Monkey Time
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
The Priesthood is truly a power of God - April 24th
Cant believe that we are now in week six of my 12th transfer...
This week went a little different than how I expected. I had a fever sometime during the week and I just kept throwing up all over the place. It was absolutely horrible! Therefore we couldn't go out very much, BUT my companion was taking good care of me and so were the other sisters. Then the senior couple came by and brought me medicine and Elder Crawford gave me a Priesthood blessing and from that I just knew that the next day... that I will be healthy again! And I was!! Just to say that I am grateful for the Priesthood would be an understatement. I feel so happy to have always been able to receive blessings since I was a young girl from Dad. I know that the Priesthood truly is a power of God! Without it...we would be lost.
So, with me being sick and then we had the "Wandel Markt" (is a marathon/walk where surinamese people are wearing their cultural clothes) Missionary work was a little "dead".
However we did get to see Michiel, who is a less active due to his work, has been giving us his friends as referrals. He came out teaching with us to one of them which is Jorgan.
Jorgan is SUPER quiet, at the beginning of the lesson there were so many noises and distractions. Children screaming, dogs barking and cars honking at each other. Michiel later told us when this was going on whilst we were teaching the Restoration, he said a prayer in his heart that the Spirit will be able to be present and the noises will go away. After a couple of minutes...it was completely silent and we had a powerful lesson about the Restoration.
Michiel bore a very sincere testimony of the truthfulness of our message, that the church has been really restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Having him bear his testimony really helped Jorgan, especially because they were friends you could really feel the love that Michiel had for Jorgan.
I can testify of the importance of having members helps us with our investigators.
I encourage all of you to go out with the missionaries. WE NEED YOU!
As we were teaching Jorgan, our investigator Junior, was actually sitting really close by doing his schoolwork and was listening very intensively to our message. Which we didn't know at the time but Michiel told us that when we left, he got up and wanted to know more from Michiel.
Now Junior is very interesting as last time during our lesson he was asking a lot of questions to basically start an argument, but during that lesson with Jorgan, he softened his heart and the next time we saw him...we had a very spiritual lesson with him.
I really love being on my mission! I love being a missionary, I´m so grateful for this opportunity to grow and learn and help others.
I love you all, speak to you soon.
Zuster Vernes
This week went a little different than how I expected. I had a fever sometime during the week and I just kept throwing up all over the place. It was absolutely horrible! Therefore we couldn't go out very much, BUT my companion was taking good care of me and so were the other sisters. Then the senior couple came by and brought me medicine and Elder Crawford gave me a Priesthood blessing and from that I just knew that the next day... that I will be healthy again! And I was!! Just to say that I am grateful for the Priesthood would be an understatement. I feel so happy to have always been able to receive blessings since I was a young girl from Dad. I know that the Priesthood truly is a power of God! Without it...we would be lost.
So, with me being sick and then we had the "Wandel Markt" (is a marathon/walk where surinamese people are wearing their cultural clothes) Missionary work was a little "dead".
 |
| The Wandel Markt |
However we did get to see Michiel, who is a less active due to his work, has been giving us his friends as referrals. He came out teaching with us to one of them which is Jorgan.
Jorgan is SUPER quiet, at the beginning of the lesson there were so many noises and distractions. Children screaming, dogs barking and cars honking at each other. Michiel later told us when this was going on whilst we were teaching the Restoration, he said a prayer in his heart that the Spirit will be able to be present and the noises will go away. After a couple of minutes...it was completely silent and we had a powerful lesson about the Restoration.
Michiel bore a very sincere testimony of the truthfulness of our message, that the church has been really restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Having him bear his testimony really helped Jorgan, especially because they were friends you could really feel the love that Michiel had for Jorgan.
I can testify of the importance of having members helps us with our investigators.
I encourage all of you to go out with the missionaries. WE NEED YOU!
 |
| Zuster Jordan & me |
As we were teaching Jorgan, our investigator Junior, was actually sitting really close by doing his schoolwork and was listening very intensively to our message. Which we didn't know at the time but Michiel told us that when we left, he got up and wanted to know more from Michiel.
Now Junior is very interesting as last time during our lesson he was asking a lot of questions to basically start an argument, but during that lesson with Jorgan, he softened his heart and the next time we saw him...we had a very spiritual lesson with him.
 |
| At the Palmentuin |
I really love being on my mission! I love being a missionary, I´m so grateful for this opportunity to grow and learn and help others.
I love you all, speak to you soon.
Zuster Vernes
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
I don't want to lose it! - April 18th
This week was great, we worked hard and it payed off.
