Mission Life #56 LOVE

Maandag, 26 maart 2018

Goede middag iedereen!

How is everyone doing? I'm doing pretty good!

Nothing too crazy happened this week. Wednesday we were contacting and we contacted a former investigator I taught once when I was her last year. She was really sick. WE were able to say a prayer for her and she was crying. She felt our love, and especially God's love. 

Justin is doing great. He literally kicked his girlfriend out of bed, because they can't sleep in the same bed because of the law of Chastity. So he grabbed her leg and yeah. Kicked her out of bed haha. Goed zo. I love him so much! He came to church. He understands the Sabbath Day so well! He said that when we take of the sacrement it's a piece of respect. He comes to church to grab some happiness. He is amazing. A gift from God.

I have been struggling lately with my prayers. I feel I'm talking to no one. Have you ever felt like that before? So Sunday in sacrement, they said the sacrement prayer. ' Oh God, eeuwige Vader'. The Spirit testified to me that God is my ETERNAL FATHER. He will always love me. I could really feel His love.

I know God loves me. Because He loves me I love Him. I'm working on my prayers, by thinking more about what I want to tell my Father and by being silent after saying my prayer. If I get a prompting I write it down. That really helps me.

I know God needs me here. He has a plan for you too. His plan for me is to be here in Suriname, but it can be completely different for you. He knows you. Never forget that! In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lobi,
Zuster Spijkerman

pic: Me happy with new clothes from home 

Mission LIfe # 55 the true Church on earth

Maandag 19 maart 2018.

Goedemiddag!

I'm gonna keep it short this week, because I can't remember what happened haha. Of course Justin is what happened. We see him 3 or 4  times a week. All this information is a lot for him, but he knows it's true. We were in a lesson and someone came and he was like oh can I show him this pamphlet (it was a word of wisdom one). So he shared the gospel already. Goed zo! We saw him yesterday and somehow we invited him to write things down he reads and learns and he was like yeah I had that feeling today too. And he just cried. He felt the Spirit. The Spirit is with this man, he just doesn't really understand it yet. 

Wednesday was really hard day for me. I prayed a lot for charity that morning. I think Heavenly Father knew I had to focus on that. Well, I had no charity. I got so mad inside during our first lesson of the day. He just talked forever, wouldn't let us talk, but said he would listen. He preached to us from the Koran... I just didn't want to spend time on this guy. We got out of there in 45 minutes so that's good. I prayed a lot that day and focus on charity. I learned a really valuable lesson. We need charity, we need to listen, we need to understand people. When we understand them, we know what to say. We need the Spirit. I couldn't feel the Spirit, because I got mad. But we need the Spirit, because that's what converts people. The Spirit is together with the Book of Mormon your most powerful resource in conversion (Preach my gospel). 

We had an amazing lesson on Thursday night with this lovely family. We brought a member with us. She helped them understand the importance of prayer. The investigators are kind of hard. One of 'm is moslim, but not really. The other one used to believe in God, but isn't sure anymore. But she's studying the Book of Mormon and she said she prayed again for the first time in a really long time and she said it helped!

It's so awesome to see the small progress of these people. After the lesson the sister who came with us talked to us and told us this was a miracle to her. She asked the Lord to help her share the gospel. He gave her an opportunity and she couldn't accept the opportunity. I love her. It was an amazing spiritual lesson. The investigators even offered her a ride home! So sweet. 

And then... yesterday. Wow I'm smiling while writing this, because it makes me so happy.

We had a really spiritual lesson with a guy named Shaief. We talked about the First Vision. His uncle passed away, so he was kind of in a darkness. Just like Joseph Smith. He loved it. He asked a lot of questions. At the end he asked 'So, this is the true church?' And we just testified to him. And he asked what God's plan is. We answered briefly and testified again of the Restoration. Then he said 'I know it's true. Don't you think I believe you? God has already spoken to me.' It was so amazing! We invited him to pray. And he accepted. 

