La Restauracion

Mi Familia y Amigos!

This week was incredible! It was so cool. We taught two very distinct lessons about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Two lessons that changed my mission. Let me start with Isabel. Isabel was an LPE that Hermana Peralta and I did about 2 weeks back. She was really positive and let us right in, and we did "how to begin teaching" to recognize any needs that would dictate which lesson to start with. It was nice, we had a good chat, and we went on our way feeling like the Restoration was A-Okay to start with. Well changes happened and kind of made things crazy... so we didn't have to chance to return until this week. WELL, it was fabulous. Normally we like to split the Restoration into two parts so as not to throw too much information at the investigator at one time, and to explain slowly as to allow them to understand better. With Isabel it was not like that. She was so prepared, so ready to hear this message. We shared it all in one lesson, and we could see in her face that she UNDERSTOOD. She felt it. She knew it. The spirit was undeniable. And after the lesson she told us, "my whole life I felt like something was missing... and I think this might be it." We left that lesson in tears. 

The second sister is named Maria. She is an elderly woman that has invited the missionaries into her home for the past ten years. We have visited with her a few times, but had never shared an actual lesson. Well we went to her home on Wednesday and asked her, "Hermana Maria, do you want to be baptized?" and her immediate response was, "Oh Hermanas, I've wanted that for the past 10 years". Again, we left the lesson in tears. We came back the following day and taught her the Restoration again, kind of as a refresher. When we were talking about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon I asked her, "Hermana, do you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true"... her answer hit me. She said, "Hermanas, everything we know comes from books. And all books are written by men. I know this book is true, because it wasn't written because no man could write it." ... wow. Absolutely incredible. The only thing stopping Maria from being baptized is her husband... he's catholic, and thus so is his family. I made her a promise that in two weeks, her husband would let her be baptized. As soon as I said the words I was like... Uhhhh, should I have said that?? But I have already seen the Lord's hand in making that promise come to pass. How incredible it is to be a missionary. 

My testimony of the Restoration was fortified this week. I TESTIFY that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that he restored the church that Christ established, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is the most correct of any book. I KNOW that these things are true, I FEEL it with everything that I am. And I can't believe that the Lord has given me the opportunity to help other people realize that same fact. What an absolute blessing it is to be here. I love you all!! I miss you all!!! And I hope this week is wonderful for you all!!! Keep your chin up, and remember who you are. 

Hermana Van Deusen

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Well this week was full of changes and craziness! Like I said last week, my companion Hermana Peralta se fue.... tears were shed. She was a wonderful trainer and our 2 cambios together were so much fun!!! But with every ending starts a new beginning... My new companion is Hermana Espinal!  She is from Honduras, speaks 0 English, and has about 2 weeks more than me in the mission. We actually go home on the same day haha. So with that, we are both pretty new and ready to work. I was pretty nervous to be the "guide" of the area and take the lead for the first little bit.... but so far so good. We've only gotten lost like 19 times.... success. Haha... but no she is really great and we are learning a lot together. This week we had a decent amount of lessons, and met some AMAZING people that we are REALLY excited to start teaching. AND We had another baptism yesterday! His name is Ariel, he's 12 years old, and he is pretty awesome. He's already attented church 5 times (he hasn't missed one Sunday since we started teaching him). His baptism was crazy because my companion and I didn't really know what we were doing and it was lightweight chaotic...BUT the spirit that was felt when Ariel came up out of the water was undeniable. There is no way to explain how precious a moment it is to see someone you have grown to love take that step and be baptized. It is incredible. I've only had the privilidge of being a part of that process 3 times... But every time is more powerful than the last. How grateful I am to be a missionary!!!!!!!! These 4.5 months have changed my life, and I can't wait to see what the next 13.5 bring. I'm so grateful for all of you and your support!! I love you all and I hope you have a fabulous week!!! 

Hermana Van Deusen

I have a ton of pictures to send.... BUT this computer is old and won't let me... Fingers crossed that next week I get a good computer!! 

Another Change Down...

Mi Familia y Amigos! 

Another week has passed....and another cambio too!! 3 Months in Panama!! Crazy!! AAANNNNNDDDDD... I just found out that my dear companion is leaving me. Sad, sad day. We thought that she was going to stay because she only has one change left..... but the Lord had other plans. AHHH, my heart is broken!! But it's all good, and I know it's for a wise purpose. She's been called to be Hermana Lider and open a new area about 5 hours from here. I still don't know who my new comp will be or any of that... It's a little crazy right now to be honest and my mind isn't really here... so this email will be short... 

BUT we had a baptism Saturday! Our dear sweet investigator Diana was baptized, and it was awesome!! To see her face when she came up out of the water was the coolest thing ever. What a blessing it is to be apart of this work and to be able to see the changes in these people. But the coolest thing is that we have the opportunity to renew these convenants that we have made each and every Sunday when we partake of the Sacrament. What a tender, merciful Lord that we have. The Gospel is wonderful!!!!!!!!!!! 

Well... that's about it!! But I love you all and I hope this week is absolutely fabulous!! 

Hermana Van Deusen

I have pictures but the computer is being dumb... next week! 

July 25th

Mi Familia y Amigos,

I just want to tell you all how grateful I am for each and every one of you!! For all of your love and support, and letters of encouragement(: You all are the best!

