Week 54

Hiiiii💖💖💖

Hi!! So this week was probably one of the best weeks on my mission!! So many miracles happened this week!! I am in Düsseldorf now!! It's super fun here!! It weird being in a big city! Not used to that yet! But the people are great!! My new companion, sister harouny, is so sweet and freakin hilarious! Her and I are going to get along really well I can already tell!!! 

When I got here we met Sister Harouny at the bonhof and took my bags back to the apartment! They are sooooo heavy! But she was a trooper! And we dropped them off at our apartment! And went straight to a dinner appointment with sister Fuchs!! She was just adorable! And told me her conversion story! And had super yummy food! So it was a good time! And we challenged her to share the Christmas video with one of her neighbors! 

We had some great lessons this week! I've loved getting to know the investigators here!! Ones name is Linda! She's from Nigeria and has lived here a while a has four kids! All are freakin adorable! We were able to teach her the plan of salvation and I really think she liked it! 

We also met with this guy named Husain. He's Muslim but super open to our message!! We were talking about Christ and it's super different for him because they believe he is only a prophet but I'm really happy how open he is being! That doesn't happen super often!! 

So we went dooring this week and I've never had more success with with dooring before!! We doored these huge apartment buildings and in every building we found at least one person with interest!! In my whole mission I've only had success once with dooring! Haha so it was really cool! And we went by some potentials and they all listened! So this week really was just great!! A cool thing that happened, so we were going by a potential who told us to come back a few days later and we were running late and our train didn't stop where we were supposed to get off. We were supposed to be there at 11 and it was 11:45 but we were walking in and one of the ladies we doored into was walking out and she was so excited! And we started talking! And it was really cool cause we happened to bring a Book of Mormon and a pamphlet in her language! So we were able to give it to her! And she's going out of town for a month! And when we ran into her she said that she was thinking about what we said all morning!! It's cool cause if we weren't late we wouldn't have ran into her! And we ran into a guy named Jude on the way home!! He's super cool and from Africa! And his dream is to make Jesus cartoons!! I told him I'll look out for them! And we got his info! And he wants to meet with us!! 

Later on in the week we were going by on referrals near our apartment. And we were not having any luck! Some of the places were super ghetto and other places no one was really interested! Or they didn't live there anymore! And to be honest I was cold and hungry so wasn't really havin it haha but then we were walking home and these two guys walked by so we contacted them and we talked for a little and one of them was being way quiet! But when we said we were from America he asked if we were Mormons ans we said yes and he started taking to me about how he met with missionaries in holland and he lost contact and hasn't been really ready for religion and he was telling me about how he feels lost and a hole in him and he wants to fill it and all that and we talked some and he wants to meet and for us to answer his questions!! It was way cool! 

Church was good!! I really like this ward a lot!! They are really nice and really welcoming!! And Christmas should be fun! Heilige Abend we are Going to the ilns house and then Christmas we are going to the bishops! And second Christmas we are going to another memebers!! It should be super fun!!! 

For pday today we went on this giant Ferris wheel that looks over all of Düsseldorf!! Sooo pretty!!! And walked around the Christmas market! And just did some fun stuff!! Well I love and miss you! And I'll talk to you on Sunday!!!!!! LOVE YA!! 

Sister Baker

Von meinem iPad gesendet

Week 27

Haley's Letter--June 13, 2016

6:44 AM

💖💖💖💖

HELLOOOOOOO

Okay I'm going to start off getting to the really good stuff!!!! This week was amazing with the geborg family!!!!! We were able to meet with them 3 times and get everyone in the family to church!!!! I have never felt the spirit stronger in my life than in those lessons! It's honestly amazing!!! We were able to teach them about the word of wisdom, and the gospel of Jesus Christ, tithing and the plan of salvation!! They have agreed to live the word of wisdom and have since thrown away all cigarettes, and cigarette trays, the got rid of their

coffee maker, and laughed at me when I said drugs haha!! They have agree to pay Tithing when they are baptized! They say it makes sense and for everything God gives us, he asking very much! They pray and read everyday as a family!! And their dad prayed for the first time in our second visit and by the end of the prayer he and his wife were both in tears!! We thought that it would be hard to communicate, but we are told if the spirit wants them to hear it they will hear it! And that is so true! Church was great! We were able to get everyone there! They even brought a friend!! And the kids were so well behaved!! And the ward loves them!!! We finally have a primary! Haha

Oh my goodness!! Samson went home teaching for the first time!! He was so excited!! It was really an accident! We forgot about deutsch course and he showed up! Whoops! But luckily Bruder Jacobi was there and offered to take him home teaching!! It was awesome!! And we had a great lesson with him!!! We talked about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon again and he said that he hasn't been reading as much and he has noticed a difference in his life!!! Guys he's amazing!!!!

