Keep hoping!

The demonstrations of faith that I have been privileged to witness this past week have been remarkable. Let me share one.

Yuliya looked totally drained as she opened the door to her 4th story apartment on Saturday night. She had just spent the whole day in the hospital having blood tests to prepare for a major surgery in the coming week. This lovely Ukrainian woman was baptized two years ago but hasn't been active in the church.  We met met her on my first day in Hannover and she came to church the next day, invited her daughters, and has read in the Book of Mormon and prayed every day since we met.  As we sipped our Himbeer-Vanille tea, I held her IV-bruised hand, and read to her from the 5th chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans about trials, hope, patience, experience, and the love of Christ. She suddenly sat up straight and said, ''Girls, I will be at Sacrament Meeting tomorrow.'' She went in the next room, called the hospital, and told her doctor that she was going to come to her follow-up appointment an hour later than expected. ''I need to spiritually prepare. I am going to church'' she told him. She came back in, sat down, grabbed our hands and said ''If I want to ask God to take care of my body, then I had better do all I can to take care of my spirit.'' 

The next morning, Yuliya sat between us and sang all of the Sacrament hymns with extra enthusiasm. She studied 3 Nephi 18 as the Sacrament was passed. As she lifted the cup of water to her lips, I saw two or three tears run down her cheek before she leaned over to me and said ''He really does live. He is going to take care of me. I am so glad that I came.'' In the face of one of the most physically and emotionally taxing weeks of her life, Yuliya knew what her first source of nourishment, strength, and support was. Even though she was almost too weak to get to the hospital, let alone church, she knew that it was a righteous desire and that God would give her the strength to fulfill that commitment to come to church and partake of the Sacrament.

God taught me about faith again as we stood in front of a painting of the Savior in the Hannover church building with 4 Chinese people on a business trip. They had lost their way and asked for directions on the bahn to get back to their expo center where they were giving a presentation on their bluetooth speaker product. 30 minutes later. Sally, the head of sales, was translating the first lesson as we gave this group of coworkers a tour of the Hannover church building. Sally told us that she was a Christian and that she had just prayed to God to give her a way to share her testimony of Christ with her coworkers. ''The laws in China are very strict,'' she said, ''so it is hard for me to tell them about Christ. But I think they are ready to accept Him. In China, I can't tell them and they would never know, but now we are in Germany and here you are!'' We showed them the new Easter video from the church and taught about who Jesus Christ is. ''It feels like coming home,'' one girl said. After we got their information and hugged them goodbye, Sally told us ''I had faith that God would somehow let these people know about Jesus. Even though it seemed like it would never happen, I had faith. Thank you. My prayers are answered.''

What an experience it is to be able to really be around those ''who against hope believed in hope.''  

I love you all. Keep hoping. 

Sister Grace