Nain

This week was pretty crazy. Elder and Sister Robison got down to their work as the new office couple, under the guidance of Elder and Sister Winmill, until Wednesday evening, when they were dropped off at the Sheraton in Schiphol. Early the next morning we went to say goodbye to them at the airport (and by early, I mean that we arose just before 5 o'clock in the morning).

On Tuesday, Elders Lyman and Johnson went to Lokeren in Belgium to furnish an apartment that is opening there, so we went to district meeting without them. No day this week was normal, except Friday and today, with the exception of a lesson in the middle of the day each of those two days. Sunday will also be unusual because of transfer calls.

I am quite looking forward to next week, when 17 missionaries arrive and 12 go home. It is weird to think that it is almost the end of the year already (almost time to put on Christmas music).

Young man, I say unto thee, Arise

Iron Horse

One of the busiest weeks I have ever seen, outside of transfer week itself. Starting with the normal busy Monday, with various meetings about the week and transfers. Then on Tuesday, we went to the temple. We saw the newest video there, which was much better than the older one, hahaha. It was as always a very inspiring and uplifting experience. It was great. After that, we headed over to the Zoetermeer church and got that set up for lunch (Subway sandwiches instead of the usual Domino's pizza). After which, we heard departing testimonies and had a zone training led by the zone leaders and sister training leader of the Amsterdam, Apeldoorn and Rotterdam zones. It was an interesting set up. The next day, the other three zones went to the temple, and we dropped off their orders and the food (and we stayed to eat too of course, as well as to listen to the departing testimonies). Later in the day, four sisters arrived in the office to do their departing interviews and stuff and elder Yocom and I had to stay in the office to take care of that. 

The next day, we drove to Brussels with a few district leaders to take care of driver's licenses. And then Friday, Lyman and Johnson took the greenies down to Brussels for their legality. And this morning the new office couple arrived and my companions took care of signing them in and stuff. 

We have not really had a normal day this week. I did have a lot of fun though, so it was not terrible, just busy. Additionally, I did not have much responsibility, I just was there as support really. But 10 days from now will be transfers and then I do have a bunch of responsibility. But it will be even more fun, so who cares, hahahaha. 

Philosophia vero omnium mater artium.

Silence

On Wednesday, my companions' replacements arrived and they started training. For the next three weeks, until Robbins and Lyman leave and Yocom and Johnson take over, there will be 5 of us in the office and teaching our investigators. That will be (and has already been) very fun and productive (hopefully). 

Thursday, they continued training and I supervised as the Winmills took Lyman and Robbins for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon, I took elder Johnson to the Golden Tulip to talk to someone about the hotel stay during the transfer week at the end of the month and sort everything out for that. It went smoothly. Elder Lyman and I also took over the appliances we picked up last week (from Almere) at the dump in Leiden.

Yesterday, elder Lyman and I drove to the sisters' apartment in Haarlem to remove a cooker and a fridge so that a member could install the new cooker. We had a good roadtrip and drove to the dump in Leiden again on the way back to deposit the appliances. 

This morning, we played football with a smallish group and then went to the Stigters for a lunch appointment, and so elder Robbins could complete the Ninja Warrior Challenge. And this evening, we have a baptism! :)

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."