Elder Mohrman's mission president's wife is wonderful at maintaining a mission blog...posting events, stories etc. It can be found here:
http://belgiumbrusselsnetherlandsmission.blogspot.com/
Some of the pictures are from zone conferences etc and lo and behold...I can spot the blonde Elder from Payson...so there will be specific links and see if you can spot Waldo..oops I mean Elder Mohrman...
Here are a couple of links:
1. Recent Zone Conference - Sept 14...he is in four of the pictures...usually you can click on the pictures for better view...
http://belgiumbrusselsnetherlandsmission.blogspot.com/2011/09/two-zones-come-together-for-zone.html
2. Mission President visited a ward on a Sunday...(this one is too easy...he is in two of them)
http://belgiumbrusselsnetherlandsmission.blogspot.com/2011/08/our-sunday-was-blessed-by-spijkinesse.html
3. Mission President and wife toured the apartments in the mission... (he is in three of these...)
http://belgiumbrusselsnetherlandsmission.blogspot.com/2011/08/saturday-in-rotterdam-spijkenisse-and.html
Monday, September 26, 2011
doing great....
Hoi familie!!
I don´t have a lot of time.. but I made some bullet points that I wanted to say to you all!!
First.. We went to tom´s choir last monday.. it was interesting.. we didn´t sing in it.. just listened.. as dutch as it could have possibly been. Interesting expirience.. nobody was really happy that we were there, but Tom was. We committed him to reading everyday in the book of mormon til general conference.. and I shared with him that lamp story you sent me dad.. it was an amazing powerful lessen.. he said he would do his best, then he said he would do it.. going back tomorrow night, and he said he´s going to bring a neighbor with him to the appointment.. so that´s really neat.. Tom.. wow.. He´s probably one of my more favorite investigators/people i´ve met on my mission.. who would of thought that a relationship/friendship could be built and mean so much between a 50 year old dutch man and a 20 year old american kid.. Amazing...
We set a couple more baptismal dates this week! One with Pat.. really excited about that, she got permission from her husband, and she´s pretty much saying forget the in-laws.. I want this for myself.. she still has a long way to go, but she made that step in committing to a date.. really happy about that.. also set a baptismal date with Bas, the man we were told to go visit by a returned visiting missionary pete arens.. He´s doing amazing, and he wants to make the changes in his life.. i´ve never seen someone so dedicated to the committments that we give.. Pretty amazing story..
So hendryetta did not go through.. but aaltje did.. pretty special seeing aaltje get baptized.. had a lot of flashbacks to where she was when I first met her, to now seeing the glow in her eyes.. one of the more amazing stories from my mission I think.. but of course there´s opposition in all things, and aaltje and her familie aren´t doing so hot right now.. which is affecting hendryetta.. but hendryetta is still committed to being baptized.. she just needs a lot of prayers.. so thank you for all the prayers that have and will be said.
I have more that I could and would like to say.. but I´m in a hurry, just wanted to give some updates on these people.. the 20 year old girl that we found.. she´s now investigating.. really cool appointment.. so the lord is still blessing this area, and i´m still blessed to be in it!
Transfers are the middle of october.. i have no idea if i´ll be transfered or not.. normally it´s between 3-4 transfers in one place.. this is my third..
Love you all, thanks so much for your emails!
Tot ziens,
Elder Mohrman
I don´t have a lot of time.. but I made some bullet points that I wanted to say to you all!!
First.. We went to tom´s choir last monday.. it was interesting.. we didn´t sing in it.. just listened.. as dutch as it could have possibly been. Interesting expirience.. nobody was really happy that we were there, but Tom was. We committed him to reading everyday in the book of mormon til general conference.. and I shared with him that lamp story you sent me dad.. it was an amazing powerful lessen.. he said he would do his best, then he said he would do it.. going back tomorrow night, and he said he´s going to bring a neighbor with him to the appointment.. so that´s really neat.. Tom.. wow.. He´s probably one of my more favorite investigators/people i´ve met on my mission.. who would of thought that a relationship/friendship could be built and mean so much between a 50 year old dutch man and a 20 year old american kid.. Amazing...
