Monday, July 27, 2015

Ik ga even op het dak plassen

By the way, I´m giving no context for that. It´s way funnier without it.

Well, this week has been interesting. I should explain something about Dutch culture. Once summer rolls around, everything changes for vacation. Public transportation schedules are different, and half of the country is gone.... for the entire summer. During this time.... missionary work slows down to octogenarian speeds. It´s awful. Investigators leave on vacation and come back no longer interested. People you contact almost never live in your city, So they just wave you off. You know, how could a church possibly be in more than one city? (I actually know why they think like this; it doesn´t make it any less annoying.) Because of this, Elder Muller and I have made it a goal to rewrite contacting. There are a lot of methods used by missionaries here, but we feel like there are more effective ways we can do it. Especially since we have less time to contact now, we need to find ways to make it as effective as possible.

Anyway! My week has been interesting. A lot of appointments were cancelled.... or people just flaked out. It makes it difficult to feel positive about your day when you can´t teach. Annoying. However, WE GOT A MEMBER REFERRAL! It´s a special privilege to be trusted with something like that, and it doesn´t happen much here in The Netherlands. But we´re excited to have the opportunity.

Oh, we taught a lesson at the beginning of the week with a guy that thought he knew a lot more about our religion than us. I can sum it up--he thinks that our church was ACTUALLY started by The Knights Templar. Oh, and he kept trying to relate to us by referring to us collectively as "Judo-Mormonistic peoples". Yeah, he really did not understand what we said and actually had no desire to. He still wants to meet with us though.... So I am SUPER confused.

We also taught some Jamaicans. They were super cool. They didn´t show up to church on Sunday, but I´m sure they have a reason. At least I hope they do. I would hate to find out that they were just being lazy. Because that´s what I´ve run into daily on my mission.... I wish there was an effective way to type a sigh.... Maybe.... HEEEeeehhhhhh. It´ll do.

OH! Also helmets! I´ve been made fun of a lot. People will point and laugh at us. I´ve been told that I should be on a scooter if I´m going to wear a helmet. We get honked at regularly. The members are worried about us. When we told them that we have to wear helmets they were amazed. That´s how odd it is in this country. I was speaking with Sister Bunnell a few days ago about it. We talked about how you don´t look as weird if you´re on a racing bike and wearing spandex. That´s right. This is probably the only circumstance where wearing spandex would make us look less weird. So I´m looking into spandex suits. I don´t think they exist.

Anyway, that about wraps it up. I have pictures, but they aren´t interesting enough to merit putting up. It´s been too cold and rainy for nice pictures.
 
Have a good week! I love you all!

Elder Shaw

Monday, July 20, 2015

Dawn Of The Dweebs

There is a ripple running through the mission: women crying, much pain, death counts are in the hundreds. That´s right.... Helmets are now required! It has caused a lot of murmuring in this mission and no one is excited. We´re hanging in there, though. I need to go buy one today.... Yay.

It was just a really odd week in general. We didn´t have a ton of time to teach and find, because we had to do a ton of crap. We were practicing and had to clean out the old Rotterdam apartment. That took so much longer than it should have. It´s amazing how gross some missionary apartments can get. I was frustrated, but this week should go better. Most of our investigators are on vacation. Really frustrating. But we´re hanging in there.
 

Oh, by the way-- I´m teaching Julia (we´re still not sure how she spells her name) again! She disappeared while I was here, but she started coming to church again and wanted to meet with us! I´m so excited to be able to teach her again! It´s been a cool experience to come back. A lot of people were happy to see me, other people were like "Who is this queer?" Ha!

It´s so odd being in this city again, really. It´s feels so familiar yet foreign at the same time. I think I need more time here before I´m used to it. Luckily I have my nerd to help me through it!

Well, I do have a few pictures!
 

First off, CATS! FINALLY!


Oh, the Rotterdam metro. How I haven´t missed it at all. These things are such a pain. You spend so much time on them!


Artsy picture of companion. So necessary!
 
 
 
 
 
I love all of you! 

Elder Shaw
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, July 13, 2015

Pak zijn been, man.

This has been one of those odd weeks of my mission. We had to do so much!

Let´s see, where it really began was Wednesday with transfers. I had to move all of my stuff to an apartment that is in one of the least convenient locations of all time. We arrived in Rotterdam carrying my bags and then realized that we didn´t have the apartment keys.  So, we carried the bags all the way to the other apartment where we could get the keys, then hopped on the metro and went to our apartment. Luckily they were the right keys (we weren´t sure). Oh, then we had to go back to get more bags and stuff so that the apartment was inhabitable.

Oh, so my new companion is Elder Muller, he´s very tall, a big nerd, and lots of fun! Oh, to make it more interesting, he´s from Melbourne, Fl. And yes, he is in Grandma and Grandpa´s stake! He was super surprised when I told him I knew the area, and that I had been there on MANY occasions. We´ve had great fun talking about places to eat and fun stuff to do. 

Well, the rest of the week was spent up North. We traveled, had some appointments with members, then got ready for the performance. Saturday, I was still learning music.... for the performance that evening. In fact, the actual performance was my first time running the entire thing at once. I was scared initially, but while doing it.... I was okay! It went pretty well. Then we had to drive home afterwards. Yeah..... We didn´t get home until REALLY late. REALLY late. 

Anyway... things should be simmering down a little for the next few weeks. I´m looking forward to a little break.

Sorry I don´t have any pictures. I think my battery messed up on my camera. I'll fix it and then send you some pictures next week!

Da´s how it lookz? Da´s how it iz!

Elder Shaw

Monday, July 6, 2015

Amigos, ik heb zo veel gegeten. (Elder Conatti says this all the time)

Well, we just got some interesting news. The plan had been that I would be staying in Leiden, receiving the new Elder for the singing group, and then life would just go on from there while we took a transfer off for him to learn the music. But, while rehearsing last night at a member's home... we got transfer calls. Leiden is being closed. I'll still be with the new member of the singing group, Elder Mueller. However, I will be going to an area called Capella a/d IJssel. Since you probably don't know.... that area is literally right next to Rotterdam North. In the same ward actually. Oh, and Rotterdam North is closed... which means that's our area, too. So yes... I'm going back to my first city. Just as a singing elder.

This would be a much easier transition if we weren't performing this week. I'll be doing the production for the first time on Saturday! AGH! Also, we'll be working in another city Thursday and Friday. So... we have today and tomorrow to get our apartment all ready for being closed and for practicing. Wednesday I have to move all of my stuff down to Rotterdam. And then, yeah.

Basically, if I make it through this week then I'm a superhero. Seriously, someone that isn't a superhero couldn't do it. I'm fully expecting to just pass out at some point.

Anyways, working in Assen went well. We had less appointments there than we have had in almost all the other cities, but it was fun. We actually ended up having a little 4th of July grill with a family the Sisters in Assen are working with. It was a fun night. The meat destroyed us all and we had some tummy trouble, but it tasted really good, so it was worth it. Other than that, just singing and working with people.


Well, I have some pictures!





One of the windows in our car busted, so we got creative!

WAFFLES, HO!

The Band's all here.... and melting.

Whipped cream, gotta love it.

America Day!

Conatti and the Monkey.
Well, that's it. I'll update you from Rotterdam next week!

Loves,
Elder Shaw