Koninginnedag or Queen's Birthday

Koninginnedag or Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands on 30 April. Queen's Day celebrates the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands and is supposed to be a day of national unity and "togetherness".

Queen's Day is known for its "freemarket" all over the country, where everybody is allowed to sell things in the streets.

We met our missionaries in Dordrecht for interviews. It was a little crazy in the city, but we found all missionaries waiting for us! We spent the morning interviewing and the missionaries had District Meeting while the interviews were going on. The Langeveld's provided a nice lunch for us. Then we all walked to the Centrum to participate in this cultural event.

People dress up in orange, called orange craze, as reference to the House of Orange. The missionaries enjoy wearing their orange ties on this National holiday! It can be a hard day for proselyting, so we encourage our missionaries to find ways to offer service to the members and less active on this day.

We found the street market, and Anna was excited about her

2 euro Delft hand painted jar.

Keukenhof in All It's Glory

We are so blessed to have the world-renowned Keukenhof in our mission!

Our day in Keukenhof was more than we could’ve ever dreamed for! We finished our interviews by 1:30 pm, and then we went back to the apartment , had a quck lunch and then drove to Keukenhof. We timed it just perfectly. The tourists were all filing out as we arrived. The temperature was perfect, about 75 degrees. It was so exciting to see our grand children so excited and finding pleasure in the beauties that this park has to offer. Keukenhof was at it’s prime! I think we were there at the peak season. We just had the best time discovering and sharing with one another the flowers we liked best. The children especially loved the maize and the fun bridges, stepping stones on the lake, the old fashioned zip line, the windmill, etc. Samuel commented, “This is the best day of my life!” Anna said, “I just wish I could share this place with my friends. It is so beautiful here." Lucy was happy the whole time! She loved chasing the ducks!

HISTORY

Where Keukenhof is situated now, was a hunting area in the 15th century. Herbs for the kitchen of the castle of Jacoba van Beieren were also collected here; hence the name Keukenhof.

The current park was a section of the sizeable estate of Slot Teylingen, with beautiful untamed bushes and dunes. After the decease of Jacoba van Beieren Keukenhof fell into the hands of rich merchant families. Baron and baroness Van Pallandt invited landscape architects J.D. and L.P. Zocher, designers of the Amsterdam Vondelpark, to make a design for the garden around the castle. This design, in the English landscape style, has always been the basis of Keukenhof.

At the moment the estate belongs to a Corporation. On the initiative of the Lisse mayor of that time and a number of leading flower bulb growers and exporters, an open air flower exhibition was organised here for the first time in 1949. This expanded to an annually recurring event that has always drawn great numbers of visitors from all over the world. This is how Keukenhof became the park that we now know.

A spectacular view from the windmill.

Anna and Samuel

Anna Munns

it was really interesting because of all the colors and how they glowed. And I thought it was interesting how they did all the mixes. I also liked the water and how it looked like a swamp, but with tulips in it. I liked how they were so creative with the monkey bars and the bridge in the water. I also thought it was creative how they had it arranged, and how they had all the tulips was very interesting. My favorite part, I don’t really have one because I loved it all . There were seashells in the sand. And I liked how they did a monkey jungle gymn even thought we are not monkeys. And I liked all the animals, It was like a zoo, but very creative. But most of all, I just loved being there with Nanna Becca and Grand pere!

Growing Anticipation!

Ten months is a long time to be away from our family! We have been anxiously

waiting for this day to arrive!

We were so happy to find my oldest daughter, Tiffany and her husband Jacob

and their 4 children at the Brussels Airport!

We all left for Rotterdam and stopped at Kinder Dijk on the way!

The children saw their first windmill! The anticipation of waiting for months was finally realized!

Anna, Lucy, William, and Samuel instantly fell in love with Holland!

The next morning, we left before anyone was awake and met our fine missionaries in

Rotterdam for interviews. They started our day out right!

Hurrah! The Tibbets Arrive!

Words cannot describe how happy we were to finally see the Tibbets in person!

We have been waiting months for them to arrive! A little problem with their visas was finally solved ,

et Voila they are here!

Elder and Sister Pancratz delivered them to their apartment, to let them rest and catch up on some lost sleep.

Then we all met at the mission home for interviews with President Brubaker and we came better acquainted

as we shared a dinner together. The Tibbets come to us with many talents

and capabilites that will bless our mission tremendously!

How Could I Forget?!?!?

Thank You Sister Erickson for the reminder! Somehow, I slipped! I guess our life was a little crazy with all the changes to our mission. I think I was in denial-just didn't want to lose anymore missionaries that week! Wow! What a dynamic talented devoted spiritual group of missionaries. President Brubaker and I have been blessed and influenced by each one of these missionaries. We will never be the same! Thank you for the memorable experiences we have had with you. We pray for you every night and hope that your adjustment has not been too hard.

Sister Weiland and Sister Erickson served with a deep love for the people of Holland and Belgium

Nous aimons beaucoup- Wij houden van u.

Many stories and memories were shared around the dinner table. Even though our French missionaries and our Dutch missionaries didn't serve together, there was an unexplainable bond between all missionaries in our mission.

Our assistants had the opportunity to meet our French missionaries from time to time

as they came into the office for legality.

Some People

Come into our Lives

And Quickly Go......

Some Stay For Awhile

And Leave Footprints

In Our Hearts....

And We are Never

The Same.

An English Speaking Branch in Holland

President Brubaker and I were asked to speak in church on Sunday, in Wassanaar. Wassanaar is an English speaking branch composed primarily of expatriots, people from other countries who are living in the Netherlands. For example: the bishop is from Scandinavia, several members are from the United States, England and Africa. We understood every word of the meeting! Elder DeMeester and Elder Frahm were excited when their investigator came to church!

A Big Surprise!

President Brubaker surprised me, after interviews! It was our anniversary, so we went to the Annual Flower Show, and enjoyed an evening in the beautiful city of Ghent Belgium. We were so amazed by this beautiful medieval city!

Our First Glimpse...

After interviews on Saturday, we took a little P-Day. We were needing some exercise, so we decided to ride our tandem through the tulip fields, about 13 kilometers away! We were so excited to see the tulips! We were staying in Leiderdorp, and our hotel provided us with a bicycle route, so we wouldn't get lost. We had our first experience crossing the canal on a bicycle ferry.

Look what awaited us on the other side! It was a warm, beautiful afternoon.

We were about to experience an exhilarating moment that we shall never forget!

The most beautiful bike ride I have ever experienced!

I was in heaven.......

The aroma of millions of hyacinths filled the air.....

Daffodils.....

The Countryside of Holland is breathtaking.

Wouldn't you like to be a cow in the Netherlands?

Interviews Roll Around Again

We have spent the last two weeks interviewing our missionaries.

We loved interviewing in the missionaries' apartments last transfer, and wish we could do it every time!

We started in Deventer.

After interviews, Elder Lystrup and Elder Bair took us on their consecrated hour with them to the Grot Markt.

We practiced our rudimentary Dutch. We now know what if feels like to be a brand new missionary,

struggling to learn the language. We were grateful for our elders to help us out.

This was our first time to the church in Heerlen. We are getting more and more familiar with the cities

and churches in our mission. It was a privilege to be with our wonderful missionaries

serving in Breda, Eindhoven, and Breda.

We were greeted by Zuster Vels and Zuster Ekstrom in Amsterdam. We both arrived about the same time!

I am always amazed how our sisters can maneuver their bikes so easily with all of their paraphanalia!

Zuster Vels is my personal Dutch teacher! Everytime we are together she gives me a short Dutch lesson.

I just wish she could transfer all that knowledge into my head!

We are so saddened that Elder and Sister Dabel will be finishing their mission in just a few weeks.

The missionaries have been sweetly spoiled with all of the wonderful cooking Sister Dabel has provided!

We have all tried to talk them into staying for just a little longer. They will truly be missed!

Our Ghent elders and sisters were walking to the church for interviews.

There is an enthusiastic feeling in the air as these dynamic

and excited missionaries came for interviews!

Attitude is everything in missionary work!

Our missionaries in Ghent, Antwerp, St. Nikklas, and Kortrijk are so positive and their attitude is very catching!

After interviews, President Brubaker and I went with the missionaries on joint teaches. After two appointments

fell through with the sisters, Sister Fowler and Sister Reber would not allow for discouragement!

We all went "house boat" contacting, just a few minutes walk from the church.

We found a very nice woman that needed a visit from us! The last door that we knocked on, there was no answer, but as we were walking away, a woman on her patio, enjoying the sunshine, was very friendly and talkative. Sister Fowler and Sister Reber were patient and kind to this elderly woman who just needed someone to listen to her. Her husband was there too, but had Alzheimer's. She knew about the church, and was very positive and complimentary. She became very emotional when we asked her if we could have a prayer with her. It was a special opportunity for me to feel the sweet spirit was there, as we prayed together.

She invited the sisters to come back soon.

The dynamic energetic trio-Elder Morrow, Elder Waldie, and Elder Marshall

Before heading back to Brussels, we went to church in Arnhem. President Brubaker spoke in church.

His Dutch is coming right along! Elder Morrow did a very professional job translating all three meetings

for the ward members who needed English translation. I was so impressed! I think he has developed a wonderful skill!

"I challenge you to enjoy your call and to magnify it completely.

Be happy and joyful in the service of the Lord.

Love missionary work with all your heart.

I promise you that as you magnify your call

This will be the sweetest and most glorious

Experience you have had!"

Ezra Taft Benson

Happy Day!

Sister Garvin finally arrived today after a long wait for her visa! We were so excited to have her finally join us! I think she was maybe just a little bit thrilled to be in Belgium-finally! We took her to the office and Elder Owens and Elder Bell made sure she was oriented. Then we delivered her to the anxious missionaries in Leiden. Sister Driggs will be her trainer. They instantly connected with each other. I am sure many miracles will be happening in Haarlem as they white wash this city together. Welcome Sister Garvin!