A Sister-Missionary Sandwich

Hello Family!! 3/23/2009

Well, what can I say... its been another FABULOUS week here in the Netherlands!! Heather and Phil, thank you sooo much for the sweet pictures of Cozy. She is getting so big! I wouldn't have recognized her at all. I'm so glad she had a good party. It sounds like it was a blast.

Well, I have a rather amusing story to share with you today. One of the new things I've had to adjust to since coming here is using public transportation. We use trains, trams, metros, and buses, all of which is just a confusing mess to a small-town girl like me. Well, the other day, we were waiting for our metro, which was coming in like 2 minutes, when I remembered we needed to call Moniek, one of the new members in our ward. I have a really hard time understanding Dutch over the phone, so I usually don't make phone calls, but I decided I needed to practice, so I volunteered to make the call. I was really nervous to call her, but I did anyways. I was in the middle of a conversation and was actually doing ok when our metro came, so we had to jump on while I was still on the phone. Well, I jumped in the metro behind my companion just as the doors were closing, and I'm not sure how, but somehow, I ended up inside and my missionary bag was half-in, half-outside the doors. This was a problem. There I was stuck to the doors of the metro by my bag, which is strapped around me trying my best to understand a woman speaking dutch with a Rwandese accent with my senior comp desperately trying to pull me out of the door. Finally, a man from the outside came and started pushing on my bag, while another person ran over to the door open button across the car and the doors finally opened. Then I went to sit down and try to somehow recover the phone conversation and almost sat in someone’s turkse pizza. Anyways, I finally made it to a seat and said "even wachten", which means wait just a second and handed the phone to Zr. Kriser because I was dying trying not to laugh. Its almost my 3rd transfer, yet the greenie moments keep on coming :)

We are having so much success! We really do have a great companionship. We have so much unity and positive energy in my companionship. Zr. Kriser leaves us next week which is really too bad. She has been such a good influence and example for me. Her ability to help people feel God's love for them is incredible. Actually, its sometimes too incredible- we've had 2 different men this transfer fall in love with her from a 2 minute door contact and show up to church or somewhere to profess their undying love to her. Actually, yesterday we had 10 investigators in church (which is like 3 times the usual) and one of them kind of proposed to her- luckily I was there to dump a huge pile of hymnbooks in her arms and tell her to take them to the chapel before she had to respond. My Dutch is actually surprisingly good when I'm saving Zr. Kriser from one of her admirers- I just start talking up a storm to distract them before things get too awkward. I guess that’s what she gets for being so darn cute!

We are all pretty sure Zr. Wieland and I will both stay next transfer, which will be AWESOME! I would be sooo sad if I had to leave now when we have so many people we're working with. The language is still a challenge, but really does get better every day. I am determined to speak as much as possible, and am really enjoying getting more involved in our lessons.

Well, I am planning on printing some pictures today, so I will hopefully get them back next week and mail them ASAP. I love you all so much! Heather and Phil, good luck in China! Be safe and enjoy it. Dad, you need to take it easy- you sound stressed out! Then again, I must say its impressive that you still got all those amazing dance moves! Mom, keep up the amazing work and service with seminary- you're awesome! I love you all tons and tons! Ik hou van jullie!

Love,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver