Found Grandpa's Writing in a Book! Another New Area, Vlaams Accent, And Back on a Bike Again!

Hello My Wonderful family!!

I have to warn you.  If anything is weird on this email, please don't judge me.  I have just returned to the normal american keyboard and it is giving me a run for my money.  I am having a harder time than I thought I would.  

Anyway, I am missing Belgium a lot.  I never thought that I would.  There were many times I just thouht, 'well, if I was in Nederland' and now I am back and the only thing I want in the world is to go back there.  Mom and Dad, if you guys pull out on this picking me up thing I am going to be seriously upset because otherwise, I am never going to get back there.

My last day in Belgium, we had our district meeting in Genk.  I got to see both of my Belgium cities for the last time on Tuesday!!  I loved having Elder Chantry as my district leader!!  District meetings were always super opbouwend and we always had great conversations.  This week we talked a lot about diligence.  I am sorry to say that I really needed that talk.  It seems to be so hard for me to move on at transfers.  Especially for the last two areas.  Being the first sisters in the area is always super fun, but also, I have been able to see people prepare for baptism and get ready to make that covenant but I dont get to see them take the last step.  I think that is super hard for me.  It has been a long time since I have been able to see that, but I am glad for Kambala(in Genk) and Issac(in Turnhout) they are rocking it and are going to be great members of the church.

My last meeting with Isaac was on Tuesday night.  We taught him about the priesthood.  That man is going to be an Aaronic priesthood holder in three weeks.  He is really scared but also excited.  I am so excited for him.  The look that investigators get in their eyes when they learn more truth and they are feeling the spirit, nothing can compare to that.  I will never forget the people I have had the opportunity to teach!!  

I love the new area I am in, I mean...it's no Belgium, but it is still cool.  I am serving in Deventer which is a part of the Apeldoorn ward.  There are four elders that serve in our ward and us two sisters, there is also a senior couple that takes care of the JoVo centrum here!!  It is super fun!!

My new companion is sister Thorley.  She is also from Linden Utah.  She went to the same school as Sister Packer and Sister Clement.  She is studying film at BYU(don't worry, she already knows that that is the wrong school) She is the second of four.  She is super funny and is a super hard worker.  She is on transfer three so we are still working on Dutch, but I have never seen anyone understand maps and how to get around better than this girl, I am glad she is my companion because we never get lost!!

Well, life is kind of interesting here right now.  The city was just opened 12 weeks ago...and there are literally no investigators.  So....it feels like I am starting over again.  We have spent the last three days contacting people on the street and have found a total of 3 potentials.  It's rough.  And people keep looking at me like I am crazy.  I asked the bishop after I gave my testimony in church on sunday why everyone is avoiding me and looking at me funny.  He said it's because I speak with a Vlaams accent and I use vlemish words. They think I am belgian.....it is not cool.  The Dutch people have a hekel for Belgians.  Anyway, to make the situation a little more awkward, the building is being remodeled in Apeldoorn so we are meeting aith the Amersfoort ward.  Guess who has no idea who is a member of the ward she is serving in and who is not?  This girl right here.  The only time that I am able to get to know people in the ward is when they invite us over for dinner, and because there are 6 missionaries, I am not sure how often that is going to be.  But that is ok.....the Lord will give me a way to be able to get to know the people here.  

One family I met, is the Vreven familie.  They are super cool and the coolest part is that he has written a book about the history of the church in the Netherlands and Grandpa is in it!!  He is in it!!!  They have a whole section about the floods in Nederland, and the article that grandpa wrote, except translated in Dutch, is in there!!  I requested a copy!!

Also, I am back in the bike again....guys, I never knew how out of shape I was....It is sad.  Apparently the Belgian waffles were really not a good thing for my life.  But now that I am back in the Netherlands, the story is the same.  They sent me back right at the beginning of Olliebollen and stroop waffel season.  I may be three sizes bigger when this is all said and done!!  

I am really excited for the work that the Lord has for me here in Deventer, I hope that I am able to live up to His expectations and be able to be the missionary that He expects me to be.  

