Best week of my mission so far - Mar 27th

This was a hard week! For two reasons: 1. we worked SO hard and 2. we met a lot of people that started arguing with us...BUT it was also THE best week of my mission so far!

We met up with our Brazilian investigator, Marilin, even though we haven't seen her in a while, she had been reading her Book of Mormon every day and has been marking it too.
Which was AWESOME!!!
I really don't know how, but the Spirit puts words in my mouth and somehow they make sense in Portuguese. I feel so privileged being able to experience these kind of things.
It has humbled me a lot...I just really love my mission!

During the week Zuster Baker was working with us until our new companion would arrive, it was a blast having her, she's hilarious!

Zuster Bokai, Zuster Baker and me

Anyways we went over to our Dutch investigator, he then told us that he is planning on going to the Binnenland and use black magic to get rid of bad luck that his ex wife put on him.
We told him about the Priesthood and shared our personal experiences with the Priesthood, how it is a blessing of comfort, guidance and healing. We explained to him that it is the power from God.

The unbeatable trio: Zuster Vernes, Zuster Hendricks, Zuster Bokai

He then said that he wants to receive a Priesthood blessing. Since we have been visiting him, he has been changing slowly, he has been starting to recognise the Spirit. He told us when we were leaving:
"Whenever you come I just feel this peace in my heart. I feel good and calm."
He came to church yesterday.

Cleaning at Brother Bandu

We then went over to Brother Bandu, as we klopped (knocked) he asked if we could come another day. We said: "No, why?"
Brother Bandu: "I need to clean my garden."

Brother Simon, I´m wearing his hat

We then lock our bikes and start helping him, it was really fun but also very exhausting, after we finished he changed his mind and told us that we can have a lesson with him and his girlfriend...which was sweet.


For Zuster Bokai´s 7 month mark we wanted to treat her with some ice cream. When we returned to our bikes it turned out that  Zuster Bokai had lost her key. She locked her front wheel to nothing.
As we were carrying her bike home, an old guy named Richard, stopped us, grabbed some tools and snapped the lock open...we then thanked him and taught him the Restoration.

Once Zuster Hendricks joined us, Zuster Bokai and I met some crazy people, but it was a lot of fun.
We saw so many miracles and worked so hard.

Biking to Brother Simon

Zuster Hendriks, Sham, me & Zuster Bokai

I can't remember when this was, but at sometime during this week, our first appointment fell through, we tried to see other people but with no success. We then thought to check someone that we contacted a couple of days ago. Luckily she was outside cleaning...we started to talk about God, we then asked her how God was protecting her in her life. She then started telling us how her her husband has been abusing her, mentally and physically, for 36 years, she then started crying and told us that she knows that God was with her and she felt His comfort.
She also told us how God has blessed her with great children that have good jobs, despite the past that they have had. It was very touching, we made an appointment with her for this week.

We also got to see Sham, an investigator, Sham has a friend who is very much Anti-Christ.
It was an interesting lesson, it was great to see Sham bearing his testimony and told his friend straight up that this church is true and that we are good people.

I´m excited to see what next week brings!


I really love my mission and I´m sad that it is going by so fast. But I will be forever grateful for the experiences that I have had here and for the people that have inspired me.

Eating at Salijo...finally

I love you all so much, speak to you soon!
Zuster Vernes



PS: a special thanks that I got to inherit Zuster Parker´s clothes when she left. I have a whole new wardrobe!

This week highlight: Ashweens baptism! March 20th

Well the transfer has ended and the next one is starting...I´m excited for this transfer as Zuster Bokai and I will be in a trio. We don't know which Sister yet though.

The highlight of the week was Ahsween´s baptism! It was so awesome, his testimony was really touching, his mom attended the baptism and the church the next day too! Which was so awesome, she is so supporting of her son which is really great even though our faiths are very different.
But she is a great mom. Some members of our branch came as well which I was so happy about.
 I made a promise to myself to always attend any baptism that are from our ward because it is so important to support the new brother or sister.

Ashween baptism: On Thursday after Ashween passed his baptismal interview he said: "I am so happy, I want to cry."

This week we also celebrated Phagwa...





....which is a Hindu New Years...

                                                                      ...Ashween asked us to celebrate with him and his family.

Another success has been Michele, he´s a less active that we have been working with, he has been coming to church every week. He asked us this week if we could fast with him, it was his first time fasting so of course we said yes! It was such a great experience being able to fast with him, he has changed SO much!! He is reading from the Book of Mormon every day, and he wants to go on a mission!!


 
This week we had a lot of meetings to go to so we didn't have as much time proselyting.

We also celebrated the 175th Relief Society anniversary which was SO much fun. 

