Den Haag - Week 7

Heerlen? Where and what is Heerlen?
Transfers this week!! but of course you wouldn't think that I would be leaving right? I just got here to Den Haag.. already moved cities.. 3 cities in 3 transfers to start of my mission? No way who would ever think of such crazy nonsense, certainly i sure didn't.. but of course I learned once again that I can't predict anything.. I've been transfered.. again =0 craziness huh? =) I was spoiled serving in Amsterdam first then moving to Den Haag.. and that spoiledness just keeps on coming as I will now be serving in Heerlen. The ward in Heerlen is english and a lot of them are americans I have heard because it's right by an army base. I've been told it's refered to as "mini-america!" So awesome.. going from a marine companion, to an army ward.. Took me by suprise to be honest, Heerlen is the most southern city in the Netherlands mission on the border of Germany and Belgium. I guess I can be in three countries in a day, and the 3 point mark where all the countries meet up is in heerlen.. Knew companion's name is Elder Roberts.. don't know anything about him.. but you'll get all that info next week.. if I remember that is.. I don't think I explain my companions very well.. ha ha.. Well Bummer! Can't believe Stefani didn't get her call.. was waiting and guessing and talking about it all week!! That's a bit of a downer.. hope they didn't send your letter to someone else =) ha ha Well the past 3 weeks or so have just been awesome, me and Elder Hawkley have grown a lot together in doing the whole missionary thing.. this coming week that we had planned would have been just awesome, with all the lessens we have planned.. Was going to set some baptismal dates and what not.. but.. yeah.. Elder Hawkley will get to enjoy this week with a greenie.. he found out that he was training. The whole mission got shook up.. Lot's of changes. Elder De Meester for his last transfer was made a zone leader of the antwerpen zone.. which is the zone that my new city is in. So it will be good to be able to see him his last transfer.. His parents are going to pick him up so it'll be fun.. Hope you haven't sent to much stuff to me just recently.. Heerlen is in the middle of no where, in fact the closest elders to me aren't even in my mission, there german elders.. and then the next closest is french I think is what they said.. so yeah.. completely in the middle of nowhere =0 But I had a good time In Den Haag.. I enjoyed it more so then Amsterdam because I understood more.. taught bunches more.. and of course Nancy getting baptized will be the best memory I have from this place.. Little sad that the apartment is getting broken up. One of the zone leaders Elder Bastian is leaving also. We got along great and had a grand ol'time with each other.. We actually all thought that we would all stay for one more transfer, and we all wanted that too.. but.. yeah.. it'll be fun, and just enjoying the journey.. =) Winter is almost gone.. so excited to see the flowers, I've seen pictures from other missionary's and it's amazing here in this country.. well.. I don't know what more to say.. I"ve given you all the info I know about Heerlen.. This past week was awesome, but nothing too unique.. just have some awesome investigators here that Í'll miss a lot... but it's all good. Really enjoyed my time in Den Haag. I felt I made a lot of progress and growth being able to learn and watch Elder Favero and Bastian. Elder Hawkley and I were doing great. We have some really good investigators, one is named sun, and we are planning to set a baptismal date with him this week. He's come a long way, his first time ever praying in his life was with us. And he came to church this past week and enjoyed it. Also our other investigators our baptismal dates Jerry and Inus are making progress as well.. Inuz is a little scared to get married. She had a bad expirience before with a marriage not working. But Jerry is on board, and is looking forward to his baptism, and marrying Inuz. Looking forward to Heerlen =)
Love you all.. and thank you so much for the emails.. Everyone who sent me one gave awesome stories.. Stefani's japanese story (lack of a better summary title =P) Mom's tithing story, that was really neat, hope you send me that one in a package.. and yeah.. love you all.. Take care.. get a mission call or something Stefani.. and Tot Ziens!!

Den Haag...week 6

GoedeDag Familie!!