Monday: a really good day, we went to the Najorda´s (active family) and we got talking to Brother Salik. Eventually I asked him when he got baptised, he then started laughing and than told us that he isn't baptised yet! It was mind blowing, he has been coming to church for years!! And no-one knew that he never actually got baptised. So now we are teaching him. He has got some problems which is why he doesn't want to get baptised yet.
And we held a monkey on Monday!!! Pictures will be attached next week.
Tuesday: it was pouring rain! It reminded me of that one talk in General Conference about trials:
"Look up, open your mouth and DRINK IT."
So thats exactly what Zuster Jordan and I than did.
We also had the chance to see Sister Salik, she gave us the classic bread with eggs and jam, some juice that isn't actually juice. We then got on the subject on sharing our testimonies, she then says:
"People might not like it when I share my testimony because I talk too much, but I have to share my testimony every fast Sunday. You want to know why I share my testimony every fast Sunday?
Because I don't want to lose it!"
I felt the Spirit very strongly when she said that and so I have made a commitment to myself to ALWAYS bear my testimony, because I don't want to lose it either!
We also got to do some service this week. We painted some more tables at our investigators
grandma´s house, it was really great. Now the lady who takes care of the Oma (=grandma) is taking the missionary lessons!
Sunday: a very touching day for me, we walked to Wendell´s picked him up and we then walked together to church which took about 45 minutes. It was great as we were able to talk about spiritual things which prepared us for church. Then when we were waiting in the church, we explained to Wendell the importance of the Sacrament and the meaning of it.
The day before that we talked about Christ´s Atonement with him which was perfect as the talks that were given was about Jesus Christ and His Atonement. He felt the Spirit very strongly that day.
My former Portuguese investigator, Marilin, came to church as well. Unfortunately she isn't in my area anymore but she came and felt the Spirit even though she wasn't able to understand what they were saying.
Hope everyone is doing well, love you all
Zuster Vernes
Monday: a really good day, we went to the Najorda´s (active family) and we got talking to Brother Salik. Eventually I asked him when he got baptised, he then started laughing and than told us that he isn't baptised yet! It was mind blowing, he has been coming to church for years!! And no-one knew that he never actually got baptised. So now we are teaching him. He has got some problems which is why he doesn't want to get baptised yet.
And we held a monkey on Monday!!! Pictures will be attached next week.
Tuesday: it was pouring rain! It reminded me of that one talk in General Conference about trials:
"Look up, open your mouth and DRINK IT."
So thats exactly what Zuster Jordan and I than did.
We also had the chance to see Sister Salik, she gave us the classic bread with eggs and jam, some juice that isn't actually juice. We then got on the subject on sharing our testimonies, she then says:
"People might not like it when I share my testimony because I talk too much, but I have to share my testimony every fast Sunday. You want to know why I share my testimony every fast Sunday?
Because I don't want to lose it!"
I felt the Spirit very strongly when she said that and so I have made a commitment to myself to ALWAYS bear my testimony, because I don't want to lose it either!
We also got to do some service this week. We painted some more tables at our investigators
grandma´s house, it was really great. Now the lady who takes care of the Oma (=grandma) is taking the missionary lessons!
 |
| from left to right: Br Simon, Zuster Bokai, Karol, Marilin, Zuster Jordan, me & Wendell |
The day before that we talked about Christ´s Atonement with him which was perfect as the talks that were given was about Jesus Christ and His Atonement. He felt the Spirit very strongly that day.
My former Portuguese investigator, Marilin, came to church as well. Unfortunately she isn't in my area anymore but she came and felt the Spirit even though she wasn't able to understand what they were saying.
Hope everyone is doing well, love you all
Zuster Vernes
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
It was a long week - April 10th
Well...I am with new companion, Zuster Jordan, she is super awesome! She is from the country, like hunting, farming...she is very short and comes from a very large family, so quite opposite of me BUT I love her and we get along really well.
I don't know why but this week has felt really long. We had Zone Conference, interviews with President Egbert, packing and unpacking, moving into a new apartment and had a lot of meeting to go to. Unfortunately we didn't get to do much of proselyting as usual...therefore I don't not have much to report on.
Because Zuster Jordan is very short, she couldn't fit on any of the bikes that we had. We then switched bikes as my "Old Dutch Lady" bike was able to lower the seat. But even then she was too short for it. And I had to be on this tiny bike which had a seat that we couldn't adjust higher. Luckily after two days the Crawfords gave us another bike, which fits the best out of all the other ones, but Zuster Jordan still needs to jump off it as it is still a little too big.
We were able to do some service at our investigators, Wendell, Grandma´s house...we painted her chairs which actually took the rest of the day but she was really happy once we were done and we were able to share the gospel and contact her caregiver which was great.
