Week #3 in Rotterdam

 Phrases from English translated to Dutch straight up just don't work out most of the time. I try and keep them as simple as possible because of that. Is het Nederland leuk? (Is the Netherlands cool/fun?)

Still no coat, or anything else really for that matter. Though I was given an old man cardigan by a man in the ward. His name is Brother Thiel and he and his wife have us over for dinner all the time. It was a really cold day and when he saw I didn't have a coat he gave me an old sweater. It's massive, but very warm. I was grateful for that. But yeah..... I'd like that coat. We'll see if I EVER get clothing here.

Things feel often like they just don't go your way here. I think God is cooking up some sort of curve ball to throw at me, but I have yet to see what it is. He's been walking me a lot lately, not even giving me a chance to swing and hit the ball. Maybe I should just take out the stupid umpire. Baseball joke and metaphor aside, yeah, I've felt a little bit down this week. I feel sometimes like maybe I didn't actually bring any useful or impressive talents on the mission. Everyone around me is so good at everything. I can hardly bring myself to draw anymore (you'll understand when you see what Elder Taggart did for Dylan's birthday). My voice chokes and dies whenever I try to sing. Yeah, I'm struggling a little bit. We've been dropped by a lot of investigators and people don't seem to understand when I try to speak Dutch. Things will get better...... I hope.

Typical missionary day...... Hmmmm

6:30-- (attempt to) wake up

7:00-- shower, exercise, eat breakfast, that sort of thing (assuming you completed waking up)

8:00-11:00-- study

11:00-12:00-- lunch, finish getting ready, get out the door.

12:00-whenever you decide to do dinner-- teaching, finding, proselyting

after dinner-9:00-- more teaching, finding, proselyting

People here mostly make either Bami (little bit of meat, lot of veggies, and noodles) or Nasi (little bit of meat, lots of veggies, and rice). They're spiced in a very Asian way and pretty good..... But I had Bami 5 times last week. That's not including the leftover from what Elder Taggart made at the beginning of the week that we ate. I dunno.... that's most of what I've eaten. There is this good Surinamen soda that they sell called Fernandez everywhere. I've had a little of that. I just eat a little of what's in front of me. That's how it goes.

I think I only got one picture this week, but I'll try and get a few more next time.

Love you all!

Elder Shaw

This made me laugh really hard. If anyone remembers the old cartoon Gundam, this was a statue built next to a skate park. It's a gundam..... I needed a picture of it. It's just too dang funny. Oh, Dutch people. They're so bizarre