Spring is coming! (Week 61)

Weird tree

This beautiful park where we went finding

This beautiful park where we went finding

Breaking in our legs to the sun #tanning

So this week was awesome! We are getting ready for the Easter Initiative that starts on Friday. We've seen it and they're going really big in Berlin, with a giant poster on the outside of the stake center, all the mission office cars in Berlin have it on them, and apparently there will be posters in the Bahn stations and on some taxis. We are super excited and have lots of plans to help people come to know Jesus Christ better.

We had a pass-off lesson with a lady that the elders found named Martha. She is from Cameroon and has a little boy. She is so cool. She believes in God and she has a super cool story. She's already been through a lot in order to follow God's commandments. We taught the first lesson to her and she was very excited to read the Book of Mormon and come to church. At the end of our lesson, she told us that she prayed before we came over to know if we are God's servants or not. She said she believes we come from God and believes that we have the truth. Also she said she'd bring lots more people to our church, haha. We picked her up on Sunday, she came to church and loved it, despite not knowing any german. She is pumped and set on helping other people come closer to Christ. We're excited to teach her more!

The Labibs cancelled, Kira was sick, but we'll meet with them this week. Hopefully. :) we went on Tausch with the sisters in Greifswald, and I got to Tausch with Sister Hope, aus Australia. She's awesome and it was fun to work with her. Also, we went on Tausch with the sisters in Neukölln, aka the ghetto of Berlin. I was with Sister Hançer aus Turkey. I was in her district for two transfers in Hamburg and we've gone on Tausch a few times, so that was fun. She's super sweet and we had fun finding in the ghetto. She taught me some Turkish words that exist in English but have a different meaning in Turkish. For example: turtle = caterpillar, moose/muz = banana, and pasta = birthday cake.  I'm sure they're spelled differently, but whatever.

Like I said, Martha came to church and so sister Haynie and I were both translating for different people the whole time. We were pretty kaput after church, but it was great. I kind of got assigned to play the piano for relief society... lol my piano playing is pretty bad. They like having someone reliable so they gave me the numbers we'll be singing for the next month and told me to practice in my free time, haha. We had an eating appointment with the Winkler family. They have family in Boise. It was hands down the best german food I've ever had. Then we had stake choir Sunday night. It's been super fun to get to know members from all over Berlin. We're doing a Easter concert and it'll be in Marzahn, so we're going to invite everyone we know. :)

Today we walked all around Berlin in the sunshine and warmth and it was glorious. #keinestrumpfhosen. We also went to the Berliner dome again. Yay for Pday.

I've been reading the New Testament recently, and in Mark, the disciples tell Christ that they've left everything behind to follow Him, and Christ answers and says "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first" (Mark 10:29-31). I know that whatever things we have to sacrifice to follow Jesus Christ is worth it. I'm thankful for this time to serve Him. I'm thankful for everything that He has done for me. I can never repay Him, but I will sure spend my entire life trying.

Love you all! Make this week a good one!

Sister Simpson

Reflections

Idahomies

Berlin

Berliner Dome

Berliner Dome

Berliner Dome

Greifswald Tausch

Sister Hançer

Graffiti

Neukölln Tausch

#PrinceofPeace