Meetings are special? YES THEY ARE!!!

President & Zuster Alden C. Robinson with Elder & Zuster Romig
at our 1st Zone Conference in Leiden.

Missionary lives include some pretty special meetings!  We want to share why some of ours have been so wonderful for us.  The things we've learned, the places we visit, but especially the people we are with!

Zone Conference
Pres. & Zr. Robinson had just returned from a Western European Mission President's Conference in Paris.  We were deeply inspired with the messages they shared from the conference.  We also heard a message from Pres. Oddens of the Den Hague Stake.  The Assistants to the Mission President (Elder Burton and Elder Taylor who reside in our district...in fact they are our neighbors) each took a portion of the afternoon to teach and motivate the missionaries. 

The missionaries who will be finishing their mission have an opportunity to share their testimonies.  Elder Moscon, who is the only missionary leaving, shared a special testimony.

The Senior Missionary Couples prepared a luncheon for all, and Zr. Romig contributed two peach cobblers that were thoroughly enjoyed.

Elder Romig had one of the sweetest experiences he could ever hope for....

Elders Romig and Sumter

On his mission as a young man, Elder Romig had become acquainted with a very special family in Hengelo, the second area he served in.  The family name is de Ceuninck van Capelle, and the mother is named Gronovius.  We have learned that Zr. Gronovius passed away in 1974. This family had nine children and all who were old enough were baptized by Elder Gary Romig, Brent's brother.  The youngest girl, Cherie, was very helpful to Brent as he read children's stories to her in his beginner's Dutch.

Elder and Zuster Romig with Elder Sumter

                                                     


We have an elder serving in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission whose "adopted" father is Rudy de Ceuninck van Capelle, one of those children who were baptized.  Elder Sumter, pictured here with Brent, is best friends with Rudy's son, and was introduced to the church by the de Ceuninck van Capelle family.  What an incredible chance to meet someone richly blessed by people from your past. Elder Sumter had heard stories about Elder Brent Romig coming to the de Ceuninck van Capelle's home and the children surprising him and climbing all over him, a memory that is a favorite of Brent's.

And if this isn't sweet enough, Paul de Ceuninck van Capelle the second to the youngest chilld just older than Cherie is the bishop of the Hengelo Ward!

Front: Elders King & Taylor

Middle: Elders Yocom & Mower, Zusters Larsen, Anderson & Romig

Back: Elders Christensen, Pimentel, Loorbach, Burton, Bean, Suckow & Romig

District Meetings

 Each week we have a meeting with our District.  These meetings are held at the Amsterdam Kerk, and they last for about two hours and then we eat lunch together. It is at these meetings that we have grown to absolutely LOVE the Elders and Zusters in our district!  We are so impressed with the maturity and gospel understanding of these young missionaries!  We are sad to leave the Amsterdam District, but look forward with excitement toward the Groningen District.

Elder Mower with Elder and Zuster Romig

Elder Mower is our District Leader.  He leads each of our District Meetings with great skill, enthusiasm and spirituality.  A highlight for us was a "Group Circle" question, answer and discussion session.  Anyone could ask a question and anyone in the group could answer or discuss.

Elder King cooking our lunch after District Meeting. 

                                                       

Zuster Anderson making yummy cinnamon rolls

        

       Zuster Larsen, Elders Bean & Suckow helping

      while "patiently" waiting for the cinnamon rolls.

Amsterdam Church Services

This is the Amsterdam Kerk where all our Sunday Meetings and District Meetings take place as well as our JoVo Family Home Evenings and Institute Classes.

The Sacrament Meetings and Relief Society Meetings utilize this translation booth inside the chapel.  We have visitors from all over the world.  Dutch is spoken with translation done into English & Spanish.