Tulips A Plenty!

Dearest loving family,

Dad, way to go with the gopher- its the small things in life, right? I think you need to go camping or something... you know a farm boy's been in the city too long when a garden gopher becomes ''big game'' :)

As for the Netherlands, it is absolutely beautiful. Yesterday was second easter (the Dutch people have 2 separate days where they celebrate every holiday) so we couldn't e-mail at the library like usual, but today we all came to the church for interviews with the president, so we all got to e-mail on the church computers. My companion and I came to unlock the church and we were walking around at 8 o'clock this morning unlocking doors and the sun was shining and the tulips were just starting to open in the sunshine, and the whole thing was just beautiful. I have never seen a spring as beautiful as the spring here in Holland. Tulips have always been my favorite flower since I was little, and my love for them has just grown and grown since coming here. They are absolutely gorgeous! It makes missionary work much easier when you don't have to wear a huge wool coat and ugly boots :)

Sis. Wieland and I are having a great time. We are challenged every day with the language and our inexperience, but the Lord still takes care of us and we see miracles when we turn to him and do our best to follow his directions instead of thinking of our own ways to do the work. Our mission president re-aligned the boundaries and so today we found out we are now in charge of North Rotterdam and also a little city called Cappelle- which pretty much doubles our area. The Zone leaders were working in the area a few days a week, but they have now turned it over to us. We are both feeling too overwhelmed by the task to talk about it or even think about it really, but it is a beautiful area and it will be neat to have so many brand new investigators and less-actives to look up. It is stressful, and we are always dead tired at the end of the day, but we have grown so much already just in the 2 weeks we've been here alone. I have truly received the gift of tongues and my Dutch has improved A LOT! I can understand people much better now than before, and I have a lot more confidence to speak up and say what I think needs to be said. Sis. Wieland and I get a long just great- we are quite different personality wise, but we both love the work and we love each other. We were truly blessed to get to work together 2 transfers before taking over the city alone- we don't have any problems with our relationship, which makes the work much easier.

Well, I must go- it's my turn to be interviewed. Soon we will return to the beatiful outdoors and my beautiful tulips outside- I just love spring! Dad, you have to grow me tulips next year-- I'm going to miss them SO MUCH when I get home!! Its hard to believe the time is going by so fast. I love you all and miss you! You are always in my prayers!

Ik hou van jullie!
Love,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver