haf way gone

This past week I hit my halfway mark. Nine months means I'm just as far in as I'll ever be out. Actually, I don't quite know what that means, but that lyric is from the ironic song, so I thought it made sense. ...maybe

 

It was a crazy week--but there was a lot of celebrating. Mostly with chocolate milk. And chinese food. BECAUSE IT WAS CHINESE NEW YEAR! Happy year of the horse, everybody! I hope it was almost just as great as the real new year. We met with our chinese investigator that day and she made us chinese dessert.... It was vegetable soup. No wonder those chinese people are so tiny. They have vegetable soup for dessert. Then we went and ate with a family that used to live in China. They are WONDERFUL.

 

The attribute of the week was faith. and I ahve no idea what to say about faith. But I know that it's the only way that we can get to the places we need to be and become the people we need to be. Faith to follow a prompting. Fatih to keep on going. Faith is hard. Sometimes, right when we think we understand it, it becomes a little more mysterious. But the important thing is that when we have faith, when we allow that light to be our guide, no matter how foggy the day, everything will turn out right.

 

I am over on time and dont have any idea what to say. Last week we went to the monument where the first baptism in the Netherlands was done--in the small crook of the canal. It's amazing what that miracle has become--and it's incredbile what is yet to come because of it. I am thankful for the pioneers--the ones who paved the way, the ones who have already blazed the trail, who have set the example, and whose footsteps I am now able to follow. I am so thankful for eh sacrifices. And I am thankful for those today who are willing to make those sacrifices still, to accpet the ultimate sacrifice that Christ made for us. And it was all along the trail of faith.

 

I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

 

xoxo

Zuster Hoff

i was on a boat

So this week...we went and visited a lady...who lived on an ISLAND. Vlieland! SO WE TOOK A BOAT THERE AND IT WAS SO COOL! Vlieland is the tiniest island right above the Netherlands. It's one of 5 and it has about 1,300 inhabitants. Anyway, while we were on this boat, we had to sing the song "I'm on a boat" but you see, being out of the world for so long does things to your memory of lyrics (which is probably good because that song might not have the best lyrics for anyone to listen to) so we made up our own version. It goes a little like this--

we on a boat annn

it's goin fast annn

we havin adventures on the way to and back from Vlieland--

we so north in the world on a boat across the sea-o

if you was on the shore, then you sure weren't we-oo.

 

We...are probably going to be famous after the mission. Don't worry, I will remember you all in my fame.

anyway. How was this week other than the boat ride? Great. We had zone training (so I finally got all my christmas cards... yay!) and we learned about prayer. It's a big deal, guys. Remember to say your prayers. Prayer opens the windows of heaven.

 

I went back to Assen on an exchange. It was terrible--I was so confused. I thought being so close and going back on exchanges would be so nice but it was weird! It was not nice. I was doing some illegal biking on a road where bikers weren't allowed--I saw the sign and suddenly: policemen! I almost cried. We shoulda gotten a big fat fine. Luckily, someone on the other side loves us a great deal.

 

The homeless man came to church yesterday. He sat in sacrament meeting and talked to himself. Again. And then he asked us all for money. Such is the life, right?

 

I dont know how I got the words to start writing in italics, but I cant undo it. So...pretend everything I'm saying right now is lovely and poetic.

 

Have a great week. Survive the cold. WE HAD OUR FIST SNOWFALL FINALLY! YAY!

 

Well--LOVE YOU ALL!

xoxo

 

Zuster Hoff