Week 60: "Next week, you'll be able to find a softer shoulder."

August 4, 2014

Hey, everyone! I can't believe that it's been six weeks since I found out that I was coming here to Eindhoven. It's gone by too fast... And transfer calls came -- I'm going to be staying here for at least six more weeks! Which isn't too surprising, but I'm really happy that I get some more time here in Eindhoven. I'm loving it. Elder Alston is getting transferred, though. :( I'm going to miss that guy. We've had some fun and seen some miracles. My new companion is named Elder Rudolph, and...

He is HUGE. Like, the biggest elder in the mission. Like 6'7" and 300 pounds (I'm estimating here) huge. I'm not super skinny, but I'm not a big guy! It's going to be fun, though. More on that later.

This past week was so good. It's been a busy one -- on Tuesday, we went on exchanges with the elders in Amersfoort, and I worked in Eindhoven with Elder Besendorfer. Yep, the same one who was my beloved companion way back when in Groningen. It was fun to work with him again -- reminiscing on old times. Seeing miracles, working hard, teaching lots of gay guys... It was the life. I can't believe that it's been eight months since our time together ended. It was a nice reunion exchange, though -- besides the fact that I dropped our GPS on the ground and broke it, but I don't want to talk about it.

The next day, Wednesday, Elder Alston and I headed to Vlissingen together to go on splits with the elders in Vlissingen. Their area is huge, so we figured the car would help. I was with an Elder Bosco (who has a license, so we used the car). And then...miracles. Straight up. He told me that he was trying to decide if we should look up this less active who lived almost an hour away, saying that he really had a feeling we should look her up, but that he knew it was a long way away. We prayed about it and decided to go. We got there and knocked on her door...

To make a long story short, she was home, told us that she wanted to come back to church. She said she'd been praying and fasting that we'd come and that everything would work out. She asked for a blessing. And, she told us that she wants us to start teaching her grandson (who lives with her) and baptize him. She was serious as a heart attack. MIRACLES. And she gave us a little bit of some delicious Suriname food, which was the highlight for me...kidding. It seriously was a huge miracle. Later, Elder Bosco and I looked up an old referral, and she was home, loved us, wants to meet with the missionaries... I could go on with the miracles in Vlissingen, but I'll stop.

We did teach one lady in Vlissingen who was way cool. It was a young mom who was a former investigator. She was so cool, and the plan of salvation just made sense to her (of course, because it's true...) She had a big dog, and it was trying to crawl under the table when we were there. She apologized, and we told her we wouldn't mind it if the dog wanted to be under there. She responded, "oh, he always goes under the table, lies down, and lets out some serious gas. You'd mind that, trust me." It was pretty great.

On Thursday, I got to go on exchanges with Elder Eastmond for one last time. He goes home this week on Wednesday. Time has gone by fast (I've said that too much already, I know) since he was training me in Kortrijk. I'm going to miss that guy. You know how, if you have an angle, a really small change in degrees can make a huge difference in the long run? I don't know if I'm making sense, but it's like if you make a small change in direction, it can end up landing you in a completely different spot than you would have been in. Well, Elder Eastmond helped me make a good change -- it changed my mission. Which changes my life. On the car ride back after our exchange, I didn't quite know what to say, so I didn't say too much, but I don't know if he'll ever know just how grateful I was for such a good friend and missionary with whom I could start off my mission.

Before I forget... Genzeer got baptized on Saturday! After an exciting week preparing, the baptismal service went well...almost flawless. We asked him to be there half an hour early (to get changed and everything..and to make sure he was on time). The baptism was at 7 PM. At 6:35, he wasn't there, so we gave him a call...his bus was late. Elder Alston and I went on temporary splits, and Elder Alston and Afoke (the year-long convert who baptized Genzeer) went to go pick him up. Meanwhile, I'm at the church with Harry (I'll explain soon enough), explaining to members why the "dopeling" wasn't there yet. It was a little crazy. At 6:58 PM, Afoke and Elder Alston show up, with Genzeer, Peter (a friend of Genzeer who is a member), and the other two elders... I was confused, but relieved that they all made it.

It was great to see Genzeer get baptized. Elder Alston explained to Afoke and Genzeer how it worked right before -- how Genzeer should probably use his hand to plug his nose when he goes under. During the ordinance, though, when Afoke goes to baptize him, Genzeer literally facepalms himself -- smacking himself in the nose/forehead and going under with his hand grabbing his face. He thought that was how it was done. Everyone was happy, though, that he was getting baptized -- there's no rule that he can't facepalm himself. I love that man to death. And it was the best baptism ever to watch. Afterwards, he was so happy. He came up and thanked Elder Alston and me, and you could see the sincerity in his eyes. He loves the gospel. What a man. It's so great to see those you teach get baptized.

So, Harry...basically, Harry van de Sande is an 84-year old member here in Eindhoven who works with the missionaries pretty much every day. He bikes around with the other elders a lot, and we take him in the car whenever we work with him. He's hilarious, and he can be quite sassy sometimes... He keeps teasing Elder Nelson since he's going home soon (on Wednesday). Yesterday, we were in the car (all four Eindhoven elders and Harry), and Elder Nelson, being the funny guy he is, jokingly puts his head on Harry's shoulder, like he's going to sleep. Harry responds by saying, "next week, you'll be able to find a softer shoulder." Which reminded Elder Nelson that he'd have to deal with girls pretty soon... Mmm, Elder Nelson. I'll miss that guy.

Well, that's all for now. Let the new transfer begin. Stay cool (this August heat isn't the best, but hey -- still beats January in Lelystad). Watch those dogs that wanna lie under the table.

--Elder Bonney

Elder Alston, Genzeer, Afoke, Elder Bonney... I promise, Genzeer wanted to be baptized and smiles a lot, but for some reason, he doesn't like pictures, and this photo looks like a mug shot...

Saying goodbye to Elder Eastmond in Den Bosch.