Mission Life #44 Spiritual highs and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Woensdag 3 januari 2018

Hallooo luitjes!!!

 THIS WEEK WAS AMAZING. We had a lot of spiritual lessons. All we do here is teach. We had 9 appointments on Friday (5 got cancelled), but o well. 

On Saturday we attended a baptism of the elders. Last week one of their investigators told them that he wanted to get baptized, so he got baptized last Saturday. It was one of the most spiritual baptismal services I've ever attended. He is always kinda shy and doesn't say much, but when he bore his testimony he just teared up. The Spirit was so strong. I felt so good afterwards. 

Sunday we had to be inside at 6 pm because of the fireworks. We just went to bed at 10.30 pm and zuster Bokai woke me up at 12:00. I was sleeping boy. But the fireworks were really pretty! Not as crazy as in the Netherlands, but still a lot. 

Yesterday we had a fun family home evening with the C.family. We played the game where you can't show your teeth and you have to say the fruit you are and then the of someone else's. It was soooo funny. Ik heb in een lange tijd niet zo hard gelachen. They are like family. It's amazing. 

I want to share one of the spiritual experiences I had. 

We had one appointment with D. on Friday. We went over and we had an amazing Book of Mormon lesson. She really wanted to know at the end of the lesson if the Book is true. So she told us that she will definitely pray and read. Yesterday we went over again and we followed up on her reading. We had given her 3 Nephi 11 to read, ut she only read like 2 verses. Well, better then nothing. But she kept saying that she read a lot. So apparently she read from the beginning (witnesses and stuff) up till 1 Nephi 2. She was able to tell us the whole story of Joseph Smith and Moroni. She said that she was able to understand the Book of Mormon, because she prayed for understanding. We asked her what she learned from the Book so far and she said that she learned that Joseph truly saw God the Father. We also asked her how she felt while reading and she said she felt relieved. She felt God's power. It was amazing. And then we invited her to church. We've invited her multiple times, but she always says that she already goes to her church. But this time she totally accepted the invitation. I think because

her testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon is growing. 

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I just read Jacob 3:1-2. One of my favorite scriptures. I know that if we are pure of heart, we will feast upon his love forever. I love my God. I know He loves me. I know He loves you. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Liefs,

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission Life #43 HoHoHo

Woensdag 27 december 2017 Kwatta.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! 

I hope you had a wonderful christmas! 

Hi everyone! 

This is gonna be a short email, because not much happened. My companion got sick. We picked up my package. I got sick as well. So we stayed in a lot. BORING. Oh well. I want to share a spiritual experience I had on Sunday. 

I didn't feel good at all last Sunday, but God gave me strength to go to church for the full three hours. Then we stayed in and we only had one appointment planned, so I really wanted to go there, although I didn't feel good. I just knew we had to go out. And we did. We went to D., one of the member's grandson. He told us that he was in a huge argument with his dad and grandma. He cried during our lesson. I just knew that we were there at the right time to help him feel comforted. 

God gave me the strength. It's an amazing when you turn outwards in stead of inwards. When we focus on others, we start to feel better. 

Chrismtas is the perfect time of the year to turn outwards. The people here are so generous with their food. Monday we had a lunch with all the missionaries from Suriname. Then we went skyping. Afterwards they gave us food. Then we went to 3 other members. SO MUCH FOOD. But they turned outwards which is awesome. 

I'm so grateful to be on a mission. 

It's kinda hard to be away from home during the holidays, but I want to share something I learned about celebrating Christmas. Yes, we celebrate the birth of Christ. But what does that mean? It means that we celebrate that He lives! I'm so grateful that he gave his life for us. He resurrected. I know He lives. 

I love you all! And be save with New Years Eve!! Fijne jaarwisseling!

Oh and I will be emailing next Tuesday probably!

Lobi,

Zuster Spijkerman

Kerstpakket van thuis voor ons allemaal

Mission Life #42 weeks and counting

Maandag 18 december 2017

Okay so oh wait HI! Yeah hi. Okay continue. So last time I told you that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas apparently. There is still no snow here. But!! We had a baptism! A White Christmas! So I agree, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go. Especially in our mission. 

