August 7-13, 2022
SUNDAY
Our Ukrainian friend Mariya brought a friend with her today. Liliana is also a refugee from Ukraine. She lived near the airport in Kiev and when the airport was bombed, she and her 15 year old daughter got in the car and started driving. They just needed to get out! They continued to drive, not knowing the destination. They ended up here in The Netherlands and she is planning to stay. She met with the missionaries today during the 2nd hour, wants to read the Book of Mormon and will be back to church next Sunday. President Nelson's prophesy about Europe certainly is being fulfilled in the Utrecht area! Theo's baptism yesterday and Liliana's interest in the gospel today. Truly those who are here and those who are coming will recognize the truth and will join the Church.
We took dinner to Henk and Alja. She was diagnosed with a ruptured achilles tendon and was casted Thursday. She will be in wheelchair for six weeks. We heard their conversion story today. They have had an interesting life. Alja first heard about the gospel from her brother who lived in Canada. She knew right away it was what she wanted. Henk took 10 years to make the commitment and they both joined the Church at the same time. They spent some years in Africa while Henk was studying and working. They are active and strong members of the Utrecht Ward and we love them dearly.
MONDAY
We were delighted to have Sisters Rhyan Green and Nichole Cullumber in our home for dinner tonight. These sweet missionaries are a joy to be with. They are in the Social Media District so we see them three days a week at the office and have really come to love them!
TUESDAY
This morning we had the wonderful experience of visiting with Sister Willy De Bruijn. She is an older lady in the Utrecht Ward. Her husband died three years ago. They have served two missions, one at the Frankfurt Temple and one as MLS missionaries in a nearby ward. She is mostly homebound now and has a nurse come in daily to help her and give her medication but she is still very lively. Apparently, she had been watching for us, because she came outside using her walker and met us in the front yard. She had baked a cake and served that with hot chocolate. She doesn't speak English and I don't speak Dutch, but she and Doug had a great conversation and I felt of her love for family and God. She shared stories of her family and we looked at photo albums. Doug offered to give her a Priesthood blessing which she gratefully accepted. There was such a sweet spirit there during the blessing.
We hope to make regular visits to members of our ward. If it's anything like today, it will be the highlight of the week!
WEDNESDAY
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| Elders Gerrit VandeWal, Gage Norton, Doug Glauser |
It was a great afternoon in the Den Haag Temple with the departing missionaries, their companions and others assigned by Sister Watson. There is always a sweet spirit in the temple but when it is filled with missionaries, it's even better. As I was quietly sitting, waiting for the Endowment Session to begin, I thought, "what sacrifice am I bringing to the altar today"? It's a question that I should ask each day. It has caused me much reflection as I consider how I spend my time, my thoughts, my devotion to the Lord, my treatment of others.
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| Glauser's and VandeWal's |
THURSDAY
Just a regular day at the office and Elders Boyer and Henrie came for dinner. They have been in the office for three transfers and next week will start training their replacements. They have served well but are anxious to get back out contacting and teaching every day.
FRIDAY
One of the things I love about Doug is the way he hears the Lord. Last week, when it was determined that one of the companionships this next transfer would have an experienced missionary without a drivers license and a newly arrived missionary with only one transfer in her reassigned mission, he was very concerned that the new Sister would be driving. Holland is very different from the US; traffic patterns, signs, rules, crowded streets, bikes, buses, etc. Today as I was looking at health records of the missionaries arriving next week, there was one that caused me some concern. Turns out it was the same Sister. When President Watson came to the office, we talked to him and he immediately changed the assignment. Perhaps Doug's hesitation was not so much an inexperienced driver, but one with some health issues that could add to the problem. I feel blessed to be able to work side by side with him and see how he hears and acts upon promptings, inspiration and revelation.
SATURDAY
This morning we started out about 8:00am to visit, deliver items and pick up items in the south part of the mission. Our first stop was in Breda. This group of Elders were part of the 'First Day of the Month Club' meaning they got their fuel receipts to Elder Glauser by 1 Aug. He likes to give them a little treat for being prompt. It helps so much when they just send the receipts without a reminder call. And as the Mission Health Advisor, I have started taking a little bag with mandarins, toothbrushes and toothpaste to each companionship we visit to remind them to eat healthy and stay clean. We had two bags ready for the Breda Elders but did not know there was another companionship at their apartment for exchanges. We'll have to deliver Elder Kujanpaa and Elder Wood's bag at a later date. I felt bad I didn't have an extra couple bags...lesson learned. Always bring extra! They had a little dresser that is not usable and some chairs that need to go to the dump, so we brought those back to the office to dispose of them.
Next stop was Gent. We knew these Elders would be at the Father-Son outing, but they had two extra bikes that needed to go back to the office. We got those and left the First of the Month Club treats and the Keep Healthy bag with a little note.
Finally, we went to Brussels. We had arranged to take them to lunch since we would be there at that time. We delivered the bags and had a very enjoyable time with them at an Italian Restaurant close to the church building. By this time, the transfer calls had been made and Elder Logan Brown and Elder Wyatt Lee knew they would be transferred and assigned to be District Leaders. Elder Brown has been in Belgium the entire time he has been in the BNZ and is feeling such mixed emotions about leaving this area and his new assignment. Elder Lee has also only served in Belgium, but has not been in the BNZ as long. Both will be good DLs. They have humble attitudes coupled with leadership skills.
I love these kinds of days!. It is a joy to be able to meet with the missionaries, especially in small groups. We got back to the office about 17:00, spent a little time cleaning the car and the parking area and Doug preparing for his EQ lesson tomorrow.
I talked with Mike (Lilah and David), Elizabeth, and Matt and Taylor. It's always good to catch up with the kids. Elizabeth has started teaching a Kindergarten-First grade combo class. She was hired shortly before the school year began and received very little training or communication. She also had one little boy who actually should be either in a special class or have a full-time aid. It was an overwhelming start. But she has received some strength from Heavenly Father, employees of the District, fellow teachers and Tyler. She will be fine and will be a wonderful K-1 teacher even though she has never taught this age. The reason I mention all this is because a couple days ago, Doug specifically prayed for Elizabeth in our morning prayer. We always pray for our kids, often specifically by name, so it didn't seem at all out of place. But after talking with her today, her biggest challenges this week were on the day he prayed specifically for her. Another example of how in tune he is with the Spirit. I love him and am blessed to be married to him.
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