So sister Cressler was sick on Wednesday! And the mission nurse made us stay in our apartment all day!! Which was so dumb! I felt so unproductive and like I should have been working! But that's okay I had plenty of time to call old investigators and potentials in our area book!! A lot of people didn't answer and I got hung up on a few times! But upside, I was able to make appointments with three old investigators!! Ones name was Alex!! The progress record showed him

progressing super fast and showed real interest!! But then just stopped!! The last time he met with missionaries was in 2013! So I decided why not call him!! He is from Canada and has lived here a while!! We were able to meet with him the next day!! How cool is that three years ago you used to meet with missionaries then all of a sudden they call you again out of the blue!! But we talked a little just about what he remembers!! He's a little weird but God loves him so I can too!!!

Okay so I'm going step away from the spiritual stories for a little and tell you a little about my companion this week!! So we just had probably the most spiritual experience that has happened in my life this far, and I'm just on a spiritual high and can't stop thinking about it!! The one mentioned above! And then we get to the train station and we are waiting for the train and sister Cressler looks at me (and remember I'm still on my spiritual high and can't stop thinking about this beautiful lesson we just had) and she says "sister

baker I think I'm going to poop my pants" I was just like "wait what? Seriously?!?" And she just says "sister baker I'm being dead serious, I'm not going to make it home!" So I just start laughing like the kind helpful companion I am! And the train finally gets there and we are standing on the train and it won't start going!! She looks at me, sweating, bright red and starts having a panic attach cause she thinks she is going to poop herself on the train!!! The train finally starts moving and we get to Herne, luckily it was the first stop!! We get

there and she refuses to wait for our bus because she said didn't want to poop on the bus! So we had to walk home is the POURING rain while Sister Cressler is freaking out cause every second she is on the verge of shizzing herself!! But the end of this story isn't as funny!! ...she actually made it home and didn't poop her pants! But like I said above she was sick the next day!! But don't tell her I told you!

So the pigeons here just like walk up to people, and are everywhere!! And the elders do this thing where they "trap" it. It really doesn't make sense! Since it's illegal to kick pigeons here, I guess that's the next best thing! But we were walking with the elders and there was a GIANT pigeon and the elders thought it would be funny to trap it!! And I was walking behind them! But the stupid bird starting freaking out and it flew straight towards me and literally attacked my face

with its wings!! Like the bird actually touched me!!!!!!!! It was so gross and I started to freak out! Then everyone was staring at me and the elders all just laughed at me!!! It's was one of the scariest moments of my life! I hate pigeons!!

sorry I don't have much for this week!!! Nothing super big other than those happened!! Love ya! Talk to you later!!!!

Sister Baker💖💖

Sent from my iPad

She got dressed in the bathroom and me in the bedroom...she walked in and we were 100% literally matching!!!! hahahahahaha

Her and her nougat bites and chocolate bars!!!

6 month anniversary on my mission!!!! 

Sick Sister Cressler

Week 26

Hello💖💖

June 6, 2016 

7:32 AM

Hello!!!!

I think I say this every week but this week really was amazing!!!!! To start we started teaching this amazing family!!!! On Tuesday we were walking to a members house and thus lady walked up to us, and she asked us if we were from the church and how she wants to come to church! And we were like well.. Okay!! And we explained that we are

missionaries and we talk to people about our church and God and Jesus Christ! And she invited us over! So that Thursday we went over to her house and her whole family gathered around us while we explained the Book of Mormon!! The family was just in awe and thought it was amazing!!! Even the younger kids!! They don't speak very good German

and Romanian! So we used the pictures in the front!! We went back the following Saturday and finished explaining the restoration and Joseph Smith and they thought it was amazing!!! And we brought the picture book with us to help and to have something for the kids and they loved it! We talked about how we are asked to follow Jesus Christ's example and be baptized by the correct authority! And we showed the picture of Christ being baptized and the spirit just hit like a brick wall and the mom almost started crying and she nodded and said that's what we want!! So we were able to set a date with the mom and dad and three oldest kids and their aunt!!! They are the Geborg family!! I'm am so excited for them!! We are meeting with them again tomorrow!! 

