MERRY CHRISTMAS

HOLY COW! IT'S CHRISTMAS?!? Where did time go? Seriously. I swear, just yesterday, I was sitting on my couch downstairs playing FIFA with Elder Yocom, not baptizing people with Elder Yocom! This was a really, really fast week. It has been hard leading up to Christmas, knowing that my wonderful family back home is having a lot of Christmas parties, making delicious chocolate via Grandma Covington, and going caroling with the Elkins side, but, I get to be a missionary and wear this special nametag on my chest. :)

On Monday, We had a much needed P-Day. After our PDay activites, we went home, made some phone calls, then went out and found for the rest of the night. On Tuesday, We had 3 appointments planned..... but they all fell through! We decided to go to some area book look ups, and contact. We went and looked up this former investigator named Merideth. We got to her house, rang her bell and she talked through the speaker because it was an apartment with bells outside. We made an appointment with her the following day. On Wednesday, we went to Denny's. He is an inactive member. I think I talked about him last week. We shared a short Christmas message with him, then headed out the door to go to Luma's. She is our investigator who is brazilian. She was born and raised here, but her mom and relatives are all from Sau Paulo. She is 24 years old with a beautiful baby girl. More about her later. After Luma's house, we went to our appointment with Merideth. We got to Merideth's, asked her a few questions and what she used to think about the missionaries. She said "You know, just this past week I have been thinking more about what I can do to improve my life and change it. My mom died a couple of years ago, and I am wondering if I will ever see her again" bam... The spirit took over from there. First lesson, she felt the spirit, and we will meet with her again after Christmas to teach her about "The Plan". She's done. She will be doped so hard. (Doop is baptism in Dutch :) so sick) After this, we went to the ward dinner at the church. Great night. On Thursday, we had a lesson with a referral from Zaandam. He has a girlfriend who lives in Salt Lake City and he was traveling to spend the holidays with her. She is LDS and he wants to learn more. He is a very nice, clean businessman. This lesson fell through cause he had to take his kids to school and arrange things for the trip, but he is very positive and wants to meet with us after his vacation! We then had a lesson with our new investigator Marcel. This is a 53 year old man who lives on his own. I'm pretty sure that his brain is only 13% there. He is hilarious! We poked fun with him at first. You all know me and Elder Yocom. Gosh we were laughing so hard. I was honestly nervous that we wouldnt be able to teach a good first lesson with the spirit because we were laughing too hard, but as soon as we started teaching, the spirit took over. We were serious the whole time and I felt the spirit. When it got to the end of the lesson, I asked Marcel if he would be baptized if he found out it was true. He said No with a confused face on his look. We then said well if the BoM is true, that means Joseph is a prophet and this is the only true church, only true baptism. We asked if he would pray about the BoM and he said yes. Then we said will you be baptized if you find out its true? He was confused and stared off in the distance for 40 seconds I swear and said No. Then we went off again and showed him scriptures in the Bible about baptism. He then decided baptism is important and that he would when he finds out its true. So funny. You all should've seen this mans face this whole time. Gosh I was dying and so was Elder Yocom! On Friday, I went on exchanges to Amsterdam with Elder Sosa. He is from Santiago, Chile but speaks American English because of his mission. So sick. Such a good guy! We had a lesson with a man in our ward who's brain is worce than Marcel's, I swear haha. His name is Leuwe. He has a neighbor who says he has Demons in his body and in his house, so me and Elder Sosa went with Leuwe and gave him a blessing and blessed his home. Very interesting experience. We then did a little contacting and went back to the house to ride with the AP's to the huge Stake Christmas Party. Holy Cow! This was Insane! There were over 1000 people there. 600 members, and 600 non members probably! So cool. Our whole zone was there including President and Sister Robinson. We had one hour of great christmas music, then had a catered dinner. Such a great night. We got home late at about 11:30 haha. Saturday was bad weather. Luckily, we had weekly planning still to do. We went out for a bit and did some contacting later at night, but then went to Amsterdam Central to go finding with all the Elders in our ward in Amsterdam Centrum. I went with Elder Van Komen, and Elder Yocom went with Elder Lewis. These are the AP's. Van Komen is so sick! We had such a good time and found some great potentials! Sunday was just another day.... Went to church, had a great meeting, then at 4:00, we had a baptismal service for LUMA! So cool! We had a baptism! So great. Elder Yocom baptized her, and she asked me to confirm her and give her the big gift next week in sacrament meeting... in dutch! So scared, but so pumped! What a great day. Her mom is so proud of her, and so are we. She will be such a great kingdom builder and hopefully will marry a worth priesthood holder and start a great little mormon dutch family! Things like this remind me why I am here. Such a great Christmas gift.

This week will be full of great opportunities to serve. Tomorrow for Christmas Eve, we are going to Denny's to watch Joy to the World with him, then to a very old members house to give him the Sacrament. He hasn't had the Sacrament in months and months and is so happy that we can do it on Christmas eve, then we will go to Marcels and watch Joy to the World with him too! We have Christmas gifts to give to people who dont have families and who are lonely for Christmas so we will drop them off tomorrow as well. On Christmas, We will wake up, open gifts, make a great delicious breakfest, then get out and serve. We will be at Daniels for Christmas later in the day to skype, eat, and watch een paar van filmjes. This will be fun! So happy that we get to have a Christmas like this. It really helps me remember the true meaning of Christmas. I'm so grateful that I get to celebrate this holiday in this manner, becaue its symbolizes the birth of the man that I represent everyday. I really hope that you all have such a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope you can all find ways to serve others around you. Thanks for all the love you guys send up to me in Holland. Enjoy all that white snow and eggnog! Love you all. Tot volgende keer!