Hopelijk alles is goed met jullie! Wow, what a week!! Easily the best week of my mission! I mean granted having a baptism is always going to be a highlight of a mission, but even the rest of the week was just awesome! The Baptism for Nancy did indeed go through, it was an amazing night. Happened on Saturday, and my companion Elder Hawkley baptized her. She asked me to be a witness, which was pretty cool, because then I got to be in the front and actually see it =) But the whole week leading up to the baptism, meeting with her, talking to her about the baptism who she wanted to do what.. see her excitement.. she called us every day, asking us questions and concerns.. wanted to know if she had to pay to be baptized, and just funny little stuff like that. It was definitely a huge blessing for me to be able to have a baptism so early in my mission.. but also to see how strong of faith she had. She had the flu earlier in the week, and so we gave her another blessing. This time I had the opportunity to give the actual blessing while Elder Hawkley did the annointing.. and just like the first blessing we gave her, she said she felt the sickness leaving her instantly.. just an incredible lady. Got to bare my testimony at the baptism, and it was just an awesome, awesome night.
So another fun thing, I had my first expirience being the "senior companion".. We were in Harlem which is a city in the northern part of holland right by Amsterdam for district meeting, and we went out and blitzed the city meaning that all the companionships in the district go out and find for an hour around the same place. We mixed up companionships and I was paired with Elder Davies. This is my second Transfer and this is his first. So technically I was the senior companion'=) It was definitely a growing expirience.. I and Elder Davies were forced to speak, and help each other.. and actually it was the best finding I've ever done on my mission.. go figure right? ha ha But we taught a few lessons on the street.. got a number.. and oh yeah.. we got lost in the city for a few hours.. but we got some awesome pictures so it's all good!! =) Asked a mailman if he would take a picture of me and ELder Davies, and got to talk with him a little bit.. kind of interesting, doubt he would of talked with us if we would of just done the normal approach.. made me see that you have to be creative when talking to people! Work in progress, biggest thing I need to work on is sealing the deal, getting a persons number and asking for an appointment.. usuaully I just panic and give them a card and thats it!! =0 .. ideas are always helpful and appreciated =) (shout out to you dad thanks =)) I would love the testament movies if you could send like 5 or so.. I've been using the Joseph Smith movie and the whole packet that you sent me with the members.. been watching them with newly baptized and other members of the ward.. seem to be very effective.. the main thing that I need is leaves too.. Really love giving them out to people.. but I'm almost out.. and I have a list of people that I need to give them too! But Thanks so much for all that you send me.. I think the best things that you have sent me is the Mac and Cheese..and the Hot Chocolate.. Oh and the Hand warmers were a life savor when it was super cold =)
I got to finally play some basketball!! We live by this super big park, called zuiderpark, and we ride through it going to different peoples homes.. well they have a basketball court in there and on tuesday we were riding through it and I saw someone playing basketball, I asked Elder Hawkley if it was allowed contacting while playing sports, and so I went over and asked the girl if she wanted to play P.I.G.. It was awesome!! Couldn't believe how long it had been since I shot.. but it felt so good.. the girl was pretty cool, played in a leauge here in the netherlands, she was 17 I think from some african country, and of course if you were wondering I won =) But it was pretty neat, just able to talk to her while, and we'll see later if anything comes from it. We have a few new investigators one in particular who is super positive, his name is sun.. he's from china and when he met us and went to the jovo center with us (young adult center) he said that was the first time he's ever heard a prayer and then later that night by himself he said that was the first time he had ever prayed by himself.. pretty cool because he's so opposite of Nancy, yet he has that same desire to learn and grow.. were meeting with him tonight actually, really looking forward to seeing what will happen for him..
Hmm.. what else to say.. Went down to Belgium this week.. got all legal.. and also I'm legal in the Netherlands now.. 'so... yeah not really important or anything.. but hey just so you know =) oh hey also, if in the next package if you could send Some of tiffani's emails.. like all the ones up to where I am at on my misison.. I would love to re read them and just see how she was doing at the point of where I am at.. don't know if mitch still has his or not.. but just an idea I heard from another elder and I thought it was awesome.. would love it if you could do that.. and then whenver you send other packages you could just send the emails that correlate with me.. awesome! And if you wanted to put a letter in every package also.. that would be great too =) Best part of any package is the letter hearing from my parents =)

Okay you guys were spoiled this is way too long, can't let you guys think that this will be normal or something!!!
=)
veel leifde!
--Elder Mohrman

Den Haag...week 5

Hoi Familie!!