I know this church is true. It is the only true church. before my mission, I was kind off scared to claim this is the true church. But now... I want to tell everyone it is the true church. Justin told us he wants to go to all churches and tell them what they are missing. We have the fullness of the gospel. It is a great blessing. We can claim it and if we testify of it, the spirit can let the people know it really is the only true church. I love sharing the gospel. Joseph Smith is a prophet, so are all the prophets after him. I'm grateful for Joseph Smith. He has done so much for the salvation of man. I know these things are true and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love you all!!

Lobi,

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission Life #54 Hectiek

Maandag 12 maart 2018

Hi everyone! I have 10 minutes to tell you about the craziest week of my mission so far.

We went to Kwatta on Tuesday, because sister Jordan and I had to do visa stuff to be 100% legal. We got a phone call that the other sisters were in a car accident. Zr Woolsey was in the Emergency Room for something, all day. But she's alive! Nothing is broken or anything. It's a miracle. A lot of blood and stuff, but she came home the same day. She needs to rest a lot. But she's doing good.

We had interviews with mission president and we had zone conference! We talked  a lot about our desires. It was really good. We had Philippine food! It was good.

Ugly buses in Suriname 

We had an amazing lesson with a less active.  She's from Brasil. During planning we really felt like we should give her the 21 day challenge. And she was just like 'this is what I needed' and she came up with an idea to have Family Home Evening with another less active Brazilian and the recent convert of Parbo North. That would be so good. She asked us if we can help her with English, and then afterwards go to an appointment. She was just an answer to our prayers and concerns. It was just so amazing to see that she was an answer to our prayers and we were an answer to her prayers.

I know that God is with us during planning. I know that if we plan with the Spirit, we will have spiritual lessons. I'm grateful that God is there to help us every time we need him. I know he loves all of his children. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Justin and his bird. He told his bird to say cheese.

 

Mission LIf #53 Trinidad Mission Home/Office and more

Maandag 5 maart 2018

I have a lot to tell you all!  

I went to Trinidad on my birthday! It was so fun! We talked to Chinese people at the airport. It was a lot of fun. On of them took a picture of us, cause that's what they do. I'm kind a sad we didn't take a picture with him, oh well. His name was Bobbi. We talked about religion, but they aren't religious at all, because they didn't grew up with that. It was nice to talk them about God.

We arrived in the mission home. We had lunch and we helped sister Egbert preparing the food. Sister Jordan and I also played the piano and sang  primary hymns. Wow it was amazing. Sister Egbert loved it too haha. It was awesome. We met other zone leaders from all over the mission, which was a lot of fun. AND I SAW ZUSTER BARKER AGAIN. Wow I almost lost it. I missed her so much. We also met the STL's from Trinidad. They are both from Trinidad. I actually knew one of them. Remember I served in Trinidad for a week? She came out teaching with us a lot. And now she is a sister missionary. She is waiting for her companion to get her visa. She can't leave, because then her companion doesn't have a companion, because they are the only 2 sisters in Trinidad.

Tuesday night was so awesome. We reported and talked a lot about the concerns of our missionaries. It was so good. On Wednesday we had MLC all day long. It was so spiritual! I shared my experience of Justin. In the night we had a scripture study with all of us pretty much, because one of the elders had a question, so president answered it through the scriptures. I've never been so spiritually tired. It was really good though!

Friday was really rustig. We just ate and chatted with the other missionaries. WE also took a lot of pictures. Then it was time to go.  We came home at like 10:45 PM. So late. yeah. next morning we biked back to Rainville. It feeled good to bike again. Although not sweating for a couple days is nice too. I forgot that that is possible haha.

