Apartments...uhg!

Hello family! 9/21/2009

I just love you all! Thank you sooo much for your letters. They make me so happy :) It is so great to get a little update from everyone. It makes me feel connected a little bit, even though I'm way over here in Groningen.

This week has been a big adventure. My last few days in Dordrecht were really great. I got to see most of our investigators that I had worked with, and it was so great. I was worried about leaving them, but in our last appointments, they all bore beautiful testimony of the restoration (some stronger than others) and I just got the sweetest peaceful feeling that I had accomplished my work there and that these people would be fine once I left. I had to say goodbye to Laurie and Den over the phone, and it broke my heart having to say goodbye to her- she started crying, and it was so difficult. I felt for a moment like I was deserting her, but I know that it is all for the best. It was neat to look back at the people I worked with and see how much progress they had made in the last 3 months. I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of their progression. Kamara (one of our investigators from Sierra Leone) should be baptized this week, and from what I've heard, everything is all in order for that, so Wednesday, I gave Zr. Driggs the phone and turned my sights toward the North... way up north.

We got here and our apartment was still empty. The ward here is amazing and managed to get us a few beds and pieces of furniture, so at least we could live in the apartment, even if our first few days were a bit like camping (no refrigerator or hot water - brrr!). The elder who stayed in the city is Elder Morrow, and he did a great job getting us food and things to last us a few days. He is a sweet elder, but easily stressed out and kind of short tempered- an interesting combo to work with. I learned, however, that patience and kind words can really change a situation that is going really ugly really fast to something quite pleasant. Working with elders here has taught me a lot about positive feedback and helping people be their best selves instead of succumbing to their weaknesses. That goes for a lot of things, but works especially well for people with short tempers. Kindness and love are sooooo important in church callings. Everyone responds favorably to it and the Spirit can guide the situation much, much better. That is one lesson that I hope to carry with me always.

Meeting the ward Sunday was awesome as well. They are so excited to have sisters here. Apparently there were sisters here about 6 years ago and they had something like 10 baptisms a year between the sisters and elders, but that has dropped to 1 or 2 a year since then. Everyone thinks that the sisters coming back will change that... no pressure :) Luckily the ward members really are great and are prepared to do their part from what we can see. Groningen is a beautiful city, and we have had so much fun finding our way around. Zr. Ekstrom is from Alaska and is such a trooper. We get along great and have stayed positive despite the long hours and hold-ups involved in opening an apartment. It'll be really fun to work with her.

Well family, I love you all! I forgot my address, so I'll send it in a future e-mail. Take care and don't forget to write!

Ik hou van jullie!
Liefs,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver