The Gospel is Real and Works!

Hey!

Wow what a wonder week I tell you what. Seriously so many incredible experiences and miracles, wish I could write them all...

One cool story was when we were doing street contacting and met this really sweet 18 year old girl. We talked to her for a bit, briefly explaining the Book of Mormon and then asked her if she had time for us to explain more and she said yes! So we went to the shade and took a good 20 minutes to teach her a lesson, about the first vision. Haha her boyfriend was with her and it was so funny, when we asked if she had more interest and time, he shyly shook his head no, and she energetically nodded her head yes. They looked at each other and she grabbed his arm and said, "We're going to listen to what they have to say!!" Yes ma'am! And they sure did.

She was sooo touched by it, it was absolutely incredible. She was speechless and kept saying "wow....I just don't know what to say....I have goose bumps....I don't know what to say...." and then she began to cry she was so touched.  I'm going to blame it on the fact that I only have brothers but I felt a little uncomfortable and unsure what to do or say because that was definitely a first. But thank goodness sister Fullwood has 4 sisters at home so she gave this nice stranger a hug and it was a touching moment really. 

There were many other such experiences this week where our investigators really kept their commitments and came to our meetings exclaiming the amazing spiritual experiences they had had in our time away from each other, and how the Lord answered their prayers. Do you know how good it feels to have your investigators actually converted to the Lord and not to the company of missionaries, or members? It's absolutely amazing. The gospel is REAL and it WORKS if we do the WORK that makes it WORK! 

Last thought I wanted to share was an experience we had on Saturday. 

We decided to drive a little ways to a small village where we'd found someone one time who gave us their address and number and set up an appointment. They were a cute little family. Well they texted us later canceling the appointment so we just decided to stop by. Sometimes people seeing our pretty faces is better than just texting :) She answered the door and looked soooo embarrassed and shocked to see us. "How did you get my address??" she demanded. We told her that she had given it to us... but it was all so awkward and weird. She glanced all around the empty street as if someone was watching. It was so interesting because she wasn't like furious, more just very embarrassed and acting as if we were little pests that had in some creepy way found out what her address was. We told her we just wanted come by and see if she was still interested and she kind of said some small excuses and it was all so weird. Later on, as we just began dooring around the area, we finally met one nice lady who talked to us for quite some time. She didn't recognize us as being from the same church as "those two young boys with suits and name tags that come around here every couple of years that everyone hates" until the end of our conversation. She kindly but very honestly told us that her neighbors will no doubt be talking about her and criticizing her for having spoken so long with us. She was nice though and said, "But that's so silly because you two are very nice and just have a message you want to share."

I just find it funny sometimes that people get so scared of two very young and inexperienced 20 year olds that quite honestly have no idea what they are doing. Sister Fullwood pointed out that it's the nametags. It's true. And that for me is even sadder that the name of Christ on our chest should have such a negative connotation. But that's normal. Christ and his apostles and prophets in all ages had the same problem. And someday these people will realize that we're really quite harmless and that the message we share will make them happy and change their lives forever, not because of us, but because of Jesus Christ and his loving sacrifice. 

Well, have a wonderful week. It's so beautiful and rainy here, absolutely love it. And luckily my English comp loves the rain too which makes it all the more enjoyable. Thank you for the prayers; they are definitely being answered. 

Sister Fullwood cooked us a real English dinner

Rigid again...

It's a Wonderful Work

This week has been pretty crazy but way good.

So I just got Sister Fullwood and things are great! I figured my good luck with companions would have run its course and this last comp would be a nightmare or something. Turns out she's super cool, super motivated to work, we're already besties, and have seen so many miracles together. She's from England and proud to be English haha so that's fun.

We were discussing the different investigators we have and baptismal dates and we're able to set someone on date for baptism again this week too! Things are definitely picking up. Also, all the investigators that I was starting to lose hope on had done their reading assignments and really increased their faith! Couldn't be happier. 

The other day we were finding in the street and I noticed this lady looking at us while we were talking to someone, and smiled. I asked Sister Fullwood about it later and she was like, eh, nah, she was smiling at someone behind us. We kept finding, had to go to different appointments and stuff but then at the end of the day had some time to do street contacting again. We finished a conversation with someone and suddenly hear, "SISTERS!!!" And there are two American tourists chasing us. Haha turns out they'd been trying to stop us all day but couldn't catch us. And I'm serious, it was all day, first at 9 in the morning is when she first emailed, and then 18:00 when they finally found us again. They laughed and said, alright alright, let us guess, you're French and the Senior companion....And you're English and new on the mission.

Haha we both laughed. Told them I was American, but I guess I have French mannerisms, I don't know. And for the record, Sister Fullwood, DID talk, even if I was a bit of the dominating senior companion.... the guy was drunk and had slurred German so a bit difficult to understand. 

