Dear family,

On Tuesday, we had THE MOST incredible experience after our lesson with one of our investigators, Angelica. The week before, our appointment with her fell out because she had a migraine. At the end of our lesson, she said she was starting on one again. As soon as she said that, my eyes flashed to the cup of coffee she'd been drinking throughout our lesson and in that exact same moment, the Holy Ghost spoke to me saying "if she stops drinking coffee, she'll stop having migraines". As Sister Parker and I were walking home, I turned to her and said "I think Angelica's health issues are word of wisdom related"...and guess what her response was? "Me too! I had a very distinct prompting at the end of that lesson that if she'd stop drinking coffee her headaches would go away" AND I WAS LIKE NO WAY ME TOO and then we basically peed ourselves due to excitement because HOW COOL IS THAT!? Anyway…We were just a LITTLE pumped to get back to her house on Friday to teach her about the word of wisdom and tell her about our experience...and oh my goodness. Let me tell you. Angelica is the most humble human being on planet earth. 

She was so accepting. Of everything. We started off by explaining what the word of wisdom is (what sort of things are prohibited—what sort of things are encouraged) and although she's addicted to cigarettes AND coffee, she was touched and committed to begin the process of removing those harmful substances from her life! After talking about the blessings promised to her if she keeps the word of wisdom we shared with her what the Holy Ghost had shared with us after our last lesson. 

I want y’all to put yourself in Angelica's shoes for two seconds: two twenty-year-old girls from America who can barely speak your native tongue tell you that the Holy Ghost told them that if you stop drinking coffee, the migraines which you've been plagued with your WHOLE life will go away. What would your response be? Rolling your eyes? Laughing? Doubt, no doubt. 

Howeverrrrr, Angelica responded by smiling. And nodding. And thanking God in her closing prayer for revealing that unto us. 

The good news doesn't stop there, though!! She came to church yesterday (that's two Sundays in a row!) and let us know that she hadn't drunk a cup of coffee since we left her house on Friday. 

Isn't she the greatest?! I love her so much!! Be sure to keep her and her fam in your prayers!!

Yesterday was just an awesome day in general. We ended studies early to pick up Naomi and her family (the investigators who live right above us) and as we were getting ready to walk out the door, we heard them coming down the stairs. I was like "oh mensch! I hope they're not going somewhere!" Right as I said that, our doorbell rang. 

Yup. 
Our investigator klingled US for church. 
Pretty sweet, huh? 

We walked over together, she sat down with her kids, and the members were SUPER welcoming. Made her feel like royalty!! One of the members even took her one-year-old son so she could sit and listen to the meeting! The baptismal font here in Duisburg is broken, so we're going to have to push back her and her son's baptism a couple weeks...which is a HUGE bummer because they're SO ready...but we're trying our best to stay patient!(: 

Another cool church experience yesterday—one of the ladies in our ward brought some random woman from the Ukraine with her. She just moved to Germany a few months ago and has no friends or family, so the member invited her so that she could get to know some people!! Everyone was sooooo friendly and made her feel incredibly welcome. One of our members even went up to her after the meeting, said "I can bring you to church next week!! And before we take you home, you can come eat lunch with me and my husband!" 

I just about cried. 
The ward here is AMAZING. 
This area in general is just...wow. 
Words cannot express how much I'm loving life right now. 

Thanks for all the birthday wishes, y’all!! 
Hope you have a great week!!
- Brookie