familie Martes...I wish I had a sister young enough to marry that little boy. They said I could come live with them any time I wanted:)

Goedemorgen Iedereen!

Well this week was a very crazy week. It was good, then terrible, then good and then okay. Anyways. Basically towards the end of the week, we didnt have one lesson that went through. So that was just lovely. You can tell that it is summer here, because no one is really home even when we are knocking.

But of course we still saw some miracles this week!

Monday our appointment also cancelled, and so we went out to do some look ups after dinner. This old lady let us in, because i talked her into letting us sing a song for her. She is a funny lady, and loves to talk. She started going off about random stuff and every time I tried to bring in the points of the lesson she just kept bringing it on topic. I was about to just give up and probably never go back, but then I talked to her about prayer and a life after death. She told me she wants to believe in a life after death, but has cant. I testified that  she could pray to ask our Heavenly Father to receive an answer, and invited her to do so. She asked when? and I told her tonight, and she agreed. We scheduled another appointment for tonight, so we will see how that goes.

I was told by the Elders that I am a flirt this week...because I contacted this guy on the bus, and I was cracking jokes and laughing a lot, because: I WAS TRYING TO KEEP HIM TALKING!! haha I totally wasnt...and if I was that was not my purpose whatsoever...plus we had a really good conversation...and the Elders were joining in as well.

We met with the guy who wants us to teach him Nederland/dutch this week. He is awesome!! We brought the Elders with us, and to be honest teaching him dutch did not go very far. He started bringing out food, and by the end he was calling us family and taking pictures with us. haha He scheduled an appointment with us for us all to come back and eat food with him. (but it took us about 30 min. just to figure out the day and everything because we still cant understand each other) haha. 

Then yesterday....on our way back from our dinner appt. with the Elders. this lady got on the bus, so I helped her lift her baby stroller in...and then off, but I couldnt sit by her because there was no way to. then she got on to the same train as us, and asked me to help her get on again. Of course I did, and the Elders and my companion all got on and sat down, but she staying in the open are of the train with her stroller. I awkwardly stood and talked with her, knowing that I needed to. She then asked me if I wanted to sit, so I did and I started talking to her. She is from Ethiopia and speaks amharic and english of course. She was super cute...and her baby was adorable. We started talking and she told me it is difficult for her to go to her church in Rotterdam so she only goes every 3 weeks. I told her our church is in Gouda and she is welcome to come, and then I finally worked up the courage and asked her if we could bring a Book of Mormon by in Amharic for her. She agreed and gave me her address....so that was pretty cool, we will see what she thinks.

Other than that, it was sooooo hot this week. Not as hot as probably Utah but with the humidity it just makes you want to die. haha but it was also kinda nice at some points. (besides the humidity) 

I also cut Elder Wilsons hair this week, because he fixed my shoe that fell apart and agreed to maintenance my bike...so I gave in for the first time on my mission...and I sorta messed up a little...haha. What do you expect though...it has been way too long! But It still looks pretty dang good, and he got it for free so....

I cant think of titles anymore sorry.....

Anyways...I LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU!! I had a dream last night that I came home and was done with my mission...so weird. Grateful it was not real, but I am excited to see you all again, and just talk to you in person and tell you all these stories in person!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

Wees veilig!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

...sorrry these are all I got as far as pictures for this week!

cutting Elder Wilsons hair.

This is how I felt about the weather...

"SISTERS!!"

Zuster Dixon:)

 GOEDEMORGEN!!

Well everyone...this week I was just exhausted, and still am, but things are going really well and we had a really great weekend!!

I have my new Companion...and she is African American. haha not really but she has corn rows and extensions, because the amazing Leticia Richardson in Groningen did them for her.(I LOVE YOU LETICIA) I am super jealous....haha but not really cuz I dont think I could do it.

But seriously....SIS. DIXON is great!! haha she is funny and we are already having a good time. She also sings, so today we are going to go to the music store and finally buy me a strap so that we can do some music contacting. She is from West Point Utah.

Other people in the zone....well it is basically the same people except now Elder Wright and Elder Thornock are our zone leaders. Elder Wilson and Elder Ord are both staying in Ommoord....

GOUDA

This week we didnt have that many dinner appointments so we were able to go to places to get some stuff done. We went all the way out to Bodegraven and had dinner early so that we could try to contact a referral. Well she wasnt interested, and we talked to another lady who had been positive, and she had read anti-material online, so she accused me of being a polygamist. So that was interesting...I tried to fix the situation a little, and succeeded...sort of. But we will see. Then because we were out in Bodegraven we stopped someone out on the street and she wanted a Book of Mormon and also wanted us to come back...so that was the reason why our dinner appt. had to be cancelled so that we could find her. Pretty cool.

Elder Wilson is scared of heights...

The Elders also had a baptism this weekend and it was wonderful!! We had a great turn out. Sis. Dixon asked me who we could invite the day before....so I just made a ton of calls and sure enough someone came!!! It was actually a lady that dropped us, because it wasnt the right timing, and didnt really agree to meeting with us again, but she liked it, and I know she felt to spirit. It was cool...she calls me her little treasure or her little girl (schaatje, meiske) haha for some reason she really likes me so she came and it was cool! I sang, and it wasnt my best performance, but it was okay. 

Our Street and the Church is on the other side..

