Catch-up April 29th, 2013

Hey family! I feel like I haven't really kept you all well updated for the past month or so...sorry about that. To make up for that, here's my month is short since conference:

-Contacted a Jewish family who weren't initially interested in accepting what we said until I mentioned the Book of Mormon begins with a family out of Jerusalem. That caught their attention. They asked for a copy which we gladly delivered. I just spoke with their teenage daughter a few days ago and she said her father thinks it's beautiful :) The title page of the Book of Mormon says it is written to Jew and Gentile. It feels good to be sharing it with everyone.

-I got to go back to Dordrecht for exchanges with my former companion, Zuster Israelsen! It was super strange but cool to be back and to see some of my friends there. Zuster Israelsen and I saw miracles left and right together and one of the people we contacted together that day is now investigating, yeah!

-As a zone we went to the temple and later to Keukenhof. Both were amazing, but the temple was definitely better! I felt so much peace and was able to stay for a few hours. Keukenhof was nice as well, but the flowers weren't as nice as last year because of the long winter we've had here. However, I had way more fun this year than last with the other missionaries. 

-Zuster Davies and I helped a woman with her groceries and were invited to her birthday party the next day. We thought that'd be a fun way to find new investigators, turns out it was just awkward. Haha. She really loved the Book of Mormon we gave to her as a gift though :)

-We had another special zone training this month from the Den Haag Stake President, President Oddens, about how we can help the members better engage in missionary work. I also got to go on exchanges with Zuster Schwab (one of my MTC companions) in Haarlem (my greenie city!) a few weeks ago and have an exchange with her again here in Amsterdam just last week. Of the three exchanges we've had this month I got to arrange one. Talk about pressure. Cool to know feel the inspiration of the spirit though as I felt impressed to have certain sisters go together for a day. After that exchange I had them write down all the miracles they've seen and it was pretty powerful and humbling to read how the Lord worked through them all. 

-Last Thursday I got to attend the baptism of a dear friend, Fabien, in Haarlem. Fabien is a girl Zuster Jeffs, Zuster Moses, and I met last year during my second transfer in Haarlem. She's been investigating the church ever since and through it we've become really great friends. It was a miracle to be able to attend her baptism. Six of the ten(?) missionaries who taught her were there. It was a high-light of my mission and life. The service was small and simple, and the spirit was strong ("through small and simple things are great things brought to pass" Alma 37:6-7). I'm pretty sure everyone in attendance shed a few tears. 

-Most of our most positive investigators right now are all either Portuguese or Spanish speaking. My high school Spanish helps out a bit, but mostly we have a joint-teach to translate. I wish I had studied and kept it up more. To those out there studying a language, work it and keep it up! You never know when the Lord is going to call on you to use it and you want to feel prepared!

-I got transfer calls last night! I am staying here in Amsterdam for at least another six weeks and will be training. I'm so excited to serve with one of the special sisters who Heavenly Father has selected to be part of the first wave here in the Belgium/Netherlands mission! I know she is going to be a powerhouse and can't wait to learn from her!!

Well, that's just a bit of the last few weeks! I'm excited for the next transfer to begin and to share with you more of the miracles we see!!

Love, Zuster Becky Hinchcliff