interview with lindsey stirling

So on Tuesday evening Bonnie L. Oscarson and David L. Beck (young men and young women general presidents of the Church) met with world-renowned (I even met fans of hers in Belgium!) dancing violinist Lindsey Stirling and did this really cool broadcast called a face2face, which essentially just means it was a live interview and that youth from all over the world could ask Lindsey questions.

I watched it and loved it! I love her testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love that she keeps her standards, and that her team calls them "Lindsey rules" on tours. I love that she is real with these kids. She isn't ashamed of sharing her own experiences to help them.

Share this with friends! Share it with family! Her story is inspirational and she has great things to say!

P.S. If you're interested, there was also one with David Archuleta on the 24th of June! You can find that video here.

another idea

So last Tuesday one of my favorite people got home from one of my favorite countries!

On Sunday I had the opportunity to go to listen to Sister Chelsea Elting speak about her experiences in the Netherlands. I even had the honor of preparing a musical number with the lovely and extremely talented Sister Andrea Wood, which went quite well if I do say so myself! Maybe I'll see if I can get the audio on here at some point.

Anyway. As I talked to Chelsea about the struggles of being home and such, we joked about how there should be a returned missionary recovery program. One thought led to another and we ended up deciding that actually... A recovery program would be really helpful. And a blog would be an easy way to start that up.

And thus... An idea was born. In the next several weeks, there will be several changes that go down on this blog! I will be adding Chelsea as a contributor and we will be posting about the things that are difficult about being home and about the things we and others do to cope!


Stay tuned, friends. It's going to be really cool.

starting again

So...

I'd like to apologize for writing that post about being back and how I was going to keep a record of my efforts to build the Kingdom and such, because I said that and then I didn't start recording any of that. The truth is that the last six weeks have been surreal. I have trouble speaking English. I have trouble not eating the food I'm used to. I have trouble having free time (wish I could have told my mission self that one!). I have trouble not planning every second of every day. And... I have trouble getting the motivation to start doing some of the things that I did before I left. Blogging is one of them. So it's taken me a while to really want to write anything. The good news is that I think I'm ready to start documenting my spiritual journey here. And that's mostly because I feel like this is one of the ways that I can truly continue to "paint [my missionary badge] on [my] heart."

I'm glad I came to that conclusion, because that's honestly been one of the hardest things about being back. I'm not entirely sure how one goes about doing missionary work at home. I've been so unsure about how to be an effective member missionary - how to continue to make a difference and help the Lord in His glorious work. But I am convinced that this blog, among a couple other things I've been figuring out, will help me be able to share what the Lord wants me to share.

I realized on my mission that we don't just belong to a Church. We belong to a lifestyle. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ means not only attending Sunday meetings, but living the way that the Savior lived. Loving as He loved. Using that love to become a better, stronger person. Doing our best to live up to our divine potential. We are children of our Heavenly Father, who sent His only Begotten Son to suffer and die for us to enable us to not only return to our Heavenly Father, but also to be okay along the way. To find happiness in enduring. To find motivation to reach out to others and serve. To bring as many as we can with us!

I went to my YSA (Young Single Adult) ward today and it was awesome. It was probably the first time I've been to all three hours of church since I've been home due to homecomings and things. The peace I felt was wonderful. I went to the temple last night and the peace was wonderful. I love the peace I feel after a good talk with my Heavenly Father. Or reading my scriptures! Spending time with my family! Basically I just love that it's so easy to feel my Heavenly Father's love. I mean, He sent His Son for us! And Jesus Christ Himself... Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends! (John 15:13) We are so loved. God is watching out for us. He's given us tons of things to help us out of hardship and lift us up! I'm so grateful for that. I have no idea where I'd be without all those things and the knowledge that I have that I am His daughter.God lives. Christ lives. I love Them! I'm so grateful that the Spirit has testified those things to me.

Life is good. I think it's safe to say that, though I miss many things about my mission, I'm okay. :)

home

Well everybody... After an incredible year and a half, I'm back. I've actually been back for a week and a half, but I must say, it's been a little weird getting back into "regular life." 

I've been thinking about what I want to do with this blog, as I am no longer on my "18 month adventure to Belgium and the Netherlands". I've decided to keep it going as part of my continued effort to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So, this will be a record of my spiritual experiences and things I learn that I'd like to share.

I invite anyone reading this to join me in my spiritual learning process. And please, share your own insights and thoughts and experiences of faith and hope and religion in general!

jacob 7:27

Family -

Well, I can't say I thought this day would actually ever come. It always seemed like such a far-off idea that I didn't think very much about how it would feel. Now that it's here... I can't say that I'm enjoying it very much. As people have asked these last few weeks about how I feel, I've been honest - conflicted. I'm excited to see you all, but I'm going to miss this work so much! However, I must admit that I am really glad that taking off the tag doesn't mean that missionary work ends. It just means that it changes.

This week was really weird. Not in a bad way, just... Unusual. We had some incredible miracles, but I'll be the first one to say that they were nothing we were expecting. We received some realllly incredible revelation for Hans at the conference with Elder Ballard on Thursday. We can see the light of Christ shining in Mellonie's eyes... And so can the members. We went to Ward Council for the first time. We had an 48-hour exchange during which my dear Sister Verdegem survived a 9 hour trip to the hospital and all four of us sisters saw that there is no such thing as coincidence. We watched the selflessness of a nervous Elder Rozendaal as he leaped into action to help an injured man. And Anthony, who I met with Sister Clement on exchanges last transfer, agreed to be baptized on the 29th of November. It was an incredible week. An amazing last full week.

Upon thinking about what the most memorable experience of my mission might be, I quickly realized that because I've had so many incredible experiences, it's hard to choose just one. I decided I'd like to share the common element in all of them, which is the healing power of the Atonement.

I've seen it countless times. In Dordrecht I watched a Moroccan man, Boumedian, be reduced to tears by the beauty of the Plan of Happiness. I watched him as he tried to find another job to replace the one he had selling alcohol at a concert venue after we taught him about the Word of Wisdom. In Deventer I watched a recent Afghani Christian convert, Latif, agree to attend General Conference the day that we met him. The next day I listened, amazed, as he told us he wanted to be baptized. In Turnhout I watched Jobe, a reckless, dishonest Gambian man, turn into a selfless, honorable citizen. He turned his life around - by the last time I saw him, he was even picking trash up off of sidewalks. And last, but not least, I've watched the transformation of 15-year-old Mellonie as she turned from a closed off, ghost-obsessed know-it-all to an eager, sweet young woman who's becoming more and more prepared for her baptism every day.

My most memorable experience, then, is the thread that connects all of these stories and the many others I could share. It's the Light of Christ that began to shine in their eyes. Their countenances changed as they accepted Christ's atoning sacrifice and used it to help them become whole again.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I've had to watch that healing process. I know that the Atonement works. I know that not just from seeing others use it, but from using it myself. I'm so grateful that it applies not just to the big things, but also the little ones. It's been an incredible blessing to be able to share that, full-time, with the people here in the Netherlands and Belgium. I have felt Christ's love for the people here, whatever their nationality. I know that He loves us more than I or any of us can comprehend. I'm grateful to know that He loves me!

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is truly Christ's church restored to the earth. The Spirit has confirmed that to me so many times as I've been out here in the field. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and that the Book of Mormon is God's word.

I'm grateful for all I've experienced out here, and for all of the incredible people I've met. I would not trade this mission for anything in the world. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. As said in D&C 76:22, "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which [I] give of him: That he lives!"

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Sister Anjewierden

Saying goodbye to "The Final Frontier." You served me well, my friend!

