We taught our investigator, who came from a referral, the plan of Salvation and it was just super cool. He just gets it! We're hoping he comes to church next week though....
Thursday was a crazy day. We went home for lunch after doing some lookups and just left our bikes in the front of our apartment. When we came out, Zr Frandsen's bike was gone! She only has 3 weeks left to "live" (be a missionary) and of course her bike gets stolen! It was so sad! So we've just been taking public transport and walking the past couple of days. Another sister who was reporting home this week gave us her bike though, so we can go by bike again. Hallelujah!
Earlier in the week we had contacted this guy on the metro and when Zr Frandsen showed him her mini Book of Mormon, he thought she was giving it to him and he took it! Luckily he gave us his address, so we went back to his street to try to get it back on Thursday. He wasn't home though, so we were walking along to this neighborhood that was close by and were just contacting as we went along. Zr F stopped a lady who looked a little bit sad and we just talked to her for a second. She opened up really fast about how she was just coming back from the doctor's office where she found out that she has cancer. It was really clear how scared she was and how uncertain her future was. She didn't want to give us her information to contact her later, but we gave her a mormon.nl card and I just bore my testimony of God's love and His calming power. We invited her to pray for comfort and for guidance and the spirit was so strong. I hope she's okay. It's amazing how short our contact is with people sometimes, but yet how much you can see that God LOVES them.
Further down the street I stopped this lady who, toevallig, happened to have been in contact with the elders years and years ago, but for one reason or another stopped. She was super interested and took het boek van mormoon. That was cool.
Then just a little further down the street, there was a man who was handicapped in a little scooter with a basket on the front which was full of roses. We thought he was selling them, but then he took one of the red roses and handed it to Zr Frandsen! It was so sweet and she semi-jokingly said "Heavenly Father told him my bike was stolen and he sent him to give me a rose to make me feel better!" There are little miracles everywhere if you just stop and smell the roses. Get it? hahaha
But really though. It was a pretty cool moment.
We also met a lady who is from Iran. She moved here a few years ago to escape persecution in Iran. She's not Muslim, but also not christian. It was interesting to hear about her religion. I'd never heard of it before. It sounded like they worship John the Baptist and all of their ceremonies have to do with the water and with immersion in the water, including marriage. She was super sweet and invited us inside to talk for a moment. She gave us water and these little snacks that she'd just baked. Her mother joined her from Iran a few years ago just as things were getting really bad there. Their story was so tragic and sounded like they'd been through a lot. I know my trials have been different, but it made me so grateful for the safety in which I have always lived. It's moments like those that you really realize how much you appreciate your circumstances. Not that you didn't appreciate them before, but just that you really ponder about it.
It was a day full of miracles and really cool moments.
And guess what?!?!?!! An investigator CAME TO CHURCH! We were so happy! We've been trying to get her to come since General Conference, and she finally came! She only came to Sacrament meeting, but it's a start. I just love her so much!
Sunday night we ate with an american family who have two little kids. They are so so so adorable! Every couple of minutes the little girl would latch onto one of us and say, "I love you sister missionaries!" She's the most energetic, adorable little girl ever. It was a great night. We talked about faith, and it's amazing how much those two little kids already understand. They're both under the age of 5, but they already understand the concept of faith. The gospel isn't only for those who understand everything and can explain it super well, it's for anyone and everyone.
In Testimony meeting this past month, the little girl said, "I believe the church is true because I believe in God. And I need a way to get back to Him." That was something she just came up with all on her own! It was such a simple, powerful testimony. Christ's church gives us the way to get back to our Heavenly Father.
I love you all so much and hope you're doing well!
Love,
zr what