30 years is a long time

30 years really is a long time but Sister Willems is still convinced that her husband will some day be baptized. We visited with him last week while his wife was playing cards at the local senior center. He had knee replacement surgery about 6 weeks ago and is pretty house bound. He could not have been more hospitable. He even enjoyed the "Boterkoek" we brought him. He seemed to enjoy talking to us and told us that he is a dry Mormon. He totally lives the standards of the church but has just not taken the plunge (no pun intended) We have been invited for lunch tomorrow. Sister Willems is making "Soup with meatballs" and really wants us to come. We told her that we were able to visit good friends of theirs who introduced them along with several other people to the church years ago by the name of Wouters. Bro and Sister Wouters were very strong members of the ward but had their feelings hurt about walking his dog on church property. He now spends hours on the internet reading Anti-Mormon literature and is trying to pull others away from the church. We were actually invited back to the Wouters and will be seeing them on Wed. maybe we can just become friends.

The "Sherlock" family invited us to dinner after church today. They live just 5 miles from the Netherlands border. She is native Dutch and he is from England Their children have this cute English accent and speak Belgium Dutch. They have even invited us to spend Christmas day with them. I told you that the members have really made us feel welcome.

Sarah and the children made it to church today. Sean was even picked up for young Men's Fri and said he really enjoyed it. There will be a Father and Son camp-out Fri and he has been invited to come along. John the newly baptized man from Africa had a chance to visit with Sarah and her family this week and told how he stopped smoking in one day when he met the missionaries. He is trying to encourage Sarah along. He was a 3 pack a day man and was even into heavier stuff. She told him that if he could do it so can she. We'll see. We are praying for all of them. John asked the bishop if he could bear his testimony in Sacrament meeting today and the bishop translated for him. He is just so thrilled to be a member.