This week was so so so so so good! But guess what, next week will be
even BETTER! I'm so excited to skype the family, I can't even believe I already
get the chance!
Sounded like a good week back on the farm!
We focused the majority of our efforts on Joseph this week. President specifically told us that we need to focus our work on the people currently coming to church as priority. It is a LOT of work to prepare someone for baptism, I never even realized it! Okay, okay, I won't get ahead of myself, and I'll just explain everything.
So, he is the new husband of one of the members in our ward, and
started coming to church. We already were teaching the kids (I’m not really
sure why, the sisters before taught them every week, but they weren't
investigators) but offered to start teaching him too. Well, he rigorously
studied the bible back in Kenya his whole life, and he was really intrigued
about the BofM being another testament of Jesus Christ. We started teaching
him, and he progressed well! This was a couple of weeks ago, and within 2
lessons, Sister Decker and I felt that he was going to become our focus. So, we
prayed and fasted about when we should set a baptismal date with him. It was
immediately unanimous that Jan 6th felt right, and that he could very easily be
ready by that time. That was before all the sickness and stuff we went through
last week, so after this grand revelation, we didn’t meet with him for like 9
days ah!! But then we finally had a lesson and it went well, but not in the
direction of talking about baptism, still really good though! The next lesson
was just as great. At the end we both just knew we should ask and I did, and he
was just like yes, of course, I'm going to do God's will! It was superrrrr
funny though, because after he said yes, he was like "wait, does that mean
I have to change my name?!" It was really funny, and we clarified that one
really quick.
Ever since then, it’s just been like go, go, go with him. He asks
really wonderful, thoughtful questions. He likes to connect things together and
really loves supporting the Bible and the BofM together. It seriously has grown
my testimony so much of how we need both of them, I love both! Why would God
only talk to His children for a small amount of time?! He loves all of them!
Oh, this is really funny, we are required to send our president and the
APs a bit of information, a picture of all of us together and the calendar
leading up to his baptism. Joseph also wanted a study calendar, so we went all
out. I kid you not, we spent 6 HOURS making this calendar! Its legit! I'll
attach a pic, but it has everything on it until his baptism, and even a few
goals afterward. But we sent this calendar, the info and the basically
professional photo we got at the ward Christmas party together to the leaders,
and they used it as an example in Mission Leadership Counsel! Either they
thought our calendar was good, or they thought our professional Christmas pic
together was hilarious. Maybe both?
Joseph's Legit Calendar!
Saturday's lesson, oh man, it was so good! We had Br. Müller as a joint
teach along with Joseph’s wife, and planned to talk about the commandments and
repentance. It was exactly what he needed, and Br Muller is such an awesome
joint teach. The lesson went super long, and since we meet 2 times a week, we
didn’t want to take up all of his time, they are a young family! But he had the
calendar, so he knew what we should have covered that day, so when we
apologized for being so long and that we needed to go, he’s like "oh that’s
fine! But I just have one request. Can we just cover the rest?" I didn’t
even know how to take it, I was like alright man, I will stay however long you
need! Br. Muller even brought up his baptism when we were talking about
repentance, and that all of his sins would be completely washed away. I felt
the spirit SO strongly, and then Br. Muller asked Joseph how he felt about that
idea. He just went quiet, and I just saw his eyes light up and he so very
sincerely said that it would feel really good! Oh, it was just the sweetest
moment.
So, we went to Hamburg today, and as fun as that is, it makes writing
emails just a bit more stressful because we don’t necessarily have as much
time. Who am I kidding, we never take enough time to email, there are just so
many things to do and prepare for every week, plus we always have an appt at 6
so it cuts it short! But ohhhhhh today was too fun. We actually ran into the
Pinneberg and Heide elders there, that was funny! But we got Sis Decker a nice
coat (she’s had such a thin one for so long!) and checked out allllll of the
Weihnachts markts! I took tons of pictures! If I can’t get a lot to you
tonight, I will put them on a shared Google drive account, and you can access
them through there! It was like Christmas wonderland! I’m telling you mom, we
are visiting Hamburg together sometime in the future and just going to the
Weihnachts markts!
1-2 Selfies at a train station to distract us from the cold haha! p.s. I was wearing her jacket
because it wasn't as warm and she needs lots of warmth!