Pictures will follow next week, if I remember to bring the SD card.

I´m excited for this transfer. I hope everyones week was good.
I love you.
Zuster Vernes

My 12th transfer - March 13th

This week was really great, it went SO fast though, next week I´ll be starting my 12th transfer.

On Tuesday we were teaching Jason, a new investigator, he is really great. During the lesson our phone just kept buzzing and it was literally everyone who we were going to visit after Jason.
Unfortunately...they call to cancel, BUT at least they called. I prefer that way more than trying to chase after them. Zuster Bokai and I decided to go home and have lunch, we then felt that we need to call a newly wed (Elena & Jordan) to see if they needed help with anything. It turns out that they do. So we went right over and started carrying their fridge into their kitchen, cleaning and lots of painting.
I honestly just really love to serve others, it brings me so much joy. Their house still isn't done so
we´ll be helping them out some more.

During this week we had a lesson with Mina, a new investigator, we invited a Guyanese member, Sister Salik, to come out teaching with us. As we arrived at Mina´s house we started to call Sister Salik´s phone, we then here laughter inside the house, and heard a very familiar voice. Zuster Bokai and I look at each other...and say at the same time: "SISTER SALIK!"
We klop (knock) and Sister Salik answers and says: "Come on in, honey."
Sister Salik is the best!

I would love to share some contacting experiences in our designated contacting area that we have had this week:

 Wednesday: as we were contacting we saw a woman on the street and she was just standing there with her child. So we went over and she recognised us as a member lives above her and we go there to teach them. She asks us if we want to sit wth her, once we sat down, she told us that she has been praying and she has actually been trying to find us. She told us that she felt she need to stand outside...and there we were! She told us some very personal trials, we bore our testimony of Gods love for her and the life the she can have through the gospel.

On another occasion, when we went contacting, we were actually getting ready to leave our designated area, but I saw a woman cleaning her garden and talking to this woman. I felt like we needed to speak to her, but it is always just super awkward when you have to interrupt someones conversation. Luckily her friend left, so we hurried over there, we talked about God with her.
We then ask her if she has ever heard about the LDS church. She then says: "Thats a strange question."
Us. "Why?"
She: "Because I am baptised in the LDS church."
Us: "WHAAAAAAATTT?"

This week we had a lesson with a woman from a different faith. Long story short, she would try to proof to us that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints isn't the true church.
Honestly, the Spirit was just so strong! She might never join the church but I have gained a stronger testimony from this experience! I don't have any doubts that this isn't the true church! There isn't anything or anyone that could make me think otherwise!

I love the Book of Mormon, I feel the Spirit whenever I read it. I know that it is written by prophets.
I KNOW that it is true!

I love you all so much, speak to you next week...Stay strong!

Zuster Vernes

He´s been praying for the missionaries to find him - Mar 6th

This week was another good one! We have had a lot of good lessons with our investigators, less actives and active members.

First I would love to share an experience that happened this week...we were heading back home from our appointment with Zuster Loes (recent convert), as we were biking home, we past this man who was leaning against a car...smoking. We greeted him and past by, as we continued biking I had a thought which was: Contact him."
I then thought: "Nah, its okay, we just past him and its awkward to turn back."
Then I heard: "Contact him, or else God won't be able to trust you with His children."
So, we turned back. The man had a huge smile on his face. Told us that he had been trying to get our attention these past weeks. He got baptised in 2010, but hasn't come to church in a long time.
He has been praying for the missionaries to find him!

"Does the Lord trust us to be an answer to someone else´s prayer? Can He count on us to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost?"
The more we follow the Spirits promptings, the more opportunities the Lord will present to us to be the answer to someone else´s prayer. - Elder Don R. Clarke

Ashween, our investigator, is on fire!! He hasn't been drinking any coffee anymore! And he's looking forward to his baptism, we are preparing him for it, I think we only have to teach him 2 more lessons and then he's good to go. He likes us to write down what we talked about during our lesson and then he studies it. He is by far my favourite person to teach, he's so humble and teachable.

With Ashween

On Saturday our day was pretty much empty, but we were fasting and felt confident that God will place people in our paths. Every hour we were able to teach someone whether it was a contact, investigator or member. It was really great! The only hard part was that people kept offering us food and drinks, so that was awkward...once we had to decline it as they get offended, but luckily on Saturday they didn't and we just had amazing lessons with everyone.

We also rescued some kittens and found them a home, which was great.

Some one we contacted had the same King James Version bible we use! 

Keep reading the Book of Mormon, it has blessed my life, I learn something new every time I read it.

Speak to you soon, I love love you all.

Zuster Vernes