Week #10 in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hey team!!!

This week was super great! 

First we Did the Turkey Bowl for Zone p-day in honor of Thanksgiving. It was my first time playing football like that. It was super fun and super cold. I imagine it's more fun with more Americans and better football players. Either way it was a good time. 

Wednesday we had temple conference! It was so great to finally go to the temple after a year! Last year when I went I was still a pretty new missionary and I hardly spoke any Dutch, but this time around I am an old missionary and I speak just a little more Dutch. It was so great. Being in the house of the Lord is truly a special experience. I did the work for a family friend  of my Dad, it was so special to take her name through and do her work. I am thankful that we are able to do the work of salvation for the dead and help them accept the gospel. God is good.

Thursday it was Thanksgiving!! We had a huge Thanksgiving dinner with all the Amsterdam missionaries and a few members at the church. We all brought some food and we had a ton! I am grateful for my friends here and the chance that we have to come together and have a great time. I am also grateful for the community of the church and great members!!

 Saturday we went on exchanges with the Almere Sisters and I was with Sister Hayes!!!! Wow, she is a soul mate!! She is so great. I LOVE HER!!! We had such a great time. We taught a few lessons. She put cornrows in my hair and we had a blast contacting people. She is a power house and knows how to work! Thank you Sister Hayes for being an example to me. 

We had a few great lessons this week with our future convert, Thomas. He is accepting the Gospel like a champ. We taught him the commandments and he told  us that he has already been living them because he just felt like he needed to change his ways a few years ago. HE IS SO PREPARED. It's just like when I was teaching Marianella, my convert in Antwerpen. When they are prepared, they are prepared. WOW!!!!!!!! So we are very excited for our baptism in a 2 weeks.  

Last night we had a surprise party for Elder Whitlock. It was his birthday and the sisters made a pie and we made cookies and the elders made popcorn and provided couches. We throw great parties on our street. We are looking forward to another surprise party this week. 

Something I've learned this week is that blessings come to those who wait. We go through trials so God can test us and see how we react, and when we have patience and faith God blesses us. I know that God always knows what is best for us even when we desire something else.

Also here is a pic of all of us on the street with our bikes. We look super sick!

I hope that you all have a great week! Happy start to the Christmas season!!!

Zuster Acheson