Nog een keer...

#floatingtate 

Goedemorgen iedereen!!

I am writing early because we are all going to kinderdijk today and there are a lot of things that we have to do, because transfer day is this week.

Saturday we received our transfer calls and I will be staying in Gouda!! I am actually super happy, I really was stressed that I was going to leave. Sadly I will not be keeping my baby, sis. De Souza....she is headed to Zoetermeer! Poor girl kicked out of her baby city...I know how it feels...(SIS ROBBINS!!!) but she is excited and I am excited for her. New change is good. 

As for me I will be getting ANOTHER groentje! Pretty crazy, I am very excited! I should know what I am doing by now right? I hope so. 

I HIT MY YEAR MARK THIS WEEK!! WHAT????? soooooo insane time is going by way too fast. It feels like sis. Harris just hit her year mark, and she is already dead next week. haha (figuratively) 

...wat nog meer...

Oh last week for pday we went to Utrecht...Such a beautiful city, and we climbed the Dom Toren!! (dom tower) 

We had a pretty crazy week....we did service for a guy that let us in on sis. de souza's first day knocking doors....he had prepared a list of things for us to do. The two things we ended up doing: holding a shelf for him to nail into the wall...and opening sealed envelopes with quotes inside, and keeping ones we liked. haha pretty therapeutic evening. He talked for a VERY long time. not willing to read the Book of Mormon sadly, but an interesting guy.

We had a lesson with a guy who just wanted to bible bash the whole time. He was not really open at all! So it was pretty pointless...we just bore testimony as much as we could and shared scriptures, but he wasn't really having it. It made me super frustrated, because he wasn't very nice, and quite prideful. I stood up for what I believed of course, and all I can say is that I did my best to follow the spirit, and try to help him. He was not open for it.

Other than that...nothing too crazy...just typical missionary work...the best kind of work.

I miss you all!!! I hope you are all safe and sound. 

Everyone should read the talk: what lack I yet?.....super good one. I have been asking myself that question a lot on my mission. I am starting to realize, that I have been very humbled on my mission, but it has been soooo great. I am soooo grateful for all of the humbling experiences!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

wees veilig!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

THIS GUY IS A RASTAFARIAN:)

He screams SISTERS every time we see him,
because we stopped and talked to him one day
 on our bikes.

Celebrating mine and Elder Thornocks year mark.

Eld. Van Den Dungen Bille put his picture on a
planner he made for me so I decided to put him on his own.  (THIS ELDER TAUGHT MY DAUGHTER TO SAY FETCH:(  )  

tower in Utrecht.. 

I am going to miss sis. De souza!!

MY GREENIE....MY HEART:)  XO

Our guide. (AT THE UTRECHT TOWER)..Elder Thornock asked where he could go to school in order to become a ringer of the bells!

sis de souza said after seeing this pic...look they have their own statue of liberty here.

AT HOGWARTS

THE TOWER:)

Giant wheel of cheese...
Elder fairbanks and I used it for zone training!

ya...I am running out of things to say...

GOEDEMORGEN!!

Hello everyone....well this week was crazy. 

I literally am sooooo exhausted, but it is all for a good cause right? so I cant complain.

This week we had zone training, so we had to train the missionaries in our zone. We did three groups (the zone leaders and I) and then each of us worked with a district leader to present our topics. Elder Fairbanks and I trained on Taal Studie (language study) and it was a big hit I think. Although I did spend some long nights on the phone planning and trying to figure out what we were supposed to do. It all came together really nicely. We even wrote a lovely remix to Hallelujah in dutch. We will be recording it later but...I am sorry I cant send videos anyways. You will all have to ask me about it when I get back.

But it was a good zone training, and it was weird to have to be involved for the first time...I got too used to just sitting and learning.

Anyways other than that we just had a lot going on. We traveled a lot, even if it was for no reason, because our appointment kept cancelling.

But it really feels like this week was two weeks combined together.

