June 26-July 2, 2002
SUNDAY
Our little chapel was filled today! We had about 60 people from BYU who are on a month-long study abroad visited today. 45 are students, the others are professors and their families. They are studying Public Health and looking at the life style and culture of The Netherlands and other places in Europe. They also get to see many of the tourist spots and get a feel for the countries they visit.
I had a sweet moment during the sacrament today. The young men passing the sacrament were the visitors. I was playing the piano today so when the young man finished passing to the bishopric and stake visitors, he walked toward me. We made eye contact for just a brief moment. I saw a smile in his eyes and right then I knew he was representing the Savior and Jesus Christ was offering me His Atonement. It was such a brief moment but the wonderful feeing has lingered with me. I know the Atonement of Jesus Christ is for all who have ever lived or will live, including me. I will reflect on this experience when I feel discouraged that I am making mistakes or that I am not doing enough. I feel so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who knows my heart and knows what I need.
When we got home from church, we got a call from Elders DeMoux and Nixon who reported one of their bikes got stolen and admitted it was not locked. After a few minutes, we decided today was the best day to get them a new bike, so we walked to the office, loaded another bike into the van and drove to Arnhem. We were able to get them to their dinner appointment and had a good visit with them.
Elders Carson DeMoux and Benjamin Nixon
MONDAY
A beautiful start to the day! The view on our bike ride this morning.
But....we committed to help the VandeWal's set up the two new apartments before the weekend so they will be ready for missionaries by transfers next Tuesday. No problem there until we suddenly need to drive to Antwerpen tomorrow to get the car that the keys have been lost and get it to the dealership in Leidendorp to get a new key made. And we were asked by the Temple Matron to come help at the Temple on Wednesday when our missionaries will be going. (We knew this was a possibility but didn't think it would be this week). So we talked to Norma and will help them on Thursday and Friday and maybe Saturday. So it all works out!
Just as we were finishing dinner we got a call fro the APs. One of the missionaries was really having a hard time and his companion was very concerned. After talking with them and the two Elders we made a plan to go get them in Den Bosch. So we quickly walked to the office, got the van and headed out. It is a little over an hour from Gouda to Den Bosch and we called Elder Bybee several times to make sure his companion was OK. He said he was being led by the Spirit and felt it best to keep walking around...keep moving. At one point he said, "We've had a little miracle". He did not elaborate but we felt better about the situation.
We arrived in Den Bosch, found the Elders and headed back to the Mission Home as previously arranged with the President. We needed to trade vans with the VandeWal's because they need the big van tomorrow, so we called and arranged to meet at their house. They were just getting home from a long day cleaning a new apartment that needs to be ready by the weekend. We are grateful the Assistants thought to call us. We have said many times we are willing to do whatever is needed and we are thankful they thought of us to help in this situation. Hopefully, Elder Olive can get the help he needs and Elder Bybee will be able to get back to the work he is here to do. He is a good, kind, patient and tolerant young man.
TUESDAY
Even though we didn't get to bed until 11:30 last night, we needed to get up at 5:00 and drive to Antwerpen to pick up the car mention yesterday. We had arranged to pick up two non-mission bikes to bring back to the office, so by 8:00 we were at the Elder's apartment and got the two bikes loaded in the van.
Then over to the church to get the car (we brought the extra key) and we each drove a car back to Gouda. We were back to the office by 10:20, so a pretty good start to the day.
It's the Tuesday before Transfers so the APs are working at the office, and our weekly meeting with the President is this afternoon. It's a busy place today! After counseling with President regarding Elder Olive, it was decided that he will spend one more night at the Mission Home. Tomorrow the APs will take him to Den Bosch to pack his things and he will stay with us for the time being. There is a good chance he will need to go home, but we don't have the final word or any travel plans.
At our monthly Mission Medical Meeting with the Area Medical Advisor Elder Lewis and the Area Mental Health Advisor Elder Mifflin we discussed some of the medical issues of the past few weeks and also Elder Olive and another missionary that is suffering from depression. After the meeting I emailed Dr Boom and requested some anti-depressant for the missionary. She will continue to receive counseling and hopefully the medication will have a good effect on her.
