The field is white...

Busy busy busy. The mission welcomed 8 new missionaries this week and sent off 9. On tuesday, elder Loorbach and I drove up to Schiphol International Airport to pick up the baggage of the new missionaries, which we then dropped off at the Golden Tulip hotel across the road from the mission office. The missionaries (of which one is from Brazil, one from Canada and six from the US) were then instructed on legal and financial matters and led through the completion of several forms for registration in Belgium and the Netherlands. After a delicious buffet lunch, the assistants, my companions and I walked with the greenies to the town hall to get them registered. While elder Lind and I brought stuff back to the hotel, the others went contacting and then we met back up at a windmill for pictures. The jetlagged elders were then allowed to go nap while the rest of us returned to the office to ready their assignment letters. After dinner and the best steak I have ever eaten, President and sister Robinson led a fireside and gave each greenie a rock from a mountain near their home, as a representation of how they should be: firm, solid, like a mountain. 

The next morning, wednesday, was transfer day, which meant that over half the mission would be standing in stations and sitting in trains for a good chunk of the day. I went to help/hang out with the missionaries in Leiden CS for a few hours until 12 when I returned to the hotel for another buffet lunch, this time with the greenies, trainers and dying missionaries that had just arrived. Over the next hour, the greenies all left to their respective cities and the other dying missionaries arrived. They then sat around for the rest of the afternoon as they waited for their closing interviews with President Robinson and elder Cockbain (for financial stuff). We played a few games, but mainly talked. I know most of them and got pictures with them, as I hope to do with all departing missionaries:

 

Elder Thueson served in Antwerpen as Zone Leader

 

Elder Hansen was in the same district as me when I served my mini-mission in Gent.

 

As was elder Sanderson.

 

I met elder Farmer in Spijkenisse, I believe. Although I probably saw him before that.

 

Elder Christensen, former legal elder early last year.

 

Later in the afternoon, my companions and I headed for a dinner appointment with the Moore's, a Canadian family. When we got back, we watched some ice hockey from the Olympics in the hotel, as we waited for the testimony meeting of the departing missionaries to be finished. Then my companions went home and I went up to the rooms with the departing missionaries, as there were 7 elders and 4 rooms (and two per room) so I had to stay. We played cards until about 10:30 and then elder Sanderson wanted to sleep, so I went with him (instead of with elder Hansen, as planned). The others apparently stayed up until about 12. The next morning, the alarm went off at 3 and we got the train with the assistants and president and sister Robinson at 4:38. 

 

Elders Thueson, Sumter, sister Robinson, and elders Nish, Christensen and Stanley, waiting for the train.

We arrived at Schiphol in about 20 minutes and got Elder Nish checked in and sent away, as he would be flying alone, to Canada. We then got the rest checked in and said goodbye. Afterwards, the remainder of the group, returned to Leiden and I ate breakfast with the assistants and sister Rigdon and Omozokpia.

Sister Omozokpia and Sister Rigdon

 

They were later picked up by their mothers and business slowly returned to its normal pattern. That evening, we went to eat at the Garcias and the next day, was even more back to normal, except for our expedition to pick up Mormon.org cards, and to find a washing machine.

Saturday, we helped the Wellmans move into their new apartment and spent most of late morning and early afternoon assembling Ikea furniture.