It was my birthday.

Dearest everyone, another week has come and gone, so have 30 missionaries from the mission as well as my youth.  First things first, our mission just got that much smaller as a huge group of elders just went home (on my birthday of all days).  So, 10 or so cities in the mission have closed and we're waiting until this fall to re-open. So that's a thing.


Last pictures with the Elders

Also, my birthday was an incredible success!  Thanks for the loads of cards and notes I received!  Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday!  The wishes worked!  I had a great day, filled with banana chocolate chip pancakes, rain, and little America (we went to the military base in Schinnen and got goldfish crackers and baking soda) 'Merica:)


"I take one shower and the whole apartment is decorated"



The birthday girl...

20 is looking good!

It's a celebration to last throughout the year!

Happy Birthday Zuster Dobler

 The wonderful Wheatley family made my birthday all the more special as they made bratwurst, on his new grill he christened "The Johanna", and just had the grandest night ever:)  They are quite literally the best.



"The Johanna" makes her debut

The Elders are invited to the celebration

Happy Birthday Johanna!

Anyhoozles, lots of things have been a'poppin here in Maastricht. We had another appointment with our African Gospel-y people tonight; there are three guys, so far, who we've met with and each one varies on the scale of interest. Also, we've been having a grand old (emphasis on old) time teaching our 83 year old Limburger investigator, Jan. 

He's a doll and surprised us by coming to church this week!  (We both gave talks and I played one of the hymns in Sacrament Meeting because our pianist got called to be RS president).

Also! Zukarman, our trusty Indonesian Catholic investigator came to church as well!  He texted us on Saturday night telling us that he was planning on coming and what a wonderful text message to read indeed:)  It was a successful week, you could say, but then again, I feel like each week is marvelously weird and wonderful in it's own way.  Just like people.  I've taken it upon myself to count American paraphernalia that I see people wearing around (shirts, shoes, pants, bags, etc.) and you'd be surprised...oddly enough, July 4th was the lowest day up to this point...

In Hebrews 11:3 it says, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Lately, we've been talking to our investigators about the reality of God and His existence - they come frequently to the conclusion that we will never know everything, let alone understand it all, so why bother?  Well, yes.  We will not be able to figure out what color God's eyes are or what He actually looks like; we won't be able to understand How he has a physical body, and yet controls the movements of the planets and can know our thoughts and our feelings. We won't be able to prove that. But isn't that then what faith is?

I always think back to the movie, "Finding Faith in Christ", though could do with a remake, there is a line in it that always pops into my mind. The "rebellious" one, Jonah, doubts the miracles of Christ and His divinity and says" only if I can see and feels the prints in His hands and feet for myself, will I believe" and his brother-in-law then says, "and if you did, would it be enough?"

Christ could manifest himself to any of us, if He so chose, but if we do not "know Him" (Matthew 25) if we have not already chosen to have faith, then we will see what we want to see and not what we could see. 

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen." (Moroni 7:48)

Love, Zuster Dobler

P.S. Also, we are now super good friends with our neighbors; we're totes cat-sitting for them and they are bringing us back cheese from Amsterdam:)

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast out.  I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still.  My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure.  I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.  I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits or popularity.  I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power.  My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven.  My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear!  I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed.  I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.  I won't give up, shut up or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up of the cause of Christ.  I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till I know, and work till He stops me.  And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.  My banner will be clear.

(This powerful tribute has been quoted by LDS general authorities and other religious leaders, and has been attributed to the last testimony written by a man in Rwanda who was asked to recant his testimony of Jesus Christ).