We had an amazing lesson with Justin. We put him on a baptismal date for April 7th! He cried the whole lesson. He feels the Spirit. He's kind of scared of that emotional feeling, but it's so awesome to see someone learning to recognize the Spirit. But he accepted to be baptized. We asked how he felt. Silence. We asked again a minute later. He said he felt good. YEASS. I was so happy. And then Sunday he came to church. I was so so so happy. I couldn't stop smiling when I saw him entering the church. He participated during the lessons. He loved it!

Although we had many spiritual experiences with Justin, I also want to share another spiritual experience. Last week we contacted a Hindu man. His wife was sitting behind him and she told us with hand gestures that we needed to talk to him, because she is Christian. It was really funny. 

Eventually she came too. We asked them if we could help them with anything and they asked us to pray for them. I never really know what they expected. But I offered a prayer and I really felt the Spirit and I felt like a representative of Jesus Christ. He helped the sick and afflicted, we did the same. And I trusted God that I wouldn't say anything against the Spirit (Just like Amulek in Alma 11:22 NL)

<https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/11.22?lang=nld&clang=nld>or ENG

<https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/11?lang=eng> read it it's good)

Last Friday we called her to set up an appointment and she told us that our prayer really worked. She said she knew God sent us and that the Lord answered our prayer. We had a lesson with them yesterday. She was just so happy with us.

I know I'm a disciple of Christ, but not only that, I'm a representative of Jesus Christ. I love Him with all my heart. I got a lot of spiritual promptings last week during MLC. I felt so much love for my mission. Being out a year makes me more grateful for the things I've learned so far and for the things I will learn. I'm so exited for this last part of my mission. I love my mission. Love is so important. Love is the very essence of the gospel. I know Christ lives. He gives us peace. He gives me peace. I want to testify of Him in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

I love you all!! Pray for Justin!

Lobi,

Zuster Spijkerman

Mission Life #52 Meisjes van Jezus Christus!!!

Maandag, 26 februari 2018

Goedemiddag!

WOW. This week was geweldig. Let met tell you all about it. No, I'll just tell you the highlights.

We were in Kwatta for a day, because sister Bokai left. Zuster Bokai is gone😭. I cried people. I cried. She was my trainer. She was my companion for 11 weeks, she will be my sister for live and we will be friends forever. although she lives in Kiribati an island in the pacific. I love her. God bless her.

But yeah, we were in Kwatta and we visited some people. Wow it's so good to see the progress and the change. I love Kwatta. Tuesday night the new sister came! Zuster Woolsey! She is part of the 4 sisters in Suriname!!! She is a miracle.

We went back to Rainville on Wednesday. Wow it's Rainville for a reason cause it RAINS. Zoveel. We had an awesome day though. Because.... JUSTIN. Have I told you about him? We found him at a store and he's looking for the truth.

We had three lessons with him and he studies the pamphlet and he loves it. He met with missionaries before, but he didn't understand the message. Now he's open and he takes it all in. We talked about the First Vision and we asked if he wanted that wisdom that Joseph Smith was looking for and received after praying. We looked at him. He didn't say anything, but his eyes got big, big smile and he nodded. Yes! He teared up. Such a tender moment. This man is looking for the truth just like Joseph Smith. We left and we decided to say a prayer of gratitude. We cried out of happiness and gratitude. God is groot.

He has a kid who calls us the meisjes van Jezus Christus. The girls of Jesus Christ. So cute. But it is true.

I know God leads us to those who need us. I know previous missionaries planted seeds. The field is white ready to harvest. We are harvesting right now. God is a God of miracles. He gives us the power and wisdom we need to teach these people so they will recognize us as servants of the Lord. His son calls us the girls of Jesus Christ. I feel more and more that I'm a representative of Jesus Christ. I'm a girl of Jesus haha. I love God with all my heart. I know He is a living God who is watching over us, over me. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Don't be scared to do good! I love you!

Lobi,

Zuster Spijkerman 

ps Yes I'm on my mission for a year
pps I'm going to Trinidad for MLC tomorrow #flying #TrinidadPortOfSpainMission.