Yes,
after 14 months, a new way of baking cookies without the repetitive
motion......spread the cookie dough on the cookie sheet, and you have
bar cookies. Just bake and cut. Why didn't someone mention that to me
already! The JoVo's think these are quite innovative and different. Sure
save lots of time. Wednesday
evening at Institute, Sister Westra, the Senior Sister that helps with
the JoVo's from Alkmaar, asked for all my cookie recipes, and she wants
to come to our apartment so I can show her how to bake 'American'
cookies. I think each week we will have leftover treats to bring home,
as we take lots.....but the last one out always grabs whatever is left,
puts them in their backpack, and are out the door. YSA's acting like
little kids :)
Last
Sunday was our LONG Gouda day. We took three of our JoVo's from the
Amsterdam Ward, one being Seline, the young lady from Germany who is
still an investigator. (More on that later in the email). We go to three
hours of church here in Amsterdam, run home for a 'potty break', rozijn
roll, and a drink of juice, then we are out the door for the hour drive
to Gouda, and three more hours of meetings. The meetings are always
very inspirational, with the JoVo's doing all the planning and
participating, except for the meals, but it is three more hours of
church. On the way home, Seline made the comment, "Boy, this has been a
long day of church. All I want to do is go home and go to bed." We
laughed, and told her this happens just once a month.
This
week was transfers, and we are really happy with the Elders that were
transferred back into our Zone. Elder Larson, who was here in Amsterdam
for several months, is now back in Almere, so we will see him each week
at District Meeting. Our new District Leader is Elder Farmer, who
started the FHE in Lelystad, then was transferred out, but is now right
here in Amsterdam. Only two Sisters were moved this time, but we
understand next transfer, which is only four weeks, many of them will
move about. Speaking of that. We were told Friday
that 13 NEW apartments need to be found before July!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't
even imagine all the work that needs to be done in the next four months.
We received a call from the Mission President Friday, asking if we could meet with him Monday morning. He said there is SO much to be done, that new assignments are going to be made. Elder and Sister Pankratz go home the 28th of March,
so that leaves NO office couple. We think ALL the Senior Couples are
going to have to do 'double duty' for awhile. Lace up the running
shoes!!!! There is a Senior Couple that serves in Germany that are over
all the YSA Centers in Europe. We were told that they have us going home
in September, and now they know our release date is July, they are in a
panic as to who will replace us. President van der Put, the member of
our Stake Presidency who is over the YSA Centers in the Den Haag Stake,
keeps telling us we need to extend our Mission for four more years. He
has even offered to fund this extension. When we tell him we need to
come home to our family, he says, "if you love them, leave them." Nice
to know we are appreciated.
Dad
had an inspiration that a poster needed to be made to put in all the
Ward and Branch Buildings telling about FHE and Institute. A man in the
Amsterdam Ward is a Graphic Designer and volunteered to design the
poster. Elder Lyons had taken some pictures of the JoVo's at different
activities which were put on the Poster, and dad and I are 'famous', as
our picture is on the Poster as well. We will take them to the Wards and
Branch Buildings that have JoVo's coming to the Amsterdam Center, and
put them on the Bulletin Boards in the Foyer. We have had the suggestion
made that we made smaller copies of the Poster, to be handed out like
'pass along cards' for the Missionaries to give to YSA's they are
teaching. We will try and take a picture of it so you can see. Good
things are happening for a couple of our JoVo's that we are SO happy
about. Jurjen, a young man from Alkmaar, 24 years old, was totally
inactive when we arrived. His brother is the one that just left on his
Mission. Jurjen has totally taken a 360 degree turn, attends church,
FHE, Institute, had his Patriarchal Blessing last week, is taking the
missionary Prep classes along with the Temple Prep classes, and wants to
have his Mission call before we leave. Quincy, the young man we met at
JoVo camp last summer, who had just been Baptized. The one, as we were
leaving camp put his head on my shoulder crying, saying he had never
been told he was loved.......he is also preparing for a Mission Call,
and wants to have it as well before we leave. We hope to be attending a
couple of Missionary farewells before coming home. This is what this
Mission call is all about!!!! Seeing these YSA's making correct
decisions in their lives, that will bring them Eternal Happiness. Now if
we can just get a few of them married :)
We
have several young couples from America, that have been attending the
Amsterdam Ward for a few months, while here on internships for their
schooling, and a couple of single Sisters as well. All of a sudden they
are all leaving. Back to school, new jobs.....we LOVE having them here,
and it is sad to see them go. There are a few 'real die hard DUTCH
members', that are glad to see the 'Americans' leave. They are NOT happy
there is English translation in the Amsterdam Ward, thinking everyone
who attends the Ward should speak Dutch. They are having a hard time
with all the Spanish speaking people who have moved into the Ward. When
people come to Holland for a visit, the Amsterdam Ward IS the Ward they
attend, because they vacation in Amsterdam.....translation IS needed.
