Typically, missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints find people to teach about Jesus Christ in public spaces. But the restrictions resulting from COVID-19 have drastically altered the way missionaries share their message.
Sister Meisenfelder and Sister Costa from the German Alpine Mission, serving in Basel, Switzerland, have been very creative in the way they share their gospel knowledge.
“We got a call from the mission office asking us if we could make a VLOG. We had no idea what the outcome would be. The office posted our VLOG on Facebook and ‘boom’, we had more than 10 people who contacted us right away. This was amazing to have people contacting us, instead of the other way around. We have had the opportunity to talk to over 40 people through our VLOGS using WhatsApp as a texting tool. What a blessing it has been to share our testimonies about Jesus Christ and God with these people who we hadn’t met in person. We made great connections”, reported Sister Meisenfelder.
“For example, one girl texted us through the VLOG and told us about her insecurities and that she didn’t feel adequate in today’s world. We then shared with her how much God loves her and how much worth she has in God’s eyes. The principles we shared with her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ touched her heart”, explained Sister Costa.
Sister Meisenfelder and Sister Costa
Sister Meisenfelder and Sister Costa from the German Alpine Mission2020 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Elder Zachariah Qureshi who is serving in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission tells his story that began over a year ago while doing a Study Abroad Arabic program in Jordan.
“My friends and I befriended a Christian refugee from Iraq named Ronsoon. He was always hanging out with us. At one point, he even invited us to be guests at his parents’ home for dinner. Because of certain safety measures, the students in the program were prohibited from sharing the Gospel with any natives of the region regardless of their religion.”
“Fast forward to this Spring when a missionary in Sweden, who I had met during my missionary training, asked me to share my testimony through a simple Facebook post. Much obliged, I made a quick post in Arabic. Ronsoon was the first to leave a comment! As soon as I had “liked” his comments, he called me through Facebook messenger. He asked me how I was doing and what the situation was like in the Netherlands.”
“He told me that since we had last seen each other, he had established residency in Sydney, Australia. He gave me a video tour of his flat and showed me all his pictures of Jesus and the wooden crosses his neighbor had carved for him. I started telling him about the Book of Mormon and he asked me how he could get a copy.”
“Amazingly, I knew someone in Sydney who could help with a referral, Elder Runia, a missionary from our mission who had been temporarily released due to the Corona virus. He was now living with his parents in Sydney who were mission leaders in that area.”
“It’s been so cool for me to see how everything has come full circle. For example, the first students who met Ronsoon in Jordan, my Facebook post in Arabic and then Elder Runia being able to deliver a Book of Mormon to him in Sydney, Australia. Thanks to all these circumstances, my friend will now get a chance to learn about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even being quarantined, we can make a difference from inside our apartment and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to friends near and far,” explained Elder Qureshi.
Elder Qureshi from the Belgium/Netherlands Mission
Elder Qureshi from the Belgium/Netherlands Mission© 2020 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Sister Fearn and Sister Bollard from the France Paris Mission found that being quarantined provided unique opportunities to serve and reach out to people who were otherwise indifferent about their message.
“We have been able to find several new people to teach about Jesus Christ. One of them, Aziz, had been introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ about two years ago and had planned to be baptized. Because of his work schedule, he was unable to find time to meet with the missionaries,” reported Sister Bollard.
“As we were working to find new people to teach, we decided to send out a group message on WhatsApp. We asked people to message us if they believe in Jesus Christ. Several people responded and we started talking to them individually. Aziz was one of them! He told us that “thanks to Jesus Christ, I have a gift for cutting hair” and because of that gift he was able to change jobs. He is now more available to hear the messages of the Restored Gospel. He told us that he had been reading the Book of Mormon during the two years since he had last met with the missionaries”, explained Sister Fearn.
