1st Full Week in Holland...

In Leiden where we became "legal".

This past week has been a wonderful and rewarding week!  The Dutch people, JoVo's (means Young Single Adults in the Netherlands...expect to see this abbreviation throughout our Mission Blog), missionaries (Elders and Zusters), ward members and the Mission Office personnel have made us feel right at home.  In fact, we feel like we are at home!

We are getting a reputation as the Senior Missionary Couple who can get around Holland without a car and without any fear!  We think of it as our missionary adventure!

Here are some highlights of this past week:

• Shopping with Br. & Zr. Jansen to buy much needed coats on Saturday.
• Dinner at a member's home (Lucky) on Saturday night.
• Ward Missionary Correlation Meeting on Sunday Morning. They ask for any miracles that have happened since we last met (spiritual experiences).
• Church Meetings where we were introduced and asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting.  Brent spoke in Dutch / Zanne spoke in English and the Bishop translated...   :)
• JoVo's Monthly Fireside in Gouda on Sunday evening.  All JoVo's from Holland are included and a meal is provided before a special Sacrament Meeting.
• JoVo's Family Home Evening and dinner in Amsterdam.
• District Meeting & Training on Tuesday with lunch.
• Elders came to dinner for homemade chicken noodle soup here at our home.
• Trip to Leiden to the Mission Office and City Hall to become "legal"on Wednesday.
• Wednesday night in Amsterdam included Institute Night with the JoVo's.
• Thursday revolved around a major trip to Rotterdam for Institute with the JoVo's there.  We left early to find our way there and arrived at the church early enough to prepare dinner for the group to eat when they arrived.  We participated in the lesson, then left to catch the metro, trains and Sprinter (smaller train) back to Amsterdam.  Then we walked home from the train station and arrived home shortly after midnight.  Whew!!!!  And we'll be going to Rotterdam twice a week!

Today was our P-day and we took trams and buses to Volendam for some sight seeing!  Volendam is a village on the Northern Inland Sea where people often dress in Dutch clothing.  Brent had a picture taken there when he was a young elder....

We feel privileged that the Lord has entrusted us with this opportunity to work with the young people of Holland!  We are amazed at how energetic and engaged they are in the gospel!  They have deep and strong testimonies and they love the discussions about the scriptures and particularly the Book of Mormon.  The Book of Mormon is definitely the foundation of the gospel here in the Netherlands! What a joy they are to be with!

We could really use more Senior Couple Missionaries here in the Netherlands!  If anyone is thinking of a mission, this is a great place to be!

Some pictures of our week...

The front room of our apartment.

Our steep staircase...holding the rail is important!

 We have to admit that these stairs can be a little frightening...especially at night, in the dark, as a senior couple!  We learned very quickly to carry things upstairs with our left hand so we could hold on to the handrail with our right hand!  Then, when going down the stairs, our left hand had to hold on!

And the apartment is three stories high with the laundry on  the third floor!

The drawbridge as we leave our area on the way to the tram.

The view from on top of the bridge by our apartment.

Canals and countryside from the train on the way to Rotterdam.

Countryside from the train on the way to Rotterdam.

The Rotterdam Kerk (LDS Church)