In Rotterdam-- Week #1

I call these fine specimens of photography:

1: Soaked with bike

2: Soaked with Rotterdam

Holy cow so much has happened!

First, the story about me looking off to the side in the picture--

I was posing giving Sister Robinson a nice smile when a drunk old man walked up to us mumbling in Dutch. The AP's talked with him, but yeah, she took the picture right as he started talking to us, so I was looking at him. I didn't understand a word of what he said.

Yeah, I got "pie-ed" by a Sister Missionary, but that seems so long ago now! AGH!

Elder Taggart and Elder Shaw

Okay, my trainer is Elder Taggart. He's super funny and incredibly similar to me, which is nice. Also, he looks like Benedict Cumberbatch, except less weird. He's taught me so much already, and defends me from all the crazy Dutch questions thrown at me that I don't understand.

We're in Rotterdam! It's super pretty, you'll get some pictures. There are a ton of immigrants from various other countries here. It's super cool!

I have a bike..... It cost me a lot more than I expected..... 180 euros! Ugh! bedding isn't too big of a deal, but I'm going to get clothing today. I really hope I don't need more money, but it's entirely possible.

I love it here. And I have a ton of stories. First day we just hung around the mission office and home and took care of some paper work.

Then the second day I finally got into my area. After dropping my stuff off we went to go look for a bike. We didn't find one so we decided to go to an area and look for some inactives by the bus (by the way, inactives make up 75% of the ward). Well, it started to rain..... I got soaked. We didn't find any of the inactives but we ended up in a members home we didn't even know was there. She was there with her cousin, Ignacious(sp?), who happens to be the world #2 long jumper. The one that injured himself in 2008! He isn't a member, but loves studying with the missionaries when he can. We're hoping we can do more work with him. He's actually competing in Zurich this week.

Next day we finally found me a bike. However, I had to ride on the back of Elder Taggart's through POURING RAIN to get there. That sucked.

Other cool stories..... the members have been really nice to us. Most of them have a very interesting attitude toward the church. I'm not sure how to describe it.

Oh! We were riding back home from a dinner appointment on Saturday when a man (Elder Taggert thinks he was Moroccan) started yelling at us quite rudely. We were at a bike stop light (ugh, they're the worst) thus we couldn't really leave, but he just kept yelling at us. There were a lot of mother *$#@*& in his sentences.The Dutch people around us kept asking if we knew him. We didn't, and they were quite sympathetic to us. It was nice actually.

Oh! They have little triangles on roads that indicate who has to yield. Sometimes, it's the bikes that have to yield for cars. Well, I suck on a bike and didn't see some once and had to...... use Elder Taggert's body to help stop myself, but I ended up going a bit too far past them anyway. I did stop though! However, a police officer saw this, and came up to me; he was quite angry. He was speaking Dutch, and I didn't understand ANY of it. According to Elder Taggly Waggly the officer said I was lucky he didn't give me a 70 Euro fine. That was scary.

I apparently have a thing called greenie butt. Yeah, bikes suck.

Last day in the MTC, ya know, cuz Elder Shaw swag!

This is PART of the view from our apartment

More views from our apartment

Another view from our apartment

Artsy picture with Elder Swaggart:

And a chocolate ampersand. Apparently you give chocolate letters to people on one day of "Christmas" (there are three). I guess someone's name must start with one or something. It wouldn't surprise me--

Well, that's everything I guess. Sorry about the many spelling and grammatical errors. The computer is in Dutch, thus everything I do is highlighted in red and I don't have the heart to go back through and check it.

Love you all!

Elder Shaw

Arrival!!

Sister Fredrickson, Elder Andrew, Elder Shaw, Elder Steenblik, Elder Parr

Billy won't have a chance to email this week, so this is his old mom giving an update.  He was able to call from the airport yesterday, and it made my day (quite possibly my week, and my month! It was soooo good to hear his voice!) He is very excited to be out in the field, and he sounded happy.

I asked how the language was going, and he said he feels fairly confident.  He said that now he believes he has a capacity for learning languages-- Anyone that knows anything about Billy will see this as huge step for him... He has a tendency to be very self-deprecating when it comes to his talents and abilities-- almost as quick as he is to give praise and credit to the gifts of others.  So, the language is probably coming along quite nicely.  He was even able to speak some Dutch to us, and that was fun!

We received a nice email from Sister Robinson (the mission president's wife) and the pictures that I have included in the update.  It looks like Elder Shaw's new p-day will be Monday, so feel free to email him on Sunday if you want it to be current.  The time in the Netherlands is 7 hours ahead from the Central Time Zone.

Thanks for caring about Elder Shaw, and reading his blog.  He loves to hear what people think of his adventures and pictures!

Elder Shaw

Almost Done at the MTC!

The results of the haircut weren't too bad!

This warning tape showed up a few days ago in our class building. To prove there was no reason, I took this picture.

