Belgium Netherlands Mission

Hoi! 
This week has been INSANE. I can't believe it's already Monday! One week ago we were getting on the bus to go to the airport and now I'm here in Nederland. Life is crazy. 
The flight was awesome and we talked to a lot of people. At the SLC airport we made sure to get our last Cafe Rio meal. I savored that burrito, I'm telling you.

When we arrived in Schiphol (the airport), we met our mission president and his wife, as well as the APs and office elders. We stayed in a hotel that was right by the airport, and it was super nice. The shower head was basically on the ceiling, and I'm sure that Caden and Boston would have appreciated it. Everyone is so tall here, so they make things to accommodate taller people. We had some good training and went to Rijswijk to take our visa pictures and we did some contacting on the train. They let us take a nap, and then we came down for dinner and to open our assignment envelopes. I'm serving in Amsterdam with Zuster Frandsen and Zuster Djoukeng. 

Being in a trio is really fun so far! Zr Djoukeng only has 3 weeks left on her mission! She is from Washington DC and is studying journalism at BYU. Zr Frandsen has two transfers left, so I'll be "killing" her in December. (That means I'm her companion when she leaves haha) She's from Arizona and is studying elementary ed at BYU. So maybe I'll see them both when I get back! They are both so sweet and so good at Dutch! I love it here.

Amsterdam is a little bit crazy.... But it's GORGEOUS

My first night with my new companions, we went to a nice member's house and had dinner with them. The wife is from Bountiful and

the husband is from Nederland, so the entire night was in English, which was a comfort to me :) Half of the people we are teaching are in English, because they're not native to Nederland. Amsterdam is so diverse and I just love it. On Thursday, we taught a lot of lessons, but the most memorable was with Victor. He is from Africa, and is living here now. He's so humble and has so much faith in God. We taught him the Restoration, and asked him to be baptized, and he said he would! The spirit was just so strong during that lesson. 
We talk to so many people here and all of the different perspectives are so different and so interesting. I always have to smile when people talk about how they don't like all the rules in our church, or that they don't think that they need to come to a church, because people just want an easy god who will pat them on the head.

We got my first bike on Friday! Hopefully it's my only bike, but you never know who is going to decide to steal a bike today, weet je? I got a solid lock for it though. It's a cute thin black bike, and I got a little bell for only 2 euro at one of the markets that's close by. I love my bike. 

Funny story that happened last Saturday. So we met our investigator, Alice, at Amsterdam Centraal (the train station) and went to a park to talk and to teach her the Restoration, but there were four of us and only three bikes. The solution is "achter-oping" That's kindof not a real word, but it is in missionary-lingo. Basically one person is the one riding the bike and the  other person just hangs on to the back and sits on this little thing that is over the back wheel. It's illegal in most states in America, but here in Nederland, they're so organized, and it's so flat that it's really safe. So Zuster Frandsen had Alice on the back of her bike. After the lesson, we were supposed to go to a member's house for dinner, and it was a 20 minute bike ride to get there. We were biking along and on our way to Lucky's, when Zr D and I realized that we didn't have Zr F or Alice anymore! haha it was so sad! Zr F had my bike because it's better for achter-oping, and I had hers with her fiets tas (bike bag. it hangs over the back wheel, google it :) which had both her bag as well as Alice's bag. So they had no phone, no way to contact us. Zr D and I backtracked and tried to find them but we just couldn't find them anywhere. We called the APs and the District leaders and the Mission President, and they told us to go to the dinner appointment. 
The elders found them at Amsterdam Central and waited with them while we hurried to get back. It was so funny and so ridiculous, but that's just how crazy fiets traffic is on a Saturday evening in the center of Amsterdam I guess. So funny.

