I AM SO EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE REUNION!!!

Monday, June 27, 2010

I have been thinking about you all week! How was the reunion?! From the titles of your e-mails and the pictures it looks and sounds like it was just AWESOME!!! It also sounds like you are exhausted...it always takes a couple of days, sometimes a couple of weeks, to recuperate after one of those! I can't wait to read my e-mails! Thank you so much for still taking the time to write and let me know how it went even though you were so tired...it means so much to me! Also, thanks for the pictures Heidi and Mark! That makes the letters come alive! And Carli, you are way too cute! Those pictures from the photo shoot are adorable! So I have been thinking that I would pretty much just see a physical change in the grandkids over my time of being here but you have changed so much! It freaks me out! You look so old and grown up...your hands and your face and just everything. I think that I am in for a big surprise when I get home!
Well this week was crazy but sooo good! It all started on Monday night when we had a family home evening with Zjuleika and her two daughters, Bianca and Brigette. It went so well! We started the lesson with a primary song, "I am a child of God", and they sang along. We then had a prayer, a lesson, and a little game as well as a treat at the end. The girls just loved it! They wanted us to come back every night and do a family home evening with them. Before we left we said that we wanted to say one more prayer together and that Zuster Harrington was going to say it. Little 6 year old Bianca spoke up and said, "Would it be okay if I tried to say the prayer?" I think both of us were in shock and our chins dropped but we were so excited because she wanted to put to practice the things that we taught her during our lesson. She said the sweetest little prayer ever and they all committed to pray every day for the rest of the week and fill in their little prayer chart! It was a really special appointment. We tried calling Zjuleika later in the week to set up a new appointment but she never answered and we were scared she was going to drop us. We have been praying really hard for her, as I know you have been too, and she actually called us back today and left a message! We hope that we can set up another appointment this week!
On Tuesday we were able to teach Familie Chakarov, a little family from Bulgaria. It is so difficult to teach them because of the language barrier but it is coming along. The man, Zuni, actually came to church yesterday and is planning on coming again next week. I am so thankful to know that at least the Spirit speaks the same language!
We also taught Emily that night with Joyce and the lesson was so good. We asked Emily where she plans to be in 5 years and she said, “A member of this church, of course!" I have no doubt that she will become a member. We are sending all of her information to the mission that her home area is in so the missionaries can contact her right after she gets home. We will teach her two more times this week and then she will be off. I sure will miss her! I just love her so much!
On Thursday morning we headed out bright and early to go to Zwolle. Interviews were wonderful and it was so great to be back in that city! After interviews, we headed out to do some work in the wonderful city of Zwolle! We stopped by one of our old investigators, Nanda, and we had quite the amazing experience. Nanda let us in and was so excited to have missionaries at her house again. She then came to the realization that whenever she is having a rough time the missionaries always seem to show up. Her husband was just diagnosed with a life-threatening health problem and she had been praying for help and support and she took our visit as the answer. What a humbling realization. She then proceeded to tell us that that morning she had read Moroni 8 in the Book of Mormon and that the next day she was planning on finishing the whole book. She has been reading it every day since me and Zuster Wieland left Zwolle. She saw how it teaches the same things as the Bible and she really felt uplifted through reading it. Luckily we were able to be there to extend Moroni’s Promise to her and commit her to praying to know if the Book of Mormon is true. She committed to do it and we are going to have the elders follow up with her. It was just another testimony to me that nothing happens by chance! We then stopped by Willeka's, Famile Spijkerman's, and then had dinner at Tineke's with Sue Haina! I felt like I was "home" being back with all of those people. Sue Haina will be sending in her mission papers today and is expecting her call in 2-6 weeks. I'll keep you posted on where she will be going!
After our work in Zwolle we headed to Amsterdam where we spent the night. The next day Zuster Harrington and Zuster Cranford went to Belgium for legality and I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Zuster Ekstrom in Amsterdam. That city is crazy! I am so used to the quiet north side of the country! But it was a wonderful experience and I really learned a lot from working there.
Well, my time is up! I love you so much! I really, really do! Thank you so much for your love! I am praying for you! Have a great week!
Love, Laur