Week 31 - Making History in Ghenk

Two more friends baptized!

Sounds like you're going to have a nice vacation!  I miss being able to go on trips with everyone and being able to party with my homies aka my family, my grandparents, my extended family and my friends. There are random days where I will see something and it will remind me of something that we have all done together haha especially cooking marshmallows.  That reminded me of our family reunion.  We should totally do that again by the way.  When all of us returned missionaries get home in 17 or so months we should have another family reunion!  

We got to go to our friends’ baptism and confirmation this past weekend and loved it.  8 weeks ago my companion and I went to their house, shared what we knew and invited them to follow our guidance if they got the answer that this is what their Father in Heaven wanted.  I was blessed to see the changes in their life.  The light that grew and the joy that they developed.  I was even more blessed by staying in Genk in order to witness them walk into the font and to be a part of their special day.  I then was blessed to take part in their confirmation and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It's hard to describe the feelings that come with that.  It’s really something else.  I guess it’s kind of like how a momma bird feels when she kicks her little birdie out the nest and sees it fly back haha.  It’s a good time to live on the earth where we have the opportunity to receive the many blessings that are available to us through the restored authority of the restored gospel. 

We are now 4 missionaries in Genk!  Writing history!  The branch is really excited and we are excited to serve them and help them reach their goals.  The Lord is certainly making that possible,  haha.  Sunday everyone was all smiles and they would be astonished when they saw all 4 of us and say, " Oh my...4 zendelingen....dat is fijne!" haha - saying all this while covering their mouths haha.  It’s nice to know that the service we provide is appreciated beyond what we understand. 

Nederland will be going to the next round and Belgium will be playing....either today or tomorrow tegen USA....let’s hope that Belgium will win and that eventually Belgium and Nederland will play each other......I think that would be unreal.  I love hearing from you guys and I hope you are all having an awesome summer.  I know I certainly am.  It’s hard but it’s defiantly worth-while.  

Love, 

Elder Holt

Week 30 - Work in Limberg Rolls Forth

Zone Conference

Belgium sometimes looks like a rainforest.  The city doesn’t really mow the grass here so it’s getting pretty long....people mow their lawns but the city stuff, like the medians, along the paths....stuff like that isn't always cut.  It’s nice.  Makes it looks more natural.

Inderdaad...my friend is beyond happy and seeing her this Sunday....she just looked like a member of the Christ's church.  She is ready to help build the Kingdom here.  I have two more friends working towards their baptism dates this weekend.  I get super worried throughout the last week.  I know that it’s not going to be a walk in the park for them and I really don’t want them to get pushed off the path.  They all work so hard to get here....the thought of losing them makes me sad so I pray and I put it into God’s hands.  I can only perform my role and need to rely on Him and that He will do what I cannot. 

Good news.  I'm staying in Genk for this next transfer!  Better news, we are becoming a 4 man! The second 4 man in the mission.  The ward’s prayers and request to get more missionaries came true!  The best news.....I wish I had a camera to show you all how excited the members were when we told them the news....hahaha man it makes you smile.  We are worried about figuring out how to do work with 4 people but we are excited to be able to see everyone that we can.  It’s been hard to see all the people that we could and we are going to make this change work.  Man....exciting times in Limberg and to add to the good times....Belgium is going to the second round of the World Cup!  It gets crazy when Belgium wins.  People are honking, cheering, blowing horns, driving in circles at the round-about, hanging out of their cars with their flags....let's hope Belgium goes far haha. 

The Lord is good.  2 Nephi 5:27, "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."  Amen to that.  His ways help lead us to living in happiness.  I remember that I was happy when I was not actively living Christ’s gospel.  Now I know...His gospel...adds to the happiness that we thought couldn’t become greater.  His gospel helps us live after the manner of happiness.  How does living the gospel do so?  We all have our different experiences.  We have different purposes.  This may vary but I will bring to your attention one thing that is the same for everyone.  Our trust in the Lord helps us to obtain, maintain and gain happiness that cannot be bought, substituted or supplemented.  It is the happiness that does not rely on things that will rust or rot away.  It is the happiness that will remain as changes occur.  It is happiness that is dependant in that it is an everlasting source,  God the Father and His Son being this everlasting source.  Trusting in the promises that have been made to us; trusting that we will live again and see the ones that we have lost; trusting that all that is wrong will be made right;  trusting that the time will come for things that we ever so righteously desire; just trusting that all will be well and that when we feel it is not, it is, because we trust that the Lord will not lead us astray.  He will not leave us behind in the dust and he will throw things on our plate that he knows we can handle.  Trust that He knows what he is doing. And trust that he does it for the benefit of us.  I know you all have heard this one time or another.  I love sayings in Dutch and this is one I've heard a few times.  "Doet je best en God doet de rest"… do your best and God will do the rest.  Let the crappy times get easier. They can become easier if we allow God to help us.  

