Skype and Heartbreak, which are not related

So... I'd say this week was up and down, but really, it was a great week, in which really sad things happened.

I'm going to be totally honest and just say very first that I did not see this transfer call coming. Sister Brown and I were so sure that we were staying together for another transfer that we had even started making a few goals! So strange. I'd be lying if I said that I'm not super sad to see Sister Brown go, though I know that all good things must come to an end. I just hoped the end was a little further off! However, I am psyched that she is going up to Leeuwarden with Sister Clement, one of my favorite people in the universe, and I'm also excited to be getting Sister Verdegem! I've never met her, but I've heard great things, and if nothing else, I'm sure we'll have a love of Vlanderen in common. :)

Another thing, this week was SO good, but it was so hard. It seemed like everything was against us for most of it. We experienced tons of rain, lots of cancelled appointments (for which we already had joint teaches coming), several really hard rejections (as in more than just "geen interesse" or "geen belangstelling"Interpretation: not interested), and some major let-downs with people who used to be progressing. Basically, as far as investigators go, this week was HARD. But as far as members go, it was amazing! We had 5 dinner appointments, which was a miracle in and of itself, but even greater was that through them, our relationships with the members have already grown so much! I love this ward.

Aside from dinner appoinments, we also got some appointments with less or inactive members in the ward. It's incredible to see that many of these people LOVE the church, they just are afraid to come back or like to sleep in. They're missing out on so many blessings! One of my favorite things to testify about is the sacrament, though. I love to talk about what it's meant to me in my life. I know that the Sundays I didn't have an opportunity to take the sacrament because I was working made for weeks that were much more emotionally, spiritually, and mentally difficult than any other time in my life. The Sacrament really lifts an unseen, spiritual burden. It's real.

So actually... That's one of the reasons that this week was so good as well - I really feel like my testimony of the atonement has grown. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, did not suffer and die just so that we could get through things like deaths of loved ones or big sins or things that are huge like that. This week, I used the atonement for little things. Things that weren't really that big of a deal, but they mattered to me, and they were hard for me. And it worked. I gave them to Him and he took them. And that's been such a relief for me. I feel refreshed and re-enthused about finding new people and working with the ward and stoking the fires of testimony in these Utrechtenaars!

Anyway. That's pretty much it as far as this week goes. In general anyway. I was terribly excited to hear from Sister Mizell that Ma., our cute little neighbor lady from Turnhout, will be baptized this coming Saturday. She's come so far, and I'm so excited that she'll be able to be sealed to her late husband someday afterward! Also, I LOVED talking to you yesterday. Many thanks to R.V.S., one of my favorite members, for making it possible. :) I sure love you people a lot. :)

SO MUCH LOVE

Zuster Anjewierden

Pictures- Us at Bagels and Beans, This is the only place I've had REAL cheesecake on this continent. SO GOOD.

Us on the canal eating a broodje (sandwich) from Broodje Mario. The members LOVE that place. It was delicious!