Pictures :)

I can only send a few at a time so lets try again.  I will send one of the tiny cars that go on the bike paths and some of the beauty. The boat is going right in front of our apartment. I call this MY bridge because it is so close and I know we are home....it is a draw bridge (brug) A picture of us in front of the Windmill in Liden  Our favorite place so far.  This is where the Mission Office is. Our front door. The narrow stairs we have to climb....pray one of us does not fall down the stairs.  We have 2 flights of these. The dreaded Market:)

This is all I can do for now so enjoy:)

Oma

One more thing...

I forgot to tell one more experience that happened at church today.  Last week a young man was ordained to be a Deacon...and today was his first day of passing the sacrament.  He was dressed up in a suit that looked like it had been worn before by someone else, had tennis shoes on and a tie that hung down way below his waist...but he was just beaming. As he started to pass the Sacrament his little sister ran up to him and threw her arms around his legs and just hung on.  It was such a sweet sight. His mother had tears in her eyes as the young man passed the Sacrament to her. This is what this Gospel is all about..LOVE:) 

I think I could write a book on Missionary Experiences and we are just starting #3 week. Everyday has something to write about.

Oma

Trying to send pictures

Dear family,

I downloaded some pictures but  the computer would not let me download anymore.  I am still learning so give me some slack.  Tomorrow Elder Pankratz is coming over and I will have him help me download all the pictures I have so far......I am trying to take time for Blogging but would someone keep the e-mails I send home to keep as part of our Missionary Journal.

This morning we had to take one of the Elders to the hospital.....what a cold feeling when you enter.  Nothing serious but now I know why you don't want to get sick and be in the hospital here in Amsterdam.  The lady Dr. looked so unprofessional we hoped she WAS the Dr. She had on a yellow shirt, orange sweater, black leggings and green knee high rubber boots. The Elder got a RX for something and we hope it will make him well......have NO idea what the Rx was   FURABID 100 mg.  I think it is Macrobid (sp) for UTI's. The Elder is feeling better and we now know  where the hospital is if we have to go again.

We were late getting to church so were not able to sit by any investigators.  After the meeting our little 87 year old Bregjet came and found us to give us a love. There are many black families and they are awesome as Cameron can tell you.  We met a black man from Spain who speaks Spanish but no Dutch.  He is here taking care of his brothers family while his brother is in Georgia working.  This family has 3 of the cutest little girls you have ever seen.  Braids going everywhere.  They were sitting in back of us and I thought how a children's book would be so nice to give to them.  Ladies come in levi's leggings,pants suits.My friend William is black, has dredge locks, wore a yellow and black shirt with a red and white stripped tie.  You just LOVE being in these people presence. There was an investigator today that had her little dog in church with her....she brought the dog in a stroller. The hymns are sung in several different languages which makes singing very interesting but joyful.  One of the sister missionary translates for those who cannot understand Dutch. We take our American church meetings so much for granted...everyone dressed up with the latest fashion, everything so proper. Here the Sacrament prayer was said in a language that was not Dutch or English, but it WAS the sacrament prayer and meant the same...only better.

Levi, the lady we visited last week, that has smoked 'weed' for 30 years was at church as well. She leaves for Sudan next week for a month so the Elders here are contacting the Elders in Sudan to keep visiting her.  I met her in the hall and told her how good it was to see her.  I asked how she was and she started to cry.  I put my arm around her and asked what was the matter.  She has a daughter who she says "a big woman came and took away my daughter and will not let me talk to her.  I call her everyday and this big woman tells me my daughter does not want you anymore.  She gives her drinks that make my daughter crazy". She said "what did I do wrong as a mother"? I told her that her daughter has free agency to make her own choices, but for Levi to keep calling and telling her daughter that she is loved. What experiences we are having.  I love Sundays.  Next week we are gong to visit another ward that is struggling with the Young Adults....hopefully we can introduce ourselves and invite these YA to come to our Centrum. Never a dull moment for sure.

We have had three days without rain but the wind is cold.....everyone wears scarves here and we know why.  Even in the rain, wind, cold everyone rides bikes. Spoiled us that have a car. We have two bikes in our shed so when it WARMS up we will join the crowd......and it is a crowd.

Tomorrow is FHE and I have fixed a casserole with the leftover sloppy joe mix.  Tuesday I have Taco Soup for the District meeting and hope to have leftovers from that for Wednesday institute.  Friday we are going to Utrecht for a surprise birthday party for President Brubaker. Each day brings something new. We just get up and then say when we go to bed, where has the day gone.  We are going on 3 weeks already!

