Here is our story of how we met and fell in love...
You know how people say that there are two sides to every story. Well our story is the same. It starts with two people on two different continents, from two very different backgrounds. But somehow the Lord saw that we should be together so the story begins.
Martijn-
I started my mission in Berlin; I absolutely loved it and had a great time. After about 8 months I got the call that I got transferred to the Erfurt zone. So there was going to be a mission change and the Erfurt zone was going to be part of the Frankfurt mission. I felt terrible I loved the Berlin mission and my mission president so much and it was really hard for me. President called me and told me that he really didn’t want to have me leave the mission, but he told me that he had had very strong impressions that I had to be transferred to the Frankfurt mission.
Susannah-
Before I served a mission, I really had no desire to serve. I wanted to get married and start a family. When I was 19, I felt the need to go on a mission. No clue why but I felt really strongly that I was need. I got called to serve in the Germany Frankfurt Mission.
Martijn-
The first time we talked to each other was right after Susannah got transferred to Jena. I called her like I called everyone that was new to the district. We had a little chat on the phone and she told me about how great her time in Heidelberg had been. I could tell that she really missed Heidelberg already, so I tried to get her excited for Jena, I told her that her time in Jena would be the best ever. I could tell that she thought that I was a nutcase.
Susannah-
I had just been transferred to Jena from my beautiful Heidelberg. I was not excited to come out to the east. So my second day in Jena, we were on our way to an appointment when Sister Wilhelm answers the phone and starts speaking German. When she hands the phone over to me and says the District leader wants to talk with me. I remember saying to Sister Wilhelm that I don’t speak German. She told me don’t worry he speaks English. So I started talking with him. He sounded really excited and a little crazy. I remember thinking that his laugh was really familiar to me. But I didn’t know why.
Martijn-
From the start we got along really well. It seemed like we had been friends for a long time. I remember talking to her in Erfurt after the ‘meet the new mission president’ conference. We were just talking about things and she told me of her struggles that she had with the German language (btw. She speaks perfect German now). Throughout my time with her in my district I saw how hard she worked and I was really amazed at the growth she had made. It was amazing to see how fast and much her German improved. Something that I also liked very much about her was that I could feel how much she cared for other people and that she truly loved the Lord.
Susannah-
Something that I noticed right off was how easy it was for me to be myself with him. That I really didn’t care about what I said. I was able to say my opinion and not feel judged. I really admired him with our district meetings. They were very spiritual and fun. We were became closes as a district. We spend P-days together and really supported each other. I become to realize how much Martijn cared about every one and really wanted to serve them.
Martijn-
Near the end of my time in Gera, I noticed that I started to have some feelings for Susannah and I felt pretty guilty. After a mission leadership meeting I talked to the mission president and asked him if I could talk to him privately and I told him that I had started to have feelings for a sister. He had a huge smile on his face and told me to stop right there. He smiled and told me that he didn’t want me to tell him who it was but that I shouldn’t feel bad about it. He told me a story of President Monson and what he did when he was mission president. ‘It’s great to fall in love but while you’re on the mission you will have to be transferred away’. He asked me if I could be fine the last little bit of the transfer and I said yes, I wont have any problem I just want to be honest. He appreciated that and it was a very nice talk. Of course I made sure that Susannah didn’t know that I had feelings for her.
Susannah-
I didn’t realize that I had feelings for Martijn. I felt he was a really good friend and I loved being around him. He made me want to be better. We got transfer calls and I was going to Hamm and he was going to Wiesbaden. I was so excited for him! A military ward would be great for him. But I know the companion he was getting. I was not excited for him. So I tried to get him excited about the area. Transfer day came, he was so upset and I knew why and I could feel the same emotions that he left. My heart broke for him. There was so much I wanted to do to help him but couldn’t.
Martijn-
Ok so I need to add some little details. So I already knew that I was getting transferred. She kept telling me that I was going to get transferred to Wiesbaden and I told her that I thought she would go to Hamm…. Guess we were right :-) So yes I knew that I would have a hard time in Wiesbaden too. And it was, I just had a very difficult companion who didn’t really wanted to work. About two weeks into the first transfer we had a big mission conference with Elder Bednar and guess who was there…. Yep Susannah. She slipped me a little piece of paper with an encouraging story. I was shocked, wow she knew that I was having a hard time and even cared to help me. It really helped me.
