September 10-18, 2023

 SUNDAY

Since the Muurling family won't be in our ward next week, and they make up most of the Primary, the Primary sang in Sacrament meeting so we could hear them one more time. 😁😍 They sang and signed "Love One Another". It was beautiful!

Today is likely the hottest day since we have been here. Even though the temperature is about 91F (balmy for  SoCal this time of year), it is also humid. And most homes do not have AirCo, as they call it here. We didn't even have a fan in this little AirBnB. So we walked to the office and borrowed a fan. Best idea of the day!

It was so good to hear Coulson Rich, another of our recently returned missionaries speak in Sacrament meeting. We love that we are able to tune in via technology.

Coulson Rich - Syracuse, Utah

MONDAY

It was a day of happy and grateful tears. We had interviews with President and Sister Watson and felt their love for us as we reminisced about the past two years. They are wonderful Mission Leaders and have become our good friends. 

Doug and Marcia, Monic and Daryl Watson (Mission Leaders)

Since it has been so warm lately and the office does not have AirCo in the main room, President decided to have the office meeting in the hallway near our office. It is a lot cooler here, but made for an interesting setting.


Lots of goodbyes...actually we hope it is just Tot Ziens. Sisters Craig and Wyss came to District Council so we could give them a farewell hug. Love these girls!

Doug, Sarah Craig, Amilya Wyss, Marcia
Adri Piket is a part-time missionary. He comes in the office twice a week and has been so helpful with working through some of the cultural and technical difficulties we encounter.
Chris Kleijweg is a counselor in the Mission Presidency. He has become a good friend and is a wealth of knowledge regarding anything Dutch or the Church in Europe.
Nathan De Jong is a Service Missionary that we have come to love. He has been in our home countless times for dinner, loves to go with Elder Glauser on errands around Gouda and is such a good resource to help with the registration process. 
Jurgen Hoole is another counselor in the Mission Presidency. He is also Dutch and a great resource regarding cultural challenges in the region.


The Markus family invited us to visit the home they are currently building and then go out for gelato. Our new friend Leone (just baptized on 2 Sep) joined us as well.
Pamela, Emmelyn, and David Markus, Doug, Marcia, Leone Moortjes


Elder Leman's FaceBook post today:

Ammon Leman

September 11 at 3:58 PM 

TUESDAY

David and Pamela Markus stopped by the office this morning to deliver a gift for us that arrived last night while we were all out for gelato. A lovely Willow Tree creation 'Forget Me Not'.



We had dinner with Phillip and Danielle Riem, our friends from the Utrecht Ward. Danielle is an amazing cook so dinner was delicious. We had such a good time visiting and getting to know them a little more. Again, we are going to miss these good friends!

                                                Phillip and Danielle Reim, Doug and Marcia

The Delft Blue tile plaque says "Wij houden van jullie. Wijk Utrecht" "We love you. Utrecht Ward"


WEDNESDAY

The first week of the Transfer the missionaries send in their "transfer orders". This is where they ask for things they need in their apartment or teaching supplies they need, such as Books of Mormon, stickers, pass along cards, etc. The Rotterdam Elders put on their list of things they needed "a visit from the Glauser's". What could we do but find a day we could take them to lunch!?! It was an absolute pleasure to spend a few minutes with with Elders Jalo, Jolley, Santos and Hoopes.

Dinis Santos, Pedro Jalo. Doug, Dawson Jolley, Richie Hoopes

Marcia, Richie Hoopes, Doug

Marcia, Pedro Jalo, Doug

THURSDAY

It was great to see one of our former missionaries, Jorne Kempanears, when he stopped by the office to say good bye. He lives in Apeldoorn and has been studying in Leiden since his release last December. He is involved with the Young Adults in the Area and counsels with the Area Presidency about the needs of the Rising Generation in Europe. It was so good to see him!











In the evening we drove to Almelo to visit with Judith and Sister De Wilde. It was another sweet reunion for Sister De Wilde and the missionary that baptized her and her husband 51 years ago.

Marcia, Henricka and Judith De Wilde, Doug


FRIDAY

Another fun visit with friends from the Utrecht Ward. Jasper and Annelies De Haas came to the office to bring a gift and say goodbye. She made a book of all the adventures we have had with them while we have been in The Netherlands. It is a treasure!

Annelies, Marcia, Doug, Jasper

Elder De Jong came in to the office, mainly to see us one more time before we leave.  We have certainly come to love him!

