Mission life #13 pictures and more pictures

Maandag 29 mei 2017

Hiiii everyone! How is everyone doing?? I'm doing good! Do you remember I told you that I could still breath HA JK. This week was sooo hot! I burned a little bit, I sweat like crazy. Sorry if this is to much information, but it is dripping of my face and my shirt was wet. Soo you're wet pretty much all the time. If it's not rain it is sweat. Mjammie. 

 

Okay I'm just gonna tell you the highlights of the week. 

So on tuesday it was raining a lot. So I had a prayer in my heart that it wouldn't rain when we were outside. And literally when we stepped outside it stopped raining. When we were in an appointment it started raining. When we went outside again it stopped. All day. It was a great great miracle. 

We met a guy with parrots. O my gosh so funny. They talked a little bit haha. While we were talking to him I felt something on my leg. There are a lot of bugs here, so I thought it was a bug so I kicked my leg or did something weird so it would go away. BUT ughm there are a lot of dogs here as well... so I accidently kicked a dog. Oops. I felt so bad. 

We set a baptismal date with one of our investigators! She's been an investigator for over a year!! Sooo awesome. Her soon to be husband (they have to get married quick) is a member, less active. But they are awesome. And they have puppies. Sooooo cute. 

J. is one of our most prepared investigators. He knows it's time for him to change. He is so awesome. And he has really cute grandkids. 

M. is my favorite. She is the most prepared investigator ever. It doesn't matter what we talk about, she's like 'I know' or 'Oh okay awesome'. Her family lives in the Dominic Republic. She has 2 kids and she hasn't seen them for 10 years! She is working really hard to go there in August. It's really hard to teach her, but the Spirit is soooo strong. Every time. Last time we cried, because the Spirit is so strong and I can understand a little bit! I'm trying! Spanish is hard! But yeah she is amazing. She can't get baptized here because she lives with her boyfriend. She doesn't have the money to move, so she is saving the money to go back to the DR (= Dominican Republic) and she will get baptized there and her family as well (that's what she says haha). 

 

I tried coconutwater and it is gross!!!!. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have a lot of people we contacted who turned into investigators, so we had 34 lessons this week!! Soooo awesome! I love teaching and talking about God! We had 5 investigators in church!! Our investigator on date, came to church for the first time! She loved it! We also had a girl (10 years old). It's just so great! All the people we contact. I'd love to tell everything but I can't sorry! 

Finally I can send pictures!!!! Yeaaaah

Oh I learned a lot about temples and families this week. I thought of my family a lot and I studied it, because we have zone conference about temples and we have to prepare for that. I know families can be together forever.

 

To my family:

I love you so so so much. Being here on my mission, I just appreciate you more. I'm happy that God sent me to you. I'm sooo grateful that I can spend the rest of eternity with you! Esme, Debby, Jonathan, Mama, Papa, Opa, Oma, Borkan, Ooms en tantes, Ik hou zoveel van jullie! Is het niet geweldig dat we voor altijd bij elkaar kunnen zijn?!

To all my friends: I love you! You are a great example to me! Have a great week! 


Lots of love,
Zuster Spijkerman

 

 

Mission life #12 I'm still breathing

Maandag, 22 mei 2017

Hola! 
Let me explain the subject first. Before I got here I thought I wouldn't be able to breath for 16 months, but it's not that bad! It's hot, but also cold! Like really! 

Life in Suriname is crazy! It rains a lot like O MY GOODNESS! So many houses were unde water, partly. The streets were under water for at least 10 cm and we had to bike through that #fun. It was really funny. 

Tuesday was a really good day, despite the rain. We had district meeting, which was awesome. After that we got ourselves some bami and a fresh smoothie. The bami is yellow! It's really good. But I'm not only gonna talk about food, because I'm not here for the food (okay maybe a little bit). I'm here to invite other to come unto Christ. And that's what we did! We had a lesson with a guy named Jerry. His sons is a lessactive. After waiting for like an hour (30 minutes in a Chinese store because it was pooring. They sold speculoos daar! and 30 minutes in the rain) he came on his bromfiets. He is so awesome. He said he wants to change. He wanted to come to church and said he would talk to his son. But neither of them came to church 😑. Before we left, we asked him if we could help him with cleaning or cooking or something. And then he said he would make us dinner. So that same night, we came over AGAIN and he gave us really delicious food. Pumpkin something, chicken or something and rice. It was spicy! But I'm still alive.

