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

I AM .......... coming home! nov 10

Title: I AM.

So this week was good! We had a lot of cancellations and some moments where motivation was a little out of sight, but we fought our way through it and did it well! We had an investigator from  Suriname make us peanut soup, we had some real good lessons, we went to Den Haag one night and split with some of their ward members to look up some members--it was really fun. I got to talking to this lady about my mission and all the things I've learned--like how hard work brings results and how no single missionary has success--we work together to bring salvation to these people and it is all in the Lord's success. I learned through talking it out that the worth of souls really is so great in the sight of God.
And then we had days where all we did was look ups and finding. But it was really cool, on Saturday, we just went out with a few names and addresses and we found some real cool people--everyone we looked up was home, we made 7appointments, and we had some real good conversations. There was this couple we stopped, and we stardted talking about the restoration with them, and the woman said "You can preach really well. You should do something with that." And then the man looks at her and goes "she is!" Haha.

And that's right, I am! How great is my calling!

Well. Only one week to go. Freaky. Well, I'm still in denial.

Tot volgend week!

xoxo

Zuster Hoff

I'm going there someday -- oct 20

Title: I'm going there someday...Actually, I went there last week

Title credit: Zuster Spencer. 

So as you may have guessed from the title, last week was TEMPLE CONFERENCE! It was so good! The nice thing about living so close to the temple is that for temple conference, you can get up at the normal time and just have a nice bike ride to the temple. 15 minutes, everyone. It was wonderful. Going to the temple so seldomly really makes it a special thing when the time finally comes around again to go. And it was so good to see my old companions and be able to talk to them and have a wonderful, uplifting time together. After the temple session, we went to the church and had a conference where we learned about studying. Humility time, folks. And before this, actually, all of the people going home had to stand up and give their "dying" testimonies. And this time, I was a part of that group. It was so strange. I realized before I stood up there to give my testimony that I didn't want to sound stupid. I knew that there were going to be about 15 other people who also had to give their testimonies, so it would have to be short, so I brainstormed a few points that I wanted to share and rehearsed it in my head so that it sounded good when I said it. And then I stood up and I said:

I don't feel like this is real. I don't feel like I'm going home soon. And sometimes I have to give myself a reality check and say "okay. I'm going home in 5 weeks." And then I think "five weeks? that's not even any time to do anything." But then I remember when Elder Texiaria came to this mission and gave a conference. He asked "who is the missionary who is going home next?" This one elder raised his hand. Elder Texiaria asked him how many days he had left. The Elder answered "16." And then Elder Texiaria said "imagine the mortal mission of Jesus Christ without the last 16 days." And then I realize that there is still work to do, prayers to pray, and....probably a lot of suffering. On my mission I've really come to know that Jesus Christ is the source of all healing. He has healed me. He can heal you. And He can heal the people you work with. I have really come to learn the difference between trusting in the Lord with all my heart and leaning to my own understanding. And when I trust in the Lord with all my heart--that's when I see miracles. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

After the conference, I went on exchanges with a sister who had only been in the land for four weeks in Almere. Being with her and hearing her questions and insights, it made me reflect to where I was about 16 months ago. And I saw for the first time how far I had truly come. A year and a half is so short, but it is so much time to learn and grow. She asked me what one of the biggest lessons I've learned is, and I told her that it was prayer. Learning how to pray. When I was in my first city, I knelt down one night to pray, tired of the same old prayer routine and feeling like I was praying just to pray. And so I decided to pray until I felt something. And when I prayed and put my heart and soul into communicating with my Heavenly Father, I felt His reply. I felt His comfort. I felt His approval. I felt His love. And as I continued to pray with purpose and with the expectation that God would give me answers because I was His child and He loved me, He has answered me. He has blessed me. And better yet, He has blessed those I loved, whom I also prayed for. 

I know that this gospel is true, or there would be no logical explanation for the joy I feel in my heart when I share it and when I live it. I love that the Lord hath seeth it fit to put me in the places I have been with the people I have been with. And I love, love, love, love all of it. 

xoxo

Zuster Hoff

The Extension - oct 27

Title: The Extension

This week was SO GOOD. It's one of those weeks that you just know the spirit guided you to all of the people and through all of the things you did. Looking back on it, it was just good. And now I'm looking at this week that's coming up and it's so weird. In my head, I know that all of the sisters I came into the field with--including my current companion, are going home on Wednesday. But I just cannot register it. I don't believe it. And that's probably because I'm staying. And I can't even imagine going home right now. There is so much work left to do here. And I think back onto the moment I decided to extend. I was inside my apartment and I just wanted to be out--talking to people, visiting people, doing something--but my companion was sick and taking a nap and so I decided to continue writing a song in Dutch to do a little language study. And this song was about the wise men. And as I was studying, and as I was writing, I began to just think a little about my mission and everything--and I realized... I loved being a missionary. And I had been praying lately about extending, putting all of the pros and cons out there and just asking if that's what I needed to do--kind of a little bit hoping that it wasn't because, for one, missions are hard, and two--Halloween. Come on. But I got this swelling, burning, overwhelming feeling in my chest that it was good. And it overflowed out my eyes and I creid and all of the reasons in my head that argued to go home at my regular date had no pull on my heart. And I knew I needed to stay. That song I wrote in Dutch has been a powerful reminder to me to stand as a witness of Christ--because that's why I came here. And a few weeks later, I wrote a song called 'Stay.' (I know...original title, eh?) It's in english, so you'll understand it. And it goes like this:

We often say--I'll go where you want me to go. 

And we ofter hope--that those are places we like also. 

We often say--I'll do what you want me to do.

But the times are all too few that we have the courage to.

And we often say-- "I'll say what you want me to say"

and yet the words...they don't come right away.

But how often do we think--that we are exactly where we're of need?

So I'll stay where you need me to stay--yeah, I know sometimes I think I've got a better way

but that's okay--I'm not afraid of the hard days anymore.

Let whatever come as it may, yeah those storms may rage as the dirt sprays back in my face

even if that's what I have to take-- I will stay. Steadfast, I pray.

We often think--"I'm not of much use around here"

And we often shed tears and give in to fear.

We let ourselves believe that others are better than we

That's why they're seen--or so it seems. 

And we often feel that everything's a little surreal. 

routinely spinning round the wheel and there's not quite enough time to heal.

But how often do we remember--that He is our greatest mender?

So I'll stay where you need me to stay yeah I remind myself that in your arms, I'm always safe

I'm okay--I've got your grace and a small taste of your love

And if the storms come--as they may and they rage--and I fall flat on my face,

Your hand, I'll take to get back up and stay.Steadfast I pray.

Sometimes, let's be honest, we forget that we have the promise

That all along the way--by us, He'll stay. 

So I'll stay where you need me to stay--yeah, I know sometimes I think I've got a better way

but that's okay--I'm not afraid of the hard days anymore.

Yeah I'll stay where you need me to stay yeah I remind myself that in your arms, I'm always safe

I'm okay--I've got your grace and a small taste of your love

And those storms--they have a way of breaking every faint desire to stay

but these are the days to stand back up and stay. Steadfast I pray. 

Steadfast I pray. Steadfast I'll stay. 

It's only three weeks--but it's enough. There is so much that can happen--so many miracles, so many laughs, so many lessons to be learned and so much growth. I am excited to see what it brings. LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN. 

xoxo

Zuster Hoff