we arrived for our weekly meeting with her, she was so excited to announce to us that she had visited with the bishop and had asked him if she could go to the temple to receive her endowment. He outlined the things she needed to do to be prepared for the temple, and we have been working on those matters. She has tried to attend sacrament meeting as often as her health permits. Since her mother has no car, someone from the ward must pick her and her wheelchair up. She is allergic to nearly everything. One Sunday, the sacrament bread contained soy along with other ingredients. She had such a violent reaction, she needed to take something immediately to counteract the reaction and needed to be driven home.
Your wonderful mom has found her way very deeply into Sister Moser's heart. Mom always brings her iPad to our discussions and plays something musical to enhance the Spirit. Or we sing her a hymn duet. She loves the music of the Church! And spiritual music has played a significant role in her spiritual awakening. I wish every missionary could have a companion as insightful and close to the spirit as your mom is. I really have to hustle to try to keep up with her. Undoubtedly a major highlight so far in our mission has been the 6 months we have spent with Sister Moser. Although Frankfurt is outsite our mission, Pres. Miles has authorized us to travel to Frankfurt to be with her in the Temple on March 26, when she receives her endowment. Please pray for her that her health will permit her to keep her appointment. Her sister is flying here from the U.S. to join their mother and her grateful missionaries, and possibly others, as we celebrate the glorious occasion with her in the Frankfurt Temple.
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