Kom op, yo!

 (By the way, yo is a totally normal way to refer to people here. Old people say it to each other.)

It was pretty cold here. Luckily, we can walk to the church from our apartment. It's just across the street! Makes it very easy. But yeah, it has been pretty dang icy here. People just deal with it for the most part, but everyone gets very lazy. "Oh, It's cold outside; I'll just wake up at noon and then go to bed at six." Maybe I just come in contact with lazy people, but that's how it seems.

We had an interesting week. We've found that when it's cold it's very easy as a missionary to waste time traveling to look people up that are far away rather than going and just contacting. Elder Silva and I decided we wanted to not do that, so we've been trying to contact more. Our week of contacting gave us an incredible..... 1 potential! WHOOO! AH YEAH. But for real, contacting in the cold blows. You would think more people would invite you in, but really people just tell you, "What are you doing outside? Go home!"

It felt good anyway, so I don't care what they think!

Other than that the work isn't going super fast, I'm doing really well. I have seen myself mature a lot since being out here. Though I must say, not at all in the way I expected. Rather than becoming this more somber and realistic person, I've just become much more comfortable with the man that I am, accepting my personality for the..... colorful, quirky one that it is, and using it as best I can! I like it a lot more than just becoming someone else!

Well, I have some good pictures this week! Get ready.

Elder Silva is tired of being Mormon, so he tried out Islam.

I found a black and white mode on my camera.

JET SET, JET SET, JET SET JET SET...............

Herbal tea is very big deal here; Elder Silva is trying to get used to it.

And lastly--Is this your given name? Or did you have to earn it?

sorry.... (some really terrible jokes in this post!)

Elder Shaw

Haarlem Week #7 (Mission Week #30)

This was a kinda crazy week. It just feels like I was very busy. Honestly, it feels like there often isn't enough time in a day to do all that we need to do. 

Got transfer calls. Elder Silva and I are...... STAYING! YEAH!

Okay, cool story. We got a call the other week from a girl asking to interview us. We went to do that this week, and it was awesome. She's graduating this year and said she wanted to do her graduating project on the Mormons. She said "something about it just felt interesting". Ha. We ended up pretty much teaching all the lessons in two hours. She was with her mom, too-- so we taught them both. They said they wanted to come to the church sometime (AH YEAH) and then she asked us if we would speak at her school next month. How cool is that?

Well, that's it for today.

Tot volgende week iedereen!

Elder Shaw

Elder Silva wanted his picture in these clogs REALLY BAD.

I know you can't read this, but Domino's thanked us for ordering a pizza with a special offer. Good PR.

Mooie weer, hé?

This week was long, and busy..... but not a lot actually happened. You know what I mean?

Well, this place is terrible for any sort of "I'm so holy" missionary. We went to a birthday party Tuesday night for an American member in the ward. He loves comic books and super heroes, so they made him a super hero cake-- that was the torso of a super hero. Oh, and that super hero was Super(WO)Man. Yeah. We all had a good laugh at it, then as we were leaving one of the ladies there gives us a little take home container. It was a bit of the cake. A boob. So.... yeah, we've had left over boob-cake for the past few days. Very good. Much fondant.

That's really my only story from the week.

Dutch New year-- Fireworks start at nine in the morning. At 11 at night, they fill the sky unceasingly, with constant bangs, until at least 2 in the morning. It's nuts.

Let's see. The best time of the day? Or something I just look forward to? Not planning, that's for sure. I just like teaching. It's when it feels real. Contacting just kinda destroys your attitude, but teaching actually feels like helping people.

Afrikaans is very similar to Dutch; it really is just old Dutch that has evolved in a different direction that current Dutch. Yeah.

Tot ziens is in fact correct.

Sorry, no pictures this week. Just didn't take any.

Elder Shaw

Haarlem Week #5 (mission week #28)

Friends getting married, friends getting pregnant-- I thought that was only stuff that happens to adults! I can't be an adult yet! I was never supposed to grow up.

So much for that! I'm feeling much better today. Still a little stuffy, and a tiny cough, but it's no big deal. I'm having a pretty good time. Got a new suit, and it looks good!

New year's was absolutely nuts! We weren't allowed out of the apartment after 4 in the afternoon. We were frustrated initially, but understood why much later. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! It puts the States to shame. People just go nuts. SO! Elder Silva and I cleaned our apartment, ordered pizza, and freestyle rapped on our balcony while the country went nuts. It was a fun day.

I must say I'm very happy that the holidays are over. People are finally open to making appointments. I'm looking forward to seeing the work progressing here in Haarlem. It's about time, you know?

I'm not sure the best thing about a mission here. As missionaries in the Netherlands we are blessed with many comforts, but the work moves slower. I would say that most people called here are very.... Self-actualized. They know that their personal worth isn't reliant on their baptisms. They get them anyway, but they know deep- down whether or not they are working their best.

Pictures!

Pizza and onesies! (*Mom note-- the family where they Skyped on Christmas Day gave Elder Shaw a Captain America onesie, and Elder Silva a Batman onesie.  They wore them while the Skyped at Christmas, and apparently got more use out of them on New Year's. It's the gift that keeps on givin'.)

"Elder Shaw! Guess what animal I am?!?"

Suits. Aw yeah.

Love you all!

Elder Shaw