Monday, November 30, 2015

"You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"

This week has been a nice, glass shattering week :) 

Started off with thanksgiving dinner at the Romigs with the other missionaries and Jonathan. 

The next day we had district meeting and taught some lessons afterward to some people that were really positive. One being Chico, and the other Anvenda. 

Then went on exchanges back to Apeldoorn, that was fun. I went there with Sister Bush and we had a great time together. Taught some cool lessons to one of my would-have-been-investigators haha just kidding but really, I only served in Apeldoorn for 2 weeks...but it was cool. 

We taught Nasu, our investigator who is set on being baptized on the 19th of December, about the word of wisdom this week and she took it really well and comitted to living it. She was like, "how will I know if the tea I buy is tea I can drink?" So we showed her how, and we brought some samples to church that Sunday's when she came. It was SO COOL when she came because all the members already knew about Her without even meeting her but everyone came up to her and they were so happy to meet her and one member was like when can we come visit you? When can I come with the sisters to visit you? So we set an appointment with him to come with us. She lives really far away so joint teaches are a little hard and it's also kinda tricky to get her to church but she understands the importance of it. Luckily there is a member who lives close to her who said they could give her a ride to church. She is doing really well. She has had a hard life; her childhood wasn't so easy and she moved her from Africa 5 years ago by herself and she's only 22. But she has got so much potential and is excited about her baptism.

So...funny story. Our door has had troubles lately to close and lock so one day we were headed out to a members house to practice some songs to sing at the station (the station in Groningen has a piano so why not be creative with finding people through music? :)) anyways, I couldn't get the door to close and sister Stewart-Chester was like "just slam it!"......and so I did just that. And, well, the glass on the door kinda....shattered everywhere. Haha. Well, after calling many people to have someone come by, I finally found someone that could come later that night to fix it so a guy came later that night to put a temporary glass door on. They are coming tomorrow to fix it completely. I will send y'all a picture of the shattered door.

We have also been having washing machine-problems. The copper line has been dripping water and our floor has been soaking wet so we have been using the senior couple's washing machine but the office decided to just order us a new washer but really they just needed a plumber to come by and fix the leak because the new washer still leaks...the AP's came all the way from Amsterdam to instal our new washer ON THEIR P-DAY. it was super nice of them. They even bought us Indonesian food for lunch...*shout out to elders bonner and hirsch for their heroism*  anyways, our house is sketch and ghetto but it's alright. 

Let's see...we had a lesson with Jonathan and we also taught him the word of wisdom and he actually has some problems with it but he admitted he doesn't need it. We are having a 'ceremony' for him this week where we will throw his coffee and other stuff into a body of water right by his apartment building. We are doing that on Saturday...pray for him to have strength to do it! 

Well, that's about it for our week. Ik hou van deze stad!!!!!! Niks boven Groningen, echt waar.

I hope y'all have a great week!

Remember this quote from President Uchtdorf: "How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?" I really live that, and it's funny how applicable it is to living in the Netherlands... It rains a bunch but it sure makes for some beautiful rainbows every once in a while. 

I sure love you guys,

Veel liefs,

Zuster Harris









Monday, November 23, 2015

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Howdy howdy howdy,

This week has been GRRRREEEEEAT (to be said in our investigator, Jonathan's, Scottish accent). Last week we saw Jonathan like...5 times haha. It was great, we taught him with the senior couples a few times and with our elders once. He came to church yesterday and I think he really liked it. We had a cool conversation with him and the senior couple just about life and he was just saying how he felt like he was missing something in his life. Elder Romig was like...well I think you need to listen to some of the things the sister missionaries have to say. Jonathan really likes to be around the missionaries and the senior couple. right now we are at the Romig's (the senior missoinaries) house and they just fed us Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of our district, and Jonathan is here too. He is havin a grand old time with the missionaries. Anyways, he's really progressing and keeping his commitments. He's got so much potential!

Today we also had a Turkey Bowl in Zwolle. Well no new news, I am not the best at american football haha but it was still fun and very muddy. My companion, sister stewart-chester, was on the other team and threw the ball to a player on her team and they scored a touch down so I tackled her to the ground...haha. We both ended up pretty muddy...but it was super funny. 

