Happiness

Dearest family,

No baby yet? Crazy stuff, I've been praying for baby Rhett and Julia and Jake and all of you all week. I really have felt a special spirit this week and we've been seeing miracles like crazy. I think Rhett's been helping us out! I'm so excited for you Julia! I bought a baby book for Rhett this week and I'm either going to send it to you or just give it to you when I come back cause I'm poor haha. I did write him a card today though so that should be coming soon. Oh, except for the fact that I don't have your new address. Haha so if you could send that that would be great! Congrats on your Eagle Scout project William it sounds like it went great -- way to be a good example! Thank you Mom and Dad for your words of wisdom, they mean a lot.

This week has been too good to be true. Honestly, so many times this week I have just had to stop and ask myself, “Is this kind of happiness really possible? Like, can things really go so well?” The Lord is blessing us. Every day I become more aware of how aware HE is of US. It's incredible -- absolutely blows my mind.

I'm a little tired today to be honest, but my spirits are high. A lot of the missionaries have been sick here lately, it's weird. The weather has been rainy and cold the past week and I think that has something to do with it. I was feeling fluish for a while but luckily it's mostly all gone now. And the work goes on. :)

This week has been a blast. We've been running around like crazy trying to teach everyone and help those with baptismal dates make progress. Satan is really working on these people. Opposition really does come when we try and do what's right. Luckily these are some of the most amazing, faithful people I've met. I have full confidence they'll all endure and pull through. I know they would appreciate your prayers.

So let's see, some highlights. On Wednesday we went with the elders to a recent convert's house for dinner. His name is Rene and he is amazing! He reminds me of Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast actually. He made us his "world famous spaghetti" and even invited a non-member friend. It was a lot of fun and his friend was really interested! The funniest part of the evening was the end though. We decided to all sing for them before we went, but one of the poor elders, who's name I will not mention haha, who was there on exchanges couldn't really sing too well. Haha so when we started singing Rene just made this crazy face, and so Zuster Fritz and I busted up laughing. That always seems to happen to us. We managed to stop but it was really funny.

So our miracle of the week is Joseph Mendy. I know I've mentioned him before but he is 27, from Gambia, and will be baptized August 14th. He is absolutely amazing! Really, his faith in God and in his Savior is beautiful. We had a power-packed week teaching him obedience, the Word of Wisdom, the 10 commandments, and the law of chastity, all of which he already keeps and feels very passionately about. When we taught him the law of chastity he said he was so upset with the way the world has been living and wants to go on national TV to stop pornography. Can we say “next general authority” anyone? I think so.

The real miracle came on Sunday. It was fast and testimony meeting so before church we explained to him how everything was going to work. During the meeting I sat next to him and then Zuster Fritz sat with Grace, a convert of about a year, right behind us. Grace really wanted to bear her testimony but she'd never done it before and was super nervous so she asked Zuster Fritz to go up with her. So they started walking up and then all of a sudden Joseph turned to me and said, "So are we going next?" Haha I was so surprised! I asked him if he wanted to go up and he said yes he had something to say. So we went up and he bore the most powerful testimony! Ahhh it was amazing. He talked about how happy he was to have found this church and how he loved how much more it teaches him about the word of God and Jesus Christ. He talked about the importance of all working together as saints of God to build up the church. It was wonderful! Zuster Fritz started crying and I could not stop smiling. It was a moment of happiness I will never forget.

THIS is what t is all about. We teach these people and then to be able to hear them get up and testify that they have a testimony is just wonderful. I feel so honored to be able to be a part of this great work. Tonight we are going to a member's home with Joseph to teach about following the prophet and we're going to watch Special Witnesses of Christ. I'm so excited! Zuster Fritz and I even made fried rice for the occasion which was quite the adventure, including Zuster Fritz catching the oven mitt on fire, me grabbing the pan with my hand (bad idea), and spilling rice all over the floor. Oh how I love my life.

Met liefde,

Zuster Holbein