Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Well hey there my dear family and friends!!!  I'm back in Nederland and I have to admit it's pretty wierd haha.  I'm now trying to get used to a regular keyboard again so there's that.  I miss Belgium like crazy but I love Nederland as well so that's good =)  So let's see exciting or interesting news before I go into the week....well I got to skype you guys yesterday so that was good.  My new companion is Zuster Taylor and she's just a sweetheart!  She's from Salt Lake area and she's been on her mission for two transfers less than me.  Almere is beautiful!  Fun fact about Almere is that about 50 years ago it didn't exist.  It was under water but the Dutch being as awesome as they are just pumped the water out and then built super strong dikes.  So that's pretty cool.  We have a pretty big ward and there are also quite a lot of Americans in the ward.  Um there are lots of trees and rivers in Almere and it's actually pretty big!  Ok I'm going to move on to the week now.
 
Maandag- well I was told to stay inside so we didn't do much.  We bought groceries and emailed and I packed.  That's pretty much it for that day.
 
Dinsdag- My last day in Turnhout =(  District meeting was good and I got a huge fan from Elder Womeldorf for my birhtday so that's pretty cool =)  Then we went and had hot chocolate with Zuster Van Der Waard.  What an amazing woman.  I hope that I can become more like her one day.  Then we went and said goodbye to my Mia.  She opened the door and I just started crying so she took me in her arms and asked what was wrong.  I told her I was leaving and then she just held me and kissed my head and stroked my face.  I love that woman.  I think about her everyday.  She is one of the most pure and beautiful people I know.  Then we went to Stefaan's for the last time for correlation.  Also hard.  We came home and I finished writting my letters and packing.
 
Woensdag- Zuster Otteson woke me up and we just snuggled in my bed for a while.  I love that woman.  Then we met Sule and he helped us drag all of my stuff to the bus stop.  Saying goodbye to Sule was also hard.  Then we got to Antwerpen Centraal by 10 and then our zone leader made us wait there until 2!!!  It was really frustrating.  BUT after one last Belgian waffle, some strawberries from Hoogstraaten, tearful goodbyes and 4 hours of traveling I finally made it to Almere!!!  Then we went strait to Zuster Wolff's house for dinner.  She's really cool and runs her own catering business so her food was awesome!  Then we went to Institute for the YSAs and that was good =)
 
Donderdag- We went and got me a new bike yay!!  It's this ugly gold color haha.  Then we did lots of finding and found some cool new potentials.  We taught a first lesson to Charity from Ghana and she's super cool!  Then we got churros =)  Then we had dinner with Familie Kat and they are really cool.  We did a RS activity at the church where zuster Taylor taught people how to make homemade cinnamon rolls and they were LEKKER!!!!
 
Vrijdag- We did weekly planning and we actually got it done in 3 hours on just one day!  Then we did a scripture study with a recently activated member Adrianna.  She's super cool =)  Then we went and taught a lesson to Sonja one of our investigators and then we went to do finding and we were looking for this previous investigator.  A girl answered the door and said oh she's on vacation but do you want to come in?  We were like uhhhh YA!  Then we taught her a first lesson and made a new appt!  Her name is Brigitta and she is really cool =)
 
Zaterdag-  We went finding and on this one street we taught 3 lessons and found 6 new investigators and then 2 other potentials!!  It was awesome!!!  Then we had an appt. with our other investigator Netty.  Then we went to this freaky fireside thing.
 
Zondag- CHURCH!!!  Then we had lunch with Zuster Brouwer and then I skyped my family,  We went to Aji and Henry but they weren't there =(  Then we ate dinner and had choir practice.
 
Wonder of the week was definitely when we knocked those houses on that one street and found all those people that were willing to listen!! 
 
Dutch lesson: To say goodbye in Dutch you can choose from one of these options: Dag, fijne dag verder, doie, do doie, doie daag do doie, dag eh, or any of them put together
 
Gestelijke Toutje: When we set goals and work towards them Heavenly Father will help us achieve them!  I believe that!!!!   
 
Ok well that's it so I guess I'll leave for this week and wish you all a wonderful week!!  I love you!!
 