So yeah, great week this week and things are looking up! I tell you what, I'm going to miss this job, being able to bear testimony to people all day. It's a wonderful work.

First pic together, realizing we haven't taken any pictures the first week.

Sister Fullwood in Zürich

Me and Sister Fullwood in Zürich

Yello

Hey hey hey 

Wow what a week. 

Well, as I said before, Sister Bécsi was injured and so we had to lay it low this week but we were still blessed. One night I really had the feeling that we should visit this one lady in our ward. I had the feeling Monday night actually, but there was really no way for us to get there in the time frame between appointments and what not. So finally on Wednesday, we were at the church, Sister Bécsi with her feet elevated, and we were practicing some lessons and then I said, Sister Bécsi, we have to go! We have to go visit Alba! She thought I was crazy haha. But really, there was a picture of Alba on the wall there and I felt like she was looking into my soul so we went.  

And she wasn't home!! Like what?? Oh I was mad. Sister Bécsi was probably madder. So we thought, ok, there's a reason why we're here! So we went and rang through the neighboring apartment building. Nothing. 

Then a man came up to the door, just coming home from work. He probably wouldn't have talked to us if we weren't blocking the door. He tried shooing us off saying he already knows all about us Jehova Witnesses haha... well we jumped in and told him who we were and had a great conversation! He's quite set on staying Muslim but gladly took a free Book of Mormon :) just as we were going to leave, he said, "hey, you know what, I have a friend that would like to hear about this. She recently converted to Christianity." And he gave us her address! Well I tell you what that's the first time I've ever seen that on my mission! 

Another miracle was having 4 people come to church on Sunday! Haha the best part was that only 10 members were there so they made us a much larger group with the people we invited. I really gained a testimony of the importance of people coming to church. All of them later told us the many different things they learned, and liked, and felt. I know that when we go to church, the Lord blesses us with personal revelation. These people experienced things that we didn't know they needed, but the Lord did, and he blessed them for making the effort of waking up early and coming.   

By way of announcement, Sister Bécsi is leaving me this week :'( and I'm getting a new comp....a new missionary! I'm training again! Hahaha oh man. 

Have a great week! Tschüss.

Not the only injured one at Zone Konferenz. 

Andrea and Hannah, super sweet friends of ours here. New members of the church.

Mosergarten

The famous Michaela who loves all Elders in the whole world because they're so "adorable". 

SaveSave

Schön Juli; Schon Juli

Hey! This week was great!

Pday last week was a fun hike on Haldi. So pretty. We cut it pretty close though and had to sprint all the way back to the lift otherwise we would miss our other connections. Sister Bécsi kind of hated me but I really didn't want to be late! Pretty much the same story every time we hike on pday though haha :)

We had a couple new appointments with people set up and that was great! One of the guys is from Geneva so we taught him in French. Sandro helped us out which I was super grateful for. He served his mission with Mom and still has great French, WAY better than me haha so I was glad he was there.

We actually had the opportunity to teach a lot of people the restoration this week and it was so so nice. That's when you feel like you're really doing your job! Even if people don't accept it, it was nice that they at very least allowed us to share it :)

We've been doing a lot of street contacting and I just was feeling done with that finding method this week haha. It was great though, we got into a random bus and talked to people there and then when both us had finished our conversations we got out and then did an apartment building of dooring and then headed back. It was nice to just shake things up. And we totally find someone! For like the third time in my whole mission we knocked on someone's door and got to teach them a lesson right then. We sat outside and taught him and that was cool. Saturday was our stake soccer activity. Haha at church on Sunday the branch president talked about the sport day the day before and said, "for the first time in about 10 years, Schaffhausen has been able to participate in the stake sport day because of our secret weapon: the Sisters.

Hahaha. What he should have said was, "we lucked out, each team needs to have at least 2 woman on the field at a time and the sisters were nice enough to play cause no other women in the ward would have." We didn't win, definitely not, but it was still super fun. 

But also bad cause Sister Becsi got injured and we're kind of immobile at the moment cause it hurts her so bad. I have to keep changing her bandages and putting on ointment and ice packs, it's great. I feel like Jesus cleaning the disciples feet a bit. It's a great feeling when you put it in those terms!

Yesterday was probably the biggest blessing though. There were two super cool brothers visiting from Belgium for the weekend. They shared great testimonies and after church we talked for a while. They went on for probably for a good half hour going back and forth talking about how much they loved their missions. They both are dads now, but still have their name tags on the inside of their suit coats! They just talked so fondly about their missions and explained how the feeling of angels being round about you might become unnoticeable as you go on your mission. But as soon as your released as a missionary, you will immediately feel the absence of the angels that really were always there. I find that so interesting. It was a good reminder for me that the promises the Lord makes to missionaries, especially in doctrine and covenants, are REAL.

Have a great week!