Goede Dag!

Dearest of families, 6/22/2009

Well, this e-mail bears some bitter-sweet news. I found out this morning that I will be leaving my beloved Rotterdam. After 6 months of serving the people here, it is so hard to think of leaving- I just love these people. A few minutes ago I saw one of our recent converts, Lenneke, and told her I was leaving, and we both got tears in our eyes, so I avoided actually saying goodbye until tonight when I actually have to. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!!!

On the upside, inspiration still runs the mission, and I have been called by the Lord to go to Dordrect, a little city down south to serve in a little branch of the church down there with Sister Owen, who is 6 weeks ahead of me in the mission. She is a great missionary, and we will serve as co-seniors. It will be great. I love her as a missionary and as a person. She is really, really loving and kind. A great example to me. I am really excited to serve with her, and also to serve in a small branch. The branch uses the missionaries a lot from what I've heard, so the chance of me receiving a calling in the ward.. and playing piano... are really big. Yikes!

It has been another amazing week. Saturday was an incredible day. We started the day with a bike ride with a bunch of YSA's out to Delft (the home of "delft blue" ceramics). It was so beautiful, and I had a long conversation while we were biking with the inactive son of a woman in our ward. We talked about how we know the church is true and how we overcome the feelings that our testimonies come from our parents as children born under the covenant. It was a great conversation, and I was touched afterward with the gift of tongues- this guy had a really, really strong Rotterdamse accent, and under normal circumstances, I would have not really been able to understand him, but between the gift of tongues and him probably talking a lot slower than normal, I carried on a 30 minute conversation without a problem. It was so cool!

Zr. Higham leaves for home this week, and is totally NOT excited. She is such a dedicated missionary, and the thought of leaving her mission behind is a very hard one. It has been really a privilege to work with her and see how dedicated she is to the Lord and learn from her example of complete consecration to the Lord and our calling as missionaries.

Parents- I hope you have an awesome time in New York! Oh, and Niki, have fun at camp. I love you all tons!

Love,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver

My address in Dordrecht starting Wednesday is:

Zuster Gulliver
Regenboog str 111
3328 HT Dordrecht