A Matter of Gross Importance

Valentine flowers from President

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Highlights:
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*Two Zone Trainings! Always a party!
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*iPads and technology came in for the win this week, when a Sister in our zone had an accident and had to stay in the hospital, but was still able to participate in the Zone Training and other things via Skype. No worries, she is good to go now.
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*I got to go on a split with my MTC companion Sister Carroll this week!

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World-o-meter:

*Ghana

*Bangladesh

*Nigeria

*England

*Albainia

*Germany

*Turkey

*Morroco

*Congo

*Kansas

Deutsch:

One of our investigators from Bangladesh was eating dinner with us and the ward, where roast beef, and knüdel with gravy was being served. He never had had a knüdel before, so he started eating it without sauce or anything. We recommended the sauce, but he wanted to try it alone. He took a bite without really reacting.

So, later, Sister Terry leans over and asks

"So, was it gross?"

He looks at her in confusion

"Terry, I do not understand your English. Can you repeat that?"

"Was the knüdel gross?"

He looks at me,

"Maybe you can translate?"

Turns out, he has never heard of the word "gross" in English, only the word "gross" in German. "gross" in German  means "big" or "tall"

so we decided that the knüdel was gross, but not gross.

One of our investigators is getting baptized on February 27, and so the other day, we were at the church showing him the font.

I opened up the dividers to show him, and looked down to see this HUGE spider on one of the steps. It is hands down the biggest bug I have EVER seen in Germany, and one of the biggest spiders I have ever seen.

So of course,

I point it out.

"Don't worry, the spider won't be in there when you get baptized"

He looks in and sees the spider and does this little crunch of surprise.

Turns out, he's not afraid of spiders.

He turns to us and says

"In my country, my nickname is SPIDER!"

We just start laughing, because we don't know what else to think.

We all agreed that it was on of those "small and simple things" or the "mysterious ways" of God to show this wonderful man that he was on the right track. We all felt the love and approval of God through this spider, and it made my day.

This man never ceases to amaze me. He is truly one of the most humble people that I have ever met.

In our lesson the next day, he said something truly profound.

"God has called my name, and I am coming."

That won't leave me.

I guess that is my question for this week for all of us.

1. Have we been listening?

2. Are we coming?

Love always,

Sister Roderer