St Lucia 15

Lieve vriendjes and vriendinnetjes,

Did you have a merry Christmas? I think, know with a surety, that this last Christmas has been the most exciting Christmas of my entire life. Christmas eve we were all (misisonaries) together in the church to watch our christmas movie and about 5minutes into the movie the rain came down. And it never stopped. Pouring rain with tons of lighting and thunder. The senior couple came in about halve way through the movie and told me that the weather was out of control!! So we stopped the movie and decided to try to get back to our appartment! So we split up and took other missionaries as well to get home. But boy the weather was bad! We said a prayer and went out. As missionaries you have to stand outside of the car to back your companion out. And I must obey so I did that. Water was just coming down the hill like a river. The water reached till my ankles and it was coming down the hill (this computer doesn't let me send pictures so that will come next week). After a little while driving we made a turn but because of the water the car just drifted straight! And we ended up in a gutter... Car was tillted side ways in about a 45 degrees angle. I think I never got out of the car as fast as I did that night. So we were standing their hoping that a car would pass by to pull us out. Didn't happen.. So we went back to church walking to just water as deep as you ankles flowing down to the beach. It was quite the adventure. Spend the night under the church (we have a missionary appartment under the church). Next morning all the water was gone and look like nothing happened... Later we found out that the southern part of the island just got destroyed. 6 people lost their life, houses were washed away and just defestation. As result of the storm we also didn't have any water till this morning. We had a water tank but that thing ran out after a few days. Glad that we have a emergency supply of water so enough drinking water. But no water to flush toilet, do dishes or take a proper shower. Felt a little bit like we were surviving. 
But the work most go on and we had an amazing week! We found a amazing Trinidadian family who you can feel are prepared by the Lord. The Spirit of God touches them when we teach them. Also a 21 year old investigator we have is preparing to be baptist on the 11th of January! The work is just wonderful. All you ever have to do in your life is obey. When you are obedient to the terms that God has set for our happiness. You gain happiness. It's like a law of physics. If you drop your pen it will fall to the ground, If you obey God you will feel happiness. Immediately. For we can read in Mosiah 2:24 "He doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you". I can testify with all my heart that this is true, for I experience it. Go try it, and if you do I can promises you in the name of the Lord that happiness and peace will come your way.

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

PS. Thanks everybody for the beautiful christmas presents! I got a few packages and  letters and it's the best thank you very much!
PPS. I got my transfer call I'm staying in St. Lucia and will have a new companion: Elder Glade. I will train him to be a zone-leader! 

St Lucia 14

Rizaria Got Baptist!!‏

Lieve vriendjes and vriendinnetjes!

Merry Christmas everybody! I hope all of you will have a great Christmas this year. My week was good but kind of slow. Every single soul on St Lucia is preparing for the Christmas season. And by preparing I mean buying liquor and picking a party to go to. It amazes me how different Christmas is being celebrated by the general peoples. Kind of set that they miss out on the meaning of Christmas by doing so. For with Christmas we remember Christ. But honestly how do you do that? There are a lot of different ways to do that but a good one is just to be nice. In remembering Christ we should be striving to be like Him. As members of the church we have promised to take upon the name of Jesus Christ and to follow him in what we do. "For he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. "Wherefore, my beloved friends, can we follow Jesus, save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?" Just be nice, aim to be like the greatest man who ever lived.
Have a wonderful time everybody!

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

St Lucia 13

• me + President Mehr‏

Vriendjes and vriendinnetjes

Deze week was belachelijk and geweldig te gelijke tijd! 

Belachelijk awesome is what I mean by that. On Wedsnesday I flew into Trinidad for missionleadership council. President Mehr flew in all the zone-leaders in the mission. It was a spiritual feast. On Thursday we had an entire day of instruction and spiritual experiences. It truly was amazing. Then the week ended perfectly! Rizaria got baptized!!! Baptisms are amazing. It is a beautiful simple act that gives a person so much more happiness. The gospel is the best, simple and powerful. All you have to do is obey. Obedience is the first law, everything starts with that. That how simple it is, just obey and your happy. I experience that every single day. Obedience brings forth blessings, exact obedience brings miracles.

