February 3: BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!

First things first.

KARIM IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!

So, last week was really crazy because of Masoud not feeling well and needing to go to the hospital, and the fact that we were in Berlin for 2 days, so we weren't able to meet with them until Sunday. Well, Sunday morning rolls around and we get to the central bahn station to go to church... And Karim isn't there. 
Strange... He is usually waiting for us...

So we text him to see if he was coming to church and he informed us that he slept in, but will try to make it for the last hour.. 

We were sad he wasn't there yet but Karim is good on his word and he showed up for the last two hours. 

This man is amazing.

Later that day, we were trying to organize a joint teach so we could go see Karim and Masoud, but it was getting really close to the lesson time and no one could come. We had called our ward mission leader and he wasn't sure if he would make it, so Sister Wallin and I debated on whether or not it was even worth it to run by there if we couldn't go in without a joint teach. 
We left anyway, praying that somehow it would work.

5 minutes before we get there, our ward mission leader calls and says he can come but he will be a few minutes late.

Thank you Heavenly Father.

There was that point in the lesson where suddenly, I was asking them if they would be baptized for the 22nd of Februaryand suddenly, Karim said yes! 

We just sat there.

For a good 5 minutes. 

Feeling the spirit, when Karim says, "This feeling I have.... it's indescribable."

And now he is getting baptized!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!

On Monday we had a wonderful Family Home Evening with Hildegard and Clarissa and the bishop's family. 

We talked about the temple and later in the week, Hildegard explained that her greatest wish is to be sealed with Clarissa in the temple. 

She is still not quite ready for baptism, but she doesn't shy away from it anymore. 

As she has set her sights on the temple, she's realized that her life has a specific purpose, and that god's blessings extend throughout eternity. 
It was a sweet moment to hear her explain the Atonement of Christ to us.

Another miracle! So last week I told you about Dirk. The one we met on the bus with Reeses?
Well, we saw him this week! And he brought a friend, Connie!

The lesson went well, and as we explained all the things the church has to offer, he got more and more excited saying that he is going to have to try everything!

He even asked if we had something that could help him stop smoking. We told him we could make a course and then he offered all of his friends to come and take it with him. So next week we will be starting a stop smoking workshop and I'm guessing about 20 people will be there.

Miracle after miracle!

I was reading this week about Tolerance and Truth in the Ensign, and here's what Elder Oaks has to say about tolerance.

President Boyd K. Packer gave an inspired introduction to this subject. Speaking to an audience of institute students three years ago, he said: “The word tolerance does not stand alone. It requires an object and a response to qualify it as a virtue. … Tolerance is often demanded but seldom returned. Beware of the word tolerance. It is a very unstable virtue.”¹²
This inspired caution reminds us that for persons who believe in absolute truth, tolerance for behavior is like a two-sided coin. Tolerance, or respect, is on one side of the coin, but truth is always on the other. You cannot possess or use the coin of tolerance without being conscious of both sides.
Our Savior applied this principle. When He faced the woman taken in adultery, Jesus spoke the comforting words of tolerance: “Neither do I condemn thee.” Then, as He sent her away, He spoke the commanding words of truth: “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). We should all be edified and strengthened by this example of speaking both tolerance and truth: kindness in the communication, but firmness in the truth.
I have been thinking a lot about being bold in commitments, in what I believe, in standing my ground. But there's a difference in standing up for what you believe in, and telling someone thery are wrong. I see this a lot. Unfortunately, we fall into the trap as missionaries as well. We get so caught up in proclaiming the truth, we see everyone else's opinions as falsehoods, when what we SHOULD be doing is loving the person no matter what they believe. 
I don't know about you, but the people I love most in this world have helped me change. They've seen potential in me that I didn't see in myself, and they treated me as if I were already there.
I love our Savior. His gentle correction is evident in every aspect of my life. I am so grateful that through His grace, He has made it possible to repent and align my will with His.
Have a great week!!!
Love you!