Monday, January 2, 2017
Christmas Day
We got to Skype with Emily on Christmas Day. It was so wonderful to see her face to face. I am so grateful for modern technology. She looked so happy. The people she ate dinner with were kind enough to send me pictures. I am so glad they did because we didn't even think about taking a picture of her skyping. We have been so grateful for the wonderful people of Belgium who have taken care of our daughter and let us know how she is doing when we don't have contact with her.
gelukkig Nieuwe Year Iedereen!!!
Hallo iedereen!!!
Well then, on to the week. The Belgians love their holdiays. They have Sinterklaas, Kerstavond, Kerst, Tweede Kerst, New Years Eve, New Years day, and second New Years Day (I don't really know what that is, but the stores are closed today and people are off work, so yeah). Gotta be honest, I am super done with the holidays. People aren't home, and it has made meeting with people a little difficult, so I'm very ready for everything to get back to normal. New Year's Eve was fun though. We had to be in at 4:00 for safety (more for the Netherlands missionaries. The Dutch go CRAZY with New Years), so we had a very relaxing night of talking and coloring and reading the Book of Mormon. Also, a lot of our neighbors shot off a ton of fireworks and confetti, so that was fun to watch.
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| I just really love Centraal (The Christmas tree is huge, but Centraal makes it look puny by comparison) |
The Church did a Joy to the World campaign where people who were interested could order a free DVD and talk to the missionaries about it, so we spent a lot of time this week looking up referrals who weren't home (refer to the complaint about the holidays). But, we also had some really cool experiences.
First, one of our investigators, Joy, has been going through some really hard things in her life, so the elders came over to give her a priesthood blessing. It was such a powerful experience! The words that were said were such a testimony to me of how aware Heavenly Father is of Joy. He knows exactly what she is going through, and He has a plan for her. I am so grateful for the priesthood. The power of God is on the earth today. It is real, and it has blessed my life.
Second, we had another really good lesson with Seoud where we talked about the importance of reading your scriptures, praying, and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. When we talked about the Sabbath Day, he said, "Oh, I go to the gym on Sunday. That's okay, I can change that, I'll just work out at home instead. Wait, no, I won't do it at all. I'll just focus on God." His simple faith touched me. He was so immediately willing to make a change in his life to come closer to Christ. We didn't even have to invite him- he heard what God had asked of us, and he just immediately committed to do it. I hope that I can develop that kind of faith and desire to follow God.
I love this gospel. I'm so grateful to have the fullness of the truth on the earth today, and I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon. I finished it on the last day of the year, having marked every time Christ's name was mentioned and making a list of every different name used for Him. There are over 100 names and countless times that He is mentioned. I have truly come closer to Him as I have read it, and I have been reminded of how central He is. In Dutch, they say that He is "de kern". He is the absolute core and center of the gospel, of the Book of Mormon, of God's plan, and of our lives. I love my Savior, and I feel His love for me and all of the people we talk to and work with here every single day.
Fijne week en een gelukkig nieuwe yaar!!!!
met liefde,
Zuster Cluff
Zuster Cluff
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| Our last district meeting before transfers |
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| ANTWERPEN! (kind of if you squint a little.. and use some imagination) |
Merry Christmas!!!
Welp, I hope all of you had a merry Christmas yesterday! It was really fun seeing all of you, but I feel kind of bad. I didn't really tell you any good stories, or how much I love it here, or how cool it is being a missionary, or how much I love all of you, or how grateful I am to have all of you. Ann told me to make a list of the things that I wanted to say beforehand, but I thought that was silly, because I was sure I would remember, but then I started talking to you and forgot it all, so I guess I'll have to do that one next time. I do love all of you though, and it was really good to see you!!!
I didn't really tell you about my week, so here goes:
We had some good lessons this week, but two in particular were really cool.
1) We had a lesson with Seoud- a man who had never really prayed before in his life and whose first book to read is the Book of Mormon. It has been a really slow journey with him, but her has started praying and reading every day, and he was telling us how he feels really warm when he does it, and how he is happy now, and how he is finally finding peace. It was so cool to hear this man with no Christian background describe feeling the Spirit for the first time. I have learned so much teaching Seoud, and he now has a baptismal date in February, so I'm super excited to help him work towards that.
2) A couple of weeks ago we went to teach a lady named Patience for the first time. We went in and taught her about the Restoration, but her husband was there. He kept interrupting to yell at us about how Joseph Smith is a false prophet and how real prophets sacrifice for their God and do miracles, etc. (all things that Joseph Smith most definitely did). It made it really hard to teach, and it was really hard to stay Christlike and not start arguing or trying to prove him wrong. We both walked out of that appointment a little bit mad, but the wife had said we could come back, so we went back yesterday, and the husband opened the door. I just thought, "Oh great, here we go again," but he started telling us how he and his wife had been reading the Book of Mormon this week, and how he has been using the Bible cross-references and was learning a lot. He then said that he was praying to have God show him His will about this church and if it's the direction he should go. Then he sat in on the lesson and really listened and asked questions. It was like we were talking to an entirely different man than the last time. The Book of Mormon is so true. It changes lives, and it changes hearts. I'm so grateful for it in my life.
Well, I love all of you a lot and hope that you have a great week!!!!
Liefs,
Zuster Cluff
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| Through a strange turn of events we ended up at a mental health clinic where they had a petting zoo and they had the largest chickens I have ever seen in my life! |
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| Weird Statue in Mechelen |
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| Christmas Eve |
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| A lot of people live in flats so this is how they do Christmas lights |
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| The first empty tram in 4 months . It was a magical moment |
The Lord Uses Leaky Buckets
Mom, sounds like Christmas is in full swing over there. That's a lot of craziness with the dentist- considering our mutual hatred of the dentist, I hope it's over soon. Haha, I remember Santa Land well. I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I understand the kids disappointment. Was Moana good? That one looked really good. It's called Viana here, and there a lot of ads for it. I also think that you and Dad have raised us to be high-yield, low-maintenance church members. I'm super grateful for the way you've raised us. I think about that a lot- how blessed I am to have you as parents. Also, thank you for your stories. They meant a lot to me, and I know how much you hate stuff like that, so thank you. Truthfully, I forgot to ask the president about the money thing. I'm pretty sure I can't give people straight up money though. I can think of a few things that I can help people with with the money from Melinda, but truthfully, I don't think I could come up with stuff for any more than that.
Dad, haha, that was a pretty good grapje (I actually learned the correct spelling this week. Zuster Berrett and I have been working on that). That sounds like kind of a miserable trip, but I'm glad you at least got a good sandwich and a show out of it. Also, that whole "being on the same level as the primary kids" thing has come to a whole new level here. I sat in primary a few weeks ago with a young investigator, and it was the first time that I understood everything in church. I think I should go there more often.
SKYPE INFO: I think that I will be skyping you at 6 our time, which I hope is 11 your time. That means that you need to turn your skype account on (preferably at least a half hour early) and make sure that it is working, so that I can call you. Also, if you could send me your skype name, that would be appreciated- I'm not sure if I remember. Also, we only have 45 minutes, so if you could keep Tyson's antics to a minimum, that would also be appreciated.
So, this week:
We had a really busy week planned, but it turned out to be one of those weeks where just everything falls through, no one comes to stuff they committed to come to, none of the referrals we looked up were home, etc. It actually became kind of humorous as the week went on. Yet another appointment would fall through, and Zuster Berrett and I would just look at each other and say, "'Tuurlijk" and then start knocking.
The good news is, if we're willing to go to work, the Lord will use us, regardless of the situation. Our busy week turned into a knocking week, but we met some really cool people because of that. We met this lady named Mickey, who invited us into her home before we even finished telling her who we were. She started telling us all about her life, and how she is not religious any more because some things in her life just didn't make sense with the God she'd been taught about. We didn't have a lot of time, so we just testified of God's love for her and His plan for our happiness. I'm excited to go back and teach her the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and share the Book of Mormon with her. It really does answer the questions of the soul, and I know it will help her. We talked with other people, too, who had sincere questions and who we are going back to teach this week.
This week, in a lesson with a recent convert, Zuster Berrett shared a story about a leaky bucket. To make a very long story short, a man has a bucket that loses almost all of its water on the way from the well to home. The bucket feels bad and tells the man he's sorry that he can't help his family the way that a good bucket should. The man laughs and tells the bucket to look to both sides of the path from the well. On one side, the bucket sees a desert, and on the other side it sees a garden full of food and plants. The man tells the bucket that when he saw that it was losing its water, he started planting seeds on the path, and the leaky bucket's water made food grow that fed the man's family.
