Happy Sinterklaas!

Sinterklaas brought special treats for the Sister Missionaries

Okay, well, first things first - de Sint has come and gone and now Belgium is heading full speed into Christmas.  Until Sinterklaas is over, we don't focus on Christmas, but now it's Santa Claus' turn!  So very excited! In the centrum in Gent there is a huge Christmas markt and a Ferris Wheel! Gah!

So this week, I went on exchanges to Antwerpen and Lokeren; in Antwerpen, we had lunch with the cutest old Beligan/Irish couple (he's Belgian, she Irish) and I mentioned Waking Ned Devine and she almost flipped out.  Apparently, it's one of the sillier 80's Irish films...but she also loves Are you Being Served, Keeping up Appearances, and she doesn't like Fawlty Towers:)  Quite the busy week.  

Also, I biked for a good 2.5 hours (there and back) on a quite uncomfortable bike seat and I'm feeling the aftermath...it also might have something to do with the fact that we seldom ever bike here in Gent.

This week, I was able to read in Alma 32-33 and conversion. Alma and Amulek talk to the poor and cast out:
I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble.

And now, because ye are compelled to humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.

It is necessary for all of us to be humbled, to be brought down to a lowliness of heart that we may be able to see the wonders of our God.  If we choose so to do. We cannot be compelled to humility;; trials can humble us, to an extent, but until we make that conscious choice to humble ourselves and submit to God's will, "forced humility/repentance" can only get us so far and we loose out on so many other fulfilling and exalting blessings.

Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubborness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.  Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of surety;; then we shall believe.  Now I ask is this faith?  Behold, I say unto, Nay;

The scriptures talk about "bringing forth fruit meet for repentance".  I do believe that a broken heart and a contrite spirit achieve that, but how do we achieve a broken heart and a contrite spirit?  It's through charity-through exercising the pure love of Christ that we bring forth fruit meet for repentance     : "as we serve our fellow man (and God) in appropriate ways" we have a desire to change, to repent.

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed.  Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves-it must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Have a fabulous week and rejoice everyday because the Christmas gift is given to us each and every day. And it's our job to accept it:)
liefs, Zuster Dobler