A Good Day to Be A Missionary

Every week we make goals for the week, 

and every Sunday night our District Leader calls
and we give them our actuals for the week. 

Here are my actuals . . .

2 exchanges

1 Baptism

3 companions

Too many hours of practicing the violin

1 broken bike

1 past investigator taught in Leeuwarden

What a packed week. 

I love it.

I was able to go to Leeuwarden again with Zuster Voss, and I had already seen my investigator Petra last week but Zjster Voss had the feeling we needed to stop by again and drop off a talk to her. She was surprised to see me again, but the short lesson with her was sooo good. We read a talk by Elder Holland called "Like a broken Vessel" and testified about how Jesus Christ has experienced everything and anything we will ever go through. It was a really short but sweet visit and I was super impressed with how Petra accepted it all. She's not investigating fully right now, but I see so much potential in her. Also I got to bring it back to the good ol' times and go to Branch council. I just couldn't stop thinking of all the memories with Zuster Romney in that magical little city and tender little branch. Shout out to her :)

Z. Bush is No Stranger to Broken Chains (Image from March 2015) 

The next day was just hectic because my bike chain kept falling off and every time we stopped to put it back on it would fall off again. We fixed it 9 times on the way to the church from our apartment. A really nice member in Apeldoorn fixed it though and it is good to go! He even tightened the brakes for me (maybe a little too tight?) because as I rode away I sounded like I was a clown riding a squeaky bike and my bell kept making sounds because I was going over bumps. He commented on it on Sunday and thought it was funny.

Then Exchanges in Groningen! I have never worked in that city. It's a good one. We always went there for district meeting but that's it. A lot of my favorite people have served in that city, so it was cool to experience it a bit. Zuster Stewart- Chester was a champ and we had a busy and successful day. We taught a former investigator named Anna that straight up said she wants to prepare to be baptized, and thinks she'll be ready when she finishes reading the Gospel Principles handbook :)
She has a really sweet daughter and they were both preparing for Sinter Klaas.

Speaking of Sinter Klaas. We celebrated it. Kind of. I ended up being on a train with Zuster Jaramillo while Zuster Jensen and Voss went to our dinner appointment in Apeldoorn,

We bought Chocolate covered Kruidnoten to celebrate and Zuster Jensen bought me a chocolate letter. This is the Holiday where the kids put out their shoes and they get presents and goodies in them. Such a fun Dutch tradition that I learned about when I was in elementary school when we studied different cultures and their holidays. We also made a little Sinter Klaas fun of our own!

But.... the highlight of the week was Jasmine's Baptism in Breda!

Jasmine and Zuster Bush

The baptism was beautiful and Jasmine's mother and brother and sister were there, as well as a few 
of her friends! Also we had Fourteen missionaries. total. Seven of us were the sisters that taught her.

Missionaries Singing at Jasmine's Baptism

There were so many people there, and I think Jasmine really felt our love. She even hand picked mormon messages to watch in the in-between time. We also sang a musical number with all 14 of us missionaries. 

All Smiles... Congratulations Jasmine!

Newest Member of Breda Ward

Jasmine shared her testimony at the end. It was really great to hear how much her testimony has grown over the course of teaching her. She's going to be a great member in Wijk Breda. We loveeeee her.

It was a Very Good Day ti Be a Missionary.

I had three companions on this day. I was with Zuster Stewart-Chester and we exchanged back and met all six sisters in the zone, Then I was with Zuster Jensen for a thirty min train ride, and then we split and Zuster Jaramillo and I went to Breda while Zuster Jensen and Voss went to Haarlem for a baptism that started at the same time. Crazy day!

Well... that was my week. Kind of. I've been learning a lot about patience this week and what kind of characteristics it entails. Our Savior Jesus Christ was the perfect example of patience as many people rejected and put him down. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am happy to be on my mission for another Christmas.

One scripture that has repeatedly been coming to my mind this week is Mosiah 5:2.
Our hearts are literally changed through our Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can literally be called Children of Christ. How Lucky are we.


Liefs,
Zuster Bush

PS... Shout out to the lovely Young Woman in my home ward for the Christmas package :) Made me super excited and happy to see. I love you all!