Sometime during the week we were able to go contacting, as we spoke to this woman, Wendell, totally ruined our contacting. He saw us...so he just wanted to chat :) And then we moved on to the next house one of the other kids (a teenager) that we first contacted kept following us which made contacting slightly awkward.
When we visited Wendell this week he said: " Whenever you (girls) come you give me spiritual strength."
Also he wants to get baptised which we are so excited for!
Hope everyones week was amazing!
Love you.
Zuster Vernes
 |
| Zuster Jordan and me |
Because Zuster Jordan is very short, she couldn't fit on any of the bikes that we had. We then switched bikes as my "Old Dutch Lady" bike was able to lower the seat. But even then she was too short for it. And I had to be on this tiny bike which had a seat that we couldn't adjust higher. Luckily after two days the Crawfords gave us another bike, which fits the best out of all the other ones, but Zuster Jordan still needs to jump off it as it is still a little too big.
We were able to do some service at our investigators, Wendell, Grandma´s house...we painted her chairs which actually took the rest of the day but she was really happy once we were done and we were able to share the gospel and contact her caregiver which was great.
Sometime during the week we were able to go contacting, as we spoke to this woman, Wendell, totally ruined our contacting. He saw us...so he just wanted to chat :) And then we moved on to the next house one of the other kids (a teenager) that we first contacted kept following us which made contacting slightly awkward.
When we visited Wendell this week he said: " Whenever you (girls) come you give me spiritual strength."
Also he wants to get baptised which we are so excited for!
Hope everyones week was amazing!
Love you.
Zuster Vernes
 |
| I´m a master at killing cockroaches ,) |
Sunday, April 9, 2017
The Spirit was so strong! April 3rd
It was a good week, unfortunately most of it we had to stay inside because we all got the flu. I still have it but its getting better. And Zuster Hendricks got bitten by a spider and she's allergic to the sun, so her skin was on fire. We spent some of our days in the doctors office.
Sometime during this week, President Egbert, called and told me that I am getting a new companion from the MTC (=Missionary Training Centre), we will be serving together in Paramaribo North, her name is Zuster Jorgen from Ogden Utah.
On Monday we got to see one of my favrotie investigator; Stephanie and her family, we were talking about scripture study and baptism. Karol, brazilian member, helped us out a lot and shared a very sincere testimony of how she gained her testimony of the Book of Mormon.
At the end of the lesson Stephanie´s finance than said:
"I guess it´ll be better that we´ll get baptised ."
My companion and I just looked at each other and said: "Yeah, that would be good."
Wendell received a Priesthood blessing, he decided not to use black magic, which was a huge relief. Dave then came and gave him a blessing of comfort, during the blessing the Spirit was just so strong!! As soon as Dave finished, Wendell looked right at us and said: "You felt that too right?"
His complete attitude just changed which was just so amazing to witness. He is super awesome and reads out of the Book Of Mormon every day!
Then of course we had General Conference which was just amazing as usual. There were quite a few talks that spoke directly to me, I really love this gospel, I feel so privileged to be here in Suriname and to serve our Heavenly Father.
I love you all so much, keep reading the Book of Mormon!
Speak to you soon.
Zuster Vernes
 |
| We are all "dying" from the flu |
Sometime during this week, President Egbert, called and told me that I am getting a new companion from the MTC (=Missionary Training Centre), we will be serving together in Paramaribo North, her name is Zuster Jorgen from Ogden Utah.
On Monday we got to see one of my favrotie investigator; Stephanie and her family, we were talking about scripture study and baptism. Karol, brazilian member, helped us out a lot and shared a very sincere testimony of how she gained her testimony of the Book of Mormon.
"I guess it´ll be better that we´ll get baptised ."
My companion and I just looked at each other and said: "Yeah, that would be good."
 |
| At the doctors office, Zuster Hendricks allergic spider bite reaction |
Wendell received a Priesthood blessing, he decided not to use black magic, which was a huge relief. Dave then came and gave him a blessing of comfort, during the blessing the Spirit was just so strong!! As soon as Dave finished, Wendell looked right at us and said: "You felt that too right?"
His complete attitude just changed which was just so amazing to witness. He is super awesome and reads out of the Book Of Mormon every day!
Then of course we had General Conference which was just amazing as usual. There were quite a few talks that spoke directly to me, I really love this gospel, I feel so privileged to be here in Suriname and to serve our Heavenly Father.
 |
| At General Conference with Karol |
I love you all so much, keep reading the Book of Mormon!
Speak to you soon.
Zuster Vernes
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