We set a couple more baptismal dates this week! One with Pat.. really excited about that, she got permission from her husband, and she´s pretty much saying forget the in-laws.. I want this for myself.. she still has a long way to go, but she made that step in committing to a date.. really happy about that.. also set a baptismal date with Bas, the man we were told to go visit by a returned visiting missionary pete arens.. He´s doing amazing, and he wants to make the changes in his life.. i´ve never seen someone so dedicated to the committments that we give.. Pretty amazing story..
So hendryetta did not go through.. but aaltje did.. pretty special seeing aaltje get baptized.. had a lot of flashbacks to where she was when I first met her, to now seeing the glow in her eyes.. one of the more amazing stories from my mission I think.. but of course there´s opposition in all things, and aaltje and her familie aren´t doing so hot right now.. which is affecting hendryetta.. but hendryetta is still committed to being baptized.. she just needs a lot of prayers.. so thank you for all the prayers that have and will be said.
I have more that I could and would like to say.. but I´m in a hurry, just wanted to give some updates on these people.. the 20 year old girl that we found.. she´s now investigating.. really cool appointment.. so the lord is still blessing this area, and i´m still blessed to be in it!
Transfers are the middle of october.. i have no idea if i´ll be transfered or not.. normally it´s between 3-4 transfers in one place.. this is my third..
Love you all, thanks so much for your emails!
Tot ziens,
Elder Mohrman
Monday, September 19, 2011
Hoi! Week.. yeah.. Been a while here in Spijkenisse!
Hoi familie!
Another week gone by.. crazy.. time flies.. but it was a great.. setting up week.. I mean that we set up a lot of things this past week, for this coming week.. Hendryetta is getting baptized.. with her sister Aaltje.. really awesome, and amazing, and a miracle.. still have to get past the baptismal interviews.. but there doing awesome, and I have complete faith they'll get baptized this saturday. It's pretty unique situation, I taught both of them, set up both of there baptismal dates.. yet they'll be baptized in a different city. In fact today, we have a lessen with Hendryetta in R'dam south, out of our area =0 I don't know the other ward at all, that'll they'll be going too, so I can only hope and pray that they get fellowshipped!
Tom.. our big friendly dutch man.. he's amazing.. he's been telling people at his work and his church that he's been meeting with "mormon missionarys' and of course people have been freaking out, and asking him "aren't they trying to convert you?!!" and he's been telling these people, "yeah, maybe.. but there doing it in a way that's not hindering".. pretty neat.. he's still reading.. still praying.. the only problem with this guy is, that were getting to be too good of friends with this guy! We get distracted on so many different topics that we struggle sometimes talking about the lessens!! But we decided we needed to show more support for him, so i called him up this past week, and said were going to go to his church tonight, and listen to him sing in his church choir.. it's going to be crazy.. as dutch as they come churches.. I think that he might even want us to sing with them.. how about that huh.. singing in a reformed dutch church's choir... that would definitely go in the journal ;) Óur families are also making great strides.. with lot's of enthusiasm.. i don't think i've ever made such strong relationships with investigators before.. I thought Heerlen was good.. man.. doesn't compare with how well things are going here.. It's great! We have lot's of potential for this coming week as I hinted at earlier.. yesterday, we were doing some finding on a street going door to door.. first house, lesbians.. awkward.. second house.. Jehovah witnesses.. third and 4th houses.. rude dutch people.. then the last house on the row, this golden 20 year old, who said she's looking for a church, has never heard of us or the book of mormon, and asked us to come back and tell her more.. i've never had someone ask us to come back on my mission.. well jehovah witnesses.. but they don't count.. it was pretty sweet, especially since our focus for our mission is families, and young adults.. we have both here right now..
well two minutes left of my internet time, just wanted to say I love you all.. thanks for everything, i'm going to be sending some packages home, with dutch goodies.. hope you enjoy.. and okay, tot de volgende week!