Zuster Mizell

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Hey there my dear family and friends.  It's been a week full of surprises with an end of heartbreak.  So I found out this morning I am being transferred to Almere in Nederland.  I know transfers are inspired but this one is the hardest I've ever had.  I have loved every second serving in Turnhout and I don't feel at ALL ready to go.  I spent most of the morning crying haha.  But alas is mission life.  I'm sure Almere will be wonderful too and at least I had the opportunity to serve here even if it was for just a little while.  Also I'm sure most if not all of you have heard about my accident yesterday.  I am fine.  Honestly I'm much more upset about being transferred than being hit by the car haha.  I have a pretty good bruise and my arms are sore but other than that I'm just fine.  I did get to ride in an ambulence though which was fun?  ha.  Anyway don't worry about me I'm just fine.  Other than that the week was good.  We found some new investigators and have continued teaching the people that I just adore.  Mia is getting baptized this Saturday which is amazing.  She is so ready and she is one of my favorite people in the whole world.  I really love this place and the people here.  I'm going to miss them more than anything.  Ok well I think that's all I've got for this week.  I don't know my new address yet so I'll let you know next week.  I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.

Veel liefs,
Zuster Mizell

Sunday, May 11, 2014

"We're going to turn into Chunky Monsters!" - Zuster Otteson

Well hey there mijn geliefde familie en vriendinnen!  This last week has been a BLAST!!  Whoo!!! I don't think I have anything particularly important to share in this intro so I'll just cut to the chase and go into the week.

Maandag- FHE with Stefaan.  Sule came!  He's my favorite =)  He says he might want to go on a mission and said we can be friends forever =)  Makes my heart happy.  Also we had chocolate fondu and put a banana in Stefaan's mailbox but then we ruined the surprise because we wanted to dip it in chocolate.  It was still funny haha.  

Dinsdag- Crazy day!  Spent most of the day trying to finish weekly planning and packing to go to Nederland.  Taught Joana.  She's crazy haha but I love her.  We made the trek to Nederland and spent the night in Zoetermeer.  I saw Rens and it was sooo good!  We surprised him because he just thought the other sisters were coming over for an appt.  Man it was amazing to see him and he's doing REALLY good!  Also it was cool being in Zoetermeer again and freaky being back in my old apartment haha.  I love that place but it just made me realize I'm really meant to be here in Turnhout right now =)

Woensdag- A beautiful day!  Went to the temple and it was wonderful and beautiful!  I saw my beautiful best friend Zuster Woodbury and also Zuster Otteson =)  Then we went to the Zoetermeer church and ate lekker pizza and then people said nice things about me for my birhtday and then they sang to me!  Fun.  Also I saw Familie Vis =)  Then off to the Keukenhof.  Spent the day with my Zuske and looking at all the beautiful tulips.  It was like dream land =)  Then we made the trek home and got home late but still got to bed on time =)

Donderdag- Lots of teaching which was good.  Had a really good restoration lesson with Magda and Patrik =)  Then Mia with Zuster Van Steenbergen.  Z. Kokx, then Mia had her doop gesprek and she passed!  Whoo!  Tommy bij Zuster Smets and she made us pannenkoeken yumm Then Jobe with Stefaan and Roger with Z. Van Kerkhoven.  This branch rocks

Vrijdag- Had interviews with President in the morning and that went well.  Then Alanzo with Sule as the joint teach AWSOME!!! =D  Then Mia and then Sule at the library to start his family history then Emilia.  She dropped us =(.  Tommy and then Jobe.

Zaterdag- We went to Mia and took down this monster of a plant that had taken over her whole ceiling.  Then went around and did look ups and worked on weekly planning.  Then Frank and Beatrice and then Amusa bij Familie Peeters with dinner as well.  Also it was the Elders birthdays!

Zondag- Mia came to church!  WHOO.  Correlation.  Mia, Tommy, and Jobe.  Then dinner with Familie Klas.  

Vandaag- Went to Brussels and explored.  It was fun!

Wonder of the week- I think getting to see Rens again definitely makes wonder of the week =)

Grapje of the week- Z. Otteson had this roll on lip gloss and Mia thought it smelt good so she took it and put it on like perfume it was hilarious!

Dutch Lesson- Keukenhof (ko-ken-hoof) a place with many beautiful flowers

Geestelijke Toetje- Chirst is patient with our imperfections.  Even when we aren't.  He is always there to help us continue changing from our imperfections no matter how long it takes.  

Well I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!!

Veel liefs,
Zuster Mizell