Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello everyone,

This week has been great! We have been trying to work hard on trying to talk to 20 people a day!  We did something that I did in my other area, which is to talk to 10 people before you are allowed to have any lunch. We talked to 90 people where as the other weeks it was about 18 people a week. Because of this we have seen direct blessings and we have been able to meet with a few people that we have been trying to teach for over 2 months now! 

This is how it should be done -----

We have also been trying to get a hold of a young man for a long time. We normally just talk to the dad who is a member, but his son who isn't a member yet has always been gone. But this week he was there! He went straight on the x-box and that was difficult to stay focused. (Missionaries are not allowed to watch TV or such things) We then set some expectations and the son wants to be a member! He just doesn't like the water! :-) We then set up a return appointment! 

What makes one cold! RAIN! We were on our bikes this week and it was raining a lot! It was fun, we would walk in the rain with our umbrellas and then we also tried to cycle in it. I didn't take my jacket one day and thought that it was going to clear up, but it was a not so! It kept raining and it got worse hehe. We were just happy that it wasn't freezing.

...not like this - drowned rats!

On Sunday we were cycling to dinner, and we were on the pedestrian path.  As we were waiting a member said "Hello Elders" we saw that she had a friend and told her to ask Tammy more about the church. We followed up later that day and she said that they has just been talking about missionary work at dinner! We told her that it is a sign! :-) 

I know this church is true! I know that God watches over all of us and that he knows each of our situations fully. I love this Gospel! Obedience brings blessings, look at the things that have happened this week for us here. It can happen for you too. 

I hope that you will all have a great week!

Love you all! 

Elder Bednar commemoration of 50th year of temple!

Hello, 

This week went by so fast! We had so many things happen this week! I would like to share a few things with you today :-)

We had the privilege of going to the Oakland temple on Tuesday and that was so cool! Going to the temple is the best feeling ever! We also went to the Visitor Center while we were on exchanges which was amazing as we only get to go with investigators or recent converts. I love seeing the Joseph Smith movie as it is always a testimony builder! 

Our District at the Temple

We went on exchanges (also known as splits) this week. Elder Parker and I went to Union City where we were able to learn from each other. I am not sure why but it was just fun! 

On Exchanges with Elder Parker

In the ward we are serving in, Hayward 1st ward, we have a dinner with members every night! I should be a lot fatter! But it must be the biking that keeps us in shape! We had two dinners on one day because at the second dinner we shared a message about the Plan of Happiness with Liz who is a non member. It was a good short message and we will continue to teach her more about God's plan for us. 

We are also teaching a few other people. Their lessons are going well and I love teaching. There is such peace when we preach the gospel and teach it. This week we are trying to find more investigators. Well that is what all missionaries try to do each week, not sure why I put that down haha. 

Elder Bednar came! He is an Apostle of the Lord! We went to one specifically for missionaries. In this we were asked to study three of his talks. At the fireside he asked us what we learned and then he asked us follow up questions. Later he asked us what we learned from this pattern he was using in teaching us. It was super good and I learned a ton! I reviewed my notes this morning... but I forgot what I want to share. There was also another fireside by Elder Bednar for the public on Sunday evening!

At Elder Bednar's Fireside

The fireside on Sunday evening was about the 50th year of the temple! Some of our investigators came to it! Elder Bednar remembers (since he grew up here) as a 12 year old boy that he was sitting in the same room where he was speaking that he saw the dedication of the temple done by President David O McKay. It was a miracle that he was able to get up and speak! He was very ill as he had had a stroke not too long before and was unable to speak much. However when he got up to the pulpit to dedicate the temple he talked as if he was 20 years younger. When he finished, he went back to looking as an old frail man. We were all able to feel the spirit. 

At the end the sisters talked to us about a girl who they were teaching. As the sisters talked about this girl we all decided to go and visit her. Even though we left the fireside at different times and went and did other things before we went to visit her it was all perfect timing! We had never been to the student housing where the girl who we were going to visit lived, so we were lost! Luckily some people on a double date were near the road so we asked them where the housing was. They gave us directions :-) As we were finding parking the sisters shouted "Elders!" phew! We asked them to wait because we had no idea where to go still! As we walked inside the student housing dorms, someone told us that we needed someone from the same room to sign us in. A miracle happened as one of the girls behind us waiting for the lift just said that she could sign us in as she was on of the girls room mates! It was all perfect timing! We visited them and  it was weird to be in the girls dorms as a missionary! 

My Bedding Rolled up like a Burrito

Thank you all for sending me letters and emails. They are good, just as proverbs says, "As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." I know sometimes I don't always reply a lot. My year mark is coming up in a few months and I am going to do a special edition with just a few stats on there of my mission. 