Just a closing thought  for the drivers in the family.  If you run a red light and are caught you have to pay 350 euros.  If you are caught talking on your cell phone you will pay 370 euros.

The word of the day is UIT: exit

                                 Brug: bridge

                                 Rundergehakt: ground beef

We are going to take a walk before heading to bed, while it is not raining.

We love you all and thank you for your love and support so we can serve this mission.  We could NOT do this without you. The gas tank is 1/2 full so we will take our Blood Pressure pills and go fill the car up with gas.  We will let you know the 'sticker shock'.

Love, Oma

Picture

We went to the Mission Office in Liden...this is the most beautiful little city with several windmills.

Love, Elder and Zuster deLeeuw

Sloppy Joe's

It is late and we just got home...but I have to brag on something I have NEVER done before.  I made Sloppy Joe's from 'scratch' and they were a ROARING success. Dutch people do not eat potato chips with their meals BUT since I was cooking they got chips and carrot sticks with apple crisp for dessert. I was not sure if the apples were the cooking kind, but what the heck it was great. I had left over sloppy Joe mix so for FHE will add some macaroni and leftover peas and carrots, put cheese on top and I have my next meal.  Think I will write a book on 'how to use leftovers":)

Have fun at dinner and know that we love you!  

FYI: Dad went to check how much a haircut would be....$25.00.  Gas is $9.00 a gallon. Everyone says this economy is ready to tank....people are nervous. Maybe I will have to become a Barber as well. 

Love, mom

First Night

We just returned from our first YoVo FHE and I am still alive. These young adults are amazing with some conversion stories to tell.  There were 13 Young Adults and that is a GREAT number.  Some of the YA have to travel quite a distance to attend so we were pleased.  I had fixed a Breakfast Casserole and Orange slices..it was a hit.  The kids will eat anything I think as long as it is food. Kim, the FHE leader is so full of energy and played some fun games that had everyone laughing and interacting....18 months of party, just wish I didn't have to do all the cooking.  I think on Wednesday I will have Sloppy Joe's and carrotts.  The Dutch people don't eat chips with their meals but as a snack.  I will also make Snickerdoodles cause they love those. Maybe when we get home I WILL open deLeeuw's Deli:)

We attend District meeting tomorrow and have a meeting with the YoVo President tomorrow night.  PLUS I get to go shopping again!

Love, Zuster deLeeuw

Products in the store

Dear Sisters,

well, tonight is my fixing the first meal for the YoVo's here in Amsterdam.  I just have a second but want to show you what I am up against when I go to the store. I will write down the products and you see if can guess what they are:

1-Kip

2-Knoflook

3-uien

4-Poder

5-Tijm

6-Maizena

7-Creme Fraiche

8-Melk

9-Aradappel

10-Salade

11-Eieren

12-Calve Pindakaas

13-nootmuskaat

14-Kaneel

15-wortel

16-brood

17-Kass

18-Guist Levure

19-Basterd Suiker

20-Clorix

21-Tonijnmoot

22-IJS Bekertjes

23-Poeder Suiker 

Now come and go shopping with me and see what you purchase.  I am also baking in a gas oven that is in Celsius.  Please pray for me:)

Love, Zuster deLeeuw

Laugh for the day

Good Evening to you.

 

You are just getting your day started and we are in the dark already.  Did I tell you how late the sun comes up in the morning...8:30 and how early it goes down in the afternoon....5:00. Very short days.  We are taking pictures as we can but because it is so cold and rainy it is hard to stand outside and take pictures.  We are spoiled because the Sister Missionaries ride their bikes in the rain.  You see mothers with babies in a basket in the front of a bike riding in the rain.  BUCK UP mom.

Last night we had the Elders come and teach us a lesson.  They need to teach 3 lessons per day and if they have no investigators they teach members.  It was so fun having them.  Tomorrow (Sunday) we are having the sisters over for dinner.  The Elders have a dinner appointment or they would come too.  Yesterday Buddy and Beryl, don't you just love those names....Elder and Sister Gout came and trained us for what we are to do in the Young Adult Center. It was quite overwhelming and dad keeps telling me "one day at a time".  I think of ALL we HAVE done this week already and I am still alive. And I have had NOOOOO headaches!!!!!!!!