Zuster Verdegem, me, and Mellonie

Passing the torch. Okay fine it's a small Dutch Bible. :)

I love my Zuster Verdegem! She's going to be a great Sister Training Leader!

MARIO'S BROODJES. I will miss these so much.

Elder Rozendaal, Elder Toole, me, and Zuster Verdegem

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAAAAAAAAAAAD.‏

Family -

 

I love you guys! Dad, have a great birthday. Elder Ballard is coming on that day so I'll be celebrating with him. :)

 

Goodness gracious, I can't believe that time is going so quickly. I had a terrible realization last night that in less than two weeks, I won't get to do this all day every day. It's getting a lot harder to not let it affect me than I thought it would be.

We did have a great week though! I won't go into too much detail due to time, but Me. and Ha., though they're our only real progressors at this point, are doing super well.

We saw Me. almost every day this last week and we're really getting a special bond with her. The most incredible thing has happened - you can see the light of Christ in her eyes. That's fairly recent! She's such an incredible girl, and I'm so glad that she's made the decision to let the Atonement work for her. It's taken a lot of darkness out of her life!

We're working with Ha. on gaining a testimony of the Restoration of Christ's Church. We had a fantastic lesson yesterday with him and Sister de Vries. We watched Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, then bore testimony of Joseph Smith, and the Restoration. Sister de Vries shared some incredible things about her coversion that Ha. really needed to hear! We invited him to be baptized on the 18th of October. He's not sure yet - he asked if he could think about it. We said yes, and pray about it and the Restoration!

Also. We had a great time at the Relief Society activity! We were able to get to know a bunch of the sisters better and they were all super happy that we were able to come.

Sister Verdegem and I are pretty excited for Elder Ballard to come on Thursday! It'll be a great conference!

 

Also, something silly - my bike blew a tire again. 25 euro later. :p

 

Well, we're excited to go see the Dom Kerk today. Especially the catacombs! Woohoo! That's the reason we changed our P-day. I'll send pictures next week! Maybe.

 

Love you allllll!

 

Zuster Anjewierden

Double Redemption Weeks

Ahhhh it's super crazy how time has sped up the last few weeks! I feel like it was just barely P-day!

What a jam-packed week. We had exchanges with Gouda on Tuesday. I went with Sister Mizell, and was reminded how much I love working with previous companions. The unity that you had when you were companions is always still there. It's really cool, because every companion is so much different, so it's fun to be reminded, I guess. We had some good lessons and some good conversations as well. I love her a lot! It's just weird to think that we'll both be gone in a couple of weeks.
Wednesday we switched back at zone conference, which was marvelous. We were glad we got to figure out travel for the Elder Ballard Conference next week - don't want to be late for that! Anyway, it was neat to have the opportunity to give my "dying testimony". I kind of dreaded it because I knew it'd be hard, and that it'd just make me emotional (especially with Sister Larsen and Sister Mizell going after me, and then a beautiful musical number), but I love testifying because the Spirit always testifies to me! I was just reminded of the fact that the Atonement covers everything - not just the big stuff. And even though it's been hard getting to know myself really well on my mission, I think it'll help me develop a lot of strengths in the rest of my mission on earth.
We've been doing more service for members, which is great! Really building up those relationships. Our agenda also exploded with dinner appointments for the next few weeks! It'll be great to spend some good quality time building the members up.
We struggled number-wise this week. I hate getting discouraged but it's been really hard to keep myself from it the last few weeks. I've resolved to repent though - We deemed the next 2.5 weeks "double redemption week," and we're planning on doing everything we can to help Utrecht GROW before next transfer! So. I'm excited for that. :)
Hs. and Me. came to church yesterday! As did a bunch of other non-members. I'm really excited for these next few weeks... I can just feel that they're going to be wonderful!
OH also, it was marvelous to take the sacrament again! :)
Love,
Sister Anjewierden

Sinterklaas stuff already on shelves! Yes, I can stock up!
Splits with the zone leaders. Love these guys!