After the Rain

Well I would like to give a couple shout outs.

First off,
You know Genk? The area in Belgie where I served two areas (and 5 transfers ago?) Well the work there has been going so well, they made it into a 4 man area. So they got 4 elders there now. I'm so happy for them. There gonna see some growth, I know it :)

Second,
Nederland heeft weer gewonnen! Nederland won again, against Mexico. 2-1. That's 4 games out of 4 that they've won. They have a good chance :) I'm very happy for them. It's a big deal here.

Third,
I don't have a third. But this week has been great. We met with our District leaders and the sister training leader to get things started for the transfer. We have training this transfer, and Elder I. and I have some great plans and a good outline for it. We're looking forward to it :)

This transfer one of the main themes is once again conversion. But this time, we're talking about the actual process of Conversion. How it actually comes about. Last transfer as a zone we wrote a 'letter to ourselves' that included a vision of who we wanted to become. This transfer we really want to focus on how we go about doing that.

I'm really learning a lot about it. And I'll be including what I learned probably in my next email. Once I have all my thoughts straight.

You guys have a great 4th of July :) enjoy the time together and Let freedom ring.

Ik hou van jullie!
Elder Chantry

Some pics from the car. There was a rain storm that just was leaving, and the sun was breaking through. Was really beautiful.

No News IS Good News

I heard the news. In that there was none. Elder I. and I get to stay. And I. will end his mission here with me.
I'm so happy about it :D

The work here is going faster. The zone is on fire and we've been finding new people to teach the last couple weeks. Still got a ways to go but it's picking up.

Nederland won against Australia and they play against Portugal tonight. Just saying. I REALLY hope they win :)

I'm gonna send some pics. So talk to you all soon. Ik HOU van jullie!!

E. Chantry

View Over Alkmaar

Me Being Happy

At the Beach in Ijmuiden

World War II Bunker

By the Beach at Ijmuiden

Sunset at Haarlm

Stained Glass in Church in Hoorn

Rembrandt Plein in A'dam...

Statue Version of Painting Nightwatch

Sub in Den Helder

Framework

This week. What did we do? Well. We had a mission leader council, and we also had a zone conference. Elder Boom came. He's from the area seventy, (he's also a Nederlander). It was so great. I learned a lot from him. He shared the story of his mission (along with other things) and taught by the example he showed in those stories...really enjoyed it

Still very warm weather here. In the 20's meestal

GUESS what??? The soccer world cup is going on right now. And Nederland played their first game this last Friday. Against Spain. 4 years ago they lost the final match to Spain (in overtime, it was really close). This year Nederland played with a vengeance and beat them 5-1. I was ecstatic. Everyone here is sooo happy. You ought to watch the game. I hear it was great. :D

Anyways,
I have been thinking for a while now about conversion. As I have, I've also thought about how hard it is for people to become converted. I have also wondered what it is that causes people to doubt, and not believe...

Now that all my wonderings are out on the table:

I talked before about that trust you must have, on the witness that you receive from the Spirit. That trust governs the way you act. 

Once you have received that witness you have one of three options. 1. You continue to trust it and live by it. 2 you still trust it, but you don't live accordingly. 3 you choose to no longer believe it so therefore you no longer follow it.
Dad told me once about (and I forget exactly what it's called) that people need to have a peace of mind. If you believe something to be true then you have to live accordingly. If you don't, then you will feel uncomfortable, guilty, depressed, and unsure. 
When that happens people reach a fork in the road. They can choose to change the way they Act, or they change the way they Believe.

The easier way is to change beliefs. Because then we can still do what we want to. It takes more effort and discipline to change one’s actions. And if you don't have a good reason of why you need to change your actions, then you probably won't.

I know I myself have been caught in that paradox. I have found myself doing things/acting in a way that I wanted to, but when I really thought about it, wasn't in line with what I believed. 
I would get frustrated. I tried to change my belief without really changing them. Just like twisting them. But then they weren't logical anymore. 
I tried to ignore what I believed, shove it away. But always was that thought in the back of my mind. I never really felt comfortable or at peace.