Love,

Elder Thomas Bechan

• Dutch buddies‏

• missionleader council‏

St Lucia 12

Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes,

Week was good. It is amazing to see that people when they keep commitments are being changed by the Holy Ghost. Not a lot of time so I'll just share a short experience. We were teaching a lady about the Book of Mormon and she didn't really got it at first. But then at one moment her eyes opened. I could tell by her entire countance that she understood what we were saying. The Spirit of God revealed a truth to her Spirit. You can tell when somebody understands with their mind and when they do with their heart. It is beautiful to know that God grants us these experiences, so that we can learn and become more like him. For we need to realize that we are unable to learn anything good by ourself. All have is what we have received. If we really want to be able to do something or know something, we need to turn to divine guidance. God can enlighten our minds and make us capable of reaching further than we ever could by ourself. I want to invite everybody to read the sacrament prayer and to memorize it. Why would I want you to do it? For this prayer explains the covenant that we make and the promise God gives to us. When we truly want to learn and develop ourselves to be able to abide in Celestial law, we need to realize that this can only come with God's help. Exaltion is a gift. The sacrament prayer shows us that by the Holy Ghost we can be sanctified. This is what will make us able to become like our Father in Heaven. We can't do it on our own

Till next week, 

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

St Lucia 11

• P-day @ beach‏

Lieve vriendjes and vriendinnetjes,

This week was amazing. Lots of great stuff happened, but because of lack of time I'll just share one experience. Yesterday for the first time in my life I have experience a "burning of the bosom". People always talk about that that burning heart when the Holy Ghost testifies. But to me that never really occurred before. I have felt the Spirit of God testifying to me before, mostly trough peaceful and joyful feelings. By touching my heart with a still clam feeling. But yesterday it was amazing. We were teaching a man that was searching for something more in his life. The Spirit just filled the room when we told the story of Joseph Smith. It was filled to the roof. Everything inside of my body just felt warm and wonderful. It felt like the feeling inside was to big for me, like it wouldn't fit. It was a constant pressure on my chest but in a positive way. I think that's the best way I can describe it.. I know that those feelings can only come from God. Therefore I knew what I was testifying about, Joseph Smith and this church, was pleasing to God. I learned that the Spirit tells you things in different ways, but you will know that it comes from God. So did this investigator, after saying a prayer on his knees he excepted to be baptist!!
Dear peoples, God loves you. He wants you to be happy, so He sends you His holy Ghost to show you how you can achieve that!

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

St Lucia 10

• We went Zipp-Lining!!‏

  
  
  Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes,
  
  This week was amazing! Robert got baptist!!!! This man truly is wonderful. Heb de Heer zo sterk gevoeld deze week en i kweet precies hoe dat komt. Ik heb zo hard gewerkt deze week. Gave it my all you can say! Ik wil graag een ervaring van een investigator delen.
  Yesterday Robert got confirmed as member of the Church and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. One of our investigators was also present during the confirmation. and she described it like this: "So I had no idea what was happening. All of you got up and then the baptist guy sat down on a chair and then you all put your hands on his head and said a blessing or something. I have no idea what just happened. But I could see on that guys face that, whatever may have happened, was real. The joy his face expressed the pure happiness is something you cannot fake. That blessing was real. And that relieve, that joy I want to have that. I want to feel what he feels".
  Lieve mensen, The Lord lives and his Church is true. Sometimes people have no idea what's going on but always and by that I mean always the Spirit testifies if something is true. The power of a ordinance, when performed by the authority of god, is something you can not deny. I have felt in my own life when I got baptist. No feeling has ever given me more peace and calmness then what I experienced right after my baptism. I cannot deny that that feeling came from God. The blessings that I have in my life now only come from God and are a result of that decision of becoming baptist. It gives a new and deeper dimension to happiness. In the name of Jesus Christ I promise that every willing soul can feel the joy I feel, the joy Robert feels, and that glimpse of joy the investigator feels.
  
  Have a good week everybody!
  The Lord lives,
  Elder Thomas Bechan

  
  

  
  

  • baptism of Robert‏

  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

St Lucia 9

Lieve vriendjes and vriendinnetjes,

Tijd is weer eens kort, maar met mij gaat het geweldig. This week has been amazing. We hadden zone conferentie met President Mehr and it was great. As a result op een of andere manier heb ik sterk sterk the Geest gevoeld deze week. Hoe ik mijn onderzoekers kan helpen. Heb revelation ontvangen. It's awesome. Het is geweldig om te voelen als God jou gebruikt om zijn doel te bereiken. Een ieder die lid is van de kerk heeft het rechtop constante gezelschap van de Heilige Geest. Of ook wel constant revelation from God. Ask for help in your life, God will give it to you. But you first got to ask him. 