Today we went shopping again......that is a stress of all stresses.  I had to ask where the flour was, sour cream, can't read the labels and just pray the packages have pictures.  NOTHING is in English!  The laundry soap here is weird.  You buy one for whites and one for colored clothes.  That is the laugh of the day.  Today I did laundry and there are 3 bottles of 'whatever' by the washing machine.  NOT knowing what is what I just poured one of the liquids in the washing machine.....when Sister Salden came over today I asked her what was what and found out our clothes had been washed in fabric softener. The clothes are soft and smell good.  I have written on all the containers what is what. The washing machine takes forever to wash, but I am NOT complaining cause we have a washing machine.  The dryer is an evaporation machine....it has no vent so the moisture goes into a plastic tube that is emptied after each use. Interesting  for sure.  I took a marking pen and wrote on the washer and dryer all the different cycles.  I am learning by 'trial and error.' 

Something else funny that happened.  The other day when we were with the Elders teaching the 87 year old lady.....she told us she could be baptized because she did not smoke or drink and did not do sex.  Dad and I about fell apart but the poor Elders did not know what to say.  I just put my arm around her and told her she was ready to be baptized for sure.

Well, I forgot something at the store so have to go back......I get so rattled in the stores I just want to pay and get OUT! I forget to take the shopping bags so have just put them in the car to have them available.  No bags, you put the groceries on the floor of the car. What an experience we are having!  In a few weeks I will look back on this and laugh as I become a pro. KEEP PRAYING!!!!!  

We love you.  I will try and take some time next week to catch up on the blog and send pictures.  We are really going to be busy now we kind of know what we are doing.

Love, 

Elder and Zuster deLeeuw  AKA: mom and dad

Video

Dear Family,

We finally got a minute to watch the video you made for us.....of course it made us cry.  We love you and miss you but we KNOW this is where we are suppose to be, serving the Lord. We will still have trials but we will be blessed.  Dad and I ARE blessed to have the family that we have.  Today we went with the Elders as they are teaching a 87 year old lady.  Today they taught the 'Plan of Salvation" and we were able to bear our Testimonies about Eternal Families. Missionary work is AWESOME!

Thank you for your sacrifice in helping us serve, we could not have been able to do this without your help. You are loved more than you will ever know!

Elder and Sister deLeeuw

Fun!

What a day we have had. The winter  has been very warm here as well, but winter is coming and today it was cold with rain .  Reminded us of Seattle. After a much needed good nights sleep we got up and put all our things away then went to the Amsterdam chapel for a District meeting with the Missionaries and the Mission President.  That is a meeting I will have to cook for each week. This afternoon Elder and Sister Pankratz took us shopping...what an experience.  You have to pay 50 euros to get a shopping cart...you get your money back when you take the cart back. Everything is in Dutch so I have to guess what I am buying.  I laughed all the way through the store.  You have to take your own shopping bags and bag your own groceries.....then pay in Euros. The little shopping center is not far away and has a Post Office, several variety stores, beauty shop, pet store, flower shop, clothes store, bakery to die for, meat market.  I SOOOO wish you could come enjoy the culture.  We have not seen much of the town, but what we have seen is hard to describe the beauty.  There is a canal just in front of our apartment and there are lots of geese and ducks.

Tonight we went back to the church for a 'ward' dinner and institute.  I cook every Monday for FHE, Tuesday District Meeting and every other Wednesday for the Institute.  We met several of the Young Adults and ward members tonight and I told dad that I WILL be crying in 18 months when we leave these people.  We will attend the Amsterdam ward this week then visit the other 5 wards in this area to introduce ourselves as the new Missionaries for the Young Adult Center. Tomorrow we will go with the Elders as they teach an 87 year old investigator and bear our Testimony......we have hit the ground running!  One of the Sisters here is Phil and Mattie Kresge neice.  Small world!  We will probably have the 6 Missionaries that live here over for dinner on Sunday.  Here we go!! 

I will take some pictures of our apartment and the beautiful area around here in a few days.  We are feeling the spirit of Missionary work already and are excited to be here.  Thank you all SOOOO much for your love and support. We know this is where we are suppose to be. Dad is speaking Dutch to the Missionaries and the members and I am saying the few words I know.  The people smile and give me a thumbs up.

We met the neighbors next door today....we smiled and shook hands...they speak no English. At least they know we are friendly.

Well, it is late and we are still having a bit of jet lag.....oh, the Mission Presidents wife sent me a picture of a rash on one of the Elders feet for me to diagnose.  The Mission nurse is happy to have me here to help with the skin problems. 

We love you!

Elder and Sister deLeeuw  AKA: mom and dad