We feel really blessed in our mission to receive the finest, well prepared, enthusiastic, faithful missionaries. Zuster Cranford has all of these qualities and more. She loves missionary work and wants more than anything in her life right now to serve the Lord.
Zuster Harrington and Zuster Cranford have been serving in Dordrecht, the Netherlands together. We have learned so much from these two most positive and "never give up" missionaries.
We started a wonderful week of interviews. We met with the Antwerp District today. President Brubaker interviewed each missionary while Elder Marshall taught the District about having more effective planning sessions every day. Missionaries are asked to plan at 9:00 pm every night. They get home exhausted and tired after a full busy day, and before they do anything else, they are asked to plan for 1/2 hour. That takes true dedication! And they do it!
Doctrine & Covenants 58:28
For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.
And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
Elder Helvey is one of our French missionaries that we reluctantly lost last March due to the boundary changes to our mission. We knew he had great leadership capabilities the first evening we were together in the mission home. He is now serving as an assistant to President Staheli in the France Paris Mission. He was in Brussels with President Staheli for interviews, and came by to get some missionary supplies. We were so pleased to have been in the same place for a few short moments!
President Brubaker went to Ghent on Tuesday and held interviews with the Ghent District. I am so sorry but will try and get a picture of the Ghent District. Tuesday we went to Breda for interviews. Elder Conder, the district leader, inspired the missionaries to become better planners.
In the evening President Boom, the stake president in the Antwerp Stake met with President Brubaker and the zone leaders, Elder Sanford and Elder van Doesburg. We feel so privileged to get to know the stake presidents and their families. We learn so many great qualities from the Dutch people. They are very neat and tidy, and are very organized. Their windows are SO clean. They have hearts of gold and would do anything for you!
Elder Seaman and Elder Crittendon were recipients of some of this Dutch kindness. Brother and Sister McLean, members in Breda. found and furnished this brand new apartment for the Breda elders. It is beautiful! These are two very happy and blessed missionaries! After interviews, we went to their apartment and had a grand tour. President Brubaker was able to dedicate this apartment.
Thursday was spent in Rotterdam with the Rotterdam district. Elder Bair taught the missionaries about........becoming the best planners! He came so well prepared......he also made delicious fajitas for us all!
In the afternoon President Brubaker met with the stake president of the Rotterdam zone, President DeJonge and the zone leaders, Elder Robinson and Elder Owens. They discussed the goals for the Rotterdam Stake. President De Jonge is so excited about missionary work and has many creative ideas to help the work move forward.
We met the Utrecht District in Utrecht. Elder Frahm taught another inspiring lesson on......Planning. The Beckstrands are our new senior couple serving in Dordrecht. The missionaries continue to be spoiled by the Beckstrands!
Elder Beckstrand is so happy to be back serving in his beloved Holland, where he served as a young missionary.
After interviews we drove to Zwolle for a special fireside with Suhaina and her family.
We met the elders at Suhaina’s house. She is a young adult who has decided to serve a full-time mission. She is 24 years old and she and her mom are members. Her mother has 3 sisters and 3 brothers. They had so many questions about this mission that their niece has decided to serve. So Suhaina decided to have a fireside and asked President Brubaker and I to come and answer any questions they might have. We were so impressed with this family. They are from Curasao, and are so close and loving! We spent about an hour with them and President Brubaker explained what Suhaina would be doing on her mission. She has been called to the Philadelphia Pennsylvania mission. I talked to them about the role the mission president’s wife would play in her life. I told her mom not to worry. Suhaina would be well taken care of, and would have a substitute mom for the next 18 months. This was a fantastic missionary moment!
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