This week was pretty crazy. I went to Brussels, Amsterdam and Utrecht. It was a ton of driving and NO sleep! But it was a really awesome week.
I got to talk to President Oaks one-on-one for about a half hour and the zone leaders got to talk to him for a couple of hours and then we had zone conference as well. It was really good. President Oaks is a really nice guy. He loves to tell stories. I sat and talk to him during lunch at zone conference and he just told story after story. It was great. The zone leader council in Brussels was also amazing and I took tons of notes.
It was really a spiritually uplifting week and it was fun, although we did have some problems with some of the missionaries in our zone. Our ward took some huge steps towards helping us some more this week, so that was also something good.
The baptism of Folly and Shijam was really awesome. The Mule family from Fiji sung a really cool song and played the ukelale. It was really cool and spiritual. Both Folly and Shijam were glowing afterwards and they just loved it. The confirmation was really cool as well.
We have a whole bunch of baptisms coming up and and a bunch of other investigators too. We are seeing so many miracles every day. It is incredible.
There are a couple ducks that live in the canal by our apartment and we watch them out of the window. This morning four drakes flew up in front of me at about 20 yards. These ducks fly around and no one can shoot them! But it's ok...eight months and I'll be making up for it.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
March 16, 2009
This week went by really fast. We had interviews in Amsterdam and we gave another training and it went really well. As Zone leaders we give trainings and take numbers for the whole zone and we are called to inspire and uplift the missionaries in our zone. There are four zones in the Dutch side of the mission.
I'm also going to Brussels tomorrow to meet with President Oaks of the Seventy and Pres. Woodland (mission president), it should be really good also. We drive a ton and I'm loving it, but don't worry Mom, I'm driving safely. We are getting a new car!
We have a baptism with Folly and Shijam on Wednesday. It should be really, really good. We have baptismal dates of:
March 28--Natalie
April 11--Ama, Isatu, Kate, Affiana
April 25--Ravin, Lyde, Kastelein, Ben, Philip,
Bentura family, Teras family, Anthony family
If you would pray for these people that would be wonderful!
Elder Carter, my companion, is from Ogden and he's a duck hunter too. We get along really well and it's alot of fun to work with him. We live in a 4-man apartment with Elder De Mass (from Murray) and Elder Christensen (from Kearns). It's alot of fun and we all get along really well.
Things are going really well here and it's starting to get warm and it's getting lighter and lighter, later and later. When it starts getting darker again, then I'll be heading home really, really soon. That's weird.
I'm also going to Brussels tomorrow to meet with President Oaks of the Seventy and Pres. Woodland (mission president), it should be really good also. We drive a ton and I'm loving it, but don't worry Mom, I'm driving safely. We are getting a new car!
We have a baptism with Folly and Shijam on Wednesday. It should be really, really good. We have baptismal dates of:
March 28--Natalie
April 11--Ama, Isatu, Kate, Affiana
April 25--Ravin, Lyde, Kastelein, Ben, Philip,
Bentura family, Teras family, Anthony family
If you would pray for these people that would be wonderful!
Elder Carter, my companion, is from Ogden and he's a duck hunter too. We get along really well and it's alot of fun to work with him. We live in a 4-man apartment with Elder De Mass (from Murray) and Elder Christensen (from Kearns). It's alot of fun and we all get along really well.
Things are going really well here and it's starting to get warm and it's getting lighter and lighter, later and later. When it starts getting darker again, then I'll be heading home really, really soon. That's weird.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
March 9, 2009
It's going great here and I'm loving it. In the past four days we have set eight baptismal dates. We were doing really good and then we reviewed a talk that we've read before called "The Challenging and Testifying Missionary" and now we've gone nuts. We invite people to be baptized on the streets, on their doorsteps, and every other place we can think of and we are finding people that are truly ready for the gospel. We're not just finding people who will say yes and then not follow through, but these people truly want to change their lives. It's awesome. Contacting in English is also really fun.
In regards to driving here, they don't drive on the other side of the road. Our car is a stick shift and if you have ever driven in Brussels, you know what it's like to drive offensively. You have to in Brussels, it's crazy, it's just a free-for-all. They have round-abouts that are five lanes wide and the closer to the middle you are, the more right of way you have. Everyone drives offensively defensive and it's awesome. It's like bumper cars without the bumping...most of the time. We saw some guy make use of his bumpers getting out of a parallel parking job with only three inches in front and back of him. I was impressed.
