A stranger in a strange land

22/08/2015

What a crazy week. We lost 5 and gained 24 missionaries this week. And with the exception of about 4 or 5, every companionship changed. And it became a little clearer who my next (and last) companions might be. But more on that in about three weeks, probably.

We started the week with a review of the week's plan and the various assignments and details. Once again, we are at the Golden Tulip, for my 4th time (After February, October, and December 2014). Beside the meeting, I started on travel plans, which were not too terribly complicated, except for the fact that I had to get 24 trainers to the Golden Tulip by 9 and then figure out how their companions would not have to come. Once again, I was busy all day with various projects that President Bunnell had for me.

The next morning, we dropped by the office before heading to Schiphol to meet up with the President and Sister Bunnell. Since it was such a big group, we had to split it and take one half to the government building in Hoofddorp for biometrics and the rest to Rijswijk, so one of my companions did that while the rest went to the Golden Tulip and I rode with the baggage in a bigger van driven by a member. Things were a bit crazy for a few hours, but then it got back to normal and by dinnertime, everyone had been interviewed and followed all the necessary orientations.

Wednesday, transfer day. We once again have elders in Leiden, and finally they are normal elders, as opposed to singing elders. So I would imagine that things will start picking up again in Leiden. Both of them (one is a greenie and the other will go home in November) seem to be good missionaries and ready to build up this city again. Everything went well with the transfers as well as the training of the new missionaries and their trainers. President Bunnell changed a few things, but nothing major (not that I have ever trained, haha). After lunch, the greenies headed for the city hall for legality work. Meanwhile, the departing missionaries arrived and weighed their bags and stuff. 

Back to normal on Thursday. We were not needed to drive the baggage to Schiphol, so we got back to our normal work. And so it goes. Before long we will start getting ready for next transfer. And then the next. There is no end to transfers. 

Holidays are coming to an end, so we should be able to start teaching more people again. We did teach a lot of first lessons this past transfer and we saw a lot of good things happen, but it was harder to make appointments with people or to find them at home. Though there is a single mother we are teaching who is doing great and is interested in our message. If only we can help her understand the importance of the message we share, then it will be fine.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." - Hebrews 13:2

On the Road Again

15/08/2015

A weird week this week. On Monday, after the usual office business, we went to the church buildings of Zoetermeer, Den Haag and Leiden to pick up some stuff (including a sound system) for the wedding reception the next day. It took us from about 7 or so until late that evening, but it was a fun road trip, even though we skipped correlation and our usual dinner appointment. The next day, after district meeting and office work, we went to the reception, for two young members of the Leiden ward (they're both 19). There was a good turnout, mainly family it seemed. And they seemed to be happy, obviously.

Wednesday, we worked in the office through the day as usual and I indexed again. It is always a lot of fun. After a quick visit to a recent convert, I went to Amsterdam with the district leader for an exchange. This consisted of about four or five lookups, a few doors knocked and a lot of walking. I had fun, especially taunting him with the slight chance he will replace my current companions. In the evening after we got back, I beat him at chess and he beat me at checkers. I do not think I really ever have won at checkers, at least not in the past 5 years or so. It just is not my cup of tea.

The next day, we re-exchanged, just before the Brussels trip. I helped the singing elders out with their invitation and poster stuff when they dropped by to print off some sheet music and change a few things for their performance. They are starting up the tour again after about a month-long break. Their opening performance was Friday and the next stop will be Apeldoorn.

Since there are so many people I know (including my girlfriend) at YSA camp, my companions drove there on Friday without me to drop off the sound system for the singing elders. Since we had a dinner appointment that evening, the Amsterdam elders came down to go with me there. It was a good appointment and the member did not seem to mind the two new faces (though I suppose she is used to transfers and stuff). 

Today, there was no football, so we went to e-mail instead and get an early start on our day, which may or may not include a trip into North Holland.

"But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there." - Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

Fuel the Find

08/08/2015

An announcement: between the 7th and the 14th of August, FamilySearch is running Fuel the Find, an attempt to beat a previous record of c. 92 000 participants of indexing in one week and reach 100 000. You can find all the details and instructions on how to participate here. At the time of writing, almost 10 000 people have participated so far, so we need another 90 000 to do so. So go and index! (You can still do that now.)

