It was good to talk to you.

From e-mail dated May 10, 2010.

It was good to talk to you all as well. It's crazy that it's all coming to an end so soon. One of the Elders here in Den Haag is also going home at the same time and we just keep freaking out, so we try not to talk about it too much. I didn't think of anything else that I need/want-- oh, wait! Yes! Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I've missed them. Just a few--I don't need a whole bag or anything--but it sounds really delicious right now. Let me know if there are any specific souvenirs you all want. I've already got something for everyone, but if there is anything you really want, just let me know and I'll do my best to get it for you. And the sooner you let me know, the better because I'm sure the last few P-days of my mission will be getting pretty full (members and investigators want to teach us how to cook or take us places or whatever--)

This has been a wonderful week of missionary work. At the beginning of the week we were excited because we had a full schedule-- and then so many people cancelled at the last minute that at the middle of the week we were wondering what was going on. But the end of the week was amazing! We set two new baptismal dates and had some wonderful appointments with our investigators.

Isatu is doing wonderfully. Her daughter Mary has also decided she wants to be baptized. They don't quite feel ready to be baptized on the 22, so they have moved their date to June, but they are excited to make that covenant with the Lord. We taught them this week about the 10 commandments, the law of chastity, obedience, and obeying the law. They loved it all! In talking with Isatu about the law of chastity she bore her testimony of how important it is to be faithful and how she wants her family to have all the blessings that God has in store for them.

We set a baptismal date with Brigitte this week. She is a member referral who has been to church 4 times now. She is AMAZING! She loves the gospel so much and has begun sharing it with her friends and family. We taught her about lesson three this week and also taught her husband for the first time. He is now interested in the church as well and he said he'd come to church yesterday-- but he didn't-- but hopefully he will come soon. She is planning on getting baptized on July 3.

Jordana is doing a lot better--life is still crazy, but I think she's got things a bit more under control. We had an appointment with her yesterday and talked about the temple. The spirit in the lesson was AMAZING! I think out of everything in the gospel, the temple is one of the things I love the most. I really hope that you are getting the chance to go often. I know you went a few weeks ago--keep it up! :)

I don't know if I mentioned that we passed Ranjeet on to the Elders and they started teaching him this week. He's doing well and he came to church on Sunday for the first time! (He's been coming to the Center for Young Adults, but getting him to come on Sunday has been hard because he's been in Amsterdam). It was great to see him there. We actually had 7 of our investigators in church yesterday! It was great!

We had an awesome experience yesterday in the park. We were finishing our consecrated hour and were unlocking our bikes when a man noticed us and started walking across the grass. He reached in his bag and pulled out one of our pass along cards. He asked if it was from us. We said it was. He said that his neighbor had put it in his mailbox and that his neighbor said that he had talked with us in the park. We remembered the neighbor—we had talked to him only a few days before and he was Muslim and we had asked him if he knew anyone who would be interested in our message and he said that his neighbor would be and asked if he could take a card to put it in his mailbox. The man said he had been wanting to call us and thought it was such a coincidence that he saw us in the park and that he wants to make an appointment so that we can come talk to him sometime. He didn't have his schedule by him, but we now have his number and will hopefully have an appointment sometime soon!

So, one thing that really confuses me about people is how God can so blatantly play a hand in their lives and they can still refuse to take the bait. There's a girl that Zr. Robbins and I found in our 3rd week together. We tried to get her to the JoVo Centrum and to set up appointments, but nothing just ever worked out. Well, the Elders contacted into her a couple of weeks ago--two days in a row--and got her information and gave it to us (she had a new phone number) and the other Elders contacted her the day after that, so we called her up and had an appointment last week. Well, she said she wanted to meet again, but that she didn't know her work schedule, so we were supposed to call her and get a new appointment-- but she never answered her phone... Well, Wednesday we were in a completely other part of town for an appointment, but the woman wasn't at home, so we decided to knock on the doors there so that we could see if anyone would be interested--and who happens to be behind the first door we knock? Her! She was there babysitting--coincidence? I think not. We set up an appointment for Thursday, but she wasn't home. And she didn't answer her phone. The Elders ran into her again yesterday. The Lord has put missionaries so many times into her life-- but she's just not willing to make the effort to take the blessing he wants to give her. Bah! That's one thing that I just don't get! But, agency is a big part of God's plan and she has to use that to take what He is trying to give her.
...I love the gospel so much! I was studying this morning on the Book of Mormon and read about Alma and Amulek's experiences with Zeezrom. Something that really struck me is how merciful God is. Even after all that Zeezrom had done, he was still forgiven of all he had done in the end. It really made me think about the wonderful message we share of repentance and being able to truly apply the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ in our lives. The atonement truly is the saving power to everyone who will partake—it is for EVERYONE, they just have to choose to accept it—and I have the wonderful opportunity to go out every day and share it. I love it!

I love you all with all my heart. Kids, you don't have too much longer to redeem yourselves for not writing often :) Just kidding. But seriously, I'd love to hear from you all at least one more time before I come home. I love you!

Zuster Fowler