Another good week in Haarlem. Engelien is doing fabulously. On Monday
we taught here more of the Plan of Salvation - apparently she'd had time to
really disgest what we'd taught her earlier, and she was literally shocked
and elated at the concept of a Pre-Existance and the Spirit World. "NOOIT
wist ik!" ["I never knew that!!!"] I seriously was wondering where the
camera crew from preach my gospel was hiding - it was so good it felt like a
set up. =) She loves reading in the Book of Mormon, and on Thursday we
brought Zr Kroese (another Surinamer) and watched Finding Faith in Christ,
which she loved. Unfortunately she didn't make it to church, but she's been
a little sick lately, and we're going to see her tonight, so things should
work out.
Milene's also doing great. She was out of town, but this Saturday we're
taking her to a baptismal service in Den Haag and she'll be at church the
next Sunday. Please pray that she'll have the news to talk to her very
religious mother about her upcoming baptism and that it'll go well. =) I've
never taught someone so ridiculously solid.
We also had a fun return appointment to Jessica, a Nigerian single mom
of two who is beginning to grasp what this crazy Book of Mormon is and what
the heck Joseph Smith is all about. =) I love watching people open up
through the Spirit.
We had a really fun contact on Tuesday night. We made the
seemingly-mistake of tracting through a wealthy neighborhood during dinner
time, but one woman said to come back another time during the afternoon. We
took her up on her word, came back a couple days later, and had the most
marvelous conversation about religions and God and the Resotration. Like
many educated Dutch people, she's got a pretty pan-religious approach (which
I'd probably be if I'd grown up here) but really was interested to read The
Proclamation on the Family. Towards the end of her conversation, she said
she'd have invited us in but her husband was sick - turned out he'd had a
heart attack while they were in vacation in the States 6 months ago. After
we prayed with her and asked Heavenly Father to bless her husband and family
in light of his health problems, she hugged both of us. Oh, fruits of the
Spirit. She'd love to talk again but not make a fast appointment... it'll
come. =)
We had a hard time finding new investigators this week but were blessed
to look up 3 old ones who are willing to meet with us again. So it goes!
Also something funny... my bike totally broke down while biking to our
finding spot. My bold companion Zr Fowler would not be deterred, so when the
first Dutch woman opened the door, looked at our nametags, and told us she
wasn't interested before we could even open our months, Zr Fowler jumped in
and said, "Actually, we're having some bike problems... do you have a
screwdriver we could borrow?" The good woman brought us a tool kit, rag, and
a cushion to kneel on while we put the chain back on my bike. It was pretty
funny. (Hopefully my bike will last till the end of my mission!) It totally
reminded me of the Catholic priest in Argentina that yelled at Dad and his
comp, only to very graciously let them borrow the ladder they'd come to ask
for. People are good. =)
So the work goes on. I love you all.

Zr. Baxter