Speaking in Church in Brugge

Truly one of my favorite places in Belgium is Brugge.  It is an old Roman town, build with the city inside a moat.  It even has draw bridges at strategic location around the city.  Of course, now the city extends way past the original moat, but to go into the old part of the city if just "fun".  It is the best place to buy Belgium Chocolate and Belgium Lace.

We had to opportunity on September 30, to speak in the Brugge Branch.  It is a close knit branch with about 25-30 members.  They have a most remarkable Branch President, President Westra.  We just put missionaries back in Brugge after about 4 years without missionary support.  So, during that 4 year period, President Westra did the missionary work.  Every Saturday he would ride his bike to a different part of the city, park it and go knocking doors.  He had a set of 5 questions that he asked the people, I know the first question was this:

1.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, why do you think we named our church that name?

I think that is a great question.  Well, in the 4 years without full time missionary support, President Westra taught 4 people and pass them off to the full time missionaries in the neighboring city to teach--they were all baptized.

When the full time missionaries returned in September, President Westra handed them 170 referrals.  Real referrals.  These were people that President Westra had taught one lesson and they had requested that missionaries return to teach them.  Those Elders are still working through that stack of 170 referrals.  

I would like you to meet President and Sister Plovier.  I have the utmost love and respect for his love and dedication to the Gospel and to Missionary work!

 President Robinson, Sister Plovier, President Plovier

Sister Robinson, Sister Plovier, President Plovier

When I grow up I want to be a missionary like President Plovier.  He really is remarkable.  We have remarkable people in our home Stake of Fillmore, Utah. I also know we have remarkable people in the four stakes that we work with in the Netherlands.  I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be influenced and lifted and inspired by such humble and faithful Latter Day Saints.