We met with a lot of potentials this week and all but one became new investigators!! That one wasn't very excited when he showed up expecting a date and came to find out two girls who really only wanted to talk about God, Jesus Christ, and a book were there!! But all the others had really good lessons!! It's so cool to watch people's reactions when we talk about the restoration!! It's always different!!

One guy looked at us like we were crazy but we explained that is why prayer is so important!! We can say as many times as we want that this church is true!! But the only way he will know is to pray! So he agreed! But others, like the Geborg family, and this man Ebi are totally open to it and open to the spirit testifying to them!!!

So I don't know if any of you know this, but the Muslims have this fasting thing they do, and they do it for a whole month!!!!! Where from 5 in the morning to 10 at night they can't eat or leave their house!!! So like 5 of our investigators can't meet with us for a whole month!!!! So dumb!! Who fasts for a month?! That's not even healthy!!

And the Quran doesn't even make sense.. Someone read me something out of it and I don't even get how they think it is scripture... Sorry if there are any Muslims reading this! But it's true!!

So we met with Samson this week!! I'm going to seriously cry when I have to leave him!!! He is so amazing and just grows so much every day!!! We talked about the priesthood some more and he made a countdown for a year from his baptism date and when he can officially go on a mission!! He finally agreed to wear a tie to church! It took me a while but I convinced him!! The hard part is getting him to wear

a tie AND tuck his shirt in! I haven't been able to do that yet! But we will keep working on it!!!

Amir is doing good!! We were able to finally squeeze in a new member lesson again! Those are so hard cause he always has so many questions that we have to answer! Which is good! But hard cause we need to teach him lessons! But his leg is a blessing in disguise cause now we can meet with him more often!! But he is doing really good!!! So that's awesome!! I told him to stay off the longboard for a while and his mom agreed!!

Sister Baker💖💖💖💖

Sent from my iPad

The Geborg Family!! 

Week 25--HELLOOOOOO💖💖💖

Hello!!

This week was great!!! As per usual!! We had a week full of blessings, funny stories, and crazy people!!! My favorite kind of week!!!

This week we meant with Samson again!! And he is so amazing guys!!! Legitimately amazing!!!! He found the I'm a Mormon messages and wanted to make one haha!!! So he did! It's awesome!! I'll send it to you!! And we talked about missionary work!! He wants to go on a mission so bad!! But is so nervous cause he says that when he is in front of two people, like me and sister Cressler, he can share his testimony but when
there is more he gets afraid!! But we explained how strong his
testimony really is!! So we will keep working on that!!!

We went over to Amir's!! He has family over to help take care of him while he is healing cause of his foot and they have a teenage son. And it was so funny! During sister Cressler's prayer (really loud) thriller from Michael Jackson came on, on his big surround sound system thing!! And it was so funny I was trying so hard not to laugh during the prayer!! And then he turned Ellen on which didn't really make sense cause the kid only spoke Persian so he had no idea what she was saying!! So like she would say some thing funny in the background of us talking and they wouldn't laugh cause they didn't know what she was saying! But luckily he turned that off! Then like 10 minutes later, while we were talking, even louder, Candy Shop by 50 cent came on!! Hahaha and Amir was like ohhh I love 50 cent!! Do you know this song?! And sister Cressler and I just look at each other and say uhh ya! Can we chose a song now?? And we turned on Glorious by David Archuleta haha!!! We explained he was a member of our church and served a mission in Argentina! But then they wanted to turn some more 50 cent on so we asked if they could turn it off till we left! Haha but they fed us some food from Iran and it was the weirdest meat I've ever eaten!!! I literally have no idea what I ate!! It could have been a dog for all I know!!

We talked to so many people on the bahns and busses this week!! It was so cool!! We only got turned down and had to sit there awkwardly for 15 minutes like 4 times!! It was really cool!!! Sometimes I don't get why when people have time, they can't just listen to what we have to say... It really makes no sense to me!! Your literally sitting there in silence not doing anything for 20 minutes anyway... Just listen to me!!! It's worth it!!! Like the other day we were walking home from the church and we have to walk down this pretty path way for like 15 minutes of it and there was this guy and I started talking to him and he goes "oh sorry no time!" And he literally walked in front of us the whole time... Excuse me sir, you had at least 15 minutes!! Ya liar! 
But that's okay cause people like that make the people who do listen 10X better!!!  Like this guy Ben was way cool and he sat down in front of us and we started talking to him and casually brought up the church and he said he's not super religious and when we asked if he had interest is learning more about our Church he was just like "hmmm why not!" And now we are meeting with him later this week!!!

