Listening is Powerful, Walking in Groningen Means I Have Set Foot In Every City Grandpa Israelsen Served In! And Ik hou van jullie allemaal!!

Groningen

Why Hello There Wonderful Family that is Mine,

 

How are you guys doing?  I thought it was a little bit of a bummer this week because due to message sending failures, I was not able to read everyone's letters.  I hope that your weeks were exciting though.  Ours certainly was.  The work has begun to explode here in Apeldoorn, Sister Brophy and I don't know what to do with ourselves...sometimes we have so many appointments that we forget to schedule in lunch....until we get hungry and then take the time to eat.  It is crazy.  And a miracle to see the change that has come upon this place since I came here 5 months ago.  That is also crazy to say, can you believe that I was actually able to stay in an area for more than 3 months.  I never thought that was going to be the case.

 

We have had the priviledge to find many new investigators in the last two weeks and are teaching up a storm.  It is amazing to see how the Lord does His work.  Sometimes, we wonder why He waits for so long to let us see so much success when we feel as though we are working the same as we always have.  it is also amazing to be able to get to know the children of God that live here in the Netherlands.  These have been many people that I have had the priviledge to meet and to teach, but one cool guy that we found this last week is named Peter.  He is a man in his 60's and is super smart and knows a lot of random facts about the bible.  I loved the first appointment that we had with him because he felt the need to let us know everything that he knew.  Some of the things may or may not have been completely made up, but for the most part, he knows his stuff.  I always find myself a littlr frustrated after lessons where either the investigator or less-active memeber just talks most of the time, where they feel like they are the teachers.  But I learned a lesson this week.  Our first appointment with Peter, he had to share everything with us, he literally did not stop talking, except to be able to sip his coffee.  We were really annoyed, we laughed a little because of some of the things that were said, but were frustrated becaue we didn't feel like our time was spent in a good way.  We made another appointment because we felt that he needed to at least hear the Restoration, and this time, he sat there.  He listened and soaked in every piece of information that we were able to teach him.  We didn't understand what the change was that came over him, but we were able to teach him and he has become a really serious investigator.  What made the difference?  I didn't know for a while.

 

We also had an appointment with a less-active member this week.  It was the first time that we had met with her and the same thing happened.  She talked our ears off.  Mostly about really random things, but we let her talk.  We tried to teach a gospel principle, but she was just loving the opportunity to talk to someone and boy did she take advantage of that.  But, she asked us to come back at the end of the week to visit her again.  We did, even though we were again really frustrated about the fact that we were not able to teach anything.  She too, at our second appointment seemed to be hanging on our every word and is committed to trying to come back to church, to overcome her addictions again and get back on the path to eternal life.  What made the difference?

 

I have learned this week, that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.  These people that we have had the opportunity to work with, needed first someone that was willing to listen to them.  To love them and support them in the hard times they were having and just to have someone love them enough to give 45 minutes of their time to visit with them and listen to their story.  How important is it to learn how to listen?  We are taught to learn to listen to the spirit?  Why?  Why does that make a difference?  Is that any different than listening to the people around you that you love?  Should it be?  I have come to the conclusion this week that we need to work on both.  That the Spirit can speak to you as you focus on the needs that the person is telling you about.  The Spirit is able to help you and inspire you as you love the people that are around you.  How can you learn to listen to the people around you better?  Is there something in your life that you can change to be able to have that love in your life?

 

I went on an exchange this week to Groningen.  Grandpa, you can now be proud, I have set foot in every city that you served in and literally walked in your footsteps!!  Cool, huh?  But we had a blast.  Zuster Johnson and I had a really fun time up there.  I do have to say that I am super grateful that I was taught how to fix a flat tire as a child, Jake, that may be one thing that you want to freshen up on.  I hav met too many missionaries that have no idea how to do that.  Zuster Johnson saw it as inspiration that I was able to come and help her to fix her tire.  We were also able to meet with an amazing member family!!!  With Maartje and her kids.  We laughed so hard that we almost cried!!  It was a blast!!  If I had more time I would say I wanted to serve in Groningen!!  We also had a super huge miracle lesson.  We went langs de deuren and met this lady who said she only spoke spanish.  The only thing I know how to say was the name of the church....I could have maybe given her a swimming lesson.  But I said what I knew and she let us right in.  I think that she thought we spoke spanish.....but we had an interesting lesson where we were able to teach her the Restoration.  It was a miracle and she is now investigating.  I love being able to witness those sorts of miracles!!! 

 

I have learned that time is a precious thing.  Make sure that you enjoy the moment that you are in.  You won't get that moment back.  There is no use letting little things annoy you because once you do, you lose a moment to be happy, a moment to make a difference, a moment to be a missionary.

