Papua New Guinea Pig.

Hola! Now that I´m done with a FAR too long deep clean of the apartment and all kinds of other minor inconveniences (which are often the most frustrating kind), I´m here to email.

It has been a very long week. It feels like I haven´t emailed in forever. The movement of time on a mission is so inconsistent. Sometimes you sit and think "Dang, didn´t we just have Zone Conference yesterday?" and other times it´s like, "When was the last time I slept?"

First, it´s happening! Schiedam is exploding! We´re just pumped! We have way more people to teach and all sorts of other good things happening. It´s coming at a perfect time, too. Now that it´s getting dark earlier (dang daylight savings), contacting after the hour of 6 becomes really ineffective. It´s better than nothing, but it´s way better to teach than contact that late. Thus, we´re glad that we actually have people to teach now!

More cool things-- we went and had a big zone service project at the Salvation Army last Wednesday. We sorted clothes for the packages for refugees! It was a good time.... and in typical missionary fashion... by the end it was basically a big dress up party. Luckily the people working there found it very amusing! Otherwise.... there could have been issues. I must say I look pretty good in old lady floral print skirts and furry coats.

We traveled in Den Bosch, and had the concert in Eindhoven. It was definitely the best concert I´ve done so far. We were worried that we wouldn´t have enough room because it´s a very small church building, but we made it work and had a great evening. It was really odd..... We were absolutely swarmed for pictures afterward. I was frustrated because I was trying to talk to people and have a nice spiritual time, but instead I ended up being in a million pictures... Yeah, not a typical missionary problem.

Then we had Stake conference yesterday. I could hardly hear anything... but I enjoyed it anyway.

Well, I have pictures!

Conatti and I were going to go to the service project as twins! But he changed after this picture was taken. Dang, we didn´t even have tags on yet!

Elder Conatti really liked this...... blanket?

It´s been awhile!

You´re welcome everyone!

Lastly, these are a Dutch treat specific to Den Bosch. It´s basically a massive cream puff covered in dark chocolate. They have to be good for Elder Conatti to eat something so sweet.

Love,

Elder Shaw

"Boxtel is a great place. It´s pretty and smells like horse poop."

Once again, thank you Elder Conatti.

It happened. We had a great week! Elder Conatti and I managed to get in contact with multiple potentials and teach them! We even found someone for which we had the wrong address. We just "magically happened" to knock at the right door. Coincidence, my rear-end! It was nice to see that persistence pays off! Heck, with persistence, I could be a princess if I wanted. I´ve been learning a lot about the way that works, and that it´s an attribute I want to develop more and more. It feels good to work for things and have them work out just when you feel like giving up on it.

SO that was all very nice! Then, this week we worked in a Military Ward. So.... most of the members were American. It was a culture shock, but the appointments all ended up being amazing and the people were great. We met an adorable little boy that we were tempted to trade our stuffed bear for.... long story. But yeah, his parents asked him if he wanted to be a singing elder. He just put his hand up to his face and said "I can´t." We asked why and he replied, "Because I´m just a little boy." I about died, it was so cute! Like, do you ever have those moments where something is so cute you just want to hit things? Or are we just nuts?

I don´t have many stories really, but I do have some pictures!

I found her! I´ve been waiting so long to meet Beyonce!

Oh yeah! We had Temple conference this week! This is Elder Henderson (the other guy in our apartment.) We had a wonderful time there. And I had an interesting experience you may be hearing about soon.

This is a terrible picture of a beautiful city. Sorry.... it´s hard to get good pictures from a car.

Elder Conatti could be the next Yo Yo Ma (except that he's a cellist), if we could teach him how to hold a violin correctly.

Make muffins, not war.

Elder Shaw

And move from Kneeling Duck into Bruce Walrus.

I was leading the others in some yoga this morning. By that, I mean I was doing yoga and the others were watching me. I didn't know names for poses, so I made them up. Kneeling Duck and Bruce Walrus were just what came to my head.

