The One with My Surprise Friend at Church

Well Fam, I am loving my new area! 

Tübingen is gorgeous and it is so interesting to be in a college town! My other two areas were bursting at the seams with old Catholic women.  I was pretty nervous for a trio, but I think our little trio will do just swimmingly! Today Sister Jensen and I got settled into our apartment because it was a MESS. It was packed with junk and there was not a ton of room for three people. So today was a cleaning P-day! I know to most people that does not sound fun, but we enjoyed ourselves so much and now our little apartment feels like home (and we fit a little better!)

I think the hardest thing about getting transferred is that you have no idea what these investigators need before you go into an appointment, but that does allow for new inspiration for stagnant people. 

I had a cool experience on Sunday, a 20-year-old guy named Boris randomly showed up in our building right before church started and even though I wanted to go introduce myself to my new ward, I felt like I should go sit with him. I explained sacrament meeting to him and he asked about another book of scripture that he heard we believe in, then he was really quiet as Testimony meeting started. He only spoke to me once during the meeting and he asked, "So Baptism, is that something that you do when you want to join this church?" I could see the wheels turning in his head. After, while we were walking to Sunday school, he asked me, "So you believe in a Prophet... is he uh, still living?" I taught him about living prophets and I could see that his interest was very spiked by these three doctrines we had talked about. I asked him what his feelings were about the meeting and he said that he was confused because the people were so nice and welcoming, and we believe in a similar gospel as most other churches. (I think he read about plural marriages and cults and was expecting to find some creepy people, so he was surprised to find joyful, normal, followers of Christ!) I finally asked him what had brought him to our building and he said, "I didn't even know this religion existed two weeks ago, but I was reading the biography of my favorite play writer and she said she was a member of this church, that it brought her peace, and that their doors were open to visitors. So, I googled the church and found this building not to too far from me and I figured I could come see it for myself." I am pretty sure that he will be coming next week. I could feel the potential radiating from him and I know God has directed his path to the church. 

Yesterday, we had a lesson with an investigator and he pulled out every piece of Anti-Mormon literature you could think of. He just blew us over with all of these ideas and accusations and then he asked, "How could you possibly believe in a book riddled with so many mistakes within its pages or in a man who lived such an imperfect life? Do you just follow blindly and don’t ask any questions?" He paused after that question and I was able to bear my testimony of Joseph Smith. I said, "I do not have to follow blindly because I have received a witness for myself that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and that he translated the Book of Mormon by the power and authority of God. He was not a perfect man, but he was called of God. So, no, I do not follow blindly. I follow trusting that my Savior would not lead me down a wrong path." I am pretty sure he was far past feeling to hear my words, but I was just so grateful that his questions and doubts were not able to penetrate my testimony. I am so grateful for this Gospel and the fact that we do not have to walk blindly.

This was a bit long, but I hope you guys liked it! I love you and I pray for you daily!

Love, JJ May

Randoms:

- We were actually a group of 4 missionaries for the first couple of days this week because this sweet Sister named Sister Becker did a "mini-mission" with us so she could see what missionary life is like. We got pretty close and I am going to miss her!

- MY COMPANIONS! Left: Sister Jensen from Utah - loves cleaning ad organizing more than me Right: Sister Spratt from Georgia - such a spitfire and a dedicated missionary. Her German is basically already better that mine!