Then yesterday was one for the books, let me tell you! TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING!!! haha me and sis. Conrad had knocked a little bit more on the street that a member had given us in Woerden and we had met this guy that spoke literally no English or Dutch, but had told us to come back sooooo we did. haha and we sat in his house with his family and they fed us and we communicated through a telephone translator. Pretty incredible!! He wants us to teach him dutch....but little does he know, we will be teaching him the gospel muahahaha nooo just kidding...but really not. It was pretty cool. We sang for them, and they were all taking pictures with us and filming us...so who knows where they will end up. Crazy thing is his family is living in Denmark right now she the lady spoke Danish and maybe it had to do with the fact that my ancestors are from Denmark, but I was able to understand some of the things she was saying!! Also to do with the fact, that some of dutch is really similar...but it was cool!! THE SPIRIT IS AWESOME!!! I am telling you. The things you experience on a mission are soooo bizarre. and so great!! When is that ever going to happen again? well hopefully more, because I have still got time. 

story time! Yesterday I was sleeping on the train, because I am sorry I just could not contact one more person this week....I was so tired and I just passed out. When all of a sudden I hear this creeepy voice saying: "SISTERS YOU ARE SLEEPING, WAKE UP SISTERS ITS BEEN LONG TIME!!!!" creepiest thing of my life...did I mention that he was tickling my neck. I had taken my glasses off and literally jumped this guy was leaning over me. and I look at this guy in the face. haha his name is apparently Douglas and we went over and sat with him, and my companion gave him our number but we are going to hand him off to the Elders.. 

Zuster Flux

Lucilene...a member here from Brazil.

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Zuster Dixon has Corn rows from Letitia 

I LOVE THIS WORK...it is sooooo hard, and some days I just struggle getting out and working like everyone else...but there is no where I would rather be. I love it!!

Ik hou van Jullie!!

FIJNE WEEK<

Wees veilig!

VEEL LEIFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

"You want to know how many matches it took to light this thing?...the whole box." (see last picturexo0

Finally got these gems from Elder Wilson...I miss you sis. Harris!

Gouda squad 

We had to take a selfie as a challenge and a member had just given us random vegetables so I asked this guy to take a selfy with us...it turned out nicely I think!:)

This is what we found on our way to play basketball in Rotterdam! Elder Gleaves and his greeny from aruba. We arent allowed to cook in the church...funniest part was what they said to us: in the title of my email.


A woman with corn rows did my hair for me after I complimented her on hers:)

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Who knew that weeding would be soooo much fun.

MTC to MLC...because practically my whole district are now zone leaders.  

I dont know if I sent the other picture...but it is our album cover;)

but Elder Ocampo wasnt there so we had to improvise and have Elder Richards join, because he was also in our MTC group.

Goedemorgen!

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Well this week was an interesting on. A hard one....but a good one.

We taught our investigator Michel a lot...the one in a wheelchair, and even had Romy (a new member who is our age) come a long. It was the best lesson yet and the spirit was soooooo strong. We finally committed him to come to church and to a barbecue after to celebrate 4th of July....

The next day on my way home from Belgium I receive a call from his mother. She told me that she does not want us to meet with him ever again. Although it is kind of ridiculous that he is 39 and she is not allowing us, when he has full control over his own choices. We dont know the extent of his conditions and we want to respect her, and she told us that he feels the same way. So it was a stab in the heart kind of...Just because he had also become a good friend and I had done sooo much to try and help him. 

But hey I got to go to Belgium so that was nice. (trying to find positives;))

us drenched after getting dropped...sis parker

Then the next day on exchanges it poured sooooooo much. We got drenched within 5 minutes and we went to an appointment with my shoes just squeaking and farting....and he sat us down and told us that he does not want to meet with us anymore...(now the knife was being twisted)....not going to lie, I saw it coming, he wasnt as positive after all. 

And for the rest of the week, literally all of our appointments cancelled. No joke. It was kind of long...but to look at the positives again, I was able to go to Belgium and MLC and see me friends.

Other than that we are just working hard, and we were able to do service for an old less active lady this week. We weeded. It was wonderful!! It is funny how before the mission, anything to do with the garden is a chore, and if you come on the mission it is a treat. It is sooooo nice just to be able to relax and stare at weeds and pull weeds and sit in the sun. It was a nice project after a long week and she was sooo grateful and proud of her garden when we left.

I wish dutch people would let us help them more. I had to practically beg her to let us help her do her garden. Anyways...

That is just about it. We celebrated Bo's birthday...4th of July with familie de Jonge yesterday with a big American Barbeque it was wonderful!!

Birthdays: sorry i am the worst!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEDDY AND BO AND SHARI AND DAD ALEX (I missed you a while back) 

I LOVE AND MISS YOU...I am working on letters...,but you know me...I am terrible at writing, and I am sorry...I will try to do better.

I MISS YOU ALL!! I know it was a rough week, but I still do love it here. I am looking forward to a miracle filled week full of finding and knocking:) haha.

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

wees veilig!!

VEEL LIEFS!

Zuster Stewart-Chester

Elder Muller, Elder Groesbeck and Elder Hosea.

hesther

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I made a cake.

sis. de jonge made a pie...

we couldnt leave out canada of course

making smores

smores..simon de jonge

Anna...she is always sooo serious and cute. It is sooo hard not being able to hold her.

Broeder de jonge.

and of course sis. Duncan took the picture...so I found this later 

 Elder Da Silva also joined in.

  Elder Wilson   and  Estelle

rhemert