Snoooooow

Woke up this morning to snow.  This picture is not very good but you can see the snow on our car. We had less than an inch. I had to drive to the temple which is about a half hour away. Some of the roads were slushy but I didn't slide.

Behind our house.  It has been snowing all day and now the streets are white. Last year they didn't have any snow but guess what,  I'm here and so I guess we will get a lot.

Across the street. Its too dark outside now to get a picture.  I hope it melts before church tomarrow or I"ll have to drive a half hour to get there.  Maybe I"ll have Elder Robison drive.

Washer

These Elders were without a washer for about 3 weeks. After our caroling we went and installed a new washer for them.  They were very happy. Elder Silva and Elder Shaw.

2nd Christmas

They celebrate two days at Christmas so our zone decided to go caroling. We met at the church and practiced and then ate lunch.  We had about 24 of us and I provided the lunch.

We had pulled pork sandwiches ,chips, fruit and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Elder Yocom and Elder Evans

We sang in the town square in Haarlem.  That is where they filmed "The Best Two Years". We would sing an english song like Rudolph, jingle bells, white christmas, and then a church hymn in dutch. When people stopped to listen, the missionaries would go talk to them and hand out mormon.org cards.  They gave away a few Book of Mormons and got some referrals.  It was a great day.

Christmas Dinner

Elder Robison, Brother Van de Putt, Elder Carter and Elder Ames.

Brother Gfeller, Sister Faasavalu, Sister Thomas and Sister Van de Putt.

Sister Robison and Sister Gfeller

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Yummy pear salad 

Lovely dinner

Great food, even applemoes, ham and pork tenderloin. We had two great desserts and watched some church videos.  The piano guys video had a special surprise for Sister Thomas.  Her sister was in it. She was one of the extras when they were showing Mary and Joseph and the baby.

Christmas

Here is our tree with all our presents.

We got new pictures from Jenny and an apron and foot powder for dad. Julie gave me a cute cook book with pictures that said "feed my sheep" and dad some new sweat pants. Jeremy gave us new pictures and ranch packets and taco seasoning mix, chocolate bars and a new picture calendar.  We each got a jar with memories for each day of the year from everybody. We got peanut brittle, carmels, nut mix, chocolate mints, and fruit cake from Howard and Betty. 

We also got Christmas cards from everyone and these special homemade ones from the Battys.

Ties

Elder Yocum, Elder Elkins, Elder Torniainen, Elder Johnson, and Elder Evans. Elder Yocum's Mom sent the office missionaries Christmas ties.  She happens to be friends with Elder Elkins Mom.  She had the same idea so when Elder Elkins opened his mothers package in the office it was time for a picture.

Belgium

Here is the Nativity they were setting up last time we were here.

Sister Robbins, Sister Lemich , Sister Johanson, and Sister Doxey

This is in the town square.  Lots of gold on buildings.
 

Elder Robison. 

Elder Johnson

    We were all in Belgium to get residency in Belgium because it is part of our mission.

Eating french fries.  They think they invented them so they should be called Belgium fries. We also had another belgium waffle. They are to die for. Lots of strawberries and cream.

White elephant party

We had a white elephant party at the McGhies.  I think they invited the whole branch. Good appetizers and desserts.  I brought the ham roll ups.

Josie explaining how it works.

The best white elephant.

The Moores got 5 bags of funyuns which they hung on the tree. We ended up with mint double stuffed Oreos and a snake in a can.  I wanted the Piano guys Christmas CD , but it was frozen.  On Sunday the Gormans( the couple with the paid shirt on) gave us one for Christmas.  We listen to it in the car all the time.

The McGhies lived in Russia before the moved to the Netherlands and these are from Russia.

Their home was decorated beautifully.

Moving Susan Anneveldt

On saturday we moved a lady we home teach, Susan Anneveldt.  She was born in South Africa. She was suppose to eye surgery last week but on Thanksgiving she went to dinner with us at the McGhies.  She was given a blessing.  When it came time for the surgery they did a test and said her eyes were stablized and she didn't need surgery.  She just has to wear special contacts. She has a degenerative eye disease and said she could go blind but I guess the blessing worked and now she is pretty happy.  

In closing her apartment the same, taking out all the light fixtures, curtains, ect.  Cleaning up the yard. Moved all her furniture to a storage shed because right now she lives with her Mother and takes care of her.

Heillo

We had to close this apartment because it had lots of mold in it. We had to go and clean it. We had to take out all the carpet and linoleum. This is the apartment we lifted the couches over the railing and lowered them down with a rope.

We were glad to be done with it.

Branch Christmas Party

They had lots of clothes for people to dress up and get their pictures taken.  

The youth of our Branch and the missionaries .

District training

President Van Dam mopping the floor.  He and his wife came here in November and they made him the Branch President in Den Helder.  They were in charge of the food for lunch.

Elder Robison drying the floor.

Sister Van Dam cutting up apples for lunch.

She made a giant pan of soup.  Elder Robison was dishing up.

We had 28 of us for lunch. 

Christmas Packages

These packages are for the Amsterdam and Den Haag Zones.

Thses

These are for the Apeldorn Zone.

These are for the Eindhoven Zone

These are for the Rotterdam Zone.  They had already taken the Antwerpen Zone presents so I didn't get a final picture.  They were going to Belgium. The missionaries had a lot to carry besides their presents.  The brown boxes with the labels are cases of Book of Mormons. Only the Zone leaders have cars so most of the missionaries are on bikes or have to ride the bus or the train to get all of this home.