We get to go to the temple this week!!  Tomorrow actually!!  I am super excited about that!!  It has been so long since the last time I was able to go!!  

I am praying for everyone back home. I love you guys!!  Please take care of everyone for me!!  Don't do anything too crazy, everyone needs to make it for just a few more months at least so that I can give everyone a great big bear hug!!

Ik hou van jullie!!  Tot volgende week!!

Liefs,

Zuster Israelsen

Nothing is to Hard for the Lord, Halloween in the Netherlands Too, Deventer, Nederland Transfer Just in Time for Olliebollen Season!

HELLO FAMILY!!!!

Oh my goodness, it has been such a good week and it has gone by so very fast it isn't even funny!! We have done a lot of work here in Turnhout and we are really enjoying it. The Lord has blessed us and blessed us more than we desearve this last week. We had a ton of success!!

It sounds like everyone back at home is busy and maybe going a little bit crazy!! Elizabeth, I hope that you feel better!! It is no fun to be sick. Rachel, don't stress too much about your play!! I am sure that you are going to be great!! Dad, don't work too hard....ok? Mom, I hope that you have a more restful week planned this week. It sounds like a lot of stress for one week!! Jake, Don't go crazy about midterms!!

Guys, Isaac is going to be baptized!!! I am so excited!! He had an interview with the Branch president and they set an exact day and time. The guy is so cool!! I am so blessed to be able to teach him!! He came from no Christian background to making the decision to be baptized. Now that is faith. I hope that someday I can develop faith like his because it is super cool to see and his faith can move mountains!!! So two weeks everyone!!

Oh, one cool thing that I started doing two or so transfers ago was writing down one thing everyday that I learn from someone specific in my area or someone I am working with. It is probably the coolest thing that is in my journal. Acutally, the reason I am talking about it is because I read through it this morning. It is super awesome!! And you remember why you love certain people so much!!

We have met a lot of interesting people this week on the street. Apparently, the celebrate Halloween here too. Well, we have met a lot of people dressed up like witches and other scary objects, people dancing in the middle of the street in costume, and other weird things. The weirdest thing though, was that we tried to talk to someone who looked normal on the street. She didn't look very happy, so we tried to cheer her up. We asked her about her religion....guys.....she is a witch. Like, that is what she believes in....and the reason she was unhappy was because of the witches dancing through the streets.....it was just weird.

We had a super cool district meeting this week!! We talked about the stuff that President talked about during Zone Conference. We in the mission are going through a Total Mind Shift. We are following steps that President has given us so that we can become better missionaries and more effective here in Belgium and the Netherlands. The steps are:
1Realize that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
2 The Silver Bullet is the Holy Ghost.
3 Find-Teach-Baptize
4 Ask the Lord to Give me success
5 Know that the Field is White
6 Set Spiritual Goals.

I love these steps and I see the blessings that have been coming here in turnhout because of them. We have been working really hard to set spiritual goals daily for our numbers and the Lord blessed us with 4 new investigators this week!! None of them were the people or potentials that we thought they would be. They were actually all brought to us by other investigators. I love that!! I love being able to see the love that our investigators gain from the gospel and of the gospel that they want to share it with others!! Isn't that how we as members should be? I need to be better at that when I get home!!

We have had another week full of super member presence!! Mom, this is something I want to do the entire time I am home for the summer!! The progress you see in your investigators when they get to spend an evening in the home of a member is just miraculous!! I am so grateful for the members here who are so missionary minded!!

Ok....so.....I have some kind of good news but news that is also a little bit of a bummer.

We got transfer calls this morning....And I have been transferred to Deventer, Nederland. This is a bummer because we have two baptisms here in Turnhout in the next three weeks. I am really bummed about that. I haven't been able to see a baptism of someone I have taught since Ans Jansen in Den Haag. But I am hoping that life in Deventer will prove to be swell.

My new companion will be Sister Thorley. I don't really know a lot about the city or anything. I just know I have to get up there on Wednesday. I am excited to be back up in the Netherlands for olliebollen season though. I was getting a little bit worried.