Wednesday, we had a lesson with a lessactive in the morning. Again it was pooring. Her house was under water. She's ... interesting. She stares at you. She makes you feel uncomfortable, so we laughed a lot. It was bad.... oops. 

We stayed in for the rest of the day, because Zuster Bokai wasn't feeling good. I did some crafting and I studied a little bit.

Thursday was amazing! we contacted a lot. People here are so nice! We can aks for phonennumbers and they will give it to you and you can set return appointments (not that they show up...) We had 2 new investigators on thursday.

Friday we did studies in the morning and we went out in the afternoon to visit Jerry, but he wasn't there, so we looked up a potential, who turned out to be really nice and awesome. She moved a couple times so she lost her book of Mormon (she met with missionaries before). We gave her a new Book of Mormon and she was sooooo happy!. We were there for sooooooo long.

For the rest, we contacted a lot and set return appointments. 5 new investigators! It was awesome. 2 of the people we contacted, had met with missionaries before. 

Saturday was awesome as well. We had soo many lessons! We went out at 10.30 am and came home at 7.30 pm. We had 4 lessons  with members, because we work with them a lot as well, because they need encouragement. 

Did I tell you about Marilyn, the Spanish girl? She is from the DR and she is sooo prepared! We try to teach her and we taught tithing and fastoffering and she said 'Oh, yeah I know' in Spanish. The next day we had 3 investigators in church and also Marilyn. She missed the sacrement, jammer genoeg, but she paid her tithing, because we taught her about it the day before! O my gosh. AMAZING!

 Today I bought shorts for 25 SRD which is something like 4 euro! OMG something stupid happened. We were buying fruit from a fruitstand (they have them everywhere). We were putting it in our bikebags. There I was. Standing with the bike in my hand. Ready to go. I car is coming. And he drives in a huge puddle and all the water fell on me!! There was noo reason to do that at all! Hater. Pffffff. It was gross. Ugh. It was funny though.

So I want to sent pictures. This computer is not reading my flashdrive/SD card.... 

 Sorry guys no pics again!!! aaaah so annoying. 

 But I want to testify about the book of mormon. In 2 Nephi 27 or 28 or 29 it's prophesying about Joseph Smith. Do you remember the story of the professor? Joseph Smith History . So they knew 2000 years before it actually happened that it would happen. That's awesome. People the book is true, gospel is true! Love you all!

Lots of love,

Zuster Spijkerman

64 “I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated 

that the translation was correct, more so than any hehad before 

seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those 

which were not yet translated, and he said that they were 

Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they 

were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the 

people of Palmyra that theywere true characters, and that the 

translation of such of them as had been translated was also 

correct. I took thecertificate and put it into my pocket, and 

was just leavingthe house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, 

and asked me how the young man found out that there were 

gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an

angel of God had revealed it unto him.

65 “He then said to me, ‘Let me see that certificate.’ I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him,when 

he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there wasno such thing 

now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, ‘I cannot read a sealed book.’ I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, whos anctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation.”

2 nephi 27

15 But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them.

16 And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God.

17 And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed.

 

Mission life #11

Maandag 15 mei 2017

Hi everyone!

 

Sooo... I am finally here! In Suriname! When I came of the place I felt home. I felt that this is where I am called to be. That was an amazing experience. Suriname feels like my 2nd home, it really does.

So my companions are Zuster Hendricks (Washington) and Zuster Bokai (Kiribes or something, Marshall Islands). They are the funniest and sweetest. When I met them I felt so welcome. They made brownies and the next morning pancakes. So they were really sweet. The money here is so weird. $1 US = $7,5 SRD. So everything is pretty cheap here. Super nice! 

The weather is crazy! It is raining season so it rains super hard. Because roads aren't the best here - there are holes everywhere - the water is gathering in the holes. So there was pretty much an ocean. We had to bike through it. I made the best comment ever (sorry need to work on humbleness still..). I said: "Maybe we should call Moses?!" Sorry I think it is funny. But yeah puddles everywhere. BUt we have really good bikes so that is great! I love my bike. But I had a flat tire like the first day.. Stupid deep puddles.. So it is wet, but it is also really hot. Or actually it is not as hot as I expected it to be. Yes I'm sweating yes it is pretty warm, but I'm not dying. It is nice warm. There is a nice wind/breeze sorry I don't know...). So it is pretty good actually! I like it so far. I'm getting a tan already, so that makes me happy. 