Next Ghanian food story....fish heads made into soup mixed with peppers and then a big ol' slab of FuFu to go with it...awesome, huh?
We had a Fijian farewell yesterday. I guess the people over here in Europe didn't get the memo about no farewells. But this farewell was soooo cool. They had a whole bund of Fijians and Samoans there and they sang and then after the meeting they did some Pacific Islander traditional ceremonies for departing people and then they had a huge feast with really, really good Pacific foods. It was soooo good. I ate soooo much and they just kept bringing more and more food out. It was awesome, I loved it.
In regards to driving here, they don't drive on the other side of the road. Our car is a stick shift and if you have ever driven in Brussels, you know what it's like to drive offensively. You have to in Brussels, it's crazy, it's just a free-for-all. They have round-abouts that are five lanes wide and the closer to the middle you are, the more right of way you have. Everyone drives offensively defensive and it's awesome. It's like bumper cars without the bumping...most of the time. We saw some guy make use of his bumpers getting out of a parallel parking job with only three inches in front and back of him. I was impressed.
Next Ghanian food story....fish heads made into soup mixed with peppers and then a big ol' slab of FuFu to go with it...awesome, huh?
We had a Fijian farewell yesterday. I guess the people over here in Europe didn't get the memo about no farewells. But this farewell was soooo cool. They had a whole bund of Fijians and Samoans there and they sang and then after the meeting they did some Pacific Islander traditional ceremonies for departing people and then they had a huge feast with really, really good Pacific foods. It was soooo good. I ate soooo much and they just kept bringing more and more food out. It was awesome, I loved it.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
March 2, 2009
Ok, so this week has been crazy. Driving is awesome. I love it. Europeans are the worst drivers in the world and then you've got trains going all over the place and it's just crazy and fun. And their parking garages are like roller coasters to drive in, it's fun. Although this whole driving the speed limit is something new to me, but it's not too hard. Especially with a companion in the passenger seat.
This week I've had to drive to Alkmaar, Lelystad, Breda, Zwolle, and today we have to drive to Brussels and then next week we are going to Amsterdam and then Brussels again and then Amsterdam and a few other places, too. We are so busy.
Yesterday I got to meet Elder Oaks and talk to him for a minute, it was really cool and he gave an awesome talk.
So we counted how many languages Elder Carter and I can contact in and we ended up with close to twenty and are working on more. Right now we have: English, Dutch, Spanish, German, Twi, Portugese, Arabic, Afrikaans, Fijan, and the list goes on. We're getting pretty good, too. We have little notebooks that we write new phrases in so we can get better in all these languages. The people love it when we try to speak their languages, especially the Ghanan people.
Speaking of Ghanan people, yesterday we had "so" interesting food. It was the usual Ghanan FuFu, but it was cooked in a soup that consisted of the spine of a small dog-like creature with a little bit of meat left on it, and then some different portions of the guts, mixed with some spices and then served. You eat it with your right hand and your right hand only, grabbing a piece of FuFu (blob of goo) and using your thumb to make it into a bowl/spoon and then you put a piece of meat in and spoon some soup into it and eat it. I like the Nigerian FuFu better, but the chicken style from Ghana is really, really good.
I really can't remember what else happened this week. It has been so crazy and we are so busy. We have literally no time to stop and take a breather let alone eat!!!! But we fit it in and it's going great.
This week I've had to drive to Alkmaar, Lelystad, Breda, Zwolle, and today we have to drive to Brussels and then next week we are going to Amsterdam and then Brussels again and then Amsterdam and a few other places, too. We are so busy.
Yesterday I got to meet Elder Oaks and talk to him for a minute, it was really cool and he gave an awesome talk.
So we counted how many languages Elder Carter and I can contact in and we ended up with close to twenty and are working on more. Right now we have: English, Dutch, Spanish, German, Twi, Portugese, Arabic, Afrikaans, Fijan, and the list goes on. We're getting pretty good, too. We have little notebooks that we write new phrases in so we can get better in all these languages. The people love it when we try to speak their languages, especially the Ghanan people.
