Well, we were 'Called to
Serve', and that is what we are trying to do for sure. Elder and Sister
Pankratz's will be leaving the 28th of this month, and there is NOT a
new Senior Couple coming to replace them. They work in the Mission
Office, which is of VITAL importance to the Mission. SO, Elder and
Zuster deLeeuw will now be helping in the office 3 days a week. Can you
even imagine US in the office? We meet with the President each Monday morning at 10:00, to go over his agenda for the week. Then we will work in the office Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 until the work is done. The reason a Senior Couple IS needed.......between now and July 23rd, 22 new
apartments need to be found, contracted, reconstructed and furnished.
Last Monday while we were in the office the number of Missionaries
coming JUST in July was 25. Tuesday
when we returned to the office the number had risen to 30. It is mind
boggling to even think of all that has to be done in the next 4 months.
Thursday
we went to Leeuwarden and Groningen, which are in the North part of the
Netherlands, and contracted two apartments. It gives us a sick feeling
to walk into these apartments and see cement floors and walls,, no
lights, no shower stalls, no appliances,no window coverings, or even
curtain rods. ALL the work that needs to be done. President Robinson is
going to hire someone to help with the work to get the apartments ready,
as there is NO way the Senior Couples can do all that is needed. We
made a list of just the basic things that need to go into the
apartments, 2 1/2 pages long. The Lords work IS moving on, but the
Missions are really having to scramble to get ready for the influx.
Needless to say, we are not bored! Dad will be working with the Real
Estate people. I will be doing referrals, ordering of Mission Supplies,
mail...who knows. PRAY for the Mission now for sure. The next Senior
Couple coming will be the middle of May, and we don't know where they
will be assigned. President hopes that maybe they will want to be Office
workers. Stay tuned! It IS interesting to see what Elder Pankratz takes
with him as he visits with the Real Estate people. He shows that the
Mission has 48 apartments contracted already throughout the Netherlands
and Belgium. He also has an article about the new City Creek Mall in
SLC, and how the church payed cash for that. He tells them that those
who will be living in the apartments are Volunteers for the church. Good
Missionary work to start with. Now dad wakes up in the middle of the
night thinking of all the places he needs to contact for these
apartments, and I wake up thinking about what I will prepare for the
next weeks meals........we are having so much fun
. And now, think of all the trips we get to make to IKEA :(
The other night at Institute I about cried. David,
our YSA President, approached dad and told him the JoVo's are getting
worried as to what will happen to the Amsterdam Center when we leave. He
made the comment: "We just know this place will fall apart when you
leave." The Centers are now 'run' by the Stakes, not the Mission. We
have suggested that a 'local' couple come into help with these Centers.
They know the language, the YSA's, and they don't leave after 18 to 23
months. A member of the Den Haag Stake Presidency told us he was going
to visit with the couple that help with the YSA's from Alkmaar, to see
if they would be interested in helping with the Amsterdam Center. It is a
long drive for them to come to Amsterdam, but they have mentioned they
want to serve a Mission but don't want to leave their home. It would be
WONDERFUL if they could be called now so they could help us IF we are
not able to be in Amsterdam on a given evening. One of the Wards that
attend the Amsterdam Center, Almere, has mentioned that they want their
'own' Institute, and not be a part of Amsterdam. We have such mixed
feelings about that, It is not up to us, so we will see what the Stake
Presidency will do.
We are so happy when we hear of the good things that
are happening with the YSA's. The other night when dad took Glenn home
from FHE, Glenn ask dad how he could go to the Temple to do Baptisms. He
said "I know I will be more committed to the church if I go to the
temple." Glenn has come so far since walking into the church several
months ago. He loves dad and is so respectful of me. It is amazing that
he was even Baptized as he tells us of his life. He is now clean shaven,
no earrings, comes to all the church meetings, FHE and Institute. This
weekend he went to Den Haag to visit his brother, and asked for the
address of the church there. Junior, the young man from Brazil, that was
baptized while here in Amsterdam, now living in Portugal.....sent us
pictures of him attending the Temple there doing Baptisms. He wants to
come to BYU, but told us he thinks he will go on his Mission first :) Friday
evening we had 6 of our YSA's here for a 'goodbye dinner' for Seline.
