Antwerp Zone President's Training

Excited to be victorious!

Everyone loves Harry! He loves missionary work so much! He is the mission hero!

Once in a Lifetime Birthday!

Today is the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011!
And is just so happens to be Elder Favero's birthday!

We did some serious celebrating during our District Leaders Meeting!
Elder Favero said he has been waiting for this day all his life!
We were the lucky ones to help him celebrate!

New Missionaries Finally Arrive

With Elder Bair!

Doe uw best en God zal doen de rest.

Interviews Begin

We spent a great day in Antwerp with the Antwerp District. Elder Pitchforth and Elder Wang left before Sister Brubaker got a picture of their district!

Oliver Achaempong Finds the Church in Turnhout

Oliver Achaempong, Turnhout, Sept. 24, 2011
















We didn't find Oliver, he found the church before we even got here to Turnhout. The members received him, welcomed him, and gave him a triple combination and a Gospel Principles book. When we got here, we found out about him on our first Sunday at a dinner appointment. The members asked us if we had met him yet, and we said no. So we made plans to look him up the next day, and it was smooth sailing from there. He is a really diligent person and kept all the commitments that we gave him. He is truly a man of his words, and he felt the Spirit, even if he didn't know what it was. He is a very humble person as well, and so willing to learn. That is what helped him to build the foundation of his faith in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. He was baptized on September 24, 2011 by Elder Bickham, and confirmed a member of the church on September 25 by Elder Bair. (Written by Elder Bair)

The Importance of District Leaders

President Brubaker brought all of the District Leaders together in the mission for a special training. He emphasized and re-emphasized the important role they play.

They are the ones that are teaching every week! Their positive influence on the missionaries is vital for missionaries to learn how to become better prepared missionaries.

We all enjoyed a tasty lunch!

After being physically fed......

We feel blessed with a feeling of unity and brotherhood in our mission!

Elder Bastian got everyone pumped up and excited about looking for those moments all missionaries have when things go right!

We Start the Week With Antwerp Zone President's Training

We were happy to be back with our missionaries! We started a week of Specialized Zone President's Training in Antwerp, Belgium. The Antwerp Zone needed LOTS of supplies! Thanks to Sister Tibbitts all missionaries were happy campers when they received everything they had ordered! Sister Tibbitts said so herself, she loves putting the supplies together, and loves it even more when they have what they need, and take it all away!

Elder Brownell and Elder Bair had all the attention of the other missionaries!

Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having
a perfect brightness of hope!

Homemade Peach Shakes

Homemade Peach Shakes, mom sent me the recipe and I got to work! They were amazing as usual :)

The Grand Tour Begins

Elder and Zuster Salden, Elder and Zuster Tibbitts, and Elder and Zuster Everton (just left before we arrived), have been getting furniture all moved in, and have made the apartment look like a cozy home! The missionaries love our senior couples! With these diligent, energetic, faithful missionaries we expect many miracles in Turnhout!

We spent the night in Brussels. We haven't been back since we moved to the Netherlands

We drove to Turnhout. Elder Bair and Elder Bickham are opening Turnhout. The ward couldn't be more excited! Several ward members found this beautiful apartment! Can that really be a dishwasher?

Paul van Eerden was given as a referral to the elders a little over a year ago. Then he was living in Winterswijk and Elder Waldie and I had the chance to go share the first lesson with him. He was referred to the church by his girlfriend, Angela. It was obvious then that Paul was a choice soul that had been prepared by our Heavenly Father. Baptism was his desire from the beginning, though he still had a few obstacles to overcome. The elders continued to teach and work with him even after Elder Waldie and I were transferred. Paul felt the love of many missionaries over a year's time and came to gain a strong testimony of the restored gospel. He moved to Groningen about six months ago and was married to Angela a few weeks ago around the same time that I was transferred here to Groningen. After being married to the woman he loves he was completely ready for baptism. It was a beautiful day and I'm grateful that I had the chance to be here to see him make a covenant with his Heavenly Father. Paul is very grateful to all the elders that have taught him over the past year and is moving forward without looking back.

We have missionaries that want to be their best! it is always good to find a moment to be silly, and have a good time together. We had another great training session!

We were greetied by excited, eager to learn missionaries! We spend the day with the Apeldoorn Zone. So many great things are happening in this part of our mission. We have two amazing senior couples, both serving in the Young Adult Centers. Out missionaries love having senior couples in their zone. They give extra TLC to our missionaries!

Bruges-The Holly Blood Procession

Every year on Ascension Day since 1291 the procession of the Holy Blood makes Bruges a very special place to be. President Brubaker decided to include Ascension Day in Bruges as part of our Leadership Council Meeting. We all met in Gent for Leadership Meeting, and then we all came by train to Bruges, only 1/2 hour away.

The Roman Soldiers

Half the parade is reptresenting scenes from the old and New Testament iterpreted by guild, trades, brotherhoods and chambers of rhetoric from the burgundain period. The second part of the procession is devoted to the relic of the blood of Jesus brought to Bruges by Derrick of Alsace, Count of Flanders after the second crusade in 1150. Ever since, the precious relic has been kept in the basilica of the Holy Blood at the burg square. Carried around once a year by two prelates in a golden shrine and worshipped in this procession by the members of the noble brotherhood of the Holy Blood.