3 These were "apple pockets" and it was my favorite thing everrrrr and after like
just a few bites, I let an Elder try it and it dropped on the ground....I think HF was
telling me that I had enough....
4 hahahahahaha I thought this was so funny its probably not but you have to do
something to entertain yourself on an hour long train ride!
My skype username is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX so you might want to add me on skype before then! If you’re stressed about it, just ask Dallin to sign in. We are already friends on skype and I think he could set it up pretty fast. I think I’m also friends with Conner.
Speaking of skype, I got to use it this last week! The MTC was desperate for some volunteers to skype the German missionaries in the MTC, and asked missionaries from our mission to do it! It was so sweet, I got to talk to two sisters that will be coming out here tomorrow! Man, they had awesome German too! It made me also realize how far I’ve come with the language and people skills, I guess you don’t see progress much in the process, but when you look back, you realize you’ve come FAR! I even listened to the voice recording I send you my last week of the MTC, HAHA that was a bit painful to listen to. I’m by no means perfect, but I’m actually starting to really get smaller grammar things and I’m learning lots!
Speaking of practice.... I’m picking up a new hobby...... :) I talked
to a couple members about wanting to learn the guitar, and long story short, we
kind of sort of got one today! Dimi, one of the members, just gave us his super
nice guitar to learn on! Sister Decker is going to learn too. Also, one of the Elders
said we could borrow theirs too, so how cool is that?! I probed it a bit this
morning and could only get a couple chords, it’s a bit confusing without a
teacher! Haha but we can play at night and on pdays, so we are going to use the
little extra time we have to learn! Don’t worry, we still go up to the church
an hour early to play the piano, I’m picking it back up again :) (well, we didn’t
today because we got stuck in Hamburg too long!)
Life has just been really happy this week, but I pray for Sister Decker
still, and I know it’s going to get better. In all honesty, we can’t accomplish
everything that I want to because I’m a little more willing to sacrifice to the
cold weather and be outside a lot (I appreciate the Minnesotan blood!), but I
really have to be compassionate and patient with her feelings as well. She
doesn’t enjoy the colder weather like I do. I've just grown to appreciate her
and love her so much, she gives me a lot of
strength. Plus, she keeps me from getting so distracted all the time so yes, she’s
very good for me :)
The little girls in our ward are SO cute I just want all of them!
I’m so, so happy! I just feel so much joy through the message I share,
I feel like I’m just passing out $100 bills to everyone I meet! Hey, not
everyone feels the need to take it, but the ones prepared will realize how very
valuable the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is!
Oh, I totally forgot to mention, we had zone conference on Tuesday! aka
IGOTMYPACKAGES! They are settled very sweetly underneath the Christmas tree.
Well, under the table under the branches I bound together and called a tree. I
like it, and I kind of want to keep the tradition, it’s just the cutest little
tree wrapped in a bath towel! How creative is that?!?! But I opened a package
heheehehe sorry....! I got 4; and you told me only one was a Christmas package!
So, I opened one that said it had two dresses and some apple chips. It was the
one with the dress you sewed for me and the black long dress! MOM THAT ONE YOU
SEWED IS SO COOL, IT FITS ME PERFECTLY AND ITS MY NEW FAVORITE DRESS! I agree
it was total inspiration, it made me so so happy! All of the ladies at church
commented that it was so cute, and you have a talent! Thank you so much for
making it! That black dress is really cute too, and exactly what I wanted! It’s
a bit big, but I don’t think its necessarily supposed to fit my waist maybe?
But I’m going to have to hem it, but for now I just tied it up and it kind
looks like genie pants haha! Oh, I just love them so much and THANK YOU THANK
YOU THANK YOU a million!! I can’t wait to see what is in the other packages! Don’t
worry, I will take lots of pictures! (Yes, thank you for motivating me to take
pictures, it’s good to look back on memories! Whenever I make someone take my
picture or I take pictures of stuff I’m like guys, I only have two pictures to send
to my mom this week, I HAVE to take some more! Haha! I love it!)
I was so excited about this Christmas tree in the making!
I love you a million Hamburg Weihnachtsmarkts!
Love, Sister Macey Ingalls
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