As mission we had a goal of 245 baptisms, but we are on 259 now I think! So woehoe. Everywhere you go in this mission, you'll have a white Christmas. For example to Curacao! How are you Sue Haina?? Crazy that you are in my mission boundaries! Have fun!

ai ai ai I forgot to put my nametag on last week. I felt so naked!!!! Aaah. Gelukkig our appointment fell through so I could grab my nametag. 

I went on exchanges on Friday with sister Baker, who is going home in 3 weeks! Knetter de crazy! It was a fun exchange. We had a really good lesson with someone about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We invited her to be baptized on February 3rd and she totally accepted. She met with missionaries like 25 years ago and she was scared of water, that's why she didn't get baptized. Or like she said : Ik was gewoon nog niet ready. So that's she wants to be baptized is a miracle! She even told us that she wanted to ask if she can be baptized next year! Wow wonderen zijn de wereld nog niet uit hoor!.

I see miracles everyday. Prayer is a miracle especially when you see your prayers being answered. I want to testify of prayer. I decided to put my planner next to my bed, so I can write impressions down after I said my nightly prayer. It's been really amazing. Last Thursday I prayed and I felt like I could work on talking to everyone. So the next day we had two hours of contacting in the morning. We were klopping on this house but nobody opened the door. I saw a lady coming and I was vastbesloten (determined?) to talk to her. We started talking to her and she was amazing! She was super interested. I know that God prepared me by telling me that I should talk to everyone. We haven't met with her yet, but we are really excited about it! 

My spiritual highlight was definitely Saturday and Sunday when the C.family got baptized and confirmed. They were so happy! I felt the Spirit very strongly. It's amazing to see God's children coming closer to Him. 

I'm grateful that I can be an instrument in God's hands to help people come closer to Him and closer to His Son Jesus Christ. He is the Gift. He is the Life. I know He lives! I'm grateful for everything He has done for me. I hope you all think of the matchless gift of the divine Son. Think of Him. Every day. Especially during this time of the year. It's truly the most wonderful time of the year. I wish you all a merry Christmas! I love you all! 

Lobi,

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission Life #41 Hallo hallo

Woensdag 13 december 2017 Kwatta

Hi everyone! 

Apparently it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It doesn't feel like that at all. Although I was cold a couple times last week! So this was a long week, so it's hard to remember everything. 

But we had a lot of spiritual experiences. Last Thursday sister Watkins came up with the idea to bring A. (our investigator who wants to be baptized so bad, but lives with her boyfriend) to a lesson with an investigator. I wasn't sure about it, but we gave it a try. IT WAS AMAZING. Sometimes God gives you weird ideas, but good ideas. It was so good, because our investigator opened up, which he had not really done yet. It was so good. 

Everyone cancelled Friday night.It's not save to contact in the night, so we called a lot of people. No one was available. But it wasn't dark yet. We said a prayer to ask Heavenly Father for help and guidance. We felt like we should go outside. So that's what we did. We talked to our neighbor. Finally know his name! We offered help and he was so surprised. We made an appointment to help him clean his yard. Then we wanted to go to a members house to ask them something, and on our way we saw one of our investigators (actually I hadn't met her yet). But we were able to talk to her and make an appointment as well. 

Then we were at the members house (they're kids). Weren't home. But their sister was home. We didn't even know they had a sister. So we talked to her. It was so good! Truly guided by God and the Holy Ghost. Someone from the Ca. family was in the hospital for like a week or more. We weren't sure if he was able to be baptized this Saturday. But then we came to their house to teach a lesson and he was there! Everything is good! 

This family had their baptismal interviews. We were there to support them. And one of them came back from their interviews and said that he was so happy, he could not stop smiling. We asked him why and he said he just talked to the elder and they said a prayer. And that he's gonna be baptized. So awesome. They are so ready. 5 baptisms this week people!! Whoo. not to boast. I boast in my God (Alma 26:12). 

Later that night we had the farewell devotional for elder and sister Crawford (senior couple). It was so fun. I try to upload a video but the computer is slow. 

Monday was zone conference. It was so good! We had a lot of candy because it's almost Christmas. Also we got a temple recommend holder of our mission! so cool. Tuesday we had interviews. 