I'm in amsterdam today.. it's pretty cool to be back, we went to breakfast with a bunch of missionary's in our zone, a member who's here on business always feeds the missionary's breakfast when he's around, he actually did when I was serving in amsterdam too, so us four in den haag decided to come up as well, and then spend our p day in Amsterdam, get to go to my first museum!! Probably going to hit up the Anne Frank museum, buy her journal in dutch since that's the original language that it was written in.. never realized that til I came here! Another member that was at the breakfast thing, was from Japan, it was fun being able to try and remember my japanese and talk a little about the culture and what not with him. I honestly don't remember that much but as he was talking I started remembering some random words. Like baseball! Yakyu! That's a good one to remember, I miss sports.. I haven't done any sports since I've been here.. I'm itching to play catch or shoot hoops.. play ping pong.. something!! Especially since the weather has been a lot better.. (meaning no snow) Still not the best.. raining a bunch right now.. every day non stop.. yesterday we were outside in the rain for about 4 hours non-stop.. I don't think I've ever been so wet for so long in my life.. it's been a blessing that I haven't gotten sick yet!! I went on exchanges to zuutemeer.. however you spell that.. and that's actually where the temple is!! So I finally got to see the temple.. after 2 and a half months my temple drought is over!! It was pretty sweet not going to lie.. something about temples.. the peace.. knowing that it's the house of god.. something that I really miss about Utah is just all the temples.. driving down the highway and seeing temples on your left then on your right.. Beautiful place where we live =) But the Netherlands when it's not covered in snow is a very beautiful place as well.. driving up and biking around, so many cool things to see, with windmills.. and old houses and artitechture.. canals, and boats.. really amazing scenery.. I was reading in my patriartichal blessing and the part about my mission said that I will learn to love the land.. I can see that.. didn't have much love when I came with it being so cold.. but as I'm getting used to things.. as I get to see the country how it really is.. I can totally see how I"m going to fall in love with the netherlands.. This last week language wise was the best it's been while I've been on my mission.. hopefully I'll say that every week, but this last week had my first conversations with complete strangers in dutch.. it was a few.. and not too complicated I guess.. but I actually understood what they were saying and able to respond and what not.. it was a nice glimpse to see what it will be like being able to talk really good! =) Me and Elder Hawkley have decided to do a new finding approach we ask people if they'll help us out with an opionion survey and then ask them who do they think god is.. were getting a lot more people who will actually talk with us.. instead of the whole not interested stuff they'd say before.. so were growing.. not very good at steering conversations to the gospel.. and getting people's numbers and setting up appointments or anything.. but it was a good start!! If you all want to share your ideas and what you did on your missions that'd be awesome.. or your thoughts on finding how you made it fun that'd be great I'd really enjoy reading that in all of your emails next week =)

Really excited about stefi's call.. I want to know where everyone else guessed.. but my guesses for country is germany, frankfurt... and for state will be the kirtland visitor's center.. I've been thinking about it a lot as I've been biking through the rain, and about all of you really.. have a lot of time to think when your biking =) But hey.. hope alles gaat goed voor jullie deze volgende week!!!

Love you all..and happy birthday to mom and Nikki!
--Elder Mohrman

Den Haag week 4

Goedemiddag familie!

Another week.. pretty crazy how time can seem like it''s so slow.. then be so fast.. for me I feel like every day whether it's a monday or a tuesday or a saturday that it comes quick and it just feels like I had that day.. however looking on a broader block of time.. it feels like I've hardly done anything.. hardly been out on my mission!

Benschoplaan 42
2547 RJ Den Haag
Netherlands

That's my address.. I can't remember what I put the last time.. but I saw an envelope one of the other elders recieved and so I wrote down the address and just to make sure that you do have my right address I'm reapeating it!! Hope it was right all along, but never hurts to be safe right? =) I got my package from kim this week.. it is sick!!! Love the hoodie.. oh man can't tell you how good it feels to wear something nike again.. =) Bedankt kim, your awesome!!
Was a pretty eventful week, had mission interviews this week, and then this coming week I have my first zone conference and that will be in a city called Breda.. my companion Elder Hawkley served there for a while so he's going to try and hook us up with some dinner appointments down there.. it should be pretty fun. It was a good week for the fact that I think me and Elder Hawkley are finally getting more organized and on the same page in what we want to do.. pretty much all the goals that we set for the week, we accomplished lesson wise, and so that was pretty cool.. I would have to say it was one of my best weeks on my mission so far.. langauge.. still smiling, and still trying =)
My cool story for the week, one of our investigators named Nancy, she's the lady that we gave the blessing too where after she felt better.. well ever since that blessing she's been on fire, came to church the first time last week, said she loved it, and then this last appointment we had with her, she said that she will always come to our church no matter what.. she said that the only reason that she wouldn't is if her legs were broken,.. but then her faith would let her fly to the church! ha ha love the african faith =) She had a baptismal date set for febuary.. but now we moved it for the 22nd of january.. I'm pretty excited going to be my first baptism, of someone that I actually taught and saw the change in there life! She has this adorable kid too, about 1 in a half.. really fun to play with.. can't wait til we have a little guy like that in our family... (hint hint... won't mention any names but going to throw out a random color.. brown..s..) =D Also pretty interesting, We went over to this family's home this week not members, not investigators but just really devout christians.. the mother is from england.. well wales.. (I guess there's a difference?) =) and the dad is from Netherlands.. really nice people, were hoping that as we keep visiting them they'll ask us questions and then get interested in the gospel. But anyways the wife's maiden name is vaughan.. and when she found out my middle name she told me it was welsh because it was Englishcized from having the -an at the end to only having the n.. and what it means is "small"" so now I know what all my names means.. my name translated to it's origins is ""Joseph small dark/black man"".. thanks for the name parents =) ha ha love my name, just interesting and funny =)
Hope all of your weeks will go great, today for p-day were going to delft which I hear is a pretty good city, pretty old city, should hopefully get some good photo's!! oh yeah still need to send my card to you guys.. hmm.. I'll do that someday.. okay love you all
Tot ziens en tot de volgende voorbereidings dag!!
-Elder Mohrman