This week was fairly uneventful, but I have been playing soccer in the morning which has been fun. The other day I was playing keeper and having a perfect game. (Dad would be so proud!) Then, Elder Steenblick, who had been playing awesome defense (thus I relaxed once he had the ball) decided to score a goal on our own goal. Perfect game.... ruined by a goal on our own goal. I was mad.

This is the kid that scored the goal on our own goal blowing a bubble.

Let's see, I really am excited to get to The Netherlands. Our teachers have been talking it up; I just wanna get there! Put me in coach! I'm ready to play!

I got the package just now! I haven't looked at everyone's letters yet, but I pulled everything out! I'll go through it more thoroughly once I get back to rez.

It's makes me happy to know I'm able to maintain my reputation as the man who will wear anything once. A Sister had a yellow cardigan which I...... liberated from her desk. Another sister let me borrow her glasses. Thus, I looked like Arthur from that kids cartoon! Example! 

4 Weeks!

This is my companion, doing his thing.

Elder Parr, the one making me work out.

(This is in response to me asking him how to write "Dear", because I would like to learn a little Dutch.--T.S.)

I would probably say Geliefde, which translated is pretty close to beloved. But that's what you use in prayer and also in the scriptures. So that's what I would do. The language is coming along okay. Sometimes it's a struggle. The temple was wonderful, as normal! I'm working out super hard (did you think I could do 100 burpees? I didn't.) and it is really taxing. The travel should be the 4th.

This was at four in the morning Monday when I had to sign the Nords and Swedes out of their rooms (yay ZL responsibilties!)

This is Elder Israelson. He became a good friend to me in a quick time.

We get our actual plans on Friday. We found the article, but as that is mostly up to our mission president, our teachers said it is unlikely that we will get iPads. I haven't touched my card yet. I haven't had a need for it. But I can give it a shot.

Oh! By the way, Elder Hammond and I are now ZL's. I know it doesn't mean a ton in the MTC, but I'm happy to have the opportunity. I've been super tired this week, and I'm really looking forward to getting out in the country.

The other missionaries in the district like to make fun of how excited I am to get European suits. They just look SOOOOO much better. I hope I saved enough.

Some Dutch........ okay

Mijn zone is heel grappig. De Zenderlingen hebben anders maneeren en zij brengen mij veel blidschap. Het Evangelie van Jezus Christus is waar. I hou van jullie!

Tot sienz!

Elder Shaw

3rd Week Post

Things have been very busy. I spend a LOT of time in classes and it gets pretty exhausting. By the time I get back to rez all I want to do is sleep but Elder Parr has been making sure I get my work out in while everyone else watches and laughs. I try and speak to them in Dutch while I do, so I get a little more practice with that. Language has become more of a struggle the past few days. I feel like I'm not able to speak my mind and really get to know people. That has made teaching very hard for Elder Hammond and me. I feel like we spend more time saying "God loves you" and "you can pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true" than actually teaching people.

It's a bit of a struggle, and somewhat stressful. Luckily I get to go to the temple today, so that will be a great experience.

In somber news, one of our absolutely incredible teachers had his last day on Saturday. We were all really sad to see him go, because he's been such a great influence, example, and help to all of us in the class. We have so many teachers though, so it makes sense we would lose at least one.

I realized you forgot to teach me to sew a button this week. Luckily, I think Elder Hammond will teach me!

Elder Shaw

Two Weeks

Days move absolutely at a snails pace here, but weeks go by quickly. It's really rather strange. A lot has happened this week-- I'll try and say as much of it as possible.

For starters! The 4th of July was really interesting. We watched a movie which was nice and then went outside to watch the stadium of fire from behind the MTC fence. While there I tried to get everyone to join me in singing The Star Spangled Banner. I was about halfway through the song before I gave up because no one else joined in and just laughed and looked at me like an idiot. Then 5 minutes later someone else started it and everyone sang. I was not happy.

We received two very good devotionals. One was from an incredible pianist named Josh Wright. Watching him play was incredible; his hands moved so quickly they were difficult to follow. He spoke about his mission and learning of piano. Then last night Elder Neil L. Anderson addressed us. He spoke on the gift of the Holy Ghost and the spirit was very strong.

In more secular news Elder Parr (from my district) gave me a workout schedule and has been staying on me to do it. I hope I can get in shape before leaving, because I'm so unathletic.

Much Love

Elder Shaw

First MTC Letter

Hi Mom!

Finally P-day, yes. I cant really decide how I feel about the MTC. The spirit is strong, but the place is kinda a pain. The other elders are fairly nice, my companion is pretty quiet. I forgot my camera up in my rez-hall, so pictures will have to wait till next time.

The food is..... decent, but that's about all I can say. Language was going well until about yesterday, when I started to feel stupid. WE HAD MAGIC TUESDAY YESTERDAY. If you're wondering, that means we had to poop in way too small of a cup for our Belgian passports.

I have had way too many nosebleeds and trouble sleeping. But I'm working hard to stay positive.

Love ya!

Elder Shaw