September 28, 2009

Well, the honeymoon days are over. My first week is over and it's really down to work here in Amsterdam. :) We've been incredibly busy with so many appointments (many of them with members from the ward. Go Amsterdam!!) and we've seen a lot of progression in the people we've found and taught.

Saturday, Marijke and Tomasina were baptized. And Ani, a 14 year old girl we're teaching, set a baptismal date for 31 Okt. We are busy. And loving it. :) It is so amazing to see the change that happens in these people's lives, in their entire countenance. I love being around them, teaching them through the spirit.

I am so limited on time, but I wanted to share ROMANS 8. Read it. Love it. Nothing can separate us from the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Pray hard. And WRITE YOUR MISSIONARY!!!!!!!

Much love,
Zuster Fritz

Riding a bike in a skirt? No problem!

Groetjes von Amsterdam! My first week in the Belgium Brussels/Netherlands mission has been a raging hit and I can't wait to pick up the work here in this AMAZING mission.

Let's begin with my golden city: Amsterdam. God loves me so much - because this place is incredible. Great things are happening. HOWEVER, if y'all thought that I was coming to the Netherlands to teach tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Dutchmen, you have something else coming to you. I'm surrounded by everyone; many Africans (with whom we speak an awesome sort of English), Surinamse volk (a dialect of Dutch), Europeans of all varieties/languages, and now and then some Americans. Ya, pretty much Amsterdam is the worst city for one to learn Dutch. Lingua franca: English. MAAR (but) I am learning.

One week in Amsterdam on mission and already I've beheld so many miracles. The work itself is a miracle. We are teaching and finding so many of the elect and the members have been with us all the way, joint teaching is incredible. Every person we find and teach on the street or in the parks has SO much potential and so much to give. I'm learning to truly listen as Elder Holland taught in PMG (Ch 10).

One miracle I'll never forget: Evanne. She's a gorgeous young woman we approached in the park - asked her straight away what her purpose in life is. SHe shared with us that she's actually searching for that very answer, but she didn't feel her church was answering it. Therefore, she was reading in the Bible. Zuster Fowler told her about the Book of Mormon and shared her favorite scripture from Alma and as she did so and testified, tears began to stream down Evanna's cheeks. She expressed that the feelings she felt as we spoke to her were exactly what she was searching for and that she believes we were the answer to her prayers. We taught and testified some more, set up an appt., prayed with her (a beautiful experience) and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon - she was going to read from Alma 5 until our appointment. It was a wonder. We pray for her everyday and are so excited to teach her more about her relationship with her Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. She is ready!!

My companion: Zuster Fowler. Zij is mijn held. I absolutely love everything about her. She and I are one soul in two bodies. :) Together we will see miracles. We're working really hard and have SO many investigators, one with a baptism this Saturday. Her name is Marijka and she is completely transformed. I wish I could have seen her from the beginning. Marijka is a special daughter of God and she teaches me so much with her eagerness to read from the BoM. Simply the way she carries and handles the book in her hands shows her appreciation for what it's done for her life. She is so accepting of the gospel principles we teach her. She knows they will make her happy.

In any case, the ward is so excited for her. I am so excited for her.There are simply not words enough to describe what happens here. I love the work, love being a missionary, love the members/investigators, and love my Savior Jesus Christ.

Het herstelde evangelie is waar!
Love,
Zuster Fritz

Arrival in Belgium!!

Sister Fritz has arrived safely! She looks excited and enthusiastic about her mission. We are delighted to have her with us. Her first assignment will be in the city of Amsterdam.

Her address will be:

Groenhoven 622

1103 LS Amsterdam-Zuidoost

Netherlands

My last preparation day in the MTC!!! I leave in 4.5 days for Belgium/Netherlands and am SO excited to embark on this, my assigned mission! I have loved everything about the MTC and know that it'll be hard to leave this incredible place, my awesome district of Dutchies/Danes/Icelandics, my leaders and my teachers, but it is right and fitting that I leave on time. I'm so totally and absolutely ready. Bring on the storm!!

I had such a great week, fast Sunday especially was an awesome experience - always a great reminder of the battle of our body and spirit. And last night for MTC devotional, Elder Richard G. Hinckley came to address us. It was such an outstanding night to remember, so much truth confirmed. Listening to him speak was a delightful reminder of his father, our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley.
I won't be able to receive any dearelders from you after Friday, so make sure you write to me before noon that day! (hint hint!) Write to the mission home in Belgium from now on - I am looking forward to hearing from you all in abundance!

Ik wil mijn getuigenis met jullie delen. Ik weet zeker dat God and Jezus Christus leven - ik weet dat wegens de Heilige Geest. Het Boek van Mormon is waar en was vertalde door Joseph Smith, die een profeet van God was. Het Boek van Mormon getuigt van Jezus Christus en als wij lezen kunnen wij ons de Heilige Geest voelen. Ik ben een dochter van onze Hemelse Vader en ik ben dankbaar om een zendlingzuster te zijn. Ik houd van jullie en wens je veel succes met alles.
Moroni 8:3

Veel liefs tot wij elkaar zien,
Zuster Jillian Fritz

"You must be willing to give up the life you have planned in order to claim the life that is waiting for you."

A shout out to my BYU cougars. I've been thinking of you and wish y'all a way dang sweet fall semester! (and totally feeling a twinge of longing as I hear the carillon chime "Come Come Ye Saints" every hour). Na ja, ik ben blij om een zendelingzuster te zijn.

How unbelievable it is that we leave in 10 days!! Already I've begun to pack what little possessions I have in preparation for our vertrekking naar Nederland. The time is flying by and I'm getting giddy to be finally in the Netherlands.

It's been a trying week in our zone, but we've also experienced many rewards. Elaine S. Dalton, General Young Women President, addressed the sisters in Relief Society this past week. What a fine and energetic woman she is. I was able to meet her briefly afterward and I'll always remember her message to us: "You must be willing to give up the life you have planned in order to claim the life that is waiting for you." If I haven't learned that by now in my life, I wonder how much longer it will take. :) I've definitely been reminded again and again that Dutch is my language and the Netherlands my mission. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not [yet] seen." -Hebrews 11:1

The decision to be a missionary is the best that I have made in my own eternity.

I love you all tremendously. More letters from the crowd would be lovely. ;)

Jillian Fritz, Zuster