February 2, 2015

Hey guys! Good to be back with ya. What a great week we had!

Like I always say, it was a busy week! We had a lot to prepare for, and do this past week, but everything went well. With Zone Training last Wednesday, we had a lot of last minute things that we needed to put together. We were all ready to go, and Wednesday came around. We got to the new chapel in Zoetermeer, and got things ready. It was about 9am, and the Training started at 10am. We got a call from an Elder in our Zone saying that they would be late, due to train problems, along with another companionship, and wouldn't make it until lunch. The problem was, we asked this Elder to play a part in our Training, which would happen during the segment before lunch. With Zone Training, everything needs to be planned out and needs to lead into the next segment and they kinda just builds upon each other. We had to make a decision. We decided at the last minute to do what we planned for after lunch, before lunch, and what we planned before lunch, after lunch. We shifted everything around, which was crazy! It was definitely all led by the Spirit, but to be honest, during the whole meeting, a lot of things went away from how we planned it. Everything worked out, and the Spirit was there, so I know it went great. It was just another lesson and testimony growing experience of how everything happens the way the Lord wants it to happen. We had to rely on the Spirit to keep everything on track, and help us with the time schedule. This transfer, we are focussing on Ch. 10 in PmG which is Improving Teaching Skills. Our training was centered on this, and we created a Zone Vision that will help us increase our Faith and Spirit in teaching, rather than relying on our own personal skills. After reading and pondering on Ch.10, we came to the conclusion that we need to use the Spirit more in our teaching. Relying on Him to help us "hear what isn't being said", ask good questions, and teach from the scriptures. In Alma 4:19, it explains that Alma went and preached the word by "bearing down in pure testimony". This is exactly how we can utilize the Spirit. By bearing testimony, we invite the spirit to touch the hearts of those that we speak to. Read this amazing quote by Brigham Young. It really confirmed the truthfulness of this concept to us. 

“If all the talent, tact, wisdom, and refinement of the world had been sent to me with the Book of Mormon, and had declared, in the most exalted of earthly eloquence, the truth of it, undertaking to prove it by learning and worldly wisdom, they would have been to me like smoke which arises only to vanish away. But when I saw a man without eloquence or talents for public speaking, who could only say, ‘I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of the Lord,’ the Holy Ghost proceeding from that individual illuminated my understanding, and a light, glory, and immortality were before me. I was encircled by them, filled with them, and I knew for myself that the testimony of the man was true”

We can develop all the skills necessary to be incredible missionaries, and that is what we are going to do, but to be our best and touch as many hearts as possible, we need to 'bear down in pure testimony'.

We were on exchanges on Thursday, and Friday with the District Leaders in our Zone. They are both really great, and we enjoy working with them. I was in Zoetermeer on Thursday working with Elder A, and we were invited to come help a recent convert on his farm the next morning at 7am. We woke up, snow on the ground, and bike over to his house. He is a typical dutch farmer. Just a big hick haha. So funny! He has 72 cows, and we were able to feed them thousands and thousands of sprouts, grain, and hay. We even had the opportunity to milk them! It was one of the best ''exercise/study'' sessions of my mission haha. I really learned a lot about farming, and I think I want to change my ambition of become a doctor, to becoming a farmer. I look forward to it ;)

Heavenly Father is revealing His will to me. I know what I need to do and become these last 5 months of my mission. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost, and one of the biggest blessings that I will take home with me after my mission, is knowing how the Spirit works with me. What an incredible blessing it has been to learn how God answers my prayers.

I love you all, and am grateful for all that you do! Thanks for being great. Have a great week!

Liefs,

Elder Elkins

January 26, 2015

Groetjes uit Den Haag! It's great to be back on the email with you all. I always look forward to it, and it sort of rejuvinates me for the upcoming week, so thank you all!

Man, last week was crazy! Soo busy. I have never been that busy in my life. We had transfers on Wednesday, so I was at the train station in Leiden helping missionaries come in and out of Leiden as they traveled throughout the two countries to get to their new areas. That was from 9am until about 4pm. I have never been so cold in my life as I was on that day. Super funny haha. Elder Bernier, my new companion, was a lot of help though! He is a great missionary, and I really look forward to working with him this transfer. With new Zone Leaders, come new ideas. He has a lot of them, and I really beleive that as we work together, we will see alot of miracles in the zone this transfer! All four missionaries that are going home at the end of the transfer are in our zone, including Elder Alston, so that is going to be a lot of fun!

