This mission thing has really helped me develop my hidden talents... Like my talent for being able to sleep anytime anywhere, and my talent for being able to make food out of nothing, and my talent for avoiding drunk men in kilts screaming 'Obama!' when they find out we are American.. tmi?
But most of all my talent for recognizing miracles. My oh my are they everywhere if you put on your little detective goggles and start looking. We had a mini missionary with us this week. A native. Who speaks little to no English. How's that supposed to work? I don't even know how it happened but somehow between my broken German and sign Language/charades she actually semi-understood me. Miracle. And we became the best of friends. She is darling and absolutely loves the Sister Missionaries in her ward. It's the cutest. So the name of this week for all the mini missionaries is called The Miracle Week. And boy did they deliver.
We are on our way to get me registered in Germany so that I don't like get kicked out and handcuffed or something of that sort.. .and the line is about 10 miles long so we decided to come back later. So we are at the bus stop and I am thinking okay who do I compliment. And there is a very nice man sitting next to me but I couldn't think of a compliment. Not sure what my problem was but I couldn't... And then there was like this war going on in my head trying to decide what to say.You can't talk to him. Your German is terrible. He's probably creepy. He won't even understand you. I am a wuss. I know. So I promised myself if he sits by me on the bus then I HAVE to talk to him. Guess who sits by me on the bus? Yep. Just my luck. But I talked to him. He understood me. He asked me why I was in Germany. He wanted to learn more. We actually had a full on conversation. He understood me. I gave him a Book of Mormon. Made out a new appointment. HE UNDERSTOOD ME. Catch my drift? I was really excited to have someone understand me.... Like way. Miracle.
Friday rolls around and we are all waiting outside for him to come. And we wait and we wait and we wait. And he doesn't come. I am so dissapointed. If you only knew what you were missing this is the best thing ever and you are going to be so happy... Won't you at least give it a chance? Ugh. All that planning and courage for nothing. So we start walking out. Doorbell. And there comes Raffael walking up the stairs Book of Mormon in hand. HOLY COW. If only I could tell you how happy I was. I am not kidding when I say I pinched our mini missionaries arm so hard she bruised. GAH. And he had started reading the Book of Mormon and he said it brought him so much joy. Uhhhh yeah it does. And did you know you can read that like everyday? cool huh? And then hearing him pray for the first time and learning that Heavenly Father is his Father and that he can talk to Him whenever he feels like it. Oh. my. heck. cloud nine. He was just a sponge and we could have sat there all day just talking about the gospel. And it didn't even matter that my German was so bad because he felt something. Miracle. Just think if I would have been registering at that time I wouldn't have met him. Or if I would have not actually said 'Hey so where you headed?' He would have gone on his merry little way and had NO IDEA what he was missing out on. Golly yet again with this timing deal. Miracle.
Aiyana. The cutest sweetest girl in the world was at a German youth camp this past week-FSY. The missionaries before me have been working with her for forever. Forever. And we get a text saying she wants to be baptized! WHAT? speechless. I seriously didn't even know what to say or do except smile. You want to be this happy all the time? Oh my.On Sunday we talked to her and through the tears she tells us that she has felt the spirit so strong and that through that experience she realized she really did want to have that feeling all the time. I was dying. I cannot believe it. She is so ready and has such a strong testimony. You can feel it. I am so blessed to be a part of this. Really. To be able to teach her all the lessons to help her strengthen her desire even more to MAKE SURE that this is a step she wants to take in her life. I think I told her thank you for letting me a part of this journey at least 76903476837 times.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST DADDY IN THE WORLD. I sent your card in the mail today and if you only knew how long it took to find one that didn't have flowers or beer on it... really though. Germany has a very odd card selection. But I found one and I am crossing my fingers it makes it there on time. I love you. Eat some extra fruit cocktail cake for me.
In other news I ate a Georgian delicacy this week. Which slightly resembled a candle.. and tasted a bit on the waxy side........... cool.
Let me jut say as usual... This is really the sweetest joy you could ever experience... It makes all the lows so worth it. I love writing home because it really makes me focus on all the good things happening this week. There were plenty of rough patches... but as you can tell plenty more miracles.
'Miracles come after the trial of your faith'
True that.
German Word of the Week: wonder (german word for miracle. I think it's fairly fitting)
xoxoxo
lovin' y'all
Sister Heywood