It seems like the Lord doesn't want to keep me in an area for more than two transfers. I am not really sure why....but maybe that will be different these last 4.

I love you all and I miss you a lot!! I am really excited for this transfer because I get to go to the temple!! It seems like it has been forever!!

Don't go to crazy by being too busy!!
Ik hou van jullie!!
Liefs,
Zuster Israelsen

Antwerpen for Conference, Government Certificate Says I am a good member of the church cleared and ready to preach, and WOW! Its been a year!

Hey Family!!

I just love getting emails from everyone!!  I love being able to see and hear about everyone and how their testimonies are growing!!  I loved, loved, LOVED conference!!  We were only able to see three sessions because the last session is broadcast over here from 10 to 12 pm....so after my bedtime!!  But I loved all of the talks that I was able to hear.  I am so glad that everyone had the opportunity to be able to go to the conference center.  I know that at the MTC whenever there was an apostle present, you could just feel the spirit that they brought and you knew right then and there that they were called of God.  I can't imagine what it would feel like to sit in a room with all of them at the same time!!

I think that my favorite part of conference was how much everyone emphasized how important it is for the missionaries and the members to work together.  We are all a team out here.  On my certificate thingy that I have from the prophet that lets the government know that I am ok to be here.  It says that I am a good member of the church cleared and ready to preach.  That is what everyone is.  I think that people forget sometimes that the missionaries are also members of the church!!  We need to work together.  Sister Clement and I were just talking yesterday and said,"If every single of the 15 million members gave just one referral to the missionaries by the end of the year, we could easily see another million members by the next general conference.  It is teamwork people!!  

That was also really comforting, I have been worrying a little bit about what in the world I am going to do when I get home.  Mostly because we had interviews this week and President asked me what my goals were for the end of my mission and what I was planning on doing when I get home.  I think that was kind of rude to do when I still have 6 months, but at the same time, it is only 6 months!!  I think that now is the time that we can all become huge assets in the Lords army whether or not we wear a name badge.  

So, this week has been pretty interesting.  My companion got really sick so we were stuck inside for a couple of days.  I always hate that.  I never feel like I am able to get anything done if I have to stay inside, but it is also important to let yourself heal.  But what was cool was that we were able to see that the Lord was still rewarding us for our work and our efforts in the apartment.  We have an investigator who wants to be baptized so badly.  He is also really addicted to cigarettes and alcohol.  So...obviously, that is a problem.  And apparently it is also really hard to gain the motivation to be able to stop.  But this week, he took a step of faith.  He went and signed up for a fitness center and he has gone every single day of the week.  He is still smoking, but step by step he is getting closer!!  It is those kinds of things, things that we don't ask them to do, that really show us that they are beginning to become converted to the gospel!!

Like I mentioned before, we also had interviews.  I always love interviews because I get time to talk to President and Sister Robinson!!  We hardly ever get to see them down here in the boonies, but it is always a treat!!  

We also have been working a ton with Isaac this week.  He is planning to be baptized on Sunday.  But there is one catch.  He is a refugee, and he may be thrown out the country by the end of the week....so we are praying really hard.  But it is ok.  We have been able to teach him and prepare him to take this step and it doesn't matter where he gets baptized, just that he is able to be baptized!!  I love seeing the changes that come in peoples lives.  Those changes that you see, even if it is just that they smile more, they make all of the difference.  They make you remember that the atonement is real and that the Lord loves every single one of His brothers and sisters!!

We went to Antwerpen to watch conference and stayed there over night for our P-Day activity with the entire Zone!!  It was a blast and we also ate some janky shoarme(don't worry mom, we can go there when you come)

Also, we held our family history activity on Wednesday night!!  It was super cool and really successful.   One thing that I noticed, was that it didn't matter how many fliers that sister clement and I handed out, or how many people we talked to, the only nonmembers that came were those that were invited by the members.  We had 5 nonmembers there!!  They loved it and are planning on coming back for the next activity on the 9 of November!!  The work is easy!! You just have to invite!!

