Shoveling Cow poop for days....

Goedemorgen allemaal!!!

SO. 

I am officially not in Gouda anymore...and to be honest it has been very hard. It kind of felt like leaving Gent and leaving family. I have loved all of my areas.  There are people in each area that I miss so much.  But this just hit me harder than I thought it would.  Maybe it is because it is all coming to a future that I am not ready for.  I can't believe I have only 2 1/2 months left...it is starting to settle in and I wish I could extend my mission.  

BUT,  Zoetermeer is also great, and I have already met soooo many amazing members, I am really excited to be able to work with.

My new baby is.....drum roll...

Sis. Vandenberghe!

She is from Salt Lake City/Holiday Utah...and is super cute. We are actually really similar, and it is going to be a good transfer. Her dutch is actually really good, I think it comes because she has dutch blood in her veins. I am excited.

Also I am now in a four wo-man apartment....that was never really meant to be so...so we are a little cramped, but it has been a lot of fun so far!! I am with sis. De souza and Sis. Maughan who is the next oldest sister in the mission....which by the way I AM THE OLDEST SISTER NOW IN THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!! SO WEIRD!!! I still have sis. Nyakho with me because she visa waited and already spoke dutch ut she goes home the same time as me...

anyways. WE have been having tooo much fun lately...and I am bracing myself for a long week! but also a really good one.

Because we are pretty much opening the area, we are going to be doing a lot of knocking, and finding this transfer, but I really have no doubt that we are going to see some success!!

We are officially assigned to the English ward here in Zoetermeer...the Wassenaar ward. So my poor greeny will have church in English....Super weird going to church in English yesterday for the first time in a while. But we had a dutch guy show up to the English church so I was able to talk to him which was super cool! Actually kind of sad to not be able to go to the dutch, but we will be finding dutch investigators, so pretty soon we will end up just going to both...It is a tricky situation, and I have no idea how it is going to work out...but it will be good.

They just called a new ward mission Leader and he is on the ball, it is super awesome! I am super excited to be able to work with him, and find some people!!!

Last Monday we had a super cool miracle....we went to Marja's because I wanted to say goodbye to her, and she had a friend there and we ended up teaching him a lesson!! It was AWESOME!! She is actually still kind of positive...even though she had dropped us. 

We also played basketball with Amar, and took him to dinner at the Gruppman's, and it was a lot of fun!

Transfer Eve I dyed sis. Dixon's hair brown, which was a lot of fun...but I am really exhausted from then having to stay up really late to pack up.

Then coming to Zoetermeer...we went to a super cool youth BBQ and I felt like I was in America it was fun, and then we went and did service on Friday at a farm, and we totally fed the cows and pet them, milked them....and of course shoveled some poop. haha It was a good time!!

Then the sisters had two baptisms...that we were able to help a little with and it was super beautiful!! It is a great area, and I am really excited to work here. Sorry this is all really jumbled....time is flying, and we are having fun! I miss you all, but cant stand to even think about leaving this place.

IK HOU VAN JULLIE

wees veilig,

Fijne Week Verder,

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

sis. vandenberghe

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sis. de souza

Random cows  

Anns

Alexander and Jonas from Iritria

Jamil

Random Planners....

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last goodbye in Gouda... Vesna Gruppman

oh and in the pink is Marja!!

last goodbye in Gouda

dying sis. Dixon's hair

Two...not black eyes...

the newspaper article

Goedemorgen allemaal!!

This week was amazing!!!! We worked hard, played hard, and had a lot of fun!!

I actually cant remember what I told you about last week, but I think I told you all about Amar. Well Amar is great!!

We went and played soccer with a bunch of really cool people from Iritria and Amar came with. It was a blast. I have never had sooooo much fun playing soccer on my mission! Just putting it out there that I scored the winning goal, left footed, and Elder Bartolini had to crawl like a baby to try and save it and couldnt. It was fun. I also got hit with the ball in the face...for the second time this week, because I had also been hit in the face on Monday playing basketball, but dont worry I didnt get black eyes, because I CANT BRUISE! Literally. Even Elder Bartolini kicked me as hard as he could in the leg and I still am not showing a bruise. (he didnt really try to kick me, it was my fault...) But it was such a fun way to do missionary work, and I am determined to do it no matter where I go. 

Yep, transfers are this week, and sunday morning we heard the news. 

I am leaving beautiful Gouda....and am very very sad. This place is great, and we really are just starting to see success and find a balance in working hard and having fun. I also will miss these members here who have really become my family. This week has been crazy and my emotions have been all over the place, so this really was the first time I cried having to leave a city since Gent. I could have definitely stayed here for 6 months. But that is okay...because I trust President, and I know that he is an inspired leader.

