Priceless Heritage of Hope

Aloha!

This week we saw one of our investigators op straat (in the street) totally randomly and got a chance to talk to him. We were a little worried because for about a week and a half after coming to church he hadn't maintained contact the ward member who was emailing. But we gave him a few pamphlets, which apparently he read, because yesterday we heard that he´d emailed again with a few more questions and said that he´d read them. Also, the fireside on Friday and Zone Conference on Saturday were both incredible. An Area 70 who lives in our mission, and his wife, came to speak. It was wonderful that the Spirit was so present. I learned so much and I hope that I can apply it in the coming weeks.

Our other investigator is getting closer to baptism, but isn´t quite there yet. He just needs to be reading more consistently in the Book of Mormon!

This week was hope week, and I actually learned a lot about the power of hope. One of the things that I learned is that even if you don´t have an overwhelming feeling of peace, optimism, and joy, you can still have an enduring hope for the future. Those things are definitely a part of hope, but there are times that things are hard and those feelings are not the first ones on your mind. However, part of hope too is staying positive during opposition, and having "faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will be fulfilled in the future" (PMG 117). While we do not always know what will happen, we do know that the Lord is in control and that He will take care of us. We can have "confidence and assurance that all things will work together for our good" (PMG 117). I´m so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the peace and hope that it brings.

I love you all! Stay strong!

Love,

Zuster Stevens

Voorwaarts, Christenstrijders! (Onward, Christian Soldiers)

Hallo!

Things are coming right along in Dordrecht! It´s starting to get warmer. Enjoy all your dry climates while you can, lucky duckies. On Wednesday we gave a lesson on the door to a cool man. We had given him a Book of Mormon during the original contact and told him to read Moroni 10:3-5. (Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.) When we went back, he had read it and he said that that was really what he needed to hear that week. We also were able to teach the whole Restoration to him right there and at the end he said that everything we had said seemed in harmony with what he believed and so he was excited to read more out of the Book of Mormon and learn more about our message. He´s a very sincere person and is really involved in helping others and while doing so trying to help them see the importance of Jesus Christ. We´ve got a follow-up appointment with him this week and we´re really excited.

Yesterday was Stake Conference, and we saw the satellite broadcast Stake Conference that they did for Europe. I really learned a lot, particularly from President Uchtdorf´s talk. He talked about testimonies and how we need to be constantly working on building them. We can´t stop at a certain point and think that we´re fine. We are all in danger of losing our testimonies if they´re not constantly growing. It applies to investigators and it applies to us. I´m so grateful for my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it changes people. I have seen it´s effects work miracles in my own life and the lives of those around me. It helps us be happier. I am so grateful that I know that I have a Savior who has redeemed me and who is also there to help and strengthen me in my trials. I have felt His help. I am grateful for my testimony that my family can be together forever. I can think of no greater blessing. I am grateful to know that God lives, and that He hears and answers prayers. I have seen the great joy and blessings and freedom that come from obedience. I am so grateful for my testimony.

I love you all and hope you´re doing well!

Love

Zuster Stevens

Kom, Volg Mij Na (Come, Follow Me)

Yesterday we had a super cool miracle. A few months ago this 18-year-old ordered a Book of Mormon and we took it over to him. He´d seen the church online. He set up an appointment with us, but it turns out his parents did not approve, so he called us and told us he couldn't meet, but that he would stay in contact via texting. A little while later he told us that he had some questions but that it would be easiest to email them. So we sent him the email address of one of our members. He apparently got busy with school or something, because we didn't hear anything for a month or so, and then he sent a long list of 7 very good questions about the Church and Church doctrine (we got a copy of them later from the member). The member is a returned missionary of a few years and super excited about missionary work. Then yesterday he came to church, with his mother! And they sat with the member who he had emailed and he said that he might come again! Also, on Tuesday we had a way cool lesson with this lady who just let us right in and is so sincere. She was very willing to set up another appointment with us.

One of the biggest miracles of all this week: one of our investigators has gone a week without coffee! That´s been one of his biggest struggles and it is incredible to see him doing it.

