He knows me and He knows you

So Im not gonna lie. This week was a struggle for me. Not only for me but for Sister B & Sister C. It was like hitting my one year mark on the mission was equivalent of hitting my head against the brick wall. It was a war to get out of bed every morning, to leave the house into the insuferable, irrepresable heat outside, to even talk to people. 

But I wanted to share an experience that helped me and that I hope will help you all. 

A few weeks ago, we were walking back from an appointment flying high. We had had 3 baptisms one after the other so we were all feeling awesome. we walked passed a woman talking to her friend and crying. I had the distinct impression to talk to her, and so I did. I dont remember what I said but I gave her a pass along card, invited her to church and told her that God wanted her to be happy and that He had provided a way for her to be happy.

We left, and I forgot about it. This past thursday we were walking to a members house. Everyone, including me feeling beaten and despondent. We were having trouble finding new people to teach, frustrated with some of the Elders in our area, frustrated with some of the members, hungry and broke and not having any will power WHATSOEVER to work but nevertheless trying. We walked past this little lanchonete place (where they sell pastels, and other little snack type foods) when we heard a voice call out for us to stop.

We turned around and it was the same woman from a few weeks ago with a smile on her face. She went up to us, hugged us, kissed us and told us thank you. "I was going through a lot of things in my life" she said, "And it was like you all illuminated my life. All of my problems were resolved that very same day. Thank you so much for talking to me and helping me."

I was speechless. Sister. B & Sister. C were speechless. It was exactly what we needed to hear. I fumbled a little bit telling her thank you in return and inviting her to church again. She said she would go. And then she left.

She didnt end up going to church, but even still. God knew. Heavenly Father knew that so many weeks ago she needed something, someone to part the curtains of her dark room and let the light of Gospel shine. He also knew that at that moment outside that lanchonete, we needed her to tell us how much it meant to her that we had helped her. That we needed the confirmation that our work was not in vain, and that there were still so many children of God that needed us still. 

Anyway, that was my experience this week. Love you all so much. Remember that Our Father in Heaven is aware of all of His children. And that in helping those around you, you will end up being helped in return.

Love yall!

xoxo

Sister VerHoef

first pic is of me and Diva (a member of the ward who is ALWAYS helping us :) 

second is of me and Karine, Aline and Karines father (this family is amazinggggg and I love them to death!)

Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy

Helloooo dear friends & family :)

so this week we had a baptism of a wonderful man named A, who was an alcoholic. He has a bit of a speech impedement but you couldnt find a more special spirit than A. 

In the spirit of watching his life change completely, overcoming his addiction to alcohol, I wanted to share with you 2 things. the first is a song called Brightly Beams Our Fathers Mercy.

Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From his lighthouse evermore,

But to us he gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

Dark the night of sin has settled;

Loud the angry billows roar.

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning;

Send a gleam across the wave.

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;

Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor,

In the darkness may be lost.

I didnt always pay attention to this song, but I love the lyrics more and more. The meaning behind this song is so significant. And then I wanted to share this video about a mans conversion story. His name is Todd, and here is his story. Very powerful. Watch & enjoy :) 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2014?lang=eng

com amor

Sister VerHoef

Sooner or Later

Okay, so this week was cray cray to say the least. This end of the weekend was the hardest Ive had here in Tupa. Our investigator we had been working with drank after having 4 days with not a single drop of alcohol, our Recent convert was starting to avoid us, we hadnt been recieving a ton of help from the ward and my right foot had been hurting so bad all this week that it came to the point of tears on saturday night. 

Then a song came into my head that I had forgotten about by Matt kearney

Were all standing with our backs against the wall

Waiting on the phone that never calls

Heart break comes strolling in like a storm

Trying to swim but your sinking like a stone

Alone

I can feel the fire in the night

Waiting here

Baby its like we´re walkin on our a wire

Through the field

Take my hand we'll get there

Sooner or later

I swear

We're gonna make it

Gonna make it

Sooner or later

I swear

We're gonna make it

Gonna make it

Milk and honey till we get our fill

I'll keep chasin it always will

Sooner or later

I swear

We'll make it there

Sooner than later

Thats when I realized that sooner or later, we were going to have success. The part of the song I love is when he talks about sooner or later, I swear we'll make it there. There! The promised land! The happy days! The laughter! The success! And that day happened on sunday. Yesterday, as a matter of fact. Yesterday we had a baptism! Of a young man named E. 

