What a week! Just a few more days & I'll have been here a month - CRAZY! Where has the time gone?! I only have a little more than a month left & I'll be in the Netherlands. AAACK! I'm so excited and yet terrified at the same time!...
Mom & Dad, thanks for the letters. They mean a lot. The inspirational quotes and words of encouragement are wonderful! And I love hearing updates on the family. I'm going to do my best to get some letters sent today, but if not, give a shout out to Liz, Abby, Marci, Brian, Michelle, Clayton, & Kristi for their letters.
Okay, now on to this week. It has been great! I've really been focusing on the language of the Spirit. We had some fabulous devotionals & large group meetings lately that have gotten me thinking about how vital the Spirit is in teaching. The Spirit is the thing that will truly speak to the people. I teach & if I can recognize the Spirit and constantly have it with me, then the people will feel of the message and know it is true, no matter how much I slaughter Dutch. Dutch will come - but the most important thing for me to focus on is getting and keeping the Spirit.
This week I've had another couple of amazing experiences in the Referral Center. I love it! Teaching people over the phone & having them say they believe the message and want to learn more - it is AWESOME! Specifically a brother names John called in for a free Bible last Thursday. I talked to him about how God loves him & he said he didn't have time to talk right then, but could I call him Sunday? So I did. We talked about the restoration & he is meeting with the missionaries in his area!
Also this week, an Elder who was leaving approached me & said he had "an assignment" for me. He had talked with a woman in the Referral Center that day & she was extremely interested in the message. Sadly, there are no missionaries in her area & she can't go to church because she lives with her ailing mother who cannot be left alone. This Elder told her someone from the MTC would call her each week & teach her & talk to her about what she read in the Book of Mormon. He said he prayed about who should be the one to call & I'm it. Whoa buddy! Talk about humbling! I truly have my first investigator - a daughter of God what Gos is trusting me to teach! Wow. I feel overwhelmed, humbled, and absolutely reliant on Heavenly Father!
We also got new roommates last week - Sisters Crandall & Warner - both from Idaho & going to Temple Square - so if you every see them there, tell them "hello" for me...
Oh, random of all randomness. I was in the cafeteria the other day & ran into none other than Elder Colby Bradshaw! Talk about recognizing your age when you see an Elder that you used to babysit! I've also run into Elder Alex Fish a number of times...
To help us speak the language more outside of the classroom, Broeder Bond (who totally reminds me of my cousin Mike) came up with the idea to have a "Koning / Koningen van de taal" (King / Queen of the language) every day. Whoever speaks the most Dutch outside of class gets to wear this ridiculous crown. It is really funny. But we've been doing a lot better about speaking the language - Good thing, too because we start teaching all of our lessons in Dutch on Monday!
Well, I've gotta run. Time flies by on P-Day & I have a TON to do!
Before I go, Daryl H. Garn & his wife spoke at our devotional last night. Sister Irene Garn gave some scriptures that I think you should take time to study. They are affectionately called "Be of good Cheer" scriptures.
2 Nephi 10:23
D&C 61:36-37
D&C 68:6
D&C 78:18
3 Nephi 1:13
Ik weet dat onze verlosser, Jezus Christus, leeft. Het evangelie van Jezus Christus is waar. Ik houd van jullie! Dank je wel voor alles dat u voor mij doet.
Met liefde!
Zuster Chantelle Fowler
Oh, random facts you may be interested in that I forgot to include. There are only 14 Dutch speaking sisters in my mission. Also, the Netherlands is packed w/ people! There are 433 people per square kilometer in Amsterdam - it is the most populated city in the WORLD! So many people who need the gospel!
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