Hoi familie!
So you got an email saying the mission office and home have been moved, that is true.. it's crazy we found out about transfers yesterday and the whole mission is changing pretty much.. Where assistants and zone leaders are have all changed.. so it was fun to call around and here the different news.. me.. I'm staying. 3rd transfer it will be in Heerlen, I'm excited about it, I love this place, and it's really beautiful.. the ward is amazing.. I love the ward, every week I'm just becoming closer and closer with people here. Elder Mickelsen however is going away, he as been upgraded from District Leader to a big bad Zone Leader! It was pretty fun to see his face has he got the call.. he was pretty shocked. It was a good transfer with him, we worked hard. We had a lot of ups and downs missionary work wise.. had 2 baptismal dates that we set drop us after a couple days.. Karel at the beginning and then another one this past week.. kind of a bummer.. also a lot of investigators drop us for different reasons.. but we saw miracles in other ways, even though we kept being dropped we kept finding new people.. and so we've constantly stayed busy.. the biggest miracle for us came yesterday at church.. a couple of less-actives showed up to church that we had no idea were coming.. one we had a dinner appointment on saturday with, and I asked her if she would come to church, and she told me she couldn't.. but then she came.. and she said that she wanted to surprise me.. oh man, it was such a good feeling to see her at church.. We also had a less active who we met randomly on the street.. he came up to us and started talking saying he was baptized a couple years ago, but he went inactive because he got back into drugs that sort of thing.. but he wanted to meet with us and we've tried a couple times going over to his house to no avail.. but then he showed up at church too.. True miracles, and a really good way to end the transfer.. although number wise it will never show how good and amazing it really was.. My new companion is named Elder Leash I believe? Don't know much about him.. so it'll be fun.. I hope.. but yeah, this last week was pretty good, like I said last week We got to go to the temple on tuesday.. it was interesting.. did the endowment in dutch.. but it was just good to be back at the house of the lord.. after the temple we went to the famous keukenhof.. where it's world renown for it's flower gardens.. don't think I've ever taken so many photos of flowers in my life.. but hey it was for memories.. maybe the girls will find them pretty or something.. =P
Here is the new address to the mission..
De Kerk van Jezus Christus
van de Heiligen der Laatste Dagen
Schipholweg, 66
2316 XE
Leiden, Netherlands
So yesterday after church we went to a awesome family's house for Easter Dinner.. we had ham, and funeral potatoes.. and just a classic american meal.. the family is graet, they let us make a grocery list of american items we miss the most, and there going to go shoppping and buy them for us.. hmm.. well don't have to much else to share this week.. wish you all the best, excited to be able to talk to you guys on the phone on mother's day!! =)
Love you all, and thanks for all your emails and support, you guys mean the world to me.
Elder Joseph V. Mohrman
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Heelen! Week after last...
Hoi Familie!
So today is monday.. but.. no p-day... Yup, our P-day has been changed due to the fact we will be going to the Temple this Week! Really excited.. I'll be there tomorrow.. so my long temple drought of I don''t want to think of how long will finally be over.. sweet. I knew this has been coming for a few months now and as it's been coming closer and closer the excitement and my thoughts keep going back to temples.. President Monson's talk this last conference on temples, I really really enjoyed.. The temple is an amazing place. I've only been a handful of times and yet.. I dunno.. just hard to explain.. I miss it.. so I'm glad to be going back. My companion and I have been going through the area book, there's three different ones in Heerlen, and some of them are really old dating back to 2003! And we've been having success in finding people.. going through and calling them up, or even going to there houses, and making appointments.. we've met some interesting people these past few weeks doing that. This past week a few days ago I forget what day exactly, We visited this lady who was taught maybe 3-4 years ago? But we talked with this lady on her door, and her background is muslim, but she had a rotten marriage with a muslim man, and so divorced him.. she then fell in love with a person from suriname who was catholic.. her family freaked out! disowned her and what not.. So the idea of "groups" or organized religion doesn't appeal to her at all.. but on the flip side she is respectful and beleives in listening to people and hearing people out, as long as they show the same respect to her.. she had some really good points about life and religion.. she said that if she wanted to talk to her god, she can do it wherever she wants.. in her car, at home, doesn't need to have a set place or way of talking to god.. we agree! She also asked us, some interesting questions, she asked us that if we fell in love with a muslim girl.. who didn't share our belief.. would we marry her? Or could we not look past the muslim in her.. From her background it was a very honest question, and a very good question.. immediately I thought about the temple.. and how I want a temple marriage.. but how do you explain that to someone with a background like she had, with all the pain she's felt due to the fact that her parents disowned her for marrying outside of there religion? I knew the answer I would give.. but didn't know how to explain it in a way that would help her understand.. it was a interesting, fun conversation.. The lady did say she would come to church and check it out.. see how were "unique" from every other christian church.. so hopefully she'll come this next week!