Well.. Talk to you next week!

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

St Lucia 8

Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes,

All I can say is that I love my mission. The walking in the burning sun, companions that get burned and sudden pouring rain I simply love it! The work of bringing souls into Christ is wonderful! Nothing I've ever done in my life before is as rewarding as missionary work. All though sometimes "the  outward results" are not there  I can always feel the inward result. Which is pure happiness. God created a plan and if we stick to that plan we can find happiness, eternal happiness. Right now in my life I can say I enjoy the love of God in my life. I pray that you do feel the same. 
This week was great! Met a lot of new people and it's wonderful to help them understand what this life is all about. We are not here just to do good and die, or to live as we please, but we are here to prepare to meet our God. And by doing so preparing ourselves to receive exultation (or living with God). Doesn't that sound great?! You and I can go and live with God if we want to. 

Shoot time flies when you're on a mission.. Till next week!

Elder Tolman + Elder Larson + Elder Bechan

St Lucia 7

Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes,

Was quite the week. Transferweek in this mission is intens. Omdat de mission zo groot is duurt het een dag om van area te wisselen, and you usually take a plane to do so. So wednesday everybody came in. Mijn nieuwe companion Elder Larson is net 6weken op zending en hij komt uit een of ander boerendorp in Utah, USA. He's a nice kid I like him. Missionary work is iets wat niet alleen vanuit de missionaries moet komen. Het is the most succesfull when members are involved. When they bring investigators to the missionaries and join in with the teaching baptism and church growth will explode. But how do you, as a member, do missionary work? Do you go out and knock on doors or talk with people on the street? I won't stop you if you want to, but there is a far more effective way. This last sunday I was asked to give a talk about missionary work. So I did, and I would like to share what I talked about. You, the member, are kind of like Nephi. We all know that the Lord aspects from us that we do missionary work, we all know Nephi was commanded to go get some records (1Nephi chapter 3). I believe that the most of you are like Nephi: you want to go and do as the Lord commands. You want to do missionary work, you want to help people come unto Christ, you want to help the people around you experience more happiness. So just like Nephi you go and do. But you might have no idea how to do it. Nephi had no clue, all he knew was that he had to go back to Jerusalem and go get those records. How he was to obtain them, he did not know. So the first time the try, they fail.. second time the try, they fail.. Maybe you also tried, just like Nephi, but it didn't quite go how you expected it to be. But then how does Nephi figure out what to do? exactly in 1 Nephi 4 we read that he was let by the Spirit. Nephi had no idea, but the Lord knows it all. He followed the promptings of the Spirit and was able to obtain the records, to do what the Lord has commanded him. So let's apply this to you and to missionary work. Here in the West-Indies the people also receive guidance of the Lord, trough the mission president. He is their "Spirit" that shows them what they should do to succeed. the mission president has given us (as west-Indies) two laws that we need to keep to missionary work or to do "as the Lord commands". Keep the Sabbath day holy and keep the Law of the Fast. Today I have no time to type out what it means to do that. But I do know that the blessings that come will be more peace in your life, more happiness in the family and a real growth in the church. For that are the blessings the Lord has given trough the mouth of one of his servants!