We have Zone Training coming up on Wednesday, so we spent most of the weekend planning Zone Goals, and getting ready for our Zone Training. We receieved calls from missionaries and members asking for help, so we had to drop what we were doing a couple of times to go help out. That was the story of the whole weekend, so we still have a lot to do in order to prepare for Wednesday. Just like everything else in life, it always works out in the end. I am not too worried about it, but I sometimes do miss getting out there and doing normal missionary work. We are doing our best to find time for that throughout all of this. 

We had a lesson with one of our investigators, Eva, on Thursday. She is the one that was praying two weeks ago for a direction, and we showed up on her door. As soon as we got in, she told us that she spoke w ith her family in Colombia and that they told her to stop with the mormons. She said that she knows that it is good, but her family doesn't like it and have tried it in the past and that it isn't true. As soon as she said this, I got such a feeling just to listen and talk with her. We sat down, and let her tell us what is on her mind. She told us that she doesn't want any conflict with her family, so she is going to give us the book back. We asked her what she is looking for in her life right now. She told us a new direction, and something that can help her in her life. We talked about Heavenly Fathers plan and agency, and how we are free to choose for ourselves. We bore a lot of testimony, and the Spirit was there. Eventually, we helped her understand, and she doesn't want to be done yet. We committed her to read a chapter, and pray about it and told her that we'd be back this week. It was such a huge confirmation to me that sometimes people just need someone to reason with, and to talk to. At that moment, we just listened, took it all in, and tried to understand her needs. It was amazing how the Spirit told us to do that. 

Zone Training is on Ch.10 from PmG. Teaching Skills. My topic is going to be listening and asking questions. I have been studying this recently, and have been searching for guidance as I prepare. The meeting goes from 10-3, and that is pretty long, but we have a program all set up and everything. My portion for listening and questions is only 30 minutes, but I am grateful that Heavenly Father gave us this experience to help prepare me and testify to me that what I will be teaching is good and right. That is how He works. I studies Alma 22 this week, and how Aaron was able to listen and as questions in order to discern the needs of Lamoni's father. 

This is a wonderful and exciting time in my mission. It is such a blessing to be able to help others. It is worth all of the 'extra' things that come into our schedule, or the time we spend planning, and the stress that comes into it all, because it has helped me develop Charity for others. I am so grateful for this gospel. It changes lives. It has changed mine on my mission, and I am blessed to have time still where I can continue to help the work progress. I love you all, and I really hope and pray that you have a great week! Keep up the good work, read the BoM daily, and strengthen your testimonies! 

Veel Liefde,
Elder Elkins

January 19, 2015

Hey guys! What a quick week. They all go that way!

We had a really great week, and saw miracles. Every week is that way, that is why I love it out here! This was our last week of the transfer, and we wanted to play all the cards we had and finish strong as a Zone. We challenged the Zone to teach RAD's this week (Restoration and Doopdatum=baptismal date), and to work hard. It really blessed us as we searched for people to teach and invite to baptism.

Elder Torniainen and I had a cool experience that I think I shared last time with you. We met Eva on the door, and she is so cool! She prayed three weeks ago for a new direction in her life, and since then we have been on the door, as well as the Jehovah Witnesses. We taught her a really good first lesson, and invited her to baptism this week. She is excited and felt the Spirit.

I went on two very inspiring exchanges this week with two great missionaries. Elder K is from Surinam. He has no family support, and changed his life to come on a mission. He has 4 months left, and feels really motivated to be better and finish strong. It really motivated me to do my best, and only improve these last months. I am blessed to have the opportunity to go on exchanges.

Transfer calls came in last night. I will be staying in Den Haag training another new Zone Leader, while Elder Torniainen will be going to Eindhoven. It was a blast serving with him this transfer, and to be honest, I wish we could stay together one more. It seems like I have had companions for only one transfer too much! But, what the Lord wants right? :)

We have a busy week ahead. We are planning for Zone Training, again. It will be next week, and I really look forward to it! Not often are there Zone Trainings two transfers in a row, and it is usually never in the first week, but it is so these two transfers. I always learn so much preparing, and the Spirit truly provides. I love it.

My new companions name is Elder Bernier. I don't know much about him, but we are going to become best friends.

I hope that you have a great week! Go Seahawks!

Love,

Elder Elkins

January 12, 2015

Goedemiddag allemaal! Good to be here with you all once again! Den Haag is still a blast and provides a lot of great experiences. We had a busy week, and did a lot of things. Miracles were seen, people were taught, and the work presses on.

