February 11, 2013 - Utrecht, Nederland

Hello family!

How are you all doing on this fine, yet cold day? (I think its colder
with you guys) Its around C0 degrees right now so thats i think F32
degrees? So its a little different.

Everything has been great! The work is super hard right now, cold and
a lot of moving around and trying to help non members and stuff like
that. So far we arent seeing much success but this is probably my last
week in Utrecht so I want to leave saying I did my best. Transfer
calls are this coming Sunday and transfers are the wednesday after
that so its coming soon. Mail takes about 5 days to get back and forth
so I should get the mail Mom, thanks :) (is a smiley face bad to do as
a missionary? I'm not sure)

So as far as investigators go we basically decided to start over. None
of our investigators were really going further so we unoficially
dropped them and are basically doing a week of finding. Its going to
be crazy!

So things have been going well, Elder Shoemaker and I are getting
along pretty well, there are a couple of things that he does that bugs
me like he leaves the fridge door open all the time, but besides that
he is an awesome missionary and I am learining a lot from him. By the
way Em, if his cousin is Maddy (I think that's her name) tell her hi
for me, but he has a few cousins that go to Bingham so it might be a
different one.

As for the language, its coming a long slowly but surely. I know that
I am getting better but sometimes I don't really see it happening and
that's when it gets hard.

So as for my spiritual thought this week, I have made a great
disscovery this past week, sadly it took me this long to figure it
out. But I have always thought the way to learn about Christ is to
read his teachings and everything, But how much can you learn from
just staring at a book!? As amazing as The Bibel and Book of Mormon
are, they're only books! Words on a page, and they can only give you
so much knowledge. However God expects us to become more, constantly,
to grow and become better. How do we grow from just reading a book? I
have discovered that the true knowledge and understanding comes from
the application of the words from those books. As we allow the things
we read to change our lives, then do we truly gain knowledge and we
can truly understand our Savior. What makes the Book of Mormon so
powerful? Its ability to give people the desire to change their lives.
I know the power of those books and I know that it comes from God, but
if we have a spiritual feeling and we don't change because of it then
is it worth anything? The spirit turns us towards God and guides us,
but if we don't take a step forward then we are just standing still,
even if we are looking directly at the entrance of the kingdom of God,
Its our choice to make the step and enter.

I love this gospel, In a week and a half I will have been out for six
months and I am realixing how short my time is, how short all of our
time is. I pray that all of you will make the steps that are needed to
move in the direction of God. I love you all, I miss you and pray for
you. Stay strong, and let the spirit guide you.

Love Kevin

February 4, 2013 - Utrecht, Nederland

Dear Family!

 

So this week was a little wacko and I'll tell you why in a minute but 1st....

 

WWOOOOOOO!!!!!! GO JESSIE!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY!!!!! and CONGRATS LIZ!!!!!

 

Ok now that that's out of the way....

 

By the way did you notice that you will be in the same mission as Ammon? That could be interesting.

 

So back to how my week was crazy, I 1st had to go to Belgium to finalise my legality stuff and that took the entire day and was kinda a pain in the butt, but it wasn't too bad.

 

2nd, I had a really cool experience, Elder Shoemaker and I were teaching an inactive couple and we both had the impression that we needed to teach them about temples, and I had a really strong feeling that that was right, I was way powerful, but right as I was going to bring it up, Debby had to leave and we knew we needed to teach them together so we waited and have been planning a really good lesson on temples. And to add to it, everytime I think of temples since then I get the strong urge to go to the temple, I want to go so badly right now but we only go once a year in april so at least its coming up. I can't wait!!

 

As for my spiritual thought, this week was supposed to be on the atonement but because we had so much stuff going on I hardly had a normal day of study and the atonement isn't something I want to rush through so I'm doing it again this week. However, last night I was able to watch the Testiments, and at the very end I was bawling of course but ever since I've come on my mission its been so much stronger. I want you guys to know that I know that Christ lives and he knows all of us personaly. I want to live my life in a way that when I leave this life He will be waiting for me to hug me and say "You did great, Kevin! Welcome home!"

 

I love you all, I love our Savior and I know that he loves us and is mindful of us. Stay safe and stay strong.

