Aug 13-19, 2023

SUNDAY

Leona Moortjes has been investigating the Church and has been taught by Elders Jones and Leman for the past several weeks. She saw an ad on FaceBook and contacted the missionaries. She plans to be baptized on 2 September. Today she needed a ride to church since the two families that she normally comes with are either attending another ward today or are on holiday. She is a lovely woman and seems solid in her growing testimony. She came up with an analogy comparing solving a Rubik's cube to finding the true church. She has searched for a long time and when something about a religion is true, but the other points of doctrine don't make sense, it is like when one side of a Rubik's cube is solved but the other sides are still mixed up. She compared the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to a completed Rubik's cube...all sides are complete.

Joachim Muurling spoke in church today and gave a great talk on love and hope. He said, "Hope gives us the assurance that we will be saved through Jesus Christ. He has already paid the price for our salvation."

There were several visitors at church today, one of which is a former missionary who served here two years ago. Kenyan Bradshaw and his mother and sister are visiting several sites in The Netherlands and Belgium. They wanted to spend a few minutes at the Mission Office so after church we had the VandeWal's drop us off so we could open the office for them. We spent an hour getting to know them a little bit. He was one of the last of the missionaries to leave during the Covid time, so he was busy closing areas during his last few months.

MONDAY

Another beautiful sunrise in Gouda

At District Council today we heard things like "my grace is sufficient" and "weak things [can] become strong" (Ether 12:27) and "The Lord chastens those He loves (Hebrews 12). Sisters Amilya Wyss, Emily Cannegieter and Sarah Craig did the training today on Testimony and Conversion. She asked the three Senior Couples to take a minute or two and talk about their own conversion. I shared that I had grown up knowing the gospel was true and had a testimony, but it was on a certain day at Richland Park in Athens, Ohio when I knew for sure. I was talking with another mom while our kids played at the park and somehow the topic of religion came up. I suddenly had to ask myself if the things I had always been taught were what I really believed. It was the first time I had ever had to defend my faith. And I knew for myself! There was no vision or light or voice, but a strong confirmation from the Spirit that Jesus is the Christ and His Church has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is deep in my heart. That was when I started moving from testimony to conversion.

Doug spoke of specific day when he was assured that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and personal. Again, no voice or vision, but an overwhelming feeling that moved him from faith to knowledge.

TUESDAY

We had a wonderful afternoon with our friends, Alja and Henk Schuur and Norma and Gerrit VandeWal. Alja and Henk have lived most of their lives in Holland, but have never explored Gouda. We have been wanting to see the Stadhuis ever since we came here. So today we did it! The Stadhuis was built in 1448 replacing the one that burned (built in the 1200's). Now it is used for weddings, parties and civic meetings.

Next we went to St. Jan's Kerk, the longest church in The Netherlands. "Many medieval towns did their best to build the tallest church in the country, but considering Gouda's soft soil, length was a better option here." There are 72 stained glass windows that were mostly made in the 16th century.

Doug, Henk and Alja

The houses directly across from the church entrance are typical. Recently we found out that the taxes are determined by the width of your house, so many of the houses are narrow and tall. But this house in the center...

...is only the width of the door!

We walked around Gouda and then had dinner at one of the many restaurants surrounding the Markt.

Norma, Henk, Alja, Marcia, Doug, Gerrit (I think she caught us all with food in our mouths!)

Doug had picked up the President's new car this morning but hurried to get back for our afternoon with friends. So this evening we drove to President and Sister Watson's house and delivered the new car. He is making a good recovery from his fall last week, but is anxious to get back to work.

Monic and Daryl Watson

WEDNESDAY

A typical day at the office. We start with a To-Do list, but the interruptions start right away. So even though we are busy all day, the To-Do list never quite gets completed. Oh well, tomorrow is another day! 😁

THURSDAY

The highlight of most weeks is our Thursday Dinners. We have loved spending time in our home with many of the missionaries. Those who work in the office come almost every week. Tonight, we also had two that have not come before, Elder Hoopes and Elder Jones. Tonight Doug asked everyone to tell of a defining moment in their life and how it has impacted them. Elder Jones shared that one day he decided to go play tennis, even though he had never played before. While there he met a guy and they became good friends. He said that friend is the reason he is on a mission. It has changed his life. Nothing happens by chance!

