Amazing

So this week wasn't exactly what the title implies, but it was pretty great. There was this day that we missionaries, both us sisters and the elders, were at a members house pretty much all day working in her garden. She's pretty old so she couldn't really help but it was a life changing day. We were talking a lot about good, great, and amazing. In life. In people. In families. One elder quoted a friend of his who said "being on my missions, I have seen the good families, and the great families, and then I see the families that are absolutely amazing. And I want to have a family like that. But to do that, I first have to be amazing, and I have to marry someone amazing."

The amount of talking about marriage on missions is ridiculous, but it was interesting to hear that. It made me think a lot about what kind of person I am and what I'm worthy of, so to speak. But It's interesting to be able to catch that glimpse of our eternal potential in moments like that. I was able to catch the glimpse of my own amazing-ness. And that was really something special. And I hope that when we all look in the mirror, we can all see our eternal potential as AMAZING, because we are all sons and daughters of the most AMAZING being in all the universe and we have the most amazing potential.

I love you all! you're amazing :) 

xoxo

Zuster Hoff

in the right August 11

Title: In the Right

SO remember in like elementary school when the motto is like "be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing."? Well so that motto is like applicable to like everything. Especially missionary work. When you're in the right place at the right time doing the right thing, blessings come! And you are able to be used as a tool in God's hands. That's pretty cool.

Examples:

One of the days this week we thought it was going to take a while to get home, so we went home and we ended up having 30 more minutes. What would be the right thing to do? Be diligent. So we decided to walk around the block, and since we live pretty close to the centrum, there's a good amount of people outside. So we're contacting, and there's this adorable little family by the bus stop and we start talking to them and they're from Eritrea in Africa and they don't speak a lot of Dutch but the dad speaks a little more and so we talk to him and it turns out he is Christian and his family just came a few months ago and they are in the process of moving. We tell them we can help with moving and they get SO happy and say that they know God sent us and they need all the help they can get and they give us their number and say they are really looking forward to us calling and they are just such pure souls. So we call them up the next day and make an appointment for the day after that. When it comes time for the appointment, we go to their house and they aren't home :( so we call and they say they are at their other house and so tonight wont work. Sad, we go back to our bikes and I turn to my companion and say "well since we're here should we knock a few doors?" And she says "okay"so we knock some doors and nobody's interested but after like 5 or 6 doors THE WIFE OF THE FAMILY COMES HOME! And she welcomes us in and gives us a plate of cookies and she speaks a little english so we talk to her about the Restoration and have her get her bible and it was so special! We came back the next night to talk with her and her husband and it was really cool! They are the cutest little family. And it was only because of our diligence and being in the right place doing the right thing at the right time that let us be privileged to be a part of that.

Today, we came to the library to email instead of emailing at the church and we came a lot later than we normally do, too. But right when we got here, there was this man right outside who noticed us and talked to us and said he had all of the books and stuff from us and was about to get baptized a few years ago but was too busy with work and everything and he used to come to church but not anymore. We asked if he  wanted to come back and he said yes! So he gave us his address and number and said he was looking forward to seeing us.

It was incredible. Really, all we have to do is be doing the right thing, and we'll be put in the right place at the right time. That's pretty much the coolest thing.

Well I'm pretty excited for this next transfer with my new companion. She's also from Colorado! Whooo Colorado sistas! It's gonna be a blast.

Carry on and Conquer.

xoxo

Zuster Hoff

We Cannot Let the Butterflies Govern Us oct 13- no blog oct 6

Title: We Cannot Let the Butterflies Govern Us

Okay. I have been holding out on you all. Sorry I didn't blog last week. So many people to write. Not enough time. And also I haven't been letting on very much about this Sweeterlake place that I am.

I've already mentioned that it is incredible. We had a baptism yesterday and literally all I did was stand there for the picture. I was never at his house to teach an appointment because I had been on exchanges all those days, but also, the ward was so good at fellowshipping and taking care of him that we didn't even need to do anything to help him. All I did was help plan for about 3 lessons that my companion and another sister would teach him. And it's pretty humbling to see what little influence we have as missionaries in the big plan of Heavenly Father. Sometimes I get really frustrated being the companion of a Sister Training Leader because I feel like I have no purpose. I'm not the one who is in charge of the sisters, and usually I get sent to a different city to work once or twice a week or am left in my own city without my companion, and it just feels frustrating because I feel like I have no goal. But it appears that as we are submissive to the will of God despite our circumstances, he will bless us or those around us with success because of our sacrifices.

So yes, the baptismal service was so beautiful.The ward pretty much did everything--we didn't have to do a thing except make calls beforehand.This 13 year old boy put together his whole program and chose all the songs. And then he was baptized. And of course we celebrated with a cake with his face on it afterwards. I ate his ear. Yes.

We also had a sisters conference this past weekend when all the sisters in the mission came to the mission home and it was fun. We talked about priesthood and the scattering and gathering of Israel and then the sister training leaders talked about things.One of them talked about fear. In Genesis 3 we read that in the beginning Adam and Eve were in the Garden, and after they had taken of the fruit and God came back and called to Adam, he said "I heard thy voice and I was afraid." It appears that the first sign of a fallen world is fear. And excuses. She said that we cannot let the butterflies govern us. We can take a few seconds to be scared, but then we must act. We must answer the call, and not hide because we are afraid when God calls us.

I love my mission! I love how much I learn! It is so good. :)

xoxo

Zuster Hoff

Trunky or Treat?

Trunky or Treat?

This week my group went home and I have to be honest, I do not feel a single bit of sadness that I didn't get to go with them--because I LOVE being here! It is definately a TREAT to have a few more weeks in this wonderful country, with a wonderful companion, wearing this wonderful nametag. It feels so right. 

So lets talk about all of the things I would've missed if I went home last week--

1. Trunk or Treat. The American branch meets in our building and invited our ward out to trunk or treat with them. It was so cool--the Dutch got really into it. It was awesome--everybody dressed up. So much fun. 

2. On Thursday, a sister I met while I was in the MTC-- she is from Rotterdam, went to the Washington DC North mission-- and got home last Thursday and her mom let her come be our mini missionary for a few hours before she got released!!! That was so cool!! I can't believe her mom let her do that. Hah.

3. We had institute on Thursday and we brought our polish investigator and taught him to carve pumpkins and bob for apples and play egg russian roulette and it was so good! Two Halloween parties in a country that doesn't even celebrate Halloween. We asked him if he had fun and he said
(in his very heavy polish accent) "yes, I didn't know it was possible without alcohol." Hah, by the way--HE'S STOPPED DRINKING. Miracles of the atonement are seen with this man. Miracles. Really, truly. What an honor it is to see it.

4. On friday, we met with the farmer and made a baptismal date with him! Finally. That was a great lesson. 

5. Saturday we got to celebrate my 18 month mark on my mission. That was cool--how many sisters get to do that? (proabably a lot... but probably not most!)

It has been a real solid week and it's gonna be a real solid next few weeks. Make the last days the best days--that's what's gonna happen. 

xoxo

Zuster Hoff