Toeval Bestaat Niet

This week was full of toeval (coincidences) but toeval bestaat niet (it doesn't exist) so lets just say that Heavenly Father was really using as as an instrument to progress the work this week. We worked hard this week proselyting more hours than usual and the work has payed off. It´s not like we taught any more lessons than we usually do, in fact we probably even taught less, but we met some really good people who are ready to learn more about the Savior Jesus Christ.

Our plans started freaking out after Pday on Monday night and our lesson got cancelled and then our other lesson we scheduled also got canceled 5 minutes after we planned it, so we decided to go drop something off at a members house and then go finding the rest of the night. Well.. of course this member invited us in for a minute so we of course left them with a spiritual thought. We shared with them a favorite mormon message off the top of our head, and during the video another couple from the ward walked in, and the next thing we knew, we were all sitting at their couches reading a scripture from the Bible and discussing how we receive blessings from serving others. We still have no idea why this other couple came to their house, but it turned into a really gezellig moment with some amazing elderly couples in the ward. I feel soo much love for the ward members here, and I just had to take a picture of it. We are receiving so much support as missionaries from these loving members and I am so thankful for that.

We took two members on joint teach this week for a total of 3 lessons. One of them was with our investigator N from Brazil. We´ve been teaching him for a few months now, and he is so in-tune with the spirit. We taught him about the Word of Wisdom this week, and it was the best response I´ve had while teaching this. He is so willing to give it a try, and believes in the blessings you can receive from stopping to smoke. Such a blessing to have a joint teach with us who was able to listen to the spirit and testify of the blessings of obeying this commandment.

We've been doing a lot of traveling on the bus this week so we decided to make a competition out of it and sit on different spots on the bus and see who can find the coolest friend. Loser has to buy the other person these strawberry gummy candies that we are both obsessed with. It´s a pretty good idea unless not very many people get on the bus, and then we are just awkwardly sitting apart and if it´s a long bus ride we just fall asleep! Yesterday I was sitting at the front of the bus and Zuster Twiggs fell asleep at the back, and as I was checking out of the bus I just tapped her leg without saying a word and we both just got off. People probably think we are crazy and are super confused. We like this game though. I´ll keep you updated on the cool people we meet on the bus :)

Buuuuut... we have been traveling on the bus to go look up positive former investigators, and we had a lesson with one this week that was one of my favorite lessons on my mission. (I say that about most every lesson though) So...this guy had been investigating in 2006 when he was about 20 and we called him and made an appointment. A young ward member Nick came along with us for his first joint teach ever (he's been a member since February) and we were just a little worried what would happen because the lesson would be a determine the relationship type of lesson and we weren't sure if this guy really had interest. Turns out that this guy also follows the phrase ``toeval bestaat niet`` and had several experiences running into Mormons in the past 8 years and even in the past week. So when he got a call from us he knew he needed to let us come over. We talked a lot about praying to find an answer and our joint teach bore powerful testimony of how he was able to know that this is the only true church. One thing I thought that was really interesting is that this investigator knows that coincidences don´t just happen, and they happen for a reason, but he's a little confused because he's seen a lot of things happen like this in the other religions he's investigated. It was amazing to bear powerful testimony that Heavenly Father is the source of all truth and we need to ask him. It is through the power of the Holy Ghost that we receive spiritual truths, and it is ONLY through the Holy Ghost that we can come to know.

It has been really cool to teach with Zuster Twiggs because we've been out on our missions about the same time, and our comp unity is indescribable. We both mentioned afterwards how cool it is that we can follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost during our lessons and also be on the same page as each other.

Sorry so much this week. So many thoughts and feelings from the Holy Ghost that have been even too much for me to comprehend and write it all down. I have been so aware of the Holy Ghost this week though, and it´s been really special to see how it is impacting your life too Mom and Dad- as you learn everything you need to be temple workers :)

We talked about the Holy Ghost in Gospel Principles class on Sunday, and it was mind blowing to be in church. Everything that was said was perfect for me and for our investigators that were there, and I just was beaming with happiness the whole day. I was super thankful for the quotes you guys sent me on how the Holy Ghost affects our lives and changes our character, and I was thinking a lot about that.

Here´s a good lil quote about the Holy Ghost-

"It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being." -Elder L. Tom Perry

Here's a picture that I took of the sunrise one morning 

when I was really good and ran up and down the hallway for exercise. hah.

There was a super sweet man in sacrament meeting that came up to me and told me 

"Je hebt een lieve gezicht" 

which basically means you have a sweet face.  haha.

Also... dinner appointments every night. 

People love us. 

I love you all! Thank you for your wonderful examples. Don´t forget how much our Father in Heaven loves you. Have the best week!

We are going to play Settlers of Catan and eat homemade pastries now :)