The Lord takes leaky buckets like me, and leaky weeks like this one, and He uses all of our leakiness to accomplish miracles if we are just willing to serve the best we can. I'm really grateful for that knowledge, and I am forever grateful for an all-knowing and wise Heavenly Father who is at the head of this work and at the head of our lives.
I hope you all have an incredible Christmas!!! Ik hou van jullie allemaal en wens jullie fijne feestdagen!!!!
Liefs,
Zuster Cluff
Alma 27:17- "The Joy of Ammon was so Great..even to the exhausting of his strength"
Mom, yep, sorry for my selfishness, but thank you for the stories! I will read them this week! Also, thank you for the books! Sounds like a Christmas-filled week! I'm glad that you got to meet Elder Rasband. He gave our area conference at BYU right before he became an apostle, and it was really good. They mostly just have lights in the centrum here, since that aren't really houses. Some people do put lights in their apartment windows, though. They do Christmas trees, but not quite as religiously as we do. Some do it, some don't, some wait till like the day before Christmas, it's just not as big of a deal to them.
Dad, you spent two years as a missionary so I know that you must have some stories. Yay for giving the lady a Book of Mormon and poinsettias! How many more do you have to go? Sounds like a pricey night with weird food, but I hope you enjoyed it. Sounds like you're going to have to join the biking club and put that shiny new bike to use.
This week! It was really good! First off, it was pretty warm this week, which is nice both because I was less cold and because people are a lot more willing to talk to you when it's warm.
To start, we spent P-day in Gent touring a castle, and I have decided that I want one. My new life dream is to be a Disney princess and live in a castle with lavines, a torture chamber, and a weapons room. It was really cool. Also, it was Sinterklaas- the first of Belgium's three Christmas holidays.
We also had a zone conference this week with Elder Johnson from the Area 70 Presidency. He talked about being a high-yield, low-maintenance missionary (or member of the church). He said that our goal should be to become someone who is an active part of building the Lord's kingdom and who doesn't need constant help or supervision to do so. It was a really good conference, and I have seen the power of high-yield, low-maintenance members in my life. Also, it was really fun to see Zuster Burnham at the conference. I have missed her a lot!
Miracle of the week (we actually had lots, but this one was the biggest): We are teaching a woman named Yinet from the Dominican Republic. We were knocking a street about a month ago that I felt really good about, and we knocked her door. We told her about the Book of Mormon, and she told us that we could bring one back in Spanish. We did, but she didn't have time for us to meet with her right then, so we scheduled another appointment. When we walked in the next week, the Book of Mormon was on the table and she told us that she and her daughter had read in it every night, and that it was a very important book. We've taught her a few times since then, and last night we were teaching her about baptism. She told us that she really wanted to be baptized, but that she was afraid she was too old (she's 30). We assured her that this was not the case and invited her to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God. She said, "Ah, ja, ik echt wil het" (Yes, I really want to, but the feeling doesn't quite come across in English- jammer). Also, we her brother-in-law sat in on the last two lessons, and she told us that she hadn't been able to read the Book of Mormon much this week because he kept stealing it from her to read it. I am so excited for this sweet little family! I feel like the Lord has really prepared them for this gospel!
Graapje of the week: We were teaching Joy (one of our investigators). She has been preparing for baptism, and we were having a really spiritual discussion with her about it. She was telling us all about the changes that have happened in her life since she's started meeting with the missionaries, and it was just a really good lesson. Then we asked her a question, and she closed her eyes to think about it (she does that when she really wants to contemplate something) and not 20 seconds later, she started snoring. Zuster Berrett and I just looked at each other like, "What the heck just happened?" We tried to wake her up, but she was OUT, so we just left a note and left. It was super awkward and funny. She's told us before that when she feels the Spirit, it makes her sleepy because she feels so comfortable, so we're just assuming it was a King Lamoni moment where she was overcome by the Spirit. (But actually she told us later that she'd taken cold medicine, and it makes her sleep).
