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

Best week of my mission so far - Feb 27

This week was probably the best week of my mission so far!

Our goal was basically talk to everyone we see and to have lessons with them. And so we did!
We had some very spiritual lessons with people that we just contacted on the street and some of them really want us to come back, so I´m excited to see how the Spirit will change them.

Carol, a Portuguese member, doesn't speak any English or Dutch. She is in our area, so we visit her and she comes to church.
So I sometimes have to translate for her in the very very little Portuguese that I know, but it has been great as the Spirit directs me on what I need to say.

I think it might have been last week and I am not sure if I mentioned this but we had an appointment with Michele.
As we arrived at his house we were told that he wasn't home, it then started to rain. A lot.
So we thought we´ll just wait a couple of minutes in case Michele comes back. Then his older brother Miguel comes out and we had an awesome lesson about God with him.
Many people have invited him to come to church as he has a lot of friends who are members, one of them is the District President. Anyways, we are now teaching him and he is super awesome and keeps all of his commitments.

In other news, his younger brother Michele invited his friend Janek to join in our lesson with us.
We invited them both to come to church...and they CAME!!!!
It was so great to see Michele finally coming back to church and bring his friend along.

We had a lesson with Ashween, we taught him the Word of Wisdom, and to my surprise he really loves coffee. When we told him that it is a commandment that we do not drink coffee...he thought for a moment and then said: "Okay, I´ve decided that I will no longer drink coffee."
It was just so awesome, even though he has a disability, he is in tune with the Spirit and he really loves the gospel. He bears his testimony in every lesson. He is a great example to me.

My bike broke again, but I fixed it

As we went contacting in our designated area, we had a quick dinner and stood close by a winkel (shop). There were a couple of people standing there, so we decided to talk to them and it turns out that one of the men was baptised 11 years ago and he stopped coming to church 2 years ago.
We are excited to get him back to church.

Riding the Old Dutch Lady in the rain

My companion Zuster Bokai

Exchange companion Zuster Baker

               Everything was flooded last week.





We had the opportunity to visit a member in the hospital this week who had a stroke. It was sad to see him as he didn't seem like the same person. We´ll be visiting him this week again and so hopefully we´ll be able to share a message with his family members.

I love you all so much!!
Keep reading the Book of Mormon.

Zuster Vernes

A snake getting into someones car

I love teaching - Feb 20th

This week, Zuster Bokai and I did some contacting as we usually do, we had some sweet contacts and even though a lot of people rejected us, it was still a great experience as we have been bearing testimony of the Book of Mormon and felt the Spirit through each others testimonies.
Whilst contacting we klopped / knocked at this one house...which turned out to be a bar.
We were very confused as there were only two people in there.

We´ve been having some really great lessons with Michel, he has been actually marking in his
Book of Mormon and bought a study journal and wrote down things that he has learned from reading, so whenever we come, he is all excited and shares what he had learned.
He has been progressing a lot now, he just need to come to church. But I think when we bring a member that he´ll have the courage to come. All he really need is a friend.
 

Stephanie (investigator), she's so awesome! When we arrived she told us that she´s been researching the Book of Mormon and is very interested in it. When we gave her one, she then said: "This is so beautiful." She was very excited to read it.
I´m excited to see how she´ll progress. She offered a very sincere prayer and expressed her desire to our Heavenly Father to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

Friday - I went on an exchange with Zuster Baker in Kwatta (my old area).
A lot has changed since I have served there. It was great seeing Zuster Baker in action, they have some solid investigators, one of them is Anastasia, she bore her testimony and told us how grateful she is that she has found this church.

Three of our investigators came to church which was really awesome! Ashween walked in with a white shirt and tie, which was really great to see. He is now on date and honestly the Spirit has changed him so much! I love teaching him I can't wait to see him enter the waters of baptism.

I hope everyone had a fantastic week :)
I love you all so much,

Zuster Vernes

I´m excited for many serving opportunities - Feb 14

We had a good week, were able to do some service which was really great. We made cookies with a member and then painted an engaged couple´s house. We´ll be helping them some more during this week which I´m really excited for as we don't get that many service opportunities.

We had some really good lessons with Ashween, he committed to being baptised at the end of this transfer. Which is super great! It was really funny, he told us that he looked up on YouTube how people get baptised and wanted to show all of them to us.

Palmentuin

Sometime during this week, my bike broke down (its called the Old Dutch lady), luckily it was at the end of our day...unfortunately...we were on the Ringweg and its a pretty busy road and it takes a while to bike from there to get home. Anyways, so we had to walk home which took us like 40 minutes to reach half of the way. Then Zuster Bokai did something to the Old dutch lady and we were able to bike the rest, which was great! However the next day, it was still broken but fortunately for us, our investigator Sham was able to fix my bike!

Sham is really great and he still is getting very emotional during our lessons. He told us some amazing news a couple of days ago...HE STOPPED SMOKING! And we didn't even teach him the Word of Wisdom! We are still teaching from the Restoration, but he said that he felt like he should stop. He said, that sometimes he still has the urge to smoke, but he then thinks of God and us and the urge goes away which is super awesome. The Spirit is changing him.


It also turns out that my companion Zuster Bokai...has a phobia of kittens, tis week we came in contact with a lot of kittens and she freaked out. It was really funny but the own was very confused as he was holding the kitten.

With Rashney

Pigs fat crisp

We left our investigator Oma Abduhlhamid to read in 2 Nephi:31
When we came back to our appointment...the minute we sat down..she said: "I know what you're trying to say here. You want me to be baptised, and I know that I need to be baptised. I´ve been investigating for almost a year and it has been clear since the very beginning. And so I have prayed and I want to be baptised in April."
It was really awesome!

We have a new investigator, Stephanie, and she's very educated in the Bible, so we shared the Restoration with her. As we were explaining the great Apostasy, she then asked: "But how did we get the Priesthood?"
It was just really great seeing her engaged in the lesson and just has a deep sincere desire to know more.

Marilin, Dominican investigator, is SUPER awesome! The minute we entered her house, she was holding the Book of Mormon very close to her heart, had a huge smile across her face...showed us all of the verses that she marked and explained how much she loves the Book of Mormon.
It was a huge testimony builder for me as I find it very hard to teach her in Papiamento and I just have to completely rely on the Spirit helping me to understand what she is saying. At one point during the lesson I just felt very inadequate on teaching the Book of Mormon in Papiamento.
But then I felt a warm feeling in my heart and a thought popped in my head that I won't have to say much but to use the verses in the Book of Mormon that explain what it is about. So thats what we did, and it was awesome! At that moment I realised how important it is to being worthy of having the Spirit with you at all times. I realised that the only reason why Marilin wants us back isn't because of our personality but because of the Spirit that she can feel during our lessons despite our lack of language and because she is reading the Book of Mormon.

I know the Book of Mormon is true, there is not a single doubt! I love the Book of Mormon, and I know that we need to read it every day!

I love you all so much.
Zuster Vernes