Speaking of Ghanan people, yesterday we had "so" interesting food. It was the usual Ghanan FuFu, but it was cooked in a soup that consisted of the spine of a small dog-like creature with a little bit of meat left on it, and then some different portions of the guts, mixed with some spices and then served. You eat it with your right hand and your right hand only, grabbing a piece of FuFu (blob of goo) and using your thumb to make it into a bowl/spoon and then you put a piece of meat in and spoon some soup into it and eat it. I like the Nigerian FuFu better, but the chicken style from Ghana is really, really good.
I really can't remember what else happened this week. It has been so crazy and we are so busy. We have literally no time to stop and take a breather let alone eat!!!! But we fit it in and it's going great.
Monday, February 23, 2009
February 23, 2009
I'm doing great! The ward I'm in now is huge. It has almost 250 members along with eight missionaries. We just had a baptism here, Huub Van Den Assem. I've actually taught him a few times on exchanges as well as the past week. He's such a great guy. We've got a bunch of baptisms coming up as well. We're very, very busy. I wake up at 6:00 am and then I'm constantly on the go until about 10:15 pm and then I brush my teeth and go to bed. It's crazy, but alot of fun.
I love Den Haag. A new missionary lives in our apartment (it is a four-man apartment) and he played waterpolo for Kearns...we've played against each other a couple hundred times, and with each other too.
Well, my companion from Almere decided to stay and is really starting to work hard now, so I'm really happy about that. Everything is going wonderful here.
Next week I will be meeting with Elder Oaks of the Twelve Apostles and President Oaks of the Seventy/area president...cool, huh? Being a zone leader is awesome. We get a car too, for three out of the six weeks of the transfer. We will have a new mission president in July, President Brubaker.
I love Den Haag. A new missionary lives in our apartment (it is a four-man apartment) and he played waterpolo for Kearns...we've played against each other a couple hundred times, and with each other too.
Well, my companion from Almere decided to stay and is really starting to work hard now, so I'm really happy about that. Everything is going wonderful here.
Next week I will be meeting with Elder Oaks of the Twelve Apostles and President Oaks of the Seventy/area president...cool, huh? Being a zone leader is awesome. We get a car too, for three out of the six weeks of the transfer. We will have a new mission president in July, President Brubaker.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
February 16,2009
My Almere companion is going home. He just couldn't take it. I did my best and did everything I could for him, but he just doesn't have it in him to be able to do this work.
This week was really pretty good. Iris is going to be baptized along with her daughters in the next transfer period and she's way solid.
I had to replace the back tire on my bike this week. It cost 6 euros ($10) which wasn't bad at all because I got 3300 miles out of that tire before the inner tube bulged out of the side in three places. You'd be surprised how big of a difference a good back tire can make. It's been raining alot here, but it's not too bad though. It's starting to warm up and get a little better, but winter is still fighting back.
So, I got transferred. I am now the Zone leader in Den Haag (in English..The Hague, where the Temple is located) with Elder Carter from my MTC group. So that will be way fun. I'm excited...we're going to tear it up.
I am going to misss Lelystad/Almere, but Den Haag with be really cool and the work is going really well there.
My new address is:
Elder Burton
42 Benschoplaan
2546-RJ Den Haag
Nederland
This week was really pretty good. Iris is going to be baptized along with her daughters in the next transfer period and she's way solid.
I had to replace the back tire on my bike this week. It cost 6 euros ($10) which wasn't bad at all because I got 3300 miles out of that tire before the inner tube bulged out of the side in three places. You'd be surprised how big of a difference a good back tire can make. It's been raining alot here, but it's not too bad though. It's starting to warm up and get a little better, but winter is still fighting back.
So, I got transferred. I am now the Zone leader in Den Haag (in English..The Hague, where the Temple is located) with Elder Carter from my MTC group. So that will be way fun. I'm excited...we're going to tear it up.
I am going to misss Lelystad/Almere, but Den Haag with be really cool and the work is going really well there.