Elder Torniainen and I have had a good time together. He is such a funny kid. If I haven't mentioned it yet, he is from Finland. He speaks good English, but some things are just hilarious and I have to crack up. I love him though and am grateful that we have been companions! On Monday night, we had the opportunity to teach our Baptismal Date, Maud, at a members home. Man, this is the best way to teach a lesson. The Spirit was so strong as soon as we sat down. We taught her the Plan of Salvation, and the members were so open and friendly to the investigator and answered her questions perfectly. She is progressing, but we just need to focus more on her. It is such a blessing to be able to teach her, especially since we are so busy with random things all the time.

On Tuesday, we were on exchanges with the Assistants. It is always a good time with them. I went with Elder Bourne to Amsterdam. He is such a good guy and we did a lot of good work together. It was weird being back in Amsterdam seeing the city and old investigators, but is such a blessing to have those opportunities. Elder Bourne is a great friend and I look forward to spending time with him after the mission. Wednesday we were on exchanges with the elders in Almere. I was with Elder Rudolph in Den Haag. He is one of my good buddies from High School! Dad knows him, especially Parker does... lol. That's a story. For the uncles, he is the one that played Turkey Bowl with us that one year that left his stinky gloves in the car and made Parker vomit. He is huge! We had a great time and made oliebollen together. We saw a cool miracle too! We went and visited Stephany and Mark randomly to see if they were home. Stephany is a less active and Mark is her non-member husband that she is trying to help. Only Stephany was home, but we were able to talk to her for a minute and make a plan to help her husband. This was a miracle because we answered some of her own questions in private, and it was the first time that he wasn't home when we came by. Tonight, we have a dinner appt. with them and are going to answer some of his questions and invite him to be baptized! Great day.

Thursday we went hard doing typical missionary work. We went and made American Pancakes for a bunch of Africans. They loved it!

Friday we had MLC. It is always a privilage to be able to go to Presidents home and feel of the Spirit there. They are amazing, and I love them! The Leaders in this mission are all incredible and good examples. I am so blessed to be able to serve with them and learn from them. Our mission is currently preparing for the big switch that is happening this summer. New Mission President, and losing 50 Elders. It is crazy, so a lot of things need to happen to prepare for that and train the missionaries to be ready.

Saturday, we taught District Leader Council to pass down the info from MLC. It was very powerful and the Spirit was there. I was able to teach Obedience, and that was very special for me. Obedience is something that I have gained a testimony of on my mission. This is potentially the most important lesson that we can learn in our mortal lives, and I am blessed to experience this on my mission. We have a very obedient mission, but we just need to sift through and get better with the smaller things. I am excited to see how it goes.

The Zone had a decent week. We got hit hard when it comes to Baptismal Dates, but we are working to increase those. There is only so much that we can do as leaders, and I feel that we do our best, but now it is on the missionaries to prove themselves.

We had a very good week. Things are falling into place and I am happy. I love my mission and I am grateful for the many opportunities that I have had to help others, whether that be investigators, members, or missionaries. It is amazing. I love you all so much. Thank you for all that you do, and for the many prayers! I hope to hear from you all this week!

Liefs,

Elder Elkins

Happy New Year

Happy 2015 Everyone! Can you believe that it is here? Man. I never thought that it would be 2015. So weird, and scary! Time goes fast! The Holiday season was special. It always is on a mission. I kindof have a bittersweet feeling about it being my final one on my mission, but I will find ways to make every Holiday season special at home. It is amazing what you learn out here during the Holidays, and I am grateful for the new outlook that I have on it all. That is what is great about missions.

We had a very good week last week. The Lord is blessing us in Den Haag, and it is amazing. We had a chill P-Day on Monday, and I was on exchanges on Tuesday. Exchanges are always incredible experiences, and I am blessed to be able to go on so many. I was with one of my good friends from the mission, and we had a great time. My testimony of 'knocking the area' has been strengthened a ton this transfer. This is when you do a look up or have an appointment, but you spend time in the area before you go anywhere else. Without fail, we have found potential investigators every time we have done this this transfer, and on the exchange, we got let in and taught a restoration lesson. Such a great experience.

Wednesday was obviously New Years Eve. We all had to be inside at 4pm, because this place goes insane after that time. I had a lot of time to relax, and think. I got thinking a lot about 2014, and how special of a year that was for me. That was my full year dedicated to the Lord, and He truly molded me and helped me become a lifelong disciple. I am grateful for Him, and what He does for us as long as we let Him. Fireworks are incredible here. I can't even describe it on this email, but one day if you are smart, you will come to Europe to celebrate a New Years. Unreal.

We were on exchanges again on Thursday, and then finished the week off with the weekend. Missionary work is going really well.

