Wow, it just seems like we were
writing this letter....how the weeks are whizzing by. All the
grandchildren are back in school, so another summer has come and gone.
Four months from now it will be Christmas, and we will be complaining
about how cold it is here. The daylight hours continue to drop
fast....9:15 now and it is dark. Seems like each night we notice a few
minutes difference.
Last weekend was a very hot humid one. Dad and I
have been lucky this summer, as we have only had 5 days that have been
very uncomfortable. This weekend has been cool with lots of rain again.
Last Sunday was our 'Gouda' long day. We started by going to church in
Haarlem, because Fabrina, the YSA girl from the Ukraine, said she would
go to Gouda with us. The Haarlem chapel is one of few, if any, that has
fans in the building. In fact it was so hot that day, that the wards in
Leeuwarden and Groningen cancelled all meetings except Sacrament
Meeting. After Sacrament meeting we left for Gouda. That chapel has no
widows to open, so the three hours were some of the longest of our
lives. Everyone was sweating....and the meal that was prepared was hot
soup! Fabrina, was not excited to be there, and it took some talking for
her to stay. As we were entering the freeway to return home, the
traffic was backed up for miles. We thought we would out smart the
traffic and head home another way through Rotterdam. We did not change
our Garmin thinking we knew we would know where to go. So off we went
thinking we would avoid the traffic and be home early.
WRONG......without changing the Garmin, like 'stupid idiots', all it did
is turn us around right back into the traffic:( We were in this
horrific traffic jam for over an hour. People had their music going so
loud, others were walking up the freeway for the drivers to pick them up
as we inched along. We had the Sister Missionaries with us, as they had
permission to go with us because of Fabrina, who they are teaching. We
told them to get out and pass out Books of Mormon. There had been a bad
accident which had the traffic backed up. We went from 4 lanes, to
three, to two, No one moved for a long time. When we finally got to
where the accident had happened, there were 20 plus police just standing
around talking.....workers here in Holland do a lot of talking and not
much working. Rather than getting the traffic moving, they were just
standing around. Sunday had to be the LONGEST, HOTTEST day of my life:) We Finally got home about 10:00 pm, very tired. Gouda day starts at 10:00 am and goes all day. Next month the Den Haag Stake is in charge....that is us.
Monday
was FHE and we had a member of the High Council gave the lesson. I had
fixed Lasagna, salad and fruit cocktail cake. The kids LOVE anything
different, and the cake was different. The evening was just ideal for
the "kids" to go outside after the lesson and play Frisbee. What a fun
time we have with these YSA's. Tuesday was another shopping day, as we had to prepare lunch for Zone Conference Wednesday. Tuesday
night dad and I went on a bike ride that took us to another beautiful
part of Diemen. You daughters get or keep in shape, because when you
come we are renting, borrowing or stealing bikes(just kidding), so you
can have the real Dutch bike riding experience! We have found that
getting off the freeway onto the fiets paths , it is a whole different
Holland. The trails go for miles......in fact, people bike all over
Holland with maps of bike paths, not freeways.
Wednesday
was Zone Conference. I was REALLY happy because the meeting was in
English. Our new Mission President loves to speak Dutch, and the last
Zone Conference was presented in the Dutch language. President Robinson
is such a quiet humble man. He told us about how he had open heart
surgery several years ago, and what a change that made in his life
knowing that he might not survive the surgery. His priorities really
changed. Sister Robinson is a 'ball of fire'. She has been a school
teacher for many years, and when she teaches we all feel like we are in
her class room. A tradition that is done at Zone Conference, is that all
the Sisters and Elders that have had, or will have birthdays during a
few months, are called to the front of the room. 45 seconds is given
for others to say funny, positive things about the person having the
Birthday. I was called up with the Missionaries this time. During my 45
seconds the comments were made: She is like our mom. She makes Lekker
cookies. She gives great hugs. When she got her haircut she still
smiled. And Elder Cundick told everyone he was my favorite:) It's ok
Travin...he's not family:) After all the positives are said, the Dutch
birthday song is sung. That will be a new tradition for birthdays if we
can learn it. We will have another Zone Conference the 5th of September....The
Belgium/Netherlands Mission is being visited by a member of the Seventy
from SLC. Guess we will have to be on our good behavior that day.