Love
Elder Mohrman
Another week gone by.. crazy.. time flies.. but it was a great.. setting up week.. I mean that we set up a lot of things this past week, for this coming week.. Hendryetta is getting baptized.. with her sister Aaltje.. really awesome, and amazing, and a miracle.. still have to get past the baptismal interviews.. but there doing awesome, and I have complete faith they'll get baptized this saturday. It's pretty unique situation, I taught both of them, set up both of there baptismal dates.. yet they'll be baptized in a different city. In fact today, we have a lessen with Hendryetta in R'dam south, out of our area =0 I don't know the other ward at all, that'll they'll be going too, so I can only hope and pray that they get fellowshipped!
Tom.. our big friendly dutch man.. he's amazing.. he's been telling people at his work and his church that he's been meeting with "mormon missionarys' and of course people have been freaking out, and asking him "aren't they trying to convert you?!!" and he's been telling these people, "yeah, maybe.. but there doing it in a way that's not hindering".. pretty neat.. he's still reading.. still praying.. the only problem with this guy is, that were getting to be too good of friends with this guy! We get distracted on so many different topics that we struggle sometimes talking about the lessens!! But we decided we needed to show more support for him, so i called him up this past week, and said were going to go to his church tonight, and listen to him sing in his church choir.. it's going to be crazy.. as dutch as they come churches.. I think that he might even want us to sing with them.. how about that huh.. singing in a reformed dutch church's choir... that would definitely go in the journal ;) Óur families are also making great strides.. with lot's of enthusiasm.. i don't think i've ever made such strong relationships with investigators before.. I thought Heerlen was good.. man.. doesn't compare with how well things are going here.. It's great! We have lot's of potential for this coming week as I hinted at earlier.. yesterday, we were doing some finding on a street going door to door.. first house, lesbians.. awkward.. second house.. Jehovah witnesses.. third and 4th houses.. rude dutch people.. then the last house on the row, this golden 20 year old, who said she's looking for a church, has never heard of us or the book of mormon, and asked us to come back and tell her more.. i've never had someone ask us to come back on my mission.. well jehovah witnesses.. but they don't count.. it was pretty sweet, especially since our focus for our mission is families, and young adults.. we have both here right now..
well two minutes left of my internet time, just wanted to say I love you all.. thanks for everything, i'm going to be sending some packages home, with dutch goodies.. hope you enjoy.. and okay, tot de volgende week!
Love
Elder Mohrman
Monday, September 12, 2011
A Family is Reunited Through the Gospel!
Sampsons, Natasje and Dwight, Spijkenisse, August 27, 2011
Dwight and Natasje were found by missionaries over a year ago. They were very interested in the message the missionaries had to share and also when coming to the church, found out that Natasje was related to several members in the Spijkenisse ward. Over time they gained personal testimonies of the truth of the message, looking forward to the day that they would be able to be baptized. However, Dwight and Natasje were not married and due to circumstances, were not able to be married for some time. After going through some hard times they fell out of contact with the missionaries and the church, but by themselves working out personal problems, they were married in the Spring, then came back to church unexpectedly, where once again we were able to meet with them, and prepare them for baptism. They were baptized August 28, 2011 by Elder Davies, and then confirmed a week later on September 4th by President Broekzitter, who also is a family member of Natasje's. They are a wonderful young couple, looking forward to the day when they will be able to go to the temple and be sealed for all time and eternity with their two little sons Dj and Jd. (Written by Elder Mohrman)
Dwight and Natasje were found by missionaries over a year ago. They were very interested in the message the missionaries had to share and also when coming to the church, found out that Natasje was related to several members in the Spijkenisse ward. Over time they gained personal testimonies of the truth of the message, looking forward to the day that they would be able to be baptized. However, Dwight and Natasje were not married and due to circumstances, were not able to be married for some time. After going through some hard times they fell out of contact with the missionaries and the church, but by themselves working out personal problems, they were married in the Spring, then came back to church unexpectedly, where once again we were able to meet with them, and prepare them for baptism. They were baptized August 28, 2011 by Elder Davies, and then confirmed a week later on September 4th by President Broekzitter, who also is a family member of Natasje's. They are a wonderful young couple, looking forward to the day when they will be able to go to the temple and be sealed for all time and eternity with their two little sons Dj and Jd. (Written by Elder Mohrman)
one year anniversary...
