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Another week of baptisms. This week we were able to baptize Dante, a young man from a part member family. The baptism was very quiet, reverent, and supportive. Many of the youth in the ward came. He was found two weeks ago and had been to church many times in the past. He really wanted to be baptized and become involved in the Youth Groups. Since I've been here we have added 5 young men to the youth program. The ward LOVES having all young men pass the sacrament again. It's really enjoyable seeing the ward grow and the fruits of our labors becoming more and more apparent. I have learned that in order to become successful in an area you have to continue to practice humility and rely on the Lord.

The next baptism was Anthony Vanhorn, who I taught 15 months ago in the Jovita Creek ward. He couldn't get baptized until he was 18 and I was able to be here when he made that turning point. His baptism was the most powerful and emotional service I have ever been too. The room was PACKED with 60+ people and everyone was so anxious and excited to finally see Anthony be baptized. He has been waiting so long and often said, "I can't wait to be baptized!.. 48 more days, 22 more days, 76 hours, 4 1/2 hours!!" My favorite line was, "I can't wait to wear that badge on my chest." As he stepped into the font with his best friend Jordan Grisham, you could see the realization in his face that he was actually here, making this step he has waited so long for. Everyone in the room was silently sobbing and you could feel the strongest presence in the room. Bishop Bennion from the Jovita Creek Ward is going to be a huge blessing to Anthony. This ward is going to be blessed because of this one person. He has already been asked to speak at Stake Conference and was ordained to the priesthood. Next week he will have the privilege of blessing the sacrament. I love seeing the conversion in people's eyes and the sacrifices others make to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He had no family support at his baptism.

I often reflect back on my opportunities and the childhood I had. I am so excited I made this decision to come on a mission. I understand so clearly why we areencouraged so strongly to serve. This is a life changing circumstance and my entire perspective of what matters most has changed dramatically. You begin to see things for what they really are, and treasure the important things in life. Thank you everyone for being supportive on my decision to serve a full-time mission.

Love,

Elder Bottema

Miracle

First off, God must have put Elder Bunton and I together for a very specific reason in order to serve as the Assistants for 3 transfers together. As of 30 min ago we changed our transfer scenario to keep Elder Bunton and I together to continue serving as the Assistants in the Federal Way Ward in the Seattle Washington Mission. This hasn't happened since this mission split in 2001. 25% of our mission will be serving together. One transfer in Seattle North and three in Federal Way. We are learning so much about decision making, church administration, and ministering. It is so stressful, hard, and complicated and there's no way to understand the calling we have unless you have experienced it yourself; but it is all worth it!

I have the greatest spiritual revelation come to me, many times in the night and I have begun to experience dreams. I am now keeping a sleep pad (Dream journal) by my bed. I feel so worthy right now and the cleanest I've felt. I have overcome temptations that burdened me in the past, I have developed a true and sincere desire to bring others into God's family. I love it all. It's hard... but completely worth it.

Here is our miracle of the week:

We had two people on-date for baptism this weekend, Katy and Nene, both Mashallese individuals. On Wednesday they fell off date and couldn't meet their goal. We were devastated and talked it over in our companionship studies and our long drives to Bellevue trying to figure out who we could baptize this weekend. We then went and visited another family who are pleasant to the missionaries but have little desire to change or become members. However, they had a child who could be baptized this weekend and they admire the church primary program.

So on Thursday, April 14, 2011 we started planning for this baptism on Saturday at 4:00pm. Everything was going as planned, the members were supportive, on board, and we taught the remainder of the lessons so he could pass his baptismal interview. So we come to find out 10 min before the baptism that our child is not 8, he is 7. He turns 8 in June! The service is set to go, the font filled, our district there with all their investigators... and no baptism. We were devastated, felt embarrassed, and didn't know what to do.

After cleaning up the service and looking at our plans for the rest of the evening we went to Tine and Tiah's home, our recent converts who were baptized in March. After teaching one of their family members Kalani, who will be baptized on April 30th, Tine asked us a question. "How soon can you plan baptismal services?" We explained to her that we could plan them immediately. She went on to explain that a mother and son just moved from the capital of the Marshall islands. The son has taken all the missionary lessons and wants to be baptized. We met the son who was 15 (but looks like he's 12) and asked him, "Would you like to be baptized tomorrow at 7:00pm? He said yes and that he was really excited. He speaks very limited English but loves the church and the gospel. What a miracle. We found him at 7:46pm and baptized him at 7:00pm the next day. A 22 hour find, teach, and baptize opportunity. I love this work!
My companion had prayed for a humbling experience that day and boy did we have one, but it lead us to do as Nephi did in 1 Nephi 3. He knew not what he was supposed to do to acquire the plates of brass and after his plan fell through, he followed the direction of the spirit and was able to obtain that which was required of him. We had the same experience. Nikko was our miracle and he expressed the same message to us that we were his miracle.

