Ugh ok so another crazy week! Haha:) I just have to begin by saying

that my life long dream has been fulfilled: I heard Elder Uchtdorf and

Bednar speak in German. It. Was. Really. Cool. The Freiberg Temple was

dedicated yesterday, so we got to watch that instead of going to

church. I saw Elder Sabin!... On the screen in the session I went to -

he didn't give a talk though:(.

Ok so God is definitely working miracles in Köln, and the coolest part

is that he is letting us see a little bit of the marvelous work that

he is doing! It all starts on Wednesday. Sister Riser decided it would

be a good idea to entrust me with figuring out Deutsche Bahn and how

we would get to our two appointments that night. I thought I had done

it right, but I completely messed up both. It's kind of the theme of

me and the Bahn haha:). BUT, after we had horribly missed and

rescheduled both appointments, we ran into Elizabeth. She is an old

lady with severe health problems from Africa... I think. She told us

we could come over the next day. So, the next day, Sister Riser gets

this prompting that we should go to see Elizabeth at 2 instead of 4

like we had told her. So we get up from our sprach study (I really

haven't studied German in a sprach studium setting since I got here,

because sister riser is fluent) and went to find the Bahn. We walk out

to Wienerplatz to get some wifi, and who do we see?!? Luciòn! (He was

the contact sister riser had the Sunday before where she ran away from

me.) he had skipped out on his appointment with us this week, and he

wasn't answering his phone. So, we went up to say hello, and he said,

"I was just thinking about you! I went to the church last night, but

you weren't there".  We told him we'd be there that night and that if

he came we could teach him more about the Book of Mormon. He said

okay. We went to visit Elizabeth and she wasn't there, so we just

headed over to the church for German class. Sacku, a refugee, came

with us to that. We can't teach him, but he can read whatever he wants

to, as long as it is safe for him. He had so many questions about

faith, because he has never learned anything about Jesus Christ

before. So, sister Riser and I split up and taught two separate

lessons (except mine was not teaching, merely directing him to read

the lessons in Preach My Gospel and then having him ask me any

questions he had. Loop hole.) the coolest part was that I got to teach

him how to pray, and then said his first prayer with him. I felt the

spirit so strongly, and I asked him how he felt after, and he was like

"I just feel so bubbly in my heart". It was really cute. Also, a huge

plus was that we were teaching both of them in the entrance to the

church, and there was a member counsel that night. So, all of the

members saw us just killing it doing the Lord’s work. I definitely

think that helped us earn their trust and respect. Hopefully now when

we ask them for help, they will all say yes!

We walked away from that absolutely elated. We had 4 appointments for

the next day. The work was finally beginning after a few weeks of

finding finding finding. I went on a split with the STL in Duisburg

the next day, but from what I've heard, several miracles happened on

Friday as well. I guess the member we got to translate French for

Pierre was one of his long lost friends? Also, some young man from

Nigeria just ran up to them at Köln HBf and said "I need a church!"

I'm really grateful to the Lord for showing us a little bit of the

grand work he has planned for this area. It has definitely motivated

us to do and be better. I love him so much for that blessing.

Also, really funny story. Probably not actually haha. We were running

across the Rhine this morning, and I hit a bump in the asphalt.

Literally the only bump in the asphalt for the entire bridge that was

literally the width of my foot. I fell, right next to all of the cars.

I was just thinking about how nerdy my exercise clothes looked and how

embarrassing that was and then I fell, and it just got a lot more

embarrassing.

I'm really sad because Greta didn't respond to my text and then I

called a few days later and she hung up on me. I like thought we were

friends:'(.

So sister Riser and I started this new thing where we end every night

by answering three questions. 1. What were you grateful for today? 2.

What was one miracle you saw today? And 3. What Christlike attribute

did you see in your companion? This simple thing has really bonded us

as companions and friends, and I've learned a huge life lesson from

it. My challenge to you this week is to end every day with an

expression of love. This works for everyone, not just married people

or people on a mission. I have a huge testimony that simple

expressions of love can calm your own heart, set your mind in a better

perspective, and really help to strengthen friendships (as well as

relationships haha:)). If you need any inspiration, watch the

“Expressions of Love” Mormon message. It's cute.

I love you all, and I love hearing about all of your lives! I hope you

are enjoying every day as the gift from God that it is:).

Liebe,

Sister Johnson