Hoi familie!
What a week! It was a week blessed with new investigators! We have a couple of new families investigating now, one was a referral from malaysia!! Random.. but awesome, there a really awesome family.. I feel like they'll be a lot like Tom in investigating the church.. slow and thorough.. but that's okay, because when they finally get that testimony they will be amazing members! Dwight and Natasje are doing amazing, they set up an appointment with there neighbor and us at there house on tuesday, love those people.. they say that there going to come to utah to be sealed in the salt lake temple.. but who knows.. it's just awesome they have there eyes set on the next goal! Hendryetta is getting ready for her baptism along with Aaltje.. Aaltje is being taught by the other elders now, we gave her over after we set the baptismal date with her, and she's on fire, and they both will be baptized on sep. 24th, in r;dam south.. really excited! ;)
We also finally had a lessen with the referral family from Malaysia.. really neat people, and they have agreed to take the lessens and see if the light that we have to offer is something that is good for them. We also met another family, and turns out the husband was baptized when he was 9, and then his mom left the church when he was 10 and he's never been back since.. he wants to come back, and we've developed a great friendship with them, and they've also agreed to take the lessens.. The teaching calander is great! I love it, because it explains our purpose so clearly.. I really feel like our investigators that we have, know why were there, and know why there investigating, and know that there investigating.. The ward is amazing.. I wish we could use them more, but our appointments always seem to be bad timing for them.. so were working on changing our appointments to work with our members schedules.. there more than willing and eager to help, so it's really a blessing being here, working with these members. Things are going great with Elder Da Cruz, I enjoy immensly being his companion, and also enjoy it when he goes off in one of the many langagues he knows!
The apartment is great, get along with all the elders, one elder here, is a lefty.. played baseball.. loves sports.. yeah.. we get a long really well ;) We switch off from playing catch every morning to.. sit down when you read this.. jogging! WHoa.. came out of nowhere I know.. but hey.. I figure why not start off my 21st year doing something i've never done before? So we've been jogging.. crazy.. never thought I could be so out of shape.. I've been gaining a lot since I've been in spijkenisse, when I left heerlen i weighed 76-77 Kg.. now I'm up to 83 Kg.. which is somewhere around.. well I'll let you figure it out =P Life is great.. Ward is amazing.. what i've noticed now with the dutch people, it takes a while to crack them, but once you crack them, and make a friendship make a bond.. the bond lasts, and it really means something.. It's been really neat getting to know, and making these bonds with these members here in spijkenisse.. today we did some more service for our bishop who's having back problems.. and we've been finding little odds and ends to do to serve these people.. don't know what else to say, so i'll say tot ziens for this week!
Love you all,
thanks for everything!
Elder Mohrman
What a week! It was a week blessed with new investigators! We have a couple of new families investigating now, one was a referral from malaysia!! Random.. but awesome, there a really awesome family.. I feel like they'll be a lot like Tom in investigating the church.. slow and thorough.. but that's okay, because when they finally get that testimony they will be amazing members! Dwight and Natasje are doing amazing, they set up an appointment with there neighbor and us at there house on tuesday, love those people.. they say that there going to come to utah to be sealed in the salt lake temple.. but who knows.. it's just awesome they have there eyes set on the next goal! Hendryetta is getting ready for her baptism along with Aaltje.. Aaltje is being taught by the other elders now, we gave her over after we set the baptismal date with her, and she's on fire, and they both will be baptized on sep. 24th, in r;dam south.. really excited! ;)
We also finally had a lessen with the referral family from Malaysia.. really neat people, and they have agreed to take the lessens and see if the light that we have to offer is something that is good for them. We also met another family, and turns out the husband was baptized when he was 9, and then his mom left the church when he was 10 and he's never been back since.. he wants to come back, and we've developed a great friendship with them, and they've also agreed to take the lessens.. The teaching calander is great! I love it, because it explains our purpose so clearly.. I really feel like our investigators that we have, know why were there, and know why there investigating, and know that there investigating.. The ward is amazing.. I wish we could use them more, but our appointments always seem to be bad timing for them.. so were working on changing our appointments to work with our members schedules.. there more than willing and eager to help, so it's really a blessing being here, working with these members. Things are going great with Elder Da Cruz, I enjoy immensly being his companion, and also enjoy it when he goes off in one of the many langagues he knows!
