One word to describe the week. Pleasant.
If you know anything about missionaries, you probably know that we set a lot of goals and make a lot of plans. And if you ever were a missionary, you probably know that quite often things don't go according to that plan. Well, that was our week. Every single day this week, some (and often many) things fell out, changed, or happened out of nowhere. I feel like this is something that happens quite often in life. We make out these plans that we are super excited for but it doesn't always go the way we want. We can't let that get us down. So often this week, the things that actually happened were so much better than what we had planned. We can't get stuck wishing for the things that could have been, because then we miss out on the magic of what is.
I have met so many incredible people here in Germany and that has inspired me to set a goal. In these next six weeks, I am going to talk with 1000 people. I want you all to have a taste of the wonderful examples, heart wrenching stories, and just plain amazing people that I have the privilege of meeting on a daily basis, so I am going to share some of their stories with you all in the coming weeks.
As I was cleaning out some things in our apartment, I found this quote. It's one of those stop, take a second, and evaluate your life kinda quotes:
I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or and instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.
-Goethe
I know that I have found myself on the wrong side of this quote at times. What a wonderful reminder that our actions and reactions matter. May we choose to think before we speak or act, to the lifting of those around us.
Love,
Sister Wahlquist
If you know anything about missionaries, you probably know that we set a lot of goals and make a lot of plans. And if you ever were a missionary, you probably know that quite often things don't go according to that plan. Well, that was our week. Every single day this week, some (and often many) things fell out, changed, or happened out of nowhere. I feel like this is something that happens quite often in life. We make out these plans that we are super excited for but it doesn't always go the way we want. We can't let that get us down. So often this week, the things that actually happened were so much better than what we had planned. We can't get stuck wishing for the things that could have been, because then we miss out on the magic of what is.
I have met so many incredible people here in Germany and that has inspired me to set a goal. In these next six weeks, I am going to talk with 1000 people. I want you all to have a taste of the wonderful examples, heart wrenching stories, and just plain amazing people that I have the privilege of meeting on a daily basis, so I am going to share some of their stories with you all in the coming weeks.
As I was cleaning out some things in our apartment, I found this quote. It's one of those stop, take a second, and evaluate your life kinda quotes:
I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or and instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.
-Goethe
I know that I have found myself on the wrong side of this quote at times. What a wonderful reminder that our actions and reactions matter. May we choose to think before we speak or act, to the lifting of those around us.
Love,
Sister Wahlquist