Week 57 - Zoetermeer - Konings Dag

 From Zuster Lemich: Our booth and crazy missionaries on konings dag! 

 Got my hair done by this little Dutch cutie at the ward potluck Elyse Riley look-alike?)!

 With Charlita- her mom's a recent convert, and she wants to learn more now, too.

 Goofing off!

 With her mom, Gwendolyn- matching hair.

Hoi!!!

Whew, busy week- sometimes it can be pretty crazy trying to juggle working in and pleasing both wards we're serving in.. but so good, too. On King's Day, we met this young guy Erik who was walking past and Zuster Lemich asked him if he wanted a free book, and he came and sat down with us and we had about a 30-minute convo about faith, religion, God, why we're here, etc... and he eventually took a Book of Mormon and agreed to meet up. 

Yesterday evening, we met at the church building with a Rik and Flora (a super cute and cool young couple), and had a lesson covering the Restoration and the Plan and some.. he had such good questions- especially about 2 Nephi 2 which he had totally read- and I felt the Spirit so strongly testifying to him, telling him that despite the fact that we're not perfect teachers and don't have all the answers/ speak the language perfectly, our message is true. We finally taught Cheryl again, and we're actually going to the Markthal in Rotterdam with her today. She has such good questions and insights as well, and is definitely searching for truth- she can see a lot of truth in many different religions, but not nec. just one yet... it was a really good lesson for Zuster Lemich and I, nicely balanced and teaching in unity- we've been sneaking in a lot of quicker doorstep/ street/ post-lunch cafe lessons (sharing a scripture and testifying of a principle and praying), which are great and all, but it felt good to have two thorough, full lessons with investigators so interested and engaged. 

Samantha (almost 9), the daughter of Elfride, got baptized on Saturday, and she is so cute. Ah, after a day full of talking to people in Scheveningen on King's Day, we met up with Anna at Subway in Den Haag, and she is so cool! Anna is the German 22-yr old Keukenhof worker who I met after taking a picture with her at temple conference, and it was so great getting to know her. She said she's in a sort of "still-deciding-period" when it comes to religion, and we're going to meet again in two weeks, and share more what we each believe! She's so cool though ah. 

I was reading in Acts 11- a good reminder that God is no respecter of persons, and I know that He loves all of His Children so much and is waiting with outstretched arms for us to return to Him. I see that every week on my mission, coming across people who He has obviously been preparing for so long. I'm humbled that as an inadequate, weak 20 yr old I can become an instrument through which the Lord can work to help others change their lives.

Fijne week verder, en veel liefs vanuit Zoetermeer! (Great week ahead, and much love from Zoetermeer)

Love,

Zuster Riley (:

Trouwens- due to prior appt.s, we probably won't Skype until about 8pm next Sunday. Can't wait!!! (: 

 

End of last transfer- matching with Zuster Faa!