February 27

This week was 10 times busier than the last but I had many wonderful experiences as well. Have I told you how wonderful our ward is here? Well, they are basically like our family in missionary work, but there are like 5 or 6 "Fokken" families so to speak. This last week we went to teach a friend of our ward mission leader's wife, who also cleans their home. Her name is Jasmine. She reminds me a lot of my roommate Amber. Very much a free spirit but believes that there is a higher power. She spoke of how Sister Gysler (the wife of our WML) is an angel in her life and how she feels like there is a reason why she met Sister Gysler and how she feels just really good about herself and about life when she is in their home. We had an amazing lesson with her but it was Sister Gyslers testimony that really got her engaged in the discussion. I cannot express the importance of a friends testimony when meeting with the missionaries. Today I was reading in Alma 19 verse 31 and this is right after Ammon explained the plan of Salvation to the King and then he collapsed and then he arose and testified, collapsed again and all that were in the house, save it be Abish, collapse in the Spirit. The whole town came running, and were contending one with another and thought the nephite, Ammon, had brought an evil into the home. Then, the King arose and testified of the things that Ammon had taught him and all that heard his testimony were converted. The same type of thing happens with King Lamoni's father and his household (Alma 22:23) It was once again just saying to me just how important it is to have members in our lessons with their friends so that they can testify of what we are saying. Just think about it. If you had a stranger come and tell you to change something and bear their soul to you, it wouldnt mean nearly as much to you as if you were to hear it from someone you loved, and admired. (Sorry my english is horrible... i cant speak either language very well right now...) But think about that the next time you go out with the missionaries or you look for friends that you feel you need to share the gospel with. Keep up the Good work. The Lord is so proud of all of you. I love you all so much.

Oh by the way, the success continued as we concluded with meeting with Jasmine, she took the Book of Mormon and was excited to read it. She prayed at the end of our discussion and was really happy. After that, we headed to the church to see if our investigators had made it to the dance course that a member couple was teaching that night. THEY CAME++++ and they found the church all by themselves. And after we spoke with them for a few minutes, we had to leave but the members are awesome and took care of them and invited them to come to church and to a baptism and they said that they were excited to come and excited for the next dance course. It was awesome. We actually missed our bus and walked 40 min back to our Apartment... but, we were so excited, it didnt matter. But we were burnt out the next day.

Oh something else cool that I keep forgetting to tell you... I totally slept through a 4.2 earthquake about three weeks ago... Ha, and I wasnt even burned out then+ It was just a normal missionary exhaustion that night... ha, yeah, best sleep I've ever gotten has been on my mission... thats for sure. Okay well that was like a novel and a half. but I hope that you enjoyed it nonetheless. We are going to the Zoo today. and guess what???????? THEY HAVE PENGUINS ON PARADE. I am so excited. I love penguins.... love. them. :)

I hope your weeks are filled with joy and happiness and gratitude for the blessings we receive for being a covenant people in these latter days. May the Lord continue to bless you and all that you are trying to achieve in your lives. He Lives. I know He lives. This IS HIS church on the earth today. I know that with my whole heart. This work is so important, and I am so grateful for a family that supports me and this work not only in words but also in actions. Being missionaries themselves. It has been wonderful to see just how many blessings my family has received because of my decision to serve a mission and give my whole life to him for 18 months. I love Him and will do anything for him. I hope you can do the same. So that one day we can dwell in the Celestial Kingdom together and say as a FAMILY that we have done all that we could do in this mortal life to prepare ourselves and others to enter, with confidence, into His presence and dwell with him forever. My heart swells with joy at the very thought of this day. Continue to be great and I will talk to you next week.

Liebe,
Sister Fokken