My new address is:
Elder Burton
42 Benschoplaan
2546-RJ Den Haag
Nederland
February 9, 2009
This week we had a ton of people really just fight against us and try to destroy our testimonies. Well, more of my companion, he doesn't know that the Church is true so it is a little rough for him right now, but I'm trying to help him gain his testimony, but the devil doesn't make it any easier, especially when you get people that tell you in English that what we're doing is a waste of time and the Church isn't true. It's not bad when they say it in Dutch because my companion doesn't understand that. I know that what I'm sharing is from God and I've been hearing these things for the past year so it really doesn't do anything for me, but for him it's really hard. So after those people get done talking and we're back at home I explain why they were wrong in what they said and I show him the parts in the Bible to prove my point and then in the Book of Mormon and D&C so taht he can see how they work together.
We went to Belgium last week for Zone Conference. It was cool to go to Antwerpen. It was a really good Zone Conference.
I've started to get alot of wedding invitations from my friends...it's really weird.
We went to Belgium last week for Zone Conference. It was cool to go to Antwerpen. It was a really good Zone Conference.
I've started to get alot of wedding invitations from my friends...it's really weird.
Monday, February 2, 2009
February 2, 2009
My attitude has completely changed and I actually don't want to come home in ten months. I really just want to stay out here for a while longer. I love it so much. I've never been happier in my entire life. I love being out here and sharing my testimony. Not that I don't miss ya'll, but I guess I'll just have to transfer all this stuff over to home life because President Woodland already told me that I can't have an extension.
I went on a way awesome exchange the other day with Elder Craig. He was the last Assistant to the President and the best missionary, in my opinion. It was probably the best day on my mission so far. It was such an awesome day. We were just enjoying it so much because we both have come to understand how happiness comes. It was awesome. And then we had interviews with Pres. Woodland and those were also amazing. Pres. Woodland asked me to teach a new sister missionary how to find joy/happiness in the work. It was a way cool experience to teach and help someone.
I went on a way awesome exchange the other day with Elder Craig. He was the last Assistant to the President and the best missionary, in my opinion. It was probably the best day on my mission so far. It was such an awesome day. We were just enjoying it so much because we both have come to understand how happiness comes. It was awesome. And then we had interviews with Pres. Woodland and those were also amazing. Pres. Woodland asked me to teach a new sister missionary how to find joy/happiness in the work. It was a way cool experience to teach and help someone.
Monday, January 26, 2009
January 26, 2009
This past week was very different than normal. I've been in two different countries and I wasn't in Lelystad that much this week. I had to go to Brussels to renew my Belgium legality. That was pretty cool because I haven't been there for almost a year and I got to talk to alot of the French-speaking missionaries. It took us ten hours of traveling to get there and back, plus two hours down there. It was a long day, but it was still fun. We almost missed the last train for the night out of Brussels coming back to the Netherlands, that would have been bad.
The next day I had to go to a District Leaders meeting in Zoetemeer and I was there for the whole day, so I didn't get to go to Lelystad for two days in a row. But it was still a great week. We are now teaching Iris and both of her daughters and we're kind of teaching her son, but not completely. They'll be getting baptized in February. We are also teaching a lady named Saraida and her son Jamal, they were in church on Sunday, they're really positive. Oh, and we had an investigator read 30 chapters out of the Book of Mormon in between our first and second appointment with her, that was really cool.
It's been raining alot and my feet keep getting soaked because of the holes in the bottoms of my shoes, so the next day I'll wear my other shoes that are still pretty much brand-new and it won't rain at all, so I'll switch back to my more worn-out shoes and it'll rain again. But I don't care because for the first time on my mission, it doesn't matter to me anymore that everything goes wrong sometimes. I just keep going, no use in complaining about it, I can't change some things so I just forget about them. I'VE REALLY NEVER BEEN HAPPIER THAN I AM RIGHT NOW. I like where I'm at and I like the changes I'm making.
The next day I had to go to a District Leaders meeting in Zoetemeer and I was there for the whole day, so I didn't get to go to Lelystad for two days in a row. But it was still a great week. We are now teaching Iris and both of her daughters and we're kind of teaching her son, but not completely. They'll be getting baptized in February. We are also teaching a lady named Saraida and her son Jamal, they were in church on Sunday, they're really positive. Oh, and we had an investigator read 30 chapters out of the Book of Mormon in between our first and second appointment with her, that was really cool.