Moses and the Ten Commandments.

Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.

Joseph's Coat of Many Colors.

Christ carrying the cross.

The children of Israel.

The missionaries had their own personal tour guide, for a short time before the procession started.

Beautiful Stories of Conversation in The Hague

Leo is a friend of Ben Wolda, who is a recent convert to the church. Ben had been telling Leo about the church one evening and invited him to experience it for himself and come to church with him the next day. Leo accepted the invitation and came. Elder Leach and I met Leo and taught him. He was progressing so fast that we moved his date forward a couple weeks to keep up with the pace at which he was learning. He's a super star investigator and is going to be and awesome addition to Wijk Den Haag as a member. He was baptized on the 26th of March.
Elder Favero and I met Sun while riding bikes home back in December. He didn't have a background with religion wanted to come to the Jovo Centrum when we invited him. When Elder Mohrman was my companion we invited him to come to the Family Home Evening that was being held at the JVC. The lesson turned into a testimony meeting and Sun felt the spirit very strongly. He prayed that night to know if God was there and he received his answer. Since that point he made huge steps in the gospel and accepted to be baptized. He was baptized on the 26th of March by Elder Leach.
Tresna is a Dutch woman that was found by the missionaries just outside of her home and had interest right away in the Book of Mormon. She has had a lot of experience with different religions in her life and she felt something different as she spoke with the Elders for those few minutes. Tresna read the entire Gospel Principles book and most of the Book of Mormon before her baptism, but the key was once she prayed specifically about the Book of Mormon and received her answer!

Zone Presidents Training Ends in Apledoorn

Our last Zone President's Traing of the month was with our fantastic missionaries in Apeldoorn. Elder Waldie and Elder Wang are serving in Deventer. They are two Chinese speaking missionaries. We have a thriving Center for Young Adults in the Apeldoorn Zone in the city of Deventer. Elder and Sister Hofman are serving in Deventer who are assigned to the center. They will soon be released and will hand over the baton to Elder and Sister Bush, whom just arrived in the Netherlands two weeks ago. The Hofmans have become so attached to these young adults and vis versa!

Many Asian students ome to the center to find a safe place to share in wholesome activities with other young adults that are their age. They learn how the gospel can bring more happiness into their lives.......more than they ever thought possible.

Goede dag nog een keer iedereen!!!

We had a wonderful week here in Groningen, and the work is really picking up. It seems like every week since we've been here has been a double in everything from the week before. We saw some really cool miracles, and I can say that i've learned A TON of new things this week, both things that have to do with the gospel, and things that don't have as much to do with the gospel. I guess i'll start there, since it's not as important, but i'm very proud of it. So last Tuesday, we switched cars with a senior couple here. This car is a stick-shift. I haven't really ever driven a stick before, but within a day of practicing, I picked it up pretty quick. One step closer to my dream car. . . Ok, enough on that subject. On to the miracles, cause that's why you guys read these emails anyways right? So, Thursday, we are doing a finding hour in a really rich neighborhood. The houses were really big (for Dutch standards) and there was nobody out on the streets, which means we got to go door to door, not really my favorite. But we did it anyways. For the first half hour. . . no one was home!!! It was a little discouraging to not see one door open after we knocked on it. But then, a miracle. . . A door opened!!! And she closed it right after saying she had no interest. Don't worry, it's not like it's the first time that has happened. But then next door was the real miracle. We started talking to this Dutch woman who introduced herself as Ruth. She was very friendly, and when we asked her if she had ever heard of the Book of Mormon, she stated that she had received one a few years back from a colleague at work. Then hadn't explained what it was or anything, but had only said that she had it. Se we told her we'd love to come back and explain it better than what we did on the door, and she agreed, and said her husband would be there as well. It just goes to show that the Lord truly prepares people. Who would have known besides Heavenly Father himself that she had a book of Mormon and was just waiting for us to come and tell her what it is exactly. I am thoroughly convinced that she was the reason that we were there in that area. We have great hopes for her and for her family. Keep them in your prayers ok. Thanks for all your prayers and everything you do in behalf of Heavenly Father. I love you all and I wish you all a very great and blessed week.

veel liefs,

Elder Bair

Als Rob dit kan lezen, dan betekent dat dat hij een beetje Nederlands aan het studeren is, en dat hij echt een verlangen heeft om het te leren. Wij zullen zien in ongeveer seven maanden wanneer ik terug kom. Je moet een beetje oefenen Rob. Mijn moeder heeft nu een book voor het studeren in 't Nederlands. Leen het maar even!!! Tot ziens.

Leadership Council Meeting in Leiden

By a big stretch of the imagination, we thought it might be possible to hold our Leadership Council Meeting in the new mission office. There were boxes and furniture up to the ceiling two days ago. Even our fearless Tibbitts suggested we meet in the Leiden Chapel for our meeting. But they were responsible for a miracle!!! The office elders and Elder and Sister Tibbitts made it happen!

We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decistions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals. Stephen Covey

"There are few things in life that bring as much joy that comes from assisting another improve his or her life." Richard G. Scott - Ensign, Nov. 1997, 35.

Missionaries gave thier insight and ideas and a list was made of the things that they felt have brought success in our mission.

We were all pleased and excited to finally be HERE!