Last Monday we were in the office for most of the day. It is REALLY busy in the office, and I don't really like it that much haha. We had to gather all the numbers for the mission and total them up. The mission is doing really good right now though. In the city of Amsterdam, between 4 companionship's, we have 20 people with dates to be baptized! This Facebook project has exploded and, not only is it providing us with more referrals, but it is raising everybody's expectations, and the work is definitely hastening. After we got all the numbers ready, we met with President and Sister Robinson to talk about the mission and things going on. We are in there for hours sometimes depending on what we need to get done. It is cool seeing the mission at a whole different perspective. I am learning a lot as well, which I am very grateful for. That evening we got back to Amsterdam and looked up a few people, but not much happened that night.
Tuesday was a great day. We were on exchanges with the other Amsterdam Elders, and I was with a greenie who had only been out for a week. We had a few appointments scheduled for the day, and I was looking forward to teaching with him. Our first lesson was with a man named R. He investigated a little bit a couple of years ago, but lost contact with the missionaries. We had an appointment with him and taught him the first lesson. He is protestant and knows quite a bit about the Bible. We began talking about common Doctrine; God, Families, Prophets, Christ. We began teaching about the Great Apostasy and we saw his eyes widen. He became a lot more focused. We introduced Joseph Smith and taught him the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. The Spirit was SOOOO strong during that part of the lesson. He felt it and told us. We brought up the Book of Mormon and committed him to Baptism. He liked it, but he went on to explain how he had been baptized catholic and protestant. He then asked the question, "What will I get from your baptism?" We began to explain the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We told him that what he was feeling then, he could feel all the time. We read John 3:3-8, and the Spirit was even stronger. He told us that he felt he needed to do this. We set a date for August 10 and he accepted!! We will continue to meet with him and bring him to church so he can make that step. He is a Spiritual guy and can feel it very strongly, so if we continue to teach with the Spirit, then he will definitely be baptized. Elder Bonner, the Greenie, was so excited afterwards too. The other two appointments fell through, but we were too excited about the first one that we didn't get down about it. We did some finding and look-ups in Amsterdam the rest of the day. It was a great Spiritual day.
Wednesday was very busy. Elder Eastmond and I were back together with some time to work in our city. We talked to a lot of people and found some new potentials, and afterwards, we had a lesson with a guy named A. He is from Sierra Leone and was also affected in the war there. He was shot in the back and still suffers from the wound. He goes in for medical treatment every now and again. He LOVES sports though, and we hit it off right off the bat. We also taught him the first lesson. He is catholic, and we had a little struggle with the Godhead concept. He was open for the idea though, and after that was another great, spiritual lesson. He understood it all very well. He loved the section about families being together forever. He told us that during the war in his country, his family got split up. He was separated and later moved up to Holland. He has been here ever since, but he has no idea where his family is or if they are still even alive. We finished up the Restoration lesson and he was open to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. We told him that God is the only one who can tell him it is true. He agreed and said he would read and pray. We brought up baptism at the end, and he told us that if he received an answer that it was true then he would be baptized. We set a date for the 10 of August as well!! It was another great, spiritual lesson. It was confirmed to me twice this week that we do not do the teaching, but the Spirit does. All we need to do is explain it clearly, share scriptures, and testify. As we do that, the Spirit will be present, and they will NOT be able to deny it. It was a great reminder this week.
That night we picked up a mini missionary from Amersfoort and brought him to the Mission Home. He would be leaving for his real mission the next morning. We had a nice testimony meeting and dinner with him and President and Sister Robinson. It was nice. He is a great guy who is a convert of only a couple years. When he was baptized, his mom thought he was the Devil himself and she kicked him out of the house. I can't even imagine having to choose between the Gospel and my family. I know I would choose the Gospel, but that doesn't make it any easier. I am so grateful I will never have to make that choice. We woke up that morning and drove him to the airport. He caught a plane going to London where he will be serving for the next two years.
Thursday morning after sending the Elder to his mission, we traveled back to Amsterdam to work some more in our city. We had an appointment with a member who is inactive due to her sickness. She is older and very sweet. We read Mosiah 24 which is one of my favorites and talked about why we have trials and how we should react to them. I was SOOO tired that day that I almost fell asleep during the lesson like five different times haha. I was fighting to stay awake, and it was a tough battle, but I made it. That evening we had another appointment with a less active member. he has some serious struggles with the Word of Wisdom. He has a testimony, but the natural man is winning. He is so addicted that he feels hopeless. He feels like it is impossible to quit the things he is doing. We gave him some advice, but it was so sad to see. A part of my testimony was strengthened that night that God weeps for us. He has a perfect love for us and wants the best for us. He wants to help us, but he can only do so much because of our agency. It was a very sad lesson, and I want to continue to help this man overcome his addictions.
Friday was also a good day. We were able to teach L and D. They are progressing towards baptism. It is a mother and daughter, and the Grandma is a member from Columbia. They will be baptized within a few months. They are SO cool and very open. We taught the Plan of Salvation and they understood it and accepted it. They are going on vacation to Turkey for 2 weeks, but afterwards, we will pick back up and get them baptized! We looked up another member who is inactive afterwards and taught him. We had nothing planned, and Elder Eastmond asked me on the spot if I could share something. I looked down at one of the verses and saw the word "Charity" we read it and I asked some questions that really made him think and we talked about it and it actually turned out to be one of the best thoughts I have given! It was a miracle haha. The Spirit lead that lesson and that was the third confirmation this week that we don't teach, but the Spirit does.
It was nice to have so much time this week to get our city going and have some appointments set up at times we will be home, because the transfer is only going to get crazier and busier from here. It is very busy, but I love it so much. I am a little scared though because I think it will make my mission go by even faster... I am creeping up on five months left until I see you. That is insane! De tijd gaat zo voorbij, maar ik ga echt zo veel leren in de tussentijd. En ik ben er heel erg entusiast voor. Het Evangelie is waar!!!! Ik hou van jullie allemaal!
Veel Lief,
Elder Bishop
PS President Robinson authorized us to watch the Belgium game tonight and the Holland game next week if they make it through!!! GO HOLLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment