First of all on Monday we were able to set a baptismal date with Sabine, Sabine, and Anna. They will be baptized the 31st of August. They chose that day themselves because it´s daughter Sabine´s birthday and she wants a new start on her birthday and a "new birth" so to say. They are totally amazing and it feels too good to be true, but they are committed to this. Sabine the mom is so sweet, she said to me yesterday "In just a short time you´ve changed our lives so much." It was crazy we went to visit them and Sabine the mom had read til about Alma or something. I´m not sure if she reads it straight through or if she opens it and skims for something for her, but she has highlighted all of her favorite scriptures and she loves the Book of Mormon so much already.
Friday morning we got a phone call from Sabine the mom telling us that Sabine the younger was in the hospital because of really bad stomach problems. But I guess the first thing Sabine daughter said as she was being taken to the hospital was "call the sisters and tell them!" It´s amazing how big a part of their lives we are. We also visited her in the hospital, and she had her Book of Mormon on her bedstand right next to her. She looks like she´s in pain and I guess she is getting operated on today, so if you could please keep her in your prayers, we´d appreciate it.
Like I said, Sabine the mom is sooooooo committed to this. We let her know that the devil does not want them to get baptized because it will bring true happiness and he is already throwing crazy hard times at them. They also had a big problem this week. Sabine just got a divorce in January and she had signed a paper that her husband could get money out of her account and this week her husband took ALL the money out so she had absolutely nothing. I was able to gain a testimony of fast offerings this week because we were able to take € 20 from the ward´s fast offerings and go buy them some food so they wouldn´t starve. That was really cool to experience the love and gratitude from Sabine. She told us she is going to win against the devil. She then realized that every week something comes up before church and makes it so she can´t go. She said "I´m going to come even if I´m on the toilet with diharrea. We went to her house in the morning to pick her up. She came out of her house with Anna and said "You would not believe it. This morning we´re on the toilet with diharrea!" But she brought a shopping bag with extra clothes just in case she had an accident. It was amazing to see that even though she was not feeling well, she was so committed to coming to church. So committed that she brought extra clothes! That was cool. She said "I think the devil knows I will make a good member and he doesn´t want me to go to church. Maybe one day I´ll have to translate for people that speak swahili or something" She lived in an African tribe (like, with the bushmen) for 10 years or something and can speak swahili. We wonder if she will maybe take part in translating the Swahili Book of Mormon one day and maybe take part in bringing the gospel to these people there. That would be so cool. She really is good at feeling and recognizing the spirit and she knows it is the right way to God. She even told us that. We are so blessed to teach her and her family. We hope that Sabine the Younger gets better quickly so we can get them all on the same track towards baptism.
That´s so crazy that Brother and Sister Hoggan are in our ward. I never met them, but I´ve heard their name. Crazy!!! Tell them hello for me! And that is crazy that Zach Ames is coming to the best mission ever! Wooooooo! But it´s even crazier that I may not be there. I don´t like that thought. It goes too fast.
My bike has a totally flat and ruined tire so I have to buy a new one. Bleh! So we´ve been walking everywhere. It´s so very tiring! But it´s okay, it´s been worth it. Also we do have women bikes, the first week we didn´t though.
Robert is also doing great as far as I know. We went to have an appointment with his mom on Tuesday and she said "It has been like night and day since Robert went to church. He hasn´t had any alcohol since and has been praying every night." That made us so so so happy. We haven´t been able to get ahold of them unfortunately, so we hope things are still going just as well.
I would still love a copy of these pages about Germany from President Monson. It doesn´t matter if you haven´t done it yet, but you can do it now while you´re thinking about it. :) I would really love to read it while I´m still in Germany and so I can understand what these members have gone through.
That sounds like a really nice and awesome sacrament meeting! When does Andie go on her mission? How is it going being the ward choir director. If you are still in it for Christmas and I come home before Christmas I would love to sing in the Christmas program. I found a beautiful arrangement of Silent Night and could sing it in German. If you´d like/ if that´s even your choice/ if I´m even home then. But I´m leaning towards being home then.
That sounds also like a really great Relief Society lesson. I hope that Sister Jolley is okay with talking about this. I would think if I were her I wouldn´t want to think about it, but who knows, maybe she does like it. Is she still Young Women President? When is girl´s camp? I noticed Drew and Hannah went camping again. Did they have fun? Did Sarah have to bathe Hannah after and does Hannah hate her now? :) I can´t believe that was 2 years ago. That feels like last year. Was it last year? I don´t even know.
We had President Pimentel´s last Zone Conference this week. It was really sad to know he won´t be there anymore, but maybe that´s a good excuse to get to California one day. He and Sister Pimentel are such great people. I love them so much. They wanted to thank each of us personally for what they did and President said to me "I have no doubt that you are supposed to be in Germany. You´ve worked miracles wherever you´ve gone. Thank you for your service." I felt at that moment so strongly that of course I´m supposed to be in Germany and Heavenly Father needs me here. Oh. I´m so happy to be here. Also! I got your birthday package! That was so fun to open. I was especially surprised to see the TURTLE BLANKET!!!!! That made me really really happy. Thanks so much for sending me that package. I felt super loved. I love you all.
Will did send his testimony to me. That was really nice of him. I think it will be perfect for Robert.
Glad to hear the tooting still happens at home. It just wouldn´t be home without tooting.
I love this gospel. I know it´s true otherwise Satan wouldn´t fight so hard against it. I know that everything that´s unfair about life can be made right through the atonement. I know the Book of Mormon brings peace and I love it so much. I honestly wish I could read in it more than I do. It opens a whole new meaning to read it in a different language. I love it. I love this gospel so much and I love the people of Germany so much. I also love you so much! Hope all is well with you!!
Love Sister Niebergall
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