The apartment is great, get along with all the elders, one elder here, is a lefty.. played baseball.. loves sports.. yeah.. we get a long really well ;) We switch off from playing catch every morning to.. sit down when you read this.. jogging! WHoa.. came out of nowhere I know.. but hey.. I figure why not start off my 21st year doing something i've never done before? So we've been jogging.. crazy.. never thought I could be so out of shape.. I've been gaining a lot since I've been in spijkenisse, when I left heerlen i weighed 76-77 Kg.. now I'm up to 83 Kg.. which is somewhere around.. well I'll let you figure it out =P Life is great.. Ward is amazing.. what i've noticed now with the dutch people, it takes a while to crack them, but once you crack them, and make a friendship make a bond.. the bond lasts, and it really means something.. It's been really neat getting to know, and making these bonds with these members here in spijkenisse.. today we did some more service for our bishop who's having back problems.. and we've been finding little odds and ends to do to serve these people.. don't know what else to say, so i'll say tot ziens for this week!
Love you all,
thanks for everything!
Elder Mohrman
Monday, September 5, 2011
Hoi familie!
Hoi familie!
First email.. as a 20 year old!!! Crazy huh?? Birthdays are definitely different out here in the mission field.. what i did you may be asking.. well.. had lunch with a member.. did a few hours of finding in the sun.. looked a few people up.. had a birthday dinner with another member in the ward.. looked another person up, and went home.. exciting huh? ;) Nah I made that sound lame, but it was really neat having a lot of missionary's call and wish me a happy birthday, a senior couple drove out and dropped off cookies for me.. on sunday, I went over to a members house (from peru) to celebrate her grandson's birthday, who's birthday was also on september 3rd.. and after we sang to him, cut out his cake, the sister went back into the kitchen and came out with this big ol' cake saying "Happy Birthday Elder Mohrman!" It was so cool, so then everyone sang to me, and I was able to cut the cake.. she even got me some presents.. some socks.. and other random things that a missionary would need.. I was really touched, super nice of her to do that!
So that was my birthday.. the rest of the week.. shipped Elder Davies out to Den Bosch.. Got my other companion Elder Da Cruz.. Dwight and Natasje were confirmed members of the church this past sunday.. and oh.. so get this, This lady who was 79 or something, she passed away in another city, and she requested that missionarys, since she loved them so much, carried her coffin along with her family.. well the elders in the city weren't able to make it, so they asked us if we could do it.. we had nothing so we said why not.. and so I went to my second funeral in as many weeks, and this time carried the casket of the lady.. interesting expirience.. the family were non-members.. so it was really interesting being in the room with just the family when they put the lid on the coffin and seeing the family say there last goodbye's.. A very interesting expirience.. then after the service in the church, we thought we were done, and the son who organized it, asked if we were going to the grave site as well.. and then invited us to ride with him.. turns out the son was excommunicated for different reasons.. but he loved his mother very much, and talked a lot about her, and her service in the church.. we get to the grave site and we help again carrying the coffin to the actual burial site.. and were just standing and are with this family for everything.. all the private moments and what not.. just a really interesting expirience.. a little awkward not going to lie.. but intersting.. so in short.. i carried a dead person on my mission.. cool huh?! =P
Investigator wise.. Tom is awesome.. he's progressing slowly, but that's okay, he is making progress and it's very visible.. our last appointment, he usually has some problem with the book of mormon that we have to answer about.. but this last appointment, he finally said the the whole story of 1st nephi was very beautiful and very interesting to see the reactions of laman and lemuel and then of nephi dealing with all there.. "crap" for lack of a better word.. he really enjoyed the baptismal service, and is still committed to coming to a service of ours.. he's also in his church choir, and so we said we wanted to go to his church and listen to him sing.. think he appreciated that.. building a really great friendship with that man.. Naika.. after an amazing first appointment with her a few days ago.. she did not come to church, and then she sent us a text message saying thanks.. but no thanks.. so another classic story of someone getting anti'd.. pretty sad.. but it happens.. had enough of these expiriences on my mission to not let it get me down.. but still a bummer nevertheless.. But we have a great week planned.. let you know if anything amazing happens! ;)
Love you all, thanks for everything and the birthday wishes..
