Hoi Familie!
Busy, Busy, Busy... We were so busy this week it was
nuts! Busy with missionary work for sure, but also just a lot of random
things. Last week we focused a lot on cleaning, we did a very deep spring
cleaning, which was really good, because we chucked a lot of stuff that was
left over in the apartment, but bad because we still have a mess that were not
done with.. so on monday we spent the day cleaning, fun p-day, then on tuesday,
we drove up to Eindhoven in the Netherlands, about an hour and half away
for there district meeting, I had the opportunity to go then to Heerlen on
exchanges (hour to travel to heerlen from Eindhoven), really fun to be back,
(not to fun being on a bike again though =P) But got to see some members,
and made a dinner appointment with a lady for when Mom and dad come, so that
was great and wonderful and all that fun stuff! Wednesday my companion
drove to heerlen another hour and a half one way, to pick me up, drove the hour
and a half back, thursday we had a jammed pack day full of appointments, and
then we went to the Stake high council, let me pause and talk a little bit
about this,
About 3 months ago, I had a meeting with the stake president
and my mission president, and the stake president invited us to attend the
stake council, because he wanted the missionary presence there.. We didn't hear
anything else from him, but luckily I wrote it down, so on thursday we went,
not knowing what to expect, thinking that we were just there, to be there.. but
the stake president, was really happy to see us, and then in his introduction,
said "We'll now hear from the missionaries for the next 10 minutes about
what they've prepared for us.." My companion and I, we were
completely shocked, so we had 10 minutes to share something, that we didn't
know we were supposed to share.. My companion was completely lost naturally,
being here and a zone leader for only a week, but luckily I had some thoughts
from our past meeting with the stake president that I was able to share, and it
actually turned out really well.. in fact they all thought we had prepared our
presentation =P Spirit was helping us for sure, but we just talked about
intregration and how we can better intregate the english speaking africans,
with the dutch speaking natives.. It's been the problem of the area, we baptize
here in my mission a lot of foreigners and most of those foreigners being
africans, but then these new converts because they don't speak dutch, they
don't receive callings, and there not fellowshipped the best and so they
fall away, and so the retention is really bad here.. so hopefully with the
ideas that we presented, things can improve we'll have to just wait and
see! But the recent converts here in Antwerpen are doing wonderful!
Isaac and Christiana are doing great, Isaac is now a missionary machine,
referring his friends to us, and just sharing his beliefs with everyone... it's
been such a priviledge to be able to be there for him and help him as he's gone
through his growing pains as a new member, something he said to his friend was
"just come to church no matter what, better to come late than not at
all.." that touched me, because a month previously, I had shared that with
him.. Jen recieved the priesthood, and is planning now to come on joint teach
with us, amazing how well the ward has embraced him, and how much he has
embraced the ward, he's preparing his father, his father has actually read the
entire book of mormon in a month! And it's been neat to see how there
relationship as father and son has grown with the gospel. Monique, bless
her heart, she finally came to church on time!, and was able to recieve the
holy ghost and the ward did something really shocking, they gave her a
calling! Right away, they gave her a calling, and she's now a primary
teacher.. super cool, she was glowing.. too many miracles, too many blessings
happening here in Antwerpen! Sonia wasn't going to be able to go to
church yesterday because she was going to be visiting people in the
netherlands, but as I was waiting for other investigators that didn't show up,
she did with the kids! So cool, she just said that they turned around and
came back to antwerpen because she wanted to go to church.. super cool.. We had
had lessen earlier in the week, where we committed Joantley also to be
baptized with his sister next week on the 15th, and he had agreed, so we were
all stoked about this, but then on sunday, Joanne pulled me aside and said she
was going to wait for her mother.. which isn't the worst thing in the world, a
little dissapointing but if the whole family gets baptized together I suppose
it's worth it, and it'll be a day they'll never forget.. I hope to see it, I've
been to every single appointment, been there since day 1 with them, and seen
all the progression with them.. I went over yesterday, unnannounced and we sang
songs, read out of the book of mormon, and I had a heart to heart with
Martinez, told him my feelings, told him I wanted to see them all baptized, and
I told him that my last sunday was most likely going to be May 6th in
Antwerpen, asked if he would prepare himself for that day, and he said that he
would have to think about it, I explained that to make that day, they would
have to be married within 2 weeks, so everything is clear, and laid out on the
table now it is up to Martinez to use his free agency, so this coming
week, we'll see if he'll take some action.. Sonia said to just keep praying and
she said that she has the faith that everything will work out, and that they'll
be baptized on that day.. I do too.. I know that they all have a testimony,
even Martinez, it's just the action part.. but Sonia and the kids are so
intregrated into the ward, it's neat, they will be a strong family for the ward
here in Antwerpen.. This saturday, there going to make us Surinamse food!
Together with Monique, so hopefully I'll be able to learn a thing or too about
surinamse food =)
Other miracles, besides the people being prepared by recent
converts here in Antwerpen, we have a man from Ghana his name is Nana, who
has accepted the invitation to be baptized also on May 6th.. he's cool.. he has
a special spirit about him, and he is really busy with the book of mormon.. he
went to conference, and loved it! Felt the spirit really strong.. Were
really excited about him and the progression we'll see in him in the coming
weeks.. Also Charles, a man from Nigeria, he's homeless now, just got kicked
out of his house, but he's solid, and also has agreed and really want to be
baptized on May 6th.. he'd do it tommorrow if we'd let him, but he's excited
about the lessens.. I guess I forgot to give you the rest of our busy week, we
went to brussels, my license is done, so now i have this
crummy, paper, belgium one.. but I asked and they said that I'll be able
to switch it back for my american one when I'm
done! Gelukig wel! I'm not going to put the rest of
what we did, all the driving, that we did, was the point anyways.. but needless
to say I'm happy it's p-day and i'm happy to be able to rest!
Life is great, things are happening, my companion is a
peach, we get along, sometimes I feel too well!! It's like one big joke!
=P But were seeing many miracles =)
Love you all, thanks for all the emails and
prayers! Your the best,
Elder Mohrman
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