Oh my goodness coolest thing happened!!!! So on Sunday we were leaving church and we usually walk home, but this day I was being a tiny bit lazy and wanted to take the bus home... Even though it takes a little longer. But we did and we got to the Bonhof and we saw Frank!! Little back story, we used to meet with Frank a while ago and it was going really well but all of a sudden he stopped answering our phone calls then everytime we called his phone, our phone would just hang up! We figured he didn't want to hear from us anymore and blocked us!! It was really sad cause he was really progressing!! But then we saw Frank and I was like no freaking way!! And we walked up to him and he was so happy to see us!! I asked him where he has been and he goes why do you stop calling me?! And I was what they heck?! We used to call you every day! You stopped answering! And he explained his phone broke and he has a new number! So he gave us the new number but our bus got there and we had to go! And as we were driving away I tried to call his phone and he gave us the wrong number and we were so disappointed! But I had the strongest feeling I typed it in wrong and we had to go back!! I fought it a little but told sister Cressler and she agreed and we got off the on the next bus stop and walked back and he was still there and I said, "sorry I think I typed it in wrong can I have it again!" And he was like ya!! And I did type it in wrong and we were able to make an appointment with him!!! I'm so excited!!

This week, cause we have no money literally haha, we cooked! And it turns out I can actually cook! This week we barbecued some chicken and sausages that a member gave us! We made cheesy potatoes and grilled chicken again and had vegetables!! Not to brag but I'm a pretty good cook!!!

So a while ago, like my first transfer we went over to Cicillia's, a
less active, house for dinner and while we were there a man came over and was so excited to be in the same room as Americans. He was literally so excited and said that he loves America, Americans, and anything from there and it's his dream to go there! So I thought wow this guy a little crazy but way nice!! But to be honest I kinda just forgot about him! But this week we were eating at Cicillia's again and on our way there we heard a man yell out the window "AMERICANS PLEASE COME UP HERE WHEN YOUR DONE!!" So Sister Cressler and I just look at each other and are like okay!! Haha but we ate at Cicillia's and told her and she got so excited and walked us up there and stayed for a little and introduced us to his family! He has a wife and one son!! And then she had to go so she left us!! And I wasn't exactly sure
where this was going to go... Like did he want to just talk about
America or what? But then he goes "so your here for a church and I
want to hear about it, my wife and son are Muslim but I am a Christian and I want to hear about your church" and we were so excited and we talked about our church and his son is totally interested to! It was an amazing spiritual experience!!! The spirit was so strong in the room!! And you can see that him and his son felt it!! I'm so excited to go back!!!

That's so fun for Jace!! And oh my goodness Gage's dives
are so stinkin good!! Go Gager!!!! And that's so fun about the hotel!! I want pictures of that too!! Haha

LOVE YOU!!!!!
TALK TO YOU LATER!!!!!!!!
💖💖💖💖💖💖

Sister Baker

Sent from my iPad

Us & The Famile Flickert!!

The dinner I made!  Not very cute, but is was yummy!!

Mine & Samson's relationship...He is annoys me like a freakin little brother!!

 

This is Kofi!!!  He was baptized this Saturday!

This means 'Companion' in German!

Week 24--Hellooooo💖💖

Hey!!!!

This week was amazing as usual! Never a bad week here is Germany!! The weather was pretty cold again! We had to bring out our big jackets again and tights and boots!! How disappointing!! It's may!!!! I should be freakin sweating! Not shivering!! But closer to the end of the week it was warmer!!! Actually now that I think about it it got pretty warm!! Like I think around 75 but I'm not sure exactly in Fahrenheit!! So I won't actually complain!!!

This week something super cool happened!! So the past couple of weeks our lessons have been pretty slow cause a lot of our investigators just don't really care! And they will bale on us last minute or just not show up or turn their phone off when we are supposed to be meeting and it's been kinda hard on us!!! And on Thursday it happened again! And Sister Cressler and I were kinda sick of it! And we decided to do the missionary thing and pray!! And we asked Heavenly Father for help and blah blah blah!! Then literally like 6 minutes later we get a phone call and it's this guy!! And I answer it like usual and say like, "hallo hier ist sister baker!" And he was like uhh wrong number sorry!!
And I told him it was fine and said well I'm a missionary for my
church... and he asked where I was from and I told him America and he was like "what and you know German?!!" And I said yes and we started talking a little and I explained what we do as missionaries and he said he had to go so he could call the right number but asked if we could please call back because he wants to hear what we have to say!!!! How cool!!! We are super excited for that!!! I'll keep you updated!!

