howdy

Hallo familie!

So to be perfectly honest, this week was a little rough. We had areturn appointment with Shannon, the 30 something animal rights activist whofeels the Spirit like nobody's business. She had a friend from Germany over,and it really turned from a lesson into philosophizing, a la "yeah I feelthat way too, but I don't call it God." It was quite the bummer for us,though they certainly loved it and were sad to see us go. We will keep onworking with Shannon though and try to help her get a better concept of whoChrist is.

Tuesday was pretty amazing. We had a really cool chat with an Iraqi whospeaks great English (from fighting alongside the American soldiers in Iraqbefore he got injured) and we go back to teach him this week. That same daywe got let in by a fabulous Polish woman and got to teach her the Plan ofSalvation - the light in this young mother's eyes was just incredible. Shetold us some really cool experiences / dreams she's had since her fatherpassed away a few months ago. When we get a Polish Book of Mormon in, we'recalling her back up to bring it by. We also THE MOST INSPIRED WARD COUNCILEVER! Basically our Bishop is amazing and is so so so supportive ofmissionary work in his ward. So that's awesome.

As the Lord usually goes, he sent some awesome blessings to make upfor our disappointing lesson with Shannon. On Friday we got to visit HelenNooitmeer (my Surinaamse Mom) who's still recovering from knee surgery. Aswe were teaching her again about the Restoration she stopped and said, "Doyou know what I find so great? Zr. Baxter is so straightforward and strongnow when she teaches!" Meaning as opposed to how shy I was with my Dutchwhen I first came to Rotterdam. She was just incredibly appreciative of whatwe do as missionaries (esp when she learned we don't go out with boys whenshe joked how we could marry Hollandse jongen - "It really is a sacrificeyou make!" That was pretty funny. =) ) and it was like a celestial pat onthe back. Afterwards we taught Moniek about the Holy Ghost. As we talkedabout the Holy Ghost lets you feel God's love, she shared with us anincredibly beautiful experience. Her parents were both killed in Rwanda inthe war / genocide there. She came to Holland as a refugee when she was 18years old. She said when she was in the refugee camp she couldn't stopcrying - for two days and two nights straight she simply couldn't stop.Finally a Bosnian man in his 30s approached her and asked if she had anyfamily. She told him no, that she was all alone. "He told me to stop crying,and that I wasn't alone, because God was with me. He told me I should behappy I am alive, and that I am never alone."

So I think about people like her, and how the world would see her -an unemployed Rwandan refugee with basic Dutch and English down. And Icontrast her with some of the less open people we meet, like the Johnny Depplook-a-like university student we talked to the other day who was full ofquestions about God and organized religion but utterly unopen to the Spirit,promoting skepticism above faith. As we said goodbye, realizing the contactwasn't going anywhere, my companion told him it was good to keep asking somany questions, and he said, "I wish you would do the same." And this youngguy would look so successful and bright and full of potential next toMoniek. Yet she's the one who's sees the hand of God in her life, and allthe joy that brings. It's such a poignant and strange contrast of people andsituations and lives, here in Rotterdam.

Things are still going well with Andre, our Surinaams investigatorin his 50s who is absolutely set on getting baptised in February and thenattending General Conference the following October. This man is the mostcelestial person I've ever known - and possibly has one of the mostdifficult lives I've ever seen. In any case, please keep him in your prayers- he's coming up on the time of year when his wife left him and that's a bitdifficult for him. He's just so... good! The man bought us beautiful scarvesto thank us for teaching him. Nothing in my life is so humbling likemissionary work.

We still haven't heard from Sherryl, our 26 year old Surinaamerstudying to be a judge. She's so golden - please pray we'll meet up with heragain. She said last week her dad in Surinaam went to the hospital, so wethink she flew there and that's why we can't get in touch with him.

And in the vein of God letting Zr. Baxter know she can just chillaxabout the work because it's all in his hands, we have another baptisimaldate! His name is Ingemar, and he's an Antilleans man in his 40s. We'vetaught him twice and he's been to church only twice - we gave him a softbaptisimal commitment last lesson to let him know that's what we do -prepare people to come unto Christ through baptism. And then yesterday afterSunday School he came up and told us he'd thought about it and wants to bebaptised - so when and where can he do that? AMAZING! So I love this work.

In less related missionary news, so much funny stuff has happenedlately. I encountered my first Dutch Vote For Obama signs ("Obama Bidden!")- two on one street! That made me think of Alisa. Also, I ran into a booktitle at the local post office that I'm pretty sure is the Dutch translationof "Eat Love Pray" or whatever that book is that Katie liked so much (Jacktoo maybe? ;) ). OH! And Wednesday we drove over with the Relief Societypresident, Zr. VerHoeven, to surprise the bishop's wife on her birthday. Thebishop and his wife have a little girl who's exactly Lauren's age andabsolutely just as adorable, nuts, and funny. (Well, almost as cool asLauren - but of course not quite!) Kaylie (their daughter) and her friendsdecided to do a lip sync for all of us to.... Les Miserables! Except inDutch. So they sang Master of the House for us, in costume, and let me tellyou, that song sounds even more diabolical with all the gargly dutch g'sthrown in. Hilarious! So that reminded me of Katie, and Jack jamming out tothat song in the car, and basically the rest of my family... good times. Sonow I know I can use Dutch translations of musicals to keep up my Dutch whenI get back to America.

Zr. Knoelk is in her last transfer and loving life. I'm certainlyglad I'm blessed to not be trunky or homesick - it's pretty funny watchingher weigh her bags to make sure she can fit in all the souvenirs she wantsto bring home. I really have loved serving with her and will be sad to seeher go at the end of this transfer.

Oh, and Saturday afternoon we had the coolest tracting experienceever! We knocked on the door of the glasshouse addition to a normal row ofhouses, and a fabulous red headed older Dutch woman answered. She wasn'tinterested, but we asked about the dozens (literally) of paintings piled upin her house, and she very cordially welcomed us in. She's a Dutch grammarand lit teacher but began painting ten years ago as a hobby - her website iswww.vrolijkeschilderijen.com . Zr Knoelk and I are both obsessed with colorso it was amazing. She let us in on the express agreement that we not talkabout God. =) But we ended up having a very nice chat with her about ourlifestyles, how we like Holland, all that jazz. She said we're welcome tocome back anytime we like. It was like a high five from God telling us tojust enjoy this time of service in our life and all the cool people we getto meet.

So overall things are grand. It's getting a little colder, but nowthat armed with my first European scarf I'll be fine. ;) I love you all somuch. Have a glorious week and never take the Spirit for granted! Liefs, Zr. Baxter