goede dag! 4/30/08

Hi family!!! Another wunderbare week in the MTC! We've has lots of goodbye's this week - two of my roommates flew off Monday for Denmark. It was kind of a bummer because Sister Burton was totally a kindred spirit - similar music but more importantly similar approaches to life and missionary work - but things are getting better with my comp, so the loss isn't too harsh. We also said goodbye to the Dutch Elder here in the MTC, Elder Koenen - but not before he made us some sweet pictures to go along with prophets and the Plan of Salvation. His job in Appeldorn was graffiti art, so they're way cool drawings. I mean highly uplifting illustrations of gospel principles. ;) Anyway, he's now off in Suriname preaching the gospel, but we all snagged a photo with him, so I'll try to get that send home soon. We also bid farewell to both our teachers. It's good Brother Ure left tho since all the sisters in our branch were totally smitten with him. I liked the way he taught the best, but our new teacher, Brother Bradley, teaches Dutch so well and I'm learning to like him too. On Friday we had an English fast with the intent that we'd speak Dutch all day. It was kind of a head ache but a good illustration of how far we have to go. But I suspect within a couple weeks I'll be at the same speaking level in Dutch that I'm in French (after years of it as a kid and three semesters at BYU) - the gift of tongues is amazing! You still have to work and struggle and labour for it, but it's real nonetheless. On Friday we had MPC's (the mystery acronym meaning a one on one interview with our teacher - Missionary Progress Check?), which were quite illuminating. I really do love the MTC and told my teacher so. My district is amazing (they make being a solo sister so easy), and I've found the only thing keeping me from basking in the Spirit here is my own perfectionism and self-criticism. When I just chillax and enjoy it, I can learn so much here. Then Brother Ure asked me how the Lord feels about me. Basically he went off about my perfectionism, and how I am truly the only thing holding back my progress. "You're incredibly intelligent, Sister Baxter! You're incredibly capable! I think the reason this district has progressed with the language so fast is due to you in large part!" Well, I wasn't about to argue with that, but it was nice to hear. =) But mostly it was a good discussion about how the Lord motivates us to do better - not by lecturing us or telling us to shape up, but through love. Of course I got humbled later that day in comp inventory. Apparently I dominate everything. Elder Berry, after hemming and hawing for 5 minutes, finally aired his feelings that my side of the class is "boisterous" - i.e., we tend to talk to most in class discussion. I was a little perturbed by it at first (learning has always been a competetive, solo effort for me), especially because I've been trying to hold back, but it's good for me to focus on the progress of our whole class. In the MPC when I asked Brother Ure about it, he said I should just not answer questions unless I already know the right answer. But my district is doing great and I think I'm doing better.On Sunday Elaine S. Dalton (YW Gen president) came and spoke. It was amazing! Just a good lesson on not turning back when you're climbing hills (she's a hard core runner). I love how much we can learn here. We had a large group meeting about the atonement, and saw clips from Elder Hollands 2000 MTC Address "The Atonement and Missionary Work" (if anyone could find that on lds.org and dear elder it to me, I'd love it!). There were some great lines about why missioanry work is challenging: "I am convinced conversion is such a difficult process because salvation is not a cheap experience." The whole talk sounds amazing.Elder / Sister relations here in the MTC are hilarious. I've been called Sister DeMass twice more, which is especially funny since he and I are so not each other's types. But I hear "transfers" are coming soon and another class elder will soon be my class companion. So that'll be good to work with someone new. On a funnier note, one of the departing Danish Elders gave a letter to my elder to give to me to give to one of my roommates, a church history sister going to Kirtland. She opened it to read, "Hey Sister Olsen, we should e-mail. Here's my e-mail address." Her response - "Who is that Elder? Have I even met him?" It was so funny. I think they met possibly twice. I'm kinda glad I don't have to deal with distracting the Elders. =)On Monday we taught in the TRC (where we have a Dutch language task and then teach a discusssion in English, for now), and we taught an RM who served in Holland and his friend. His friend had the coolest rbight orange and blue checkered vans slip ons and a Cure shirt, and it didn't make me trunky by any means, but it was a wonderful reminder that there is a world were men don't wear white shirts 24/7 and runs in knee-highs are not a concern. Brother Ure was mock shocked and appalled when I said teaching them made me miss going to shows. I really do love being a missionary, but it was nice to remember there are so many different people out in the world. I love the variety of humanity and I'm excited to see it more in the field. Well, by virtue of being the only remaining sister in my branch, I am now the coordinating sister - but luckily we get 4 English sisters and 1 Danish sister today! The Dane will probably join me and Sister Gill's companionship to make a trio. Things are going much better with Sister Gill. We still pretty much only have 13 y/o boy humor in common, but I've learned not to be so sensitive. We just work very, very differently. For example, when I asked if we were going to go ou to the field for gym time, her response was a flat out no. "So could we compromise? Like go outside once a week?" "Uhm, no. I'd rather do ellipticals." That really floored me - I'm used to super un-aggressive people. But a couple days later she broached the topic again and we've worked it out. I've decided I need to just not take things so seriously. Sensitivity and perfectionism are definitely my two goals for self-improvement.Sorry my letters are so scatterbrained - I want you all to know how much I miss you, but how much I love being here. Even if I went home right now, this experience would have changed my life - but I'm so glad I'm not going home yet. I know the Netherlands will be difficult, but so would any mission - and I'm realizing more and more that I really haven't gone through anything that difficult in my life. The mission will be challenging and hard, but that's one of the best ways to develop faith. Mostly I'm just trying not to borrow trouble by fretting about it before I get on the plain to much. I thought I wouldn't be homesick at all, and I was so wrong! But it's a good kind of homesick. =) I realize every day how cool my family really is. You all are incredible. Thank you for all your love and support. Until next week! Love, ChristaP.S. Tell lauren her letter was AWESOME and I'm totally writing her back!Dad - I'm sorry your Asia trip was so long, but all those different cultures sound so interesting! It susprised me to hear Korea is more Western than Japan. And the contrast of old and new in China sounded so fascinating!Erica - Thansk for telling me about Aryan! So far I've onyl taught Dutch RMs in the TRC but it's so cool to hear about Dutch converts, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for him!Jamie - Those adoption meetings sound so interesting, especially hearing from Birth Moms. I'm totally jealous I missed Alisa's baby shower - you should send me pictures! =)Alisa - I'll write you this week!Also, items of business for the fam:1. How's my iPod? There should be a year warranty if it's still broken, and I don't think that expires until this August. Enter the bar code on the back at apple.com to find out.Ah no time! Love you all! I'll write home more!