Elder Elkins

 

Skyping Austin was amazing. It was so good to see him and hear him. He is doing so good and he is so happy.

 

Elder Elkins and Elder Yocom

 We all can't believe Austin and his BEST FRIEND are companions!

Another long, but fast, week in the books. 

First week in Zaandam! Still pretty interesting that Yocom and I are companions. I don't think it will ever feel real. All is good here in this crazy city of Amsterdam though. Last week, on Monday, Elder Yocom and I spend our P-Day in Amsterdam doing a little Christmas shopping. We were downtown and everything is so crazy for Christmas! Such a beautiful time of the year here. It is cold, and crappy weather, but the decorations and everything is so fun! We were walking around and 4 people stopped us and asked if they could buy us something. 4 students from BYU visiting for school. They took us to get fresh stroopwafels. So lekker! So fun to talk with them. That was great. We had a great P-Day. Long and stressful, but great. On Tuesday, we had District Meeting, then went to a Doner place for lunch, then did some finding, taught a 1st lesson to a new investigator Ibrahim. WOW. What an incredible lesson this was. Elder Yocom and I just went in there with the attitude of "we are young, we need the spirit to teach this one" and boy, did the spirit teach that one. What a miracle. This was easily my number one favorite lesson so far on my mission. We both tag teamed so well and bounced off each other, answered his questions, and made a baptismal date with him for Dec. 29th. Ibrahim said he has no doubts, and is excited to pray. So amazing. Gosh. It's days like those that remind me why I'm here and my purpose. We had an incredible dinner appointment with rich members that night. They had us have our own cooker things and they had tons of meat and other stuff that we cook ourselves. So fun. Best dinner yet. Then we did more finding that night. This has to be my favorite day on my mission so far! Wednesday, We had a great lesson with Denny. He is an inactive but has such a strong testimony. It is hard for him to come to church because of mental issues. During our lesson with him, President called us and asked if he could work with us that day. He likes to work with missionaries every Wednesday. I was nervous, but it went well. We taught 2 lessons, and had Ward Dinner night at the Church. This was a fun night. President is great and made us laugh. He is big into hunting, and saw from behind someones house, an Elk mounted on their wall. This is very rare here, of course, so we went and knocked on their door just to look at their Elk. The man said to come back another time because he was busy. We will do that! On Thursday, it was SinterKlaas day here. This is the Sinter Klaas man and the Black Piets who run around and have their tradition. This is the day that they put gifts in kids shoes. So funny. Elder Yocom and I celebrated this by going to Den Haag and picking up our Netherlands ID's. It was the worst weather i've seen here so it was nice to be in a train all day. So windy and wet. We had a dinner appointment that night and it was fun. Friday, We did some looks ups, Taught a lesson and a baptismal date to Revalino, then had weekly planning. After weekly planning, we made dinner then went outside and contacted. This random man on the street asked if we wanted to buy his bike for 10 euros. Of course, we were a bit skeptical because of the price, so I asked him where he got it from and why he's selling it. He said he repairs and sells bike cheap. We got his number and address and went to his house the next day. When we were sitting in his house, his wife came in and asked who we were. We told her that we were volunteers from our church from America. She freaked and showed us her Bible that she ordered from free online, and that she wants to join a church to change her life around. What a miracle. I got into a deep conversation with her and she said that she used to be homeless, she has a stealing problem, and that she is addicted to cocaine. Deep problems. I felt the spirit and bore testimony. We are teaching her on Thursday. This shows me how God's hand is in the work. Elder Yocom and I are a little nervous, because she has hefty problems. She also knows nothing about God or Jesus, so we are starting from scratch. It will be great! What a day. That time at there house was on Saturday, earlier on Saturday, we wen't to Amsterdam and to lunch with the ward mission leader here. It was so great and we went to an awesome pizza place. Then we did some look ups all day and had dinner by ourselves. We did some Christmas things, and of course, we had fun that night. What a great week. Long week, but great. Church on Sunday was cool, and we had 1 investigator there. We need to get more, so we will. We did some more look ups after church, and made some appointments and got in contact with people who we have struggled to in the past. Good day. 

This next week, we have Zone Conference. President Teixera from the First Presidency of the Seventy is going to host it and tour our mission. This will be great. I'm a little nervous, because he has a history of railing missionaries in the past, but I'm excited to learn and become better. I was also asked to read out of the missionary handbook. Two pages of my choice. I'm the only one doing this. I probably should pick the two pages tonight haha. I'm the only missionary doing it.... It will be a great day! This week will be great. Amsterdam is beautiful with Christmas. I wish you all could see it! All is going well here and I love it. It is easily the hardest thing I have ever done, but boy have I seen some cool things and met some amazing people. 

I love reminding myself why I am here to refocus. This week, I did so by reviewing the New Testament in 1st Corinthians when Paul is speaking. He said in chapter 9, versus 16-19, "16: For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17: For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18: What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 19: For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." Such a great read. This goes to us all. Not just me. We all need to preach the gospel and be missionaries. Not necessarily because we are told to or asked to, but because we should want to. Just being out here, I recognize how blessed I have been to live in Utah with a great family and friends. I look here in Amsterdam, and there are messed up situations everywhere you look. People living on the streets, drugs, prostitutes, everything. I'm grateful to be from America, and Utah. People need the gospel. That is why I am here, and Christmas time won't be too hard for me. My family is fine, but families here aren't. I love you all, and I hope you have a great week. :)

Elder Elkins