Geschmack von Brasilien

Hallo Leute,
What a wonderful testimony building week!
So ja we met with Gabriel on Saturday, we met him at the Bahn stop a week prior and we didn't get his number because he has a Brazil number so we get there and he doesn't show up...we waited for 15 minutes and decided to walk to where he lives and we ended up meeting him on the way there! We were able to have a stellar lesson with him. Okay ignore that last sentence. Who says stellar!? Anyway the lesson went great and we actually were able to get through the whole restoration of the church and he shared his testimony of God and said that he knows God is there and that he feels the Spirit and the Spirit helps lead him away from harm, he then says "sorry that sounds really weird" I almost started laughing. We told him how we know that the Spirit is there to help guide us and that we can feel him too and he was like "really?!" He then shared a story about how he didn't get on an airplane because he felt this strong impulse not to so he had to buy a different ticket and wait for the next one. He said he sat there feeling so dumb that he didn't stay and then received a call from his mom and said that the plane he would of been on had crashed and everyone had died...! I got goosebumps from that. Oh my goodness! He told us He knows God is watching out for us and that when we follow the Spirit we will be saved from dangers that are ahead. We extended a baptismal date to him for 1 Juli and he accepted! Seriously the coolest person ever!

After that lesson we were talking to a man at a bus stop and I start to smell this weird scent that started getting stronger and stronger, smelled like vinegar and we all started coughing and stuff and had to run from the bus stop. We found that there was a guy spraying insecticide right behind the bus stop and he didn't bother to ask us to move haha weird,.

Sunday was awesome!!! The ward is super supportive of Pouyan's baptism on THIS Saturday! So excited! Fast and testimony meeting was awesome! There was a recently returned missionary who bore his testimony and it brought the Spirit so strong and every testimony after was building upon his and man I love Duisburg! Cyirus and Mojtaba gave the sacrament prayers in German not Persian and they did awesome! As I sat in Sunday school I realized there was 6 people from Iran, 4 Americans, and 2 Germans in our class and wow. They would've never gotten the chance to hear about our church in their home land and this time is really a monumental one for spreading the gospel to war torn countries. I'm just in awe of how ready these people are that came here searching for a better life and are able to have the freedom of religion!!

MTC group at mlc

President Stoddard and I

Sorry this email is a long one but this week was probs one of my favorites from my mission,
Monday was our last zone conference with President Stoddard and Sister Stoddard, they go back to America at the end of the month:( but we get the Boyers! Our meeting was bittersweet to say the least. Here are a few of the things the Stoddards said they learned on their mission:

Take it back to the Sacred Grove

Book of Mormon is key to conversion

Obedience is the first law of heaven and brings blessings

Spirit is essential to missionary work

Prayer works

Faith without works is dead, works without faith are dead

Missionaries are the lords ambassadors and are entitled to His help

Senior missionaries bring stability and power to the work

Missions are stressful, you can't get rid of stress,it's a matter of dealing with it constructively 

We can develop a close relationship with our savior as we devote our time to Him

Its all about love

Love. Conversion. Baptism.

all good things must come to an end so that more good things can happen

Amazing people! President Stoddard told me that when he was on his mission in Düsseldorf (that was before the Frankfurt mission came to be) there was only three church buildings: Essen, Dortmund(❤️) and Düsseldorf and now there is 10 or so more! How cool! I hope when I come back in 30 years there will be a huge change!!
I went on a split with Sister Shelley( she was in my MTC Distrikt) and it was just super awesome to be able to teach someone with her. We've come a long way! Still goofballs that's for sure:)

Her dress was like 10x too short for me so that's why I'm squatting haha

Sister Shelley and I tried to make soup..basically water carrots and potatoes..fail

Lastly, Tuesday. We were sitting in Bahnhof eating lunch and I saw this guy wandering around with his suitcases and felt the need to talk to him. He ended up sitting right behind us and I told Sis Perkins we needed to talk to him. But I was like hmmm how? Silly I know, I talk to hundreds of people each day but I drew a blank. Then I told her hey I'm just going to read really loud from the Book of Mormon and maybe he will say something she laughed and said okay so I read a few verses and I was like okay he obviously didn't hear so we went to talk about something else and he came up to us with his bible on hand and asked if we were having bible study!! What?? I said no and then had the opportunity to explain the Book of Mormon to him! He was going back to Africa for a month but we are going to teach him when he gets back! Whaaat?!! The day gets even better. We decided to carry the Book of Mormon around in our hand and we get on a bus and this guy leans over and asks me if I was giving out the Book of Mormon out for free and then I was again able to explain the Book of Mormon and I got his number and we will be teaching him next week! I love the Book of Mormon!! Seriously the best thing ever! I love reading it and being able to share it with other people. I've been reading about the sons of Mosiah, who are missionaries in the Book of Mormon way back before Christ was on the earth and I read in Alma 17 :11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.

12 And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah, and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.

I love those scriptures because patience is so important!! When we are patient in our hardships and trials we are able to see that one day we will be blessed for it. I've seen that on my mission. At the start it was extremely hard and now it's not easy but it's easier and I'm loving it even more and am seeing the blessing of my endurance. I love the Church, I love this work and I'm grateful I have the chance to proclaim the truth everyday!

Liebe Grüße 

Sister Farner

Sis Schulz and I

Sister Kleiners mom sent me a package of sweets:)