Tot Ziens!
Elder Mohrman
First email.. as a 20 year old!!! Crazy huh?? Birthdays are definitely different out here in the mission field.. what i did you may be asking.. well.. had lunch with a member.. did a few hours of finding in the sun.. looked a few people up.. had a birthday dinner with another member in the ward.. looked another person up, and went home.. exciting huh? ;) Nah I made that sound lame, but it was really neat having a lot of missionary's call and wish me a happy birthday, a senior couple drove out and dropped off cookies for me.. on sunday, I went over to a members house (from peru) to celebrate her grandson's birthday, who's birthday was also on september 3rd.. and after we sang to him, cut out his cake, the sister went back into the kitchen and came out with this big ol' cake saying "Happy Birthday Elder Mohrman!" It was so cool, so then everyone sang to me, and I was able to cut the cake.. she even got me some presents.. some socks.. and other random things that a missionary would need.. I was really touched, super nice of her to do that!
So that was my birthday.. the rest of the week.. shipped Elder Davies out to Den Bosch.. Got my other companion Elder Da Cruz.. Dwight and Natasje were confirmed members of the church this past sunday.. and oh.. so get this, This lady who was 79 or something, she passed away in another city, and she requested that missionarys, since she loved them so much, carried her coffin along with her family.. well the elders in the city weren't able to make it, so they asked us if we could do it.. we had nothing so we said why not.. and so I went to my second funeral in as many weeks, and this time carried the casket of the lady.. interesting expirience.. the family were non-members.. so it was really interesting being in the room with just the family when they put the lid on the coffin and seeing the family say there last goodbye's.. A very interesting expirience.. then after the service in the church, we thought we were done, and the son who organized it, asked if we were going to the grave site as well.. and then invited us to ride with him.. turns out the son was excommunicated for different reasons.. but he loved his mother very much, and talked a lot about her, and her service in the church.. we get to the grave site and we help again carrying the coffin to the actual burial site.. and were just standing and are with this family for everything.. all the private moments and what not.. just a really interesting expirience.. a little awkward not going to lie.. but intersting.. so in short.. i carried a dead person on my mission.. cool huh?! =P
Investigator wise.. Tom is awesome.. he's progressing slowly, but that's okay, he is making progress and it's very visible.. our last appointment, he usually has some problem with the book of mormon that we have to answer about.. but this last appointment, he finally said the the whole story of 1st nephi was very beautiful and very interesting to see the reactions of laman and lemuel and then of nephi dealing with all there.. "crap" for lack of a better word.. he really enjoyed the baptismal service, and is still committed to coming to a service of ours.. he's also in his church choir, and so we said we wanted to go to his church and listen to him sing.. think he appreciated that.. building a really great friendship with that man.. Naika.. after an amazing first appointment with her a few days ago.. she did not come to church, and then she sent us a text message saying thanks.. but no thanks.. so another classic story of someone getting anti'd.. pretty sad.. but it happens.. had enough of these expiriences on my mission to not let it get me down.. but still a bummer nevertheless.. But we have a great week planned.. let you know if anything amazing happens! ;)
Love you all, thanks for everything and the birthday wishes..
Tot Ziens!
Elder Mohrman
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