The Flat Tire Experience!

Geliefde familie,
Hey there family!

Boy do I miss you all! Reading your e-mails is so much fun, but it makes me remember how much I love seeing you all and being a part of your lives. But no worries- I wouldn't trade my mission here for the world!

Well, this week was an interesting one to put it simply. At the beginning of the week, i was quite frankly miserable. My hands were constantly cold, then wet, then cold again as we worked all week in the rainy/hail-y/snowy/dry and cold weather of the netherlands. The cold really isn't that bad, but we will without a doubt end up really wet at some point of the day, which makes tracting in the wind really, really, cold. I just felt like I was letting the physical trials of the mission (temperature, tiredness, etc) prevent me from really grasping the vision of my mission. I began praying for help to overcome these trials, when the most amazing experience happened- I got a flat tire.

Let me explain. We were down in the "bad" part of our area (don't worry mom- its not really that bad, just not as good as the other part) when we had 3 appointments fall through within 10 minutes of each other. We decided to head back to the church building so we could eat a little dinner and do some doors. It started raining (not really a surprise :) ) so we were riding really hard to get there before it started pouring. Well, it didn't start pouring- instead it started snowing/sleeting. I was in the back of our line-up of my companions and I, shielding my eyes with my hand so we could see the road when suddenly I realized I was losing speed. I looked down and WHAM- flat tire. I yelled to my companions who totally didn't hear me and pulled over to the side. So here I was- deserted by my companions who were still riding away from me in a busy (not really dangerous, but really busy) part of town, in the dark, with a flat tire, broken dutch, and NO idea how to get to the church building. I looked at my bike, and to my surprise, started laughing. The Lord has such a funny way of answering our prayers- I should have expected something like that. I pulled my bike up to the sidewalk and started walking in the direction I had seen my companions ride. I got a good 20 minutes of thinking in before my companions found me, and I realized something very important. It could get a whole lot worse- like seriously- a WHOLE LOT worse. The answer to my question of how to get past these temporal things is simple-- just look past them and they disappear. Instead of thinking about being cold standing on a doorstep, i just need to look at the door and imagine the people inside that I am about to talk to and prepare myself to deliver the most important message they will ever hear to them. The Lord is so merciful. Well, my companions found me and we walked the remaining 40 minutes or so to the church building together. It cost about 30 dollars to have my tire repaired. I probably could have repaired it myself, but we really didn't have any time.

We have found sooo many new investigators lately- my trainer is actually amazed. She says this is the most success she's seen her whole mission. I'm just excited to be a part of it.

Transfers are in a week and a half, but I suspect I'll stay here in Rotterdam with Sis. Wieland ( my other companion). It quite frankly makes me very nervous- she's only been out 2 transfers more than I have, but the Lord knows what he's doing. We'll be fine.

I'm sorry about the lack of details every week. We read and write e-mails every week at the library and we have exactly 30 minutes of total time, so it goes by VERY fast. I'll do my best. Oh, to answer a few of your questions from last week- yes, my legs are getting a lot stronger and bigger- weird. My apartment is a little upstairs apartment with a really steep staircase coming from one of those cute little strip-house style doors on a little cobblestone street. I will send pictures when I can.

I love you all! Oh, and Niki- Congrats on all your success!! I knew you could make the trip/Orcutt Academy!

Love,Zuster Gulliver