Talking with members here, Been able to hear many different stories about the Netherlands temple.. It seems that every temple has it's "miracle" stories. One of the members here is a temple worker and we stopped by to visit him one night, and we talked about the temple, different things that happened with the construction of the temple and what not.. So many stories that I just don't have time to share!! I guess you all will just have to be content with that there are cool stories that I've heard about it.. =)
We had stake conference this past sunday, it was in Brussels and we got to ride with a member here, he a cournel in the Air Force and actually just got stationed here a couple months ago.. Bro. Kitchen.. really neat guy, just another person on the list of amazing people I've met on my mission ;) Stake conference was fun, because a new stake presidency was organized, the old stake president was called to be an area 70 so you heard his name over general conference.. his name is hans boom.. so that was cool. But It was interesting to see the stake presidency get organized because I guess the last time I saw that happen was with Pres WIlardson.. but I don't really remember too much about it, cool to see how the church is run though.. Well.. as of missionary work here, like I said we've been going through all the old investigators.. we've also still managed to have success finding.. but yeah.. this week ended strong for me.. not going to lie I didn't have the best week this week feelings wise.. just didn't have enthusiasm, and I was sick.. so maybe that contributed to why I was thinking a lot about home and just thinking how great it would be to be able to go home for a day.. see you all.. talk to you all.. but.. I snapped out of it, with some of these neat expirences that I mentioned above.. so no worries here, back on track.. not that I was really off track.. I hope?! But anyways.. Don't know what else to write.. Shared all the neat expiriences.. umm... cool.. well thanks for all the emails.. I'm glad everything is good with everyone..(that wrote me emails at least =P ) Happy Nikki found a job.. and.. hope tiffani had a good b-day?
Love you all.. you guys mean the world to me!
Elder Joseph V. Mohrman
So today is monday.. but.. no p-day... Yup, our P-day has been changed due to the fact we will be going to the Temple this Week! Really excited.. I'll be there tomorrow.. so my long temple drought of I don''t want to think of how long will finally be over.. sweet. I knew this has been coming for a few months now and as it's been coming closer and closer the excitement and my thoughts keep going back to temples.. President Monson's talk this last conference on temples, I really really enjoyed.. The temple is an amazing place. I've only been a handful of times and yet.. I dunno.. just hard to explain.. I miss it.. so I'm glad to be going back. My companion and I have been going through the area book, there's three different ones in Heerlen, and some of them are really old dating back to 2003! And we've been having success in finding people.. going through and calling them up, or even going to there houses, and making appointments.. we've met some interesting people these past few weeks doing that. This past week a few days ago I forget what day exactly, We visited this lady who was taught maybe 3-4 years ago? But we talked with this lady on her door, and her background is muslim, but she had a rotten marriage with a muslim man, and so divorced him.. she then fell in love with a person from suriname who was catholic.. her family freaked out! disowned her and what not.. So the idea of "groups" or organized religion doesn't appeal to her at all.. but on the flip side she is respectful and beleives in listening to people and hearing people out, as long as they show the same respect to her.. she had some really good points about life and religion.. she said that if she wanted to talk to her god, she can do it wherever she wants.. in her car, at home, doesn't need to have a set place or way of talking to god.. we agree! She also asked us, some interesting questions, she asked us that if we fell in love with a muslim girl.. who didn't share our belief.. would we marry her? Or could we not look past the muslim in her.. From her background it was a very honest question, and a very good question.. immediately I thought about the temple.. and how I want a temple marriage.. but how do you explain that to someone with a background like she had, with all the pain she's felt due to the fact that her parents disowned her for marrying outside of there religion? I knew the answer I would give.. but didn't know how to explain it in a way that would help her understand.. it was a interesting, fun conversation.. The lady did say she would come to church and check it out.. see how were "unique" from every other christian church.. so hopefully she'll come this next week!
