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
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