It is crazy to think that I have been out here in the field for an entire year now.  It seems like just yesterday I was sitting in the living room opening my mission call.  I feel like I have changed a lot, but at the same time, I wonder if I really have.  I have seen my desire to serve grow.  I have seen my love for the scriptures grow.  I have started to see my true conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ develop.  I know that this gospel is true and I am using every moment that the Lord has given me to be able to serve his children here in the Netherlands and Belgium.  

I love you all!!  I hope you have a great week!!

Love,

Zuster Israelsen

HALLO MIJN GEWELDIGE FAMILIE!!!!!

HALLO MIJN GEWELDIGE FAMILIE!!!!!

So, first off, I just want you to know of the scare that I had when I opened my email and I saw that I had a draft in my box....I opened it up and saw that is was last weeks email....but according to everyone's letters..it sounds like you got it ok....so I really hope that you did!!  

Mother, to answer your question, I am eating a lot of Belgian Waffles.  And lots of Belgian Chocolate.....and other Belgian delecious items....like friets(fries)

Ok....just sometimes.  Zuser Clement and I try to eat pretty healthy.  We get some dinner appointments here, but we are in a branch and now that there are a set of sisters and a set of elders here in Turnhout, sometimes it feels like dinner appointments are scarce.....but they are the best part of the week!  I love being able to spend time with the members.  To be able to get to know them, their kids and what makes them tick!!  I love it so much!!  

Also, I did receive the cash in the birthday card!!  I bought two movies with it!!  They were cheap.  Despicable Me and How to Train your Dragon....both in Dutch :D  I hope that you aren't too disappointed!! But they haven't been opened!!  I swear!!

This week was super exciting.  We had a lot of birthday parties.  Ok....just two with the V familie.  We went over there for our weekly family home evening appointment and their son had his birthday!!  Julius turned 11 on Monday and then, we were over there again on Wednesday because we had a birthday party for Sister Clement.  Yes, our birthdays are less that 10 days apart.  We are so grateful for the V familie and that they love us enough to throw two different birthday parties in a week!!  We have so much fun with their family and they are working super hard on their family mission plan.  They have us over every week because they are going through Preach my Gospel to prepare to be ready to answer their friends questions.  They have also set a goal to invite a friend to something or to give them a copy of the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.  It was super cool to watch them make this plan as a family and to be able to pray with them to know that this is what Heavenly Father expected from them at this time and that He would help them!!  I love member missionary work!!

I got to spend two days in Antwerpen this week!!  I love Antwerpen.  Sometimes I miss the city, I have been in a tiny dorp since February....and I love being around all of the people in the city and Antwerpen is definitely one of a kind!!  I spent Tuesday on exchanges with Sister Rigdon.  Life is always super amazing when Sister Rigdon is in your life!!  We just had a blast the entire day.  We were booked with appointments mostly because of a return missionary named Andy Thomas.  Acutally, Broeder Wells, from the MTC, taught him and he just got home from a two year mission in England.  But he set up a ton of less-active appointments for the sisters to go to and he wanted to be able to come along. So we had three appointments with sisters who haven't seen a member of the church for two ish years (Please do your home and visiting teaching!!)  And we had a blast.  They truly felt the Spirit and we had a great day.  We also had a dinner appointment with the Willems.  They are probably the funniest people I have ever met.  Broeder Willem reminds me of Grandpa Israelsen.  So, we had a very good time!!

On Wednesday, we had Zone Conference in Antwerpen!!  I always love Zone Conference.  Most missionaries will tell you about this annoying head ache that you get after zone conferences because it is so much information and the spirit is so strong for like five hours straight that your body can't handle it.  It is crazy!!  This Conference was worse.  We talked about so many things!!  We talked about having a total mind shift, about doing the work.  Europe is baptizing and we as a mission are also.  We are loving it!!  We took a tour of the Doctirne and Covenants learning about Zion.  We had a guest speaker, President Boom, who talked to us all about Charity and developing it so that we can become the missionaries the Lord wants us to become.  We talked a lot about faith and developing the faith necessary to do the Lord's work.  And President and Zuster Robinson started a series of Revelations Doctrinal lectures.....It was crazy but so much fun!! 

