Castles and Stuff (Week 72)

Well, this week was good. Hope y'all have a great week.
Lg, Sister Simpson

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Just kidding.  Last Monday we went to a castle (Wernigerode) with our GML and his family. It was great except we both got carsick on the drive. There was a modern art display called "Duckomenta" where the artist repainted a whole bunch of classic art pieces with a Donald Duck (or Mickey or soemthing) in it. I thought it was hilarious. Monday night, we were at the Dauvens, who invited two of their friends over. We ate dinner and then had a really good discussion about God together. Yay for member missionary work. I love the Dauvens.

On Tuesday, we went with our district to eat lunch in the Mensa (university cafeteria). It was awesome. We sat by a girl who is going to Arizona for an internship in a couple months and it was cool to talk with her. We also went by on one of the female contacts the elders gave us and she was so nice! She was a little hesitant to let us in because she had just gotten home from work, but we had a great discussion and she's super nice.

After district meeting on Wednesday,  we went out to a contact in the middle of nowhere who apparently had moved. So we klingeled and ended up having some great conversations. One lady told us that she's been looking for the right religion and she hasn't found it yet. We talked to her for a long time. She wasn't interested in meeting with us, but she is honestly looking for the truth, so we gave her a restoration pamphlet and invited her to pray about it.

 We had an eating appointment with an old couple in our ward and a newer sister, which was super fun. The food was great, she made amazing Rotkohl, which is my favorite, and then Bruder Jobs showed us old videos of ward talent shows and activities. He really wants sister Harlow and I to do some funny act on Saturday at the ward talent show.

Other than that, we did a lot of finding. We tried to walk around Innenstadt one day and it happened to be "Senior citizen day" so there were a thousand old Germans walking around who didn't really want to talk to us. In general, though, we've discovered that people respond better when Sister Harlow stops them because she's innocent and very obviously new, and then I can keep the conversation going. People are normally very nice. We were klingeling Saturday night (which was not going well because EVERYONE was at this party in Innenstadt) and some grouchy lady came and yelled at me and was very very rude, which kind of killed our happy finding spirits. It happens, I guess, I just don't understand why some people have to be so rude. I'm still working on Charity, it just makes me appreciate the Savior that much more because I know He loves both of us; me and that lady. He loved the people who verbally attacked him, said awful things and mocked Him as He was suffering and dying for all of mankind.

Sunday was great. One of the less active ladies we visited really wanted us to sit by her, so there was no awkward where-to-sit-when-you-have-no-

investigators moment. There's a guy who came to church who was baptized about two years ago in Armenia but is from Iran. He got up super early to get to church on time because the buses and trains don't run early enough on Sunday morning. I had a good conversation with him (in English, not Farsi). He told me he wants to bring his wife and daughter next week, who aren't members, so hopefully he will. After church, there was a baptism for a girl named Swiss, who was taught by the Halberstadt elders. She's so cute and was so excited to be baptized. It was awesome to be there and to remember the feelings I felt at my baptism. Afterward, we ate with the Kretzshmar family, who have the cutest kids. It was awesome. We talked about building and strengthening our foundation on Jesus Christ. I can honestly say that that is one of the biggest lessons I've learned on my mission; God keeps his promises and if we build our foundation and our lives on faith in Jesus Christ and commit to follow Him, we cannot fall, no matter what storms we have to weather. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church on the earth, and that it is lead by a prophet who is called of God and in His  authority. It is here to help us to weather the storms of life with our families and eventually, return to live with Him. I love what Joseph Smith says about the Book of Mormon: "man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” There's truth everywhere, but the full truth is found in the Book of Mormon and the church of Jesus Christ, and we can come nearer to our father in Heaven by following the teachings from that book.

I love the Book of Mormon. I love my Savior with all of my heart.

LG,
Sister Simpson