The ward here is pretty small, but so awesome! The language situation is hilarious: there are a lot of english speakers, so in every meeting, they have to have people translating dutch to english and english to dutch and it's just crazy. In Sacrament meeting, one of the APs sits in a booth and translates for the english speakers, and they have headphones for everyone. I hope that makes sense, but I feel like I'm just crazy haha
Everyone's so nice to me and are so encouraging about the language. They have the missionaries that are new to the area bear their testimonies, and after the meeting, I had people come up to me and tell me that they were impressed with my dutch. I could tell they were just being really nice, but it was sweet. 
The members take good care of us here, so don't worry Mom :)

My observations about Nederland so far:
1. The bread and the cheese and the chocolate are divine
2.The train system and the whole traffic system is so so so well organized! There are bike lanes and lights for the bikers. It's awesome
3. People dress so well! They can tell we're Americans by the way we dress. Which is a bit offensive, but it's just really funny.
4. The meat here is freaky......
5. Amsterdam at night is gorgeous! The canals everywhere, the lights, it's a dream.

I love you all so much

doei
zr watts

** A couple of Moms on the blog post today... **

"Dear Families of the New Missionaries of the Belgium Netherlands Mission:

Your missionary has arrived safely and is now out in the mission field living the life of a missionary."  

These words were a perfect compliment to the calming spirit I felt as Zuster Watts traveled to the Netherlands. We got to talk to her on the phone in Salt Lake City and while she waited to board her flight from Detroit. She sounded very happy and content. We asked her all of our questions and then thought of more. She just wanted to hear about what we are up to. 

The blessings of technology allowed us to conference call with siblings who were not at home. We are grateful that the Lord inspired people, who probably didn't even realize it, to invent these amazing technologies that can take the Gospel to all the earth and let families connect as well.

We followed the missionary flight all the way from Detroit to Schipole Airport. The plane flew faster than predicted so all of you praying "God speed" must have worked. They arrived there Tuesday morning just after 7:30 a.m. I watched the cartoon plane land safely and felt my heart swell with gratitude and love. 

Without being there, I knew what must be occurring on the other side. Their warm and loving mission presidents would greet them. They would see the mission office for the first time where they would work on legality paperwork and receive instruction on money. Their pictures would be taken with a windmill in the background either before or after an introductory lunch of pannekooken (a large pizza-looking crepe filled either sweet or savory). They would be given the opportunity to take a nap and eat dinner before receiving their specific call to serve in their first area with a missionary companion, called their trainer.

Thursday morning brought an email from their Mission Mom confirming that introduction. She also sent two pictures to tide us over until she posts the rest of the story on her well-kept blog. As a bonus, she informed us of their activities right up to the point that they left the train station to begin mission life in their own areas. What a beautiful lady! She must be a mom. I'm grateful she is a techno-saavy one.
belgiumnetherlandsmission.blogspot.com. 

She spoke of the need for letters to support them over the next 18 months to two years. Please feel free to mail Zuster Watts positive and uplifting messages at: 
            Belgium/Netherlands Mission            
            Sister Aubrey Elaine Watts
            Schipholweg 66
            2316 XE Leiden
            The Netherlands

Sister Robinson posted this when a previous missionary was called to serve in Amsterdam: "To serve in Amsterdam is a dream of many missionaries!"  Zuster Watts will begin her missionary service with that dream. Whew, now Back to Work.

I'm sending a video of our two dutchie districts singing "Zullen Wij Elkaar Ontmoeten" (Ja, ik zal) 
IT'S SO GOOD. The people in our districts are just so so good and so talented.

I just love you all so much.
We will be talking on Monday :D
 

Ik houdt van jullie :)
zuster watts

​I don't know if you can tell how many people are in this hallway. But just know that zone prayer every night is INSANE. We have a huge zone right now. We love all of the new Swedes and Nords and Surinames. Next wednesday there are 17 new missionaries arriving that will be going to the Bel/Neth mission, so it won't get much smaller even after we leave! 

Amei ("Oh boy" in Flemish--the dialect of Nederlands they speak in Belgium)
This time next week I'll be in AMSTERDAM. What is life.

Before I talk about that, I should tell you about last week.
We had the new Swedes and Nords come in last Wednesday, and our zone is HUGE. We have zone prayer every night in the hallway of the building where we have classes (9M) and we fill the hallway. There are so many of them! We've had quite the week, trying to learn everyone's names and trying to help the new sisters as much as we can. It's a learning experience for sure. I don't think I've ever been more aware of how imperfect I am! There's always more we can do, always more love we can give, always more selflessness to have. It's so obvious to me how much Heavenly Father loves these sisters. I'm not usually one to get attached super quickly or to love people before I get to know them, but for some reason I just instantly and honestly loved all of these sisters. They are so wonderful.
It's funny, they all think that Zuster Bush and I are older than them, when I'm younger than most of them by a couple months! They all say that we just seem older, and we just laugh.

