Well this weeks
has been amazing! We loved General Conference! I've learned so much this
past week from all of the apostles that I'm not going to have time to
write it all down (that and we showed up a little late to the internet
because I'm visiting areas today haha). Anyway today was super nice! We
went to La Union and visited all of my homies there! Everyone is doing
so great! There are two of my old investigators there that are getting
baptized so fingers crossed that I can get to go before I head out!
This
weeks has been filled with a lot of funny moments as well. For example,
we had intercambios and that night I spent with Hna. Macias, in the
middle of the night she woke up screaming, turned the fan off, and went
to bed. Little to say, didn't sleep at all that night. Then we found
this crazy huge catipillar (pics attached), and later contacted a lady
who DOES NOT believe in the resurecction. We didn't have too much time
to talk to her so we set up an appointment for the next week. You know
what her name is? RESURECCION hahaha! How ironic!
In
total this week has been so fun! I'm so grateful to be a missionary!
I've learned so much and am continuing to learn everyday.
LOVE YOU LOTS!
Your SISTA
Hermana Van Woerkom
FINAL LETTER AS HERMANA VAN WOERKOM!
Can't wait to have her home!!!
Hey everyone,
HERMANA VAN WOERKOM
It´s really
weird to think this will be the last email I will be writing you as a
missionary. I remember my first time opening this email up and getting
so excited to know that my call was assigned and on the way to the
house. Now 18 months have come and now I´m wrapping things up here in
the Dominican Republic. I don´t really know what to say in this last
email, I kinda feel pressured haha my last council before I come home,
hopefully it´s good haha.
For
starters the mission definitely wasn´t what I thought it was made out
to be. All I can really say is being in the mission the months are
short, the weeks are shorter, and the days are SOOOO LONG! Honestly
there are days you think the mission is never going to end, but I´ve
loved every second of it! I would have never had an opportunity like
this where I could have changed and grown so much, in such a short
amount of time. I´ve had a little of every thing.....difficult areas,
amazing wards, difficult branches, hard companions, great companions,
nice apartments, and apartments that I´ve had to share with the critters
of the DR. All of this has changed me and my outlook on life.
During
my first couple transfers in the mission it was a little hard. I had no
idea how to speak the language, I had two hands and two feet to use to
serve others, until I broke one of my feet, and then I just felt very
defeated. When we had interviews with President Douglas, I asked for a
blessing. In it he blessed me with the opportunities that would help me
learn and grow in the way to help me know who I am, and who I could
become. And gave me the counsel to listen to the Holy Ghost.
Looking
back I can definintely seen the fruits of following that counsel. One
quote that I´ve taken to heart says, ¨when we open up to the spirit we
learn God´s will, however, our resistance to the spirit diminishes our
progress¨. In order for God to changes us we have to be willing and
accepting of his counsel. I´ve learned that we gain nothing if we don´t
choose to change. We aren´t going to progress, we aren´t going to be
better, we are simply just hurting ourselves. BUT if we do make that
choice, God can change us from the ¨cottage¨we are to that ¨temple¨he
wants each of us to be. He does that through the Holy Ghost. I can
honestly say if you ask God how you can change he will definitely show
you your weak points and gives you those promptings through the Holy
Ghost. And boy have I found out that it works! The Holy Ghost doesn´t
beat around the bush and will tell you honestly and bluntly how you can
change haha! But the amazing thing is he works with us at our own speed
and if we choose to better ourselves we become so much more of what our
Heavenly Father wants us to be.
From
the beginning I honestly thought that the mission was to change the
lives of others, and it is, but I´ve come to realize that it´s changed
me. Of course it´s changed me physically, I´m more crusty haha, you can
see all my awkward tan lines, the bags under my eyes, the battle wounds
with the thorn bushes, and the scars from my blood doing services to
the mosquito. But what I now see and hopefully others will be able to
see as well is how much more I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior.
How much I´m striving to be a more devoted disciple.
Even
though the plack is coming off, I can´t and hope I will never go back
to the person I was before the mission. I wasn´t a terrible person, but I
wasn´t the person sometimes I could have or should have been. It´s
bitter sweet having to end my calling, but I´m looking forward to
continue demonstrating my love for my Savior and Heavenly Father through
my future callings. And definitely looking forward to coming back as a
senior missionary when I´m old and wrinkly!!
Again
I am so grateful for this opportunity I´ve had to see other´s through
Gods eye´s, to have been able to be an instrument in this great work,
and to have shared the truths that I now know without a doubt are true.
Love you all and see you.....well next week!
HERMANA VAN WOERKOM 
