So on Tuesday we had a crazy cool day. We met Jean Luc, a 19 year old kid from Rwanda (well, born in Ukraine, and Rwandan parents, and grew up in Holland, and speaks Dutch, French, and English.... typical crazy Dutch uber multinational!) who's converted to Islam but seemed more than satisfied with our answers to the questions he likes to stumps Christians with. He mentioned how he loves the palindromes in the Koran and that triggered my English major reflexes so I gave him Alma 36 to read in the Book of Mormon (wahoo for chiasmus! and middle eastern cultural literary styles!) and he's open to talk more. So tonight he and a friend are coming to the church to learn more about the crazy Mormons. Good times.
We also had a great lesson with Emerlien and Tom, the referrals from our bishop. We brought along Zr Reijnders, a convert of more than 40 years who's just amazing. So that helped a lot. They're open, just very busy. =) Due to my lovely and talented and creative companion's visual aids (life is like a maze, and prophets have a walkie talkie to God so they know the route back to him, and there's a gate in the middle requiring a key of authority... and she'd never seen the crazy cheesy 80s seminary video that is eerily akin to her sketch. I love having different comps with cool strengths!), they seemed to really understand more of what the Restoration is all about. It's coming.
We also stopped by a former investigator of a year ago that our bishop felt like we should look up. She welcomed us in - she's an older Dutch woman named Inneke. She has lost several family members and her partner in the last few years, and as we were discussing why she believes in God ( "And not just 'something' like everybody says!" she retorted.... =) ) she mentioned those coincidences that can't just be coincidental - like Zr Peets and Zr Force stopping by one day and helping her weed her garden. I love hearing people's reactions and impressions of former missionaries in the area. Inneke was really curious about the Book of Mormon when we shared Alma 7, and asked if she could borrow a copy, and could we explain more of what exactly it is we believe? Next Week? Yes maam! So we'll see her on Tuesday.
On Wednesday we had interviews with our new mission president. He is a wonderful, wonderful man, and his wife is just amazing. So it was great getting to know them both better and talking about the work.
Azelea and Ade are doing pretty good. Ade's now gotten hooked on the Book of Mormon as well - "Ether 12 was great! Exactly what we needed about faith, and examples of faith. Do you have another chapter we could read together?" So our visits are pretty much the Book of Mormon book club. Sweet! Azelea still can't come to church because of work. But Elder Nelson is coming to Utrecht in August and they are very curious and want to come to that! So things are good.
We had a CRAZY miracle this week. Tuesday we got a call from an unknown number that left no message, so I called back only to have a very awkward conversation with a very unenthusiastic young man speaking english who wanted to know more about what we share about Christ. When I asked when we'd talked to him and tried to explain I couldn't remember him by just his name b/c we talk to so many people, he seemed slightly weirded out, but then he still wanted to just make an appointment and be done with it. A few minutes later he texted to say, "Sorry I sounded so weird on the phone. My neighbors can hear me and I can hear them so I don't feel very comfortable talking. But I've just been sad and empty feeling lately and want to have more of Jesus Christ in my life so I can finalyl get some peace of mind. Can we just meet at your church where I'd feel more comfortable?" So we met him on Thursday night, waiting inf ront of the church building with Tirza, our joint teach, having no idea who would show up... And then we see Daniel, a guy from Sweden in his 20s we'd met more almost 3 weeks ago. We knocked on his door and had not the most spectacular contact ever and just gave him a card with our number... and that's how he called us. I was so surprised that it was him. You really never know. He's a crazy story - half Jordanian, half Italian, raised in Sweden (speaks Swedish and a little Arabic and really good English, but no Dutch) - raised Muslim but later converted to Christianity as a yougn adult because of the peace and happiness he saw in so many Christians - moved to Holland for work but will probably be moving back to Stockholm soon. He just wants to know more about Jesus Christ and have peace in his life again. He's super shy - didn't want to come to church, almost didn't come to out appointment - but he recognizes the Spirit, and is willing to meet with us. Honestly if he moved back to Sweden it'd be better for him because then he could get to know church members and missionaries who speak the same language he does - but I'm not complaining. You never ever ever know who's needing the gospel. "It's really weird - I mean, people have knocked on my door before. But lately I'd just been thinking about finding a church, and getting more involved, and then you come on my door... I mean, do you believe in coincidences?" No. =)
On Friday my comp had to go to Brussels for legality, but there were other sisters who also had to go, so I ended up working with their comps in Den Haag. So I got to work with my lovely Zr. Fowler again and with Zr Bennet, who I knew at BYU and have always wanted to work with. We find otu about transfers next Mondat and apparently everyone thinks I'm going to Den Haag. I'm not too worried about it - I'd be happy staying and happy going, and I know whatever the Lord decides will be best. But it'd be cool to work in a city one more time. And it would be amazing to work with Zr. Bennet! We had a great day and lots of cool appointments.
At interviews President Brubaker asked me if Haarlem would be a good city for a mini-missionary.... so as of Sunday, we are now working with the lovely Zr Poulaert, a 16 year old from Spijkinesse (a southern suburb of Rotterdam). She's hilarious, VERY spunky, and not at all afraid to share her testimony. The past 24 hours have been very, very fun. And she's amazing for our Dutch. She'll be with us for 2 weeks!
Magalie did decide to go on vacation for two months, so we'll miss her, but hopefully be able to help her more when she comes home... And soon a few other people will be coming back from vacation that we can teach more. So the work goes on! I love you all and miss you but I'm happy here and I love Haarlem. Have a great week!

Veel leifs,

Zr Christa Baxter