DON'T SEND THIS STORY to anyone else, but it was a really special moment for me that I wanted to share: We taught Nathalie about tithing this week. I have been dreading this lesson a little bit, because I knew that finances were a little tight. Once we started teaching it, it just didn't feel super right. There was something off, and we weren't sure what. Then she kind of broke down and told us that she really wanted to pay it, but she just didn't think she could. She told us how she was already having to make choices between getting the treatment that she needed (she has 3 bone disease things that make it really hard for her to walk and give her a lot of pain) and providing for her kids in the way she needed to. I had no idea just how tight things were for her, and the whole time I was just praying to know what Heavenly Father wanted me to say to this daughter of His who was struggling so much. It was one of those moments when my mouth was filled once I opened it. I opened it to tell her how much I love her, and then the Spirit hit me really strong, and I just started crying. I told her how much I loved her, and how I would not ask this if I didn't absolutely know that it would do nothing but bless her. Then came what I realized God needed her to hear: "Nathalie, our Heavenly Father loves you even more than I do, and He would not ask this of you if it would hurt your family. He will provide a way for you to pay it, and He will bless your family if you will have the faith to keep this commandment." Then she started crying too, and we just cried together, but the Spirit was so strong, and it was such a testimony to me. God loves us. He loves us so much, and He does not require anything of us that will hurt us. Everything that He gives us is for our good. We just have to have the faith to follow, even without always knowing how it will turn out. It's a strange thing being a missionary, because the Spirit teaches me as I teach others. My testimony of tithing and the commandments in general was strengthened so much in that moment.
Anyways, I love all of you!!! I hope you have a wonderful week!
veel liefde,
Zuster Cluff
p.s. When is your church on Christmas? Because we need to figure out Skype times.
What motivates you? "PAIN"
Hoi hoi hoi!!!!
Father Cluffy, thank you for the Dutch lesson. I feel very enlightened. And yes, my Dutch spelling is atrocious. A makeshift pie is a bready sort of crust because you made up the recipe covered in a peanut butter chocolate concoction that you made up followed by a layer of vanilla pudding and topped off with chocolate sprinkles (which actually taste like chocolate in Belgium, not the waxy cardboard things we have in America). So yes, quite akin to a cow pie. Ha! I can't believe you let all those young whippersnappers walk all over you in the token department. If Grandpa Cluff's hard line is 420 tokens, then he better be footin the bill for little J. Heber (Tyson's son, not mine).
Also, I have a Christmas present request from the two of you. I want life histories of the two of you. Not like, birth and where you grew up and stuff, just like a few stories of defining times in your life, or times when your testimony of something really grew or developed, or when you really became converted. Dad, I especially want mission stories, because I have realized that I have hardly ever heard you talk about your mission. Were there people you really came to love? Did you have a moment when your heart just broke or you thought you couldn't do it anymore? Did you have a moment when you really realized why you were there or what the Lord wanted you to do? I just really want stories about how you two became who you are today. That sounds cheesy, but that's my request. Please email me!
On to the week, then. First about the subject line. This week in district meeting, Zuster Berrett was sharing a Christlike attribute spiritual thought, and she asked "What motivates you?" And a few people threw out, "my family," "wanting to do what's right," etc. and then this pretty serious, kind of quiet elder just says really nonchalantly, "Pain." We just all kind of looked at him, and he was like, "What? I mean, I guess if I think about it, love is probably a better motivator, but sometimes pain just works better." It was really funny, but it has been a little bit true for us this week. It has been pretty darn cold, which has been great motivation to get into people's homes and teach. (On the bright side, our hot water got fixed, so I took my first hot shower in over 3 weeks, YAY!)
We had some really good lessons with our investigators this week, and we also taught a few first lessons this week. I love teaching first lessons. In the MTC, I studied the missionaries in the Doctrine and Covenants and thought, "How cool would it be to be one of those first missionaries and get to tell people that the perfect gospel of Christ has been restored to the earth again and that He has called a prophet to lead us again in our day?" Then I realized that I am doing the exact same thing. There are so many people who still don't know, and when we taught about the restoration of the perfect gospel of Jesus Christ this week, I just really felt the significance of it. They didn't clap their hands and shout Hosanna the way the people in my imagination do, but they were willing to find out for themselves if it is true or not, and I'm excited to help them find an answer.