Funny things:

• Someone pretty much proposed to me on the airport in Trinidad haha.
• We waren op zoek naar een less active oh that's Dutch. We were looking for a less active. Zr Bokai wrote down number 98 so we were looking for that. Eventually we called him and it turned out he didn't have time. We were biking (THROUGH HUGE PUDDLES TRYING NOT TO GET STUCK) and a car pulled over. Turned out to be his brother. He told us he lived on number 89... yeah it was funny.
• We biked to a potential, but she wasn't home. We were at the point of leaving. There it was... A monkey! The overbuurvrouw (neighbor ish) said that the potential wasn't home. But she had a monkey as well, so she invited us to come and look at her monkey. So we went to her house, admired her super cute monkey and of course shared a message. We got her number and we gave her a pamflet. She was really awesome!
• For language study, I'm studying Spanish haha. Oh my... I have a lot to learn.

Spiritual things:

• We teach a lot here. 10 lessons on one day sometimes. It is awesome. I love teaching. Especially in Dutch! :) 
• Investigator oma. She is awesome. SHe goes to church every week, reads and studies the book of Mormon and takes notes while reading it. She is so awesome.
• People here believe in Jesus Christ. We met a guy on the door and he told us he was an addict. But because of Jesus he isn't anymore. He lost pretty much everything, because his house burned down (?). His house was gone and his family as well. But nevertheless he has that faith in Jesus Christ. We gave him a pamflet. I don't know if he wants to meet with us, but it really touched my heart. 
• 2 disabled investigators. I feel the Savior's love for them. It was amazing to see their faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

So time is up. But I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. I feel my Savior's love for me, for His children, for Heavenly Father's children. I know this gospel is true. The book of Mormon is true. Every day I am so excited to read and study in it. Stay strong whereever you may be! I love you all!

Lots of love,

Zuster Spijkerman

Ps: this computer is stupid so I can't send pictures... Sowwy still love you.

Mission life # 10 I can fly! 12 new investigators

Maandag 8 mei 2017

Hello from the other side!!

Okay so this week was insane and crazy. So Friday we went to the temple for the last time :( it was really good. Actually I don't remember a lot of last week sorry. Saturday we packed our stuff and did other things I don't remember. Sunday we had church, I did a musical number ' Baptism' from Paul Cardall... It's hard so it wasn't perfect. That day we had a departure devotional as well and we walked to the temple. I'm gonna miss the temple so much. sunday evening I received a blessing because I was freaking out about the flight and everything, since I had a lay over and I never had that before, because you know flying to the USA was the first time I flew. So that was really scary. The blessing gave me so much peace. I knew everything would be alright. After the blessing we said goodbye to our district. Sad moment. I cried. Miss you all @MTC friends!

So I slept for like 2 hours, cause I packed my last stuff and wrote in bye bye books or travel journal. We woke up at 2 am and we went to the travel office at 3.30 am. So early. Then on the airport it was only me who was going that direction and I was so early. Like 2 hours early. but I slept, wrote in my journal and I met a dad with his 2 sons (Mormons) who were going to Houston as well. Tender mercies. 

At the airport in Houston I met an elder who was going to Trinidad! Jeeh another tender mercy! Gotta love God. At the airport those people asked so many questions my gosh. I thought I was in school again, but I made it through. I was scared my suitcases wouldn't be there, but they were! Jeeh me. Made me happy. Then we finally got to meet president Egbert. He is awesome!

Tuesday we had orientation of how the mission is. This mission is really exact obedience oriented and the have 4 key lessons:

- God is our loving Heavenly Father

- Restoration
- Book of Mormon
- Atonement

After that you teach lesson 2-5. It's different.

So I was supposed to go to Suriname, but I'm stuck in Trinidad, because my MKV wasn't in my passport. So here I am. Doing missionary work in Trinidad till tomorrow. I will leave tomorrow. 

We have 12 new investigators!

So funny and weird things:

- We had a lesson with an investigator when his drunk friend joined us and asked why we weren't going to the bar to preach there.
- There is a guy who calls himself Happy and is ringtone is the song Happy.
- Bisshop almost forgot the sacrement.

Miracles:

- We had 1 pamflet and we wanted to give it away. So we prayed and we found someone! 
- So many lessons taught! 16!!! It's so crazy compared to Belgium!

Okay So for people with exams good luck!! @ Suetje and Esme! Happy Birthday!! I don't have  time to e-mail you right now I'm sorry!!

I'm learning a lot! I just need to get used to this mission. But I will get there. I pray a lot. I think of you! Love you all!

Lots of love,

Zuster Spijkerman