Oh my goodness everyone!!! Amir was in the hospital all week!!! He fell long boarding and he broke both the bones in his leg, like completely and he needed surgery!!! How crazy!! We went to go visit him and he is such a trooper!!!!
He said his scar will be gnarly!! Not exactly sure on the translation of those words but pretty much!! And we were able to talk about temples with him and he made us show him a picture of every temple in the world hahaha!!

And we met with Samson, of course!! And he's amazing!!! He bore his testimony to us finally without realizing it!! He explained how happy he has been since he was baptized and how he is just always smiling!!
And something crazy...was him and his brother got in this huge argument after his dad died and they haven't spoken in a couple years, I guess. But a week after Samson was baptized his brother called him and they talked everything out and he says his family is finally coming together!!! Isn't it so cool how much this gospel can bless your life!!!

Okay now some great news... Guys I'm famous here in Germany!! I made it in a news paper!! No big deal! Remember the atheist I told you about? Marek!! Well he wasn't super interested in the church but way interested in missionary work!!!! And he interviewed us!!! He thought it was super cool that we would leave home for 18-24 months and talk to people about God and do missionary work every single day!! (You would think he would want to learn what we have to say but no...At least not yet!!) but he sent us the news paper and it's actually way cool!!!! A good way to get the word out I guess!!! So congrats fam your girl is famous!!

Oh my goodness the most amazing thing happened this week on
Saturday!!! So to start, for 6 weeks now I've been calling this number in our phone, Alvi, for our deutsch course every Friday! And ever time the guy who answers will say something about how he can't come and then something else way fast that I couldn't really understand but I kept calling him anyway!! Now fast forward to Saturday!! Sister Cressler and I were at Bochum hbf waiting for a guy Alvin to meet us, but getting stood up! Then we saw Godwin and his friends...so we went over, expecting to have a great conversation but ended up getting kinda bible bashed by a bunch of Africans!! I swear they just kept coming!! And what they were saying didn't make any sense but I had nothing to say back!! I was speechless!! Hahaha But, then Alvi called and said I'm at Bochum hbf where are you? Oh I see you! And walked over and it was the most swagged out, spiffy, black man I've ever seen!! He was in an off white suit, with white shoes with a gold trim and fancy glasses, with one ear pierced! Literally coolest guy ever!! And we started talking and he asked if we could please find a place to sit!! So he took us to a fancy bar and said not to worry he knows we don't drink, and that they have cola there haha!! And we sat and he told us how he used to meet with missionaries awhile ago but they left and the missionaries just moved on I guess!! And he forgot about the church but all of a sudden I started calling him every Friday and it started getting him thinking again so he started reading his Book of Mormon again and said he wants to schedule time where we have time to answer all his questions!!! Apparently every time I called he was saying he couldn't come cause he has work and he doesn't know why I keep calling about a German course cause he speaks German!! Hahahaha turns out I need the German course!! But he's wayyyy cool!! I'm so excited!!!

Did you guys know that there is a thing here kinda like comicom but with board games? Ya neither did I! But there is!! Like legit!! We were on our way to teach Joanna English and her mom called and said that she wasn't home but was at the Kulturzentrum kinda like a cultural center! And we figured we would just teach her English there!! But we got there and there were sooo many people!!! And we were like what the heck??  So we walked to the ticket guys and asked what it was and he started speaking super fast German.. And we like uhhhhh what? And he said in kinda English here this gets you in to watch! And sis Cressler and I just look at each other and say watch what?! And we walk through the doors and there are board games everywhere!!! And grown adult men, women and a few children getting way into board games and throwing out some nasty words and it was way intense!!! But we found her and turns out her mom just wanted us to say hi hahaha!! But now I can say I went to a board game convention in Germany!!!

But oh my goodness!! I can't believe that about Jace and Riggs!!! I'm so glad that are okay!!!! That's so scary!!! But good job Jace!!
Thinking quick!! What a Boy Scout!!
Well I love you all sooo much and will talk to you soon!!!!!💖💖💖
Love sister baker

Sent from my iPad

The one time I do personal study and the couch...hahahaha!  Oops

Our last 1.20 and it got stuck!!!!!  hahahaha

 

Sunday night after studies!