Last week we were sitting in the temple on p-day, and Zuster Bush leaned over to me and whispered "one month from now, we're going to be in the temple in Nederland!" Can you believe that!?
Next month is General Conference and we're going to be able to go to the temple. We have the best timing ever. I don't know if I've said this before in my letters, but I like to say that "the temple is a big hug from Heavenly Father."
If you're ever feeling unloved or lonely, if you ever forget who you really are: GO TO THE TEMPLE. You will get a very good sense of who you are and how much God loves you. He will bless you every time.

Last Friday we had an amazing lesson by our teacher, Zuster Juchau. She has been back from our mission for only 4 months and still has the fire burning inside of her. She is wonderful. We talked about our mission president's goal: the 5th stake. Currently, there are 4 stakes in our mission, and his goal is to build up the members and the converts so we can form a new stake. I think she said there are only 300 baptisms left to go. Now that probably sounds terrible to some of you and you might be thinking, "it's not about the numbers!"
Well you're exactly right. The numbers aren't the point of the 5th stake. The point is that the people in the Netherlands and in Belgium face evil every day. There are so many things that are legal there that make it really difficult for the members. Zuster Juchau bore the strongest testimony that the people of Nederland and Belgium need a fifth stake. They need the strength of eachother and of the church. 
It was just such a cool moment and it got me so excited to go out and work my hardest. I think that any time I get down or discouraged, I'm just going to think of the power of a fifth stake in Nederland. I know that the gospel is what everyone needs. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel--that's why I came on a mission in the first place. I know it is true.

Our first Fast Sunday in the MTC was super fun! It's funny because even if you wanted to eat, you couldn't. The cafeteria is closed! We had so many good conferences and talks this week, but I don't have time to type up all of my notes or even an overview, so that'll have to wait for another day. (I know you don't like to hear that, Mom, but it's just the truth ^_^ haha)

We got our flight plans on Friday, and we'll be flying through Detroit and then on to Amsterdam! We leave Monday morning and arrive in Nederland at 8 am Tuesday.

It is insane how quickly the time has gone by here in the MTC. I am so grateful for all of the experiences I've had here. Not all of them have been easy, but they've been so worthwhile and I've learned so much! Sometimes I feel like a sponge that has soaked up water to its capacity, but there's just too much water and my brain is going to explode and dutch words & scriptures are just going to go flying everywhere. 

I think I like Dutch more than English.... It's just such a cute little language! Every word is super bouncy and adorable. I even like the "g" sound. Maybe I've gone a little bit crazy here haha I don't know.

We are teaching our last MTC lessons today and tomorrow. It's cool how much we've improved and how much we've learned. I know I have a long way to go--especially with my conversational skills--but it's just a lot more fun if I don't focus on that.
One of my friends said this about her mission, but I'm going to apply it to mine because I totally agree: Nederland is ready for us. We might not be ready for Nederland, but Nederland is ready for us. I'm so excited to go there and go contacting on the first day and meet my new companion and it's just going to be so hard but so good!

Het is moeilijk, maar 't is mogelijk!

I love you all so very much and I can't wait to talk to you on Monday, mijn familie!

Doei, amerika!

-zuster watts

Hoi!

In just two short days we will have our flight plans for the Netherlands in our hands! I'm going crazy and it's just so exciting. After today, we only have one more p-day here at the MTC, and then the next letter I'll be writing will be from the Netherlands! So crazy.

I am so excited to go to Nederland, but I'm definitely making the most of my time here in the MTC. It's a really special place and I just love all of the lessons I'm learning and the spirit that is everywhere. Our teachers are wonderful. They do a coaching session with each companionship at least once a week where they just give advice and encouragement. It's always really helpful and uplifting. This past week, Broeder Wells shared three scriptures with us that helped me a lot. The first was Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God". Sometimes I get so worried about a lesson and if someone's not talking every minute, I just start talking and I think I just need to calm down and be more comfortable with silence. I also am learning to just entrust the lesson to the Lord. I could prepare my little heart out, but if I don't have faith that the Lord is the best teacher, my job gets a billion times harder.