I love the members here in Gouda. They are amazing!! They spoil us, and this week Broeder Hoornweg (our ward mission leader) complained about how little we get for money each month (it really isnt bad dont worry) and said that he would grill us up some steak's next time:) 

We actually had some nice luck with some good lessons this week...but sadly they were all pretty set in their ways and found it interesting, but didnt want to go any further. We are just working on still finding those people that are interested!

This week we also had exchanges twice. First I worked with sis. Ibrahim from Suriname. She speaks a little Arabic so she came with me to a lesson with this Arabic guy and it was super cool. 

Then I got to work with sis. Harris's greeny sis. Black from Northern Ireland...She is super awesome, and we are so similar its crazy. I had a good time.

It is fun being able to go on exchanges with all of the sisters, they are all sooo different, but all sooo willing to work hard!

Other than that I have like no news sorry...it has been pretty crazy....and yet not at all, and my brain isnt functioning right now sorry.

I love you all, I love this work!! It is soooo much fun...you just have to deal with the hard stressful stuff as well, and then the shower of blessings comes!! Sometimes now when I look back, I would do it all over again, just so I can keep these memories. Missions are great!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

Fijne Week, en wees veilig!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

"HOE GAAT HET?!"

Goedemorgen!!

I hope eveything is going well!!

I am sorry I am the worst with emails and everything. These past few weeks have just been insane...but soooooo great. 

I am really loving it here in Gouda. The ward takes such good care of us. I already love them all sooo much. 

GOUDA!!

We are seeing sooooooooooo many miracles and finding people like crazy lately. It just shows that when you go out to work, and show Heavenly Father that you are willing to put in the effort, he will put people in your path. and more than twice or three times, it has been the last door we knock or the last person we contact. (typical)

so just a few small miracles this week:

(well there is no such thing as small I guess but..)

This week we did a blitz after District Meeting in Gouda, which means that everyone just did some work for us in Gouda. I mapped out everywhere where I felt they needed to knock gave them all maps and off they went. Last second things went crazy and sis. De Souza went to Brussels to play piano for President Uchtdorf with the Gruppeman's (famous violinists, and he is our Bishop) and because I had scheduled exchanges I let sis. Ibrahim go with her, and Sis. Cathers (from Northern Ireland) and I got some work done in Gouda then went off to Utrecht. It was crazy but we scheduled two appointments with people in Gouda and one of them is already a new investigator. It was great. Then we even found some super awesome potentials in Utrecht that night as well!

(also the Dordrecht Elders were with President Bunnell on the blitz and totally found an investigator for us, and taught him a lesson!)

Then we went out to Woerden this week to visit a less active who is wonderful, and really struggling. After our appointment we had a lot of time, and I forgot to bring the map, so we just knocked in the area. Literally the last door we were about to knock the guy was washing his car outside. He came up to us and asked if we were there to talk to him. We told him that we were missionaries, here to share a message about Christ and he was super interested. A young guy and he is very curious. A strong Christian, and he commented on my guitar because he plays too. He reminds me a little of Guido...(just that he is curious) but he wants to meet with us, and he asked us to come back and to schedule an appointment. So we will be meeting with him this week, with my guitar, and we are going to jam to some awesome Christian songs! haha He even said he would bring his girlfriend! Woohoo!

Last but not least last night, we went out to work early taking only a small dinner, because we wanted to make sure that we got our hours for the week/work hard....and so we decided to go knock a street that was referred to us by a family in the ward. The Elders had asked them to pray about a street for us to knock and had thought of that one. So we went, and there were only like 6 doors on that street. so we started knocking this big flat right next to it which was a different street but looked like it could have been the same. One of the 3rd bells we ring this awesome guy named Michael comes out. He has really been through a lot of things, and had a lot of operations, and we talked to him about Jesus Christ and how he was never alone, and gave him a Book of Mormon. He was a riot. We just chatted with him for the rest of the night and laughed a lot!! He is hilarious, and when I said I could bring my guitar next time, he said: "wait you guys are going to come back" I made sure that was what he wanted and he did!! It was such a cool thing. 