Our investigators are also doing super well.  Isaac finished all of the lessons this week!!  He is planning on being baptized in two weeks and we are praying and hoping that everything goes well and that we are able to see him enter into that covenant!!  He is already an amazing missionary and he is doing his best to be able to answer all of his questions by reading the Book of Mormon.  I love this guy!!

We also have another investigator who is doing his best to quit smoking and drinking.  I can't imagine how hard that can be and we are doing everything that we can to be able to help him with his goals.  It is so sad to see your investigators relapse when they know that they have a goal, but the Lord is there to give second chances.  He will forgive us if we do our part to come unto him.  I have seen that time and time again here on my mission.  Both for me, for my companions and for the investigators and members we are able to work with.  The Atonement is real.  It is amazing.  if we choose to apply it into our lives, we will be the happiest person we could ever imagine.  I know that, because I have felt of that power and that joy!!  

I love being a missionary!!  Even when it is hard.  I love it.  I love working with the people, MY PEOPLE!!  These are my people, this is the work I need to do!!

Sorry there aren't any picturess, the computer is being really dumb,

i love you all!!

love,

Zuster Israelsen

A Day in the Life of a Missionary, 5 Investigators and Winter is Coming

HALLO!!!!!  

Oh my goodness, how has it been another week already?!?!  I can't believe it.  I am starting to get really sad when it is P-day again, because that means it is one less week that I am able to be a missionary.  My lovely companion likes to remind me that I am so very old and that sith everyday I get closer to dying.  She also likes to let me know that I need to learn new tricks...apparently I am an old dog!!

I am going to answer your questions now...Because I always forget to do that.

First off, I did get all of the birthday gifts!!  I love them all!!  I wear the new clothes very often.  It is so nice to wear them because they don't feel like they are going to fall apart!!  ;D  We had lunch for my birthday with the Elders and had a party with Familie Van Gijsel.  I think that Emilie, their daughter, tried to send you guys a picture through facebook of blowing out the candles...you should let me know if you got it or not.  It was a good day, but didn't really feel like a birthday just because we were doing normal missionary things. 

Dad, a normal day of missionary work....

Well....you get up really early.  I know that you guys think that 6:30 is sleeping in, but when you work so hard everyday....it never feels like you get enough sleep.  

Then, you try your best to get the blood pumping.  One thing I think is super funny is that my companion and I are really clumsy when we are sleepy, so we pretty much fall on our faces trying to go up the stairs of our apartment where the excersise area is.  

Then, you have studies. That is my favorite part of the day.  That view has definately changed.  I remember being in Den Haag and not even being able to stay up for personal study.  I had to try different techniques to stay awake.  I even think that I tried the toothpick thing fro Dads commercial and it didn't work!!  But now, I can't get enough.  One hour for personal study is definately too short!!  There is so much to learn and I have really developed a love for the scriptures.

Then the rest of the day.  You are either out on the street knocking doors and contacting people or you are teaching lessons.  Personally I like teaching lessons better because you actually get to see the difference you are making, but I have grown to love contacting people as well.  it is really fun to be able to meet so many people!!  And get to know more about their culture!  

I also love the moments that I get to spend with the members!!  A lot of people think that the missionaries like to just come over for dinner.  But that is really not the reason they like to come over.  The members are people that you can also create a relationship with.  They are your friends!!  You can help them and they can help you.  If a missionary comes into your home just for food, something is wrong.  The food is an awesome bonus.

I also have grown to love planning.  I like being able to feel concrete for the next day and having back up plans in case something falls through.  it feels good to have a plan. 

My companion is adjusting.  She feels bad about the language but she is doing very well in that aspect too!!  She loves the people here!!  One thing she is having a little bit of a hard time with though is the free agency of others.  Because you do build relationships with people and then they choose not to follow the lessons anymore, or not to talk to you anymore and that is always super hard.  

I will have to look at my luggage....I have no idea what kind it is.  

