May 7-13, 2023
SUNDAY
Random thoughts from some of the testimonies today at church:
Lukas Maring talked about how he believed the Church was true but he did not actually have proof of it. Yet his belief is enough.
Laurens Muurling (age 10) told about his bike being stolen and he prayed that he could find it. He went home, told his dad and they began to look. And they found the bike! He knows it was an answer to his prayer.
Elder Hans Jeppson is new to the Utrecht Ward. He talked about Joseph Smith's First Vision. Joseph knew he had seen a vision, and he knew that God knew it, and he could not deny it. I feel the same way. I know that God knows that I know He visited Joseph and introduced His Son Jesus Christ. Christ's Church has been restored to the earth and we have the privilege of being part of it.
A visitor from St George Utah talked about the differences she has found here in The Netherlands...different climate, different food, different surroundings, different architecture. But one thing is the same and that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We sing the same hymns, partake of the sacrament in the same way, study the same doctrine and worship the same.
Sam Lund joined the Church when he was 17 years old and when his dad asked why, he told him he knows the Church is true because he prayed about it and received a confirmation.
Marieke De Vries said the temple is where she goes to prepare to meet Heavenly Father.
Bishop Martin Kleijweg talked about Lehi's dream. As we hold tightly to the iron rod, we stay on the right track so we can partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life. "I know the fruit is desirable". But sometimes we go back into the mists of darkness and we don't understand but we need to still hold tightly to the iron rod and return to the Tree.
After church Doug and I went to Alja and Henk's to have lunch and spend the afternoon. They are such good friends!
Pauline Hopmans-Dee is the RS secretary. She loves to do crafts and make gifts, especially using paper. She made a Mother's Day gift for each one of the Sisters today. It was filled with little chocolates and a couple packets of herb tea. So cute!
MONDAY
Regular day at the office...always plenty to do!
TUESDAY
Early this morning we picked up the VandeWal's at the airport as they have returned from Canada. They have been home for a week for Norma's dad's funeral. It is good to see them again! Later, Cathy Wagner went with me to Sligro to get food ordered for Zone Conference next week. She was excited to visit a big store and see the possibilities for buying some things in bulk. We are so used to having some things 'in the pantry' that it is a little strange to have to buy those same things every week at the small markets. It was good to visit with her. She is trying to get used to living here at the same time learning everything at the office that she will be doing.
WEDNESDAY
After our regular day at the office, we went to the Rotterdam Stake Center to help with the Warmekamer. We were asked to help back in December when the Stake decided to start opening the building every Tuesday and Wednesday for the community to have a warm place to gather. For several weeks there were none or maybe one person who came by. But with the addition of the Dutch class, many now show up.
We haven't been for several weeks so it was so good to see the members of the ward and stake who are dedicated volunteers each week. It was good to be a support in the beginning but better to see the members be excited and diligent in this initiative.
THURSDAY
Matalyn Weaver is a former missionary in the BNZ and returned this week with her parents. It was good to see her again and meet her parents. Sister Flake, serving in the office right now, was one of her companions. They had a wonderful, joyful reunion! We went to lunch with them and enjoyed visiting and hearing about her future plans for school.
Yesterday, Sister Flake told Doug that she had seen two of our Mission bikes at a train station in Leiden. They are clearly recognizable; blue and white, with 'Zendelingen Fiets' written boldly on them. She had noticed the numbers on each and when Doug looked them up, they were listed as missing or stolen. One was reported last October as being stolen! One was missing a seat.
So even though it was pouring down rain we took off for the Leiden station to recover the stolen property.
FRIDAY
Elders Snow and Blodgett called last night to see if there was a vehicle available for them. They had loaned their car to Sisters Bair and Anderson to take to Belgium. Since the office mini-van was available and they needed to pick it up early, they came for breakfast 😁. These were two of the first missionaries we got to know well when we first came to The Netherlands. Elder Snow was in our ward in Utrecht and Elder Blodgett was working in the office at the time. And they are first cousins! (Their mom's are sisters). Here they are at the end of their missions serving together as companions. We love them both!
Today was a day of visitors! Carter Hunsaker was released last summer but returned with his parents to visit. It was so good to see him!
SATURDAY
Doug needed to get the recovered bikes repaired so he went to the office while I did some shopping. Elders Snow and Blodgett had just returned the van and told him when they drove onto the street near the office, they saw a man on the road with his bike nearby. He was on the ground, unresponsive, with people attempting CPR. Elder Snow had had scout training in CPR and quickly saw they were doing it ineffectively. The Elders said a prayer and then went over and Elder Snow took over chest compressions and rescue breathing until paramedics arrived.
When they talked to Doug, they said that the editing they had planned to do today just did not seem important anymore. Wondering about the man made them think more about what matters most. The three of them had a good discussion and Elder Snow was especially grateful for the perspective he gained.
Doug brought home beautiful flowers for Mother's Day
and then we walked to the Market for some treats. There are so many options, but we chose fresh nuts to take home and soft serve while we walked 😁
This weekend is our Stake Conference. We have Elder Alliaud and Elder Zarse from Frankfurt here to reorganize the Stake Presidency and to realign the stake boundaries. Two wards from the Antwerpen Stake, Eindhoven and Breda, will move to our stake and the Stake name will be changed from the Rotterdam Stake to the Breda Stake.
Elder Reuben Alliaud, counselor in the Area Presidency, asked the question "Where is the door to the temple?" Several people answered with things like "on the East side" or "on the front" of the temple. Then he had President Bijkerk stand up and he said, "Here is the door to the temple". We all need to go through our Bishop and Stake President (the Priesthood members who hold the keys) to go in the temple. I love that thought! So grateful for the power that comes from the ordinances - baptismal, sacramental and temple. By keeping our covenants to always remember the Savior, we bind ourselves to Him and are strengthened to meet the challenges of mortality.
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