"Well, at least there's always that pink butterfly"

Dearest familie

This week had some highs and some lows. We had a cool appointment with a man named Gerlof that we found knocking doors a few weeks ago. He is a young husband and father of two adorable kids...We taught him de Herstelling (the Restoration) and it was a great lesson. He seemed pretty positive! We are excited to teach him again. He is excited to read the Book of Mormon. He is a Christian and loves God and Jesus. What more could you ask for? After that we went to a super expensive restaurant for dinner with a member and ate delicious food...that was the first time for me in 6 months to eat in a restaurant, let alone a buffet...it was weird. #missionarylife

Well, other than getting door after door slammed in our faces, and having a lady tell us we could just "go ahead and put that mormon.org card in the recycle bin right there" and walk away (at least she recycles), and having 90% of our appointments fall through, we are still feeling God's love. Sometimes it's easy to think that God has abandoned you. I have felt that many a times on my mission. But He is really always right there. He just wants us to hold on, just a little longer. I know this work is the work of the Lord and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else with my life right now. I know I am where I am meant to be. I know the Lord's hand is in everything. 

Well, some good news! Aurora, a 17 year old girl that me and Sister Fredrickson found in Gouda a few transfers ago is (hopefully) getting baptized this Saturday! She still has to get permission from her mother to be able to be baptized but if that doesn't happen, she turns 18 in September and she will get baptized then. She has a testimony and she knows this church is true! As long as she is converted, which she is, I know she will make that covenant with Heavenly Father and be baptized.

Saturday we got to go to Amersfoort and work with some other missionaries and members of that ward there for a cool thing called "kerk nacht" (church night) where they did a tour of our church and other churches. Our church was basically an open house and we sang a hymn and talked with people about the gospel and ate good food and handed out copies of the Book of Mormon. it was super cool. The Spirit was really strong. This church is true, guys We are SO lucky to have the knowledge of our Lord and Redeemer and His restored church on earth.  

And to address the Subject line "well, at least there's always that pink butterfly", a few days ago we had to fall back on our backup plan because our investigator wasn't home and see if some people who we lost contact with were home so we could make new appointments with them. we were ringing the doorbell of this guy that never answers and we just stood there in the pouring rain, after 3 appointments had fallen through that day, trying to muster motivation to keep being positive, and Sister Johanson looks at the doorbell where there was a pink butterfly sticker on it that is always there and says "well, at least there's always that pink butterfly" maybe that doesn't sound funny, but for 2 missionaries who are struggling to see the good in sad situations, that was all we needed to laugh and be happy again. It's the small things, guys. It really is. I have learned that on my mission. You don't have to always be witnessing amazing miracles everyday to know that God is there. Sometimes it's just your attitude and ability to see the small things as blessings and miracles that counts. 

So go look for the small things in life and turn them into big things. Share your small experiences with people; it will get them thinking more about the little miracles in their own lives. Why are we here if not to make the lives of other people better?

also I had my second Belgium trip last Friday. I had to pick up my Belgian ID. Sister Johanson got to work in Gouda (my baby city!!) for the day with other sisters and I got to go to Belgium with the lovely Sister Romney, my MTC comp! Oh how I love her. She is in my baby city and is teaching Aurora! Missionary work is SO cool. I love being a missionary!!!

Have a great week and look for the small miracles!!!! and remember Alma 37:37

 

 

This was me in Brussels, Belgium!