At his baptism, we have been given a new rule to share the first vision during the interlude after the baptism, while the 2 people are getting changed. I was given the opportunity to give the first vision during this time. :) But I wanted to do it differently, so I asked everyone to sing "Joseph Smiths First Prayer" and afterwards I have a summary of his life, questions and how he got to praying in the sacred grove right? Well, I have had this decorated for about a year now in portuguese right? And when I got to the part of "2 personages, whose brightness and glory--" I stopped. Something very strange and wonderful happened in that moment when I had gotten to that specific part. It was like I was brought outside of my body, outside of my consciousness and seeing a light. But I couldnt see anything in it if that makes sense. It was almost like I was there. And afterwards it was gone, and I was left with this feeling of heat that filled my entire body that left me out of breath. I was so caught up in what I had experienced that I forgot where I was! So I started over and bore my testimony that I knew that Joseph saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and sat down. 

I think I had always known that it was true. I think that Heavenly Father blessed me with just simply, knowing it was true! The gift of believing. Even after my dads death, the physical/emotional abuse I endured in middle school, my brothers divorce & all the other stuff that went on, I never once doubted the church was true, or that Joseph was really a prophet of God. But I think in that moment, I was given a confirmation that what I have been teaching for a year really is true. and for whatever reason, the Lord saw it fit to grant me just a moment with Joseph in that grove that day. I know I didnt deserve it, but I had been longing and praying for a sacred experience in regards to Joseph and the 1st vision, and it seems like the Lord granted it to me, and Im so grateful, so grateful for it! I dont know if Ive undergone a "mighty change of heart" but I do know this, that experience changed me forever. I know this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ is at the head of it. and I know Joseph, a boy of 14 years old, saw God the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ in that grove on that spring day all those years ago. This is my testimony to all of you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

The Emporer's Son

So this week we had the upmost privilege to have Pres. G come to our lil branch for our district conference weekend. Yesterday he gave an AMAZING talk that I will just share a part with yall this week and the more sacred part of it next week when I have more time and Im not spending so much of my internet time downloading videos from lds.org ;)

So he told of a story of an Emporers son who made a proclamation to an entire kingdom to bring all the eligable maidens to the palace on such & such date to do a task. The maiden who completes this task will be chosen to be his bride.

One maiden whos mother worked in the palace wanted to go with all her heart. She had seen the Emporer's son and had fallen in love and wanted to try. So she went, inspite of her mothers concerns, to try to win the heart of the emporers son. 

Each maiden was given a seed and told to plant the seed. In 6 months time, the maiden who has the most beautiful flower would be chosen to be the next princess, the bride of the Emporers son. 

The maiden went home and planted the seed with tenderness and care, watering it often and giving it plenty of light. After several weeks, nothing happened.

2 months passed by, and despite her consistency and work, nothing happened still.

3 months and she became desperate. She looked at the gardens of the other maidens who had the most beautiful flowers and became incredibly sad.

When the 6 month finally came, and the day of the choosing was at hand, she still had nothing. Not even a sprout from the little seed that was given her.

Her mother told her not to go, not to put herself through this but the maiden was determined, if only this would  be the last time she would see the Emporers son.

So going to the palace, with her best dress and her flowerless pot, she stood among the other maidens with their flowers, their roses, their tulips, their daisies and all manner of gorgeous flowers. 

The Emporers son started the chosing, going forth among the maidens of the kingdom with their potted flowers. 

To the surprise of the young maiden, who had brought the flowerless pot, the Emporers son chose her.

When she asked him, "why did you choose me? when all the other maidens in the kingdom have beautiful flowers in their pots?"

The Emporers son smiled and replied, "The seeds that every young maiden were given, was a sterile seed. The seed that would grow from the pot of the maiden chosen to be my bride is the flower of integrity."

And so, because of the honesty of that young maiden, she was chosen to be the bride of the Emporers son. 

I loved this story! Of course it has princesses and princes but theres another thing thats even better. the lesson of integrity that is more beautiful than a beautiful lie. 

I hope we can all be a little more honest this week, and do a bit better showing our integrity and becoming guardians of this noble virtue.

this is a pic of our baptism last week! her name is m and she is a true brazilian pimenta! ;)