Spiritual Experiences, Transfers and Football!

Hello there my WONDERFUL FAMILY!!!

I love hearing about everyones lives!!  It is so crazy to hear about how many people are going on missions!!  Good luck Bobby!!!  You are going to be an amazing sister!!!  The people don't understand what they have in store!! 

I love each and every one of you.  It is weird, because you know that you love your family and you know that your whole life, but you really realize it when you are on a mission.  You have so many cool spiritual experiences and you just want to share them with your family and the people that you love!!

Dad, you asked me to share the most spiritual experiences that I have had over the last two months.  I think that is the hardest question that anyone could have ever asked me....but I will name a few.

1. About two months ago, Isaac was investigating the church and we had a lesson with him.  I can't remember what we taught him in the lesson, I just remember when we taught him how to pray.  He said his first prayer with us in the middle of the relief society room in Turnhout.  It was the most simple and yet the most sincere prayer I have ever heard.  The spirit was super strong but the coolest part was that he felt it.  We all had a spiritual confirmation that Joseph Smith was a prophet that night.  It was the coolest thing ever. 

2. This last week, I have been trying more to rely less on myself and what I know I can do and rely more on the Lord.  Three seperate times, Sister Thorley and I had 15 minutes here or there where we needed to know where to go.  We decided to say a prayer on the street and ask the Lord.  And three seperate times numbers popped into my head.  To be honest, at first I thought it was crazy and that there was no way that there would be someone in number 25 that wanted to hear the gospel, but there was Phun.  Then the second time, there is no way that the person in number 45 would want to hear the gospel.  Walid and his roommate have an appointment with us this week.  And the family in number 108, no way.  And yet a third time it was true.  My testimony that the Lord leads His missionaries when they turn to Him and seek for His help, I gained it.  This week was a week of miracles.

3. In Turnhout, in the middle of a park, we met an investigator who has had problems with the word of wisdom his entire life.  That day I knew that what I was saying was something that I would never have said in my entire life.  And that the Lord was putting words into my mouth simply because I was opening it.  Vahid is now on the track to be baptized.  He heard the words that were meant specifically for him and felt the spirit.

4.  About two weeks ago, I got to sing in sacrament.  I felt the spirit so strongly mostly because I knew that the voice that was coming out should not have been as powerful or as nicely defined because I haven't been able to practice.  But the most important part was being able to see the change that came over the people as they were listening.  They were able to feel the spirit and they were able to see a change.

Really what I have learned is that the most spiritual experiences I have had on my mission is when the Lord has used me, has let me be an instrument in His hands to be able to touch the lives of others.  My testimony of missionary work and the love that the Lord has for each and every one of His children is there now.  I know that He loves us.  I know that He is there for us and I know that he wants us to succeed. 

I have also come to learn that as we follow the keys of the leaders in our area, that we gain more success.  We become the people that the Lord wants us to become.  I have thought back a lot on what I have done with the information from general conference in the past.  I used to think that it was nice....but there is information to apply in our lives there.  Everything that the stake president, or bishop or other leaders in the church ask us to do is inspired.  It is much like when we ask our investigators to do things  We ask people to change and apply things into their lives.  If we aren't willing to do that also, then we are not continually becoming converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have learned that as we have been asked to follow the stake plans that have been given to us by the stake presidents.  We have started to really follow the mission plan very closely as a companionship and we are starting to see a lot of real success. 

I am so grateful for my mission and that I get to get up and serve the people of the Netherlands and Belgium every day.  I would never trade this for the world.  I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained thus far and cannot wait for the time to come!!

Also, it is transfers this week.  Sister Thorley is going to Amsterdam and my new companion is Sister Andersen....I don't know anything about her.  But she should be pretty cool.

I love you guys so much!!

I miss you and hope that you have a great thanksgiving!!  We had a turkey bowl today and I totally kicked some elders butts playing football :D

ik hou van jullie allemaal!!

Liefs,

Zuster Israelsen