The "Doop-est" Week yet:)

Happy Baptism to our investigator Saad! (Baptism in Dutch is "doop", pronounced like "dope")

So Tuesday, we went on exchanges and I was in Apeldoorn for a day and that was totes leuk.  On Thursday we went and worked with our district leaders for a few hours and then went over to a member's house for dinner/her birthday celebration. She started telling us about her children and her pregnancies-she showed us the ultrasounds from 1996...she also mentioned very convincingly that "If he is a good man, he will give you boys". Sorry, Dad.

Sister Missionaries working together

I named my bike (finally). First, I have to explain: bike in Dutch is "fiets" pronounced like "feets" so ahem, its name is:

Sir Fiets-alot van Gogh (get it? van "go")  
"Oh the cleverness of me!" (Peter Pan)

So Saturday, our investigator, Saad, was finally baptized!  It was a day of miracles!  He's been investigating the church for almost a year now, but things have been moving slowly due to language, legal and otherwise barriers.  But on Saturday, everything fell into place and he was baptized. I've never seen anyone so happy. 

Zusters Voss and Dobler loving miracles and Stroopwaffels!

So here is the list of miracles that Zuster Voss and I composed (hold onto your horses, people, it's going to get pretty miraculous up in here *up in here*) ahem:

1. The baptism was in Groningen (15 min train ride north) because our building doesn't have a font, so we took the train and then you have to take a bus to the church, but Zuster Voss and I took the right one going in the WRONG direction (Katrina/Andrea, I thought there was only "One Direction"), but because it was a day of miracles, we got on the right bus, eventually, and still got to the church with time to spare.

2. Brother Wartan, the member who has been translating Dutch to Arabic for us, gave a talk in Dutch and Arabic...so cool!

3. Our investigator Charlene and her niece Nassira, who said she was too busy to come, came!  Because she kept feeling that she needed to see it for herself!

4. Brother Wartan's family, who aren't members, are really starting to think about baptsim and now we're working getting them to become actual investigators:) (The 2nd child just turned 8 yesterday, coincidence? I don't think so!)

5. Brother Wartan was able to baptize Saad (his first time!)

6. Investigators from the Groningen missionaries came too.

7. Everyone there felt the Spirit and it was just a fantastic day!

After the baptism we were able to go over with the Groningen elders and a member from our branch to visit his son who lives down the street from the church and visit him.  And hopefully now, the elders can start visiting him!

And then, to end a most fabulous and fairy-like day, we went over to the Loorbachs for dinner.  Day done, accomplished and "zuster-ed":)

Stopping to admire horses, thinking of her horse loving sisters

Oh, And Saad wrote my name in Arabic! Super cool, but I was like, wait!  You're starting on the wrong side of the paper! Ah!! But then of course it makes sense to let the Arabic man do his thing:)

Johanna Sophia Dobler in Arabic!

Anyway, just a fabulous week, again.  Man, is it possible to have too many good weeks?:)  It can only come from doing what Heavenly Father wants us to be doing:)

Happy Valentines Day this week!  My day will be full making elders feel slightly uncomfortable and being as loving as possible!:) "I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation", well, technically, I'm below sea level, but that's neither here nor there.

Love, Zuster Johanna Dobler

"And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen." (Ether 12:41)

Tulips brighten Assen apartment

"Hardships often prepare ordinary people for extraordinary destinies"  C.S. Lewis