New Companion, Elder Larson

What’s awkward? …..
leaving the apartment to look up a former investigator and then having to tell your comp that you don't know their address (causing you to have to go back)
                 Or taking the bus to Almere Haven to a dinner appt, but getting off one stop too late cause you thought it was the right one (the same one I went to when I got stuck on the bus weeks ago. I hate De Grienden lol). Which then forces you to hurry jog back to the last stop and find the address....
          
yaaaaaaaaaaa that's kinda how it works when your trainer leaves and you gotta show your comp around the city. But of course his bike will be broke down, so you have to take the bus all the time (which I rarely did before) so it's almost like I don’t know anything about the city (which is dangerously close to fact)
        But to be honest, things went extremely better then I thought they would (having had horrid dark images of being lost in the city with out my planner or phone. or some similar hideous thing;)
        I've been able to get us around pretty well. And elder Larson got his bike kinda fixed (it still only has one working gear)......But that's kinda how it is when your at the end of your mission. Elder Larson is on his second to last transfer. He's an OLD man, and he has so much stuff that's breaking down lol it's really funny...:) He's a cool guy. He's from San Diego, born and raised (which I assured him was indeed a wonderful thing:) especially since he said I have a place to stay next time go to San Diego :Dhehehe)       
 He has 3 older bros and one older sis. He’s the youngest. His parents are gonna come pick him up here. And he likes snowboarding too: D so that's an awesome thing.
He really isn't trunky lol in case you all were wondering. We work hard, and he really is on top of getting things done. He remembers stuff and that's very valuable (especially cause he's working with me;)

I've made more phone calls, talked to more members, and investigators then ever. ':) Cause I kinda have to heheh. It’s really been good for me. I’ve improved quite a bit. My Dutch has really been coming along, and Elder Larson has got a good big vocab :) so that comes in handy.

There for sure is more stress. That’s kinda how it works. I gotta make sure stuff happens. But I keep praying.

This transfer is a small teeny 4 weeks. Then it goes back to normal 6. There's a chance I could leave this coming transfer (I really hope not)
  
Take care all,

Elder Chantry

Transfers

Just heard about transfers. like ten minutes ago.
Elder Pimentel is leaving. He's going to Belgium. so far south he's basically in France. He's gonna be polishing up his French skills
'So I’m left here with an elder named Larson. Don't know niks about him.
Scared. Cause now I’m the one who knows everything about Almere
YAAAAAAAAA right.
I might run screaming like the biggest shown nerd you could ever imagine.
 prbly.
likely.
...................................
life might go on.
................
maybe...........


it's ok, cause the work here is gonna get Really good. I believe it. We have been setting stuff up this week with members, and we have a ton of appointments. We're gonna call Iris in a few days and get meeting with her again. Naphtali (nine years old, son of a less active lady, and they’re friends with Magnolia and William) is getting baptized this Saturday. We are hoping that this will spur his mom into activity again.

I’ll let you guys know how this week goes. I’ll bet you more then anything that I’ll have some stories to tell.

I'll be going now. I keep praying for you guys, 
I know I’ve been protected. I've only fell once on my bike, and that's cause I wanted to see what would happen if I hit the brakes hard while cruising down a street covered in ice (true story lol and not a good idea) (you fall)       (hard;)

Doi!
Elder Chantry

Another Week in Almere-Stad

Hey everyone,
Truth of the matter is,  you all will never know how good my Dutch is. It’s kinda funny and sad at the same time. heh... I understand more more (and still a chief lard I don’t) but that's ok |:) cause I still have a long time.........

So i hear next week if E. Pimentel stays (everyone thinks he's gonna leave, but i warned him that weird stuff happens around me :) heh so you never know...
  
There's a whole ton a snow here. Again. The weather was gonna make up it's mind, then it was like ehhh naa. I’ll be a random slan instead.
Iris got busy this week and won’t be able to meet for a little while :/ we'll keep praying for her.

I've learned a few things about Dutch people. They won't trust you right at first, but when they do, they like to talk, and for you to show interest in them by asking questions. They don't like you to tell them they HAVE to do something. And a lot of times you can't just go in preaching gospel right off the bat. You gotta work with them, show them you love them, and that you care. When that is built up then the time may come that you can invite them back.
It's tough to know a lot of times, but I have learned to Listen a lot. heh, I’m not such a huge long talker like I was. Speaking in  another language, and being in another culture really can quite mess you up lol...But I’m working now to better speak when it's needed, and apply things to them....

Thank you all so much for your letters :) it means a lot

Another Good Week

This transfer is only 5 weeks. So we hear about changes on like the 17th. And then the next transfer is like 7 weeks. My companion feels like he's gonna go. He’s been here over 5 months now, (he kinda wants to go lol)......I think I’ll stay (I REALLY hope I stay). I think it would be good to just stay in this area one whole year :) I would be fine with that. It’s an awesome area! And then I would really know my way around lol........but ya

This week, Ivan was Baptized :D and he was confirmed on Sunday then he bore his testimony and what he said, about never giving up faith, and how much he loved the church, so cool. The spirit was there. Ivan has had a hard life. He was a political prisoner in his country, and his wife had to sell his small business to get the money to send him here. He's living in like an apartment complex for people who are trying to become citizens of the country. He's not allowed to work, and he\s been sick a lot lately........But he's been so much happier since he started investigating. :) and hopefully his wife and kids in Uganda are taking lessons from the missionaries.
Iris is super cool. She studies a lot, and she has so far agreed with all we've taught her. We meet again on Tuesday. Pray for us! Cause we really want this next lesson to have the spirit there strong.
All in all, the work here is goin good :)

So I thought maybe I’d tell about kinda what it's like to be here. Just to kinda give you a feel..........(did i say kinda enough?)

Here, the weather changes like hyper speed. There was snow for the longest time, and it was super cold, then, one day and the snow was gone and it was too hot to wear a scarf or gloves. Then, my companion and i were running one morning, it was like a blizzard. but by the end of study it was sunny and warm, blue skies. Then 4pm came around and it was so cold and windy my fingers and face were numb (and of course I had no scarf or gloves cause it was Way to hot that morning lol).........it was fun :)

The wind here really does mean business. It’ll blow so hard that when your biking your in low gears gasping and wheezing pushing hard as you can and your still going walking speed lol.........
The time here is all military time for the trains and busses. so i\m always having to think extra to try and figure it out heh...
We did the math one day. They sell gas here in liters, but the prices here, converted is over 5$ a gallon for gas. So ya, dang pricey heh.


Everything here is sold in small portions. like, alles. And when people give you desserts they give you a little bit, and a tiny little sized fork or spoon. lol I think the idea is, since the portion is so small they have to make the silverware small so that you can pretend like it's more then it actually is lol

Oh, you know one really good way to describe the Netherlands? Water. lol they have a ton of it. Raining, snowing, Canals everywhere, humid air, ya. just a lot.

Elder Chantry