Second week in Rotterdam

Hello my lovely family!

Well, it has been another fabulous, if at times wet, week in Rotterdam! I haven't had any trouble getting your e-mails. sorry if I put everyone on alert- I do love hearing from you all though, so keep 'em coming!

Today we had an especially comic bike ride riding the 30 minutes up to the church from our apartment- the rain was CRAZY!! We showed up for our zone p-day activity completely drenched. As much as i appreciated the make-up they gave us in the MTC make-up class, its really got nothing when it comes up against the full-speed winds and rain of Rotterdam North!

We have seen quite a few miracles this week. We have 2 investigators with baptismal dates now, and we found 7 new investigators this week!! Woohoo! Our goal was only 4, so we feel very blessed. As a result, next week will be totally crazy, but crazy weeks as a result of new investigators are always a good thing!

I also had my first "superwafel" which is an oversized oh-so-caramely stroopwafel made by the cute little dutch ladies in their stand on the street. I was absolutely amazing. I think I may just gain the "Netherlands 30" as I like to call it from stroopwafels alone.

My companions are a lot of fun. My trainer, Sis. Matos, is from Chicago and goes home at the end of this transfer. My other companion Sis. Wieland is from oregon and this is just her 3rd transfer. She is really enthusiastic and has very good dutch for someone who has only been in the land 3 months. Tomorrow I have my first interview with Pres. Woodland, so that should be a lot of fun to chat a little with him and get some advice on how I can improve.

The bike is still a challenge, but I haven't had any super- problems yet. I definitely feel every little bridge and man-made hill here in the Netherlands. It makes me feel real bad for missionaries serving in places with real hills :) Thats neat that you looked up my house! We live in a little apartment in what looks like a row house, but is really two apartments. Its a small apartment, but its warm, which is what really matters.

My dutch seems to be improving- I am seeing the gift of tongues every day as I work to better understand and talk to the members and investigators I work with. The Lord truly prepares his servants, and I have seen how he has worked with me and is preparing me to be an effective servant for his Dutch children. I just keep plugging away- I figure I'll get it!

Funny story- so at the baptism of one of the kids in my ward the other day, I picked up a cream puff and as I did, one of our investigators came over to me and said something to me, pointing at the cream puff. I just kind of smiled and nodded, and bit into my cream puff. Well, the cream came squirting our everywhere, and she looked at me funny. I asked her how you said "cream", and she explained that she had warned me that the cream would squirt everywhere and was really amused that I hadn't gotten it- ahh, the countless embarassing moments with the language barrier!

Ok, well ,thats all the time I have today- I love you all tons!! Oh, and thanks for the pics- I got them on the 14th, so about 6 days after you sent them.

I love you all!!

Love,Zuster Gulliver