This week was totally awesome. First of all Tuesday we had Zone Conference. It was really awesome and we talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon. It´s always so wonderful to get these reminders of how we should be doing things. It´s these silly important things that we forget.
One day this week we had every single appointment fall out. We were scheduled completely booked, not even time for a break and we had zero appointments work out. We ran from place to place and we were to every single appointment on time, but none of them showed up/ answered the door. That was kind of a bummer, but oh well. Such is the life of a missionary.
JEFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!! How could you? I was reading your e-mail out loud to my companion and freaking out. Little dork. But I still love you. I can just imagine you snickering to yourself as you wrote it.
I did notice the pictures of the gorilla rock. I had to explain to Sister Noyes that we have to find that rock every time we go there. I loved the toilet paper in the tush. Did you bring it especially for the picture? P.S. Ben is growing up!!! Did I mention that in the last e-mail?
Well this Saturday is time for transfer calls already, this transfer has totally flown by and I can´t believe I might be leaving Rostock. It´s crazy. But we´ll see, I could stay here another transfer. I can´t believe Michelle was only in 2 areas. That´s crazy. I think I´d go crazy.
It hasn´t felt too cold this week. Not that I´ve noticed. I think we ran around without coats one day, but I can´t remember.
We went back to the Serbian family on Friday to give them the Book of Mormon. It was awesome when we put the BoM´s on the table the family passed them around and flipped through the pages and looked at the cover. The 13 year old daughter took one book and just flipped through the pages the whole lesson. She wasn´t reading it, but I´m convinced she could just feel the spirit of the book without even reading it. We had found the Joseph Smith manual online and had them read the part about the first vision, because we wanted to make sure they understood everything correctly. The father (Nikolai) said "I´ve read the bible, but I´ve never heard of Joseph Smith." and started getting defensive that what we were saying couldn´t be right. This worried us a lot, obviously. We tried to explain that Joseph is just a normal person like us, but wasn´t clicking. I´m pretty sure Sister Noyes and I were both frantically praying in our hearts that he could understand and that we could overcome this language barrier. I took the Book of Mormon in Serbian and opened it to Moroni 10:4. He read it and said "This is good! This is about Christ and God!" and we bore testimony that it was another testament of Christ. He got the biggest smile on his face. We finally understood what his concern was. He thought we were calling Joseph Smith a God, but it clicked for him and he said "Oh! Joseph was just like us, but he helped other people come to Jesus Christ!" EXACTLY! We were so happy that he got it (unfortuanately he´s the only one in his family that speaks German so he kind of has to translate for everyone) Anyway, he opens the book and flips through the pages and said "This book is about Christ. I´ll have it read by next week. Well, I´ll have it read by next week, but not." We asked what he meant. He says, and I quote, "I can have it read in a week, but a book like this will need to be read over and over again for the rest of your life." AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! That was after reading one verse!! It was so awesome. Then as we were leaving we said to him, "Thank you for letting us come over." He said, "No, thank God that He brought me this book. We see them again tomorrow. I´m super nervous because I have such high hopes and expectations for the family and don´t want to say anything wrong. I just want them to know it´s true! It´s way awesome, I´m so glad we´re getting the chance to teach them. We didn´t warn them about Satan, we hope to invite them to be baptized tomorrow and if we do, I will try to warn them. I just hope they understand us.
About the letters, I got a big envelope full of letters from my Fellows cousins, but if you sent one with Niebergall letters, I haven´t gotten it. I´ve heard of this great idea where you put chocolate in your mailbox and if your companion gets a lot of letters and you´re sad about not getting any you are allowed to take a chocolate. I might have to start that in my next area. Good idea, right? The mailboxes in Germany are different so you need a key to get into the mailbox so the mailman wouldn´t be able to steal any. Anyway, if it comes back to you can you just send it to the mission home?
Where are the wardies going on their missions? I´ve forgotten.
I didn´t realize the people on the corner had moved out. Hmmm. Are the new people members?
Thanks for the best of facebook pictures! I love them a lot!
Olga is coming to church sometimes. She has a calling and teaches primary, but I think she comes out of duty, not out of desire. So she´s coming just as much as before, but now we have a relationship with her and it´s always fun to see her and chat with her.
Speaking of Russian speaking people: I´ve told you about Svetlana our investigator. She had a baptismal date, but shes had health problems and talks a lot so it´s hard for her to progress. Well, she came to church yesterday and she happened to start talking to a member who also REALLY likes to talk, just as much as she does. She unloaded all her problems on him (she does this to anyone who will listen) and then this member did something really bold. He said "If you get baptized your problems will be a lot better and easier." He invited her to be baptized! So we have an appointment with her tonight and will make goals with her and set a date for her. Way to be bold, members!!
The picture of me on the mission blog? I was definitely talking when they took it and that´s why I look so crazy.
It´s really true what you said Chris Gibson said. You have to be converted before people can be converted. There was an Elder in this area who was very disobedient and he was going home soon and so he forced someone to be baptized. Pretty much what he did was he just buddy buddied it up with this guy and said "you have to get baptized before I go home!" He did get baptized. He didn´t show up to his confirmation in church the next day and he was in China. So we always have a joke here saying "Weidi is chilling in China without the Holy Ghost." He actually is back in Rostock now and the Elders have met with him. They said "Weidi, why did you get baptized?" And he said "Because the Elders told me to"....uh oh. Yeah. Not good.
I e-mail Heather Coombs and she does sound VERY ready to have her baby! And Caydee had a baby! And apparently Michelle Applegate, Heidi Hawkins, and Krista Cook are having babies too! It´s that time of year I tell you.
I hope everything is good with you all. I know that the Book of Mormon is the scary truest book on earth and I love to read it every day. I love my mission, it means everything to me. I love these people that Heavenly Father has entrusted to my care. That´s such a huge responsibility but he helps me with it every day. He helps me with the language, with my doubts and concerns, with saying the right things that His children need to hear. Without Him this work would be kaput. This work has to be from God otherwise these silly 19- 21 year olds would have messed it up a long time ago. I love you my family! You are amazing!
Love, Sister Niebergall
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