April 10-16, 2022

 SUNDAY

With Transfers happening this week this is Elders Weber and Snow's last day in Utrecht Ward. We hope to still see them often as they will continue with the special assignment of Content Creation for Social Media.

Elders Weber and Snow

At Church today we met Maria and one of her daughters, Anastacia. They are refugees from Ukraine. They were on a train trying to flee the country when the tracks were blown up and the train was unable to go further. They were put on another train which was shot at requiring them to hide and black out the windows. Finally, they were able to  escape. Maria's mother was sick and unable to travel. She is better now and trying to make her way to Germany from Ukraine. When I met and talked with her, this war between Russia and Ukraine suddenly became very real. So many innocent people are being affected, some losing their lives and all being fearful. 

Anastacia, Maria and Kate

MONDAY

At our District Council we sometimes plan lunch together. Today they decided on Kapselon, which is a base of friets with a variety of toppings. Today our choices were rice, chicken, tomatoes, shredded carrots, diced onions, lettuce, shedded cheese and a choice of sauces. The creamy garlic sauce is delicious! 

TUESDAY

From Sister Andie Carling

The 4 Sisters and 2 Elders who are going home this week were at the office for Departing Interviews with President Watson. Sadly, I n't get a photo with all of them. We will miss these valiant missionaries and wish them all the best as they begin the next chapter of their lives.

Sister Katie Aldridge 

A few weeks ago one of the mission bikes was stolen.Our bikes are very recognizable--they are all the same, with Zendeling Fiets (missionary bike) written on the post. This week, the Elders saw the stolen bike! It was locked, so knowing it was ours, they picked it up and rode home!

WEDNESDAY

The Arriving missionaries were met at the airport by the APs, ZLs and President and Sister Watson and brought to the Amsterdam Chapel to get initial paperwork completed and meet their new companions. It is always an exciting day to greet our new missionaries! Anyone that was transferred also met there to meet up with their new companion and head off to their new area. All were delayed a bit, but three were delayed several hours so we met them back at the office to complete everything.

Sister Esther Lay arrived today. Her dad and my cousin, Bud Bate, were missionary companions many years ago. Small world!

Elders Regalado and Ornelas

Elders Thomas and Baldwin

Elders Nixon and DeMoux

THURSDAY

 I worked on the Vattenfall invoice yesterday without success...I just didn't know how to make the balance come to Zero as I had been instructed. I emailed Daniel Fernandes in Frankfurt and he had replied that he would be happy to video call and teach me but he was not available until next week. This morning I was very specific in my prayer and asked for Heavenly Father's guidance and direction as I try to figure it out. As I was praying, I could see diagrammed in my mind how to enter the values for each house on the spreadsheet. It was an instant answer to my pleadings. But..."oh ye of little faith"...I didn't even want to tell Doug about it because I was afraid and doubtful that it would actually work. Even after I got to the office, I did all the other tasks that I needed to do before starting on Vattenfall. As I entered the last amount, I was in awe that my revelation from earlier this morning was exactly what I needed to do. The spreadsheet balanced and I was able to submit it on time.  I turned to Doug and told him the whole story...how I had prayed but doubted and how the miracle had happened. It was confirmed to me AGAIN that the Lord wants to help us even in the minute details of our lives. I feel so blessed to have seen this miracle in my life today. 

I was reminded of President Nelson"s conference address a few years ago when he explained how during an open heart surgery, the unprecedented procedure was diagrammed in his mind and the surgery was a success. (see Russell M Nelson, Sweet Power of Prayer, April, 2003 and Neil L Andersen, Spiritually Defining Moments, April 2020)

I testify with Elder Mark Ringwood from this past (April 2022) General Conference that "the miracles we need will fall on the very day necessary for His plan to be fulfilled." I saw that happen today as I was able to witness a small but significant miracle.

FRIDAY

We have over 120 bikes in the mission. Many of them have not been in use this past year because the number of missionaries got as low as 17 because of the COVID pandemic. Since September we have grown from that small number to 104. So the bikes have been dusted off and are back in use. All of them need tune-ups and many need repairs. That is a big task and since Doug is the Vehicle Coordinator, it falls to him. 😁 So he has been collecting extra bikes, moving bikes to apartments with more missionaries, setting up appointments for repair, getting keys made to replace lost or broken keys and keeping track of all this activity. He is in process of setting up a company that will go to the various apartments throughout the mission and repair the bikes there, a mobile repair shop. But until that is all in place, we have an urgent need to get these bikes back in use. Today he and the office Elders took 4 bikes to our local shop for tuneups and repair. The owner of the shop, Peter-Jan, is very nice and accommodating. 

SATURDAY

Another beautiful day! Doug rode his bike 16 miles, rode through several small towns and enjoyed the country.

I took a walk and marveled again at the beauty all around us.