I have thought a lot about the Savior this week. I read a talk that pointed out that by earthly standards, His mortal ministry probably looked like a failure. Most people who heard Him ridiculed Him or didn't understand. Very few chose to follow, and even those who did weren't able to keep His church going more than a generation or two after His death. And yet, He accomplished all that the Father sent Him to do. He made possible the salvation of every single soul ever to walk this earth, and His atonement continues to change people and change lives in a way that nothing else can. His mortal ministry may not have looked like much by earthly standards, but it changed the course of history and made possible an eternity of joy for each one of our Heavenly Father's children. I love my Savior. I am so very grateful for Him, and for the chance that I have to help others to come unto Him.
I love you all and pray for you daily! Have an incredible week!!!!
Groetjes,
Zuster Cluff
It's a Festivus Miracle!
Mom, holy cow! It sounds like you and your bike have not gotten along too well this week! Maybe you two should take a break from each other. Question: did the chipped teeth come from your misadventures with the bike? Haha, April and Lynette's messages were perfect. They were just so them- it's good to know that some things never change. Yay for finishing your class! Glad you got it done before the Nativity madness. I'm glad Thanksgiving went good! Have an awesome time with the Nativity! I really miss the Nativity. It was one of my favorite parts of Christmas time. Haha, our appartment problems are not fixed, but our apartment manager only speaks Italian, so I would love to see you try and call him. Oh! Also, vrees niet, I picked up my package at the post office today, so all is well. Thank yoouuuuu!!!!
Dad, 1) our district is 10 people- 4 of which are in the Sint Niklaas ward (with Lokeren) and then the 6 Antwerpen missionaries. Yes, Zuster Berrett had fair warning of what she was getting herself into. 2) Zuster Burnham went to Gouda- it is her first Nederland area, and she has been here 9 months, which is a SUPER long time to be in Belgium in this mission 3) My Dutch is coming. I understand most everything now (or at least can get the gist), but I can't say near as much as I understand. Also, they speak Flams here, and Zuster Burnham only spoke Flams (since she'd only been in Belgium), and a missionary fresh from Nederland told me (with surprise) that I spoke Flams. I have decided to take that as a compliment. Most missionaries speak Dutch, because they start their mission in Nederland, and don't spend much time in Belgium, so they don't really pick up the Flams much. I am quite happy with that fact, but it is going to be rough when I get transfered to Nederland and have to relearn. They say it's easier going from Flams to Dutch than Dutch to Flams though, so hopefully it won't be bad. 4) The next transfer is right after Christmas, so I'll be in Antwerpen 5) The people of Antwerpen are not super religious, but the numbers weren't too bad. We mostly ran a tetoonstelling (I don't know the English word) where we talked to people about the church. 6) No, no one cares about Thanksgiving here. 7) Your ornaments are on the tree. I especially liked the "Don't muff it" one. I will try. 8) Yes 1) Ik sprek niet zo veel Nederlands, so suck it up! 1) Sounds like an awesome week! (other than the missing puzzle piece- glad you didn't let it get you down.)
Well everyone, we had a really good week! We had 16 appointments go through, 11 of which were lessons with investigators! That is a really big number for us, and I'm still not quite sure how it happened. All I can really attribute it to is blessings. Heavenly Father is moving His work here in Antwerpen forward. Also, we hardly knocked any doors this week. It's a festivus miracle! (I actually kind of like knocking doors, but it's definitely more fun and rewarding to be in homes teaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!)
I'm glad to hear that you all had a good Thanksgiving. Mine was pretty good, too. We had zone training, so all of the missionaries in Belgium came to Antwerpen, and we got trained on the church's new Christmas initiative (for those of you who have not seen the video yet, go watch LIGHTtheWORLD on momon.org- it's really beautiful!). I'm super excited to get to share it with people this Christmas season! Also, we had a dinner appointment with some members. They didn't know that it was Thanksgiving, but it was a happy coincidence. Also, Zuster Berrett and I made a makeshift pie, so it was fun. Then we decorated for Christmas with all of the random Christmas stuff that various missionaries have left in our apartment over the years.
Exciting news of the week: Nathalie is getting baptized January 29!!!! And, she is quitting smoking! And, her little son wants to be taught by the missionaries! And, she came to church! And, I just really love her! I can just physically see the changes that this gospel is making in her life. She is so much happier, and more patient, and more hopeful now than when we first met her. I am watching the Atonement at work, and it is such a powerful thing to see. The Atonement is so real. I have seen miracles here in Antwerpen. I know that the Lord is at the head of this work. He loves His children, and He has given us this gospel to find happiness and joy.
I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week!!!!!
Veel liefde,
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