November 14: Der Herr führt uns

Liebe Familie,

My heart is so full of joy and love, I just don't know how to write it down into text! I love being a missionary and I love being in this Branch in Pforzheim. I find a lot of comfort that there is plenty of missionary work to be done on the other side of the world. I was doing great and not thinking at all about going until Sunday came and this beloved Branch of mine made me a book that everyone wrote in (a page for each active member, basically) and presented it in Sacrament Meeting just before I gave my testimony. They all sang Gott sei mit euch bis aufs Wiedersehen und I nearly cried. I love this Branch so much. I am excited to see my family at home, but I admit I feel like I am leaving a big chunk of my family. We are all so excited for Christmas here! The Weinachtenmarkt is being set up on the main street of Pforzheim and I am sure in all of the other towns. It is SO beautiful. Christmas is the most important four weeks in this land. I will miss it. I have been privieleged to see much, much growth in this area since I arrived in July. I saw much growth in myself, in Sister Anderson, in Sister Taysom and in all the Members I met and especially with several investigators. We really tried hard to focus on working with the members and because of that, the investigators that are making progress and have baptismal date will stick. This Branch has become completely missionary-oriented since I have been here. I just feel so privileged to have been able to see their growth. The Lord works miracles and he certainly did in this area at this time. Transfers come and well, I am being transfered again. (Surprise?)

Oh, I also went to Basel in Switzerland this week. I talked with a woman named Frau T. who had just been through a really rough time and had just experienced betrayel and unfairness. She cried and I cried with her and testified of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the joy of the restored ordinances of the Gospel. We introduced her to the missionaries in Basel (we did and exchange with them) and gave them her info. After our talk she said she thinks she needs this. I know the Lord puts others in our path when just ask that he will lead us.

Sister Taysom also gave maybe one of the most motivating and moving talks I have ever heard in Sacrament Meeting. It was on the Atonement and Jesus Christ. Maybe I will just steal it and use it for my homecoming talk. :) I might not want to translate it back to Englisch, so I am sure everyone will just feel the Spirit. Oh ... and Sister Taysom got to be dressed as if she were dead this week. This week was pretty memorable.

November 7: Wundern!

Liebe Familie,

Diese Woche war wunderbar! Oh, yeah, I have to write this in English. We've been praying hard to really help our investigators progress and we now have 4 progressing investigators. I just love Pforzheim. I know that the Lord is preparing people here to hear the Gospel and accept it. One example is Michael, the husband of a member who came to church on Sunday. He accepted to be baptized on a specific date this week. At church, we held a class for all investigators and had a couple members attend (during Sunday School) and he recited what will become the start of his conversion story. He had meet missionaries before and had absolutely no interest for many many years (he's almost 50 now) and three days after his wife packed up and left, we dropped by looking for her. He thought that was a weird coincidence, but could not yet believe that there was a God let alone that He would coordinate something for him. We made out an appointment with him and testified of the Atonement the first time. I also remember him telling us that it was a strange coincidence and I asked him "do you really think it is just a coincidence?" (he shared that in his explanation :) Four weeks later, he decided to pray for the first time on his own and that day his wife called for the first time. Another strange coincidence? We continued to meet and he is seeing how the Gospel is blessing his life. His wife now wants to the missionaries to come to her where she is so she can become active again. Miracles!!

Also! We met with another wonderful Part Member family this week (we've met a few times). Jenni and Tobias. They have two little girls (one's a baby) and are just a perfect example of an ideal family. The Spirit was just so strong. I have found that I love being asked questions and instead of answering them myself, to give them a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read that will answer it for homework. :) I love the magical land of Pforzheim and Calw and Mönsheim and surrounding areas. The Lord is working miracles here and I simply don't have enough time to write about all of them. I know this Gospel is the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ himself. I bare witness as a representative of Jesus Christ that this work is the work of God.