This week I learned a lot about how important it is to not judge others. Why is that so important? Because you hurt yourself spiritually. It´s harder for people to trust you when you are judging other people. Trust is a two-way thing and a lot of times people will trust you more as you trust them. It is so important to remember that we are all children of God, and He loves us very much. We all, every one of us, has sins and weaknesses. We´re all striving to get back to our Heavenly Father. And because God loves us so much, He has given us a Savior so that we can return to live with Him again. He has made it possible for every one of us. And because He loves us so much, repentance is available to all of us, no matter what we´ve done, when we finally decide that we are tired of living below our true potential, humble ourselves, and turn to Him. It is never too late so long as He says there is time. Because He loves us so much, He has promised us eternal happiness, but because that gift is so priceless, He asks a high price of us. He asks us to give up all of our sins for Him. But when we do so, we get more than we could ever imagine in return. It´s not that it´s not hard, because it is and always will be. But what it is most of all is worth it. And it is absolutely worth it. The Lord is intimately involved in the details of our lives. All flesh is in His hands. He knows what we need and when we need it. He loves us perfectly. These things I know.

I love you all! The gospel of Jesus Christ is true!

Wees Stil en Weet dat Ik God Ben (Be Still and Know that I Am God)

Groetjes! (Greetings!)

This whole week was a total miracle. First of all, zone conference was fantastic. It was one of the best zone conferences I have ever been in. I hope that I am able to apply what we learned, especially about raising our expectations. We've already been working hard on it! On Friday and Saturday we found 4 new investigators, bringing our total for the week to 6, which is the highest we've had it since I've come to Dordrecht. It really was a miracle how it all happened. On Monday we were able to schedule another lesson with someone who had met with us before but wanted to wait before setting up a follow-up appointment. Tuesday we taught a man we found 2-2-5ing a few weeks ago who is quite interested now. On Friday we had a lesson with a man that we found during Koningsdag, who we had actually at one point nearly given up on because a few of our appointments with him had already fallen through. And his cousin was also there, so we were able to teach her too and set up a new appointment with both of them. On Saturday one of the appointments we had scheduled fell through when we got there, but the lady's husband answered the door and we were actually able to have a pretty good lesson with him right there. Later he texted us thanking us for coming and for praying with him and said that he believed that we were sent from God. Then later that evening another appointment fell through, so we swung by a different potential who lived in the area and had a lesson with him on the door. We've been really busy, which is probably the best part.

Also, this 18-year-old kid who requested a Book of Mormon a month or two ago but whose parents didn't want us coming over emailed one of our members this week, as arranged, with a list of questions. They were really good questions too! He really is looking and sincere, which is cool.

Also, it's official. I'm extending to mid-October. Thanks for all of your support!

What I learned this week: "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God."--Doctrine and Covenants 101:16

The gospel is true and this is the Lord's work! The Atonement truly can heal us of everything and help us through everything.

I love you all!

Liefs, (Love)

Zuster Stevens

U Wil Ik Volgen, Heer (Lord, I Would Follow Thee)

Hallo!

So this is something I've been thinking about and thought I´d share with you all:

Doctrine and Covenants 3:1-3, the most important part being verse 3, "Remember, remember, that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men." Recently I read another talk where a little girl, after suffering a disappointment, says something to the effect of "Heavenly Father, I don´t want you to be my servant anymore. I just want to be yours." Sometimes I get frustrated or disappointed with myself or how the work in my area is progressing. It is easy to feel discouraged. But really, these kinds of thoughts are self-centered. If there is a work that can be and is being frustrated, than it is that of mortal people. So if the work I am doing is being frustrated, it is because I´m trying to do my work and not His. There are times that we experience different trials and heartache because He is out to purify us. There are often things in missionary work that just break our hearts: people not willing to just read and pray about the Book of Mormon, investigators that struggle with addictions or with specific commitments, new members who are having a hard time, inactive members who don´t realize what they are missing by staying away from the Church. This is eternal life! This is all of the happiness we can receive in the entire world. This is everything to me and can mean so much for these people. And it´s hard. But it´s supposed to be. It´s also worth it. No matter what the opposition is, it is the work of the Lord and He is doing it. And it is always, always worth it. I have been so happy on my mission. I am so happy right now. The Lord has blessed me so much. There are of course things that I need to change to make myself a more effective servant of the Lord. But we need never fear or grow discouraged. This work is true. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true. And I´m so grateful for that.

