Elder Groenveld & Turnhout Dist. Mt.

Elder Groenveld came to our mission from Den Helder on September 15th.  He was waiting for his visa.  He served in Genk and Utrecht.  He is now on his way to Provo.  He has been called to the Utah Salt Lake City East Mission. We enjoyed having him here for 4 months. 

This is the Turnhout district meeting.  Elder Van den Dungen Bille, Elder Ocampo, Elder Drenth, Elder Bishesar, Sister Caldwell, Sister Doxey, Sister Robbins, Elder  Henrichsen,, Elder Caldwell, and Elder Morrow.

Zone Trainings

January 17, 2016

Dear Missionaries,

We are so grateful to witness the remarkable progress our mission is making.  Last week you worked so hard and the results are evident in the increased number of people who have been brought closer to our Savior.  As a whole, you accomplished great things, including:

·         Increased numbers of investigators with baptism dates,

·         Doubled the number of investigators who attended sacrament meeting,

·         Raised the number of lessons taught with a member present by 45,

·         Found 21 more investigators than the previous week, and 

·         Taught more lessons with less-actives and new members than we have in one year! 

Thank you for bringing us one step closer to the goal of a Fifth Stake in this mission.  We are now only 29 baptisms away from the target set several years ago!

Outstanding Zone Training

Thanks to the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders and District Leaders, we enjoyed inspired instruction and training.  As we traveled through the mission, we saw different training in each zone.  The inspired direction you received is what was needed in your unique zone.  Please review your notes and apply the wisdom shared.

Missionary Training Broadcast 20 January, 2016 “TEACH REPENTANCE AND BAPTIZE CONVERTS”

As we approach the time of the historic worldwide missionary broadcast to be transmitted on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 18:00, you are reminded to thoroughly study the “Fundamentals from Preach My Gospel: Teaching More Effectively” lessons found on pages 16 – 23 of In-Field Training for New Missionaries: The First Twelve Weeks for New Missionaries and Trainers.  

Your Goals

Remember the three week rule?  Keep up any new activity for three weeks and you are on your way to develop a positive habit.  It’s been 17 days.  How are you doing with your goals?  If you have slipped a little, get back on board and make those goals become part of your life.  The saying “today is the first day of the rest of your life” is badly worn, but still true!  I invite you to ponder the quotes below.

·  "We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals that will lead to higher ground so that we can become what our Heavenly Father wants us to become." Elder Russell M. Ballard

·  You must avoid blindness of mind by setting goals. ... I have long contended that the person who sets goals and who strives to attain such is the master of his own fate." Elder Carlos E. Asay

·  "When it came to setting goals, my father had three rules. First, we had to have worthwhile goals. Second, we could change our goals at any time. But third, whatever goal we chose, we had to work diligently toward it." Elder Gene R. Cook

·  "Set short-term goals that you can reach. Set goals that are well balanced, not too many nor too few, and not too high nor too low. Write down your attainable goals, and work on them according to their importance. Pray for divine guidance in your goal setting." Elder M. Russell Ballard

·  "I believe in goals, but I believe that the individual should set his own. Goal setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way." President Spencer W. Kimball

·  "May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don’t compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

We love you, we are grateful for you, we love serving with you.

President and Sister Bunnell

 

Eindhoven Zone

Antwerpen Zone

Sisters Lemich, Dobler, Robbins, and Doxey

Sister and Elder Caldwell

Elder HIrsch and Sister Karlson

Apeldoorn Zone

Sister Hill, Sister Romig, Elder Romig, and Elder Hill cleaning up after lunch

Sister Begazo and Elder Hunter

Den Haag Zone

Elders Bonner, Bruneau, Steenblik, and Hirsch.

Sister Huber

Elders Andrew, Evans, Sisters Bush, Maughan, Elders Tolman and Cook.

Sister Bush, Elder Clukey, Sister Huber, Elders Mostoller, Hirsch, Bonner, and Muller.

Elder Foltz, Sister Begazo, Elders Hunter and Groesbeck

Amsterdam Zone

Elder Smith , Elder Heinricks, and a sweet member who cooked lunch for them.

Interviews

Every three months the President travels the mission and does interviews with all the missionaries. In his weekly letter he writes:
Dear Fellow Missionaries:
It's been a wonderful week.  It is always a joy to meet with you for interviews.  It's been exciting to review your goals with you.  In addition to staying safe, New Year's Eve you used your time to chart a course for your mission and lives that will be a blessing to you and many others. Please remember the three week phenomenon.  When you change behavior, it takes about three weeks to cement the changes in your minds and hearts.  You are half way there!Thank you!

Finally, we want to thank you for your work.  As we travel throughout the mission we see you diligently representing Jesus Christ and His Restored Gospel.  We think of you in your daily activities; kneeling by your beds, seeking answers and guidance; prayerfully planning to efficiently use your time to bless others; studying to understand and improve your teaching of the Gospel; providing service in so many forms; hitting the streets and knocking on doors to invite these good people to come to Christ; pushing your bicycles into the wind and rain to make an appointment; boldly speaking to people on buses and trains and teaching the precious doctrines of salvation.  We think about you in the cold, when you are being rejected, when you call that contact and the phone just rings, when you stand up in church to speak and teach, when you lie down at night, exhausted.  We feel so much gratitude for you.  Thank you for putting on your badge every day and pushing yourself to do things that are uncomfortable, frightening, and even monotonous.  Thank you for trying new ways to contact and teach.  And thank you for opening your mouths, for putting the adversary at bay.  I love the talk Elder Holland gave in General Priesthood meeting October 2011.  Many of you heard this!  And Sisters, you stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the ranks.   Please accept our gratitude for your courage and fortitude and resilience. 

We love you!

President and Sister Bunnell

Elder Thom, Elder Brunner, Elder Walker, and Elder Mancer

Elder Mancer and Elder Walker

Elder Mancer

Elder Geeraert

Goals

President Bunnell encouraged all the missionaries to set goals on New Years Eve. He said,"We are so pleased that you are making this a priority.  Did you know that maintaining a goal for three weeks increases the possibility that you will keep it for a year or longer?  Research shows that it takes about 3 weeks to create a change in our habits.  Be sure to review your goals daily and stay true to them for the next 2 1/2 weeks, you will then pass the 3 week mark and be on your way to permanent change in your life.  There is real power in setting and accomplishing our goals. Learn this, and your life will be blessed forever! Sister Bunnell and I have also set goals we will achieve this year. We wish you (and us) success in accomplishing our goals this year." He also encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon this year since we are studying it in Sunday School.

Mission Leader Counsel 8 Jan 2016

The first Mission Leader Counsel of the year 2016
Sisters Cowles, Hopkin, Lemich, Romney, Jones, Huber, Twiggs, Dobler, Jensen, Elder Smith, Sister Bunnell
Elders Heinricks, Bonner, DaSilva, Harrop, Wilson, Reese, Parr, Clukey,  Morrell, Steenblik, Lott, Hosea  and Hirsch.

The Belgium/Netherlands Mission Culture


Webster’s Dictionary defines culture as: “The set of shared attitudes, beliefs, values, goals and practices that characterizes a people, an institution or an organization, transmitted from generation to generation.” Friday, the Assistants, Zone Leaders and Sister Training leaders gathered for Mission Leadership Council. Together, we examined the current culture of our mission. We found many positive traits, and some we want to change. After much discussion, the Council formulated these statements that reflect the culture we seek to establish in this mission:


In our mission we:
...teach repentance and baptize converts.
...emulate Christ-like love by becoming a unified body of consecrated missionaries and recognizing how blessed we are to serve the people of Belgium and the Netherlands.
...know our love of God determines our priorities and directs our actions.
...are 100% accountable for 100% of our results 100% of the time, NO EXCUSES.


We invite you to ponder these statements. Let them guide your efforts as you move forward this year to serve our Master and bring others to Him.

New Years Senior Style

All the Senior couples met near Groningen to celebrate New Years.  We went to the monument where the first baptism in the Netherlands took place.  We had a short devotional and sang  a hymn.
Pres and Sister Bunnell, Jansens, Van der Put, Robison, Romig, Caldwell, Hill, and Sister Ardon.

The Caldwells, Romigs, Gouts, Bunnells, Van der Puts, Robisons, Hills, Sister Ardon and the Jansens.
We had a delicious brunch at the Gouts before we all drove back home.

New Years fireworks were crazy.  We had a great view from the Romigs apartment.  The day before we all went to a wooden shoe factory.  Here President and Sister Bunnell are sharing one set of shoes.

Departing Missionaries

Eight great missionaries going home.  They will all be missed.  They have done a great job serving the Lord.
Elder Abankie, Frederico, Bernier, Clement, Shelton, Lovin, Childs, Nye and Sisters Jarmillo and Fredrickson.

Elder Shelton, Lovin, Abankie, Childs, Clement, Nye, Bernier, Frederico, Sisters Fredrickson and Jarmillo
 going home just in time for Christmas.