And you should definitely go to conference because then I may have an opportunity to see you!!  :D  And it will be super cool to be able to be in the same room as the prophet and apostles!!  I want to go some time when I get back!!

So, I am loving life as a misisonary!!  I can't believe how fast time has flown!!  

This week was a little rough.  It started out super amazingly with a birthday party at Familie Van Gijsel.  It was super fun and they worked so hard to make sure that it was a special day!!  Dinner was delicious, the dessert was too!!  and we were able to have Gezins Avond with them!!  I love that family!!  They have helped me and my companion to feel right at home here in Turnhout!!  They are amazing!!  

Our district has an operation.....operation E.C.H.T. F.U.N.  Which stands for Encouraging, Complimentary, Humurous, Tactful, (i can't remember f....) Unified, Ninja.  Pretty much, we are the most unified district in the mission.   I love working with them and we try and help each other succeed and be motivated.

Oh, dad, you asked if I see President Robinson.  No, I am in the boonies of the mission.  I only get to see him if there is Zone Conference.  I do email him every week, and we haven't yet received the new program for missionaries but we have been hearing rumors that it is coming soon!!  I am excited because it will really help us!!  

Oh, and also, Zuster Arts made me Cheesecake this week!!  I love that woman!!  The ingredients for Cheesecake do not all exsist here, but she made them herself!!  it was a very, very beautiful thing!!

We had kind of a rough week.  Most of our investigators were sick, so we spent a majority of our time on the street trying to meet new people and find new investigators...it was also really raining a lot outside!!  But we didn't see very much success numbers wise.  On Saturday, we were feeling like failures because everyone canceled for Sunday for church and to be able to go and see a baptism. 

But miraculously....at the last minute before the last hour of church ( sacrament meeting) we had 5 investigators show up!!!  Two of which were people that we had just met on the street!!  It was a beautiful day and also, both of the people who canceled for the baptism decided to come and we were able to help them see how beautiful the covenant they are preparing to make can be.  At this poing it looks like we will be having a baptism the week after conference....fingers crossed!!  

I love being a missionary!!!  I miss you guys, but I have realized that the time to be out here is really too short...it's almost winter again.....that is so not cool!!

I hope that everyone has a great week!!  Don't have too much fun with out me!!  Do well in school!!

Rachel....keep up the good singing!! 

Ik hou van jullie allemaal!!

Tot volgende week!!

Liefs,

Zuster Israelsen

Birthday Card Confetti Gets Us in the Door! Brazilian Food and Sewing

Hello There,

I know, I know....I am now officially old.  It is so not cool....so try not to remind me!!

It sounds like you guys are finally starting to experience my life as it is raining almost everyday for you guys!!!  It rains about that much here every single day especially since everything is beginning to cool down and get extremely cold.  Zuster Clement and I had to go and buy some scarfs and gloves and hopefully we will be able to find her a coat!!  It is crazy!!  I can't believe all of the flooding though...I knew that we should have started to build the water molens in Amerika that they have here!!  Solution to our problems!!

Anyway, this week has been full of miracles.  The first is that somehow I was able to copy all of my pictures from my infected memory card through the DVD player in the apartment to my USB and now there is no more virus, so I will be catching up on sending you pictures....maybe next week when I have more time!!  But that made my life so happy!!!  

Also, there was a miracle in being able to recieve the birthday card from you my wonderful family.  I guess I should have let you guys know....but I have started to write in European numbers.  Well, actually, I guess that has been for about a year now(crazy) but otherwise people can't tell the difference between a 7 and a 1.  The only problem with that is, is when I send you guys a letter my 1 looks like a 7 in Amerikanse.  So my letter got sent to the neighbor who lives in 27, not 21.  Who just happens to be a very old Belgian lady who does not read or speak a lick of English.  It was so funny, so the other day we rode up on our bikes to come and eat lunch and there she was trying to get a hold of someone inside....and she told us a 20 minute story about how she recieved a letter in an ancient tongue and that she figured that it was something for one of us....So, we went over to her house, I got the card....she told a big story about how she had to clean up confetti(thanks mom) and we actually started to teach her.  Her husband just passed away and we were able to teach her the plan of salvation.  We have another appointment this week!!  Super cool!!  Thank you for the bithday card!!!  You guys got us the best referral I have ever recieved!! 

