Biking in A'dam

IK BLIJF IN AMSTERDAM, HOOR!!!!!

I am staying another transfer in Amsterdam and I'm tickled pink about it!!! Zuster Fowler is remaining too, because, as President said,"I'd hate to break up a dynamic duo like you two!" Ha, it's actually the Lord's will and I'm so grateful for that because I know we have more work to do and lessons to learn here in A'dam. (And Kim has bee

n praying that we'll stay so we can keep teaching her together. Now she just needs to realize that this is an answer to her prayers and the sign she's been waiting for to get baptized! :D)

We had zone conference on Friday and that was super - getting a bunch of God's army together. It was rejuvinating. :) GRATITUDE: He who receiveth all things with thankfulness, the same shall be made glorious. -Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

I have been thinking a great deal on gratitude and decided to start celebrating Thanksgiving a little early here in Holland. I definitely need to be more aware of my blessings. I have so incredibly many. There are definitely difficult days on the mission. Like Bishop Klein told me, "the real work is so different than the movies and postcards and pictures one see." Missionary work is rigorous. But it's worth it - absolutely. And it's worth it when we see the blessings that come from obedience and diligence. And those are things to be grateful for. So, on top of everything else, work at being grateful. You will find that it yields wonderful results.

Ik houd van jullie. You are my greatest good.

Zuster Jillian Fritz

Go on in greatness

October 19, 2009

Another week gone by in old Amsterdam. It's been rather a rocky week, not gonna lie, but I'm a missionary, so that actually means it was a time to learn and grow substantially. :) Eample of the difficulty: Zuster Fowler's key broke off in her bike lock, rendering it useless. Well, we were late for an evening appointment with Familie Todorovic anyway, so we just had to do as the Dutch do: achter op. This, my friends, means that one sits on the back rack of the bike, above the rear tire. My tires were pretty flat and the bike trail pretty rocky and what a combination for hilarity. We made it to the appointment only to find that my nametag had fallen off somewhere along the way. I jogged back home and luckily found it lying on the path beneath the lamp pole. God exists.

Well, the next morning getting to church was the treat. Achtering op with an oversized bike pump and our grocery bag full of lunch - we were quite the site for the locals. Don't worry, we're back to normal. But I shall never forget this crazy circumstance.
Zuster exchanges were a ball. Zuster Wieland joined me in Amsterdam and I definitely learned a bunch, being the respsonsible one and all. I feel like it was a chance for me to grow so much in love for the people we teach. I seriously love them all incredibly.

Zuster Fowler and I are teaching several young women our age and they are such miracles - Kim, Amy, and Daisy. Let me introduce you first to Kim Zwaan. She's 21, the daughter of one of our strong sisters in the ward. She hasn't been interested in the church until now - all thanks to Claire (American working here in A'dam). They went on vacation to Norway together and Claire spent a lot of time telling Kim about the church and dared her to come. So she did. And now she's been coming to church every week and praying like nobody's business - and she's the awesomest girl of my life. She totally invited her friend, Zander, (who, let's be honest, is totally interested in her) to church and has been telling him about what "we believe." How cool is she, I ask you? I have loved teaching her and seeing how prepared people's hearts can be and become. The Lord truly loves His children and makes ways for them to come unto Him. And there's always joy along the way.

Today is Zuster Fowler's birthday, which rocks. :) Her parents sent her a care package with chocolate cake and decorations, so our apartment smells and looks fabulous. Transfers are coming next week and we're praying everynight that we can remain here together. Amsterdam pretty much needs us. We rock. Best companionship ever. I'm so blessed.

Well friends and family, ik hou van jullie. D&C 128:19

Zuster Fritz

Restrict your remarks to the weather

Well, the weather was pretty extreme this week. Down pouring rain, and then enough blue sky to make a Dutchman a pair of pants. :)

We had stake conference yesterday in Nordwijkerhoudt and that was SUCH an amazing experience. It was awesome to see SO many members of the church and so many families! Sometimes what we do here seems small to me...but this was a great reminder to me that what we do here really is covering the world.

We had some pretty incredible teaches this week. One of the coolest appointments this week was with a young woman from China. Her name is Amy and she's looking. We taught her about God's love and she's praying to find out if He exists. I know she'll get an answer. Because He does exist and He loves her. It was such a special opportunity to teach someone who has no background or concept of God and Jesus Christ. But Amy's a miracle and I can't wait to meet more with her.

There are so many amazing people here in Amsterdam and I feel so PRIVILEGED to work in this gorgeous city, especially with the church members here. We've been really busy with starting new approaches and new programs and it's not difficult to feel overwhelmed, but part of trusting in my Heavenly Father is just not worrying. Because we just can't do it all without Him.

This week we have sister exchanges and my trustee trainer is leaving me for Haarlem. I'll be working with Zuster Wieland here in Amsterdam and I'm pretty anxious excited about it. Terrifed too, because I'll be taking the ropes for 2 days in this enormous city and I'll have to lead and guide in every aspect, but it'll be really good for me, eh? I'm super stoked! (I'll let you know how I survived it!) :)

I love you all and I wish you'd WRITE ME MORE! ;D But seriously, I pray for you all to keep happiness. Find it in the Book of Mormon. It's waiting for you there.

Love,
Zuster Fritz

Biking in the wind and rain - meh

Amsterdam is precisely like Berlin in that every morning I wake up and look out my window to a gray, overcast sky that remains for the day and will remain until April. :) I love fall in Europa.

Now, as to how that is on a bike. Well, it is decidedly more difficult to bike against the wind in a constant mist of rain. I must give up any hope of looking attractive for the rest of the season because this weather is anything but beautifying. I'm wet a lot.

In any case, the leaves are beautiful and the city is always bustling. I love what I can here. I must return back here after I'm done to catch up on all the culture I'm missing as a missionary. ;)

This week has taught me a lot of humility. Hahaha. That's always exciting. Not. We had a lot of potentially amazing appointments cancel on us this week and that was super disappointing. However, we ended this week with GENERAL CONFERENCE! My oh my, I love General Conference. It was so wonderful (especially when Dadson and Sharon - two of our Ghana investigators - walked in...miraculous). Kim came (!!) and watched with the headsets in het engels and she, Betty and I all commented on the attractiveness of President Uchtdorf. ;) I learned SO incredibly much from the words of the prophet and apostles. I love them!

I love you all and miss you. I think of you and pray for you often (so you better be doing likewise!!!) :D

Lots of Dutch love,

Zuster Fritz