Hello family!
Sorry this letter is late. P-day was yesterday, and it was totally crazy. We got permission to travel all the way to Apeldoorn to meet with the zone and have a thanksgiving dinner and a turkey bowl. It was intense. I, Zuster Gulliver, played football in the rain for 3 HOURS! It was really, really fun, but I am soooooo sore today. It was two-hand touch football, and sisters had to tag sisters, so we honestly didn´t get to touch the ball much, but hey, it was still a blast, and I still managed to be completely covered in mud by the end of the game. Oh, and I caught the ball once- then I slipped and fell in the mud and ended up surrounded by half of the elders on the ground who all ended up sliding to avoid having contact with zr. Ekstrom and I. Ahh, the joys of co-ed missionaory football. It was really fun. Thanksgiving dinner with the zone was also great. I just love the elders and sisters that we work with. They are such great examples. I look up to the other missionaries so much. They are one of the greatest blessings in my mission.
The work is still going forward at a steady pace. We are seeing some great progress from our investigators. There is an awesome couple from Angola that we have started teaching, and they are just so sensitive to the Spirit. It is amazing to work with them.
Well, I have to make this one extra-short, because we have district meeting now. I love you all!!
Ik hou van jullie!
Liefs,
Zuster Gulliver
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Wonder of Wonders....
We had an awesome week! We received 4 new investigators this week and have 4 more lined up as a result of referrals next week. That is double the amount we found in the entire last transfer! It really has boosted our spirits and we actually have people to pray, study, and plan for, which adds a LOT to missionary life. We feel so blessed.
It sounds like you had an exciting week. I remember good times at the ranch. Dad, remember the first time I drove your car? That was good times. I still have the leaf that was stuck in the wind shield wiper after I almost hit that tree. I think it’s buried in one of my boxes. I`m sure Niki was a much more able student ;)
I got the pictures of Cozette and the Halloween candies this week. Thank you so much! She is getting so big. She looks like a different person, and Heather- the baby bump is looking good! So did the camera shots. I´m excited to see the Hamer photo portfolio when I get back. Dad, thank you for the copy of the talk. I found it really inspiring actually. You sound like a mission president :)
I´m so excited for Bob Nelson. A mission will be so awesome for him. It’s awesome for everyone.
I´m already scheduled for a fireside? Wow. I love the idea of a fireside, but is it really getting that close? I figured out this week that I will only get 3 or 4 more transfers after this one... a strange thought. I miss it already if I think about it.
The weather is starting to get colder, and much much rainier. We get soaked pretty much daily, which makes cute hair nearly impossible. Oh well, ponytails are cute too I guess. Luckily my companion is easy-going as well, so when we´re soaking wet it turns into more of an opportunity for jokes than an actual hardship. The winter coming back makes me think of my first few days in the land, when I didn´t think I`d live through the experience. Now I know that its just part of the adventure.
The Dutch holiday Sinterklas is coming really soon (its basically the commercial side of Christmas) which means that Sinterklas will come bring presents on his big horse with zwarte piet (his sidekick) and leave them in the shoes of the kids. That means that everyone gives the missionaries presents and that the bakeries are full of super delicious goodies for the holidays. They have stands all over the streets for oliebollen (deep fried dough balls) filled with apples, currants, pudding, pineapple, you name it, they put it in it. They are delicious and you can smell the stands a mile away. I´ll have to make you some when I get home.
We´ve been invited to an American member´s house for Thanksgiving this year. It´ll be really fun. The elders will come too, so it should be nice and gezellig. We also already have plans for Christmas Eve. I think the ward will take really good care of us during the holidays.
Well, I love you all a ton! Take care, and be safe!
Ik hou van jullie
Liefs,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver
It sounds like you had an exciting week. I remember good times at the ranch. Dad, remember the first time I drove your car? That was good times. I still have the leaf that was stuck in the wind shield wiper after I almost hit that tree. I think it’s buried in one of my boxes. I`m sure Niki was a much more able student ;)
I got the pictures of Cozette and the Halloween candies this week. Thank you so much! She is getting so big. She looks like a different person, and Heather- the baby bump is looking good! So did the camera shots. I´m excited to see the Hamer photo portfolio when I get back. Dad, thank you for the copy of the talk. I found it really inspiring actually. You sound like a mission president :)
I´m so excited for Bob Nelson. A mission will be so awesome for him. It’s awesome for everyone.
I´m already scheduled for a fireside? Wow. I love the idea of a fireside, but is it really getting that close? I figured out this week that I will only get 3 or 4 more transfers after this one... a strange thought. I miss it already if I think about it.
