Week 31: "Are you allowed to wear jeans?"

January 13, 2014

So... I'm in Lelystad.

It was sad to say goodbyes to the Groningen members. They really were a great source of love and support. They make missionary work so easy! I'm going to miss them. But, the work goes on -- and the ward already loves my replacement in Groningen, Elder Toole (my second companion in the field!). The work will keep moving forward!

Last Tuesday was my last full day in Groningen. And, I think the city wanted to let me know how much it would miss me, because the skies were weeping. Bad joke. But seriously -- it POURED that day. It was pretty cold outside, and the rain came down and soaked me from head to toe. We were required to bike in such weather. It was...memorable. Around 6 PM, we showed up to some members' house for dinner, the Gouts. Zuster Gout just looks at me and tells me that there's no way I'm eating dinner in those pants. She made me change into Br. Gout's jeans and give her my pants to put in the drier. Br. Gout, seeing me in his jeans, asks if that's allowed. I certainly hope it was, because I did it.

On Wednesday, I said goodbye to Groningen, headed down to Utrecht, said goodbye to Elder Nelson, took a few more trains, and finally ended up with Elder Robbins in Lelystad. We dropped my stuff off and wasted no time getting to work. He's a hard worker, to say the least. It's going to be a good transfer.

So, Lelystad! Lelystad is an interesting city. Once upon a time, the North Sea covered a certain area. The Dutch people, being innovative and stubborn to the extent that they thought it would be wise to overpower nature, built dikes and drained an area of the Netherlands. Smack dab in the middle of that area, you have -- you guessed it -- Lelystad! The city built where the water should have been. Yep, I'm knocking doors and teaching people below sea level. Hopefully the North Sea doesn't decide it wants to come back anytime soon. Lelystad also happens to be one of the poorest cities in the country, and a lot of people who live here are living on government aid. It's an interesting situation, to be sure. Let's go.

It has been FREEZING recently. I don't know if I've ever been so cold on my mission. I layer up, but even then, the cold, wet air just pierces your five layers of clothing. I don't understand it. The air isn't playing fair. It's been a pretty mild winter so fair, but there are whispers in the wind that it's about to get a lot worse. Wish me luck.

Well, that's it for now. Keep it real, and keep your heads above water.

Much love.

--Elder Bonney

PS -- on LDS.org, there's an article called "That They Might Be One." There's a nice video to go along with it. It's about the Dutch saints in the mid 1900s. Watch it.https://history.lds.org/article/dutch-potatoes-video?lang=eng In it, there's a Dutch guy, Jan Weening. He is one of my favorite members in Groningen. Here we are.