goede daag mijn familie!!! 4/23/08

Hi! I'm so excited to be able to e-mail you all! First off, I really need tothank everyone for all the letters and notes. It's been fabulous! I thinkI'm making my district a little jealous... they make vaguely jealous soundsalong the lines of "Let's go check the mailbox... Zuster Baxter's probablygot a letter. Again." So thanks for showing your love! I made a list of things to write about to hopefully this will be less ofa brain dump than last time. First off, I'm surrounded by sick people!!! Mycomp possibly has tonsilitis and a sinus infection and threw up last night.Another roommate was coughing up blood this morning (although she says shefeels fine). An Elder in my district has migraines and was nauseated lastnight. So hopefully I pull through okay! We also got two new roommates last Wednesday - Sister Olsen and SisterSchiess. They're both going to church history missions and are hilarious.Sister Schiess and I have had some good chats about perfectionism andidentity as a missionary. It's been nice to actually be the comfortingsister (as opposed to the one running around like a chicken with its headcut off). It made me realize that it is rather miraculous that I haven't hadmore of an identity crisis while here. I guess I' m realizing my personalitydoes indeed shine through, even if there's no e.e. cummings or Radiohead toback up my shallow sense of self. ;) Plus a solo sister it's not very hardto feel unique... Of course, being a solo sister makes for some great male-femaledynamics. For the Teaching Evaluation Center (we teach discussions toteachers who give us feedback) and the Teaching Resource Center (Where wepractice language tasks like tracting in Dutch and then teach a discussionin our language eventually, but just English for now) I work with ourdistrict leader, Elder DeMass. He's been pretty great abotu working with asister, even though one of our teachers almost called me Sister DeMass theother day. Hrm. =) Elder Berry and I also get along pretty well... the otherday he said I remind him of his sister. I pointed out I was not the first todescribe our relationship as such (I just remember too many Elders whiningabout sisters treating them like little brothers). Yesterday he said Ireminded him of a girl he dated. "No, like we were just really good friendsthough!" If tomorrow he tells me I'm like his mom, the Oedipal Complex willbe complete. Elder Helton is such a solid missionary. He's quiet, but whenhe bears his testimony it's so real. I really am blessed to be with thisdistrict. Our teachers are great, but both are leaving soon, one for hishoneymoon and the other for an internship in Africa. Our new teacher is abit more on the Utah Mormon smiley side of things, and I kinda have a hardtime taking him seriously all the time, but I need to repent and learn tolearn from all types. Plus he explains Dutch grammar and such so much betterthan our other teachers, so that's nice. Brother Ure, the teacher headingoff the Africa, gave us a nice little interrogation of our testimonies theother day. It was interesting to see him playing devil's advocate and, evenmore so to see how many of the questions he threw our way were questionsthat've been bothering me since taking Lit Theory II last fall. It wasinteresting to debate the possibility of true objectivity in the gospel -how do we know the Holy Ghost is real and not just something we've trickedourselves into wanting to believe? But in the end we settled on Alma'sdiscourse on faith as a seed, and john 7:17, and really acting on the gospeland not just accepting it because it feels nice and fuzzy. It was really,really therapeutic to verbally debate out loud these questions I've beenpuzzling over the past few months. Plus I got to use words like paradigm andveracity, and that just made me happy. Overall the experience helped meglimpse how God really does prepare us for what we need to accomplish inlife - even though that class caused me a lot of epistimological (I missspell check! and wikipedia!) grief, I see know it's been good to reallythink through and ponder why I believe and know what I do, before I gopreach it in a pretty agnostic country. God is awesome. One thing Brother Ure brought up the other day was how much he lovedhis mission and how heartbroken he was to come home. It gives me hope that Ireally can fall in love with the Dutch people, even though I know it'll be ahard mission. But all missions are hard, and I know this is where I shouldbe. So it's all good. It's crazy how much we learn here. The past week really has beenamazing. Whether playing a grammar game based on big booty to help us learnDutch rules [that was a funny scenario on Friday night, and quite a contrastto how I usually spend my weekends], or debating the merits of Tolkien andtreehuggers and WWI at the dinner table, or singing Dutch hymns all daylong, I constantly find myself marveling at what really goes on at the MTCand how fun it can be. People here are incredible. I've even bonded a bitwith my comp over our mutual propensity towards farting jokes. "There'snothing like reducing to the lowest common denominator to find commonground," I told her when she said she was relieved we had something incommon after all. Oh, good times. Sundays at the MTC are great! We got to see Music and the SpokenWord and it was SO COOL to hear Wagner! Real music again! Hymns here areamazing and the MTC choir is fun, but it's great to hear new music socomplex and glorious and beautiful. We also got to see the Joseph Smithmovie Sunday night. That room is set up with stadium seating, and it was sobizarre seeing elders comforting other elders. I've never seen so manyElders running their hands over the comps' backs. Incredibly awkward toobserve. Occasionally there are still stressful times, but overall I'mcoming to really enjoy the MTC. And whenever I think about being back atBYU, I am so glad I'm here, doing this instead. I love college and I missclasses and people so much, but this truly is a once in a lifetimeexperience, and I'm so glad I get to do it. Now just remind me I said thatwhen I've been in Holland for 2 months and I still can't understand people.=) I'll try to send more e-mails with personal notes not to blog, but if I runout of time I'll try to mail letters. I love you all so much. I'm sograteful for my amazing family and the wonderful foundation in life you'vegiven me. Have a wonderful week! Love, ChristaP.S. I made my first Dutch-inflluenced spealling mistake in English("speek"). This is the beginning of a very long decline into crappy English,I can tell...

