Happy New Year!

Mi familia y amigos,

Hola!!! Feliz año nuevo!!!! I hope you all had a fabulous new year! It almost felt like I was back home because we got NO sleep. It wasn't from a lack of trying... it's just that here in Panama a holiday isn't a holiday unless there is music BLARING from every house on the block. Yeesh. But the fireworks were beautiful and the food was swell! I love this place(:

This week I also hit my half way mark! 9 months in the mission... like Whaaaat?! 9 months in 2016 completed, now here comes my 9 months in 2017. AHHHHH.... I'm trying not to blink!

This morning I was trying to decide what I wanted to share with you all.... and the subject of my studies this week came to my mind. This week I was focusing on prayer. It's something so simple, so basic... everyone always tells us to pray. It's the go to primary answer. But in my time in the mission, I have seen it's power. Prayer is literally the most powerful thing that we have. In the Bible Dictionary under to word 'prayer', it teaches us that our prayers are the way to tell if we understand who we really are. We are children of God. He is the father of our spirits. BUT we have to decide whether or not we want to accept that divine gift. We will always be his children, but we have to decide if we will accept him as our father. Prayer allows us to grow that relationship, and really get to know him. Sincere prayer can and will bring miracles.

Last week my companion and I started praying that not only we would be able to find the people that are prepared for the gospel, but that the people that are ready for this message would be able to find US. The second day after we added that to our prayers, we were sitting in a park waiting for one of our investigators. My companion and I were sitting there reading our scriptures, when all of a sudden this guy came up to us. He said, 'I noticed that you were reading the scriptures, and I felt the need to come and talk with you... do you mind if I sit down and we talk a little bit about?' ... haha, my companion and I were like... Uhhhh, yes! Sit right on down, here's a pamphlet!

I know that God hears our prayers. I know he's really there. I testify that he loves you. He really, really loves you. Take that time to talk to him. He holds the keys to everlasting peace.

I love you all so much, and I hope that your week is absolutely fabulous!!!!!

Hermana Van Deusen

Merry Christmas!

Mi familia y amigos!!

I love you all so much and I hope you had a fabulous Christmas!! Today everyone in Panama has the day off so it's been a struggle to try and find internet.... SO I literally have no time today. BUT my Christmas was fabulous!! It was definitely different, but it was so fun to be able to spend Christmas with some people who I have truly grown to love and consider as family. Not to mention I got to talk with my family so that was fabulous haha! Well, that's my little update for this week... But I love you all!!!! I'll be more specific in next weeks email, I promise!

Moral of the story: The church is true!!! And I love this gospel!!!!!!!!

I love you all!!

Hermana Van Deusen

Perseverar Hasta El Fin

Mi Familia y Amigos,

This week was just... wow. Another week of miracles, and experiences that truly taught me what it means to be humble. As a mission, we are studying the Doctrine of Christ, and this week our principle was Endure to the End...well Friday we met a woman who defines exactly what that means. Her name is Nuria, she´s been a member for about 4 years but right now is inactive. The unique thing about Nuria is that she is paralyzed. About 3 years ago she had a stroke that left her completely disabled. She couldn´t talk, she couldn´t walk... and she was left to take care of her 12 year old daughter alone. No husband, no family close by, and a mountain of difficulties. As we talked with her, she told us her story. After her stroke she couldn´t work, and thus had no income.... She shared with us how there had been more than one occassion in that she and her daughter came close to starving to death. One day they were so hungry that they had to eat DOG FOOD because there was nothing else, and no money to buy anything, but she testified of the miracle that it was that she had something to sustain her that night. She told us how for 6 months she hasn´t been able to pay for the pills that the doctors prescriped, but then explained that God is strengthening her now more than ever before. She told us that the doctors told her that she would never walk or talk again, but she smiled and said ¨But I put my trust in the Lord and look at how I am now!¨ It literally brought me to tears to hear her words. I have never met anyone so humble. So completely humble. I looked at this woman, barely able to walk, living in a tiny, dirty house made of blocks, telling us about some of the MANY challenges she has had, and doing it all with a smile on her face! She testified of the power of prayer with so much conviction, that the spirit was palpable! She told us that a few weeks ago she had prayed to Heavenly Father that he would send her his angles, and then we showed up. She said that our visit was a testimony to her that he listens.