Talking with members here, Been able to hear many different stories about the Netherlands temple.. It seems that every temple has it's "miracle" stories. One of the members here is a temple worker and we stopped by to visit him one night, and we talked about the temple, different things that happened with the construction of the temple and what not.. So many stories that I just don't have time to share!! I guess you all will just have to be content with that there are cool stories that I've heard about it.. =)
We had stake conference this past sunday, it was in Brussels and we got to ride with a member here, he a cournel in the Air Force and actually just got stationed here a couple months ago.. Bro. Kitchen.. really neat guy, just another person on the list of amazing people I've met on my mission ;) Stake conference was fun, because a new stake presidency was organized, the old stake president was called to be an area 70 so you heard his name over general conference.. his name is hans boom.. so that was cool. But It was interesting to see the stake presidency get organized because I guess the last time I saw that happen was with Pres WIlardson.. but I don't really remember too much about it, cool to see how the church is run though.. Well.. as of missionary work here, like I said we've been going through all the old investigators.. we've also still managed to have success finding.. but yeah.. this week ended strong for me.. not going to lie I didn't have the best week this week feelings wise.. just didn't have enthusiasm, and I was sick.. so maybe that contributed to why I was thinking a lot about home and just thinking how great it would be to be able to go home for a day.. see you all.. talk to you all.. but.. I snapped out of it, with some of these neat expirences that I mentioned above.. so no worries here, back on track.. not that I was really off track.. I hope?! But anyways.. Don't know what else to write.. Shared all the neat expiriences.. umm... cool.. well thanks for all the emails.. I'm glad everything is good with everyone..(that wrote me emails at least =P ) Happy Nikki found a job.. and.. hope tiffani had a good b-day?
Love you all.. you guys mean the world to me!
Elder Joseph V. Mohrman
Monday, April 11, 2011
Still in Heerlen!
Hoi Familie!
What a wonderful week! At least it sure feels like that when the sun is shining every day and my companion and I don't have to wear any jackets all week! Really nice.. For a couple days we just had our white shirts on.. It's interesting because now people gap and gawk and point and laugh ten times more than they did before.. but it's okay, at least they don't think were Jehovah Witnesses anymore!! Well.. at least the smart people.. =P
So for the past few months I've been thinking that I've been getting really fat.. Thinkin' that I'm pushing 180 pds or something.. well.. I just made a really great discovery.. our scale.. is in kilos.. and so what I was seeing was actually in kilo's and I'm only 75-78 kilos.. totally misread it.. and I did the conversion, and I've actually lost weight since the MTC!!! So much stress and guilty feelings as I ate different type of foods.. so.. yeah.. I'm not fat. Maybe that should of been the title of this email =P Thought I'd share that with you so you don't think I'm turning into a whale or somethin' out here!!
We had a really good week this week.. nothing too special with progressing investigators.. but we got a lot of new potential investigators. We went to the city of Maastricht for a couple of days, (just another big city in our area) and we had a lot of good experiences.. We got contacted by a couple ladies on back to back days.. which is not really normal.. the first one is from Peru, and she just came up and started talking to us because she knew we were mormon missionary's from our white shirts and just spilled her soul to us.. talked our ears off.. but we got her number and we have an appointment with her today in fact.. the next day were in maastricht were just chilling on the water front (maastricht has a huge river that goes inbetween it) (huge tourist city also) and this lady comes up and starts talking to us and asking us who we are and what not.. turns out she's from Romania and we also have an appointment with her today.. so pretty cool.. it makes missionary work easier when people come up and talk to you! ;) We also met with a referal we got from my old companion in Den Haag.. his name is Zahng.. from china.. been living here for 10 years.. doesn't speak any english just simple simple dutch.. and we were able to communicate with him with our simple dutch.. it was neat, he bought us McDonalds.. so cool experiences, cool people I got to meet...