This Wednesday I will be going to Leiden to meet my new companion...who I actually dont know what her name is, because....yep I will be training. You would think that President had learned the first two times, that I was not to be trusted;) but maybe he is just giving me another chance to not mess this one up...haha jk.

I am very excited actually. 

I will be whitewashing and going to Zoetermeer...soooooo lucky my I am only going a couple minutes by train and I am going to the city where the temple is!! Pretty cool! (ya you know how it is called the Den Haag tempel...well it is actually in Zoetermeer) Anyways...

fun part is, is that I will be in a four wo-man!! which means we will be opening..haha and live with two other sisters...and guess what. One of those will be one of my babies. My first actually. Sweet Sis. De Souza. I am excited to see her again.

I am very sad to have to leave sis. Dixon. We have had a lot of fun together...maybe a little bit too much fun;) but It will be hard to leave her...and also this awesome group of missionaries in Gouda, they have become really good friends.

Back to this week...well for my last Sunday in Gouda I went out with a bang...because for my whole time here, I have not been able to get anyone to come to church, and Amar came to church! Stayed the whole time, and really liked it! haha Everyone was super good and welcomed him, and he also participated in the lesson. His dutch is impressive and he understands sooooo much...way more than I did, when I was a greeny. Anyways. He is really positive and we are going to play basketball with him today!!

sorry that is pretty much everything that happened....well you know what I mean...nothing else extremely exciting or surprising. 

Time is going by fast, and it is starting to settle in...I know I always say this, but it is hard to leave this place, knowing that my time is almost up and once it is I might not see these amazing people for a very long time. Take advantage of those you are with. Express your love for them. Serve them, and show them you care, and are grateful for them, because time goes by too fast in this life....especially in mission life haha

I love my savior! I know He lives and comforts us in time of need!

Ik hou van jullie!

wees veilig en gezond.

prettige week verder,

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

Making food at Jamil's American Cheeseburgers

Elder Bartolini, en Elder Christianson

Eating pizza tooo late after a good day of fasting and then playing soccer.

Zuster Markus, en Emmelyn

Zuster De Haas (Jaspers mom)

Zuster Dullaart

Thea and Mina Jonas...and Broeder  Martes finger.

Broeder Roelofsen and Tymen Riekwel in the background.

Marienka Riekwel

Jasper.

sis. Gerrits,

Familie Martes..and Titan (his parents are from America...but I taught him a couple times in primary he is soooo sweet and says the cutest prayers)

Amar!

Sis. Muurling

Romy

Familie Bongers,

geinterviewed...what?????

Goedemorgen allemaal!!

HELLO!!! Everything is just going great here. 

It has been a kinda crazy week. 

We totally got interviewed and were in the newspaper haha. So that was weird...a member showed it to us, and we hadnt seen it, the picture of us is huge! and everything in it was positive, the lady was very nice! I will have to send you pictures..and I will try to mail one to you, but we havent even gotten our copies yet.

We also have received two new Elders in Gouda!

Elder Christianson and Elder Bartolini. They are super cool, and we are already having a super fun time. Elder Bartolini is sort of a greeny but was waiting in Peru with his visa for a very long time. He is actually from Peru, so speaks spanish, and studied in China, so speaks chinese, and his ancestors come from Italy, so he understands italian, and is fluent in English and now learning dutch! haha He is super funny and sassy!

Elder Christianson is from Provo, Utah...and has only been out for about 7 months, and his dutch is amazing!! He is already catching up to me, so I am going to have to get to work;) 

But they are super fun...so now we have 6 missionaries in Gouda/Ommoord for the time being, and it is crazy. But it was in the middle of the transfer, so we will see what happens in a couple of weeks.
I will only have two more transfers after this and it is insane...I want to see more of the mission, but I also do not want to leave here at all!! I feel like there is still soooo much that I could do here. 

 This week we had an amazing lesson with Jamil....because he got his friend Amar (I dont know how you spell that) whose surname is also Jamil...so two Jamil's, from Syria to come and translate for us. Well we got more out in 15 min. than we have been able to for the past 3 times we were there. Turns out he isnt actually that interested...unless he can find a wife to change his religion for. haha...so that was a downer...but we had a super cool conversation with his friend Amar and he is super cool! He speaks like 5 languages and has only been here for 10 months and speaks better dutch than most of this missionaries at that time on their mission. He is training for Judo! He told us with all the wars in Syria that it is really hard to believe in anything...but he told us that he wants to go to a monastery and be a monk for a week or something. haha. I asked him why and he said he thinks it would be cool to get away from all the technology. Then he practically asked us when the church was and when and said he would come! We didnt have to say anything! He is awesome!!