I know that this is God's work. We see miracles each day because the Lord is Hastning His work. I know God loves us all. I see it each day! 

I love you all! 

Elder Kloosterboer

Keeping Productive

bow wow

Hello Everyone! 

Hope that you have all had a good week! 

The week here in the mission field has been a good week. A lot of our appointments have fallen through a lot but we have been blessed to be able to know the area well enough to think of other things to do. 

When we email

It has been a pretty normal week for us. We have been trying to talk with everyone more, but today in our District meeting we were reminded that we have committed ourselves to talk to 10 people each a day. Our promise is that we will baptize twice the people that we would otherwise. How are investigators supposed to keep their commitments if we aren't keeping our commitments? Even if they are different. There is no moral authority without that. 

What are a few miracles that happened this week to us? As we were walking away from El Pollo Loco (A fast food restaurant - I call Crazy Chicken) we were walking across the zebra crossing (cross walk) when someone shouted our names out of the stacked traffic at the red light right next to us. It was the first car with three women in it. We walked up to their passenger window and the driver asked, "Do you have a Book of Mormon?" hehe yep! As my companion was looking for the book in his bag, another women in the car next to us said hello to the person asking for the Book of Mormon! Then the driver asking for the book said that she had been challenged to read it in 180 days by a family member! I am positive that her life will change if she heeds its message. I know it will. 

Helping with a random move

Who are our investigators that we taught? One of our investigators, Arthur, just got a job which has made it more difficult to find a time to teach. But when we went over this week were greeted by his dogs :-) He is trying to figure out what the differences are right now. Another family we are teaching is the Alverado family. The wife and 2 daughters have been baptized already but the dad, Hugo, is learning with us. Notice that I said, learning WITH us. On my mission I have learned that the spirit also teaches the teachers because that is His role. Everything in missionary work is dependent on the Spirit of God. Without it, there is no point in doing teaching. The spirit is the one who testifies to us of truth, but how can we know it is the spirit? I invite you to read these two verses in the Doctrine and Covenants. 

Elder Schaeffer

Is the spirit real? Test it out. This week with a family we dedicated their home to be a safe refuge from the world. The spirit was strong. We left and later that day the grandmother came. As soon as she walked in to the home she felt the difference that there is peace, warmth, light in the home. She is not a member. The spirit is real.

I know this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ that has been restored to this earth again. How can you know? Take up the promise in Moroni. It is logical. It makes sense. The spirit will testify if you put in the right ingredients that it mentions. 

woof woof

I am loving my mission. As I have seen sister Fitu go home I have reflected upon my mission and where I would like to be at the end of my mission. I know this is my only time when I am working FULL time to share the Gospel with the people of California. Even though there are many difficulties it is well worth every ounce of my time! 

- The best way to learn is to act. 

I love you all! Have a great week.  This week we will get the car. We will also be at a few firesides where Elder Bednar will talk. 

love Elder Kloosterboer

Onward

Our District

​Hello,

We got transfer calls late Saturday night and both Elder Nelson and I are staying. However the sisters in our ward are both leaving. Sister Fitu is going home and sister T. is going to be serving in a Tongan ward (in the same building!) ​

Here are a few things that have happened this week. On Monday it was Elder Nelson's Birthday, and there was a zone activity where we carved pumpkins. I had a tiny baby pumpkin compared to everyone else (I thought it would be less work, it seemed like it was more work though haha).

Elder Nelson with a Pumpkin

We went on exchanges. I went to Hayward 2nd area where we had a fun day. We met lots of people and just had a fun time teaching in unity. 

Happy Halloween! We were in by 5 and then started to deep clean the apartment. (Missionaries are always working!) We spent about 3 hours cleaning and it looks so much better! 

We also went to a baptism on Saturday where the spirit is always present. I gave a talk on the spirit and I spent too long preparing it, next time I think I am going to wing it ;-) hehe. 

Me on the Phone While Elder Nelson was Playing the Piano

We also had a few parties this weekend! On Saturday a few hours after the baptism we had a trunk or treat! It was pretty fun! There was a haunted house but we just missed it :-( haha. On Sunday evening, we went to our ward mission leaders home where a lot of people came. There was a pig cooked and then we wished sister Fitu good luck back home. 

I love being a member of Jesus's church here on earth. I know that the proper priesthood authority has been restored to this earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. It is by this authority that I was commanded to have the spirit with me at all times so long as stay worthy. I know this is true. 

Model of the Salt Lake Temple

I also wanted to share the power of music. When we are faced with adversity we can sing a song that invites the spirit. I know this is a protection.  I love what God has said about music. "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

The Sisters and Recent Converts

Hope you will all have a great week! 

Love Elder Kloosterboer