Week 27: Crazy Week!

December 16, 2013

Geliefde Familie:

THIS WEEK. Was crazy. My companion was sick for TWO DAYS. I was dying to get outside, but she needed the rest. We also did a lot of traveling. We had a Zone Conference with Elder Teixeira of the 70 in Amsterdam so I got to sleep at Zr Hudson's house!!! And I got a lot of good advice from her. We stayed up until like 11:30 but I really needed to talk to her, so I was happy. Elder Teixeira is from Portugal, and he had a lot of really good things to say. Apparently he sort of chastised the other group though. He just taught us a lot. But since we were inside for two days (well really only one because both days we just went home early because we called Zr Robinson because Zr GW was not feeling well later in the days) we were really motivated, so we had an AWESOME week. Not that numbers are everything, but we got 4 new investigators. BOOM.

One of the assistants to the president called me on Monday asking if I could do a part of the opening exercises at zone training. He told me they're trying something new and reading two pages from the white handbook; so I got to prayerfully choose what to read.

I was just telling my companion that it wouldn't feel like Christmas this year because I don't have caramel, but then I GOT CARAMEL! You beautiful people. Thank you, thank you! I kept all of the other things in that package wrapped, I will open them on Christmas. 

Thank you for sending me to a good school so I know that you can't end a sentence with a preposition. I probably break it all the time, but at least I know it's wrong. And it helps Dutch too!

I sent you guys a letter on Tuesday with more details. Hope you get it soon!

We had an appointment with a member fall through on Saturday, so we went door knocking and got let in to this family's house from Sri Lanka! Only the dad speaks English, and basically no Dutch, but we taught them and they said we can come back! We even found the Tamil BoM online for them so they can read it. Miracle! And we didn't have to stay all night in the freezing, so that was definitely a plus. 

I CAN'T WAIT TO SKYPE YOU! Send your info to Sister Kitchen. She speaks English. I'm so glad you saw the picture on Facebook! Brother Mraz called me on my first day here and told me he knows Sister Casey. That was so cool. 

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!

Annie, good luck with the gifts. Spencer, I hear you're a lady killer. Mark, you're just the best ever. All of you, good luck on exams. I will talk to you soon :):):):):):))))))

Love, love, love,

Zr Heilner

Week 26: Winter Wonderland! See you in a year!!

December 9, 2013

Maastricht WinterWonderland

Geliefde Familie:

AHHHHH I don't have a lot of time because our ward mission leader wanted to take us to some caves today, which was really cool, and I have sweet pictures, but now P-Day is over soon so I gotta hurry.

Last Monday, I went to the centrum of Maastricht where they had a winter wonderland (Christmas Market) and a Ferris wheel which was basically as high as climbing the clock tower without having to go on the stairs, so score. 

What's your Skype information? I have an appointment with Familie Kitchen on Christmas and they need it so we can Skype you people!! :):):)

Can I have my good camera back? I really miss it. This one is not fantastic. 

So we hardly ever bike here compared to what we did in Groningen. But we do have hills. I'm really thankful for the extensive biking I had because now I have strong enough thighs to do anything, but my companion got mad at me for going too fast one time...Mom, thank you for having a great sense of direction. Let's just say my companion didn't learn Maastricht, so I've had to, but I have learned it pretty fast so it's going well. 

I was reading about Samuel the Lamanite fortelling Christ's birth and I remembered Dad in a loin cloth over his clothes at the Crespo's that one year. Lol.

So we have to go on a lot of trains because we are far away from EVERYTHING. AND the trains are sometimes not reliable. It took us like five hours to get back to Maastricht from Breda...haha. We are getting pretty good at train contacting. 

I GET TO SEE SISTER HUDSON THIS WEEK. I'm sleeping in A'dam on Wednesday because we have mission conference with a member of the 70 and we do NOT want to be late, especially because you never know when the trains are going to have problems. 

Can you send me some of those toe warmers? You know those? They're flatter than hand warmers. My toes get really cold and it makes missionary work a lot less optimistic. 

Sorry this email was kind of lame...there's so much more I want to write.... But it's good...

GUESS WHAT, my release date is 9 Dec 2014, so...see you in A YEAR OH MY GOSH

IK HOU VAN JULLIE.

Zr Heilner

Week 25: This is Pretty Different

December 2, 2013

Maastricht

 Geliefde Familie: 

In good and bad ways. Good ways: I basically live in Germany. It's BEAUTIFUL oh my gosh. We ride a lot of trains (yussss) and I love seeing the hills and cute little towns everywhere! Of course, it's also giving me a lot of time to brush up on my train contacting skills, which, for the last six weeks, have not been used that much. Another good thing is my companion. She and I were in the same MTC group, and we seemed pretty different, but before I got to Maastricht, I made up my mind that I was going to love her with my whole heart no matter what. We are indeed very different, but she is so easy to love. Her mom is Brazilian and her dad is American. She's the nicest person. I think our trainers were pretty different, too. Another cool thing: my first morning here, Zr Kohlert called me on the phone!!!!! I almost died. It was the second time I got to hear her beautiful voice since we'd been away from each other. I was so happy. She's still in Antwerpen. I have big plans that after this transfer, she'll come join me in Maastricht. That'd be so fun. My apartment is super close to the centrum, like a 10 minute bike ride, which is beautiful compared to Groningen. Here's the address:

If you would like Katie’s new address, please email me (Rosemary) at rheilner@gmail.com (Katie would love letters for Christmas!)

Bad ways: Idk what it is, but it's just a really different attitude here. Like...we do NOT have very many appointments. And that's, like, fine with my companion. Not really fine with me. President said if we're doing our best to have two appointments every day and talking to at least ten people every day about the restoration, we can be having one baptism a month. We were pretty much at that point in Groningen. We're going to get Maastricht like that too. The shower can't decide if it wants to be hot or cold, and we have to reset the water every time we shower haha. I really do like it here a lot though. Especially since I am already seeing improvements in our numbers. Phew. 

So I'm not claiming that my Dutch is great or anything. In fact, it should probably be a lot better. But I feel like I should thank German again for being so beautiful. I feel pretty confident about Dutch, and it's because of German.

So apparently you guys did something right with the Gouts. When I told them I was being transferred, Broeder Gout said, "WHAT?! We wanted to have you for Christmas!" and they said when you guys come to NL to visit, you can stay at their house. We will be taking them up on that offer. I love them. He gave me a hug that night too...hahaha. Missionary life. 

Spence, there's a member here from Portugal and he talks JUST LIKE YOU. It's so weird. He's got the nasally thing, and his humor is even kinda like yours. And his mannerisms and everything. It's so cool. 

I had 3 American Thanksgivings this year. And one Filipino. Beat that. 

Fambam, I know this is the most important work in the world. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here. It's really hard and sometimes I don't like it, but it's so worth it. Chris sent me the greatest email of my life today bearing his testimony. IT'S WORTH IT. I know the Book of Mormon changes lives. I know it makes even the happiest people happier. I know it's true.

IK HOU VAN JULLIE,

Zr Heilner

Maastricht