Okay.... this week was... pretty uneventful actually. We practiced this week for a Christmas performance we are going to do! It´s going to be a lot of work, but SO fun! I´m very excited. Elder Hunter is still working on the script, but we already have two songs learned and we´re working on perfecting them.

Elder Conatti and I contacted a lot; we´re still have trouble actually teaching people.... but we have given away many copies of the Book of Mormon (it´s a great read; if you haven´t heard of it, check it out.) We´re powering through. It´s going great. We´re staying positive. I´m speaking in simple sentences in the present tense. It´s been one of those weeks where your mind gives up on complex syntax.

I´m sorry it´s short. There really just is not a whole lot to say about the week. 

A few pictures!

Look at the greenie and his trainer! SO CUUUTE! Also, you can kinda see our mattress arrangement in this. Mattress on the floor, two beds, oh, and my mattress is under the bed where they´re praying. We pull it out for sleeping time, but other wise it stays in there.

Look! the greenie!

Oh! And we get to go to the temple this week! Yay!

Love,

Elder Shaw

I no wan´ ladies, I wan´ batize.

Explanation: Elder Conatti actually has a perfect American accent. His English is actually better than that of most Americans (myself included). However-- he is very good at accents and always says funny things in different voices. The above was... some sort of accent saying "I don´t want ladies, I want to baptize." (I told him he was handsome.)

We had to prepare the apartment for the extra two Elders we received on Wednesday. They´re wonderful fellows! There was a lot of adjustment that had to be done, and our mattress arrangement is a tad unorthodox, but it fulfills its purpose just fine! We´re actually going to be around and practicing this week, so we have a good chance to get to know the other Elders before the schedule gets nuts.

We traveled in Breda this week; it was a lot of fun, and we were fed a lot! Like, a lot. We made two lunch appointments during traveling. I was appreciative of people going out of their way to feed us, but it was sooooo much. My poor little stomach was crying as I crammed it full of hearty Dutch cuisine. I think I gained weight. No joke. It was a lot of food!

Well, this is a little short this week because I had a ton of birthday emails to respond to! I´m sorry! But know that all your emails were very much appreciated! If you didn´t get a response, let me know. I´m pretty sure I got everyone though...

I have a few pictures!

Look at the moon...

...and the church that was next to it!

And look! A fixed post slot!

Keep it swill err´body!

Elder Shaw

Leeftijd is maar een nummer.

First thing I'll say is thank you for all of the birthday wishes, and special thank yous to Mike, Marian, Nana, and Grandma and Grandpa Shaw for your VERY generous gifts. You're all far too sweet!

In interesting news, we now have no investigators! This last week both of our investigators left the country. One is just to take care of her ill mother in Nicaragua and the other was Kris, who finally made his way to Ireland! Yep, transfers again, so we get another "restart" this transfer.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention transfers. Elder Conatti and I are staying, so no worries there. However! They are making our quite small apartment... into a four-man. I have absolutely no idea how we're going to do it, but we'll manage. ADVENTURE! The mission is certainly full of it. 

We were traveling in Eindhoven this week. It was very fun, and I had the opportunity to work with Elders Steenblik and Parr! It was fun seeing them. Appointments went well. No serious drama... Initially. Just a good time! Then on Sunday we went and sang in the Breda Ward. It was a little odd. This ward has been asking and waiting for us for a VERY long time. We felt like The Beatles, except that the average age of the audience was closer to 85 than to 15. No complaints from me! It was a great time.

Okay, here's where things get a little weird (as if the transfers weren't odd enough). We were staying in the now vacant senior couple apartment in Eindhoven during our work there. One day, Elder Hunter noticed that two pairs of his pants were missing. Then, on Sunday, Elder Conatti found that his suit was missing. Then we also realized that two of our coats had gone missing. We rummaged through the house searching for it all, but found none of it. Now.... We don't know what's going on, but we intend to get to the bottom of it. No matter what it takes.

Well, that's my week. I'm 20 now, and while I can say that I feel like a different person than when I turned 19, it certainly has nothing to do with my birthday! It has been an intense year.

