Remember "M" from last week? Remember how we prayed and fasted to find someone ready to accept the gospel and be baptized? Well you should put two and two together. "M"'s going to be baptized!
We met with her Friday night and talked with her for a bit, getting to know her a little better. She said she and her husband came to Germany to start a new beginning after some things that happened in Spain, and part of this 'new beginning' means meeting with the missionaries and joining her husband's church. Of course, as anyone could see in her eyes her desire to be baptized, we asked her to do just that. She said, "sí. Sí sí sí." And then she said, "can I be baptized on Sunday?" And our jaws kind of dropped to the floor, but as we picked them up, we told her she has to be taught 5 lessons about the gospel and pass a baptismal interview before she can be baptized, so the earliest would be next Sunday... and she agreed.
"M"'s going to be baptized this Sunday.
At this point in time, we've only taught her about the Restoration and we still have four more lessons to go, but her desire is there and she loves the Book of Mormon and feels the spirit in her life. She couldn't be more ready. It may seem a little fast to the outside eye looking in, but the Lord has prepared the way for her, specifically with a Spanish-speaking Elder in Berlin who can conduct the baptismal interview since she speaks no English or German, and with a supportive husband who was taught and baptized by missionaries in Spain. In the words of Elder Eyring, "It's a miracle!"
There were so many other experiences this week that added up to the best week of my entire mission. We had the best p-day last week—we ate at an authentic German restaurant (my first time in this country—it was about time), walked around Berlin, went back to the Rittersport factory, and bought new shoes for winter. We also taught "W" who had read in the Book of Mormon and is now progressing.
Tuesday we went by a woman in our area book and found her at home. She welcomed us in warmly and we had a really great lesson/discussion about God and church and prayer and made out a return appointment. New investigator. One of Sister Hashimoto's distant aunts lives here in Berlin and we got to meet up with her and her sister and husband tonight! We ate at a Peruvian restaurant and spent some time at their apartment to get to know them. It was so much fun! And my companion was so happy she could meet more of her family—who aren't members—across the world.
Wednesday we had the evening free to do some streeting. Well okay, not at first, but it ended up that way. We [stopped] by on a man with whom we had an appointment with but wasn't there, so we were standing outside kinda wondering where we should go next when I just turned down the street to talk to people. The first guy we talked to said that we shouldn't go down this street cause there wasn't a lot of people, but we did anyways. We met a woman from England who talked to us for a while and had a lot of the same values/beliefs as us and we exchanged numbers. As we were turning back to the train, an African man came up to us asking for directions. He was obviously SUPER drunk but we tried to help him anyways. As he was pulling out his train plans, he unfolded the paper and, folded inside, was a mormon.org card... from Italy... this guy had one of our cards! We asked him where he got it but he was so drunk he couldn't really explain, haha, we gave him a card with our number on it and told him to call us, haha. He never did, but regardless, that was so sweet.
I don't have a lot of time to explain the rest of this week so I'll be quick. We went outside of Berlin for an appointment, into the beautiful East German countryside...see below picture. We bought advent calendars and other Christmas chocolates from Rittersport factory. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the ward. And we visited a less-active [member] and her family after the death of her husband from bone cancer, and they came back to church the next day after years of inactivity.
Missionary work, guys.
I love you all! I gotta go, but know that I love you! The church is true and I love it with my whole heart!
Sister Bianca Seamons
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