As usual, Monday was very busy. President kept me occupied with a few tasks, so that was good. In the evening the usual dinner appointment and correlation.

Instead of having district meeting in the morning on Tuesday, they were moved to the afternoon because of interviews. District meeting was good, and I missed having to sing a Sinterklaas song, because I was being interviewed by Sister Bunnell, so I can't complain. Interviews were good. I had a nice chat with President and his wife and they go to know me a bit better, I think.

The rest of the week was pretty normal, I suppose. We taught a few lessons and knocked on a lot of doors. But it was good work.

Today, we had a great game of football in the morning. There were only 7 of us, but everyone was in good shape and there a good number of plays (is it boasting to say that I scored the first goal of the match? Haha). But it was fun. After the usual p-day routine, we arrived at the office for probably another take-it-easy day. Though in the afternoon we will go get ice cream with an awesome young adult of the ward.

That early- to mid- transfer low in activity is coming to an end. Transfers are approaching fast and we need to get planning for it. That's what will keep us busy next week

"Don't think you are, know you are."

- Morpheus, The Matrix

Viennese Waltz

1-08-2015

There seem to be rumours floating around that the current office elders will be done at the end of September. So they have about two months left in the office. This brings up the question of who the new office elders will be. And surprisingly, I have not really heard any rumours on that end. Normally there is some elder who has been in the right position for the job or even pegged as office elder from the time they arrive in the mission by someone. But not this time. There are several possibilities. But it really could be anyone. Especially since President Bunnell has never picked out office elders before.

On Thursday, we went with the office senior couple to the Rotterdam North flat to clear it out of all the furniture (since we will be closing that flat in October or so). The usable stuff, we took to the new flat in Tilburg and the sofas, we took to the Zoetermeer Sisters flat, since they did not have any). It was fun trip. One highlight, was that during the trip, we rode in a total of 9 different lifts (3 in Rotterdam, 2 in Tilburg, 2 where we picked up the keys for Zoetermeer and 2 at the Sisters' flat), even going down some stairs to be able to take the 9th lift. We were busy almost the whole day, and by the time we returned to the office to finally eat dinner, it was after 8. That means I wore service clothes the whole day. That doesn't happen much. 

The holidays really take a toll on our teaching, since a lot of our investigators leave on holiday or otherwise disappear. Even so, we have had a better summer for teaching than we did last year. So that's good. Overall, things are going really well with teaching. There have been some unsuccessful lessons or appointments, but on the whole, we have a good number of people that are willing to listen to us, and if we get that far, possibly take steps to come closer to the Lord.

No football today, since no one showed up, which is also weird. Instead we went to e-mail, shop and clean our apartment. This afternoon, we are not entirely sure what we will do, yet. Hopefully Munchkin, haha.

Tomorrow is the first day that the sacrament will be first in this ward. A message from the first presidency has asked that that be done.

"Silence is at once the most harmless and the most awful thing in all nature." - Herman Melville

One Step at a Time

25-07-2015

Within a few days of each other, I will have passed my 18 month on my mission and my 6 month to go marks. It's crazy. But I still feel like I have a long time left, which is good, especially since I still have Christmas and New Year's in there too (hopefully we can go to the same member's house again, that was really fun).

On Monday, we had a sort of normal day. President did not arrive until almost lunchtime and then he had a meeting with some YSA leader, so he was gone with them for lunch until the afternoon. It was weird being in the office without the Bunnells. But we got our work done and the APs did their statistical stuff and met with President when he returned. 

Interviews have come around again and we have our interviews in a few weeks. I am interested to see how it will be with President Bunnell. It was always a good chat with President Robinson, but it was also pretty quick. And now that we have to bring out area books, it could definitely take longer. So I guess I will just have to see.

The last remaining Dutch missionary in the mission arrived at the office on Wednesday to get picked up by his parents. For a few short hours after he was done, I was the only missionary from either of the missions two countries still on a mission. That ended shortly thereafter: the sister missionary (from Gent) whom we had sent off to the Preston MTC, two weeks ago, returned and my companions and I picked her up at the airport, since President was doing interviews. It was pretty fun to be at the airport and see all that stuff. Back at the office, we handed her over to her companions.

The rest of the week went well. On P-day, we played Munchkin, for the first time in ages. It was a lot of fun. Hopefully we can play it again sometime. 

"The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship."

 - Amelia Earhart