A Pound of Flesh

28-03-2015

After 6 months with my current companions, my time with them is coming to an end. In three weeks, they will be reassigned to other locations in the mission, and the new guys will takeover completely. It really has gone by fast, I feel. The next three weeks will be interesting, as there will be 5 office elders for that time and the new office elders will be trained during that time. Once more, the changing of the guard is approaching.

Unlike the last time, we picked up the new office elders at their zone trainings, and on different days, meaning we had to drive to Rotterdam and Eindhoven on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. We took the orders and supplies with us, too.

Yesterday, we looked up a referral that we got from the facebook campaign that is currently running, the lady let us in and we shared briefly with her what we do as missionaries and a little bit about the Finding Faith in Christ DVD that she ordered. It was great to see someone be so open and interested too. After dinner we taught an investigator about the plan of salvation, and even though she has difficulty accepting God as a person, she liked the message and was somewhat more willing to believe than last time.

For p-day, I am still not sure what we are doing, haha. But possibly we will go to Madurodam, in Den Haag. Or maybe laser tag. But yeah, should be fun either way.

"It is love alone that gives worth to all things" - Teresa of Ávila

Going on

21-3-2015

This will probably be the last week with just me and my current companions: at some point during next week, we will go pick up my companions' replacements at their zone trainings. We have a pretty good idea of who they will be, and they may even know already, but who knows what could happen, haha. It's been a fun six months or so with my current companions. Very different from both of the other combinations I have experienced. Good in different ways.

We had several really great appointments with members this week, and we played phase 10 yesterday at one appointment, which is always fun, haha.

Today, after playing football in Wassenaar with a member from the Leiden ward, we shopped and went into the centre of Leiden, to look at several shops (including the board game shop, where I bought a really nice set of dice for a good price). We ate pizza (for just 3 euros each) and then e-mailed and hung out in the office.

Unexpectedly, we were also able to teach a former investigator (who is friends with a member in Leiden), and things seem to be going well on that front, so we will hopefully see some progress there once more. She does have some belief in a higher power, but does not really know what that is. She is open to the possibility that it is God, and our Heavenly Father.

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on that first one." - Mark Twain

Imagination

An interesting week, though nothing really out of the ordinary happened: we went to district meeting, drove missionaries to Brussels, worked in the office, packed and mailed referrals, had two fun dinner appointments (especially Wednesday) and went out to proselyte.

The Brussels trip was particularly fun though, since the conversation on the way there and back, was about D&D, video games and other such stuff. I spoke with one elder about how a new D&D video game should be made that brings the genre closer to the actual pen and paper version, combining various elements from existing games. Best thing is, we might just have to go do that ourselves one day. On the way back, four of us played a sort of roleplaying game, where one person told a story and we had to make choices in it. It was quite crazy and funny. I personally prefer the normal kind of RPGs, but that works too, when there's nothing else to do.

Earlier today, we played midgetgolf in Amsterdam with the Assistants. It was quite cold, but that did not stop us from having a great time and being very noisy. I remember the days when I used to want to go to every minigolf course I saw. Real golf is just too much walking, haha. 

"Everything makes sense a bit at a time. But when you try to think of it all at once, it comes out wrong." - Sir Terry Pratchett (1948 - 2015) 

About time

Sorry for the delay in posts, there seems to have been some problem with the posting service... but it should be fixed now, luckily.

This was a weird week, even for transfer week. For starters, three of the four planned greenies were delayed with visa problems, and then late on Monday, we got an e-mail stating that two of the three would actually be coming, but only on Thursday. So we really had a whole week of transfers, since already on Saturday, we had to go and drop off a visa waiter, Elder Peters, so he could fly to the MTC on Monday. And then Sunday, were transfer calls. Monday, we finalised plans for the week. Tuesday, we met the greenie that did show up on time, a Norwegian. On Wednesday, he got trained and met his trainer and the rest of the mission met each other all over the mission in train stations and the departing missionaries arrived at the office. Thursday, the four departing missionaries left and the two other greenies arrived, and we did the Tuesday thing all over again and the next day we did the new missionary part of Wednesday again. It was long, but not really that bad, since there were only 3 greenies total. 

Yesterday evening, we went to a dinner appointment and I got a belated birthday cake from the members. It was great. I may show a picture of it sometime. We also had a fun time there, playing Phase 10 again.

I now have a very good idea who my next companions are, though nothing is for sure. They will arrive and start their training as office elders towards the end of the month, right during zone trainings. Should be fun.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." - Matthew 6:33-34

RIP

We organised a fireside for yesterday evening and, unlike the one in November, people other than the bishop actually showed up for it. It was great though. The musical elders performed three songs and they sung great. We also watched a bunch of mormon messages and my companions and I spoke about them in between. There were about 10 people there that were not missionaries, and two non-members, so that was pretty good. One of my friends brought a friend and I had a fun conversation with them and our ward mission leader.

Next week is transfers and then we start counting down until my companions get their replacements, pretty much. It's been a good 5 months so far. Very different of course from the companionships before this one, to be sure.

Early in the week, we had zone conference, in Zoetermeer, under the direction of President and Sister Robinson and the Assistants. It was a great conference, with uplifting talks and presentations, and after lunch, they showed clips of missionaries being interviewed by Belgian TV and, to conclude, Meet the Mormons. I would highly recommend that movie, a feature length film about six different families from different backgrounds and cultures, who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and shows how they and we are really just ordinary, regular people. It's great.

"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP"

A New Phase

So this week I (Judith) will be writing the post, for no other reason than that Phillip asked me to. So this week will be just a small summary of his week.

This week not much happened than the normal stuff. Monday they met with the president and the assistents as usual and Sister Robison made a delicious meal. Tuesday was district meeting, it was very interesting and he learned a lot during it. After the district meeting he and his companion went to visit a member of their ward and had dinner there. Friday they celebrated Elder Yocom’s birthday. After that they went for dinner to another member of the ward.

Saturday of course playing munchkin and had an appointment to play some more games with some members.

It was a fun week, he started to do lots of research for family history and all other stuff.

"He is no wise man that will quit a certainty for an uncertainty." - Samuel Johnson