Hoi iedereen!

So another really great week in Gouda ... We had Zone Conference in Gouda this Wednesday, and it was pretty much a major call to repentence for everybody. Which was kind of like how you feel (or how I feel, at least) after running 3 miles - so good it hurts. We discussed obedience a lot, and also worked a ton on finding - how to do more than just say those rote phrases we learn in the MTC. Because our area in Gouda is so spread out, we have a really good combination of tracting and mass transit, and so I'm really loving being comfortable enough with Dutch to just strike up conversations with people. It's really fun. Usually it doesn't go somewhere amazing, but sometimes, just sometimes, someone gets really curious and really tests the sincerety of what you're saying. And there are few feelings as good as seeing someone on a train thumb through a pamphlet on the Plan of Salvation with that look op slightly open curiosity. Mmm, missionary work!

So we had a really funny lesson with Joris this week. We sang O My Father and I Am A Child of God with him and talked about who God is and how we can communicate with him. It was a pretty good discussion, and we even got to share the First Vision with him. At the end, Zr Kriser invited him to kneel with us and pray. So Joris prayed. It was so incredibly simple and sincere. I felt like I'd just been in the temple. I love hearing people pray for the first time in years.

After Zone Conference we had a good lesson with Elon. He doesn't feel ready to get baptised yet (which makes sense, well, he isn't) but during our lesson he began asking more questions about the Plan of Salvation - and through the Spirit and our testifying of things that aren't on the surface related, he pretty much committed himself to stopping smoking and reading the scriptures every day. I LOVE watching the Spirit work on people. So often I think I need to extend a committment in just the right way, when actually I have so little to do with it anyway. If we as missionaries live right, are obedient, and just actually really 100% try, the Lord does the miracle anyway.

Like this morning during comp study, when a Surinamer bus driver Zr Kriser and Zr Matos contacted three months ago called us. They'd had a good chat and he'd given them his number, but they'd never been able to set up an appointment. He was looking at the Joseph Smith pamphlet one night when they'd called and realized the number on caller ID was the same as on the pamphlet, and felt like that was a sign. Lated, he'd had a dream and just knew he needed to meet with the missionaries. Amazing. So tonight we'll go teach him at the church. Miracle!

Yesterday was absolutely a treat. Lisette came to church for the first time, and I think it was a really positive experience. We brought her to dinner at an American family's home this week, and on Thursday I went on splits with a ward member to teach her. The ward member, Marielle, is JUST like Lisette! They even liked the same anime movies (Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle ). I love seeing people connect through the church. What a blessing. So things are moving right along with Lisette. Please continue praying for her.

After church we went finding. We had a really incredibly sad conversation with a very strict Protestant woman. I really hate Calvin (the reformer). It's so surreal and saddening to see ideas like Pre-Destination alive and well in people - when we testified to this woman that she was a child of God, she said, "I hope so, but only God knows that." She believes that God knows who will be acceptable to him and who will not - so that means all the millions of people who have never heard of Christ are pretty much done for anyway - God apparently knew they'd not accept Christ so they never even got the chance. I hate that philosophy. I am so thankful for the Plan of Salvation and temple work. It is amazing knowledge that we have. EVERYONE is a child of God. We take that for granted - it is AMAZING knowledge! The beautiful thing is that she took a Plan of Salvation pamphlet - not agreeing to pray about like we asked, but still. Good things will happen there.

After finding we went back to the church for a YSA sacrament meeting. A friend of ours (not an investigator really - she met the elders in another city and helps us with our conversational Dutch every couple of weeks) named Irene came, so we got to stay with her. And TONS of people from Rotterdam came!!! It did my heart so much good to see a bunch of JoVo's from that city. Oh, it was so good! Including LENNEKE! She's the Dutch 26 year old I taught in R'Dam, and she's getting baptised on February 21st. I told her I'd do my best to come (to travel to a baptism you have to bring an investigator, but Lisette is planning to go with us - again, please pray ;) ) and she really wanted me to. She is such a wonderfully kind, normal, down-to-earth person who's living the gospel. Her dad's still not a fan of religion, but her brother and mom are supporting her and coming to her baptism. Andre is also getting baptised on the same day, so I hope hope hope it all works out and I can go. I love these people so much. I also got to see Ingemar, the Antilleans man who got bapised in R'Dam, and that was amazing!

So for the actual service, they watched a recent CES broadcast from President Monson for the first hour, and for Sunday School a counselor in the stake presidency led a discussion about it. It was amazing. I love the JoVo's. I am so excited to be a YSA in Louisiana again and just build people up. It's such an incredible time of life. For Sacrament Meeting they had a testimony meeting, and I think with all the things that were said, Irene's curiosity was piqued. She asked Zr. Kriser how we can say we know Thomas S. Monson is prophet - and now we're going to be able to teach her the missionary lessons! Wahoo! Seriously, you people at home have to be living the gospel out loud - through your influence the church goes from that weird cult they've heard about from their pastor or friend to a truly vibrant, living faith followed by good, normal, kind people. Your ability to do good and bring others to a greater awareness of God's love for them and His plan is limitless.

And then that night we visited an African couple from Cote dÍvoire that Zr. Kriser met on the bus. Our Stake President (who served in Germany and Austria , French speaking) came along to translate. It was fun to hear French again, and I love our leaders who are so wiling to come on Joint Teach with us. We are so blessed here. Plus I totally haven't taught enough Africans, and this couple is awesome. Good things are happening. I love you all! The gospel is so amazing. It lives, it brings so much light, and everytime you sacrifice anything for it, Heavenly Father blesses you so much in return.

Liefs,
zr. Baxter