The weather is starting to get colder, and much much rainier. We get soaked pretty much daily, which makes cute hair nearly impossible. Oh well, ponytails are cute too I guess. Luckily my companion is easy-going as well, so when we´re soaking wet it turns into more of an opportunity for jokes than an actual hardship. The winter coming back makes me think of my first few days in the land, when I didn´t think I`d live through the experience. Now I know that its just part of the adventure.
The Dutch holiday Sinterklas is coming really soon (its basically the commercial side of Christmas) which means that Sinterklas will come bring presents on his big horse with zwarte piet (his sidekick) and leave them in the shoes of the kids. That means that everyone gives the missionaries presents and that the bakeries are full of super delicious goodies for the holidays. They have stands all over the streets for oliebollen (deep fried dough balls) filled with apples, currants, pudding, pineapple, you name it, they put it in it. They are delicious and you can smell the stands a mile away. I´ll have to make you some when I get home.
We´ve been invited to an American member´s house for Thanksgiving this year. It´ll be really fun. The elders will come too, so it should be nice and gezellig. We also already have plans for Christmas Eve. I think the ward will take really good care of us during the holidays.
Well, I love you all a ton! Take care, and be safe!
Ik hou van jullie
Liefs,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver
Monday, November 9, 2009
Still Kick'in
Hello family!
Well, this week was pretty quiet here in Groningen. The temperatures have dropped, and with it comes tons of memories of when I first came into the land. I had a special evening on the 5th as I looked back in my journal and read my accounts of my first few nights at the MTC. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I reported for duty. It has been such a blessed year. I am so grateful for the many, many things I have learned and experienced. The special moments I have had this year have been life-changing experiences that I am eternally grateful for. Reading about my own excitement and faith at the beginning of my mission was really uplifting for me now as we sit in a difficult area here in Groningen.
We did see a really special miracle this week. We were able to teach lessons to 2 non-member husbands of women in the ward, and also received the names of 3 friends or acquaintances of ward members who we will go by and see this week. It is so great the ward is beginning to become so involved in our missionary work. The true success in this work comes from that teamwork. We are so excited. We have worked hard to build trust relationships with the members, and it is so good to see the fruits of our labors.
I miss children/babies!!! Yesterday was the primary program here, and it was SOOO CUTE! The children here (there are about 40) love the sisters, and it was so cute to see them all waving to us from the stand when we walked into the chapel. What a special spirit! The songs and everything were so cute and really well done. It made me wish I was a primary teacher. Children just have such an ability to love others. If we´re ever feeling down as missionaries, we just need to see some of the kids in the ward here and we´ll know that we´re pretty much super-heroes to them. The love they show the missionaries is awesome. The funniest thing is that they speak Dutch to us, but don´t understand that we´re not native speakers, so sometimes they´ll say something and get really confused as to why we don´t understand them. They also think our accents are hilarious! Even though we have to be really restricted in our contact with children for legality reasons, the kids here have been one of the highlights of my mission.
I love you family! Thank you for the little details about life back home. They really mean a lot to me. They are a great source of support. Dad, good luck with the next two weeks!
Ik hou van jullie!
Love,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver
Well, this week was pretty quiet here in Groningen. The temperatures have dropped, and with it comes tons of memories of when I first came into the land. I had a special evening on the 5th as I looked back in my journal and read my accounts of my first few nights at the MTC. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I reported for duty. It has been such a blessed year. I am so grateful for the many, many things I have learned and experienced. The special moments I have had this year have been life-changing experiences that I am eternally grateful for. Reading about my own excitement and faith at the beginning of my mission was really uplifting for me now as we sit in a difficult area here in Groningen.
We did see a really special miracle this week. We were able to teach lessons to 2 non-member husbands of women in the ward, and also received the names of 3 friends or acquaintances of ward members who we will go by and see this week. It is so great the ward is beginning to become so involved in our missionary work. The true success in this work comes from that teamwork. We are so excited. We have worked hard to build trust relationships with the members, and it is so good to see the fruits of our labors.
I miss children/babies!!! Yesterday was the primary program here, and it was SOOO CUTE! The children here (there are about 40) love the sisters, and it was so cute to see them all waving to us from the stand when we walked into the chapel. What a special spirit! The songs and everything were so cute and really well done. It made me wish I was a primary teacher. Children just have such an ability to love others. If we´re ever feeling down as missionaries, we just need to see some of the kids in the ward here and we´ll know that we´re pretty much super-heroes to them. The love they show the missionaries is awesome. The funniest thing is that they speak Dutch to us, but don´t understand that we´re not native speakers, so sometimes they´ll say something and get really confused as to why we don´t understand them. They also think our accents are hilarious! Even though we have to be really restricted in our contact with children for legality reasons, the kids here have been one of the highlights of my mission.
I love you family! Thank you for the little details about life back home. They really mean a lot to me. They are a great source of support. Dad, good luck with the next two weeks!
Ik hou van jullie!
Love,
Zuster Cherie Gulliver
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