 

Love,

Kevin

January 28, 2013 - Utrecht, Nederland

My Dear Amazing Family,

 

How are you all? I hope everyone is doing well! The wedding is this weekend? or next weekend? I'm sure you told me what day it is, time just flies so quick that you kinda lose track of everything. Its already been a month since I skyped and will only be a few more before I can again. Sorry I forgot to answer your qhestion Liz about the anouncment, so don't worry about sending me one because its so expensive for postage, but make sure someone films it well so that I can watch it and talk all about it when I get home!! congradulations! (did I spell that wrong?) Probably. And Jess! Are you like ready to pass out yet? If not then it will come soon. I'm super excited to hear where you're going!!

 

So as for things here, Its starting to warm up, today is about 7 degrees for a high which is around 45 or so in ferenhite (or however you spell that) so things are looking good, we're still going through the list of inactive memebers and have discovered that many still love the church and love the gospel but they don't feel comfortable or safe in this ward. It is a very rough situation to deal with. Part of me feels excited that transfers are a week sooner this week so that I can leave and let a more experienced missionary help this ward. I'm doing my best but this ward needs someone who already knows how to do missionary work not one that's still learning. Like i said, rough situation.

 

So I've decided that I'm going to try and leave you guys with a spiritual thought each week, maybe that can help a little through the hard times. So these past few weeks i've been studying the first two chapters in the Gospel Principals book and I have come accross some cool things first off, Many people do not understand God, and even more so do not understand our relationship with him. Elder Holland talks about that many people feel comfortable with the thought of and embrace with Jesus, but feel it a strange thought to be in the arms of God. Why? He is our Father and we are his children. Joseph Smith taught (not direct quote) As we come to understand God, We learn how we are to approch him. That's kind of how I felt with Dad for a long time, Mom we could go hug and hold, but Dad? No that was a little strang. But as I have prepared and begun my mission I have come to know Dad more closely and now I love him more than ever! I feel the same with my Father in heaven, as I have studied about him and learned his attributes, I am able to love him more deeply and I feel like I have come closer to him. So I chalenge you to try and find a little time to learn about the attributes of our Father in heaven and see if you can come closer to him. I give my testimony that He is our father and that He loves all of us and I know he loves our family, He knows how strong we can become if we work together!

 

I know the gospel is true! I love you all and wish you a fantastic week! Doubt not, Fear not. For the Lord is with you.

 

Love, Elder Suckow

January 21, 2013 - Utrecht, Nederland

Hey guys! Hows everybody doing? Hows school and other stuff like that?

 

Everything is going great here, its snowy and cold, but work goes on. Nothing happened with Irene, the person she is living with got upset with her when they found out she invited us so she had to cancel, but she's still open so maybe we can meet somewhere else some time.

 

So Elder Shoemaker is awesome, Its kinda weird having a companion that's shorter than me but its not too bad. He's been out almost 18 months and so he knows a lot and I'm really excited to see what I can learn from him. We discovered the other day that the ward here in utrecht has over 200 memebers, but only about 40 of them are active, so we are going to spend a lot of time this transfer re-activating inactive members. I'm really excited. This will probably my last transfer in Utrecht so I'm going to do my best to leave it much better than when I found it.

 

I think that's about it for now, oh yes, I tried something last night, during my prayers I thanked God for the snow and the cold because it lets us see another part of his creations. And it really makes misreble and cold days seem maybe a little better. Try to see the work of God in all things (Alma 30:44). Everyone try it and tell me how it goes.

 

I almost started crying during church yesterday because we sang ''Hope of Isreal'' or in other words ''Hoop van Isreal''. I've always loved that song but the translation is a little different in Dutch and I've never really thought about the words till yesterday and it really hit me hard. The whole song is great but I really like the last line, it says: ''Weet dat God verwinnars maakt.'' Translation: Know that God is making winners.

 

Ok I love you all! Stay safe! Stay strong!

 

Love, Kevin

 

PS I also had a dream last night of being back home and playing with Brenna and two other little babies. SUPER EXCITED!!

January 14, 2013 - Utrecht, Nederland

Hey everyone!

 

Hows life and other junk like that? Good? Fun? Good becasue I don't have a lot of time.

 

This week has been one of the best and worst weeks so far, One day I worked really hard getting turned down left and right, working hard and late and nothing but then just as we were about to go home we found a really possitive girl and I was super excited but then two days later she dropped us and it made me so upset that I didn't know how I could work that day, I was frustrated and I'll be honest I cried a bit, but then I prayed and the Lord gave me strenght to keep going and then a few days later we found a nother lady who is even more possitive so I'll be praying really hard for her, Her name is Irene. And also Its TRANSFER WEEK!!!! AAHHH!!! I get a new companion, Elder Armstrong will be going down to ST Nicolas and I will be staying in Utrecht with Elder Shoemaker, I don't really know who he is so I'll tell you about him next week, its a big change and It will be crazy but I'm excited.

 

K I need to go, we're a little rushed today so I don't have quite as much time so I'll try and have more time next week, K I love you all!!!!

 

Love,

Elder Suckow

January 7, 2013

Hey everyone!

How are you all on this fine day? How is everyone enjoying school?

I hope you're doing awesome becasue I just had the greatest week so far on my mission! So tuesday after I worte you all I had a great district meeting that I learned a lot from, I don't remember the exact subjuect but it was about finding and stuff like that so it was really good, then right after that I went on exchanges with the zone leaders, it was actually a blitz where they both came and worked with us in utrecht and we didn't have any appointments so the whole day was just finding. At first I was worried (thus the letter last week) I thought it was going to be hard so I didn't want to do it, but I just sucked it up and worked as hard as I could, and it was actually really nice, I also didn't see any success however, Elder Armstrong and the zone leader he was with had an awesome day so wether or not I personaly saw success or not I knew it was a blessing. Then wednesday was a day of work too, not quite as crazy but we worked hard. then Thursday we went out on a blitz exchange with the assisstants to the pressident (They must think we need some help or something) but it was another day of crazy finding, and once again I didn't see any success!! However I have seen a pattern in exchanges, one companionship does really bad, the other does really well!! so when I showed up that night, we had a new investigator, like five more potentials, and three appointments lined up in a row for sunday. Its deffinatly the most success i've seen in a long time and I'm much happier now!

I also started a study program, there are 47 chapters in the gospel principals book so I'm going to take them a week at a time and spend a week on each chapter and study it as deep as I can. I'm really excited!!

So everything else is goed here, the weather is always cloudy, and wet, not rainy just wet. Its kinda weird. Also transfers are next week and chances are that Elder Armstrong will move to a new location, and I will stay here and get a new companion. By the time I write next week we should know whats going on so I'll let you know.

I was going to send you a picture today but I couldn't find the card reader so I'll find it then next week I'll send one. OK I thnk thats it Family, Oh yeah I hope you guys are happy becasue I get to brag about how awesome (and huge) my family is to everyone that brings up the subject about the size of our families. So be happy and know that I love you and the Lord loves you too!! Good luck with life, John don't mess up this interview!

I love you all!!

Elder Suckow

January 1, 2013 - Utrecht, Nederland

I didn't have any time to write yesterday because we were finishing up with the old appartment and getting it ready to sell, then we had to be home by 4 o'clock because of how crazy it can get with the fireworks here, Dutch people do New Years by everyone buying a whole bunch of fireworks, and big fireworks at that, then they light them up randomly, then they all get drunk, more fireworks, then drinking and fireworks together, and then at midnight they all light off whatever fireworks they have left, If anyone is able to sleep through the fireworks I would be amazed! So I'm like super tired, but it will be ok.

 

So I'll be honest, things have been pretty hard these past few weeks, so much has been going on that we havent had time to do much tracting or anything, my testimony that finding works has not come yet, so that makes it even harder because now that everything is over, all our time goes back to finding because we only have two investigators and they are both very busy so meeting with them isn't very often.

 

I know this is where I'm supposed to be, but its just been so hard, and I'm only 4 months in! I'm not saying that I'm giving up or even thinking about leaving, but if anyone has any advice please let me know.

 

I love you all and I'm thankful for your support.

 

Love, Kevin