Den Haag... Week 3

Groetjes Familie!

Hopelijk alles is steeds goed met jullie!!

Thank you all so much for all of the emails!! Wow.. it was like christmas.. but with emails!!! =) Definitely do appreciate everyones emails, and updates on life and questions (that I'll probably forget to answer) ha ha So dad, crazy traditions the netherlands do have.. however.. nothing quite like your story with the cake. They do love ollie bollie like I explained on the phone.. or tried to actually, they only have ollie bollie's during the month of december, and they eat a bunch of them on new years.. we got a bunch from different members of the ward.. close to a 100 or something insane like that.. but that's really there only food tradition that they have.. there other tradition is to go completely insane. And I mean.. literally insane. The country of Netherlands bought somewhere close to 65-70 million fireworks this year. All for New Years. I don't think I can ever truly appreciate fireworks again after being here for a new years. For a couple days leading up to New Years, You would hear little pops and booms every 5 minutes or so. And ít's just exploding fireworks that people throw around as there walking.. as it got closer and closer more and more fireworks would go off at a much higher frequency.. then on Dec 31, starting around 10 it was non-stop.. just a constant stream of fireworks going off.. it sounded like I was in a War Zone.. on Dec 31 we had to be in our house by 4;00 pm because it get's so crazy here.. but we still had a couple of appointments throughout the day, we'd pass groups of people, mostly teens, and they'd just be walking and chucking fireworks at everything.. As we were riding by the center of the city, we say something on fire.. had no idea what it was.. a houseboat was on fire that we saw.. and this is all during the day!! At around 6;00 that's when the fireworks that you usually see at special events, the ones that go up into the air.. that's when people started lighting those off.. anyways around 11:30 pm between 200 am was the climax of all this, were in our home, in a pretty nice area, and things just went chaotic!! Fireworks were going off everywhere, in probably 5 minutes flat, they had set up a bon fire in the middle of the street in front of our house full of boxes, christmas trees, old furniture.. whatever and lit that on fire.. people were blowing up the street signs and putting that in the fire.. throwing fireworks into the fire.. oh wow.. I got some videos but geesh.. it was the most craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. I doubt if I'm even describing it very well.. Oh well I tried.. ha ha it was a pretty unique thing to witness that's for sure! The next day, there was hardly any snow left on the ground.. the smoke from all the fireworks had completely melted most of it.. Every couple of blocks there were ashes of bon-fires people had made with all sorts of stuff in them.. there was a bike in the one outside our apartment.. trash cans were blown up.. just insane.. absolute scene of choas!
But before New Years, I got to see my second baptism since I've been here, first one was the day I arrived in Den Haag actually, and this one was the other Elders, Her name is Barbara, and she's an awesome lady.. had a rough life, but the gospel has really changed her, and healed her.. really classic story you hear so often, pretty neat to be able to be there, get to know her..
Last P-day I bough Kung fu panda in dutch.. pretty stoked about it.. all the disney pixars you can get in dutch.. I"m also trying to look for books to buy in dutch.. like the Harry Potter books or something.. I was thinking those would be pretty cool to have after the mission =)
Anyways, that was pretty much my week.. the main thing was new years.. Still going great love where I'm at, language will come.. sometime.. but it will come!! Keep the emails coming.. love them.. and okay, tot de volgende week!!
Liefs

-Elder Mohrman