She is the young lady dad Baptized and confirmed last Sunday, who is
moving to Ireland. Emese, our Hungarian YSA fixed dinner. Lekker!!!!
True Hungarian food. We laughed because we had an International group
here. Hungarian, German, Portuguese, Venezuelan, and American. Go
figure....no Dutch. Amsterdam IS a cultural melting pot, and we get to
enjoy the experience!
We took Seline to the airport Saturday evening and.she said, "I don't say goodbye, I say, see you later." It was a tearful goodbye for us. It was cute, as at 10:30 pm
we got a text message that she had landed safely in Dublin. A referral
was sent to Germany for the Missionaries to contact her mother, which
they did, and are now teaching her. Seline found the address of the
church in Dublin and hopes to be attending there today.
We laugh at some of the things these young adults do. Kim, our FHE coordinator, birthday is March 15th,
the same day as dads. Last year I had fixed cupcakes, had some B-day
hats to celebrate birthdays......Kim asked me the other day if we could
have another B-day party this year. Everyone bring a small gift, we
would celebrate ALL birthdays. OK......we thought JUST the Amsterdam
JoVo's. Well, when I went on Face book the other day, Kim had put this
on as an" event". There were replies from the Rotterdam Stake!!! We are
happy to have lots come, but we did not think she would post this as an
'event.' May turn out to be a BIG party. That night I had planned on
having soup and garlic bread. Dad said that way, if more keep coming we
just keep adding more water to the soup ;) Gotta love these kids.
Glad you are finally getting some sun and warmer
temps. It is still very dark and dreary here. We had one day of a few
hours of sunlight, but it is just foggy and misty all the time. The
fields are getting more green, and the farmers are starting to put their
'Tulip signs' on their fields. Dad loves when we drive thru the little
Dorps, villages, and see all the tractors in the fields. The Dutch have
HUGH tractors and lots of farm equipment. Won't be long until the cows
will be in the fields again, after spending the winter in the barns.
AHHHH, spring!
We had another amazing Sunday
experience. Volker, the young man who was also Baptized last week, but
we were unable to attend because of Seline's Baptism, was confirmed
today. During the week he sent us a message inviting us to his
confirmation, and wrote these words. "What I feel now is something I
will hopefully never forget, and you guys helped me and supported me on
my way here." On the days that we wonder IF we are doing any good, we
receive notes like these, and we give thanks for the opportunity we have
had to serve with these YSA's. When we walked into the church this
morning, and Volker saw me, the first thing he asked was where Elder
deLeeuw was. He saw dad and made a 'bee line' for him. He asked dad if
he would be part of 'his receiving the Holy Spirit." The man who did the
confirmation gave Volker a beautiful blessing. Volkers parents are
still 'non believers', but we were told they were both at his Baptism,
and his mother was there today. After the confirmation Volker stood and
shook hands with those who had been asked to participate. When he turned
to dad, he gave him a big hug. Oh my, tears all around. You should have
seen the smile on his face. Alma 5:26..."And
now behold, I say unto you, my brethern, if ye have experienced a
change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love,
I would ask, can you feel so now?" Volker will be the Missionary now
for his family and friends. Can't get much better than this.
We were reading in the February Liahona, an article
written by President Uchtdorf. The last paragraph was beautiful: Every
Member a Missionary. "My dear friends, today there are more ways than
ever for us to open our mouths and share with others the joyful news of
the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a way for everyone, even the
hesitant missionary, to participate in this great work. We can each find
a way to use our own particular talents and interests in support of the
great work of filling the world with light and truth. As we do so, we
will find the joy that comes to those who are faithful and courageous
enough "to stand as witnesses of God at all times." We hope we are doing
just that.
We are eager to hear where Corey will be "Called to Serve"!!!! Hopefully this week :)
Another busy week...now to the list of meals to prepare, is lunch each Monday
for the Mission Office staff. This is the day President Robinson is in
the office, so a nice lunch is prepared. Don't laugh at the word 'nice'.
The office will get what is prepared, nice or not :)
We love you.We love the Lord. We love being in his service.
Vader and Moeder
Opa and Oma
Elder and Zuster deLeeuw
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