August 15, 2011
Dear Mom and Dad,
Mom your letter was really great! Thanks for that. Well, I just want to start out by saying that time is limited; the district wants to go to Wallenberg caves (and I do too) so we are doing that today. It seems like things are going pretty well there, I’m sorry to hear about Danielle’s piano teacher....that is a very strange accident... she will be in my prayers. Dad I feel with you on your back, mine for some reason lately has also been REALLY acting up, if it keeps up this way much longer im guna have to notify someone but ill give it some time.
So the work! This was an awesome week; I don’t know how I forgot to mention that we were going to have a baptism but we did this Saturday and it went perfectly; the best service I’ve had yet for sure :). Guido was so prepared and the Spirit was really present and strong! Guido asked that I baptize him and I was a little nervous because he has got a good 3 inches on me, but it went well and he was just like puddy he was really easy and it was just a great service. We had two investigators there and it was great. One of them really hit it off with Guido and it was awesome! I think he will be baptized also at some point! We have just been busy busy busy! It’s great :)! Well things are going really well and thanks so much for yalls support and love, it means a lot! You’re in my prayers!
Much love
Elder Leash
Ryan's Entire Mission
ryan is in the far right corner
Ryan at a Zone Conference...
Ryan and President Brubaker
eating raw fish -- eeewww
Ryan at temple - day before MTC drop off
handsome guy!
Ryan and President Smith
getting set apart as a missionary
Monday, September 5, 2011
Birthday Boy!!!!
August 29, 2011
Dear family and friends,
Sounds life is just ripping by and its going good; seminary has started again, school, you got a new calling :), life is good! I did get the b-day package and really enjoyed it - I especially enjoyed the EFY music, good stuff! There was somebody who made me a b- day cake! It was actually more like a birthday mountain! Delicious!
Things are going pretty well here with the work; we had a very interesting Sunday! It was pretty crazy btwn our investigator Joyce and her 2 year old son Chandler who was running around the church like a wild child. To add to our interesting Sunday experience, our other investigator Lucas, who looks like a modern-day Moses, complete with long hair and a thick shaggy beard made it to church, as well as Lillian who was at church as usual - like she has been for the last 4 or so months (still not baptized darn it! :). Somehow we made it through all three hours without too much crying (from the 2 year old) or too many totally off the wall comments (from our modern day Moses) not too much wandering around and socializing (courtesy of Lillian) and best yet not too many comments about how weird the gospel can seem (thanks to mother of the 2 year old who we btw will be bringing things very much back to the basics with tonight lol).
Yes, truth be told we had a great Sunday right up until priesthood lol. Our inactive friend brother, Alexander, decided that he was going to share his opinion about Americans which normally wouldn’t be an issue here in the Netherlands if we weren’t in the Heerlen military ward aka "mini America". Brother Alexander doesn’t seem to be too fond of us Americans, there were things said such as "If you cross an American they are very likely to pull a gun out and shoot you." After Brother Alexander shared his opinion we then had the chance too hear it reciprocated and added upon by a Belgian member in the ward, who as it was related to us, was treated "as a slave" by his American companions on his mission. Luckily, our lesson was on kindness which I think helped our American members keep their mouths shut and their clenched fists tucked in their pockets and our inactive friend along with Belgian RM managed to keep all their teeth :). I’ve obviously dramatized things slightly....and truth be told we had a great Sunday!
Sunday evening we got the magic call and we were informed that Elder Brown and I will both be here in Heerlen another 6 weeks, I’m very happy about it and it will be a new experience as I have never served with a companion longer than 3 months, Elder Brown and I will be together for four and a half before its over! I’m looking forward to it!
Well, last little bit of news etc. my back has been REALLY acting up, I’m not sure what aggravated it but I cannot bend over now without some sort of support to help me straighten myself back out... I called the mission nurse and she has prescribed ibuprofen for now; I’ve take some 2 hours or so ago now, but I’m still really feeling it. Please send me all and any advice as well as any home remedies medications whatever may help and please keep me in your prayers!
I love yall and will talk to you soon
Elder Leash
Dear family and friends,
Sounds life is just ripping by and its going good; seminary has started again, school, you got a new calling :), life is good! I did get the b-day package and really enjoyed it - I especially enjoyed the EFY music, good stuff! There was somebody who made me a b- day cake! It was actually more like a birthday mountain! Delicious!
