But MIRACLES: we got a referral last week from the sisters in Apeldoorn, and we met with her twice this last week. She and her husband are from Nigeria. They have a cute daughter. I haven't met the husband because I was on exchanges for the second appointment, but they are soooo cool!
They're looking for a church to join, she was really intrigued by the Book of Mormon when she talked to the other sisters, so she asked them to have us call her that very night. We went over on Tuesday and taught her the restoration, and she was so open and receptive! She also gave us some apple tart she made :)
The second appointment sounded like it also went really well, and we're just really excited about them. They live so close to us, and a lot of members live in the same area as us, so it's perfect :)
We went up to Apeldoorn on Wednesday to help an older member move, so we got to wear jeans! But I actually decided that I don't really like jeans much. Skirts are so much more comfortable and free :) haha
Also with one of our investigators this week, he gave us coca cola, and I had to drink it. :/ I had never had a coke before (or any caffeinated beverage) and I had a goal to never drink it in my life, but he's a really tender soul and I felt like it would be extremely rude if I didn't drink it... so I did. Silly, but I was sad about it. haha
Thursday we had to go to Den Haag because Zr Ramirez' passport is expiring! It's such a beautiful city, and it was fun to go to the Argentinian Embassy. We had to get a passport picture for her, and went to this little shop down the street. The man working there was from Chile, dad! He spoke very clear Spanish and I actually understood most of what he said. I think the Argentina accent is just difficult for me :) haha
Friday was exchanges with the Maastricht sisters! They are awesome and it was a long train ride to get there, but it was such a good day. We met with these two Jehovah Witness women, and it was a very interesting appointment. They were really sweet though, luckily and we had a very civil, actually very loving conversation about our beliefs and theirs. The Maastricht sisters found them going langs de deur and they've been meeting for about a month now. It was really cool, mostly because everything they said confirmed to me that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the true church of God on the earth. The spirit just testified to me so strongly.
Then we went to Germany! Now before you freak out, it's because down there in Maastricht and Heerlen, it's an American ward. The military base is down there, and most of the members live in Germany, but are in the Heerlen ward boundaries. So I got to go to Germany to have pizza with an American family with 7 boys. It was the weirdest thing ever, just because it was so different from what I've been used to for the past 10 months. The houses in Germany are so much bigger, and also they picked us and the Heerlen elders up in a big SUV so I haven't felt more american in months.
So many trains this week, and still lots this coming week, haha. That's the life of a missionary in the Netherlands, I guess.
Other random happenings:
One of those days on the train there was a person listening to "Supermassive Blackhole" by Muse with really bad headphones. I could only hear the bass guitar, but I surprised myself that I still recognized it so quickly. Music is going to be weird coming home because I've gotten used to just MoTab and hymns. That's what I like now, haha.
I got to play an electric violin for the first time at a less active's house! (first time in a couple years on violin in general... I've forgotten a lot.) It was so nice to get to play! I mostly just tuned it, but that alone was just really nice :)
We all found out this week that after November, all of the missionaries are going to be going home a week earlier than expected because the MTC is doing something different. So I'll be coming home in January instead of February... That freaks me out! I realized the other day that I only have 7 months left and I don't know what to feel about that... I don't think I'm ready to come home any time soon... haha.
But this last Sunday, our Ward mission leader taught about prayer in Gospel Principles. He shared a story called "Father are you there?" by Elder Hugh B. Brown. He would get nightmares as a child and cry out, "Mother are you there?" And she would reply, "Yes, dear, I am here," and he would feel comforted and go back to sleep. When he left on his mission, his mother reminded him of that childhood story and told him, "For two years I'm not going to be able to be there. But Heavenly Father will always be there. Call out to him if you need help." He said that there were many occasions where he called out, "Father, are you there?" and he received the comfort and answers he needed.
That story was so sweet to me! I loved it. That has been my experience on my mission as well, and I've gained such a strong testimony of prayer, as often as you can. Heavenly Father will answer your prayers and He is always by you to help you. "Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ"
I love you all so much! Enjoy the warm weather while you can :)
liefs,
Zuster Watts