This week there was also a baptism for one of the cutest kid in the ward...Jasper. He is the sweetest, and he calls me Zuster Gitaar (sister guitar), and now sis. Dixon: Zuster Ukelele...(you can understand that) so he had us play some songs for us at his baptism. He is so sweet and sensitive to the spirit, and his mom told us that he just cried getting changed into his regular clothes after being baptized..crying sweet happy tears! 

...Elder Wilson has all the photos this week, cuz my camera is ridiculous and died and not really working too great. But he doesnt email till later, so I am going to split up my time and send you pictures later...

We also went to Kinderdijk again this week with Familie Markus! They are wonderful!!!

and we got some good pics for you mom!

I love and miss you all!!

I know that God loves us and answers our prayers! I know that this work is the Lords work, and even if we dont see big successes or Baptisms...that often...Heavenly Father gives us small successes every day. Small flecks of Gold. Small miracles...we just have to notice them!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

Wees veilig!

Prettige Week nog!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

Goedemorgen allemaal!!

HELLO!!! Everything is just going great here. 

It has been a kinda crazy week. 

We totally got interviewed and were in the newspaper haha. So that was weird...a member showed it to us, and we hadnt seen it, the picture of us is huge! and everything in it was positive, the lady was very nice! I will have to send you pictures..and I will try to mail one to you, but we havent even gotten our copies yet.

We also have received two new Elders in Gouda!

Elder Christianson and Elder Bartolini. They are super cool, and we are already having a super fun time. Elder Bartolini is sort of a greeny but was waiting in Peru with his visa for a very long time. He is actually from Peru, so speaks spanish, and studied in China, so speaks chinese, and his ancestors come from Italy, so he understands italian, and is fluent in English and now learning dutch! haha He is super funny and sassy!

Elder Christianson is from Provo, Utah...and has only been out for about 7 months, and his dutch is amazing!! He is already catching up to me, so I am going to have to get to work;) 

But they are super fun...so now we have 6 missionaries in Gouda/Ommoord for the time being, and it is crazy. But it was in the middle of the transfer, so we will see what happens in a couple of weeks.
I will only have two more transfers after this and it is insane...I want to see more of the mission, but I also do not want to leave here at all!! I feel like there is still soooo much that I could do here. 

 This week we had an amazing lesson with Jamil....because he got his friend Amar (I dont know how you spell that) whose surname is also Jamil...so two Jamil's, from Syria to come and translate for us. Well we got more out in 15 min. than we have been able to for the past 3 times we were there. Turns out he isnt actually that interested...unless he can find a wife to change his religion for. haha...so that was a downer...but we had a super cool conversation with his friend Amar and he is super cool! He speaks like 5 languages and has only been here for 10 months and speaks better dutch than most of this missionaries at that time on their mission. He is training for Judo! He told us with all the wars in Syria that it is really hard to believe in anything...but he told us that he wants to go to a monastery and be a monk for a week or something. haha. I asked him why and he said he thinks it would be cool to get away from all the technology. Then he practically asked us when the church was and when and said he would come! We didnt have to say anything! He is awesome!!

This week there was also a baptism for one of the cutest kid in the ward...Jasper. He is the sweetest, and he calls me Zuster Gitaar (sister guitar), and now sis. Dixon: Zuster Ukelele...(you can understand that) so he had us play some songs for us at his baptism. He is so sweet and sensitive to the spirit, and his mom told us that he just cried getting changed into his regular clothes after being baptized..crying sweet happy tears! 

...Elder Wilson has all the photos this week, cuz my camera is ridiculous and died and not really working too great. But he doesnt email till later, so I am going to split up my time and send you pictures later...

We also went to Kinderdijk again this week with Familie Markus! They are wonderful!!!

and we got some good pics for you mom!

I love and miss you all!!

I know that God loves us and answers our prayers! I know that this work is the Lords work, and even if we dont see big successes or Baptisms...that often...Heavenly Father gives us small successes every day. Small flecks of Gold. Small miracles...we just have to notice them!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!

Wees veilig!

Prettige Week nog!

VEEL LIEFS,

Zuster Stewart-Chester

intense jumping 

Add caption

at kinderdijk

Jasper's baptism 

eating anjara last week from Ethiopia

typical dutch stampot

Broeder Spanjerberg