Things are going pretty well here with the work; we had a very interesting Sunday! It was pretty crazy btwn our investigator Joyce and her 2 year old son Chandler who was running around the church like a wild child. To add to our interesting Sunday experience, our other investigator Lucas, who looks like a modern-day Moses, complete with long hair and a thick shaggy beard made it to church, as well as Lillian who was at church as usual - like she has been for the last 4 or so months (still not baptized darn it! :). Somehow we made it through all three hours without too much crying (from the 2 year old) or too many totally off the wall comments (from our modern day Moses) not too much wandering around and socializing (courtesy of Lillian) and best yet not too many comments about how weird the gospel can seem (thanks to mother of the 2 year old who we btw will be bringing things very much back to the basics with tonight lol).
Yes, truth be told we had a great Sunday right up until priesthood lol. Our inactive friend brother, Alexander, decided that he was going to share his opinion about Americans which normally wouldn’t be an issue here in the Netherlands if we weren’t in the Heerlen military ward aka "mini America". Brother Alexander doesn’t seem to be too fond of us Americans, there were things said such as "If you cross an American they are very likely to pull a gun out and shoot you." After Brother Alexander shared his opinion we then had the chance too hear it reciprocated and added upon by a Belgian member in the ward, who as it was related to us, was treated "as a slave" by his American companions on his mission. Luckily, our lesson was on kindness which I think helped our American members keep their mouths shut and their clenched fists tucked in their pockets and our inactive friend along with Belgian RM managed to keep all their teeth :). I’ve obviously dramatized things slightly....and truth be told we had a great Sunday!
Sunday evening we got the magic call and we were informed that Elder Brown and I will both be here in Heerlen another 6 weeks, I’m very happy about it and it will be a new experience as I have never served with a companion longer than 3 months, Elder Brown and I will be together for four and a half before its over! I’m looking forward to it!
Well, last little bit of news etc. my back has been REALLY acting up, I’m not sure what aggravated it but I cannot bend over now without some sort of support to help me straighten myself back out... I called the mission nurse and she has prescribed ibuprofen for now; I’ve take some 2 hours or so ago now, but I’m still really feeling it. Please send me all and any advice as well as any home remedies medications whatever may help and please keep me in your prayers!
I love yall and will talk to you soon
Elder Leash
Bad Back
September 5, 2011
Dear Mom, Dad, and Danielle,
Wow, Danielle passed up a Taylor Swift concert?! What a ding dong! Mom, did you really send a letter to the mission president about my back? You really shouldn’t have done that lol, but I appreciate the concern! Well, I obviously was really worried about it and I started doing a lot more stretching and core exercising in combination with heat pad on the back and ib profin to dull the pain and to try and loosen up things back there; none of these things did the trick, they helped a little, but I was still really feeling it! I started thinking about it and what could possibly keep causing me such trouble. It finally dawned on me the other day that I was bending really far over my bike while riding in fact because my bike is too small for me I had to raise the seat up higher that the handle bars lol so I was essentially bent over with my back horizontal with the ground! I decided id try lowering the seat and see if that would help and over the next couple days the pain left! Halleluiah! Yea I do also feel the pressure a bit to get some things done with a deadline in sight! The mission is most definitely no cake walk, and it is definitely one of the hardest things I have ever had to do! It can be very mentally and emotionally challenging. That being said, there are so many wonderful and fun things we can do on a mission as well; I suppose that whether a mission is difficult or a 'vacation' is really in the eye of the beholder!
Well work is going pretty well! We have a key appointment with our baptismal date Joyce tonight. We are really stretching ourselves and our creativity with her and our teaching to try and help apply our teaching to her life. She has opened up a bit and shared that reading from the scriptures and talking about such things is nice and important but that in the past she has had experiences where religious groups etc would talk with her about her daily problems in her life etc and then treat that and counsel her with scripture, etc. We are more than willing to do that appropriately and yet at the same time we also are very much there with her to help her come to know that the literal original Church of Christ has been restored to the earth. We will keep you posted on how things go!
Lillian is also still around and we are able to teach her now and then but its also a stretching and balancing act with her as well; she is also not so hot on 'bible study' so we are trying to find different ways to approach and teach her as well. Normally I would be inclined to drop someone like that but she still keeps on coming to church and calling us and we have a good relationship with her. Another keep you posted.
We have other investigators that we have hope for that we are meeting this week; one in particular just amazes me at how well she follows the light of Christ to discern truth from false teachings etc. She speaks great English (finally someone, most all our investigators only speak Dutch) so she will fit in well with the ward! We are just working with some amazing ppl! Our only struggle now is keeping up with all of them and helping them make and keep commitments. We are doing our very best and I know that the Lord will help us and make the difference so that we can start helping ppl keep commitments.
All things told life is good, health is good, the work is good, I can’t complain! I hope it is likewise for yall!
Love Elder Leash
Dear Mom, Dad, and Danielle,
Wow, Danielle passed up a Taylor Swift concert?! What a ding dong! Mom, did you really send a letter to the mission president about my back? You really shouldn’t have done that lol, but I appreciate the concern! Well, I obviously was really worried about it and I started doing a lot more stretching and core exercising in combination with heat pad on the back and ib profin to dull the pain and to try and loosen up things back there; none of these things did the trick, they helped a little, but I was still really feeling it! I started thinking about it and what could possibly keep causing me such trouble. It finally dawned on me the other day that I was bending really far over my bike while riding in fact because my bike is too small for me I had to raise the seat up higher that the handle bars lol so I was essentially bent over with my back horizontal with the ground! I decided id try lowering the seat and see if that would help and over the next couple days the pain left! Halleluiah! Yea I do also feel the pressure a bit to get some things done with a deadline in sight! The mission is most definitely no cake walk, and it is definitely one of the hardest things I have ever had to do! It can be very mentally and emotionally challenging. That being said, there are so many wonderful and fun things we can do on a mission as well; I suppose that whether a mission is difficult or a 'vacation' is really in the eye of the beholder!
Well work is going pretty well! We have a key appointment with our baptismal date Joyce tonight. We are really stretching ourselves and our creativity with her and our teaching to try and help apply our teaching to her life. She has opened up a bit and shared that reading from the scriptures and talking about such things is nice and important but that in the past she has had experiences where religious groups etc would talk with her about her daily problems in her life etc and then treat that and counsel her with scripture, etc. We are more than willing to do that appropriately and yet at the same time we also are very much there with her to help her come to know that the literal original Church of Christ has been restored to the earth. We will keep you posted on how things go!
Lillian is also still around and we are able to teach her now and then but its also a stretching and balancing act with her as well; she is also not so hot on 'bible study' so we are trying to find different ways to approach and teach her as well. Normally I would be inclined to drop someone like that but she still keeps on coming to church and calling us and we have a good relationship with her. Another keep you posted.
We have other investigators that we have hope for that we are meeting this week; one in particular just amazes me at how well she follows the light of Christ to discern truth from false teachings etc. She speaks great English (finally someone, most all our investigators only speak Dutch) so she will fit in well with the ward! We are just working with some amazing ppl! Our only struggle now is keeping up with all of them and helping them make and keep commitments. We are doing our very best and I know that the Lord will help us and make the difference so that we can start helping ppl keep commitments.
All things told life is good, health is good, the work is good, I can’t complain! I hope it is likewise for yall!
Love Elder Leash
Monday, August 8, 2011
Herrenburg - 6 months to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Dad,
Loved the email! It sounds like all is well back there :). How did it feel to have your back walked? Mom told me that she did some foot stomping. I love hearing about Danielle and how much she is growing and maturing, I have no doubt that she is becoming an awesome young woman! Yall’s anniversary is on the 10th yeah? Wow! 10 years already..... that has flown by; do ya’ll have anything planned for the big day? And Danielle is approaching number 17! This is a big and fun week back your way :)! I’m excited for yall.
Well a little news about things here in Limburg. This last week has been a crazy one. Enough has happened to fill two weeks lol. To start out our week we visited the zoo with lions tigers and bears only without the tigers and bears lol, we had a good time and even got back home on time to start our work week. Tuesday was my first district meeting; it really want too bad. I was nervous but I have a great district and I had a lot of participation and comments etc, and it went well.