First MTC Email

FAMILY!!!!!So I'm a dork and forgot to write down mom's e-mail address. Doh! So I'm sending this to my email - if Ryan remembers to check my gmail like I told him to, he will be blessed with my correspondance! See how great I am at the commitment pattern already? ;)As an aside, if you want to send me long epistles detailing your fabulous lives (and of course how much you miss me) you can always send me a dearelder.com message - it's free, and mom will have the MTC mailbox number and departing date and all that jazz that makes these things go faster.I really appreciated the cards you left with me, Mom (and the one you sent me, tho it totally freaked out my elders - I think even that much skin [it was a funny hallmark card with trapeze artists] shocked them after only 4 days in the MTC). I appreciated your quote about obedience - it was nicer hearing it from my mom than my district leader. ;) There are indeed a lot of rules at the MTC... I think the saddest one, tho, was that we can't play ultimate frisbee! Sad day! Or co-ed soccer, for that matter. But there's a Swiss sister in my gym period who's all about futball, so there's light at the end of that tunnel. So far the funniest rule is that if we're out on the MTC field for gym, jogging dates ("Even jogging double dates!") are strictly forbidden. Oh, good times. I'm enjoying imagining the scenarios that would force such rules to be necessary.My district is amazing. Elder DeMaas, who's functioning as my companion this week, is a good solid guy from Murray, UT. He plays the bagpipes, looks like Elder Bednar, and is just a solid fellow. Elder Berry is from California and is constantly on the watch for holding doors. He's an endless fount of enthusiasm. Elder Helton is from Maryland, and got called to Holland Spanish speaking (his mom is from Ecuador so he speaks Spanish fluently) but will be with us the whole 9 weeks to get the Dutch in too. They're all incredibly devout about their call (unlike a few elders here) and easy to get along with. Being a solo sister (my comp is goign to Sweden and is in a whole other branch) presents some interesting challenges, like having to make my elders wait outside the door while I go to the bathroom, but they're all super nice about it. The first day when we were asked to bear our testimonies, I was the only one who didn't cry.... They're just great, great Elders, and I respect them a lot. Our teachers our ridiculously different. Brother Christianson is a linguistics machine, and learning from him is like any language class at BYU on acid. He's brilliant and has an interesting sense of humor, so it's easier to maintain consciousness with him. The speed at which we're learning Dutch really is miraculous. We're really blessed. Our other teacher, Bro. Ure, also goes to BYU. He's a bit more on the Preach My Gospel, calm end of things, but he's also fun to learn from. He served in Holland, while Bro. Christianson served in Suriname, so their advice is interesting.Anyway, it's time for breakfast now but I'll be emailing you later today more about my first week and alll the wonderful things going on here. I love you all so much! - Zuster Baxter

Calling all Letter-Writers!

Christa is officially in the MTC, so here's her mailing address:

Christa Michal Baxter
MTC Mailbox #109
BEL-BRU 0609
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Her estimated departure date for Belgium is June 9th, so this address is good for two full months!