Dear Family,

     The NEATEST thing happened to us on Thursday! We were on a train headed to an appointment with Ellenore and sat by a girl who looked about the same age as us. After chatting for a little while, she ended up asking us who we were and what we are doing in Germany, which we gladly explained and then asked her if she was religious. Her response was so perfect, you’d think the whole encounter was set up by god himself (; "Yeah, I’m religious, but I’ve actually never been baptized into one specific denomination". Then she paused for a second and continued, "Huh. I really should get baptized. I want to! I just never have been." I responded, "Oh my goodness, we're on our way to go teach someone about baptism right now!" Then we had a little discussion about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the restoration of it though Joseph Smith. She was completely enthralled as we explained and bore testimony of the Book of Mormon and was quick to give us her number when we asked if we could meet and teach her more. To make the story even more amazing, she ended up being on the same train as us AGAIN as we were heading home after the appointment! I’m so stoked to meet with her—she seems so solid!

     We had mission conference with Elder Bednar on Friday!!! It was amazing!! Totally not what I expected at all though! I assumed we'd be sitting in a room for 5+ hours getting lectured on the appropriate use of iPads/obeying the white handbook—but it wasn’t like that at all! There were lots of open-ended conversation and Q&A sessions. We still don’t have iPads...but we should be getting them soon!!

     Hahaha, funny story: Sister Whicker and I went to the bathroom during our lunch break and guess who walked in behind us?! SISTER BEDNAR! She started up a conversation with me and I forgot how to person and made a COMPLETE fool of myself. Check it:

Her: "Sister! Where are you from?!"
Me: "San Antonio, Texas!"
Her: "Oh, neat! My husband and I were just there for stake conference over the summer!"
Me: "Oh! Yes! I was there! Wait...no I wasn’t...Wait...was I? No. Uhh yes...ummmm..."
Her: "…"
Me: "…"
Her: (turns to my companion) "and where are you from?"

IT WAS THE BEST WORST 5 SECONDS OF MY WHOLE LIFE <3

     As great as those two experiences were, this one takes the cake, for sure: Edison went to the temple on Tuesday to be baptized in the name of his father who passed away four years ago!!! His whole family was there and after preforming the rest of the dad's proxy work, they were sealed!

MY HEART IS SO FULL OF HAPPINESS I THINK IT MIGHT EXPLODE.
A WHOLE FAMILY—TOGETHER FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY?!?!
VICTORY IN ZION!!!!!!!! :')

I love y’all lots <3
T-2 weeks until skype time!!!!
Hopefully I don’t die of anticipation before then!
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I AM!

- Brookie