This work is so rewarding, challenging, and progressive. I feel ready and in charge to do something more and something better. I am so grateful for my companion, my Mission President, his wife, Sister Larkin, and the Lord. We have countless blessings in our lives and if we are struggling to see them, look around and evaluate what you do have and the experiences that have led you to progress. I love this being a missionary! "Wake up and do something more!"

Love,

Elder Bottema

Short Entry

Due to the tragedies in Japan I have the wonderful opportunity to make an Emergency Action Plan. woo. This is very time consuming and needs to be send to Elder Clayton A.S.A.P so I will be doing that for the next two hours. I need to also print off maps for each missionary apartment to a safe haven location (Church building). Thank you Google Maps.

As a recap for this week we put 7 more people on-date for baptism, all in April! =) We had two miracles fall out of heaven and we will be teaching another Marshallese family. I love the Marshallese culture. Everyone we are teaching is Marshallese except for one who is African American. I've determined that Americans are spoiled and have fallen into the celebrity lifestyle of selfishness. These other cultures have two things most Americans often lack - charity & time.

I love you all and thank you for the support. I greatly enjoyed General Conference this week. I guess I'll be getting married sooner than I thought. HAHA - BYU here I come! I am using it for exactly what the stereotype is.

Elder Bottema

Week of Miracles, Faith & Hope

Belen Baker, Tine Attari, Tiah Attari

Tine and Tiah were found through our recent converts and are so spiritually prepared. They actually took all the lessons in Portland, moved to Seattle and didn't know where the church was so never came. When we originally talked to Tine and Tiah and set their baptismal dates for April 9th they said they just wanted a refresh of the lessons and then they'd be baptized. When we had a lesson with them Thursday evening around 7:00 pm they were so receptive to our message. We were teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (lesson 3 in Preach My Gospel) Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Ghost, Enduring to the End. When we were talking about baptism we asked, "Are you still working toward your goal of April 9th? They looked at us and said, "is it too late to be baptized this weekend with Belen Baker? We were talking about it earlier and we thought, what are we waiting for?"

Belen Baker was contacted the end of February or beginning of March. She was a self referral through Mormon.org. She went to Church In Mexico with a friend 20 years ago and still remembered to this day the feeling of being part of a family. Her date was also originally set for April 9th and she asked to be baptized sooner. She said, "I love this church and I want to be in it forever! I love my family! I want to serve and hold babies and make Mexican food for everyone... and i make my food by scratch!"

These three individuals have been huge testimony builders for me. I gave the most heartfelt prayer of gratitude to God and have made promises with him to do better in my personal life. I want to develop a greater relationship through prayer with him and overcome my final temptations of Pride and patience.

This will give me a greater Hope and a greater faith in Jesus Christ. I have felt so many powerful emotions this week, good and bad, but when the Lord takes something away from you, its because he wants to give you something better. Not only am I growing and changing my life forever, I am on a perfect unification with my companion accomplishing great things. Although we had a couple bad weeks in a transfer we are the best of missionaries. It'll be hard to see him go at the end of this transfer. His time as an assistant is up and he will be called to labor somewhere else for the last six months of his mission. I still have two transfers left of this assignment and I am honestly not looking forward of doing it without the help of Elder Bunton. However, I will be learning something new and more challenging... I just know it. I dislike those growing opportunities but it's the only way we come closer to God and strengthen ourselves in eternal progression.

I am in my mind frame of I never want to go home but I can't wait for summer and being released. Ha Ha. I am having too many great experiences out here as a missionary and it seems to be going by faster and faster. Everyday I keep telling my self and more so today, "Elder Bottema, enjoy this moment, because ever too quickly it'll be gone." I've said that to myself over and over because I am trying to enjoy every moment and not miss a single event or opportunity. I love my mission, I love Seattle, and most of all I love God. God be with you till we meet again.

Love,

Elder Bottema

Week of Miracles

This week (I'll just start with the meat because its more fun to talk about) we had a wonderful woman who was a self referral come to church the last couple of weeks. She entered in her information on mormon.org and asked for missionaries. She was on-date for baptism for the 9th of April but is now being baptized on the 26th of this month! She and the ward wanted her to be baptized sooner because she is so amazing. So this week we will be having a very long lesson teaching all the lessons (basically) and then having her interview, then baptizing her! She is from Mexico and is an outstanding person. She called us on the phone this morning telling us she wanted to be in this church forever and she wants to serve and love others. She walked up to the Relief Society President and asked for assignments and who needed help in the ward. She will be a blessing and asset to this ward. Oh how I love Federal Way.

We also found many more Marshallese people and have dug in our heels a little deeper with that community. Today we conferred the Aaronic priesthood to a couple of our recent converts and some who were baptized a few years earlier. It was the first time doing it for me and I did a 100% perfect job. I remembered all the key phrases and everything. It's not like it's all that hard. There are only five steps but I feel more comfortable doing anything in the church now. I don't get nervous about anything really. I've been called on enough times in sacrament meeting now, prayers, blessing, confirming, etc etc. Especially calling all those around me to be baptized. Ha Ha! Oh missionary work. No wonder the world thinks we are crazy Mormons.