We also had a super cool miracle with a super member present involved.  So....you know how I was called Dutch speaking...well two of our investigators are from Brazil...There is a problem here.  But fortunately, we have people in the Branch who the wife is from Brazil and the husband is Dutch, so they both speak Dutch and Portuguese.  So the Van Dan Bergs invited us and also our investigators over for a lesson and dinner.  It was the coolest thing that I have ever experienced.  I am starting to be able to understand a little bit of Portuguese(yes Shawn, you can be proud) and I was also able to eat some real Brazilian food!!!  I didn't think that it was ever going to happen!!  I have been waiting all of my life, but now.....I am very happy that I was called to serve in a place where there is real chocolate!!! 

We also had exchanges this week.  Zuster Kohlert came here to Turnhout with me and we didn't have any appointments.  I don't know if I ever told you guys about how we are trying to contact people here in the smaller towns, but we are putting out a letter of introduction and then a few days later coming back and following up.  It seems to get us a lot more positive contacts on the door, people don't think that we are JW and also they politely tell us no instead of slamming the door in our face.  Zuster Kohlert and I got to talk to 23 such families, but helaas....no potential investigators yet.  

We also had a Naaien activiteid.  That means a sewing activity.  yay, my favorite!!  But I went and was able to learn a lot of new words, get to know the Zusters in ZHV(relief society) and we also had a couple of investigators come.  It was pretty cool....but I threw my attempted masterpiece away....It was just too embarassing!!  

It was Isaac's birthday this week and the members have started to love him so much that one member family threw a birthday party for him!!!  We had a pizza party dinner, lots of cake and then everyone who was present got together and we read a chapter out of the book of mormon!! It was fantastic and he just loved it!!  He is so excited to get baptized next month!!  And we are also excited!!  It is so cool to be able to witness someone come closer to Christ, someone who never knew Him before!!  I can't even describe how cool it is and how much it builds your own testimony!!

Donors for My Birthay

Church this week was amazing!!  We had three investigators come to church which is SWEET!!!  And we also got some exciting news.  The Branch Misison Leader was changes.  Usually callings don't effect missionaries too much, but this changes our entire lives here in Turnhout.  I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve with Broeder Van Der Waard, but now our branch mission leader is now Broeder Arts.  So pretty much, we work with the Arts family a lot because he is the ward mission leader and she is the relief society president!!  Crazy cool!!

Dad, I was super excited to hear about your missionary experience!!  it really is very easy to be a member missionary, we just have to open our mouths!!  I will be praying for you and also for your collegue.  

Rachel,  I hope that you keep yourself safe and don't do anything too crazy!!  

Elizabeth, have fun at school and don't forget to smile!!  And have a lot of fun!!  

Mom, I love you so much!!  I miss you and I hope that you have a good time at work this week!!  don't drive yourself too crazy!!  

Jake, have fun at school.  Do your best with school and with your calling, but don't stress yourself out!!

I love you guys!!

Ik hou van jullie!!

Tot volgende Week!!

Liefs,

Zuster Israelsen

Turnhout, 7 Hours a Day on Family History, A Family Mission Plan, I Chose Hope!

 Oh.....HALLO!!! 

Where have you guys been all of my life?  Actually, it feels like just yesterday that I was able to talk to you, and now...here we are again!!  I can't believe it!!  Time becomes this really weird thing out here in the mission field, you actually have no idea what is going on....you get yourself busy, and then there is nothing that you can do....and before you know it, it is Monday again. 

This week is transfers and there are a lot of crazy things going on in the mission.  We are done with the huge wave of sisters for now, but on Wednesday, we have 30 elders coming into the mission.  It is going to be insane!!  I am staying here in Turnhout, and boy am I grateful!!  I love this branch and all of the people that we are able to work with here!!  The members and investigators are pretty much amazing! 