 

I hope that you all have a wonderful week!!!  And that you keep posting those two sentence testimonies on facebook and sending them to each other!!

 

Ik hou van jullie allemaal!!

 

Liefs,

Zuster Israelsen

Do I Keep Learning the Same Lesson, No Hot Water and Two Sentence Testimonies

HALLO MIJN GEWELDIGE FAMILIE!!!

 

Hello there!!  I can't even begin to tell you people how much I love you!!  That is something that I am very grateful for that I have gained on my mission, more love for you.  It is crazy to think that even though we are hours and miles away, that our family bond can grow even closer.  I guess that is the point of eternal families!!  It is never ending, even if you are far away.  The trick is learning how to be able to show our love whether or not we live in the same home or can only email once a week!! 

 

Mom, you sent me an email about Elder Nye last week.  And coincidentally this morning, I was able to welcome him into the mission via telephone.  I gave my good friend Elder Eastmond a call who has been in Eindhoven for a week and he lives in the same apartment as Elder Nye.  So that was pretty cool.  He told me to tell Aunt Kris hi. 

 

This week has been amazing.  However, just like always, nothing really happened to our plans.  We wanted to be able to meet and help our investigators who are preparing for baptism this week, but due to deaths in the family and spring trips somewhere else in the world, that ended up not being possible.  On Tuesday, we realized that this was going to be a long week of finding.  Which is sometimes fun!!  I learned a lot this week, sometimes I wonder if the Lord feels like He has to keep teaching me the same lessons because I always forget.  That is a problem that I think a lot of us have.  Even the people in the Book of Mormon have a really hard time remembering the spiritual experiences that they had and also the reason why they believe and why the gospel is important to them.  I am in the middle of the war chapters of the Book of Mormon, super fun I know.  I have been learning a lot actually.  I have been thinking a lot about how the Book of Mormon was written for our time and put together by a man who was given the ability to see what was going to happen in our times and what we would go through.  I would imagine that that would be a huge responsibility, one that I would want to do really well.  I imagine that I would carefully read the records that I had and would carefully find those that would be applicable to the people in the time to come.  I imagine that Mormon and Moroni did the same thing.  I think that every word, reguardless of if it is just talking about how people attacked one city or another, is applicable to us today.  (Maybe I should pay more attention to what happens in every city in the Book of Mormon and then things would make a little more sense when it comes to the war chapters)  But the story I would like to share with you today is the story of the Title of Liberty.  We all have spiritual experiences.  Many of us have been able to recognize them and realize why we really believe what we believe.  Why our families are impoartant to us.  Why we are here on this earth and why we want to learn and grow.  The people in the time of Captain Moroni had a hard time remembering what those were.  Many of the Nephites, the people who had made the covenants and had followed Christ, turned away and became the greatest enemies to the righteous.  And as Moroni sees this, he becomes so upset he rents his clothing.  He has been able to remember the way that he can always remember the things that he has been taught from our heavenly father and he finds a way that he can help those who are struggling to remember.  He makes the title of liberty.  What sorts of things make up your title of liberty?  Who do you fight for?  Can you remember those things when the time comes that battle begins? 

 

The battle began on Tuesday.  We ended district meeting and figured out that we had a long week of finding.  A battle that we had seen before in our lives here in Apeldoorn.  To be honest, we were not very happy, and even maybe a little grumpy.  We were tired of fighting this same battle. It felt like we were alone and that we were not able to do the work that the Lord expected of us.  I mean, he had given us two people who were ready for baptism and it felt as though we were not really worthy or able to take care of them in the way that the Lord expected of us. I am not exactly sure why, but the Lord decided to bless us right away that day.  The third door that we knocked we were let in.  We were able to teach a nice couple the Restoration and find two new investigators.  It was amazing to see that the Lord was really working in their lives.  They told us stories about how they have come across and been helped out by mormon missionaries three times in their lives and that those young men had really left an impression on them.  So when we came on the door they were super ready and excited to talk and get to know what it was that motivated those young men to be as nice as they were.  We were reminded that day that no effort is wasted.  I was able to write that on my title of liberty.  I was also reminded that the Lord never forgets His children and that He blesses His missionaries in His time.  Tuesday was maybe to help us remember.