Need to go, have a nice week!
Love, 
Elder Thomas Bechan

St Lucia 6

Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes,

Did you enjoy General Conference?! I surely did! Deze week was stress week. Er was een emergency transfer, of in andere woorden een ongeplande overplaatsing. 2 Elders konden niet meer met elkaar opschieten, zo ipv het te fixen gooiden ze de handdoek in de ring. Nou dat geeft dus redelijk wat hoofdzorgen als zone-leader. That in combination with General Conference and other Elders coming down to watch it is also not helping. Maar eind goed al goed! De toespraken waren wonderful and uplifting. Is het niet een prachtig voorrecht om te mogen luisteren naar een apostel of profeet vandaag de dag! In vroegere tijden zouden sommige mensen dagen reizen om dit mee te maken. All we have to do is go to a church building or turn on the internet! Geweldig! Wat heeft u geleerd deze conferentie? What can you do better? I know for myself what I need to work on. Daarom hebben we zo'n conferentie om de heiligen te helpen vervolmaakt te worden. Go work on yourself, we are all not perfect yet! 
Heb ook mijn transfer call ontvangen dit weekend tussen alle hectiek door. Komende transfer zal de St. Lucia zone voor meer dan de helft veranderen. Er zullen 6 zendelingen binnen komen. Mijn nieuwe collega wordt Elder Larson! klinkt Scandinavisch of zo? maar zal waarschijnlijk een Amerikaan zijn. Hij is bijna nieuw nieuw, dit zal zijn 2de transfer worden. Misschien ruikt hij zelfs nog nieuw. Dit betekent ook dat ik geen collega zone-leader zal hebben. Ik ben vanaf komende week dan de enige zone-leader verantwoordelijk voor alle zendelingen op St. Lucia. That's another new challenge, I hope I'll survive!

Tot volgende week maar weer!
Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

• Pizza @ Sister Shermien Mansion‏

  

  • playing badminton in a mansion!‏

    
    
    
    

• P-day activity!‏

St Lucia 5

lieve vriendjes and vriendinnetjes,

Isn't being a missionary wonderful? Heb niet zoveel tijd deze week maar wil toch even een experience delen. It basically comes down to: The Book of Mormon is the word of God. God has given us another testimony of Christ, a pure one that is not corrupted. We had a lesson with a lady who didn't wanted to believe that God would give another book. She brought up argument after argument after argument. But in the end it doesn't even matter what argument you have, just read the Book. Ponder the teachings there in and ask God if it is his word. I can testify to every single soul on the service of this earth that I have felt inside of me that it contains the words of God. I can not describe how that knowledge is changing my life. After living this gospel with all my heart, I'm experiencing a change. A change no one can make by him/herself. We need divine help. Please read the Book of Mormon and ask God if it's true. I can promise that the knowlegde of knowing God's kingdom on the earth and then becoming part of his kingdom is the most satisfying a man can ever do. Have you already read and ask, and do you know for yourself that it is true, wonderful! Do it again. If we stand still we go back. For the book of Mormon teaches: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, bejold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2Nephie 31:20)
Have a great week everyone!

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

St Lucia 4

Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetje,

Ik leef in paradijs. Niet alleen vanwege de omgeving waarin ik mij nu bevind (wat natuurlijk wel bijdraagt aan het plaatje) maar voornamelijk door de manier waarop ik mij voel. Ik voel dat God tevreden is met mij werk. Het is geweldig om een representative van Jezus te mogen zijn en zijn herstelde evangelie uit te dragen. Het mooiste is wellicht dat ik weet met geheel mijn hart dat deze boodschap waar is. Dat God Joseph Smith heeft geroepen om zijn kerk te herstellen en dat het vandaag de dag nog steeds, doormiddel van het priesthood, onder zijn toezicht is. Wat ik mee maak en wat ik voel is echt. De Heilige Geest getuigt elke dag tot mij dat deze kerk waar is. Niet een mens of een boek heeft het me verteld maar God. Sta daar eens bij stil, het meest Almachtige Wezen, de Schepper van alles neemt de tijd en moeite om een simpele ziel als mij te helpen waarheid te begrijpen. Dit doet Hij niet omdat ik zo'n geweldige jongeman ben of omdat ik ook maar iets kan doen bij mijzelf, maar omdat ik Zijn kind ben. Lieve mensen u bent een kind van God. Ik denk dat die waarheid het fundament van ons bestaan moet zijn. God is onze Vader. Letterlijk onze Vader, met alle attributes and characteristics die daarbij horen, alleen dan in volmaakte perfecte vorm. Wij moeten begrijpen dat wij net als een kleuter, uit onszelf niets kunnen doen. Ja we kunnen lopen en dingen pakken en babbelen maar daar blijft het ook wel bij. Net als een kleuter afhankelijk is van zijn ouder om hem te voorzien in voeding and shelter and most importantly love, zo zijn wij ook afhankelijk van Hem. Hij geeft ons alles, wij hebben uit onszelf niets. Aan ons dan de keus om dankbaar te zijn voor wat wij ontvangen of om te doen alsof wij het voor elkaar hebben gekregen. Kies om dankbaar te zijn, dank God voor de dingen die Hij je geeft.
Shoot time is out..