The Lord puts people who are prepared in your path!! We literally didnt have to do anything. I think the more I am out on my mission. I realize how much I actually do...which is not much at all!! All I have to do is go out to work follow the spirit, and BAM! haha (more or less) haha

Also for my title...this is actually from last week, but it was soooo funny that I had to share it!! Sis. De Souza is wonderful and like I said soooo bold. We walked onto the train last week and she saw a cute guy and he smiled at us...she just lit up haha. We sat accross on the other side of the train but next to him, and she knew that we needed to talk to him. I kind of raised my eyebrows at her and said "Doe maar!" (do it) daring her, and she asked when we had to get off which was the next one...as soon as he looked up from his computer for a second she yelled "HOE GAAT HET?!" (how are you?) haha he was surprised but played it off and was very nice. We talked to him for a little but had to get off and we gave him a card. It was just a funny thing. She has guts!! I LOVE IT!!

Other than that.....

Well just everything is great. I love it here, and we are having a lot of fun! I am sooo tired today, but that is such a good thing! We are going to Rotterdam today to play basketball which is sooooo fun!! I love beating the Elders;) just kidding they are all really good, but it is super fun, and a good stress reliever for me! 

I hope you all have a great week! I MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU!!

Ik hou van jullie!

Wees veilig!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

Gouda!

after playing basketball last week we threw rice crackers to the geese and swans.

This is who we met last night...and sis. De Souza taught him hand hugging cuz we cant hug...haha he loved it!

zr. De Souza found this in our closet in the middle of the night and she was cold! haha

Us Wearing our helmets.....

"There is no shortcut to any place worth going"-I don't know sorry.

Me and my greenie!!

Hallo everyone. This week was a good one, and kinda crazy but a good one.

My greenie is great and super bold...it is awesome, she is way tooo hard on herself with the language and stresses too much about not understanding. But we are doing well together and working hard!

We saw a lot of small miracles everyday.

Miracles:

I got to work with sis. Duncan for a little bit because we had to go to MLC and our companions went to Brussels for legal stuff which was cool...and she accidentally took the keys to sis. De souza's bike back with her to Apeldoorn. So we planned to go pick them up and we headed on our way to Apeldoorn and we talk to this super nice old man named Franc and he was super sweet and we were supposed to talk to him, and half way through the ride: I get a call from sis. Duncan and they cant come to meet us...so we went technically for no reason, but were able to meet Franc so that was cool.

Exchanges this week...first ones as sister training leader. It was good. We had them with the Tilburg sisters, because they dont have any other sisters in their zone so I am over them as well. It went really well. I had called someone in the area book who actually didnt seem that possible, but I really felt like I should just call her and see if the time was right, because what was I going to lose right? Well I had called her and scheduled an appointment with her for the day with sis. Musgrave another greeny. We got lost a little bit, but we got there and it was such a great lesson!! The spirit was there, and she is really positive and before we were done, she asked us to schedule another appointment with her!!

I looked at the times to catch the train to District meeting this week in Dordrecht, and for some reason saw 9:46...well turns out it was actually 8:46 and we were sooooo late and missed all of District meeting. I felt so bad for my greeny because it was her first District Meeting ever...and it was all my fault, but what was cool was...we ended up catching the next train, and I talked to this lady on the train, and she wanted a book of Mormon, and gave us all her info, also the guy sitting accross from us on the other side of the train, also asked us where we were from and told us he knew where one of our churches was. Which doesnt happen very often. So maybe there was a reason, why I had to miss the train. Even if I totally did space it and have nooo good excuse. haha

I got to skype yesterday. It was really good seeing you all! It is a little weird, and I was kinda a little nervous to skype, just because I am really loving my mission and not homesick and I didnt want that to change it. But we are good. I love and miss you all, but I really love this place and dont want to leave. This week I have really hit a wall that I never thought I would reach and that is the realization that my time is going by way toooooo fast, and I love this place soooo much. Even though it is hard in a new place with a new greenie and also being sister training leader and not teaching very many people....I love it here!!! I am just soooo grateful for all of the people I have already met and the people I continue to meet every day. I dont want to stop speaking dutch or sharing the gospel with random people on the trains...or handing out the Book of Mormon to people on the train. I love this work and I am starting to see that this is what I am passionate about. 