Wednesday was very busy and we were running in circles all day lol. We saw a lot of miracles and I really felt as though we were being tools in the Lord's hands that day. We ended the day with an appointment with Tennison our future baptismal date and a joint teach who has been inactive for the last 2 months or so and we had visited him earlier that day and he really felt as though Heavenly Father was really talking to him after he was asked by someone in the ward to give him a blessing and then he had another random visit by someone in the ward and then while they were visiting Elder Brown and I stopped by and shared a spiritual thought, lol anyhow we had our Joint Teach fall through so we asked this brother to step in last minute and he did and we had a great lesson and we finished around 8 ish. We then told our investigator about how we were going to Antwerp, Belgium that evening and he told us that there was basically no way to make that. I had assumed that there would just be an inter city directly to Antwerp but I was wrong :/ so our investigator ended up giving us a ride to Maastricht where we caught what was probly the last train out to Belgium lol and we ended up getting to the Antwerp train station at 1130 lol, a little late :/.
The next morning I went on exchange with elder van doesburg to Leiden up north and we had District Leader Council and that took up all of Thursday and Friday and Saturday we also blessed days I would explain but I don’t even know where to start lol. Sunday I woke up and my body retaliated on me and decided that it was done running around, I woke up with a really bad sore throat and totally congested and with a fever. Despite the symptoms we went to church and had a great fast and testimony meeting and some great meetings. After church we went to a members home and had dinner etc and came home thereafter did weekly planning, did calls and numbers and that ended our day. I am feeling somewhat better today but would appreciate your prayers to help get better quick :). Things are going very well :).
Well I love yall lots, Mom and Dad, Happy Anniversary and boo boo Happy Birthday! I will talk to yall soon!
Love
Elder Leash
Loved the email! It sounds like all is well back there :). How did it feel to have your back walked? Mom told me that she did some foot stomping. I love hearing about Danielle and how much she is growing and maturing, I have no doubt that she is becoming an awesome young woman! Yall’s anniversary is on the 10th yeah? Wow! 10 years already..... that has flown by; do ya’ll have anything planned for the big day? And Danielle is approaching number 17! This is a big and fun week back your way :)! I’m excited for yall.
Well a little news about things here in Limburg. This last week has been a crazy one. Enough has happened to fill two weeks lol. To start out our week we visited the zoo with lions tigers and bears only without the tigers and bears lol, we had a good time and even got back home on time to start our work week. Tuesday was my first district meeting; it really want too bad. I was nervous but I have a great district and I had a lot of participation and comments etc, and it went well.
Wednesday was very busy and we were running in circles all day lol. We saw a lot of miracles and I really felt as though we were being tools in the Lord's hands that day. We ended the day with an appointment with Tennison our future baptismal date and a joint teach who has been inactive for the last 2 months or so and we had visited him earlier that day and he really felt as though Heavenly Father was really talking to him after he was asked by someone in the ward to give him a blessing and then he had another random visit by someone in the ward and then while they were visiting Elder Brown and I stopped by and shared a spiritual thought, lol anyhow we had our Joint Teach fall through so we asked this brother to step in last minute and he did and we had a great lesson and we finished around 8 ish. We then told our investigator about how we were going to Antwerp, Belgium that evening and he told us that there was basically no way to make that. I had assumed that there would just be an inter city directly to Antwerp but I was wrong :/ so our investigator ended up giving us a ride to Maastricht where we caught what was probly the last train out to Belgium lol and we ended up getting to the Antwerp train station at 1130 lol, a little late :/.
The next morning I went on exchange with elder van doesburg to Leiden up north and we had District Leader Council and that took up all of Thursday and Friday and Saturday we also blessed days I would explain but I don’t even know where to start lol. Sunday I woke up and my body retaliated on me and decided that it was done running around, I woke up with a really bad sore throat and totally congested and with a fever. Despite the symptoms we went to church and had a great fast and testimony meeting and some great meetings. After church we went to a members home and had dinner etc and came home thereafter did weekly planning, did calls and numbers and that ended our day. I am feeling somewhat better today but would appreciate your prayers to help get better quick :). Things are going very well :).
Well I love yall lots, Mom and Dad, Happy Anniversary and boo boo Happy Birthday! I will talk to yall soon!
Love
Elder Leash
Monday, August 1, 2011
Ryan calling us to Repentance!!!
Dear mom and family,
Mom, your Dutch was.....wonderful! It was fun reading it lol :). So school starts tomorrow? I can feel your enthusiasm even through your email! Danielle sounds like she is working too much, especially because she is not getting her day of peace and rest in! The Lord gives us great promises that we can cash in after we do what he tells us right momma? So do you think you’re ready to come to Europe and do the tour now mom with all that biking you and dad are doing? I am glad you managed to find that credit card btw, did you pray about it? Man I am on a roll today! I will say it anyways, tell dad that we are to eat meat sparingly and only in times of winter ha-ha just messing! I really enjoyed hearing about that movie – 17 Miracles! So that is showing now in theaters? Very cool, it sounds like it was a good one! I liked hearing about the fair too, that’s cool because my comp and I get to go to the zoo today, some members are taking us so we are hurrying to get all emailing shopping and cleaning etc done quickly :).
I’m excited for my b-day package! I thought about a couple other things on my wish list, can I get some BBq sauce maybe some A1 or bulls eye, heck you could even send me some of dad's secret marinades :). Also do you think you could send some pens (erasable if possible), and mechanical pencils? Well, I’m glad y’all had a good week!
My comp and I had a solid week as well :). We gave at least 7 books of Mormons out this week which was cool and we got 3-4 potentials out of it! Friday we went down to Antwerp for Zone Conf which was great btw, a very uplifting fun ZC. At the end we had a recent convert of a year that was baptized in our mission open his mission call, it brought back a lot of memories from my mission prep time :), he is going to the Manchester England mission English speaking! Sunday I gave a talk, Brother Woodbury introduced me and said over the pulpit how much he and his family appreciate and how they feel like im just another member of the family, and I love that family! I feel the same way :).
The talk went ok, my topic was testimony and I centered it on a quote I found from Elder Spencer W. Kimball "You may know. You need not be in doubt. Follow the prescribed procedures and you may have an absolute knowledge that these things are absolute truths. The necessary procedure is: study, think, pray, and do." I even mentioned you in there momma - about how when I was very young you would walk me to the front and whisper in my ear what I should say :). Lillian was there and she honestly feels as though she has been cursed so in the second hour the Bishop my comp and I gave her a priesthood blessing, I hope she does her part and I know the lord will comfort her. Tennyson also made it to church but had a difficult schedule so was only able to stay for sacrament meeting; Guido had night shifts Saturday night and Sunday morning and was not able to make it this week. On the whole we had a solid week, and things are going well. I love yall lots and will talk to you soon.
Love, Elder Leash
p.s yall are in my thoughts and prayers ;)
Mom, your Dutch was.....wonderful! It was fun reading it lol :). So school starts tomorrow? I can feel your enthusiasm even through your email! Danielle sounds like she is working too much, especially because she is not getting her day of peace and rest in! The Lord gives us great promises that we can cash in after we do what he tells us right momma? So do you think you’re ready to come to Europe and do the tour now mom with all that biking you and dad are doing? I am glad you managed to find that credit card btw, did you pray about it? Man I am on a roll today! I will say it anyways, tell dad that we are to eat meat sparingly and only in times of winter ha-ha just messing! I really enjoyed hearing about that movie – 17 Miracles! So that is showing now in theaters? Very cool, it sounds like it was a good one! I liked hearing about the fair too, that’s cool because my comp and I get to go to the zoo today, some members are taking us so we are hurrying to get all emailing shopping and cleaning etc done quickly :).
I’m excited for my b-day package! I thought about a couple other things on my wish list, can I get some BBq sauce maybe some A1 or bulls eye, heck you could even send me some of dad's secret marinades :). Also do you think you could send some pens (erasable if possible), and mechanical pencils? Well, I’m glad y’all had a good week!
