Oh what a joy this week has been! We are SO Close to calling you for 2 investigators with FAMILIES who have baptism dates! They are progressing, and it’s such a huge relief to have people who are responding to our testimonies. We love being able to see how their burdens have been lifting as they have accepted the atonement into their lives!! Joann called us and asked us to come teach her and her daughters and to take them on a tour of the church! Ah! 🙂 🙂 This lady is such a sweetie! She’s one of the few black ladies in this Dutch town, which makes us super lucky! 🙂 I love her soul! Then, Liz had a lesson with Sis. B. and they immediately clicked! They need each other right now so much! And they are right next door to each other. See how the Lord puts us around people we are supposed to meet?? 🙂
This week we had two exchanges and they were very successful! The Des Moines Sisters were in much better spirits than when we saw them last, and The Lord helped them find 3 new investigators while with us!! It was so weird to see stores and tall buildings!! We are surrounded by beans and corn in Pella! Ha! So we were in AWE to be there!! My favorite part was going to the African Refugee Camp! Ah! My heart was soaring all day!! Like literally, I felt like I was in Africa. They have a huge population of Africans, Liberians, Syberians, and Malteese people there who literally walk up to us and stare! One lady named Mercy said, “I live there. COme teach me tomorrow at 10.” WHAAAAA?!!!! Why doesn’t this happen in Pella?! Haha jk jk! Then One lady didn’t speak a lick of English, but was just smiling at us! So we gave her a picture of the Resurrected Christ and later we saw her walking around with it clutched to her heart and every once in a while taking an admiring glance at it! These little African girls couldn’t pronounce my name so they called me “Cupcake” and my companion “Mrs. T.” and sang songs to us! They “Get” the gospel. They invite all of their friends over when the missionaries come over, so baptisms happen like crazy over in that area! I was SO GRATEFUL to serve there this week. 🙂 SOme of the best names of the people where “Perserverance, Patience, Mercy, Love, Hope. Godlove.” Seriously….awesome right?!
The Ames 1st sisters are so courageous and loving. They truly try to do whatever the Spirit tells them to! We have this inspirational thing to help us be more bold as missionaries. It’s called. “YOMO.” Some people say “YOLO” (You only live once!) and make a little ‘hang loose’ sign with their hands. But in the Ames Zone, we say “YOMO” for You’re on a Mission Once!!” Take this scenario….You see this man sitting at a park bench across the street talking to a friend…Should we talk to them?? “YOMO!!” It totally gives you some perspective and makes you excited to open your mouth to everyone, because it’s probably one of the only chances you’ll get to just talk to complete strangers and have it be acceptable!! 😉
Anyways….I loved this week so much! General Relief Society Meeting was amazing! We had an ice cream social with our branch. ONly like 6 women showed up. I may or may not have done “The Worm” on request at the church with our Branch President’s wife…but it’s ok…it was in the hallway. 😉
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Thanks for the prayers. I feel them all the time. Keep talking to your neighbors about the Gospel of Jesus Christ!! You WILL BE BLESSED FOREVER!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
LOVE YOU AGAIN!!
SISTER TOBIAS 🙂
AKA “CUPCAKE….”