That's when I would come to the point, where I'm sick of the cycle. I had to decide, what I actually SHOULD do. What was best for me? Even though, what I wanted to do was enjoyable, or it was what everyone else did, or even what I thought I deserved to do.
Did that make it right?

If we believe that this life is not all there is, that our choices and actions here have a lasting impact on our well being, then we can not afford to just do things just cause we want to. We should do things because we know it is right.

That doesn't mean that we can't make any decision without having an internal crisis each time. But to me, it means that we should take the time to think about the things we are doing currently and consider how they align with what we believe to be right.

Elder Bednar says that conversion is consistently living what we know to be true. This process is to me, the beginnings of one's personal conversion.

I love you all. Have a great week!
Elder Chantry

It's Been a Really, Really Messed Up Week

Not that bad. Just had to say it :)

This week we've been driving around a lot. Helping another companionship cause one had some medical delays... So we've been traveling a lot to the North..

The weather here has gotten warm and muggy. Like 25 plus degrees. And sooo humid. Today is the worst..

P-day we went to the lake. That was so cool. We played around on the sand dunes and I ran hard like a fool in capture the flag, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball (more running than you would think), and other random games.. Also panted and sweated as if I was an out of shape mortal. It was nice :D

I think I’ll stop talking. Oh, we had a stake conference this weekend. And this week we have a zone dinges and Mission Leader Conference dinges. You know, my trainer Elder P. goes home this transfer. :( time flies

Ik hou van jullie!
Elder Chantry

10 Minutes in the Day of an Elder

So this week.
We were on exchange or split Tuesday through Saturday. VERY busy we were. Elder I. his b-day was Thursday. And ya. We ate at a burger place in Amsterdam (we were on exchange there) with some of the other Elders. 

I've been feeling the need to explain/illustrate something, for you all to understand. It involves the morning wake up routine of an Elder. 


Now, first off, one should understand, the earliness of the hour that a missionary arises is not necessarily the issue. Rather, It's the consistency of said hour. Let me explain. I have woken up earlier than 6:30 many times before my mission. And although it was difficult at times I could do it. 

But for some reason, no matter how many times I do it, 6;30 here, remains a challenge... My companions and I often have wondered when the day would come, that all of a sudden, it began to be easy. Where the alarm goes off and you pop out of bed ready for the day. 

Never happens.

I have also waited for the fulfillment of the promise Mom and Dad always told me. That if you train yourself to wake up at a certain time then you would get used to it, and your body would just naturally wake you up, you wouldn’t even need the alarm.

Never happens.

Let me explain what happens instead.

5:47--- For some odd reason you wake up. Maybe you have to go the bathroom. Maybe your arm was asleep and numb, usually you don't know why. But either way, you’re awake. Of course, you’re not going to stay up, cause you cheat yourself of sleep, and you feel lonely without your companion...So you go back to sleep

6:30--- Alarm goes off. And I don't know if I can explain properly how much your body freaks out at you. Inwardly, you sob. It was just long enough since you woke up last that you fell back into REM sleep, so of course, you’re stupid groggy, and your body bemoans your awakening.

6:31--- You roll out of bed and turn off the accursed noise, because your comp never does. And that's when your head starts pounding. You curl up in the fetal position and wish that your consciousness didn't exist.

6:32-- Your second alarm, that you cleverly placed across the room goes off and you scream as you stagger over to shut it off. Just as you reach it, the phone alarm goes off. You yell enough for it to shut up, and your companion turns that one off. 

6:33-- Once again you collapse in the fetal position on the ground, honestly dumbfounded at how this can be so hard...

6:35--- You’re jerked awake suddenly by your first alarm going off again. As you stand, your legs cry out from the abusive position you had just held them in. You turn off the alarm and stomp off to the bathroom, as your head pounds mercilessly...

6:38--- After rubbing your face and yawning so hard it makes you stagger because of lack of blood to your head, you start brushing your teeth. 

6:40--- You’re still brushing the exact same part in your mouth, as you look at your destroyed self in the mirror..
In all honesty, it would be hilarious, if you weren't so dumb tired......


And that is the first ten minutes... Just to give you all a taste of the routine :)

ik hou van jullie!!