Mission Life Oh my Lanta #17

Maandag 19 juni 2017.

Hiiiii everyone!

So I'm in my new area and it's been truly amazing! I saw a lot of miracles. I love my new companion. We get along really well. We both want to work with the members more and we want to work really really hard. So we did. We were so tired everyday, but it felt so so so good. Voldoening is a good Dutch word. 

There is a truly amazing investigator here. She has met with the missionaries for a little bit over a month now, and she really wants to get married and she is soooo excited to get baptized!! She loves the temple. It is soo fun to go over there. The Spirit is really strong.

 We contacted a couple of cool people. We contacted a girl on the street. Zuster Barker started talking to her. Turns out she lived in a house they already contacted. If we hadn't meet her on the street, we would never have spoken to her. Her dad was not interested at all when they contacted her. But she was really interested. She already changed religion from Hindu into Christian, which is awesome.

 

Saturday was really awesome. We found out that we only had 1 investigator so far. So we decided to pray really hard that we would be able to find those who need the gospel. (obviously everyone needs it). So we started contacting. And there was a lady. her son passed away a year ago and her brother passed away like 2 days ago. So she was really sad. She started talking about how God gives her strength and we were able to testify of the Plan of Salvation. She thanked us. She said she knew God send us to her. We made a return appointment. It was really amazing. We continued and we were waiting at a house we klopten (you just yel ' klop klop' here and they will come..hopefully). Nobody opened. A boy told us there was nobody home. So I started talking to him and I asked him if he knew about God and Jesus Christ. He didn't really know. So I asked him if he wanted to learn more. And he said yes! He took us to his mom and we talked to her and set a return appointment. This day we had 5 new investigators. Answers to our prayers.

I started a book/journal about how God answered my prayers. It really helps me focus on the things God does for me. I want to share one experience. I was saying my nightly prayer and I told my Father that I really missed playing the piano. (I haven't played in weeks, cause the piano in Rainville was broken). When I heard I was getting transfered I thought of the chance I had to finally play the piano! But... Zuster Barker told me the piano didn't work. So I was sad and told heavenly Father that I was sad. I told Him that I would focus on the work more if I just could play for a little bit, but I knew it wasn't possible. So I also told Him that I would give up playing the piano if that was something He wanted me to do. I asked Him to give me strength to be diligent and work hard. And we worked really hard last week, as I was saying. Yesterday in church, I saw the piano. I was sad because I knew it didn't work. But then a brother plugged it in. And we were singing hymn 92 in Dutch (Ik weet dat mijn Verlosser leeft/I know that my Redeemer lives). And someone played the piano. IT WORKED! I almost started crying, because it was like God told me He saw how hard we worked last week. I will be able to play the piano. I didn't play it yet, but I will. It really was an answer to my prayer!

I'm reading in the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 16. And it's such a fun story to read! I love the book of Mormon! You should all read it! 

Well time's almost up! I will send you pics because I actually took some this week haha.

Love you all!! Mi lobi yu!

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission life # 16 TRANSFERS

Maandag, 12 Juni 2017

Okay people, crazy news first! I'm getting transferred to Kwatta, Tamecha! It's crazy!

I was so sure I would stay, since I've only been here for 5 weeks! Sister Bokai has been here for 6 transfers! And she is leaving as well. Crazy!!!

Okay I don't have a lot of time. Funny story of the day. So one of my spokes of my bike is broken. Or actually two are broken and 1 is out. I think water got into my tire or something. After grrocerie shopping it was flat, so we had to walk back.

It wasn't too far gelukkig. While we were walking  on the road we live onhahahah omg so funny. okay. A guy asks me if he can help me. Really nice toch? But but haha he was like oh are you an elder? I'm like, uuuhm a female version. And then he is like oh. Well maybe I can get your number so we can drink something together someday. I'm like no sorry I dont have a phone. We are sharing a phone. He is like, I like you. So I tell him I'm leaving haha. And I'm telling him I'm focussed on other things right now. It was awkward but funny haha. I'm so glad I don't have a phone for myself. It's really why God gave us companions.