My comp and I had a solid week as well :). We gave at least 7 books of Mormons out this week which was cool and we got 3-4 potentials out of it! Friday we went down to Antwerp for Zone Conf which was great btw, a very uplifting fun ZC. At the end we had a recent convert of a year that was baptized in our mission open his mission call, it brought back a lot of memories from my mission prep time :), he is going to the Manchester England mission English speaking! Sunday I gave a talk, Brother Woodbury introduced me and said over the pulpit how much he and his family appreciate and how they feel like im just another member of the family, and I love that family! I feel the same way :).
The talk went ok, my topic was testimony and I centered it on a quote I found from Elder Spencer W. Kimball "You may know. You need not be in doubt. Follow the prescribed procedures and you may have an absolute knowledge that these things are absolute truths. The necessary procedure is: study, think, pray, and do." I even mentioned you in there momma - about how when I was very young you would walk me to the front and whisper in my ear what I should say :). Lillian was there and she honestly feels as though she has been cursed so in the second hour the Bishop my comp and I gave her a priesthood blessing, I hope she does her part and I know the lord will comfort her. Tennyson also made it to church but had a difficult schedule so was only able to stay for sacrament meeting; Guido had night shifts Saturday night and Sunday morning and was not able to make it this week. On the whole we had a solid week, and things are going well. I love yall lots and will talk to you soon.
Love, Elder Leash
p.s yall are in my thoughts and prayers ;)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The lengths you go to to track down a new investigator!!!
Dear family,
Mom, well it sounds like Danielle is staying busy with work and synchro etc and dad is definitely busy with his big bike trip, what are you doing to keep busy? Keep me posted on Dad's trip! I will definitely be prayerful about his trip :).
This week was a little crazy. We had fairly ''normal'' days Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, and then Thursday we went out to Belgium to look up a referral. This was really tricky because, to begin with, the info we got for the referral was spelled wrong, but we eventually figured that out. We take a bus to the station and a train from the station to sittard station which is north east of Heerlen which brought us somewhat closer. From Sittard there is no transportation over the border into Belgium so we had to walk 30 minutes in a heavy rain lol to get over the border and then another bus towards Dilsen, where the referral lives. We ask the bus driver where to get out and he assures us the it is at a certain stop. We get out and ask directions again and find out that the street is some 3 miles from where we were.
Coincidently, the place we stopped to ask directions for was a taxi service so we asked him how much it would cost us to get there and it was some 5 Euros. We finally get there after about 3 hours of traveling etc and then have to wait till he got home cuz he was at the dentist. We have a good talk with him and walked in circles about opinions and interpretations of the bible and doctrine etc and finally tell him that that was exactly why we have so many churches today and that such confusion etc is cleared by the book of Mormon and we introduce the book to him and he is going to read and pray about it. We will see what comes of it. We make our way back to Heerlen the same way we came and get back at 7 pm after leaving at 1130 lol. We taught then Guido and had a solid lesson and that was our whole day.
The next day was much the same except we ended up doing service the whole day for our previous ward mission leader helping him and his family put in a kitchen.
Saturday was a ward picnic and we were able to bring Lillian along and I think she had a good time; we played sports and ate and ate more and played some more sports and I am simply kaput (dead!). At one point during our football playing (soccer) someone had the bright idea to play North America players vs. the Europeans. We were out numbered and playing their bread and butter sport and yet we were able to hold em off and put em away 6 to 5 us. I am SO sore! I can feel every muscle in my body...I am SO out of shape lol! Then Sunday we had good mtings and we were able to bring Guido to elder’s quorum and translate for him there and I think he really enjoyed it so that was great! After church we had a dinner appointment in Germany with the Woodburys whom I love! We came home did some planning etc and later that night we get THE CALL aka yesterday was transfer night. Elder Brown and I are both staying in Heerlen and are going to be District leader. I am nervous but I think it will work out just fine, however, I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom and I take on the new calling :).
On the whole things are just peachy and we are continuously being blessed guided and strengthened. I hope things for yell are something similar! I love you lots and will talk to you next week!
Love Elder Leash
Mom, well it sounds like Danielle is staying busy with work and synchro etc and dad is definitely busy with his big bike trip, what are you doing to keep busy? Keep me posted on Dad's trip! I will definitely be prayerful about his trip :).
