Sister Katie Heilner's Mission: Week 47: I GET TO SKYPE YOU ON SUNDAY!

May 5, 2014

Geliefde Familie:

Keukenhof with Zr A

Well, this week was crazy. And so much fun. We went to the temple on Tuesday! And then to Keukenhof-- the thing Mom was referring to as the Dutch Arboretum. It was beautiful. We had so much fun taking pictures and stuff. I'll send some later. The temple was so cool. I was really thankful for the opportunity to go. We get to listen to it in Dutch. I'm really glad I went so much in English before my mission so that I can understand the words in Dutch. I've decided that I will never, ever, ever be six months away from the temple ever again. Well, except this next six months. I just love it there. I have a really clear mind in the temple. Some people talk about how they have a different feeling there, but I don't really recognize that as much as I recognize a clearness of my thoughts. It's a time where I can easily differentiate between what I think and what the Holy Ghost is telling me. It was cool to get to go to the garden after the temple and appreciate some of Christ's creations. I never ever ever want to leave the Netherlands.

Keukenhof after Temple Conference

Spence, what'd you do for your birthday??

Did you guys get the video I sent today?! We went to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam! So cool. And we could send a short video to anybody. I sent it to mom so that she could show everyone and then Alyssa because she's the only other email addresses I know from the top of my head...

OKAY cool story: So we went to Glen's for an appointment, and when we walked in, his uncle was there. Not really his uncle, but they are really old friends from Suriname, so they just call each other uncle. Anyway, he said he was Hindu, but Glen started testifying about how the Gospel has changed his life (this man is so cool. His story: His wife left him for his best friend. She's really weird with custody stuff with the kids, but he gets to see them a few times in the week. He felt like he had nothing to live for, so he was planning on killing himself. He had literally bought the drugs necessary to do so, and was planning on doing it after a good night’s sleep. Then the missionaries found him. He let them in and they taught about the BoM. Basically, he's turned his life around and he's SO excited for his baptism on the 24th.). So anyway, Roy (the uncle) turned out to be Christian. I mean...he says he was Hindu but he believes in Christ and he comes to church with Glen. We usually have Glen at our lessons with him (and sometimes another member, but that's like 6 people in one appointment and that's a lot) and he is the best joint teach ever. He helps him in his prayers (like when he was saying the closing prayer yesterday, we asked him to ask if the book of Mormon is true, and he didn't so when he was about to close Glen jumped in and was like, "no, man, you gotta ask if the book is true! And if Joseph Smith is a prophet!" And then he helped him close in the name of Jesus Christ. It was awesome. I'm so happy--we have 3 baptisms in the ward in the next three weeks. Our ward mission leader (who is the most Christ like man I know, by the way) was like, okay guys, that's awesome, but can you like coordinate dates with each other so more people show up and we aren't filling the font so often?" Needless to say, we could be having a lot bigger problems here in den Haag.

So I was studying Charity and Love this week. I got this awesome picture book from Deanna for my birthday (Deanna, it's seriously my favorite thing I have I think) and it has a bunch of quotes in it. One of them is this: Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." And I've been thinking about that recently. How do I do that? I was reading Pres Monson's last conference talk and in Jesus the Christ on page 556 where it's talking about the Last Supper. Christ gave them the greatest commandment: to love one another. "They were to love one another as Christ loved them; and their brotherly affection was to be a distinguishing mark of their apostleship, by which the world would recognize them as men set apart." Well, that's the solution! That is how we show who we are and why we are here. I feel like every lesson I've taken out of Zone Conferences and Trainings and things like that is this: "Zr Heilner, you need to learn to love." I talked in my last zone training about the difference between doing things out of duty and doing things because we love those we serve. I think it's all about our attitude. If we aren't perfect at it, well, we never will be, but we can ask for help. I know that Christ is willing to help us improve. In fact, he wants nothing more than that--our progression. I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn so much. I have thought a lot about who I want to be by the end of my mission. I want self-discipline. I want to be able to retain the good habits I've developed here. I have learned so much, and I just want to keep doing my best. And do better at doing my best...

Well, I love you people. I can't wait to Skype you. 3 pm my time. I will be using my Skype account. ALSO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FOULGERS! And peanut butter bars...wow. Miss that. Hope you people are doing well. Annie, people think your art is amazing. I show everybody here. You're a magician.

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!

Veel liefs,

Zr Heilner