Thursday
we had Elder and Sister Seiter here. They are the new couple that just
arrived last Saturday, that will be serving in the Den Haag Centrum.
This is the Centrum where Elder and Sister Moore served. Can you
believe that dad and I are now the ones giving the orientation on
Mission and Centrum items. We have 'come a long way baby.' The Seiters
are from American Fork, and Elder Seiter served his mission here as
well. The Saldens leave for home this week, two new couples arrive in
October, the Van Komens leave the first of November. The Mission is
really changing for the Senior Couples. It was nice to really know how
much we have learned in the 7+ months we have been here. There are some
changes that are being made with the YSA Centrums, but for now we will
just keep serving like we came to do.
Friday
was an incredible day for dad. Last year a celebration was held in
Friesland, to commemorate 150 years since the first Baptisms in Holland.
There is a monument that was erected by the church on the sight that
these baptisms took place. We met Elder and Sister Van Komen in
Leeuwarden, and they drove us around Friesland and to the monument. Both
sets of dad's great grandparent came from Friesland, and dad's great
grandfather Syben Van Dyke, was mission President here in Holland twice.
We felt like we were on sacred ground as we drove through the county
side where the deLeeuw's, de Groot, and Van Dykes's came from. A book
was published last year with the History of the church in Holland. We
have one, but it is written in Dutch. An English translation is suppose
to be in the making of this book, and IF it is translated before we come
home, dad wants each family member to have a copy. Friesland is
absolutely beautiful, some of the prettiest county we have seen. It
even has it's own flag and 'county' symbols.
Today was the day we spoke in Lelystad. That is a
small branch a 45 minute drive from where we live. We were told to
prepare a 10 minute talk, and with translation it will take 20 minutes. A
young man spoke first, then me, and with all the translation dad only
had a few minutes......that is the way he really wanted it:) He bore his
Testimony in Dutch and told the people about his Dutch ancestry. They
lovedit. Dad told them he was "A TRUE DUTCH MAN", with all his
ancestors coming from Holland. This small branch had more children than
any other Ward or Branch we have visited. We were told they have the
biggest primary in the Stake......We are also starting another small
Centrum in the Lelystad area. We had no idea, but there are several
YSA's, not active, from there and Almere. The Elders have contacted
several of these youth, and they said they would attend an activity if
one was held in Lelystad. It is just to far for these YSA's to come to
Amsterdam. SO, the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month we will travel to
Lelystad and have dinner and an activity. Monday, Wednesdays, and every other Thursday....got
to love this work. We SO hope that we have a big group from that area.
What a great Missionary tool. The Elders are really excited to get this
going. A young man we met at JoVo camp, who has become a good friend of
ours, and loves to cook, will cook the dinner each meeting, and I will
bring dessert. What a deal!!!!!!!!!!!! We left this morning at 8:45 am, and returned home tonight at 6:00 pm. Missionary work IS amazing!
We love you all. Thank you for keeping us in your
prayers....and the Elders and Sisters, and the JoVo's. We are so
grateful to be serving the Lord. Oh one more thing. I am placing my
first Book of Mormon tomorrow.
I will tell you how it goes next letter. There is a man, Juan, who I
have become friends with at the grocery store. Go figure, the grocery
store......he is always so pleasant and friendly. Each time I see him I
ask a little bit about him.....not much time as he is scanning the
groceries. I found that he loves music....so I got a Tabernacle Choir CD
to give him, and a Spanish Book of Mormon to put in the gift as well.
He is from Mexico City, but has lived in Sweden, Denmark and now in the
Netherlands. GO OMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is Pouring rain and is only 16 degrees
Celsius.....60 degrees Fahrenheit. Sweaters and jackets are out again:)
Fall is in the air.
Love you tons......Opa and Oma
Elder and Zuster deLeeuw
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