I have some pictures.

Trying to get ready for travel always ends up looking something like this.

I just chilled and let Elder Connati do the work. ;)

Ain't he cute. It's just so easy to take pictures of him!

Translate this. It was an advertisement in a grocery catalog. Odd!

Have an awesome week!

Elder Shaw

Have Opel Corsa, Will Travel

I. Am. Beat. We had our performance in Apeldoorn on Saturday. Then the day after we had to be down in Eindhoven for church. Elder Muller wanted a break from driving, so I ended up doing most of it, much to the dismay of the other passengers. I didn't think I was bad at driving, but apparently....

It was a service week for the mission this last week, and we were able to do some service projects on Tuesday and Wednesday. It felt good to just go and do some work to help other people. I have a new appreciation for service since being on a mission. It did mean, however, that not much normal work was done in Schiedam this week.

Heck, the work here in Schiedam itself is just strange. I'm here so rarely that I feel like I still have no idea what's going on in my own area. I mean, we do have things going on and people to teach, but I always feel a bit lost when I'm here. I'm trying to stay focused on it though, because it's very important. It's really easy to be like "Oh, we worked so hard while traveling. We can take it a little easy this week." It's about getting past that and realizing that you have more to give. I hope that by the end of my mission I can say I gave it everything...

Elder Hunter got bounced around again by the medical system, so we won't really know what's going on until October. Yeah, I know. But there's nothing we can do about it right now. Luckily he's in way less pain, so the fun can continue!

Oh, funny story about the concert on Saturday. Elder Muller was SO sick. He had been feeling awful the entire day, and it became progressively worse throughout the day. It may have been nerves; I dunno, but he really felt crappy. Just before we began he went and threw up.... twice. We were (naturally) worried about him, but he made it through just fine and felt way better by the end of the night. 

Then, during Sacrament Meeting on Sunday an older lady fainted. She wasn't on the stand or anything, but she stood up to exit the room and just turfed it. Luckily the members sitting around her were very quick to action and managed to keep her from hitting the ground. The lowered her down and took her out to help her. I never learned what happened, but it was a tad surreal. I feel like we see more of those sorts of things than most people... Just part of being a missionary.

Pictures!

Service! We basically sanded this apartment for four hours!

This is Elder Frederico. We did service together on Tuesday. He's actually Elder Conatti's cousin. (no joke) Here he is in a little uniform. Fitting that his first name is Luigi, eh?

Preparing for the concert. They wouldn't smile at me.

Elder Hunter setting up the mics.

Look at him study his music! Isn't he just adorable?

'Til next week!

The Shaw!

Ellos hablan Twi

Okay, down to bweezness. We finally taught one of those potentials this week. It was a half- Spanish, half- Dutch lesson, and I was basically just confused the entire time. By the time it shifted back to Dutch, they had moved topics and I had to try and find what was going on. It was a fun adventure!

Oh, here´s an interesting little bit of information-- last Monday we went to go eat after emailing, and met this awesome inactive lady Taggart and I had met with when I was here before. She came out to have lunch with all of us and we had a good time. Then we went back a few days later and had an appointment with her that was very uplifting. Safe to say, I am totally her favorite missionary and she´s going to come back to church and really enjoy it. Astrid, I know you´re reading this. I hope you enjoyed it. Also, I´ll do my best to fix your mail slot!

Anyway, we traveled a bunch this week. It was so much time in a car, but the appointments we had made it worth it! It´s always a nice experience getting to know so many people, even if it´s super hard to remember names. So many "Van De"s and "Van Der"s and "Van Den"s-- it can get very confusing. I´m sure it´s easier if you´re from the Netherlands, but for an American... difficult.

Anyway, I have pictures!

This is where the GPS brought us once.... there was nothing there.

We thought it fitting that this is a plus size store!

Long drive

This kitty did not like when I tried to pick it up. Luckily we got this picture before that.

We went running with a Greenie in Amersfoort! Isn´t he cute!

Conatti took a really blurry picture of half dead flowers!

That´s it!

LOVES!