This week was a little crazy. We had fairly ''normal'' days Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, and then Thursday we went out to Belgium to look up a referral. This was really tricky because, to begin with, the info we got for the referral was spelled wrong, but we eventually figured that out. We take a bus to the station and a train from the station to sittard station which is north east of Heerlen which brought us somewhat closer. From Sittard there is no transportation over the border into Belgium so we had to walk 30 minutes in a heavy rain lol to get over the border and then another bus towards Dilsen, where the referral lives. We ask the bus driver where to get out and he assures us the it is at a certain stop. We get out and ask directions again and find out that the street is some 3 miles from where we were.
Coincidently, the place we stopped to ask directions for was a taxi service so we asked him how much it would cost us to get there and it was some 5 Euros. We finally get there after about 3 hours of traveling etc and then have to wait till he got home cuz he was at the dentist. We have a good talk with him and walked in circles about opinions and interpretations of the bible and doctrine etc and finally tell him that that was exactly why we have so many churches today and that such confusion etc is cleared by the book of Mormon and we introduce the book to him and he is going to read and pray about it. We will see what comes of it. We make our way back to Heerlen the same way we came and get back at 7 pm after leaving at 1130 lol. We taught then Guido and had a solid lesson and that was our whole day.
The next day was much the same except we ended up doing service the whole day for our previous ward mission leader helping him and his family put in a kitchen.
Saturday was a ward picnic and we were able to bring Lillian along and I think she had a good time; we played sports and ate and ate more and played some more sports and I am simply kaput (dead!). At one point during our football playing (soccer) someone had the bright idea to play North America players vs. the Europeans. We were out numbered and playing their bread and butter sport and yet we were able to hold em off and put em away 6 to 5 us. I am SO sore! I can feel every muscle in my body...I am SO out of shape lol! Then Sunday we had good mtings and we were able to bring Guido to elder’s quorum and translate for him there and I think he really enjoyed it so that was great! After church we had a dinner appointment in Germany with the Woodburys whom I love! We came home did some planning etc and later that night we get THE CALL aka yesterday was transfer night. Elder Brown and I are both staying in Heerlen and are going to be District leader. I am nervous but I think it will work out just fine, however, I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom and I take on the new calling :).
On the whole things are just peachy and we are continuously being blessed guided and strengthened. I hope things for yell are something similar! I love you lots and will talk to you next week!
Love Elder Leash
Many missionary opportunities
Dear family,
It sounds like yall had a good week, Ian’s home made banana ice cream and dad's rice and bbq chicken made me drool lol! Sounds like the bike trip were a success; I have no doubt that dad was leading the pack and showing those little deacons how it’s done! It sounds like petite momma vs. boo boo was a success, as well seeing as you both survived Dad's absence as well lol, I hope the conditioner was found before anyone got hurt lol! The sight seeing sounds just great, I’m down as long as I can visit a day or two with some ppl from Kortrijk and Heerlen :). As for the b-day package, I could use maybe a few garment bottoms, dry lux; do they have a brief style of garments? That would be awesome (size s). COOKIES sound good!
Well, we had a solid week. I felt really good about it. We stayed pretty balanced this week in what we did and hard work really paid off. The week started out with a bang. on Monday we had a consecrated hour of finding, during which we found a lady and had a great discussion with her about scripture and truth, about how when we read things we can follow either the light of Christ or the Holy Ghost to recognize and learn truth. She has a B.O.M and we will visit with her this coming week and see how it went with her and her experience with reading the BOM. Tuesday was also nothing short of awesome. We had another C.H wherein we accidently tracted out a member’s home and had a great talk with them. While we were talking to them I received a call from someone who 'received a card(pass-along card) from the elders and he said 'I think I want to learn more, actually I think I want to come to church, in fact, when can I meet with yall' lol. We met with him the next day and had a great and open talk about Christ’s church, certain things we do differently than others, in general just got a feel from where he was coming from. At the end of our lesson we introduced and committed him to a teaching calendar. His name is Tennison. Also, during that next day we met with Brother Barodka, whose son Denis, will now be moving to the Netherlands and who will now be taking the missionary lesson. He comes from Belarus where the church is viewed very poorly for political reasons.... he now is ready to learn more! Directly after this appointment, I got a call back from an investigator we hadn’t seen in a while and we were able to set up an appointment for Saturday! The appointment Saturday went very well! We were able to get two joint teaches about her age and they really hit it off and seem to be good friends now :), she is praying and reading – a.k.a progressing!
