July 17,2017 Email :D

6 Months Serving:

Wow. You read the caption right! I set foot in the MTC 6 months ago tomorrow...now THAT is weird!!! It's a weird thing to think about...so I just don't! Haha! :D I took a bit of time to reflect this morning on where I have been and where I am now...HOLY GUACAMOLE!!! Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways my friends, and I am proof of that! I am so grateful for all that I have learned on my mission thus far, and absolutely can't wait to see who Heavenly Father is going to help me to become!!

As some of you may know, I am not the biggest fan of seafood! But I decided when I started my mission that I would try anything that is put in front of me and just ask what it is after! I haven't had any crazy experiences....but this last week we had a nice Korean meal provided by a Chinese couple in the ward for us. I found out afterward that the yummy food I had eaten was in fact squid and anchovies! ...amongst other things, of course! Yummy! XP

I had a really cool experience this week on a bus! I am trying to get out of my comfort zone more, and especially with bus contacting! I told myself while getting on the bus, that I would sit next to and talk to the person on the bus that I felt would be the least receptive to the gospel and that I would have the hardest time talking to! He wasn't hard to find! The wonderful son of God that I sat next to had bright green hair, more tattoos than not, and quite a lot of metal to match! The tattoos covered even his face as he had bat tattoos on his cheeks, and though it doesn't really matter...he didn't have eyebrows either and I thought that was peculiar. He had sunglasses on and a purple polo...I kid you not, he looked like the Joker! I popped on down next to him and said "I like your hair! What inspired it?" He replied "The Joker" Whelp. That was surprising! This young gentleman is named Isaac, and has a return appointment to meet at the church tomorrow to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it can change his life! Will he show up? I don't know! But did Heavenly Father teach me an important lesson? OH YEAH!!! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone! :D

And now it's time for....another one of Alissa's analogies! ...catchy, no?

I have had a reoccurring dream on my mission that I just thought was funny or interesting until I was talking with Sister Kim this week, and I was able to recognize some meanings. She has had a very similar dream! She dreamt that she was on stage, ready to perform, but she didn't know the dance steps or the words. They asked her to do them, but she said that she couldn't...and wouldn't even try. She was frustrated because she didn't know what to do and couldn't meet the demands of those around her. As I listened to her dream, I was instantly able to connect that to her missionary work. She feels she doesn't know, so she says she can't and won't open her mouth. I know she has it in her, but she won't even try sometimes! I was then able to look at my dream. My dream I have had quite a few times and has been similar, with minor variations. I will be backstage, about to go on, when someone will inform me that I'm wearing the wrong costume, to go get my costume on, or that I'm in the production in the first place! I will rush around, trying to find my costume! Sometimes I can find it, sometimes I can't. Most times I don't even know what it is supposed to be! The time comes to go on stage...sometimes I'm handed lyrics to quickly read, sometimes I'm not! On stage, one of 3 things will occur. 1) I magically will know everything and give an "almost" flawless performance. 2) I will know nothing and try to find my way through, or 3) I will remember parts, and fumble through with either the help of those on stage with me or someone reading me my lines off stage. I distinctly remember one time in this dream acknowledging that I had had the dream before, and known what to do, but in that moment couldn't remember. WOW!!! What a perfect illustration of my missionary life!

Analysis:

Finding my costume, hurriedly reading the script and other preparation is my studies. It's my role playing and my meetings. When I'm out on stage, it's show time! I'm doing some proselyting, I'm teaching a lesson or I'm giving a training. When I rely on the Spirit (the voice off stage reading me my lines), my fellow missionaries and ward members (who are on stage with me) and my studies and experience, I will be more successful! I can look at my sweet companion and know, from my little experience so far as a missionary and in those dreams, that she needs to just open her mouth! WOW! Thank you Heavenly Father for this wonderful parable!

I'm so grateful for all that Heavenly Father gives us each day! It's the little things! The sun is shining, and the Son is always shining! Matthew 5:16!!!

Love,
Sister Van Valkenburg

Don't remember if I sent this...but we did blue face masks for the 4th of July! ...weren't that blue...but hey our faces are now...still about the same actually! Don't really get the concept..
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Only sent this one for Sister Kim's face...XD We were locked out of a member's house this morning while we waited for her to get ready for the day...

My adorable mother sent us missionaries! (Twinkies) How cute is she?!
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