Anyways. 

Other than that this week was great...just a lot of meetings and travel and contacting! 

I love you all sooo much and I hope you have the best week ever, full of miracles!!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

Wees Veilig!

VEEL LIEFS,

This is in a random place outside of Antwerpen in Wuustwezel

Elder Van Den Dungen Billen and Waters at Mechelen

Mechelen Tower...

Gouda

Zuster De Souza

Elder Thornock

Gouda...finally gave in and ate a Kapsalon....

Elder Ord, Elder Thornock, Zuster De Souza and I...in Gouda

Zuster Stewart-Chester

"ik ben geinterisseerd in deze mooie meid!"

Goedemiddag!!!!!

My amazing Greenie...

Hello everyone...I feel like a completely different person from last week. I have already learned sooo much.

Well...this week has been insane. Transfers were on tuesday because it was a National Holiday here in the Netherlands. KONINGS DAG!! Heel leuk.

so we had to leave super early on tuesday...and i got all of my stuff crammed in my bags....(somehow). and off we went. We met at the mission office for training. and the greenies came in and they went to do legality work, so we all as trainers went to do some work in Leiden. I got my guitar out and we sung for about an hour met some people from Utah and then me and sis. Lindsey worked together for the last time, and talked to a super cool guy who was actually really interested...Your welcome Leiden Elders.

Then we had dinner with all the greenies and they opened their "call letters" to tell them who their companions were going to be and their area. 

My companion is Sister De Souza!! She is wonderful and this little ball of fire. I love it. She is sooo bold and smily and just shines. People notice it and we have had some awesome conversations with people because of it. hahah just like the title. A guy thought she was cute and she just gave hime a card straight away with our number on it, and I had to work our way out of that situation, I grabbed her and told him that he could only call if interested in the church, and that he couldnt have her number haha. She is the best. She is from Canada, Ottowa ( I think that is how you spell it) and she speaks a little french so I am going to have her teach me. She really is incredible. A little too hard on herself with the language, but she is going to be an incredible missionary. I am lucky to be her mum:) 

Gouda is beautiful and the members are amazing. We get fed every day, and they are alll soooo nice. I already know I am not going to want to leave. 

As far as investigators this place was pretty slow before we got here and we are having to do some finding....but we are seeing a lot of miracles, and finding quite a few people.

On Koningsdag we had a little table and set up books and pamphlets and talked to people it was cool, and we gave away a ton of copies of the Book of Mormon. It was a good time, and we found some interested people. So that has really helped us.

I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed with all of my new responsibilities and feeling really inadequate but it has been good for me. It has been humbling, but I am excited for this transfer. 

Zr. De souza makes it really fun! haha 

People in the zone: (because mom you asked.)

I am with all of my buddies from the MTC. Elder Wright is my zone leader so we have been able to work together for trainings and stuff....with Elder Harrop who is hilarious. 

Elder Thornock is my district leader and he is in the Gouda ward with Elder Ord so we eat dinner with them every night.

Elder Fairbanks is district Leader in the zone, so I have seen him a couple times at trainings as well.

and Elder Ocampo is also in the other district. It is going to be a super fun transfer and I am super excited!!

Ik hou van jullie!!

Wees veilig. Prettige week nog!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

Our apartment...don't judge we are just moving in:)  

The Chapel is across the street from our apartment..

Gouda Cheese

Views outside

yummmmmm