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan 

just eating lunch like that

St Lucia 3

Happy birthday to me

Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes!

Deze week was geweldig! Het leven is geweldig! The Lord's work is geweldig! Elder Durfee is echt een leuke gozer, kan het goed met hem vinden en dat maakt het werken ook gemakkelijker. Deze week is helaas 1 van de zuster zendelingen wegens gezondheidsproblemen naar huis gegaan.. Voor dat ze vertrok vroeg ze aan Elder Durfee en mij of wij haar een zegen konden geven. Een zegen is iets geweldig wat God voor ons heeft ingesteld om troost of leiding van Hem te ontvangen. Doormiddel van een priesterschapdrager (die dient als spreekbazuin) kan God direct met ons spreken. Hij kan ons leiding geven maar vooral troost. Om een zegen te horen of deel te nemen is something beautiful. The Spirit that I felt is unique and amazing. Het is heel moeilijk uit te leggen maar het geweldig. Je voelt dan op zulke momenten dat God werkelijk leeft.
Deze week hadden we ook de mogelijkheid om plenty nieuwe mensen te Mogen onderwijzen. Het is mooi om te zien wat voor verschil er kan zijn tussen mensen die wij onderwijzen. Voor mensen die de geboden van God onderhouden (in grote Lijnen) voelen Zijn invloed meer. We onderwezen een aantal mensen die gehuwd zijn. De Geest getuigt zoveel sterker tegen deze mensen, voor zij laten het toe. De geboden onderhouden is de manier waarop wij de Geest van God uitnodigen in ons leven. Leer over God en doe wat je leert! Alleen zo vind je ware vreugde.

Ps heb vandaag een berg beklommen! 

the pitons, we climbed the right one

Saint Lucia 2

Elder Thomas Bechan
P.O. Box 5608 CP
Castries, St. Lucia
West Indies

• welcome to paradise‏

Saint Lucia

I'm in Saint Lucia! was nog best een avontuur om hier te komen moet ik eerlijk toegeven. Eerst van Suriname naar Guyana op dinsdag en dat was denk ik 1 van de leukste vluchten die ik ooit heb gemaakt. In een halve broken down airplane proberen om in Guyana aan te komen. Hield me hart soms even vast maar het is allemaal goed gegaan. Vervolgens moest ik van Guyana naar Trinidad! Heb ik 2 uur in de rij gestaan tot mijn bagage was ingecheckt... Maar goed vlucht naar Trinidad was best snel, maar door de vertraging had ik mijn vlucht gemist. Dus ik proberen te communiceren met een aardige luchtvaartmaatschappij dame maar lukte niet echt. Op Trinidad spreken ze Engels maar eigenlijk doen ze dat helemaal niet.. Vervolgens vloog ik naar Barbados om daar vervolgens 7 uur op een vliegveld vast te zitten om dan om 23.30 eindelijk op Saint Lucia aan te komen. deed er maar 22 uur over om van Guyana naar St Lucia te komen. Het was genieten!
Afgelopen zaterdag hadden we meteen een doopdienst! Het is toch een geweldig mooi iets een doopdienst. Iemand die een verbond met God sluit om meer zegeningen te kunnen ontvangen en het Celestiale koninkrijk te mogen beerven (indien de persoon gewillig is dit te willen ontvangen). Saint Lucia is heel anders dan Suriname, ik ben hier te voet ipv op de fiets en er zijn toch flink wat heuvels hier.. Maar ik geniet :) God heeft altijd prachtige verrassingen voor een ieder van ons. Vaak zien we dit niet aan komen en willen we het tegenhouden. Just let it happen, God is in charge what can go wrong?
Lieve vriendjes en vriendinnetjes vandaag geen tijd meer maar volgende week komt er meer.

Love,
Elder Thomas Bechan

• to guyana‏

• welcome to st lucia‏

• St Lucia Harbor‏

• Geneva's Baptism‏

laatste foto's Koewarasan

• Me and Opa Nijda en het meest schattige babytje ooit.‏

Me and Elder Dam

• zuster Hille familie‏

• Isn't Elder Dam a handsome man?‏

• PANNENKOEK!‏