ik houd van mijn familie!

Dear Everyone,Another week! It's really starting to freak me out how fast this is goingby. Last pday feels like yesterday. Anyway, it's been kind of a crazy week,marr een geweldig een! (but a wonderful one!) After e-mailing you all lastWednesday, I got to go to the temple for our weekly session. It just reallyhit me that I am surrounded by amazing people here. We are all so differentand have such varied paths to our testimonies, with such different reasonsfor being here, but it's wonderful. Thursday was kind of a crazy day. In MPC (my one on one weeklyinterview with a teacher) I finally broke down and cried. I felt kinda badfor my teacher, but he's married so he should understand crazy emotionalwomen, I guess. =) We had a good chat about problem ownership and whatthings with my companions are my responsbility, and what are not. I also gothim to admit he never had a testimony of Sister missionaries until he taughtat the MTC - apparently in the field, the vast majority of them just didn'tget things done. But he said he's loved the sisters he's taught here, andhas every confidence in us. "You're just different!" Maybe he just has adifferent perspective now, but nevertheless it was nice to hear. It was goodto talk to an RM from my mission about the sisters / elders antagonism youalways hear about. I told him I just don't get it - we're all on the sameteam here, and my whole district gets along great. His response was, "That'sbecause you're a good missionary, Sister Baxter." It was the first time atthe MTC I've really cried to someone, but whatev's. That's life! In the ever-entertaining world of elder / sister dynamics, I've nowshifted personas from Elder Berry's sister and "this girl I used to date" tothe Class Hermione. I do what I can, I guess. =) No, we actually all getalong great and our dutch is evening out as a class. We teach in Dutch allthe time now and it's awesome. There was also a weird situation with adistrict leader for an America-bound district everyone hated, and who seemedto hate everyone else - except me. Apparently it's no good to politely askpeople what their majors are and nod and listen, if no one else in theirdistrict can stand to talk to him. The guy wasn't really all that bad - hewas 23 and had done lots of military stuff, so I can see why he was a littlemaladjusted to learning from 19 year olds - but he flew out this morning andI'm glad there will be no more jokes about his supposed crush on ZusterBaxter! Thursday I got Mom's package - thanks so much!!! The dried fruit hasbeen mahvelous and the chocolate is always great. =) (Tho you don't need tosend me any more as a missionary - I'm well stocked for my last couple weekshere, and I'll be well taken care of in Europe as far as chocolate goes, I'msure! =) ) On Saturday I found out Grandpa Stanford had passed away. I washappy he was able to be with Grandma and his parents, but it was just reallyweird being at the MTC and not with family for all of this. Nonetheless,I've been really well taken care of. There's nothing like yourbagpipe-playing, Harley-riding 20 year old Zone Leader saying, "I'm sorry!I'd give you a hug if I could!" The MTC is crazy. But there have been lotsof small miracles, the most notable of which being my good friend Beth. Wedid study abroad in London together and entered the MTC the same day. Turnsout her grandpa also passed away a couple of weeks ago, so I was able tofind her at lunch and get her comfort and advice about whether I should callMom or e-mail. In the end I called on Monday (the district president told meto think about it on the weekend and do what I needed to do on Sunday) andit was really helpful to find out everything and get to talk to Mom. Itdidn't make me trunky at all, and it was nice to have closure witheverything. People are just so great here. And that night, in an effort tolet the Danish missionaries (who are just one sister and one elder) teachwith their own gender, I got to teach two Norwegian elders with Sister C. Wejust taught lesson 2 to them as they are - missionaries. It was so nice notto pretend they were investigators and just get to talk about gospel truths- about why we're here, about challenges and growth in life, how the Saviorreally does help us. It was beautiful. Sunday is one big allergic blur in my mind. My branch leaders weresuper kind and supportive in light of Grandpa's death, tho I was quick toassure them that it was all for the best. But apparently I do have allergiesin Utah after all - I just never lived here in May to find that out. And allof Sunday was pretty much a big blur of ibuprofen and nasal congestion.Sweet! But now I have meds and life is happy. I do remember MoTab playing"As I Went Down to The River To Pray" on Music & The Spoken Word - withbanjo! It totally made my day to hear gospel music with a banjo. I'mdefinitely buying one when I get home from my mission, and I'm gonna playsome sweet front porch folk. But I honestly haven't missed music like Ithought I would. A few minutes ago I saw an elder with a Illinoise t-shirton so we chatted about music and indie and Sufjan Stevens and such. It wasfun, but I honestly don't miss it much - and I really don't miss thesnobbery. It's been really cool getting to know people through theirpersonalities alone here at the MTC - people are so amazing. So our three American sisters left this week for the mission field.It was kind of sad seeing them go. Sister Gillleaves next week, and I am honestly sad. We've really gotten closer in thepast few weeks, and it's been great to learn from her. After the Tuesday Night devo yesterday, we ran across two new Elderswho had just arrived from The Netherlands and Belgium! It was SO fun topractice our Dutch! Their accents are so different! The Dutch Elder was fromUtrecht, and his g's were disgustingly intense! Pray I don't go there andlearn hideous phlegm Dutch. ;) But he was super nice and just so, well,Dutch! A big burly blond, blue-eyed Dutchman with a deep, cheery voice. He'ssuper enthusiastic and headed off for Suriname in three weeks, since he'salready fluent in English. He said my accent in Dutch was almost perfect. Isuspect he was a kind liar, but it was fun to hear. =) The Belgian Elder hadmuch prettier Dutch (the Vlams (Flemmish) accent) and he's going to serve inProvo South. Oh, good times. We also get a whole new district of AmericanElders tonight who will serve with us in The Netherlands, so that'll be fun. Um, I guess all I have left to say is life goes on, and I'm reallyhappy here. Almost everyday I realize this is the best decision I've evermade. When I think about leaving here in two and a half weeks I practicallyfreak (with terror and excitement!) but I think it'll all work out. OnMonday when I talked with Mom briefly, I told her I'm being so well-takencare of here. She reminded me I will be in Holland too - there will beamazing leaders, members, and missionaries. She's so right. I love you all. I've never dreamed about my family so much! I guessyou're all on my mind. =) I pray for you and can't wait to see you soon!Have a geweldig week! Love, Christa