This week was a wonderful week. My companion and I were really trying hard to be dilligent and open our mouths, and we were able to see the fruit of our labors. This week I was thinking a lot about what my Mission President said at our last zone conference. He said, "Our purpose isn't just to open our mouths and talk with the people, our purpose is to open our mouth and convince them". Here in my mission, we have this thing called LPE's (lessons to find) .... it's a system that my former mission president instituted to help us increase our teaching numbers... but basically the goal is we try to talk with as many people as possible and have mini lessons with everyone we come into contact with. Well, we are kind of lazy with it.... we talk to people, but we generally just hand them a pass along card and invite them to visit  mormon.org. Which, isn't bad, it's an invitation to learn more... but they weren't convinced. They weren't convinced that we had a special message that could bless them and their families forever. So that was our goal this week... to open our mouths and invite the spirit to convince them. It made all the difference. We testified of Christ, we testified that he came here to the Americas, we testified of prophets, and that we have one today. We TESTIFIED. And their was power in those testimonies. As a missionary, my purpose is to open my mouth and find the people that the Lord is preparing to hear the word. To testify with words, to share pamphlets, and teach lessons. But as members of Christ's church...our purpose is to testify to others through our actions. Through the way we live our lives. To show them that we BELIEVE the things that we claim to believe, and we ACT like disciples of Jesus Christ. That we love our Savior. And they will be able to see that... to see the light we have, and they will want it. This Gospel is a gift, we should act like it!!!  What a priviledge it is to have this knowledge!! Moral of the Story? Remember who you represent.... people are always watching(: I love you all and I hope you have a fabulous week!!! 

Love, 

Hermana Van Deuces

Hola!

Mi Familia y Amigos,

This week was filled with a lot of ups and downs!! But mostly ups!! My comp and I both got sick this week... so we weren't as productive as we would have liked, but we still had some pretty amazing experiences! 

This week we started a mission wide goal of reading the Book of Mormon... we read about 3 chapters a day, with the goal of completing it in 3 months. My mission president and his wife are really putting emphasis on the fact that our purpose as missionaries is to convince the people, and we can't do that without the Book of Mormon and the Spirit, and how can we invite the Spirit and testify of the Book of Mormon, if we aren't already convinced ourselves? Each day we "leer, meditar, y apuntar" or "read, ponder, and take notes". I have read the Book of Mormon several times, but this week I have learned more than I thought was possible. This project isn't just strenghtening my testimony, it's fortifying my conversion. I wish that I could share with you all of my notes and insights... but there's no time for that(; And let's be honest, my personal revelations won't mean as much to you as your own. But this week we were contacting and met a woman that let us in... and to make a long story short we started teaching about the Book of Mormon. In my 2 1/2 months here I have testified about the Book of Mormon a hundred times, but this time it was different. This time I almost started to cry, because in that moment I realized how truly grateful I am for this book. The Book of Mormon is the evidence, the evidence that all are seeking... It is the proof that Jesus is the Christ, and that this is his church. The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and through it we can come to truly know our Savior. I testify, with everything in me, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That it is true. It's true! How lucky we are to know and love it. My invitation for you all this week is to delight in it's words. Feast upon the words of Christ... find the answers that Heavenly Father might very well have put there just for you alone. The Book of Mormon is for you. Read it!! I'm out of time... but I love you all, and I'm so grateful for your wonderful examples and all your support. I hope that you all have a wonderful week!! 

Hermana Van Deusen

July 11, 2016

Mi Familia Y Amigos!

Forgive me for not writing last week... but there wasn't much time, nor much to report! But it's all good, I'm writing now(; All is well here in David!! It's hot, humid, and really wet.... the usual! Our investigators are doing awesome, and we have two really solid baptismal dates that are coming up in the next week or two. Woo Hoo! There have been a lot of changes in my mission as of late. Our new mission president arrived a couple weeks ago, and the mission is in an adjustment period. President and Sister Current are wonderful, and they entered the mission ready to work with a very distinct vision. Our new "motto" for the mission is 3 Nephi 5:13...

 13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

As well as Helaman 5:12...

 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation;    
that when the devil shall send forth his 
mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure  foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall

I absolutely love it. As a missionary, I am a disciple of Christ, and my purpose is to invite others to come unto him... but how can I possibly hope to do that, if I'm not already there myself? When Christ is our foundation, we can do anything. We cannot fail! It's not possible. What hope there is in that message, and what a delight it is to share that message. Always remember that as members of the Church, we bear the name of Christ, and there is power in his name. Build your foundation on Christ, so that you may be worthy enough to help bring others unto him as well. I love you all and I am so grateful for your support in helping me build my foundation on my Redeemer. I love you all and I hope you have a fabulous week!! 

Hermana Van Deusen

3 Months in the Mission!!

Here are few updates from Kayleigh this week:

Nothing too exciting happened this week, but I am so bummed that it is the fourth of July.... and I'm not in America... and ya. AHHHHH lame.... but I hope you guys are having fun!! 

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The temple is amazing. I've literally been dying to go these past few days... my soul is craving it!! Our ward went last week, and we were going to go too.... but then at the last minute we had to go to a conference and didn't get the chance. BUT on Friday we have to go to Panama for Migrations, so we will get to go then!! 

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I'm trying to think of what else happened this week.... OH our new president came!! He's strict. Which is good... it's what our mission needs. We have the worst numbers in all of Latin America, and he is determined to change that. So wish us luck!!!!! All good things! :) I'm looking forward to seeing the change in the mission. 

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It's now mandatory for Hermanas to have pants. We have to have at least one, and they said we could buy long skirts if we preferred it, so that's what I'm going to do. All the sisters are bummed because its SO HOT. But it's for our safety so I'm trying not to complain. 

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Nothing much else to report... I'm doing well. I'm happy, my investigators are doing awesome, and I'm finally getting the hang of things... FINALLY. I can't believe it, 3 months in the mission... what is life?!?!?! Well, that's about it. I love you all.... Have a fabulous week!!! 

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Hermana Van Deusen