Mom, to answer your questions, yes I did get the money, thank you!!!  I am saving it for my birthday and Sister Clement and I are going to do something special.  I think that we are going to spend the day in Antwerpen, but we are not 100 percent sure yet.  

I can't believe that you all are in school again.  BUMMER!!  But I hope that everyone is having a good time and isn't stressing too much!!  Or too little....(Jake)

We have had a lot of things going on this week.  Sister Clement and I are working with the branch to organize a family history night in the church.  We made a goal about a week ago, prayerfully, that we would be able to baptize a family of four by the end of September.  We made a plan and one part of that plan is to invite people to learn about family history.  So, the branch is getting excited and helping us with that!!  There is a member named Sister Smets.  She was the very first member ever to be baptized in the Turnhout branch.  That is super cool and she has been able to watch the branch grow.  The lady also spends at least 7 hours a day working on her family history.  And, another cool fact, she has so many names that she has filled the Den Haag temple and two others that are close by.  She is now trying to figure out how to send the names to Utah.  But she is going to put the evening on and teach it!!  It is going to be super cool!!

We have seen a lot of progress with a few of our investigators this week.  This branch, once sister Clement and I made this goal and started to share it with them, have really stepped up.  I don't think that we have had to call more than one person to set up a joint teach!!  That is rarely heard of!!  But there is a particular family who have taken their steps to get working together.  The Van Gijsels have put together a family mission plan that reflects the stake and branch plans.  They have put together a study program with their family to learn the lessons in Preach My Gospel so that when they all share a Book of Mormon with someone by the end of the year, that they know what to say!!!  It is super cool and we get to participate in their family home evening every week.  Their daughter, Emilie, just got home from her vacation in America and she is preparing to be able to serve a mission!!  So she is really loving this opportunity and so are we so that we can work together with the branch and help their friends come unto Christ!!

One super cool thing that we were able to do this week is to go to a stake activity.  They organized a familie dag in Herentals, where the entire stake was able to come together and hang out in the wildernis.  They had a BBQ, lots of games, and just a super cool party!!  The coolest part was that I was able to see two investigators from Genk and the entire Genk Branch!!  Oh man, I miss them so much!!  But it is super cool to know that the Elders haven't ruined everything down there :D  We also had two investigators who were able to come with us and they both had a party.  They both made similar comments, they said,"I want to be a part of this.  I want to have a support system like this.  I feel at home with these people."  I love it when that happens!!  Oh man, it has been a good week.  

I am loving my study of the Book of Mormon, I have chosen the attribute of Hope.  How is everyone else doing on that?  I know that Jake has started and that Mom and Dad are committed, but what kinds of things have you learned?  Right now, I am trying to identify a pattern that the prophets follow to develop hope so that I can better apply it into my life.  I feel like sometimes the difference between hope and faith is a little bit difficult to understand, but that is why you study, right? 

Today, we were able to have a zone p-day and we had a huge nerf gun war. Yes, that is right!!  I had so much fun!!  I can' even begin to explain how cool it was!!  I love being a missionary and working with the amazing missionaries that are also called to this mission!!  

Being a servant of the Lord is probably the coolest thing that you could ever do.  It is probably also the hardest thing that you could ever do.  I think that it is mostly because you work so hard and people still have the ability to choose.  Darn that agency thing.  But it is also the best and most greatest gift that our Heavenly Father has given us.  The trick in life is to learn about how we can stay on the path and not waver.  To choose to be righteous, to choose eternal life and liberty instead of captivity and death.  

I sure do miss you guys.  I think that it gets worse when I see Jake at Utah State and want to be there with him, and that I hear that everyone else is having a party at school!!  I miss going to school, but I will have all of the time in the world to do that when I get home.  I only get to be a missionary once. 

I love you all!!  Please have a great week!!  Don't do too much fun things without me...but don't forget to have fun too!!  

I love you!! 

Love, 

Zuster Israelsen

The picture thing isn't working.  We are emailing at a janky place in Antwerpen.  I will send double the pictures next week.