Sunday 23 November 2014

Elder Bednar commemoration of 50th year of temple!

Hello, 

This week went by so fast! We had so many things happen this week! I would like to share a few things with you today :-)

We had the privilege of going to the Oakland temple on Tuesday and that was so cool! Going to the temple is the best feeling ever! We also went to the Visitor Center while we were on exchanges which was amazing as we only get to go with investigators or recent converts. I love seeing the Joseph Smith movie as it is always a testimony builder! 

Our District at the Temple
We went on exchanges (also known as splits) this week. Elder Parker and I went to Union City where we were able to learn from each other. I am not sure why but it was just fun! 

On Exchanges with Elder Parker
In the ward we are serving in, Hayward 1st ward, we have a dinner with members every night! I should be a lot fatter! But it must be the biking that keeps us in shape! We had two dinners on one day because at the second dinner we shared a message about the Plan of Happiness with Liz who is a non member. It was a good short message and we will continue to teach her more about God's plan for us. 

We are also teaching a few other people. Their lessons are going well and I love teaching. There is such peace when we preach the gospel and teach it. This week we are trying to find more investigators. Well that is what all missionaries try to do each week, not sure why I put that down haha. 

Elder Bednar came! He is an Apostle of the Lord! We went to one specifically for missionaries. In this we were asked to study three of his talks. At the fireside he asked us what we learned and then he asked us follow up questions. Later he asked us what we learned from this pattern he was using in teaching us. It was super good and I learned a ton! I reviewed my notes this morning... but I forgot what I want to share. There was also another fireside by Elder Bednar for the public on Sunday evening!

At Elder Bednar's Fireside
The fireside on Sunday evening was about the 50th year of the temple! Some of our investigators came to it! Elder Bednar remembers (since he grew up here) as a 12 year old boy that he was sitting in the same room where he was speaking that he saw the dedication of the temple done by President David O McKay. It was a miracle that he was able to get up and speak! He was very ill as he had had a stroke not too long before and was unable to speak much. However when he got up to the pulpit to dedicate the temple he talked as if he was 20 years younger. When he finished, he went back to looking as an old frail man. We were all able to feel the spirit. 

At the end the sisters talked to us about a girl who they were teaching. As the sisters talked about this girl we all decided to go and visit her. Even though we left the fireside at different times and went and did other things before we went to visit her it was all perfect timing! We had never been to the student housing where the girl who we were going to visit lived, so we were lost! Luckily some people on a double date were near the road so we asked them where the housing was. They gave us directions :-) As we were finding parking the sisters shouted "Elders!" phew! We asked them to wait because we had no idea where to go still! As we walked inside the student housing dorms, someone told us that we needed someone from the same room to sign us in. A miracle happened as one of the girls behind us waiting for the lift just said that she could sign us in as she was on of the girls room mates! It was all perfect timing! We visited them and  it was weird to be in the girls dorms as a missionary! 

My Bedding Rolled up like a Burrito
Thank you all for sending me letters and emails. They are good, just as proverbs says, "As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." I know sometimes I don't always reply a lot. My year mark is coming up in a few months and I am going to do a special edition with just a few stats on there of my mission. 

I know that this is God's work. We see miracles each day because the Lord is Hastning His work. I know God loves us all. I see it each day! 


I love you all! 

Elder Kloosterboer