4th of July in Breda

The ward mission leader and his wife had us over was a big ole fourth of July feast! They're really great, Rocky and Monique van Geenen.

Elder Packard rode through town all decked out in red white and blue!

Yesterday we met a really special guy in the park. It was fast Sunday, we had a really interesting lesson in priesthood on the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Also a great lesson with M. about Jesus Christ, his atonement, what that means, and repentance. Also, she wants to be baptized in October. It was again really special to teach her with her mom and a sister in the ward. After changing out of our suits, we headed to the park by the centrum. I felt really courageous and driven to talk with everyone we came across on the way there. When we got to the park, we talked with everyone. Usually, there are people sitting on these rows of benches. We're usually too afraid to go from one group to the next, it seems awkward, but this time I thought "why not?". I want to show that I am not afraid to talk with anyone, that I want to give everyone the chance to learn from us. It says in D&C that we are to preach the gospel to "every creature". The first people on the benches was a dutch couple. They said they didn't want to talk to us so we moved to a couple middle eastern guys who were smoking and feeding a great big group of canada geese (this path with the benches borders a decent sized pond with a big fountain in the middle, it's a nice park). The middle eastern guys were nice. They didn't speak much dutch, but we offered to teach them and they gave us their phone numbers. We've been throwing around the idea of doing a dutch class, but it'll be hard because most the students would be middle easterners which know very little of dutch or english. But it sounds like we need to give it a chance, there seem to be people who are willing. Anyways, we kept walking to the next groups further up. The next area usually has a lot of young college students, who often smoke and are a bit noisy and lively. We usually avoid them, but I told myself I wasn't going to fear them and that they deserve a chance, what's the worst that could happen? So we walked up to them, introduced ourselves, and asked some questions. As I expected, they quickly told us that they weren't religious. But, we kept them talking. A couple girls came over from another group to talk to us, but they chickened out and decided to go back. So, we caught everyone's attention and tried to show that we were friendly and interested in them. 

After a couple minutes when there was nothing left to say, we moved on the the next bench which had two Africans. I thought I recognized one of them as a man we had talked to the day before who spoke french and was studying a little phrasebook to learn some dutch. But it turned out to be a different guy. He was learning english from some other african language. But the man sitting with started talking to us, he had a good command of english. He started talking about a political group he's part of back in his home country of Eritrea. The conversation shifted to churches. He had a lot to say, which is typical. But I listened. I noticed something different about him as I told him about what we believe. I began to feel a subtle difference from how our conversation was going compared with how other conversations I've had talking with other people like him typically go. I could sense that the way he reacted to what I said was special. I felt that he was recognizing the spirit. Although he still had a lot to say, from the things he started saying, I could sense his thoughts being influenced by what I was saying. My words where actually getting to him. He was very familiar with the bible. Our conversation was long, but I stayed focused and searched for the words I needed to say. His comprehesion of certain things was amazing. Although he didn't seem too impressed by the first vision, as things went on and I told about the book of mormon and how the priesthood authority was restored and how crucial it is considering the work the original apostles did, he started listening and thinking more. At first, he was trying to place the church on the spectrum of christian denominations, but after a while of listening he stopped trying, he was intrigued. I kept what I said to basic doctrines that I have learned to focus on such as priesthood authority (which most people don't understand at all since it's been gone almost two thousand years, but he seemed to), praying to know, reading the book of mormon, and listening to your feelings. I patted him on the shoulder a few times as the conversation went along, which is something I've never done. Elder Packard was been talking to the other man on the bench. Luckily, I had my mini english book of mormon in my bag. I showed him Moroni 10:3-5. He really liked it, again I could see that the spirit was working on him and he was reacting to it! I could tell that the spirit was working with power. The sun was shining on us and we were talking with each other like friends. He really had a good comprehension and would change from thought to thought very quickly, but they were good thoughts. Like I said, he was kind of at a loss for words except that he wanted to learn more. He's going to read the Book of Mormon. He expressed how the scripture had something familiar to it, that he recognized the feeling of it. At this point, I knew that he was being strongly influenced by the spirit. He started expressing (I say expressing because he says a lot and it can be hard to follow entirely and remember exactly what he said, but he spoke meaningfully) how he knows that he is imperfect and that he makes mistakes. I took that to mean that in feeling the pure feelings from the Holy Spirit, he felt sorrow from his sins. We told him that he can be forgiven. I invited him to be baptized with the priesthood which has been restored if he finds that the book of mormon in true, and he sort of agreed. He was open to it at least, but it's really hard for people to understand how that is actually a logical step that they must take. We started walking with him since we had a dinner appointment on the other side of town to bike to. We exchanged info and he said to come visit him and that he will read and come to church. There was a great feeling of friendship and trust between us. All of these things were so so special! Nothing like this has ever happened to me! I've never felt so much power in teaching. The scriptures say that the gospel will be preached in power and authority. This is the first time I've been able to feel that power. I've always believed it was there, but as I was teaching Ati I really could see the influence of that power because he was open to receive it. I have a lot of work to do to continue to see and recognize that power in my work more and more, but this was a really special moment for me to witness God's power to bless his children with light, truth and understanding.

 I called Ati tonight and we're going to meet with him tomorrow in the park. It's a bit imposing now because I feel so responsible to help him with whatever I can do, to be his friend. So I'm anxious to see what happens next, to see if he really is ready to be taught and accept the restored gospel. It's no easy thing, but the Lord prepares the way.