Probably one of the biggest miracles we've been seeing this week is how much our investigator has been progressing. We actually loaned him an extra copy of Preach My Gospel that we had in our apartment and during some of the lessons we have him prepare to teach us the lesson. It´s been working really well. He´s finally making a lot more progress with quitting coffee and he has a baptismal date again. It is truly remarkable to see the change in him. He is a different person than he was 3 months ago, and it´s not just the knowledge that he has gained. He has become someone who feels spiritual things. It is a miracle.

Life is good. I love the gospel, I love my Heavenly Father and Savior, and I love all of you. Have a great week!

Sunshine in the Soul

Some of our biggest miracles came in the form of new investigators. We met a lady on Koningsdag who we had a lesson with this week. She is really interested in learning more and is very open. She also seems pretty committed to doing things to find her answers, which is cool. She has gone to lots of churches in the past and already has a lot of faith. Also this week we had a first lesson with a former investigator who was super positive and then just ended up getting really busy with work and then confused by things he heard from other people and other religions. But he´s also really open and committed to learning more.

Then we also had a few miracles with progressing investigators. One of the women we´ve been teaching is Russian, and so there is a tricky language barrier. But this week one of our members (who is also Russian) was able to come with us and that helped a lot. And another lady we started teaching last week, is turning out to be pretty positive. When we first met her she didn´t seem very interested, but during our last appointment she had already started reading the Book of Mormon and seems to understand that this is important. 

Also, our investigator closest to baptism is finally making progress stopping drinking coffee!

Rainy week in terms of weather, but there is always sunshine in the soul.

One of the things that I´ve been thinking about lately is about how Heavenly Father calls us to certain things or gives us certain trials or experiences in life to help us in our quest to become more like Him. Knowing is important. Doing is important. But becoming is the most important of all. That´s what the gospel and the Atonement are all about. The gospel changes us into something better. When we have faith in Jesus Christ, then we repent and change. We make covenants and start over fresh with baptism and by partaking of the sacrament. And we receive the Holy Ghost to sanctify us and help us on our journey home. Everything in life is made better through the gospel of Jesus Christ and through His Atonement. Some people think that they can do without, that faith isn´t that important. But it´s not true. This is everything. This is eternal life. This is enduring peace, happiness, and hope. This is answers to all the questions we have about life, both this one and the next one. I have found more joy in this than in anything else in the world, and it adds to all the joy I find in other things. I just want other people to be able to find that joy too. People ask us why we emphasize the Book of Mormon so much. It´s because reading it and praying about it have opened so much happiness to me. Why wouldn´t I want to share that with other people? Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

Love,

Zuster Stevens

Worth It

By far the highlight of this week was going to the temple. I love going to the temple so much, it is unbelievable how much I missed that the last 6 months. It always gives me such a new perspective on life and everything. One of our biggest goals for all these people is that they eventually be able to go to the temple as well. There is so much peace and joy there. I want everyone to be able to experience that.
We had a couple other cool miracles this week too. We had two unexpected lessons--one was with a potential who had not seemed very positive but who said we could come back. So we went back this week and she just let us in! At first she seemed sort of hesitant, but by the end of the lesson she was interested in learning more. The next evening we were just finding in a neighborhood after another potential wasn't home, and someone just let us up. The people living in the apartment turned out to not be too interested, but they had a neighbor over and he asked us good questions that led into the Restoration, and wants to meet with us again. It was neat because he said that he´d been living in that apartment for awhile and no one had ever come by to talk about religion before us. And then we belled his neighbor while he was there. He said that he doesn't believe in coincidence. Me neither--toeval bestaat niet! [there are no coincidences]

One of the things that I learned this week is that what we do and accomplish is not as important as what we become. Sometimes we wish that we had all the answers before we started a job or a calling (or a mission). Then we would have been the whole time the person that we wanted to be at the beginning, instead of learning it and becoming it and then only having a bit of time at the end to be that before it´s time for us to move on. But that defeats the purpose! If Heavenly Father wanted us to do everything right the first time, then we would have come with more experience. But He wants us to learn and grow from it.

Love,

Zuster Stevens

Picture is worth a thousand words: Keukenhof

[Keukenhof, in Lisse, also known as the Garden of Europe, is the world's second largest flower garden.]