I want to tell a story I told my mission president:

Yesterday in my personal study Iread 2 Nephi 16:8. I wrote down the last line in my planner. Here am I send me. I am here. I was send here to help these people. So I told my Father to send me to the people who need me today. That reminded me of the talk in General Conference. Who needs me today? So we went to our first appointment. Our investigator was sick. We said a prayer with her and offered help. She really needed our help that day So we helped her making some food. It was an answer to my prayer, because of that my testimony of prayer grew. Every time I pray I just feel so connected with Heavenly Father. I feel good, happy and excited. Excited to do his work. I pary as often as I can. Even during lessons I ask the Father to help the investigator/friend answet teh question and it helps so much!

I know He hears me! And I am so grateful for that, because I cannot do this, His work, without Him!

I know this church is true! Love you all!!!

Lobi,

zuster Spijkerman

Mission life #40 Ayo Bonaire hallo Suriname

Maandag 4 december 2017

Okay I have 5 minutes.

I arrived safely eventually after 12 hours. Getting up at 5, be at the airport at 6 am and be at the airport in Suriname at 7:30. I was home at like 9.30 pm. long day. But its' good to be back. 

We have a family who's getting baptized the 16th! They are awesome. Friday night our ifriend N. called. We had dinner a little bit earlier than we orginally had planned, but we needed to go to the bathroom and decided to just have dinner then. So he called us and told us he read the Restoration pamphlet and he wants to hear more of God's word. He asked us if we were in the neighborhood so we could talk about God's word. We had time, because we had dinner earlier than planned. We went to his house and taught the Book of Mormon. It was so spiritual. He was so excited about the Book of Mormon! He said he read about that in the pamphlet. He pretty much asked for one. When we invited him to read 3 Nephi 11, he said he would read it Saturday and Monday again, so he can be prepared for our lesson. Isn't that amazing! That was a miracle to me!

Awkward moment: 

I had to call an elder and his voice sounded like a voicemail so I hung up, but it wasn't the voicemail :-) Next week is zoneconference, in Suriname, no not Curacao helaas. I will be emailing on Tuesday. I have 2 comps. We teach in unity 

Okay I will send pics. 

Lobi!

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission Life #39 Ga fietsen

Maandag 27 november 2017 Bonaire

Hola!!

This week was really interesting! My bike broke a bijillion times. Almost every day. So we spent a lot of time fixing that. But we had some awesome lessons! 

Our friend R. finally listened to us! Which is good. We also had a good lesson with a guy named C.. He remembered a lot from last lesson! Priesthood and apostasy, everything. I can learn a lot from him. We talked about the first vision and what we can learn of that. It was awesome. We also had a good lesson with our friend M. The 40 year-old man, who acts like he's 18 and talks way too much and way too fast. But we had a 'short' lesson with him and he listened! Really good! He makes me laugh. I'm gonna miss him. 

We sang in sacrament meeting yesterday. 'I'll go where you want me to go'. It almost made me cry, because I never stay longer than 3 months (2 transfers). Sometimes I just want to stay. But I want to go where He wants me to go. I want to say what He wants me to say. The Spirit was really strong. 

I want to bear my testimony of Joseph Smith. I know he saw God and Jesus Christ. I love teaching the first vision. I learn a lot from our investigators. C.said that Joseph Smith was really close with God and Jesus Christ. And he was! He saw them with his eyes. I know he saw them. Because he saw them, we know that they are two separate beings with a body of flesh and bones.

 I'm glad that I have this knowledge, because it gives me a direction and a purpose. Because God has a body, I have a body. Sister Jordan asked me the other day why it matters to my to know that I'm a child of God.

I didn't know what to say. Eventually I said, that because I know that, I have a purpose. I know what my potential is. My goal is to become like God. And through Joseph Smith we know more of God and his Son. I know that Jesus is the living Christ. Sister Jordan and I had a goal to memorize the living Christ, and we did. I love the last sentence. It says "God be thanked for the matchless gift of his divine Son." It is a gift. He is a gift. And we have to receive the gift. Every day we have the chance to accept the gift. I know he lives! In the name of my Savior Jesus Christ, amen.

Love you all!

AYO

Zuster Spijkerman