A couple of weeks ago we were told about this super cool World War 2 monument at this train station in town. So we made it as a goal that of we got a certain number of potential investigators we could go see it. Well, last week we reached that small goal, so last Monday for our preparation day (the day we get to be "touristy" as well as preparing for the week ahead) we went to see it. Well, after walking around a less than pretty train station and not seeing anything that could resemble a monument, we decided to see if it was in the nearby park. Well after waking for about 10 minutes down some pathway, with no monument in sight, we just kept walking until we ran into a castle/palace (it's a Schloss in German, but I don't really know how to translate that the best). That's right, walk for about 15 minutes in a park here, can't find the WW2 monument but instead find a castle. What is Germany? Now that Schloss is a nature museum and it's very beautiful. Still disappointed there was no monument though.
On Wednesday we went out to Stuttgart University to find some more people to share the Book of Mormon with. He knocked on this one mans door. He opened his door right away, and once we said we were from the Church of Jesus Christ, he told he was muslim. But then, this is where it gets good, he told us he has another friend who is a Christian. He took us right then to his friend G, who was just down a level and a few doors down. H and G are from Egypt and are studying here in Stuttgart. G has only been here for 20 days and has been looking for a church to attend. Well, we got his back on that one!! So that was an amazing little referal story.
Thursday night we had a lesson with Herr S. Herr S is about 60ish and is extremely interesting. The sisters met with him a couple of months ago, and it has been hard to make contact with him because he took a classic European summer vacation. It lasted about 3 months traveling to China and Tibet. That lesson was full of questions to be answered eventually and some very strong testimony bearing. Herr S believes in reincarnation, and because his wife passed away a few years ago, the Sisters last time taught him the Plan of Salvation. Reincarnation and the Plan of Salvation only slightly differ, right? Yeah, nah... So I bore some strong testimony that his wife was in Heaven, that God does have a purpose for us on the earth, and that we can live with our families after we die. He also hadn't read out of the Book of Mormon so we bore testimony about the importance of reading and praying.
Our thursday was absolutely crazy with a ton of appointments and cordinating Arabic Books of Mormon exchanges between the elders, etc. And during the regular course of this crazy day, we had two people call us just out of the blue from our old phone contacts. Or they were people who had our phone number from cards we passed out. Which never happens, either way. People never call us just out of the blue wanting to meet with us. So that was really cool and crazy as well.
I talked about the Austellung that we've been doing last week in my email. Well we have that permit until November so hopefully you'll be hearing more cool stories from it. This week I have one to report. Our table had many Books of Mormon in many different languages and within the first two minutes F came up to me and asked me what we were doing. I told him we were doing an Austellung for our church and we were talking about the Book of Mormon. He practically asked me if her could have a copy and when we could meet. LIKE WHAT!?!?!? So naturally I gave him a book and we scheduled an appointment for this Wednesday. F had seen a Book of Mormon and flipped through it a little at a hotel in Denver, CO. HALLELUJAH FOR THAT HOTEL. So when he saw it on a street in Stuttgart, he really wanted to know more. We're meeting with him on Wednesday and I cannot wait.
On Friday as well, we met with G. We brought him an Arabic Book of Mormon and Restoration pamphlet, which he was sooooo excited about. He could not understand how two girls from America in Germany could find Arabic supplies. G is super cool. He kept telling us that we came at the perfect time and he admires Sister Earnshaw and I so much. He kept mentioning that our church is so different and there was just something different about what we believed and were teaching. Well he's right! We've got the fulness!! I'm really looking forward to see G progress, and to help him receive that fulness as well.
"The Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them...that they might receive the word with joy..." Alma16:16-17
This scripture describes this week. The people we met this week were and are currently being prepared by God to "receive the word... that they might recieve the word with joy." I know this is happening here in Stuttgart. I know the Lord is helping the people find his restored Gospel.
I love you all sooo much. Have a wonderful week!!
On Wednesday we went out to Stuttgart University to find some more people to share the Book of Mormon with. He knocked on this one mans door. He opened his door right away, and once we said we were from the Church of Jesus Christ, he told he was muslim. But then, this is where it gets good, he told us he has another friend who is a Christian. He took us right then to his friend G, who was just down a level and a few doors down. H and G are from Egypt and are studying here in Stuttgart. G has only been here for 20 days and has been looking for a church to attend. Well, we got his back on that one!! So that was an amazing little referal story.
Thursday night we had a lesson with Herr S. Herr S is about 60ish and is extremely interesting. The sisters met with him a couple of months ago, and it has been hard to make contact with him because he took a classic European summer vacation. It lasted about 3 months traveling to China and Tibet. That lesson was full of questions to be answered eventually and some very strong testimony bearing. Herr S believes in reincarnation, and because his wife passed away a few years ago, the Sisters last time taught him the Plan of Salvation. Reincarnation and the Plan of Salvation only slightly differ, right? Yeah, nah... So I bore some strong testimony that his wife was in Heaven, that God does have a purpose for us on the earth, and that we can live with our families after we die. He also hadn't read out of the Book of Mormon so we bore testimony about the importance of reading and praying.
Our thursday was absolutely crazy with a ton of appointments and cordinating Arabic Books of Mormon exchanges between the elders, etc. And during the regular course of this crazy day, we had two people call us just out of the blue from our old phone contacts. Or they were people who had our phone number from cards we passed out. Which never happens, either way. People never call us just out of the blue wanting to meet with us. So that was really cool and crazy as well.
I talked about the Austellung that we've been doing last week in my email. Well we have that permit until November so hopefully you'll be hearing more cool stories from it. This week I have one to report. Our table had many Books of Mormon in many different languages and within the first two minutes F came up to me and asked me what we were doing. I told him we were doing an Austellung for our church and we were talking about the Book of Mormon. He practically asked me if her could have a copy and when we could meet. LIKE WHAT!?!?!? So naturally I gave him a book and we scheduled an appointment for this Wednesday. F had seen a Book of Mormon and flipped through it a little at a hotel in Denver, CO. HALLELUJAH FOR THAT HOTEL. So when he saw it on a street in Stuttgart, he really wanted to know more. We're meeting with him on Wednesday and I cannot wait.
On Friday as well, we met with G. We brought him an Arabic Book of Mormon and Restoration pamphlet, which he was sooooo excited about. He could not understand how two girls from America in Germany could find Arabic supplies. G is super cool. He kept telling us that we came at the perfect time and he admires Sister Earnshaw and I so much. He kept mentioning that our church is so different and there was just something different about what we believed and were teaching. Well he's right! We've got the fulness!! I'm really looking forward to see G progress, and to help him receive that fulness as well.
"The Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them...that they might receive the word with joy..." Alma16:16-17
This scripture describes this week. The people we met this week were and are currently being prepared by God to "receive the word... that they might recieve the word with joy." I know this is happening here in Stuttgart. I know the Lord is helping the people find his restored Gospel.
I love you all sooo much. Have a wonderful week!!