Love you all and until next time work on relying on the Lord.  He has done an amazing thing for us.  Let’s use it.

Love Elder Holt 

Zuster Joustra made poutine for Elder Holt!

roasting marshmallows Genk style 

Week 29 - Putting All of Our Trust in the Lord

T'jonge jonge...I totally forgot that it was Fathers’ Day...they don't have that here. It's ok.....it’s the World Cup now...there are "more important" things going on.  haha

This past weekend the Lord’s Branch here in Genk was blessed by attending the Baptism of our good friend here.  My friend...we'll call her Kiya...is an amazing women of faith, patience, charity, devotion, and so many more but I just don’t have time to write them all.  I’ve been blessed by meeting with her for 7 weeks now.  It’s really something to look back on the first time meeting with her....and then watch make her first covenant and then participating in her confirmation.  She is a very strong women.  It has been a blessing watching her progression and seeing her life change for the better.  She is the definition of an example.  

We had a really special baptismal service.  She chose her hymns because of what they were saying and how they related to her.  She asked 2 of our members to give talks...they were 2 well-put talks that inspired all of us...especially our friends who are working to get baptized in a couple weeks.  We listened to uplifting music as she and the priesthood holder got changed and we just basked in the warm, comforting, joyful feeling that attended us throughout the baptism.  Kiya's friends, who introduced her to the Gospel came to the baptism!  They drove a couple hours to get there and it made her day!  Kiya bore her testimony at the end of the service and man...I can’t write to you how impressed and happy I am for her.  

We had 3 of our friends who attended Kiyas baptism.  They got to see how a baptismal service went and then they got to see how the confirmation went yesterday.  My MTC companion and his companion invited their friend who came to the baptismal service.  She is working towards her baptismal service.  We had a total of 4 friends there....and the ward members made everyone feel right at home.  I’ve noticed that everyone here takes fellowshiping into best-frirendshipping..haha. Heck, Kiya got gifts and hugs form the ward members and our friends who are working to their baptism.  They have all become like family...it’s a nice thing to see.  

The Lord has been blessing this branch.  Maybe it is because they all sacrifice so much to help us get to all our appointments.  Maybe it's because they pray all the time for us and the people we are teaching.  Maybe it’s because they join us all the time when we teach our friends and a friendship is created.  Maybe it’s because the Lord sees that the time is right for the Branch here to grow.....there are so many possibilities.  I think it has to do with all of them.  But, I think the biggest factor is that the branch members put ALL OF THEIR TRUST into the Lord.  Like every single ounce.  They are all converts of many years.  They have had many trials because they are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Their stories have a pattern of submitting everything to God.  They pour their heart and thoughts out and leave the rest to the Lord willing to accept His answer.  One of the members here was going to a Seminary school to become a baptizing Priest or something like that. He said he became concerned that he couldn’t find the God in the New Testament. He recalled walking to his room and seeing his poster of the Savior and Mary.  A thought came to his mind that he couldn’t worship the two.  He knew it wasn’t right. So....he tore the section with Mary off and put it aside.  He then stacked things up as high as he could in his room in order to get as close as he could to God.  He then expressed every thought and feeling in prayer.  He stated at the end, "If you are there...I beg you to please help me find you". After his prayer a thought came to mind to go get a haircut. Haha, he thought that was funny.  But he said in his prayer that he could follow any direction he got so our member went and got his hair cut.  As he was walking to get his haircut...two missionaries tapped on his shoulder and introduced him to the restored gospel.  They went back the next day to speak with our member and boom.....invited him to get baptized.  He was baptized; right before graduation from his Seminary.  He said if the timing hadn’t played out how it did...he would have graduated and would never have paid attention to the missionaries.  The missionaries taught him one week before he would have graduated.  This man was called to be a branch councillor his first Sunday as a ward member.  Haha. Another awesome story.  He then served as a Branch President and a District President.  4 years after his baptism he served a mission at the age of 28.  People kept telling him he was too old but he knew that it wasn’t their decision....it was the Lords.  So....he did his interviews and the papers were submitted.  He knew that the Lord would have him go where he was needed.  He got his call and he served his mission in the Belgium/Nederland mission.  His mission impacted many.  His journal helped a young man go on a mission.  Our member friend is well known and his work is highly appreciated.  