Elder Hoopes talked about his dad and how he didn't really listen to him as a teenager. He was too prideful. Then one day on his mission, Cooper Christensen had a conversation with him. At that moment, he remembered the things his dad had tried to teach him and he was humbled. At the Christmas Conference 2022, President Watson paused, looked up and said to all the missionaries, 'Tell your parents you love them'. Elder Hoopes called his parents and for the first time, he told his dad he loved him. And that has changed their relationship!

Marcia, Dallin Doxford, Christian Adams, Gavin Jones, Richie Hoopes,

Nathan De Jong, Doug, Janessa Anderson, Emma Bair

FRIDAY

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the ^asufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the ^bglory which shall be revealed ^cin us.

“I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, ‘Was that all that was required?’ I believe that if we could daily remember and recognize the depth of that love our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for us, we would be willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surrounded by Their love eternally. What will it matter … what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?” (Linda S. Reeves: “Worthy of Our Promised Blessings,” GC, Oct 2015).

This morning, 18 Aug 2023, as I read this from the Come Follow Me lesson for the week, I am amazed that when we have questions and begin to study the scriptures, answers come. Yesterday Ryan and Brianna called to tell us that Brianna’s brain tumors, which have been dormant for years and they thought would be fine now that she is an adult, have begun to grow. The location of one of them on the brain stem make removal very risky. The oncologist and neurosurgeon are suggesting radiation. Every day for six weeks. The treatments would be in California. Since they live (and Ryan works) in Florida, this will necessitate some kind of move. And the outcome is unknown. All of these things weigh heavy on our minds. But then I read this and I know that all will be well. …“[these] trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation.”

Elder Jalo called on Tuesday evening with pain in the groin area. It had gotten worse over the previous 24 hours, so I wanted him to go to the ER for evaluation. He called, but was told they would not see him and he should be fine with some paracetamol (Tylenol). The next morning it was no better so he tried to go to a General Practitioner, also a suggestion from the ER. No luck. I submitted an urgent request through Aetna but the earliest appointment they could make was next Monday. I feel like health care has been really good for our missionaries so I was very frustrated this time.

This morning he called to say he had had a sleepless night because of the pain and the 'lump had burst'. This was the first I had heard of a lump. So I told him to go to the ER, don't call ahead. The ZLs came with the car and drove him there. He didn't have enough money on his card to pay for the visit, so Doug and I drove to Rotterdam about a half hour away. He was checked in and waiting. Thankfully, we were there as Doug was able to accompany him to the procedure room where they made an incision for the wound to drain. At one point, when the pain was almost unbearable, Doug took his hand and told him to squeeze as hard as he wanted. Elder Jalo was so grateful and said he felt like his dad was with him. This is one of the many reasons we have loved this mission. We are able to be at the right place to relieve someone's stress and concerns.

SATURDAY

Doug and I, along with the VandeWal's, spent a wonderful day in Ghent, Belgium with Dagmar and Mylissa Buysse.They are the Service Mission Leaders and we have come to love them as we meet often for Zone Conferences and other mission-related activities. They are dedicated to serving others and are so good with the Service missionaries.

On the way to Ghent we stopped in Breda to deliver a bike to replace the one that was stolen a few days ago. Marcia, Jonas Hilton, Landon Dalton, Norma VandeWal, Doug

St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent. Mylissa Buysse and Doug

At the Cathedral we did a tour to experience the history of the famous painting Lamb of God by Hubert and Jan van Eyck (brothers). We wore these 3-D glasses and listened to audio as we walked through the Cathedral.

The Ghent Altarpiece, also called the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb or The Lamb of God, is a very large, multi-panel art piece completed in 1432. It is considered a masterpiece of European art and one of the world's treasures.

After a lovely lunch, we tried some Cuberdon or Ghent Neus ("nose"), a local delicacy in Ghent. They come in a variety of colors and flavors, but the Buysse's favorite is the original purple It is a sweet, jellied candy and very tasty!

The Gravensteen is a medieval castle that dates from 1180 and was the residence of the Count of Flanders until 1353. Since then it has been used as a prison, court and cotton factory. It was restored 1893-1903 and is now a museum.