This week we will be going on split exchanges with the Bellevue zones and Renton zones. I'll be going to Bellevue and the zone leaders are Spanish speaking so I'll be practicing my gift of tongues in this exchange. I'm in Bellevue all the time anyway so its nothing special. I do love this city though. So clean and neat and organized. I love it! Way to rich for me! Maybe one day.

I love the miracles that have happened this week and the things I've been witnessing and learning as a missionary. I had my first 'vision' this week when I was sleeping. I had a dream so clear come to me and my testimony of the Church has grown more. I feel so strong and steadfast. I feel like nothing can stop me in my tracks and I am so greatful for the confidence I have. I love this work and I love being a missionary. Stay safe and strong!

Love,

Elder Bottema

Depatures/Arrivals

What an amazing and busy transfer it was. We had 5 baptisms, changes to the mission rules, zone conference, leadership training, disobedience problems, 2 zone leader councils and lots of driving. I still don't know how we accomplished all of that. This transfer is already on such a great start since the disobedience has pretty much dissolved and is unpopular in our mission now. We are able to focus much more on our area because this transfer is interviews instead of Zone conference which is much less stressful. Elder Bunton and I are now in our third transfer together but it was split up. One in Seattle North and two in Federal Way.

This transfer was also much better because we were able to get all the departing missionaries to the airport and greet the new missionaries whose airplane arrived on time. We have a great group and our compliment on missionaries rose so we now have 101 companionship's in our mission and this is not including senior couples. We were able to split a couple more areas and our ward now has two sets of missionaries. Elder Bunton and I and the sisters. Sister Furugen from Japan (who served on UW with me) and sister Mohammad from Utah (whose dad is Muslim and from Pakistan). Her dad was never a member but her mom is and she is here serving a valiant mission. Good luck doing family history!

Our ward is loving the attention of two sets of missionaries and especially that one of the companionship's is sisters. The Federal Way ward is great. They just get it when it comes to missionary work. That is why this ward is so blessed and runs so smoothly because missionary work is the number one priority. We continued to put people on-date for baptism this week and find new investigators.

I love seeing the work unfold here. Most of our baptisms are coming from the Marshallese culture and there are many families here. I think one of the reasons they are so interested in the gospel is because families are so important to their culture and since the church is so strongly for families that rings true to them and attracts them to learn more. Basically, once one family gets baptized, they all get baptized because they bring everyone to church. If we help with the process then it gets accomplished.

This upcoming week is new missionary orientation and it's going to be a lot of fun because this is such a good group. Thank you for all the help and support. I've come to accept that I will no longer be getting any more letters and packages. I've noticed the longer you are out on your mission, the less the letters come. ;) Stay warm, safe.... and DRY!

Love,

Elder Bottema

Zone Conference Week

Wow. This week is something that describes being hit by a train. It sure does wear you out going all over the mission presenting training after training. It sure didn't run smoothly either. The first day of zone conference I left my training material up in Bellevue and a video presentation on the laptop was deleted because the computer froze as we were setting it up. So the first two zones didn't get to see the video and the pictures from my presentation. The second day of zone conference was with three zone and we had to cancel two hours of conference because the fire alarm went off and we had to leave the building. They were doing a small construction job at the Maple Valley Stake Center installing tile in the hallways. The thin set dust triggered the fire alarm. It was soooo annoying.

The third day of conference was moved to the upcoming Monday (tomorrow) because of a snow storm in Seattle. It broke a new record considering how late in the year it is to snow. Especially because Seattle doesn't usually get cold enough for snow. It's been a strange year of weather in Seattle. Then on Friday we had the usual conference which was the most normal. I was conducting and made so many mistakes it was unreal but now I'm more prepared for Monday's zone conference. Thursday is transfer board council where we decide what happens for transfers, Friday is zone leader council, and Saturday from 6-11 p.m is announcement for transfers and calls. So the only full days we have to do normal missionary work is Wednesday and partly Saturday.

Our baptism this week was great. The last of a family member to be baptized. Now the entire family are members. They have some non-member cousins that live in the same household that we are going to commit to baptism in March. I can't believe I've already had four baptisms here and we have another four coming up in March. It seems the more my mission goes by the more people I help come into the waters of baptism. It's partially because of my companion and all the help he is and everything that the ward does. I've been very blessed recently.

Our mission continues to do great things. We have put 50 people on-date for baptism again this week and it looks like we are going to baptize 100 people in the month of March which would be a new record for the Washington Seattle Mission. The difference is this time we are already putting people on-date for April and we are consistently finding as we are teaching which is leading to increased baptisms and continual success. I love seeing the mission from the position I'm currently filling. I'm going to ask if I can be released as an assistant and re-assigned as a trainer. I feel like I've accomplished what I was supposed to do here. We'll see how President feels.

Thank you for everything! Continue to have a wonderful winter.... Spring is just around the corner.

Love,

Elder Bottema