This is causing some feelings, and it is sad to see. Guess I need to say
ALL the Dutch words I know when attending the Sunday
meetings. That would make me VERY quiet! Dad and I think there needs to
be an English Branch here in Amsterdam.....Most of the members from the
African Countries do not speak Dutch, and they really feel left out.
People here need to remember we belong to a "World Wide Church."
We
woke up to more snow this morning. Utah has 'dry cold', but here it is
the 'damp cold' that is the killer. We made a comment that if we had to
ride bikes to church, we don't know if we would go. Yes, we ARE spoiled
Americans. Now 'the rest of the story' about Seline. About two months
ago, a beautiful young woman came into church, and introduced herself as
a visitor from Germany. Her dress, most visitors wear pants, her
demeanor, everything about her, we all thought she was a member of the
church. After RS, the Sister Missionaries went to talk with her. GOLDEN
CONTACT!!!!!!! Seline's mother, who lives in Germany, had been
investigating the church, called Seline, who is working here in
Amsterdam, and told her to find the Mormon Church. Right from the first,
Seline had that "Gospel Glow." It didn't take much on the Sisters part
to teach her. In our last email, we told you how she had been living the
Word of Wisdom already, and how good she felt. She has been attending
FHE and Institute, and everyone has just loved having her here. Today
was Seline's baptism day :) Tuesday,
dad got a phone call requesting that he Baptize Seline, per her
request. Her mother flew in from Germany last night to be at the
Baptism.....her mother has not been Baptized yet. This morning at 8:30, church starts at 10:00,
the phone rang......."Zuster deLeeuw, we know this is a late notice,
but the YSA that was going to give the talk on Baptism at Seline's
Baptism is out of town and won't be back, so can you give the talk."
Breathe....what is Missionary work all about. I had a few notes from
another talk I had given, so with the Spirit helping, the Baptism talk
was given. It was very special to be a part of the Service. Unknown to
dad, Seline had asked that he confirm her as well. There is a sad part
to this story.....Seline just received a job offer, better pay and
benefits, so will be moving to Dublin Ireland next week. After a Convert
Baptism, the confirmation is not done until a week later, but, because
Seline is moving, all was done today. There were many Ward members, and
YSA's that stayed for the Baptism. There were tears of joy, from Seline,
her mother, and of course us, as we witnessed this special occasion.
What a joy it is to see the expression of happiness after someone has
been Baptized. We told Seline that SHE is now the Missionary, and she
will be the inspiration to see her mother enter the water.
Fabrina,
the girl from the Ukraine, who is taking the Missionary Lessons, lives
in Haarlem, has become 'family' to us.......called this week and asked
dad if he would give her another Priesthood Blessing. He gave her one
back in July. She has some problems she needs to overcome, and just
can't quite understand all that the Sister Missionaries are teaching.
She LOVES dad, and she does feel comfort from Priesthood Blessings.
Since there was the Baptism, we invited her to come to Amsterdam, be at
the Baptism, then dad, along with the Elders, could give her the
blessing. Wow, today dad REALLY used his Priesthood......he came home
this afternoon emotionally drained. Fabrina told dad that when she gets
Baptized, he is the one that will do the Baptizing......even if she has
to come to Utah. In the Blessing dad gave, he admonished Fabrina to Read
the Scriptures each day, pray always, attend church every week. After
the blessing, dad told her he wanted a 'text' everyday, telling him how
she was doing. We are worried she might asked to be Baptized before we
come home, just so that dad can Baptize her. She needs to gain her own
Testimony of the Gospel...she is in our prayers.
Emese,
our Hungarian YSA..yes..they come from all over the world, has been a
nanny here in Amsterdam. She did not like the way the parents of the
children she was watching treated her, so left the position. She has
been looking for other employment, and Friday
sent us a text that she had found a job. Unemployment is bad here in
the Netherlands as well. Emese does not speak Dutch, so was really happy
she found work. Last night she called and was so depressed. Her
employer told her she had to work every Sunday,
no exceptions. Emese said, "if I don't attend my church meeting each
week I know I will become inactive." This morning, in walked Emese at
church. She had called her employer last night and told her that she
would not be working, because her religion was more important than the
work she would be doing. How many of us would do that? She said she
knows she will be blessed for making the 'correct decision.' Wow, we can
learn from the wonderful youth!
We
were reading from the January Liahona....we are always a couple months
behind in receiving this Church Magazine, if we even get it at all.
There is a beautiful article by Elder Juan A. Uceda....The Book of
Mormon, Share It.The article is about his own conversion. "There are
many people who would find what they need in the church. Don't be afraid
to open your mouth with your friends and say, 'I believe this, I want
to share this with you." As we have written before.....you are NEVER to
young, or old, to be a Missionary. We LOVE being Missionaries!!!!!!
A
VERY busy week ahead....we will let you know what our visit with the
Mission President is all about. We think we have an idea. Have a GREAT
week.
Hugs from Holland,
Opa and Oma
Vader and Moeder
Elder and Zuster deLeeuw
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