Marcia, Nathan De Jong, Doug

Steve and Bonnie Johnson invited us for dinner at their house (formerly our apartment). We had a delicious dinner and enjoyed their company outside of the office. We are excited for them as they begin their service here and know they will have a wonderful experience!

SATURDAY

Martin and Ilona Kleijweg invited us to their house this morning for cake. And what a wonderful surprise they had for us! Several months ago we had talked about the Dutch way of serving a dessert when people come to visit. With small cake forks! I had mentioned that we wanted to go to the Kringloops (thrift stores) and get a collection of them to take home and begin this tradition. Instead she has been collecting the little forks and gave them to us today. 

We love this good family. Martin serves as the bishop of the Utrecht Ward, they are parents of three kids and are always helping the extended family and others. How we will miss them!

Martin, Ilona, Marcia, Doug

Their brother-in-law, Justin Bijkerk, came by as well. He has had some enormous challenges the past five months and we have not seen him much. It was so good to talk with him!

We stopped at the Cinnabon shop in Utrecht, picked up some sweet rolls and delivered them to the (Joachim and Marieke) Muurling family. The kids especially love them and it was fun to surprise them with the treats.


dinner with VandeWal's

SUNDAY

So many good byes today at Church. I asked the Bishop if we could change the closing hymn to "God Be With You Til We Meet Again". I loved hearing our Dutch friends sing with their souls. Elder Leman came and stood by Doug, they put their arms over each others shoulders and both were crying. We love these missionaries and the good people of the Utrecht Ward.

Doug, Renske Jepma, Julia Oostveen, Marcia

Doug, Marcia, Norma and Gerrit VandeWal


Along with the Johnson's and VandeWal's we had lunch at Henk and Alja's house. A wonderful afternoon of great food and delightful company. How we love Alja and Henk! They were our friends from the beginning and the friendship and love has deepened over the months. We will miss them but they will always be in our hearts and we hope to meet again soon.
Bonnie and Steve Johnson, Gerrit and Norma VandeWal, Henk and Alja Schuur, Doug and Marcia

Henk, Alja, Marcia, Doug

Earlier in the week, Doug sent an email out to all the missionaries in the Belgium Netherlands Mission:

To all our dear friends,

As we complete our mission in the BNZ, Zuster Glauser and I would like to share the love we have for each of you.  Our service as missionaries in this mission has been incredible.  It is in large part because of the people we have met and the eternal friendships we have made.  We have come to appreciate the good men and women you are.  We have learned much, have grown spiritually, and have come to appreciate the gifts each of you have.  We will always cherish our friendship and pray for your happiness.  

We love the Lord and have an unwavering conviction of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, the restored gospel, and a living prophet.  May the Lord bless each of you. 

All our love,

Elder and Zuster Glauser


How we love Daryl and Monic Watson! They are amazing people and Mission Leaders. They lead with love and teach the missionaries how to have more faith in Jesus Christ, love the people and share the good news of the restored gospel. President Watson shared these kind words on his FaceBook post this morning:


Daryl Watson is in Netherlands.

2h 

𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬
Today, is Elder Douglas Glauser & Sister Marcia Stewart Glauser's last full day in the Belgium Netherlands Mission.
Early tomorrow morning, they’ll catch a plane home.
As I thought about both of them, their service, and their impact upon all of us, a scripture from The Book of Mormon came readily to mind.
True disciples are rightly described as being “…steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works” – Mosiah 5:15
Definitions of these two words, shines additional light on who they really are.
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭: devoted, faithful, resolute, dedicated, firm, loyal.
𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: fixed, secure, stable, anchored, unwavering.
Their period of service has provided a unique opportunity for all of us to become intimately acquainted with them.
Their “good works” are legendary.
For a season, many of us were regularly able to rub shoulders with both of them.
As a result:
- We all stand a little taller.
- We all feel a little better.
- We all drew closer to Jesus Christ
Their quiet influence, gentle encouragement, powerful testimonies, and Christlike love and example inspired all of us to be and do better.
It was always a joyful privilege to be around them.
All of our lives have been touched for good, having been both edified and ennobled by the sweet blessings of our association with each of them.
Like Jesus Christ, “who went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), they followed His example perfectly, and subsequently influenced each of us to go and do likewise, “for God was with *them”.
Unquestionably, we shall miss them.
Perhaps we can all learn to speak a little sweeter with all the people we encounter today, and every day, as we honour them and the service they rendered, now and forevermore.
Elder and Sister Glauser, President and Sister Watson
Den Haag Temple

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