The Zone is succeeding as well. Our Zone Goals and Plans are being carried out, and the missionaries are seeing a lot of miracles. The Sisters in Zoetermeer just had a baptism on Saturday, and that was very neat. We have a few more coming up in the near future, so we are really looking forward to those. There are a lot of people in this country with the cold right now, also missionaries. As soon as we get over the sicknesses, the work will blow up. It is incredible to be here right now.

With this week being fast sunday, my heart was full. I pondered a lot on last year, and how blessed I really am. Heavenly Father has really taken care of me, and I owe him everything. I sat in Sacrament Meeting and couldn't fight back the tears during the sacrament portion. Last year, I learned who God is. I truly developed a father/son relationship with him, and I am eternally grateful for that. I had to get up and bare testimony of Heavenly Father, His plan, and His divinity. I know that He answers our prayers, because I have experienced it. I know that He loves us, and that He will continue to take care of us as we are obedient to His commandments. We just need to do all that we can, and He will do the rest. I love you all. I hope that you all had a great, and safe New Years. 2015 is going to be special! Get on that treadmilll, quit with the twinkies, and get 'er done! Love you all!

December 22. 2014

Can you believe that it is Christmas. Gosh. Slow down!

I remember last year, when I was with Elder Yocom for Christmas, we were counting down the days till Christmas, thinking about it a lot, talking about friends and family, and it just seemed so Christmasy, but this year is completely different. I haven't had anytime to even say Christmas it feels like haha. It has snuck up on us, and now we are here. Well, Merry Christmas!

We had a very good week! The busiest part of this transfer is behind us, and now it should be mostly just the normal jazz for the rest of the transfer! We had a great Zone Training on Thursday, and the spirit was there. We felt that it went the way it was supposed to, and the missionaries left feeling inspired, which is the purpose! I had a really cool experience while preparing my part of it. I was sitting down on my bed, just pondering all the experiences that I have had in my life, and the song "Count your many blessings" popped into my head. I immediately reflected on some of the many blessing that I have received in my life and wondered... "why am I so blessed?". It hit me that I needed to study these things. I read some accounts from some of the prophets in the Old Testament. Samuel 7, and Joshua 3. These are two stories of the isrealites that were blessed and experienced miracles. Samuel 7 is about Samuel praying to protect the Isrealites from the Philistines, and God struck the Philistines. Samuel placed a stone so that the Isrealites wouldn't forget this miracle, and called it Ebenezer. There is a reason that they needed to remember this. I also ran into Alma's conversion in Mosiah 27 i think, and read the scriptures about how he said that he wanted to testify of the things that he saw and heard. It suddenly hit me. We need to have faith as we find as missionaries. Sometimes we focus on how we do it, and what we say, but God prepares us to preach the gospel, like he did Alma. We have these blessings, our own Ebenzers, that should encourage us to share it with all the world, like Alma did. I shared some personal experiences, and it was amazing how led by the spirit it was. Elder Torniainen and Zuster Fredrickson also did a great job, and they teach me alot. They are great leaders.

It is nice to have that busyness out of the way. The past two weeks have been full of planning, studying, and more planning, but now we can hit the road and get down to work. We have been very blessed in finding new potentials as well. Elder T and I were able to go finding for about 3 hours last week, and we found 9 new people. What a miracle that is. Last week Sunday, we had Stake Conference where they called a new stake president. That was a huge deal, and just like the last one, he is also in Den Haag ward. We got a call from him the next day, inviting us over for lunch after church to teach their friends. They are huge basketball players, and their sons are some of the best players in the Netherlands, and their coach is interested. We went by after church yesterday to teach them the lesson, and it went well. It is always fun to be able to teach with the members at their own home. It is very special. Lately, I haven't been able to teach much, but the spirit does the talking right? :) It was fun teaching with Elder T as well! He is such stud.

The Zone is killing it. Last transfer, we finished with two baptismal dates, and in the first two weeks of this transfer, we have added 10 more! How great is that? Such a blessing, and the Zone is incredible. We spent the day up in Almere on Friday to work with the Elders there. They were struggling because one of the Elders was sick for two weeks, so we helped them recover. Found new investigators and set a baptismal date! Miracles are just happening right now in Holland.

What a special blessing it is to be able to serve during Christmas. Testifying of Christ is the most important thing we can do, because He is the center of everything we should do in our lives. I feel his love, and I see it everyday. I feel so blessed to have been raised in a situation where Jesus Christ is the center of our lives. Remember your blessing, but also Remember Him! I love you all. I really wish you all an incredible Christmas. Make the most of it, and serve others at this time. Have a great week!

Veel Liefde,

Elder Elkins