Our investigator on date is not living with the lessactive so she can be baptized! She came to church! And she loves it! Also we had another investigator who is 10 in church. She is awesome. She cried during one of our lessons. AAand another investigator came to church for the first time! It was awesome!

During contacting, we said a prayer with someone, because I felt prompted to do so. Afterwards my companion told me she was thinking the same thing but she forgot. So it was awesome!

Our AC in our room is not working so we move our beds to the study room every day haha. #Sleepover

Okay I forgot what we did sorry! I will send you pics!! O my my, the sky here is GORGEOUS!

Oh btw!!!! Happy Fathersday!!!

Mission life #15 Zone conference and awesome things!

Maandag, 5 juni 2017
Sooo did I send you an email last week? I think I did, but I'm not sure, because I don't see an email in my sent mail.. soo let me know!

Soo this week we did a service project. It was kinda weird so we came there in our skirts. OMG SO DIRTY #vies. 

OMG on Wednesday, we had a lesson with a convert. She is so annoying I can't stand her. We are teaching the plan of salvation... She doesn't believe that Adam and Eve had to take from the forbidden fruit. She believes that they still could have children. She believes that if Adam and Eve didn't take of the fruit, that God would have another plan. And no, not that they would stay in a state of innocence, but that they still would have kids and stuff and that God would make it easier for them. But no that is not true! We even turned to the scriptures and read 2 Nephi 2:22. BUt she just sai ' No, I don't think so'. Well you believe in the Book of Mormon, right? Well, what's you problem? I was getting so annoyed so I didn't say anything. Today actually I read in Jesus the Christ and it's talking about the need of a Redeemer. If Adam and Eve did not partake of the fruit, there would've been no Christ. So. 

Fortunately, we visited another member. He is really old and he loves loves loves God (and missionaries). 'Yeah sistah, very nice toch'. Everybody says toch here (it's Dutch). During his prayer he uses his hands to express his feelings really funny.

Funny awkward story. On Thursday we visited an investigator, oma. She gave aus salto soup or something. No bami soup! Love love love it. She reads the book of mormon everyday and then when we are there she tells us what she learned. SHe even takes notes! Oma is the best! During prayers she always says ' yes, uhu'. But this time really loud. It was soooooop funny. I could not not laugh. So we all started laughing oops. It was funny. She laughed too. 

The same day hahahaha o mijn hemel. Sister Bokai's bike fell in the water, because our street was under water haha. Her kickstand is annoying, so she wanted to close the gate, and then her bike fell hahah so funny. 

Also, we had a lesson about the law of chastity with our investigator on baptismal date! She lives with a member. We are not sure if they really love eachother... so really awkward. We had a member present soo THANK YOU!

FRIDAY WAS ZONECONFERENCE! It was about temples. I learned a lot. Everything is in the scriptures! It was lifechanging. Last week or actualle 2 weeks I was a little bit struggling. I'm not sure with what, but I felt like I needed to change something. So after zone conference, I know what to do. I want to make my prayers more useful and meaningful, so I can get to know my Father in heaven better. And as a companionship, we want to be more obedient, by being on time. So yeah. I feel really good now! 

Saturday we started our fast, broke our fast, because an investigator made us food and we could not refuse and started our fast sunday after lunch with a member. Sunday evening. My gosh. We talked to a lady for 2,5 hours!! We didn't even know her. She was fun. Religion was not her thing anymore. But   we definitely planted a seed right there. So that was interesting.

 

Today we went to a member who made us ROTI. Da best. I love love love it. 

I loooove the Book of Mormon so much! I'm learning a lot! I just know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love the stories. I'm reading in it every day. I encourage all of you to do the same thing. 

I got to go, but I love you all!! Have a great week!! 

Lots of love,

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission Life # 14 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 M... 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 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!! Irma (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! Esmé, Debby, Jonathan, Mama, Papa, Opa, Oma, Borkàn, 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