It's been raining alot and my feet keep getting soaked because of the holes in the bottoms of my shoes, so the next day I'll wear my other shoes that are still pretty much brand-new and it won't rain at all, so I'll switch back to my more worn-out shoes and it'll rain again. But I don't care because for the first time on my mission, it doesn't matter to me anymore that everything goes wrong sometimes. I just keep going, no use in complaining about it, I can't change some things so I just forget about them. I'VE REALLY NEVER BEEN HAPPIER THAN I AM RIGHT NOW. I like where I'm at and I like the changes I'm making.
Monday, January 19, 2009
January 19, 2009
I just got back from Amsterdam and I guess my shoes are just too worn out because water now leaks in through the holes in the soles. But hey, it's not cold any more. It's just really, really west because it rains none stop!!! Which is great because I just got the package with all my warm stuff that I don't need anymore because now I need a wetsuit to stay dry, or a drysuit would be better. It's actually still pretty cold, but not below freezing anymore.
By the way, the jerky you sent me expired, I figured that out about halfway through the bag, but of course, I still ate the whole bag because even stale things from America are better than fresh things from Europe. So, I eat really, really healthy now. For breakfast I eat a hug bowl of All-Bran cereal, oats, apples, yogurt, cinnamon and honey (all together). It's really good. And I eat fruits and veggies and all sorts of good stuff.
This week we set a couple of baptismal dates, two with some totally crazy people, and the others with really solid people. Iris will hopefully be one as well tonight.
By the way, the jerky you sent me expired, I figured that out about halfway through the bag, but of course, I still ate the whole bag because even stale things from America are better than fresh things from Europe. So, I eat really, really healthy now. For breakfast I eat a hug bowl of All-Bran cereal, oats, apples, yogurt, cinnamon and honey (all together). It's really good. And I eat fruits and veggies and all sorts of good stuff.
This week we set a couple of baptismal dates, two with some totally crazy people, and the others with really solid people. Iris will hopefully be one as well tonight.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Mission Pictures
We just got a picture CD from Sean. Here are some of the pictures. I labeled them as Sean did.
Almere Apartment 12.29.2008
Almere Apartment 12.29.2008
Almere Apartment 12.29.2008
Me and Elder Lystrup 12.29.2008
Me and Elder Stringham 12.29.2008
Me and Elder Tilleman 12.29.2008
View from apartment during Market 12.24.2008
Iris's dogs 12.22.2008
Me and some random African that I contacted in Amsterdam 12.22.2008
First loaf of banana bread 11.28.2008
Last Assen District 11.25.2008
Assen Apartment 11.25.2008
Assen Apartment 11.25.2008
Assen Apartment 11.25.2008
My bed in Assen 11.25.2008
Me and Alex 11.24.2008
Killer bloody nose 10.7.2008
"Personal Study" 11.5.2008
Jean Jacques baptism 9.20.2008
Service at member's (Lubbrinks) in Assen 8.29.2008
First Assen district 9.2.2008
Groningen Apartment 8.24.2008
View from Heerenveen Apartment 8.23.2008
Site of the first baptism in the Netherlands 7.28.2008
1st temple trip 5.28.2008
Almere Apartment 12.29.2008
Almere Apartment 12.29.2008
Almere Apartment 12.29.2008
Me and Elder Lystrup 12.29.2008
Me and Elder Stringham 12.29.2008
Me and Elder Tilleman 12.29.2008
View from apartment during Market 12.24.2008
Iris's dogs 12.22.2008
Me and some random African that I contacted in Amsterdam 12.22.2008
First loaf of banana bread 11.28.2008Last Assen District 11.25.2008
Assen Apartment 11.25.2008
Assen Apartment 11.25.2008
Assen Apartment 11.25.2008
My bed in Assen 11.25.2008
Me and Alex 11.24.2008
Killer bloody nose 10.7.2008
"Personal Study" 11.5.2008
Jean Jacques baptism 9.20.2008
Service at member's (Lubbrinks) in Assen 8.29.2008
First Assen district 9.2.2008
Groningen Apartment 8.24.2008
View from Heerenveen Apartment 8.23.2008
Site of the first baptism in the Netherlands 7.28.2008
1st temple trip 5.28.2008Wednesday, January 14, 2009
January 12, 2009
I picked up my dazed companion in Den Haag on Wednesday. He's still kind of in shock, but it's getting better. I've done so much talking the past five days. I do pretty much all the talking in the lessons and on the doors and on the street because he just doesn't understand anything yet. But I try to get him to talk as much as possible so he can get some practice and start getting out of his comfort zone. Having a greenie is like having a puppy, they run around completely confused and not really sure what's going on and then they pee all over everything. It's fun to watch and rewarding to 'clean up' after them, and what I mean is to help them get back on their feet and learn from the mistakes that they made and then to go further. It's fun and enjoyable, he has learned alot already and is making huge steps.