I didn't get to write in too much detail but I hope you can see the example that my member friend set for us.  He put ALL of his trust in the Lord. He completely submitted and was down to do whatever was asked for him as long as it was good.  This amazing example has helped me see the importance of relying on the Lord.  I feel like we hold back being afraid that the outcome won’t be what we thought or the chance of nothing happening holds us back.  We aren't going to have these amazing experiences if we don't give the Lord a chance.  

I know I am going to start seeking the advice and relying on the counsel given to me from my Father in Heaven.  I know that He is with us.  I know that if we give Him the chance...He will show us that He is here.  Let us all keep our eyes single to the glory of God and let him reach out to us.  I can tell you that you recognize His work if you give Him all you’ve got. 

Love you all and happy belated Fathers’ Day. 

-Elder Holt

PS.  It sucks being in Europe when the World Cup is on when you are a missionary....I have promised not to watch voetbal. Jaamer

Week 28 - Now Is Our Time to Shine

Yes....the branch members here are waaaaaay special!  We have a lot of fun and sacrifice a lot together.  We have 2 ward mission moms who always make sure we are fed and make us supper.  Sister Knoops AKA Sister Joustra is uber nice and her husband is the best ward missionary.  Unfortunatly our broadcast did not come through haha it was like a stake testimony meeting! It was good and I could understand them....for the most part.

I was talking to dad about this is and I guess I will share it with you. 

We all know the famous scripture, "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when you are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  We know that His purpose is to"...bring to the pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  We read, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."  We know that, "...no unclean thing can enter into his Kingdom..." Therefore we have been provided with one who has paid the debt of our faults.  "For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea; it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord." 

Find the pattern of selfless acts.  These scriptures revolve around selflessness.  Unselfishness.  This has all been done for us.  For me typing, for you reading, for your neighbour, your friends, your children, your parents, your cousins...for everyone.  Our entire goal of our time on earth is based off of thinking for others.  I have seen the differences when my motives are for those I am serving.  I have felt the love of our Father in Heaven, the Love of Christ and happiness that you just can’t buy.  Do it for them because He would, has and will do it for you.  Find that joy that comes with serving those around you.  When I don’t want to do something I ask myself why I don’t want to do it.  I find the pattern of thinking about myself. "I don’t want to do it because I'm tired....or I would rather go do this...." things like that.  I seem to focus on ME before I focus on THEM.  I ask myself, "Ok...will this service benefit Mr. or Mrs. so and so..." Find the joy in serving others because it is there.  We just need to find it.  As we find the joy we will become more consecrated Saints of the Lord.  Our consecration will allow our natural behaviors to change.  Our motives will change and we will begin to think more for others than for ourselves.  Eventually, these changed motives will become natural to us.  The selfish thoughts or desires will still be there but it will be easier and more natural to shun them away. 

Many of my happiest moments have a chunk of sacrifice.  Whether it is me serving others or whether it be others serving me or loved ones.  A lot of my smiles come from service. 

"But Charity is the pure love of Christ; and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day it shall be well with him." 

Now is our time to shine.  Now is our time to give it all we got to learn how to become as charitable as our Savior and our Eternal Father.  Now is the time to learn to change our motives so that we may reach our full potential.  "We are not here to earn heaven, we are here to learn heaven." 

Let us learn to love and serve as our Savior demonstrated for us.  I am happy to have the relationship I have with my Savior and Father.  I am thankful for their examples.  As we love others and think about their well-being...we will be showing our love for God and the Son.  Know that we may always keep pressing forward after we have tripped.  The question is are we going to take the hand of the one reaching out to us or are we going to sit there and watch the race finish. 

We have been provided with a perfect plan of learning.  I know that what we read about in the scriptures is the plan of God. That it is true.  That we speak with Him and He answers.  We have the restored Gospel in its fullness in our time.  Now is the time to "learn of Heaven." Let us learn His ways and put others before our own.  Time to shine.  These things I say and Leave with you in the name of the Redeemer, Jezus Christus, Amen.

Love,

Elder Holt