Game Day, we were able to see 3 investigators in church. Lillian is still hanging around. We thought we were going to have to drop her, but she is still coming to activities and to appointments and I think very slowly, but surely, the Lord is working in her and she is progressing, slowly but surely. Guido was in church as well and he made some great strides as far as fellowship goes. He really hit it off with brother Van Gemeert and bro De Vylder during ward potluck! Awesome guy, we are going to have dinner at his place tomorrow night and share a lesson on the organization of the priesthood. Last, but not least, we saw Tennyson in church and I think he had a good experience; many were on vacation in the ward and all the empty seats made me a little nervous, but I think he really liked the meetings etc. During investigator’s class nobody was around to teach the lesson (we are without ward mission leader at the moment) so we ended up having a great discussion at a very elementary level, our Heavenly Father, Our Heavenly Family. It went really well and we had great participation!
A solid week in the books :), I love yall lots and look forward to hearing how your week goes.
Love,
Elder Leash
It sounds like yall had a good week, Ian’s home made banana ice cream and dad's rice and bbq chicken made me drool lol! Sounds like the bike trip were a success; I have no doubt that dad was leading the pack and showing those little deacons how it’s done! It sounds like petite momma vs. boo boo was a success, as well seeing as you both survived Dad's absence as well lol, I hope the conditioner was found before anyone got hurt lol! The sight seeing sounds just great, I’m down as long as I can visit a day or two with some ppl from Kortrijk and Heerlen :). As for the b-day package, I could use maybe a few garment bottoms, dry lux; do they have a brief style of garments? That would be awesome (size s). COOKIES sound good!
Well, we had a solid week. I felt really good about it. We stayed pretty balanced this week in what we did and hard work really paid off. The week started out with a bang. on Monday we had a consecrated hour of finding, during which we found a lady and had a great discussion with her about scripture and truth, about how when we read things we can follow either the light of Christ or the Holy Ghost to recognize and learn truth. She has a B.O.M and we will visit with her this coming week and see how it went with her and her experience with reading the BOM. Tuesday was also nothing short of awesome. We had another C.H wherein we accidently tracted out a member’s home and had a great talk with them. While we were talking to them I received a call from someone who 'received a card(pass-along card) from the elders and he said 'I think I want to learn more, actually I think I want to come to church, in fact, when can I meet with yall' lol. We met with him the next day and had a great and open talk about Christ’s church, certain things we do differently than others, in general just got a feel from where he was coming from. At the end of our lesson we introduced and committed him to a teaching calendar. His name is Tennison. Also, during that next day we met with Brother Barodka, whose son Denis, will now be moving to the Netherlands and who will now be taking the missionary lesson. He comes from Belarus where the church is viewed very poorly for political reasons.... he now is ready to learn more! Directly after this appointment, I got a call back from an investigator we hadn’t seen in a while and we were able to set up an appointment for Saturday! The appointment Saturday went very well! We were able to get two joint teaches about her age and they really hit it off and seem to be good friends now :), she is praying and reading – a.k.a progressing!
Game Day, we were able to see 3 investigators in church. Lillian is still hanging around. We thought we were going to have to drop her, but she is still coming to activities and to appointments and I think very slowly, but surely, the Lord is working in her and she is progressing, slowly but surely. Guido was in church as well and he made some great strides as far as fellowship goes. He really hit it off with brother Van Gemeert and bro De Vylder during ward potluck! Awesome guy, we are going to have dinner at his place tomorrow night and share a lesson on the organization of the priesthood. Last, but not least, we saw Tennyson in church and I think he had a good experience; many were on vacation in the ward and all the empty seats made me a little nervous, but I think he really liked the meetings etc. During investigator’s class nobody was around to teach the lesson (we are without ward mission leader at the moment) so we ended up having a great discussion at a very elementary level, our Heavenly Father, Our Heavenly Family. It went really well and we had great participation!
A solid week in the books :), I love yall lots and look forward to hearing how your week goes.
Love,
Elder Leash
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