 

Wednesday, yet another battle began that I have also faced in the past....we had no hot water....no warm water....just ice cold water.  We may or may not have actually rebelled and not taken a shower for a few days.  I was reminded of the sense of humor that the Lord has.  I was also reminded that He always provides people and things in our lives that are always there and willing to help in times of need, we just have to be ready to ask.  I was also reminded that the cold water here is extremely cold....:D

 

On Thursday, we headed out for yet another full day of finding.  I was reminded that morning in scripture study that just like Alma says, 'It is enough to know(maybe a horrible translation) that the state of the spirit between this life and the resurrection....' (Alma 42...I think)  It was enough for me to know that the Lord had blessd us on Tuesday.  That He had given us the fruit of our labor.  It was enough for me to know that no effort is wasted.  It was enough for me to know those things to be motivated to get out the door that day and really serve the people here in Apeldoorn.  We went the whole day with what seemed like little to no success, until that evening.  We were doing bell-ups....one of my least favorite activities of all times....but it was enough for me to know....:D   We went through a set of bell-ups and came across a man who was in the middle of a bible study with friends, after a few minutes of discussion, they invited us back to their next bible study.  We were a little schocked, but took it as a blessing.  We went back later in the week to their bible study, we were given a chance to preach our word.  We were fairly surprised, but taught the Restoration.  At the end of the meeting, we had two of those people come up to us and give us their number and ask us when we could teach them more.  I was reminded that the Lord does His work in His own way.  I was reminded of how grateful I was that I had done the work to learn the lessons so that I could be prepared to teach that group of people who were obviously very knowledgeable about the bible.  I was reminded of the spirit and how he is the guy that converts those whom we teach. 

 

It truly has been a week of battle, of wonders and of reminders.  Reminders that help me to know and strengthen my testimony.  At Stake Conference this weeked, President and Sister Robinson gave a talk about two sentence testimonies.  Short, but powerful experiences that we can share with people anywhere and anytime.  They are things that remind us of those things that we have learned and inspire others, like Captain Moroni did, to learn more and embrace their faith or even to develop faith in the first place.  They are super simple, but meaningful ways to help us and others, our own titles of liberty.  The first sentence is an experience.  An example of an experience in my week.  " The battle began on Tuesday.  We ended district meeting and figured out that we had a long week of finding.  A battle that we had seen before in our lives here in Apeldoorn.  To be honest, we were not very happy, and even maybe a little grumpy.  We were tired of fighting this same battle. It felt like we were alone and that we were not able to do the work that the Lord expected of us.  I mean, he had given us two people who were ready for baptism and it felt as though we were not really worthy or able to take care of them in the way that the Lord expected of us. I am not exactly sure why, but the Lord decided to bless us right away that day.  The third door that we knocked we were let in.  We were able to teach a nice couple the Restoration and find two new investigators.  It was amazing to see that the Lord was really working in their lives.  They told us stories about how they have come across and been helped out by mormon missionaries three times in their lives and that those young men had really left an impression on them.  So when we came on the door they were super ready and excited to talk and get to know what it was that motivated those young men to be as nice as they were." I could shorten this experience to this,'there have been times in my life that I have felt like I was going through trials that I didn't deserve, things that keep bugging me in my life and make me feel as though I am alone and not worth the time of others.'  The second sentence is the feelings and principle of the gospel that we used or saw in our lives that really helped us to get through those times.  Our testimony that the gospel actually works.  The testimony from my week,'  It was amazing to see that the Lord was really working in their lives.  They told us stories about how they have come across and been helped out by mormon missionaries three times in their lives and that those young men had really left an impression on them.  So when we came on the door they were super ready and excited to talk and get to know what it was that motivated those young men to be as nice as they were.  We were reminded that day that no effort is wasted.  I was able to write that on my title of liberty.  I was also reminded that the Lord never forgets His children and that He blesses His missionaries in His time.  Tuesday was maybe to help us remember.''  That is obviously also more than a sentence.  I can shorten that to be,"But by living the standards of the gospel and doing the things that I have been asked to do by the Lord, He blessed me and reminded me that I am not alone and that I am worth it.'

 

Two sentence testimonies can be our titles of liberty.  They can be something that a family member, friend or other needs in their life.  They are simple and easy to share.  Have you read a scripture this week that really helped you?  Have you seen a mormon message that you really liked because it reminded you of an expereince that you have had?  Have you read a talk that touched you or you think would be perfect for another family member who is struggling with that principle and you have no idea how to help?  How hard is it to click 'share' or to give a link on facebook and before you post it, put your two sentence testimony on there, as a title of liberty for those who are in need?  For yourself in the future?  Why wouldn't you do it?  I challenge each of you, whether you think you can or not, to try it.  Share a two sentence testimony online and see what kinds of friends you can gain in the battle against the Lamanites....or the battles that you face in oyur life. 

 

There was a time in my life that I felt lost, that I did not know what to do and could not find my way.  Through reading the Book of Mormon, I was able to find peace and direction that has helped me to become the person I am today.

 

I love you all!!  Don't forget to tell me about your experience with your two sentence testimony!!! 

 

Have a great week!!

 

Liefs,

Zuster Israelsen