It was such an amazing thing to see. I´m happy to report that we called some members on Sunday, and after 10 long months, that Sister was finally able to take the Sacrament. I felt so grateful and humbled at the fact that she called us her angels, even though we had done nothing but read a few verses from the scriptures with her. She has endurance, and I KNOW that she will receive a DIVINE reward for her stamina.

As part of my studies, I found a scripture in 3 Nephi 15:9... I encourage you all to read it, and think about how we can "look unto (the Savior)". As I pondered this scripture, I realized the power of a "look". For example, when a woman is giving birth, she looks to her husband and draws the strength from the nervious/excited expression on his face. When a child is doing a school play, they are nervious until they look at their parents and see them smiling with a thumbs up. When a Grandparent is in the hospital, the smiling look of their loved one's brings them that inner peace that everything will be alright. Their is power in a look. So how much stronger are we, how much more confidence we will have, if we "look" at the Savior. If we open our eyes to see him. THAT is what gives us the strength to endure to the end. THAT is what supports us on this path to eternal life. It's him! It is always him.

I'm sorry this email is so long, but it was a great week! I love you all so very very much, and I hope that your CHRISTMAS is absolutely fabulous! Remember who it's all about.

LOVE,

Hermana Van Deusen

"Christmas" apparently means "EVERYBODY PAINT YOUR HOUSE" here in Panama haha

MIRACLES!

Mi Familia y Amigos,

This week was a week of MIRACLES!! Oh my goodness it has been so fabulous. Let me give you an example of just how much the Lord was helping us this week....

So about 3 weeks ago we got a referral from some other missionaries for a sister that lives in a SUPER far away part of our area. WELL we decided Wednesday that we were going to go out there to try and find her. The only problem is that the missionaries only gave us her name and house number. In the United States that would be sufficient, right???? Well Panama is a different story... because about 95% of the houses don't have numbers, and if they do, they aren't in order. SO we go out there, get off the bus, and look at each other with a kind of "where do we start?" expression. Well we decided that our best option was to ask a group of old men that were sitting outside of this little store close to the bus stop. We asked, "Hey, do you guys know a Maria Rodriguez?" And they were off. Turns out about 8 people with the name Maria Rodriguez live there. They started spitting out names and directions telling us to go this way and that way and maybe it is her but no her last name is Ricardo but maybe it's the widow of Juan and then there's that lady over there but I can't remember if her name is Maria or Marta but my neighbors name is Maria but she's catholic and hey do you guys want a soda?... and it was about 25 minutes of that.  UNTIL an angel came. His name is Ariel, and he said that he would take us to a Maria Rodriguez that lives down the street and we could see if she's the one we were looking for. So we were like, Okay! So we go, and turns out, it wasn't her. BUT she said that there was another Maria Rodriguez that lives down the street that might be the one we were looking for.... so we go, and turns out, it wasn't her. BUT her neighbor told us of a Maria that lived on the other side of town... so we go, and turns out, she wasn't home. BUT some people across the street told us there was another Maria that lived on the other street... so we go, and turns out, she wasn't home either! BUT her husband was!!! And so we asked, is this house number 21???? And he said, "Why yes it is". 2 HOURS OF SEARCHING BUT WE FOUND THE HOUSE!!!!! So we asked if we could share a message with him and wait for his wife to get home. We taught a lesson about the Plan of Salvation, and it was beautiful. Maria Rodriguez got home just as we were finishing up the lesson... she was shocked to see us, but they both told us to come back and share another message. I believe in Miracles.

That was just a little thing. I don't know if she will get baptized, or how her story will turn out, but the Lord wanted us to find her. He didn't make it easy, but by making it such a struggle, he showed us that he is always there. Not to mention the fact that almost everyone in that town knows us now haha. As I was contemplating this experience, I thought of what it says in Mormon 9: 15-19, "God has not ceased to be a God of miracles". He hasn't ceased and he never will. His hand is always there. He is ALWAYS helping us! Sometimes we just have to take the time to see it. Sometimes we have to ASK to see it. As Nephi stated in 2 Nephi 4:35, "I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh". Ask for a miracle. Have faith.

