Just threw out all the nasty food that has been here from the past 4 transfers that and now I am starting to feel like Wiesbaden is my new home and not that I am just on an eternal split. haha I am already in love with this place. The streets are filled with old Victorian houses and cobble stone roads and the creeper level has significantly decreased since being here (minus the fact that some guy blew kisses at us on the way to church yesterday. Ew hehe) but really. And Sister Hadfield? Perfect. I am so impressed at how she just steps up to the task at hand. You wouldn't even guess that she has only been out 3 transfers because she is a total profi at like everything. Like getting us everywhere? Or befriending people? first time dooring? Nailed it. Our very first companionship study I was telling her how I have been studying empathy and want to work on developing that and she gave me all sorts of good advice. But even more so than that it is through her actions. Really listening to people and you can just feel the love pouring out of her. Man. She is great. I have a lot to learn from her. How am I so lucky?
Okay okay okay. And this ward? Ah. Everyone is so nice! And it's like way international. Which was a total surprise. Like I was having trouble knowing if I should be speaking German or English the whole time haha but there are members from all over the place: Pakistan, Spain, America, Brazil, Philippines, Russia, Holland, England etc. so many cultures all coming together and uniting about God and Jesus Christ? Ah it's just so cool. And they are all so welcoming and loving. My heart is already growing. I was just talking to a couple members at church and they invited us over right then and there and we got asked to teach young womens next week and ward council was a rockin hit. Everyone was just so willing to help and do whatever they could. Apparently the ward was like anti-sisters or something because Sister Hadfield said these things never happen which I honestly can't even imagine because they really are just so accepting!
There isn't a whole lot of work going on here in the moment... As in we have like 2 people we are teaching. Who they have lost contact with... BUT we have so much faith and have made some good deals with God so we are ready to work and rely on the lord and bring all these people the best gift they could ask for. And Sister Hadfield had been fasting for the work in this area to pick up which totally worked. Here we are sitting at church and this random German lady comes in with her 2 year old son. And I had no idea she was visiting because in my head everyone is new but I just go up and get talking to her and she tells me how a long time ago when she was about 10 years old the missionaries would come push her 90 year old neighbor in a wheelchair everyday. She said how they just seemed so friendly and kind and she noticed something different about them. Then awhile later she met missionaries again and they gave her a card. Then this past week she was in a particular rough patch in her life and so she searched for the card. Found the church. Came. And we are meeting with her on Wednesday. Ah. Seriously way way pumped. These people are so prepared! Thank you to all those missionaries who made a difference in her life that made her remember to come and take the next step. SO COOL.
I have been studying a lot this week about what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. What is the price of discipleship? And how I can truly devote my whole life to Christ and follow him. Become like him. Sister Hadfield is working on being bold and so we have studied that a lot as well the last couple days. So between that and all of those Book of Mormon heroes who stood up boldly for what is right. Or other people who did all they could, even died for our religion. It has been on my mind a whole heck of a lot. For most of us what is required is not to die for church, but to live for it. To devote our whole lives and selves to God and his gospel. I just have to figure how to do that. So we were talking to people on the street and we ask this one guy if he believed in Jesus Christ. "No I believe in the devil." Whoa whoa what? Haha but as we get talking to him we realize he doesn't actually believe in the devil. He is just living in a hopeless world and thinks that only weak people believe in God. We boldly testify of the hope we have found in the gospel. And he just stops talking and looks at us. And waits there for a good 10 seconds of awkward silence and then asks us what church we are from and why we came all the way from America to share it and we just testify as his heart is softened. He said he wants to come to church. We will see if it happens, but even that experience alone totally strengthened my testimony of what it means to boldly testify. It was one of those times when I really just felt like I was a representative of Jesus Christ. A true disciple. An Abinadi. Defending the truth.
We are disciples of Christ. We fear no man.
xoxoxoxo
s. heywood
My new comp.
had a little bee attack...one way to bond...
OK. So much American food here. It is weirding me out.
The view from my window...so spoiled!
