Nell as a little girl with a brother and two sisters |
Petronella Boot |
I am Petronella Blok Boot. I was born and raised in the Hague Holland, the youngest daughter of 7 children. I wasn’t raised in any Church because my father was Catholic, my mother Protestant. I married my husband in the Protestant Church, 5 children were born to us, 2 sons 3 daughters. We didn’t feel happy in our church. We did have some very important questions that the minister could not answer. So we investigated 30 different churches, plus the Jehovah Witnesses and knew they were not true.
One day 2 Mormon Elders knocked on our door. We invited them in our home, spoke 1 hour with them they left and gave us the Book of Mormon. My husband read the book in 1 ½ days. Before he finished it, he knew it to be true!
We were baptized in March 1952 as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We both served in different callings, also became Stake Missionaries together.
On May the 14th 1956, we left Holland to go to the United States of America and hoping to make a new better life there. Our baby girl was 7 months old, then a son 4 years old, a son 9 years old, a daughter, 13 years old and our oldest daughter was 15.
We start living in New Jersey. When we were 16 months in America, my husband was killed instantly at work. We were both 35 years old. I let my children finish the school year in East Orange, New Jersey. The end of June 1958, I moved to Utah. Bought a home Orem, Utah and raised my 5 children. They all are married in the Temple.
I went on a full time mission after my youngest daughter got married, from July 1977 to January 1979. I enjoyed my mission so much. Many wonderful experiences I did have. When I came back I moved to a condominium, because I did have two back surgeries. I lived there for five years.
In September 1985, I moved to Sandy, Utah to live with my daughter Johanna Long, her husband Randy and their two sons, Randy Jr. and Ryan. Randy built a very lovely apartment in their basement, where I live and don’t be alone anymore.
By now I have 30 grandchildren, 9 are married. I have 11 great grandchildren and two are on the way to join us in the near future. My Heavenly Father has blessed me so much. I love Him and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ so much. President Benson is His Prophet today!
I am grateful to be a life at this time to see the things happening before our own eyes of the knowledge we have of the 2nd coming of Our Lord an Savior, in the near future, to be part of this is so great and so wonderful.
I will close now, this day, and I do this in the name of Him whom I love so very much. My Savior, my Redeemer, My Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen (written about 1985)
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