As it says in one of the best Christmas movies ever...

"Seeing isn't believing, Believing is seeing"

I love you all so much!!! Have a FABULOUS week for me!!

Hermana Van Deusen

Staying in Caceres

Mi Familia y Amigos,

Well I officially have no time because there was no electricity at all today (happens more than you'd think) and so we are just now getting the chance to write... so to sum this week up...

Changes came and I'm staying here in Caceres... woot woot! Which means I'll be here for Christmas and New Years and all that jazz.. not to mention my half way mark *yeesh. Life is good, the work is progressing, and I'm just so grateful to be a missionary!!

So that's about it! I'm alive and well!!

I love you all and I hope that your week is wonderful and beautiful and full of lot of hot chocolate and Christmas Lights!! I promise that next week my email will be better!!

Love,\

Hermana Van Deusen

God Is Real!

Mi Familia y Amigos,

 Well this week was Suuuuuuuperb!! Wednesday we found an American family while contacting, and I put on my best smile and got us invited over for thanksgiving dinner!! It was a lot of fun and, although it wasn't the same as back home, it was a beautiful day! The turkey was delicious! The weather here has been crazy because of the Hurricane that is passing by Central America.... lots of storms but nothing too severe has hit Panama. Two people in our neighborhood died though because of a mudslide that totally destroyed their house. It was super sad... thankfully it was the next street over and our house didn't receive any damage. It was a reminder that anything can happen at any time. No baptisms this week, but we are PRAYING that one of our investigators follows through with his baptismal date set for next week. We will see what happens!!

 So this week we found an atheist, which like, never happens in Panama.... everyone believes in God here, it was such a shock to walk up to her door and find her yelling "I'm not a believer!!". It was a crazy experience, but what a wonderful opportunity it was to testify of such a basic truth. God is real. As we were talking with her, the scripture in Alma 30:44 came to my mind. There is so much evidence. There is so much proof that God not only exists, but is our father. That he loves us. It's all around. She asked us how we could possibly believe in God.... it made me think for a second. Why do I believe?

 The answer is mine to keep. In that moment, the only thing that I could think was, "How can you not?". I testify that God is real. I testify that he is my Father in Heaven. I know this church is true. I'm grateful for the scriptures that help me to grow closer to him. I am a believer!

 I love you all, so very very much.

 Hermana Van Deusen

3 Nephi 9:13-14

Mi Familia y Amigos,

 Time is flying and I do not like it. I feel like I just wrote you all yesterady, and now I´m here again! I´m so happy to be able to talk with you all again pero aye a la vida, mi mision esta pasanda demasiado rapido.... Yeesh.

 This week we had a mission tour, and Elder Alonso from the 70 came and whipped us into shape!! He is now one of my favorite General Authorities! It´s such a blessing to have so many servants of the Lord come and speak with us in such a short amount of time. I rarely feel the spirit stronger than I do when they walk in the room and we all stand. They are truly men called of God.

 I learned many things from Elder Alonso about the Plan of Salvation and missionary work in general, but I´ll save that for another day because today I feel super duper extraordinarily mind-blowingly grateful for the Book of Mormon. As a mission, we started reading the Book of Mormon about 4-5 months ago... and we finished last week!!!!!! It was so beautiful. I learned so much, and I realized how VERY much I still have to learn. At the conference, we were given the chance to share our testimonies about a few verses that grew our faith during the reading challenge. I knew immediately the scripture I would share.... 3 Nephi 9:13-14,

 "O ye that are spared because ye are more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."

 I know that I have shared that scripture with you all before, but it's because it's my favorite in all the book of Mormon. When I read these verses last month, I understood what the leaders of the church meant when they said that the Book of Mormon is the best way to come to know Christ. Because when he said those words, when I read those verses, it all clicked. I felt his love for me. I saw his character. He wants to heal me, he wants to support me. He knows me. I have met my Savior.

 I testify that the Book of Mormon is true. I know it!!!!!!! PLEASE read it. Don't let a day pass by without opening it up. I know that the promises of the Book of Mormon are real and true. I know that if I read it diligently, I will never forget my faith. This is the truth.

 I love and miss you all!!! Have a FANTASTIC week!

 Hermana Van Deusen