October 26, 2015

First and foremost, I would like to encourage all not to go about hurting themselves any longer this fall. Every week I get emails saying `I get another X-ray this week` ´Your mom broke her arm´ or ´Your sister ripped the skin off her fingers´. Your bodies are temples. Take great care.

Also there is a new missionary portal which is just as exciting to a missionary as would an iOS 12 update be to the commoner back home. So that also deserves a shoutout.

Last week I challenged the powers, foreshadowing something ridiculous, which is ironically becoming more classic, of an event that would happen to me, my companion, or those I am around. There was definitely ridiculousness this week. In form of MIRACLES:

I was on exchanges with the Assistants here in Apeldoorn and we had a chalk full day of things to do, one of them teaching our super awesome investigator Jose. Prior to the lesson, Elder Abankie and I had taught about baptism being a gift from God and our experience of receiving the gift at the ages of 8 and 12. We followed up with her this last Wednesday, never really sure what to expect. She tells us, `Yes I pondered quite a bit about it, and I don´t know why exactly, but just got a feeling that I want to do it as soon as possible`.

Drop the mic.

Shut the front door.

Throw the former lesson plan out the window.

WHAT. It was so incredible to feel the Spirit that filled the room as she said that to us, as our joint teaches also picked their jaws up from the floor. We spent the entire lesson testifying of our experience with coming to know the truth and she was so excited, asking her friend Jan right there in the lesson if he would baptize her. We set everything up, got down to planning and she is set for baptism November the 21! She is taking all the lessons like a champ right now and each time her concerns are resolved through Gospel Principles class or scriptures. We are so proud of her and can’t wait to see her continue to grow as we teach her throughout the week.

Also that same morning, I was headed back from Groningen on exchanges and asked a few people on the train what specific Dutch words were in the Book of Mormon. They told me, rather irritated (Dutch people), and moved seats. Then a girl who saw it happen gave me a note that she wrote. In perfect English, she bore her testimony about God and trusting in Him, not in the world. I grabbed a Book of Mormon, wrote my testimony in imperfect Dutch and gave it to her expressing my love for the book and how it has changed my life. We said maybe 10 words to each other, she began reading, and we got off the train. By small and simple things, great things come to pass.

I have got to give a quick shoutout to the members in Apeldoorn who are some of the greatest and are hilarious to be around. We have tried to get another appointment with Oma Peters so that I may send more one liners of wisdom, but each time she has had visitors or has gone to the temple. I have never known such a busy 87 year old woman in my life. #stilltruckin´

We were also in Den Haag (again, it seems like) for Mission Leader Council this week, allowing me to see tons of my favorite people in the mission like Morrell, Cook, Voss, etc. I can’t remember if I shared it, but a talk I read a few weeks ago changed my mission forever in utilizing different things to teach, which may soon become a mission wide training which would be cool I guess.

We have a good week planned, the fall here is gorgeous, and we listen to Christmas music on the daily, life is headed into the best time of the year. I truly love Christmas on a mission. Yes, it is still October. But set your sights far in the future. I´m sure a general authority has quoted something along those lines. So yes, its doctrine.

Enjoy our premature Christmas card below. Holland aka Apeldoorn is priceless at this time of year.

Met allerste liefde van mij ziel,

Elder Trevan Scott Reese