Well, Nasu canceled her appointment this past week but she's still goin strong about her baptismal date for the 19th of December. She lives pretty far from Groningen so we asked a member who lives close to her if she could take her to church. she said yes and could every week she possibly could so that was super awesome. Members really are key when wanting to fellowship an investigator, and fellowshipping an investigator is absolutely necessary haha thus MEMBER MISISONARY WORK IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY :) member referrals, joint teach, super member present (teaching an investigator in a member's house with them as joint teach), inviting investigators over for dinner with the missionaries are all great ways to do missionary work. I invite you all to do at least ONE of those this month. I know you can do it. 

Well, I hope you all have a great week and a GREAT THANKSGIVING. I am thankful for all of you and miss you so much! VEEEEEL LIEFS

Zuster Harris 
 



 

Monday, November 16, 2015

Nicks boven GRONINGEN

"27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world--not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.
30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some." Alma 26: 27-39

Guess what

That's the life of a missionary and I LOVE IT.

This past week in Groningen has been amazing. It has been exhausting (we bike OVERAL and contact everyone on the way and we have to bike fast to get on the other side of the city on time for our next appointment but it's so great.) This past week we got our investigator Nasu on baptismal date for December 19. She is awesome. Lately every time I have gotten someone on baptismal date I GET TRANSFERED SO ha, luckily we got her on date at the beginning of the transfer so I won't be leaving for a while at least. She is so solid. She is afraid of water but after testifying of the happiness and the blessings it will bring by making that promise with Heavenly Father she was set on getting baptized.

This past week we've also been able to teach 2 people on the street the first lesson with the baptismal invitation, and both were super positive. We are also teaching a man named Jonathan who is Scottish, hilarious, and 32. The senior couple here in Groningen know him because he lives in their same apartment complex and he wanted to learn more about what we believe so we get to teach him! And it's been so great to have the senior couple at the lessons too, they really bring a special spirit to the lessons. He has been coming to institute and FHE and tonight we have FHE game night so hopefully he'll be coming.

It's been raining cats and dogs here but honestly what else is new. My umbrella got eaten alive last night by the crazy rain/wind storm. It's so great. I love being on my bike with my dorky helmet with the wind blowing at me 30 miles an hour while singing "moedig doen wij mee totdat voorbij is de strijd, 'tis onze vreugd! 'tis onze vreugd!" (We are all enlisted till the conflict is over, happy are we! Happy are we!) because what greater cause do we honestly have than spreading the gospel to people who have NO IDEA the kind of happiness it brings?! I absolutely love this work. There are people WAITING. If you have not yet tasted of the sweetness the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings, I invite you to. Listen to the missionaries; they are called to your area literally FOR YOU. you have nothing to lose by just listening. But you have everything to gain by listening. I know with every fiber of my body's that this is the church of Jesus Christ; He stands at the head of it and His apostles and prophets are at the watch towers, watching for things to warn us about and to guide us to the path that brings us the most happiness, and that comes by living the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I can't believe I come home in 6.5 months. I want to stay here forever haha but I know all good things come to an end and luckily when I take my name badge off for the last time when I am home, that doesn't mean I can't still do missionary work for the rest of my life. I will not stop pleading the cause of Jesus Christ. I will never stop defending my faith. I will never stop testifying of Jesus Christ as our Savior, Redeemer, Brother, and Best Friend. This is my life. He is always there. And luckily I still have a while:)

We had other cool lessons this week. Being in my fifth city is kinda crazy, sometimes I feel like that's the amount of boyfriends I've had and they all ended the relationship hahaha because in every city I've served in, I've never wanted to leave but I get transfered sooner than I thought I would (I hope you understand that analogy, not sure that I myself completely understand it lol. Luckily I haven't actually been through 5 boyfriends) anyways, I have already fallen in love with Groningen so don't worry guys, I move on quickly ;) πŸ‡±πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡±πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡±πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡±πŸ‡Ί I love it here. Ik hou van mijn zending. Ik hou van de Heer. Ik hou van dit werk. Ik ben erg blij mee dat ik mag dit doen!!!!!!!! Hurrah for Israel!!!!!!!!

Ik hou van jullie,

Veel liefs,

Zuster Harris :)
 


 

Monday, November 9, 2015

haha PSYCH

dear people,

Well we got the call yesterday and I am not staying here in Apeldoorn, I will be transfered to Groningen! I am going to serve there with Sister Stewart-Chester. In one transfer I will have 4 different companions and 3 different cities. 

