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Stories: The Shepherd Knows His Sheep

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The Shepherd Knows His Sheep 04 Aug 2009
The Shepherd Knows His Sheep Winters along the Rhine river in Germany can be very cold because of the humidity of the river. Elders Rowley and Henriksen were cold and depressed because of the weather and the lack of success in the tiny town of Emmerich near the border of Holland. The year was 1979 and there were only two members of the church within 50 miles of the town. The two Elders had recommitted to try and get along again. Elder Henriksen had been on his mission nearly 18 months and was the district leader. Elder Rowley was still fairly green, but had many ideas that he wanted to share. Their backgrounds were dramatically different as Elder Henriksen had grown up on the East side of Salt Lake and Elder Rowley had been an Air Force kid living all over the world. They both knew why they were there and what they should be doing, but putting it into action was a different story. Thank goodness for the Castle family (an American family that lived about 20 kilometers away in a small town called Rees) and the Piotrowski family who kept the missionaries sane and happy. In January the Elders had put together a 30 day plan that included fasting and prayer for the work and to put aside their differences. They had been tracting all day with very little success, but they both felt strongly that they should try just one more street. Near the end of the street they were finally let in by a young Frau named Marion Gerritsen. Her husband, George had just come home and they were more inclined to talk about the United States, than the gospel. They had a very cute little son named Sebastian who was about 18 months old and the discussion started talking about being together with their son forever. They were interested. They taught a “C” discussion, about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. Marion hung on every word. The Spirit was very strong and everyone felt it. It was obvious that one of the Lord’s sheep had heard the Shepherd’s voice calling. During the next few months, the Gerritsens were taught the rest of the discussions. Marion had a testimony from the first time they met. George was a little slower to accept the message. He had many questions and tried to avoid the missionaries when they would come over to visit. Satan was working overtime on them as Marion’s family was questioning her very intensely and George tried to distance himself from the discussions. After nearly three months, the missionaries challenged Marion to be baptized, even if her husband would not be baptized. She wasn’t sure. George didn’t show any emotion and tried to brush it off as if he didn’t care. Three days later, George told the missionaries he wanted to be baptized with his wife!!!! Marion was even surprised, because she wanted to be baptized so much, but didn’t think she could do it without her husband. She then told the missionaries that she knew she wanted to be baptized the first time they met. After they had left, she danced around the room, she was so happy. The Gerritsens were baptized on April 7th 1979. It is really true that the Shepherd knows His sheep and His sheep know the Shepherd. Through the next 10 years, the Elders kept in contact with the Gerritsens as well as a few other great members in Germany, like Schwester Bengert and the Familie Semrau. But suddenly the Gerritsens stopped responding for some strange reason. The missionaries tried everything they could to try and track them down. Even with the internet and the world seemingly getting smaller, there was no sign of the family that the Elders had loved into the church. 29 years later, Elder Henriksen still loves Germany and still listens to the Book of Mormon in German. He was so excited when his neighbor Tyler Quist was called to the Germany Frankfurt Mission, because it had most of his old mission within the boundaries. After 22 months, Elder Quist was transferred from the office to open up a new area of the mission. A small town on the Holland border called Emmerich that had been closed for nearly 28 years. Elder Henriksen was so excited. He wrote a long letter to Elder Quist telling him all about the city and his experiences, including the Gerritsens and Piotrowskis. Elder Quist wrote back that the Piotrowski’s son, Johannes, still lived in the house where his parents had raised him and he was a strong member of the church with 8, yes, you read correctly, 8 children. He remembered Elder Henriksen with very fond memories as Johannes was only 16 years old at the time and the missionaries were his heros. Elder Quist wrote a letter (all in familiar German) to Elder Henriksen just two weeks before Elder Quist was to return home. He talked about how much he loved Germany, his mission and Emmerich. He told of an experience of his and his new companion Elder Urban (who just happens to be a new missionary from Prague, Czech Republic, who was baptized by the Quist and Henriksen’s neighbor, Dave Smith when he was on his mission in Prague). They were trying to hurry to an appointment and they had about 15 minutes until their ride, Bruder Tadaszak was going to pick them up. Both missionaries felt the Spirit very strongly that there was something they needed to do or someone they needed to talk to. Most missionaries would simply blow it off and say, nothing can be done in 15 minutes, time for a quick Bratwurst. These missionaries were in tune with the Spirit and they followed the prompting. The walked down a nearby street all the way to the end and rang the bell on an apartment building. The door opened and they had to take the 3 flights of stairs to the top. When they arrived a Frau was standing in the doorway. They introduced themselves and she sat silent for a moment and said, “I am already a member of the church, but I haven’t been active for a few years”. Elder Quist asked her name and she said, “Marion”. Elder Quist said the Spirit was so strong that he couldn’t say or do anything, except smile. She asked what he was smiling about. He said, “I know your missionary. His name is Elder Henriksen”. She was so begeistert that she smiled and cried at the same time. She had moved years ago, but just moved back to Emmerich, in fact, she was just visiting her daughter’s apartment for a few minutes when the missionaries rang the door bell. Elder Quist knew right then the reason he was directed to that door. The Spirit was so strong. She invited the missionaries to her apartment where she showed them a Book of Mormon she had received at her baptism and it still had the testimony and a picture of Elder Henriksen in the cover. Marion still knew the Shepherd’s voice when He called. Elder Quist gave Elder Henriksen Marion’s email address and her telephone number. They have been in constant contact since. Marion moved away from Emmerich for many years in an area where there was no branch of the church. She had three more children since her baptism in April of 1979. After the birth of her twins, her husband couldn’t handle the pressure and they unfortunately divorced. She was working three jobs to support her family. She had also changed her last name to her birth name, Marion Klein. When she moved back to Emmerich, she was embarrassed to go back to church even though she had been reading the Book of Mormon throughout the years. Since Elder Quist found Marion again, she has been to church every week and is visited by the Elders in Emmerich quite often. Her children are taking the discussions and one was just baptized in April of 2009. Another sheep heard the Shepherd’s voice and joined the fold. Elder Quist knew he had once again been a tool in the Lord’s hand to do the Lord’s work. He had listened to the voice of the Shepherd. Just like 29 years ago and nearly 2000 years ago and throughout time, the sheep know their Shepherd and the Shepherd knows His sheep.
JB Henriksen Send Email
 
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