With all these people that I got the opportunity to meet this week, made me think about all the different people i've met throughout my mission so far.. for me the people that I've gotten to know, mostly members, but also investigators and other missionary's even, I think is what I appreciate the most and love the most about my mission.. We have a couple members in Heerlen, that are just amazing people.. amazing families.. Example is a sister who was baptized in Suriname last December, her name is Zuster Van de Bos.. So nice.. so kind, and has a fiery testimony.. really reminds me a lot of Nancy back in Den Haag, my first baptism.. but Zuster VD Bos, she knows so many people, and talks to so many people about the gospel.. we have her son as an investigator right now and a couple other daughters as potentials.. Also the Ward Missionary and his family from heerlen.. the Chardon's.. there amazing as well.. and there's so many others in Heerlen and there's so many other's in the different cities I've served in.. easily the best part of my mission..
Well family, enjoy the week.. Happy Birthday to Tiffani.. hope you didn't think I forgot!! Just saving the best for last ;)
Tot Ziens
Liefde,
Elder Joseph V. Mohrman
What a wonderful week! At least it sure feels like that when the sun is shining every day and my companion and I don't have to wear any jackets all week! Really nice.. For a couple days we just had our white shirts on.. It's interesting because now people gap and gawk and point and laugh ten times more than they did before.. but it's okay, at least they don't think were Jehovah Witnesses anymore!! Well.. at least the smart people.. =P
So for the past few months I've been thinking that I've been getting really fat.. Thinkin' that I'm pushing 180 pds or something.. well.. I just made a really great discovery.. our scale.. is in kilos.. and so what I was seeing was actually in kilo's and I'm only 75-78 kilos.. totally misread it.. and I did the conversion, and I've actually lost weight since the MTC!!! So much stress and guilty feelings as I ate different type of foods.. so.. yeah.. I'm not fat. Maybe that should of been the title of this email =P Thought I'd share that with you so you don't think I'm turning into a whale or somethin' out here!!
We had a really good week this week.. nothing too special with progressing investigators.. but we got a lot of new potential investigators. We went to the city of Maastricht for a couple of days, (just another big city in our area) and we had a lot of good experiences.. We got contacted by a couple ladies on back to back days.. which is not really normal.. the first one is from Peru, and she just came up and started talking to us because she knew we were mormon missionary's from our white shirts and just spilled her soul to us.. talked our ears off.. but we got her number and we have an appointment with her today in fact.. the next day were in maastricht were just chilling on the water front (maastricht has a huge river that goes inbetween it) (huge tourist city also) and this lady comes up and starts talking to us and asking us who we are and what not.. turns out she's from Romania and we also have an appointment with her today.. so pretty cool.. it makes missionary work easier when people come up and talk to you! ;) We also met with a referal we got from my old companion in Den Haag.. his name is Zahng.. from china.. been living here for 10 years.. doesn't speak any english just simple simple dutch.. and we were able to communicate with him with our simple dutch.. it was neat, he bought us McDonalds.. so cool experiences, cool people I got to meet...
With all these people that I got the opportunity to meet this week, made me think about all the different people i've met throughout my mission so far.. for me the people that I've gotten to know, mostly members, but also investigators and other missionary's even, I think is what I appreciate the most and love the most about my mission.. We have a couple members in Heerlen, that are just amazing people.. amazing families.. Example is a sister who was baptized in Suriname last December, her name is Zuster Van de Bos.. So nice.. so kind, and has a fiery testimony.. really reminds me a lot of Nancy back in Den Haag, my first baptism.. but Zuster VD Bos, she knows so many people, and talks to so many people about the gospel.. we have her son as an investigator right now and a couple other daughters as potentials.. Also the Ward Missionary and his family from heerlen.. the Chardon's.. there amazing as well.. and there's so many others in Heerlen and there's so many other's in the different cities I've served in.. easily the best part of my mission..
Well family, enjoy the week.. Happy Birthday to Tiffani.. hope you didn't think I forgot!! Just saving the best for last ;)
Tot Ziens
Liefde,
Elder Joseph V. Mohrman
Monday, April 4, 2011
Heerlen...bummer...forgot what week....9
Hoi Familie!