Susannah-
So I got transferred to Hamm, again to work with my trainer and another Sister. The week before the Mission Conference with Elder Bednar, I was preparing for a district meeting spiritual thought. I was reading a story that my uncle had sent me. My mind went to Martijn, I knew that he was having a hard time and I know that this thought would help him. When I saw him I was excited but I could see he was drained. I slipped him the note and continued talk with him and others. For the next two transfers, my feelings for Martijn became dormant. I continued to focus and enjoy my time in Hamm.
Martijn-
While I was in Wiesbaden I really tried to forget about my feelings for Susannah and I was actually kind of successful, well that’s what I thought… One night I had a dream about her and all I could see was her standing there and I just felt that she was the one for me. I woke up and I remember thinking what the heck. I did feel an urge to remain in contact with her and find out of it was true and if she like me at least a bit. So I found couple of reasons to call her legally (Pictures, I had still not made her a mission book entry, I wanted a recipe of the most amazing chocolate cake ever). So I called her and she nearly blew my ears off all excited. After talking to her for a bit she was like, hey why did you call again… eh… I told her and she was like yeah right… I was like huh does she know that I like her? Even after I’d tried to hide it the best I could.
Susannah-
So I had no idea that Martijn had feelings for me. I was having a hard time in Hamm and when he called I was really excited to talk to him. When we got off the phone, I realized that I had feelings for him. I was like no…I have to put these aside and focus on the mission. I felt so guilty. But I know that I wanted to stay in contact with him. He was leaving at the end of the transfer. I had no idea if I would be able to see him before he left. But when I got the transfer call, I was going to be able to go to Frankfurt for transfer day. Before transfer, I did ask him if he wanted my weekly email that I send to all my family and friends.
Martijn-
I wanted to ask Susannah if I could write her on her mission. It took me some courage to do that but when I saw her at the train station I pulled her aside and asked her if she would like it if I would write her letters. Her face said enough…. She looked REALLY shocked. (Susannah- So I have to add something. I was really shocked. My mind was going a million miles a minute. I wanted to forget about him but when we came up to me I was really shocked!!! I didn’t see it coming at all.) Luckily she said yes. We had a good talk about missionary things after that. When I left I noticed her glaring at me, I was like hmm I guess she must really like me too :)
Susannah-
So I did say yes to him. But my mind was saying no. I did watch him walk away trying to figure out why the heck he wanted to write me. Did he like me? So when Sister Wilhelm and I were talking on the way to the train. I asked her if he liked me. Her response, “Well he didn’t ask me to write me.” We had a bet going on how long he would take to write me. I gave him 2 weeks and Sister Wilhelm said 3 week. The letter came within the week. Yeah, I think he kind of liked me.
Martijn-
Ok I need to add something about letter writing; I absolutely hate writing handwritten letters. Ask my parents, it drove them crazy that I wrote them so little on my mission. So I had planned to write her typed letters, but she was like wow, I love handwritten letters…. So yeah I had to write handwritten letters… But it was good. I wrote her a letter pretty much the day after I came home. And she wrote me back right away.
Susannah-
We continued to write the major part of my mission. My feelings for him grew into a deep friendship. I seem to be able to tell him everything. For the month of December he sent me a couple different presents. It still took me a while to realize that he liked me.
Martijn-
I loved reading Susannah’s letters; she has a great talent for writing. Through our letters our friendship increased. After a while she wrote me about all her plans for after her mission… I realized that there was not an inch of room in those plans for me and I was a little confused. After praying and thinking about it I felt that I should be a little bit bold. I wrote her a letter and told her that she had great plans but that it would be nice if she could make some room for me in her plans.
Susannah-
So when I got the letter I was really shocked. I realized that he really liked me. I realized that I really liked him too. This was a make or break letter. Because I could write him off in a minute and not have farer connect with him. I really had to think about it and see what was the best way. I wrote him that I liked him too and that I wanted to have him be apart of my plans. When I wrote I thought he just wanted to date and get to know each other.