Next he shared Jacob 1:5-6 with us. The prophet Jacob talks about his faith in the Lord as well as his anxiety over the people's salvation. Broeder Wells asked us to think about the balance between "[being] still" and having anxiety over the people. He pointed out something that I found really cool: in the Dutch version of the Book of Mormon, it says "grote verlangen" which means "great desire". I thought that was super cool! If we as missionaries and as members of the church have a great desire to share the truth with others, we will have the Lord on our side. 
Broeder Wells then said something that really affected me. He first pointed out that anything that leads us to do good is from God, and went on to say that if our anxiety over the investigators comes from how much we love them, then it is a good anxiety. I just really appreciated that counsel. 
Another really good scripture is Jacob 4:6, and the prophet Jacob says that he "[stumbled] because of [his] over-anxiety for [the people]" Even Jacob--a prophet--had anxiety! I love the scriptures, because they seriously have an answer to any question!

The missionaries in our zone headed to Sweden flew out on Monday, so we're now the second oldest district in our zone. (The Surinames leave next Monday) It's just crazy how quickly time passes. I feel like I just got here yesterday. Zuster Bush and I have been assigned to be the Zone Sister Training leaders for the last two weeks of our stay here in the MTC. We are getting 36 missionaries today going to Norway and Sweden! So we're going to be really busy for the next couple of days, making sure they are comfortable and everything. We're lucky though, because our Branch president assigned the other Dutchie Zusters to be District Sister Training leaders. They are going to be such a huge help. I'm just extremely grateful we don't have to worry about interviewing 30 or so sisters each week haha. 

Sacrament meeting is really fun here. We all have a schedule with the topics for talks each week. Everyone has to prepare a talk to give, but we don't find out who is speaking until after the sacrament! It's crazy. I haven't been called on yet, and we have fast Sunday next week, so the chances are pretty low that I'll get called on for our last Sunday here.

Sunday's devotional was all about the blessings of keeping a study journal. The speaker, Elder Richard N. Holzapfel, (cool name, right?) told so many cool stories of missionaries that were more aware of how the spirit speaks to them because they keep a study journal. He said that when we keep a study journal, that shows Heavenly Father that we love and treasure the revelation He gives us. "Because we treasure it, he gives us more"

Yesterday was the craziest day ever. On Sunday, we received a notification that we had to pick up some international missionaries that would be arriving early on Tuesday. Our job was to take them to dinner, devotional, devotional review, and back to their temporary residences, but most importantly to just make sure they felt welcomed and loved. We showed up in the room at 4:30 to pick up our sisters, and we had four under our care. Only one of them is in our zone, she's from North Hampton, England, and is serving in Sweden. There was one sister from Trinidad that will be serving in Ogden UT, spanish speaking, and the other two sisters are from the states, but just arrived early for whatever reason. They were all pretty quiet and reserved so it was a little awkward at first, but we did our best to make them feel loved. It was funny because on our instruction sheet, they told us to "Be creative with the time between dinner and the devotional..." What were we going to do for 1 1/2 hours with these sisters? Luckily someone suggested we take them on a walk up to the temple. So that's what we did! They all loved it. It ended up being a really fun night.

I'm so excited for this afternoon! We're going to be hosts for the incoming missionaries and hopefully we'll meet some of the new missionaries that will be in our zone! In one of the devotionals this past week, the wife of the speaker told us their experience as mission president of a mission. She talked about how their excitement for new missionaries is like the excitement a new parent feels before a baby comes, and I'm pretty sure that's what I'm feeling about these new elders and sisters that are arriving today. That sounds so silly but it's true! I've never seen them before and I've never met them--I don't even know what they look like--but I already just love them so so so much and I can't wait for them to arrive! I just want them to have the best experience here and I want them all to be happy. Today is going to be so much fun!

The MTC is just the greatest place in the world and I am so grateful for you and all of your support. Thanks for the letters and the love. I really appreciate it.
Zuster Watts