I baptized Jue on Saturday, her real name is Maria Jaoa dos Anjos Videria de Carvalho Pio!!!!!!!! And I had to memorize it! It was really cool and the spirit was really strong. Iris and Noor came too and like it alot.
I baptized Jue on Saturday, her real name is Maria Jaoa dos Anjos Videria de Carvalho Pio!!!!!!!! And I had to memorize it! It was really cool and the spirit was really strong. Iris and Noor came too and like it alot.
January 5, 2009
I'm doing pretty good. I finally broke down and bought a new coat, a North Face and it's way warm.
I'm staying in Lelystad/Almere. I'm also training a brand-new missionary. Oh, and I'm the district leader. Ya, it'll be fun.
New Year's here was crazy. It's the only time of the year that they can buy or light fireworks and they go crazy. On the 31st it was really foggy and there were bombs and fireworks of all kinds going off around us in the fog. And then at midnight it was really crazy. Just imagine Stadium of Fire or the city's firework displays, but times 100,000 because everyone has that many fireworks and they all light them off at the same time. It was nuts, but way awesome.
I have a baptism on Saturday. She is from Portugal and her name is Jue.
The lady with the cancer bore her testimony in church and said how she was so grateful for everyone and that her treatments were actually getting easier to bear and they're actually supposed to get harder, so that was cool.
Iris and her daughter Noor are progressing still and are getting really close to baptism, and we've found a ton of new investigators.
I'm staying in Lelystad/Almere. I'm also training a brand-new missionary. Oh, and I'm the district leader. Ya, it'll be fun.
New Year's here was crazy. It's the only time of the year that they can buy or light fireworks and they go crazy. On the 31st it was really foggy and there were bombs and fireworks of all kinds going off around us in the fog. And then at midnight it was really crazy. Just imagine Stadium of Fire or the city's firework displays, but times 100,000 because everyone has that many fireworks and they all light them off at the same time. It was nuts, but way awesome.
I have a baptism on Saturday. She is from Portugal and her name is Jue.
The lady with the cancer bore her testimony in church and said how she was so grateful for everyone and that her treatments were actually getting easier to bear and they're actually supposed to get harder, so that was cool.
Iris and her daughter Noor are progressing still and are getting really close to baptism, and we've found a ton of new investigators.
December 29, 2008
It's really cold here now. We're outside for most the day, so haveing numb feet, hands, and head are just regular daily things. The humidity and wind are what makes it really bad.
Well, I cooked fajitas for the family whose mom has cancer, as well as two loaves of banana bread. They loved it. They have four young kids under the age of eight that are sooo funny.
I have also done soooooooooooo much cleaning this week. I clean every day during lunch and then when we get home at night I clean something too. But our apartment is still not the cleanest place in the world but it's looking better and better.
Thank you everyone for the Christmas packages. The food was wonderful.
This week Iris and her daughter Noor (nine years old) came to church and absolutely loved it. They have accepted everything and will probably be baptized really soon.
I love and miss you all, but I'm having fun here and I'll see you in eleven months.
Well, I cooked fajitas for the family whose mom has cancer, as well as two loaves of banana bread. They loved it. They have four young kids under the age of eight that are sooo funny.
I have also done soooooooooooo much cleaning this week. I clean every day during lunch and then when we get home at night I clean something too. But our apartment is still not the cleanest place in the world but it's looking better and better.
Thank you everyone for the Christmas packages. The food was wonderful.
This week Iris and her daughter Noor (nine years old) came to church and absolutely loved it. They have accepted everything and will probably be baptized really soon.