Martijn-
I was at work when I got an email, but it took me a while to realize what it meant. I actually thought that she was mad at me, but after looking at it a billion times I realized that it was actually positive. Yes, I thought that we were just going to date too. I had no idea how everything would work out but I just kept having faith in the feelings and promptings that I had gotten. I told her that I was already saving money to come visit her in the states after her mission. She seemed ‘slightly’ excited about that. I bought my ticket.
Susannah-
I was excited to see him but I realized that I had to focus on my mission. I realized that my feelings for Martijn were growing. I had to tell my mission President. After a mini Zone Conference, I asked President if I could speak with him. I told him what was going on and that I had strong feelings for Martijn. He shocked me with his answer. He was really excited and thought that it was the greatest thing. And he was willing to help whatever way possible. Whenever I would have interviews with him, he would give me an update on Martijn. In my last few months in Hamm, I was torn between two different plans. My parents wanted me to go to school and date in Provo. Work for my grandparents. But I felt strongly about Martijn. I felt really scared about telling my parents about Martijn. I felt that they would disown me for falling for an elder. So I didn’t say anything about Martijn. And just tried to work Martijn into their plans.
Martijn-
I did notice that Susannah was feeling a bit torn and I tried to encourage her to talk to her parents. I just felt an urge to support her in the best way I could. Through our many letters my feelings for her grew more and more. It confirmed the impressions that I had had earlier on. At first every little set back made me worried, but after a while I just felt calm and at peace.
Susannah-
Through all my worrying and struggles on the mission I knew that I could go to Martijn for everything. My letters became journal entries and my feelings deepened. I wanted to be the best that I could. When I got transferred to Kaiserslautern, I got a letter from Martijn stating his true feelings for me. I know that I had the same feelings for him. But in the last transfer I realized that I was focusing more on him then I should so I wrote him. I asked if we could stop writing letters till I got home from my mission. I really felt that it would be good for the two of us and that I need to focus on the last part of my mission.
Martijn-
I really wanted her to stay focused on her mission too so I didn’t write her about my feelings until I noticed that she didn’t know what to do. She was thinking about going to Hawaii and her grandma instead of seeing me. I knew that if I wouldn’t do anything things were not going to work out and I wouldn’t see her. So I felt impressed to write her exactly about my feelings for her.
Susannah-
After I knew his feelings, I felt the same way. I went to my Mission President a lot and ask for counsel. I knew that I was doing what I need to do. I had to tell my parents. I felt a real peace and comfort after President gave me a blessing. I still had the feeling of guilt but I knew what I was doing was right. The Lord has really blessed us and he has led us to each other. If I hadn’t served a mission I would have met Martijn. I have felt the powerful witness that Martijn is the one for me. It’s not a huge feelings but a great feeling of love and comfort. I came home from my mission knowing that I had served well.
Martijn-
She had totally served a great mission, I am grateful that I was able to be apart of that, that I got to get to know Susannah in a different way and was able to see the growth that she had made. I do realize that it wasn’t easy for her because of what was going on between the two of us, but she did great! She worked hard and really tried to focus on her mission, she was able to help many people and I know that she made her Heavenly Father very proud. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father put us two together in a miraculous way. After Susannah came back from her mission we had lots of (long) talks and now we even get to see each other. It just seems really natural and it feels like we have known each other for years and years. She really is my best friend and I know that I can just be myself around her. Looking back on how everything happened I can truly see the hand of the Lord in all of this, it wouldn’t have worked out in any other way. He really does have a plan for us and he knows and loves us very much.
Susannah-
Looking back I realize that how Martijn and my relationship developed is the way that it need to be. I am one who gets very emotional when it comes to dating. This way I was able to see a different side of Martijn and get to know his true self. I was better able to express my feelings on paper. I was truly more of myself then I had been with anyone else. We are so much alike but yet we have our differences. We are so natural together. It seems like we have been together for years and years. He is my best friend and truly love him. I am able to be myself with him. Its sweet to me to see how he cares for me. I truly feel loved. Like Martijn, I too was able to see the Hand of the Lord in our lives. Many people might not be able to understand but we do. The Lord does love his children and he wants them to be happy.
