The Andersons serve in the Kurdistan area of Iraq. Earlier this month there was a car bomb in the city they were in so they were pulled out. Yesterday they received permission to go back.
The Allens are in Beruit, Lebanon. They are proselyting. How amazing is that!! They only came for the last day of the conference because they aren't humanitarian.
The Gyslers are from Switzerland and serve in Lebanon. They've only been married two years.
The Madsens are in Morocco. They flew to Jordan via Paris for the conference.
The Strongs are in Jordan. They are the diabetic retinopathy project leaders. We've been assisting them for the past three months.
The Hammonds, the country directors in Amman. They make friends with influential people.
"Teach principles of self reliance when we do humanitarian projects"
Sharon Eubanks the Director of Humanitarian Services for the Church and the Welfare Services Manager for the Middle East was here for the meetings. She is an outstanding leader and teacher.
Area Objectives:
- Help members to live the gospel
- Built relationships of trust
- Relieve suffering
- Strengthen and/or establish the Church
- Built the next generation
Amer learned about the Church from the internet. He read that Mormons had lots of wives and he liked that! He heard that the Church would give him a computer if he got baptized, so he started to meet with the couples at his uncle's home. He was thinking about getting money from the Church. When he read the Book of Mormon he couldn't find anything wrong with it. The missionaries asked him to pray and he said he did, but he really didn't because he had never done it before and he didn't know how. Then finally he prayed and he felt the Spirit. Two years later he went on a mission. His sister Sewar was baptized 1 1/2 years later. She heard bad things about the Church and didn't like it at first and tried to discuss it with Amer. Then one day she asked to be baptized. Today she's a good example and reads the Book of Mormon every day. They discuss the gospel together.
When Amer went on his mission he didn't understand anything about a mission. He didn't know anything. He took his laptop so he could listen to his favorite music and watch his favorite movies. He didn't know any English. He spent 3 weeks in the MTC and didn't know what they were talking about. When he talked to the MTC president and told him he wanted to go home, the president didn't understand. When they assigned him a companion he wondered why the guy kept following him everywhere he went.
Amer wanted to teach and his companion let him teach a 70 year old man. He shared his testimony and felt the man understood him. The man's wife cried and Amer felt something change inside. The man and his wife were baptized. After that things changed. He wanted to serve. His companion set a good example and always let him teach. He didn't know if he was teaching right or wrong and he made a lot of mistakes, but he built a good relationship with his companion.
His mission helped him overcome his shyness and helped him in his business.
When Amer was asked what things he worries about he said "what would we do if the missionaries weren't here? Will the Church stay and grow? What is the future for the youth? Many people bring old traditions with them when they join the church.
"Sometimes we forget about the Lord. Money is not enough to make you happy." When he had an accident and hurt his arm he felt the Lord was with him. He saw how much the Lord loves him and he felt His love.
Today Amer is the branch president of the North Jordan Branch. He dearly loves the members and they love him back. He is teaching them correct principles and making a difference in their lives.
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