I love and miss you all, but I'm having fun here and I'll see you in eleven months.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
December 22, 2008
Today we went to Amsterdam with about 20 missionaries and sung Christmas songs in one of the centrums there. It's actually the same centrum that 'The Best Two Years' was filmed in. There was a really big Christmas tree there so most of the missionaries stood by it and sung while I and two other Elders contacted people walking by. There were tons of people from all over. I talked to people from 15 different countries. It was cool!
This week I had a preacher from another church call me and Elder Tilleman blasphemers and some other stuff. Then we ended up praying with him in the middle of the centrum on Saturday market day, it was soooooooooo busy...But it was cool.
Thanks for the package and the party that you threw with all my friends. It was cool to read all the letters and to see the pictures of them and to hear their voices, that was really weird. But thanks.
The temple was really good and the zone conference was also really, really good.
We've got alot of cool appointments this week with members for first Christmas Day, second Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve.
On Saturday I'm going to be cooking for a family in our ward that the mother has cancer. She has five young kids and cancer. We gave her a blessing and the tumor is almost gone and she's going to have surgery to remove her collar bone where the cancer was.
This week I had a preacher from another church call me and Elder Tilleman blasphemers and some other stuff. Then we ended up praying with him in the middle of the centrum on Saturday market day, it was soooooooooo busy...But it was cool.
Thanks for the package and the party that you threw with all my friends. It was cool to read all the letters and to see the pictures of them and to hear their voices, that was really weird. But thanks.
The temple was really good and the zone conference was also really, really good.
We've got alot of cool appointments this week with members for first Christmas Day, second Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve.
On Saturday I'm going to be cooking for a family in our ward that the mother has cancer. She has five young kids and cancer. We gave her a blessing and the tumor is almost gone and she's going to have surgery to remove her collar bone where the cancer was.
December 15, 2008
Well, our numbers for the past weeks are as follows: 15 total lessons the first week, 26 total lessons the second week, and 33 total lessons the third week. We just keep getting better and better.
Yesterday a guy at the door called us thieves, liars, druggies and a few other things, then it made him mad when it didn't frustrate me. I felt really bad for the guy. I honestly felt that pure charity for him that he was so lost in his life and it made me sad that his life was so bad.
But anyway, I also got hugged by a drunk guy the other day.
We have one family that is really positive...it's a mother with three children, ages 9, 14, and 15. They're pretty awesome.
Other than that I've decided that a mango a day keeps the doctor away. We buy all sorts of fruits in the market on Wed. and Sat.
Anyway, I've been really busy and haven't had a lot of time to write letter or record anything. Sorry.
Tomorrow I get to go to The Hague Temple again, the first time in seven months!!
Yesterday a guy at the door called us thieves, liars, druggies and a few other things, then it made him mad when it didn't frustrate me. I felt really bad for the guy. I honestly felt that pure charity for him that he was so lost in his life and it made me sad that his life was so bad.
But anyway, I also got hugged by a drunk guy the other day.
We have one family that is really positive...it's a mother with three children, ages 9, 14, and 15. They're pretty awesome.
Other than that I've decided that a mango a day keeps the doctor away. We buy all sorts of fruits in the market on Wed. and Sat.
Anyway, I've been really busy and haven't had a lot of time to write letter or record anything. Sorry.
Tomorrow I get to go to The Hague Temple again, the first time in seven months!!
December 8, 2008
I am in Amsterdam today with a whole bunch of other Elders for our p-day.
Well, this week went by really fast. I had a couple of people yell at me and try to pick fights, but then I calmly responded to them and that would just make them even more angry. But don't worry, it's not like they would have actually done anything. Other that that this week has been fairly uneventful.
Did I tell you about standing on the dike and seeing the water level at 30 feet above the land!! That's a weird feeling. It's weird to sit on the train and see what used to be the bottom of the ocean.
Well, it's pretty cold here and very wet. It rains alot!
There was only one investigator when I got here, but we have worked really hard trying to get the city making progress again and now we have eight and it will only get better.
Well, this week went by really fast. I had a couple of people yell at me and try to pick fights, but then I calmly responded to them and that would just make them even more angry. But don't worry, it's not like they would have actually done anything. Other that that this week has been fairly uneventful.
