Dierbare familie,

Hoe gaat het met jullie?

 

The language is coming along, my friends. It is coming. So the only language mishap i said today was because the dang dictionary deceived me!!!! I learned this word specifically because I liked one of our teacher's ties so I said, "Ik vind uw touw leuk" and he informed me that I just complimented his rope. Classy.

 

So last week we started the TRC which is where we speak to either returned missionaries or people from the Netherlands and they are members of the church and we just basically visit teach them. Well the first room we go in we start talking and I honestly don't know a thing they are saying. so I ask them to repeat 3 times and still I have no idea so I just faked it but it was really awful I was so overwhelmed it was quite awful. I tried to laugh it off but then I just started crying and then they started saying how good my dutch is so that made me cry even more. Hello! don't lie to me while I'm crying that in no way makes me feel better. It was kind of terrible so we have it again every Friday and I'm seriously so not looking forward to it....

 

So, that was a sad story but seriously that is how the days are here. I feel like each day is like Repunzel leaving the tower, "THIS IS SO AMAZING!" ..."I am the worst person ever."... "I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!"..."what am I doing?" "BEST DAY EVER"..."i hate my life." i am extremely bipolar here! thankfully the good moments far out weigh the bad and make it all worth it!

 

Fun fact: In the Netherlands they use tons and tons of idioms and one we learned is Helaas Pindakaas which basically means to bad so sad but direct translation is "unfortunately peanut cheese" yep and also peanut cheese means peanut butter...nasty sounding yep!

 

Also, how you say I panicked is Ik raakte een panik which really means "i touched a panic" classy

 

Alllllso my district is probably the best!!! I love every one of them! I love love them we are all a bunch of nerds! Seriously I think they pick similar personalities to go to the same places because our similarities are uncanny.

 

So here's a lesson in the life of someone trying to learn Dutch...weak and stong verbs...a.k.a. the devil. Don't know that those are? well join the club!

 

Best newssssss EVERRRRR! Our mission president sent us a letter! Our teachers said they have never heard of this happening ever. In the letter it told us the goals of the mission and told us who they expect us to be! It was amazing. Our goal as a mission is to get another stake there! there are 4 currently and have been for a long time....well, not anymore!!!!!!! No, sir! also apparently President Kimball saw a vision of the Netherlands with templeSSSSS and 40 stakes! Can you believe it?? in the letter it talked about the standards of the mission and told us they we need to be ready to hit the ground running! As a companionship he said we will reach the goal of 1 baptism per month. This is so so exciting! He talked about the 2nd harvest of Europe and how hot missionary work is there!!! I'm so excited!

 

Quote of the week: "Those 3rd that chose Satan's plan are no bodies!" hahahahaha classy do you get it? like no bodies like no and bodies get it? Get it? I seasoned the food. do you get it? if not i am sad and you should watch dax flame seasoned the food on youtube. wow don't know if that is missionary appropriate but alas i'll add it to the list of things to change

 

 

This is the best work on earth! Elder Russel M Nelson came and spoke to us and told us that we have our ancestors and the ancestor's of those we see on our side, because they need their work done! I cannot tell you how amazing it was to hear him say that because I have felt the influence of my ancestors so much in preparing for my mission and in being here already! I know for a fact my Grandma Ria is helping a sister out with the Dutch among so many others. Elder Nelson told us to pray for the companionship of our ancestors and the ancestors of those we speak with. Also, I can't remember who said it this week but they said, "when we keep the commandments of God angels cannot be restrained from being our associate." Yep that is right! It's true. I will know the Dutch language in 6 weeks because my ancestors know it and they help me, because when I obey exactly they cannot be restrained from being my associate, because I have the Holy Ghost who quickens my mind and draws the things I need to my remembrance, because this is the work of God. Nothing can stand in the way.

 

We know inevitably what will happen. We know good always triumphs and that God and Jesus Christ are the victors and yet sometimes we can't decide who's side we're on. Decide! Be on the Lord's side! It is all true! One investigator we are teaching told us after reading about the Restoration of the Gospel that he thought it was fiction and that he thought it was a nice story...I can declare without a hint of doubt or irony that it is so much more than a nice story, it is true, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it has been restored it's real and it's not going anywhere.

 

For my computer time I watched some mormon messages and if you haven't seen "my brother hyrum" please do! it is so so great I love it!

 

ik hou van jullie! sorry for the lack of picture I just get so freaked out trying to send them but i'll try.

Love,

Zuster Elting

p.s. for uncle mike butterfly is "vlinder" v sounds like an english f