2nd letter from Eindhoven, Netherlands -- Week 50

Elder Steenblik, Elder Frisby, Elder Ames and Elder Parr

Our sweet backyard.  It's the best in our hood!

  This is what Ben's companion, Elder Jesse Holt had to say about Ben in his blog entry last week.  "Transfers are done and the new one begins today!  I got my new companion, Elder Steenblik.  He´s a funny, tall dude.  I don´t know what it is, but most of my companions are pretty dang tall.  Elder Steenblik is from Salt Lake and has a talent with working with people. I´m excited to have the chance to serve with him for a minimum of 6 weeks!"

Yo! 

Wow, what a great first week in Eindhoven it has been! Even though I wasn’t even in Eindhoven for most of the week.

Last Monday we decided to do some work in the garden in our backyard, so we bought some flowers and planted them.  I even got to mow a little patch of grass! We have the best lookin’ yard in the neighborhood now.  You better believe that!

On Tuesday I was on an exchange in Heerlen with Elder Lundburg.  We taught a lesson to a man from Africa who was baptized a couple of months ago.  We taught him about doing baptisms for the dead for his ancestors.  He got super scared and said that he would never do it and that he was terrified of even the thought of it.  Apparently back in Africa, he saw some creepy things with people summoning their ancestors and a ton of weird black magic stuff.  We taught him how baptism is a saving ordinance and not everyone will get the chance to do it in this life, so it is our responsibility to do it for them.  I told him that his ancestors wouldn’t haunt him for doing it, they would give him a big hug and thank him! It was cool to see the change in him by the end of the lesson.  He now has an appointment on Sunday to get a temple recommend.

Wednesday I was on an exchange in Amsterdam with Elder Ames.  Elder Parr had forgotten his retainer, so we had to drive up to Zaandam to give it to him.  We ended up eating dinner with them.  Elder Parr´s companion is Elder Frisby! It was nice to kick it with some of my old companions.

Thursday we went all the way up to Arnhem to work with the Sisters for the day.  We were on trains for like 3 hours and by the time we got there, we only had like 30 minutes before we had to come back! But it was a good 30 minutes at least.  It was nice to get back home on Thursday night.  I had been on the road for 3 days!

Friday morning we drove up to The Hague for mission leader council.  We were so close to running out of gas and we couldn’t find a gas station forever, but we found one just in time.  The council was great! We got training on extending commitments.  This was President Robinson´s last council and it was a good one.  After the council, we had a waxing party! All of us went outside and waxed our cars.  On the drive home, we got stuck in a ton of traffic and it ended up being a 3 1/3 hour drive home.  We were an hour late for our dinner appointment! Luckily they were chill and understanding about it.

On my mission I have really been able to see my strengths and weaknesses at work.  One strength I have found is changing light bulbs! In the past month alone, I have changed 3 light bulbs and 1 smoke detector. Anytime we walk into someone’s house, they just hand me a light bulb and ask me to change it!

Also, miracle of the week.  We went through a car wash.  Like, the kind that you drive through.  It was the most excitement I have had in months! Haha.

This week we are looking forward to giving a zone training on Thursday down in Antwerpen, Belgium. Maybe we will even have some time to work in Eindhoven.  I have only had one full day where we got to work in Eindhoven, but so far it is a great city!

                                  -Elder Steenblik