Did I tell you about standing on the dike and seeing the water level at 30 feet above the land!! That's a weird feeling. It's weird to sit on the train and see what used to be the bottom of the ocean.
Well, it's pretty cold here and very wet. It rains alot!
There was only one investigator when I got here, but we have worked really hard trying to get the city making progress again and now we have eight and it will only get better.
December 1, 2008
Well I'm in my new city and it's not a very positive city. But the good news is that we have an actual church building and it's a fairly big branch that will be able to become a ward pretty soon. They just need a few more members. The Branch President seems pretty good and the ward mission leader too.
My new companion is from Los Vegas and the other two elders in the apartment are from Holladay, Ut. and Arizona. I get along really well with them.
Well, my year mark is on Friday...that's kind of weird. Time just slips away. It's really a crazy sensation. The time literally seems like it never existed. It's crazy.
I miss Elder Patrick and Assen! I loved that city. We were having so much success there and now I've got to start over.
But what's cool is that the ground that I'm walking on and living on is younger than Dad and Mom. It's land that they pulled out of the water. They put dikes all around it and then pumped the water out. We were out on the dike on Saturday and the water level was higher than the city! That makes you sleep soundly at night!!!!!!!!!! But it was pretty cool to see that.
My new apartment is pretty big and it's right in the middle of the Centrum (plaza). It actually looks over the square where they had the market on Wednesday and Saturday. And we have a little Christmas tree.
My new companion is from Los Vegas and the other two elders in the apartment are from Holladay, Ut. and Arizona. I get along really well with them.
Well, my year mark is on Friday...that's kind of weird. Time just slips away. It's really a crazy sensation. The time literally seems like it never existed. It's crazy.
I miss Elder Patrick and Assen! I loved that city. We were having so much success there and now I've got to start over.
But what's cool is that the ground that I'm walking on and living on is younger than Dad and Mom. It's land that they pulled out of the water. They put dikes all around it and then pumped the water out. We were out on the dike on Saturday and the water level was higher than the city! That makes you sleep soundly at night!!!!!!!!!! But it was pretty cool to see that.
My new apartment is pretty big and it's right in the middle of the Centrum (plaza). It actually looks over the square where they had the market on Wednesday and Saturday. And we have a little Christmas tree.
November 24, 2008
Hello! I'm leaving Assen and heading for Lelystad (Lelijk-ugly, stad-city). But it sound good. My new companion has only been out three months and I've been out for one year...it should be fun. My new address is:
Stadhuisplein 13A
1315-HV Almere
Nederland
We live in Almere with those elders, so it won't be just me and my companion in the apartment. That'll be fun. Unfortunately I'll be missing Fokko's, Mr. Philips', Alex's, and Happy's baptisms. But oh well, that's life. This week we had over 30 lessons and in the past two weeks we've had 13 new investigators. I've had alot of success since I have been in Assen. Hopefully I'll have alot in Lelystad too.
The other day I was on a train and I looked out the window to see thousands of geese circling a farmer's field...you have no idea the panic attach I had...those geese were being allowed to land in that field with no one within a few thousand miles to shoot at them...
Stadhuisplein 13A
1315-HV Almere
Nederland
We live in Almere with those elders, so it won't be just me and my companion in the apartment. That'll be fun. Unfortunately I'll be missing Fokko's, Mr. Philips', Alex's, and Happy's baptisms. But oh well, that's life. This week we had over 30 lessons and in the past two weeks we've had 13 new investigators. I've had alot of success since I have been in Assen. Hopefully I'll have alot in Lelystad too.
The other day I was on a train and I looked out the window to see thousands of geese circling a farmer's field...you have no idea the panic attach I had...those geese were being allowed to land in that field with no one within a few thousand miles to shoot at them...
November 17, 2008
I'm doing pretty good. We found five new investigators this last week and that was about the extent of it. I have to go on an exchange with Elder Jensen tomorrow and Wednesday.
So, today I ate an entire pound of pasta...and I've lost 2 kilos (4.4 pounds) in the past week, so I think my new slogan is going to be 'open mouth, insert food'.
So, today I ate an entire pound of pasta...and I've lost 2 kilos (4.4 pounds) in the past week, so I think my new slogan is going to be 'open mouth, insert food'.
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