Hoe gaat het met idereen?? Hopelijk alles is goed met jullie. So this past week was not bad.. weather is getting better and better every day.. we had our first day in the 70's.. oh man that was nice.. really hot and warm in a suit coat.. but hey.. no complaints.. I'm tired of the cold!
Last week for P-day we visited 6 different castles in our area.. that was pretty cool, granted.. some of them were just old rich man mansions that they just stuck the label "castle" on them.. but still really neat.. a lot of history.. don't know what were going to do today.. It's a little cold so I think were going to take a rustig day =P Went on a few exchanges this week first one was with Elder Taylor.. he's on his 2nd transfer.. so I got to play senior companion again ;) It was fun, he came to heerlen, and we had a few appointments and did some finding.. had a pretty neat experience, we have this investigator her name is Rosemary, she's from Jamaica.. we only meet with her once a week, because her husband is anti religion.. and because of that we don't have your number because she doesn't want us calling and having the husband answer.. so all we have is her word that she'll be at appointments.. and she's kept all of them for the past 6-7 weeks.. but.. this week.. she missed it.. and we had no way to contact her so it was kinda a bummer.. but as we were finishing up our consecrated hour.. we knock on Rosemary's best friends door, and she's in the house! So we were able to set up another appointment, and even have her friend as a potential now! It was pretty neat.. most would say coincidence.. but.. I don't think so.. it was random how we found her again.. she's a really sweet lady, I hope things work out with her.. bummer anti-god husbands, they just cause problems!!
Went on another exchange in Gent, Belgium, Elder Mickelsen did his little District meeting thing, so I got to go to Belgium for the day, and this time got paired up with a Greenie, who's only been in the land for two weeks.. so got to play senior companion a lot this week! It was fun, Elder Calkins is the Elder's name in Gent, and we actually had a lot of success.. taught like 5 lessens to people on the street.. had another appointment with one of there investigators.. and He got us lost! So.. cool exchange ;) It's interesting Belgium and Netherlands are very different.. the buildings in Belgium (or at least Gent) they look fake almost.. like something you'd see in Disney world or something.. I dunno.. it's just strange.. Feels almost 3rd worldish.. maybe because they don't have a government or something =P One lady we talked too, elder Calkins and I, she thought that Elder Calkins looked 16.. and so I asked how old she thought I was.. she said maybe I was born in like 1987!! ha ha It was funny because Elder Calkins is older than I am.. don't think I look that old do I??
Well I told you about my opportunity to give a member a blessing last week.. well this week I went on splits with her husband and we went to some former investigators that we have never met before.. and I got to give my first blessing in Dutch!! Wow.. pretty intense.. really simple, really basic.. but I remember Elder Oaks talk in the April Priesthood session Conference in 2010, so.. doesn't matter if it's simple or basic.. a blessing is a blessing.. it was a pretty neat experience.. the man started to cry, because he felt "heavy on his head" and his wife started to tear up as well.. I'm being really blessed on my mission concerning blessings.. pretty much every one that I've been apart of something really neat and powerful has happened..
Conference though, that was great. Period. (Kim =P) First session the Saturday morning started at 6 p.m live here.. and we were only allowed to watch it if we watched it with an investigator.. so we were scrambling all week trying to find someone, and we ended up going to an investigator's house, his name is serge he's from Congo.. doesn't speak English, and knows Dutch.. so I got to watch my first conference session in Dutch! check that off my bucket list ha ha it was interesting.. I was just glad to be able to watch it.. Then we went to Antwerpen for Priesthood sunday morning.. and then we stayed at our Bishop's house all day with his family and we watched Saturday afternoon, and Sunday Morning was live at 6 p.m.. so two sessions live.. two recorded sessions and we didn't get to see the last session.. kinda a bummer.. but it is what it is.. really loved Pres. Monsons talk on Temples.. then the choir sings Spirit of God.. powerful.. there was a lot of neat talks during conference.. but I've already spent enough time with this email'=P Thanks for the emails everyone.. Hope you all have a great wonderful week..
Ik houd van jullie!!!