Well, last week was super good. We have an investigator on baptismal date, Anja! We were teaching her the first lesson and she said she really wanted to get baptized so we explained to her we could set a goal for a date of her being baptized and she was down. She's got a way to go but through Christ, all things all possible. 

We have an investigator, Nathaniel, who is like 21 or so and last week he came to institute at the senior couple's house where the ysa centrum is. it was super cool and we talked about Jesus and it was awesome. The spirit was there.

Well, we had a couple other lessons with people and it was good. I came here and we had no investigators but we prayed hard and worked hard and we saw miracles in the past 2 weeks we've been together. The sisters here will have a great week of lessons with people we were able to make appointments with. I went crazy one day and called all the potentials and former investigators and we got some appointments set up with people who still have interest....for some reason the missionaries stopped teaching them. So that will be good for them. I am bumbed I am leaving after having such a great week, but I know God's plan is greater than mine. There are always people to hear the gospel, wherever you go. I know that. 

I want you guys to know I have a firm testimony of this gospel. I know it is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know He is the head of this church. I know Heavenly Father has a plan for us all. He sent His son to the earth to make all things possible. Walk with Him. He knows. 

I love you all. Have a great week. Turn an ordinary day into a day full of miracles.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Every destination is just a NEW BEGINNING.

I am not going to lie and say that this week was an amazing week of miracles. I won't say that I know why things happen the way they do. This week has probably been one of the most difficult, stretching weeks of my entire mission. We had interviews with President and Sister Bunnell on Tuesday...and I found out I was leaving Amsterdam in 2 days (keep in mind transfer day wasn't for another 2 weeks) because a sister there needed to be emergency transfered. So I was the one they thought of that needed to be sent to Apeldoorn to replace her. Funny thing is that I am with the same companion I had when I was in Assen, Sister Jensen.  I feel like I am in this weird dream that I'm back in a city that is struggling to have any investigators at all and the work is very slow.  I literally went from having 7-8 semi-progressing investigators in Amsterdam, one with a baptismal date,  to a city that has 1 investigator whose mind is not even all there. This city honestly has so much potential. and I know I am here for a reason. I want to share with you something I read during personal study my first day in Apeldoorn. Man, I was struggling that morning...all I wanted was to be in Amsterdam, going to the appointments with the investigators and people I came to LOVE, rather than be in a city with a week full of knocking :/ after feeling sorry for myself and not being able to concentrate on the chapter I was reading in the Book of Mormon because my emotions were very close to the surface, the line of a verse in D&C came to me...."for I am wont to swim in deep waters" and at the time I couldn't remember where exactly that was so I flipped back to my Doctrine and Covenants and instead of finding that scripture, my book opened to a page that had some highlighted verses and I felt prompted to read it so I did...it's in D and C section 100 and it said:
"5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;
6 For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.
7 But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.
 8 And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say."  later that day was when we RADed (taught someone the first lesson and extended the baptism invitation) someone on the street and he was pretty positive.
 
Well I was curious as the what the rest of the chapter read and felt like I needed to read it so I did. If that wasn't an answer that I was sent here for a reason, then I don't know what would be. I won't include it all in this email because this email is already long enough. But just before that it says:
" 3 Behold, and lo, I have much people in this place, in the regions round about; and an effectual door shall be opened in the regions round about in this eastern land (Apeldoorn is east of Amsterdam...)
 4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls."
 
To be honest, I thought I was only sent here to save the sister from a could-be-sketchy-situation (not sure how big of a deal it really was...) aywho, I know things happen for a reason. I know the work will still go forth in the wonderful city of Amsterdam. I know there is work to be done here in Apeldoorn.
I am grateful for hard, trying times. I can honestly say that I can feel God molding me in His hands, into the person HE wants and needs me to be. 
I love you all. I know the Lord's will will be brought to pass in His work. I am excited to give it my all here, no matter what the circumstances are. I know there are people here waiting to hear this glorious message; we just have to find them. It's a never ending search of Hide and go seek ;)
 
I saw many miracles in Amsterdam, and we will see many miracles here in Apeldoorn. 

Much love,
Sister Harris.