My heart breaks for these two missionaries. They both face some very difficult days/years ahead. And there is a limited amount of help that can be offered on a mission. It also affects the companion in a major way. Gratefully, the Lord knows and loves these two and I am certain He will inspire President Watson in their behalf. We are so blessed to have access to revelation from our Father in Heaven.
WEDNESDAY
We had the wonderful opportunity of going to the temple with the Departing Elders and Sisters, their companions and housemates. It was so good to be with them in the House of the Lord and feel of the spirit there. Some have only been in the BNZ about 5 weeks so their language skills are still developing, but every one of them chose to listen to the Endowment instruction in Dutch. One of the Ordinance workers is in our ward in Utrecht. I happened to see her in the changing room after the session and she commented on the missionaries desire and determination to learn the native language. She was very impressed! I think it will help the members that hear about it to raise their opinions about how hard the Elders and Sisters are trying to learn the language and the culture. 
The Assistants had taken Elder Olive back to the apartment in Den Bosch to collect his things and we met them at the temple. He will be spending the next few days with us. It was an emotional time for him when he was on a Zoom call with President Watson, his Stake President and his parents as they discussed his returning home. We did not listen in to the call but he shared afterwards how afraid he was that his mom would be really mad about it. Turns out she understands and seems to be very supportive.
THURSDAY
We spent the entire day helping the VandeWal's gather items and set up the new Rotterdam South apartment. Elder Henrie and Elder Boyer (our office Elders) joined us in the afternoon. Elder Boyer is an especially hard worker. He notices when things need to be done and jumps in to help. It was kinda late when we finished so we walked (in the rain!) to a little cafe a short distance from the apartment to have dinner.
FRIDAY
I was back at the office today, Doug was back and forth between the office, picking up the repaired bikes and helping the VandeWal's with the new Gouda apartment. All the while trying to keep Elder Olive busy with something. We had planed to have the office Elders over for dinner but the time got later and later, so we ended up taking them to the Pannenkoe just across the canal from our apartment. We have been wanting to try it for a while, so tonight was the night. The Dutch pancakes are a cross between a crepe and an American pancake. Thicker than a crepe but similar consistency. They come in all varieties, sweet or savory. And this little place did not disappoint! 
Elders Collin Olive, Aiden Henrie, Doug, Landon Boyer, Marcia
SATURDAY
Elder Millward had informed us of a baptism for today, so we arranged to go to Almere and attend the baptism and also deliver some items to the missionaries in that area and in Amsterdam on the way back. Noella had been introduced to the missionaries by her friend Yvette who has recently been baptized. Noella's boyfriend is also taking lessons from the Elders. And the Elder's from Lelystad brought a young man they are teaching. There were several members of the ward there as well. Noella will have some good support as she begins her journey on the Covenant Path.
We loved seeing so many of our Elders today. They are fine young men who are striving to be valiant representatives of Jesus Christ and teach others about the restoration of His gospel.
Elder and Sister Glauser, Elders Thomas Jones, Isaac Auger, Jefferson Millward, Luke Wray, Jackson Burt, Bannon Schafer, Teun Blanken, Collin Olive and Dallin Doxford
Our granddaughter Julia was baptized today. Thankfully we have technology that allows us to participate even though we are far away. For weeks I have had in my head it was at 7:00pm our time. We knew it was at 11:00 Texas time but for some reason I had it wrong and that is actually 6:00pm here. They were a little late starting and I was a little early getting on Zoom but we still missed the first part. We did see the cousins singing 'Gethsemane', Kim Graff giving a talk about the Holy Ghost and the confirmation by Bryan. Jill gave the talk on baptism and I wish we would have heard it and watched the baptism. 
Julia Ruth Brown
Baptism day, 2 July 2022
Colleyville, TX
Afterwards I just cried. It's so hard to miss out on these types of things. I was sad to have calculated the time wrong, I was sad to have missed Annie's blessing a few months ago, I was sad to have missed my sister's funeral. And the tears just kept coming. I am still so grateful to be serving a mission with Doug. We are having an amazing experience! But for a few minutes I just needed to cry.
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