Patrick Addo, Den Haag, October 23, 2010
Patrick Addo was found in Rotterdam but given over to Den Haag seeing as that is where he lives. He is from Ghana, the fist born in his family, the first in his family to move to Europe and now the first in his family to be baptized in the church! He was super excited during his entire learning process to be able to be that example, especially as he felt of the truthfulness of it all. We were able to learn so much from him as we taught him of the Restored Gospel! (Written by Elder Robinson and Favero)
Georgia van Biemen, Breda, October 23, 2010
This week we had the opportunity to witness the baptism of Sister Georgia van Biemen. Sister van Biemen is the wife of a member. They were married about 3 months ago and she was well prepared to receive the gospel into her life. Before Elder Douglass and I had our first lesson with her she had already read the Book of Mormon all the way through and also Preach My Gospel and was busy reading Gospel Principles. Her husband helped her prepare her so much and gave her the support that she needed. She amazed us in our first appointment when she pretty much taught us the first lesson. All we did was answer questions that she had, and they were many. This is the way our teaching went with her when Elder Kuttler arrived. She'd teach, we'd ask questions and answer hers, and her husband was there with her every step of the way to support her. She was baptized on October 23rd by her husband and insisted on sharing her testimony. On the 24th she was confirmed a member. Brother and Sister van Biemen now have their sights set on the Temple and our counting down the days till a year from now. They're awesome.
Written by Elder Hawkley
Brother Gunter Schutze spent time explaining to us what it was like living behind the Iron Curtain. He was the bishop of the Dresden Ward and later the Stake President of the Dresden Stake. Although the late 1960s and the early 1970s may have seemed the darkest days for the Church in the German Democratic Republic, the members themselves recall that period with great fondness—even joy. The more they were driven together from outside pressures, the closer they grew to one another, to the Church, and to the Lord. Attendance at meetings was high; home teaching and visiting teaching assignments were carried out with devotion and sincerity; members looked out for one another and helped one another; tithes and offerings were donated faithfully.
Some members remained faithful despite years of isolation. Gunter Schulze,, spent much of his time during that period finding and caring for isolated members—some in Poland, some in outlying areas of the German Democratic Republic. One of these was an elderly sister in Upper Silesia.
“We visited with her a long time,” recalls Brother Schulze. “Finally she went behind the stove and brought out a knotted stocking and began untying the knots, several knots. Then she held out her two hands like a scale and weighed money from the knotted stocking. She said, ‘This is my tithing. I have been saving it for over twenty-five years now. I knew the priesthood would come into my home again someday!’ ”
We were touched by these stories we heard. Our testimonies were strengthened. We all felt humbled and grateful for the members of the church in East Germany.
(A late post-September 2010)
Five recently returned missionaries from the Antwerp Stake, spoke in Stake Conference. They have only been home for a few weeks to a few months. Every person in attendance learned how member missionary works. I was so impressed with the testimonies of these fine young men, and their powerful examples of what a mission means in the life of a young man.
"I believe there is nothing in all the world that can compare with the joy that a man feels when he realizes that he has been the instrument in the hands of the living God of reaching some honest heart, inspiring in it a love of God and the desire to serve Him." |
Joyce Rotgans, Apeldoorn, October 17, 2010
Elder Adams and I were doing a consecrated hour and nothing was working, probably one of the worst ones I have ever had. At the end of the consecrated hour somebody buzzed the door open so we walked all the way up to the top floor. We passed a door with a picture of Jesus Christ above the door so we figured we had to go back to that one. We also asked the lady that buzzed us in for a referral and she also referred us to the door with the picture of Jesus. We tried to stop by but nobody answered.
We went back probably like 6 times at different times and nobody was ever home. One day Elder Adams and Bair were on exchanges together and decided to go by. She was home and talked to them for a while and made a new appointment. She was really busy with work so it was really hard to meet regularly but after some time she was ready. Two weeks before her baptism she even found a new boyfriend in church so now it's even easy to come to church because they travel together. (Written by Elder DeBruijn)
Priscilla Reyes, Amsterdam, October 16, 2010
Priscilla Reyes is a wonderful woman, originally from Hong Kong. Three years ago she was given to the missionaries as a referral from her son, who had been contacted by missionaries on the street. Through Priscilla's investigation of the church, we learned that her father (now deceased) was also a member of the church! She's come so far in her faith by enduring the difficult trials she's received over the past few years. During a short time of discontinued contact with the church, Priscilla gained her testimony of the Restored Gospel. In our regular meetings, she was able to find answers to the rest of her questions and prepare for the ordinance of baptism. Her baptism was amazing! Her son, daughter in-law, husband, and grandson attended. Providing us with a few more great people to teach the Gospel! (Written by Elder Wood.)
Jerry Mohammed Ali, Den Bosch, May 2010
We found Jerry Mohammed Ali as he was walking and we were biking, on our way to a consecrated hour. Both Elder Mecham and I just pulled over to the side of the street and started contacting Jerry. We learned later that he had been praying for three months, asking God to send Him people from Christ's true church. He told us later that the second that he saw us, he recognized us as true servants from God. He stopped and listened to us, gave us his phone number and accepted the invitation to come to church the next day. We rode with him to church on the bus, and learned that he is from Africa and fled here four months ago. Right as he walked into the church, he recognized it as the true church, and four weeks later he was baptized.
Catarina, Den Bosch, May 2010
Catarina was found by the missionaries in Breda, but after 4 years of on and off teaching, she moved and contact was lost. The missionaries refound her, and once again began teaching her. She is from Angola, and her native language is Portuguese, so the language barrier was a big obstacle for her and for us as the missionaries. The members proved to be the saving factor, as we had some amazing joint teaches that helped Catarina to understand through love and better Dutch. After overcoming an addiction to smoking (thanks to many prayers and help from the members) she was cleansed from sin through baptism and confirmation. The most amazing miracle was watching the light enter into her life and being through the teaching and repenting process. The Gospel brought her such an increased level of happiness and peace!