Tot Ziens
--Elder Mohrman
Hoe gaat het met idereen?? Hopelijk alles is goed met jullie. So this past week was not bad.. weather is getting better and better every day.. we had our first day in the 70's.. oh man that was nice.. really hot and warm in a suit coat.. but hey.. no complaints.. I'm tired of the cold!
Last week for P-day we visited 6 different castles in our area.. that was pretty cool, granted.. some of them were just old rich man mansions that they just stuck the label "castle" on them.. but still really neat.. a lot of history.. don't know what were going to do today.. It's a little cold so I think were going to take a rustig day =P Went on a few exchanges this week first one was with Elder Taylor.. he's on his 2nd transfer.. so I got to play senior companion again ;) It was fun, he came to heerlen, and we had a few appointments and did some finding.. had a pretty neat experience, we have this investigator her name is Rosemary, she's from Jamaica.. we only meet with her once a week, because her husband is anti religion.. and because of that we don't have your number because she doesn't want us calling and having the husband answer.. so all we have is her word that she'll be at appointments.. and she's kept all of them for the past 6-7 weeks.. but.. this week.. she missed it.. and we had no way to contact her so it was kinda a bummer.. but as we were finishing up our consecrated hour.. we knock on Rosemary's best friends door, and she's in the house! So we were able to set up another appointment, and even have her friend as a potential now! It was pretty neat.. most would say coincidence.. but.. I don't think so.. it was random how we found her again.. she's a really sweet lady, I hope things work out with her.. bummer anti-god husbands, they just cause problems!!
Went on another exchange in Gent, Belgium, Elder Mickelsen did his little District meeting thing, so I got to go to Belgium for the day, and this time got paired up with a Greenie, who's only been in the land for two weeks.. so got to play senior companion a lot this week! It was fun, Elder Calkins is the Elder's name in Gent, and we actually had a lot of success.. taught like 5 lessens to people on the street.. had another appointment with one of there investigators.. and He got us lost! So.. cool exchange ;) It's interesting Belgium and Netherlands are very different.. the buildings in Belgium (or at least Gent) they look fake almost.. like something you'd see in Disney world or something.. I dunno.. it's just strange.. Feels almost 3rd worldish.. maybe because they don't have a government or something =P One lady we talked too, elder Calkins and I, she thought that Elder Calkins looked 16.. and so I asked how old she thought I was.. she said maybe I was born in like 1987!! ha ha It was funny because Elder Calkins is older than I am.. don't think I look that old do I??
Well I told you about my opportunity to give a member a blessing last week.. well this week I went on splits with her husband and we went to some former investigators that we have never met before.. and I got to give my first blessing in Dutch!! Wow.. pretty intense.. really simple, really basic.. but I remember Elder Oaks talk in the April Priesthood session Conference in 2010, so.. doesn't matter if it's simple or basic.. a blessing is a blessing.. it was a pretty neat experience.. the man started to cry, because he felt "heavy on his head" and his wife started to tear up as well.. I'm being really blessed on my mission concerning blessings.. pretty much every one that I've been apart of something really neat and powerful has happened..
Conference though, that was great. Period. (Kim =P) First session the Saturday morning started at 6 p.m live here.. and we were only allowed to watch it if we watched it with an investigator.. so we were scrambling all week trying to find someone, and we ended up going to an investigator's house, his name is serge he's from Congo.. doesn't speak English, and knows Dutch.. so I got to watch my first conference session in Dutch! check that off my bucket list ha ha it was interesting.. I was just glad to be able to watch it.. Then we went to Antwerpen for Priesthood sunday morning.. and then we stayed at our Bishop's house all day with his family and we watched Saturday afternoon, and Sunday Morning was live at 6 p.m.. so two sessions live.. two recorded sessions and we didn't get to see the last session.. kinda a bummer.. but it is what it is.. really loved Pres. Monsons talk on Temples.. then the choir sings Spirit of God.. powerful.. there was a lot of neat talks during conference.. but I've already spent enough time with this email'=P Thanks for the emails everyone.. Hope you all have a great wonderful week..
Ik houd van jullie!!!
Tot Ziens
--Elder Mohrman
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