Our New Year Missionaries--Welcome!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014, we made our trip to Schipol Airport to pick up three new missionaries coming from the Provo MTC.

Elder Strikwerda, Sister Robinson, President Robinson, Elder Leon, Elder Ames

Elder Ames, Elder Strikwerda, President Robinson, Elder Van Komen, Assistant

What a great group of Elders.  They had to leave behind Elder Holt in the USA while he waits on Visa issues.  

President Robinson, Elder Van Komen, Elder Leon, and Elder Lewis, Assistant

Back in the Mission Office they took care of the Legal and Financial paperwork for the mission.  Then it was off to Oude Leiden for pannenkoeken.

 Sister Robinson, Elder Pimentel, Elder Ames, Elder Lewis, Elder Suckow, Elder Lororbach, Elder Cockbain, Elder Lind, Elder Strikwerda, Elder Van Komen, Elder Leon, President Robinson 

 Elder Loorbach, Elder Cockbain, Elder Lind, Elder Strikwerda, Elder Van Komen, Elder Leon, President Robinson, Sister Robinson, Elder Pimentel, Elder Ames, Elder Lewis, Elder Suckow

 Elder Leon

 Elder Leon

 Elder Ames

 Elder Ames

 Elder Strikwerda

 Elder Strikwerda

 President Robinson and his Assistants

 Elder Van Komen, President Robinson, Elder Lewis

 Elder Leon, Sister Robinson, President Robinson, Elder Ames, Elder Strikwerda

To the Mission Home for a well deserved nap.  

Later that afternoon we received two additional Elders from Suriname,  Elder Denpai and Elder Kortodirjo

 Elder Kortodirjo, Elder Ames, Elder Van Komen, Elder Leon, Elder Strikwerda, Elder Denpai, Elder Lewis

We enjoyed getting to know each other at dinner in the Mission Home and afterward had a great fireside.  Then each missionary opened their 'First Area' letters telling them who their trainer/companion would be and where they would be serving.

 Elder Denpai will serve in Utrecht with Elder Stanley.

 We already love Elder Denpai.  His is very excited to serve in Utrecht.

 Elder Kortodirjo will serve in Zwolle.

 He will be companions with Elder M. Hansen

 Elder Ames will serve in Genk, Belgium.

 His trainer/companion will be Elder Pitts.

 When he realized that Genk was in Belgium......

 ....he got really excited.

 Elder Strikwerda will serve in Hoorn.

 His trainer/companion will be Elder Pouwer.

 Elder Leon will serve in Amersfort.

 His trainer/companion will be Elder Endicott.

Wednesday morning we went back to the Mission Office for training from the Assistants.  After the first hour of training, the trainers and new missionaries meet and get to know each other.   I love this time.  There is an excitement, energy and Spirit that is wonderful.  I could enjoy that all day!

 Elder Denpai meets Elder Stanley

 Everyone introduces themselves and visits with the new missionaries.

 Everyone prepares for the last training before they depart for the train station to travel to their new cities.

 This new group of missionaries and trainers are great.  There was such a good, warm and loving Spirit in the room today.  This is really what it is about.  There was only love and acceptance--we all truly felt 'among friends and family' even though we had all just met within the last 24 hours.

 Elder Stanley and Elder Denpai  serving in Utrecht.

 Elder Hansen and Elder Kortodirjo

 They will be serving in Zwolle.

 Elder Leon and Elder Endicott serving in Amersfort.

 Elder Pouwer and Elder Strikwerda serving in Hoorn.

Elder Ames and Elder Pitts serving in Genk, Belgium.

Wow, another great transfer.  We are delighted with the three Elders from the Provo MTC.  Steller!!  We are humbled and so happy to finally get our Suriname Elders here in the country.  There have been visa issues for these two Elders.  They have served 8 months in Suriname waiting for the Dutch Visa.  When they walked into the Mission Home I could hardly hold back the tears.  It is a Mission Miracle that Elder Denpai and Elder Kortodirjo are now here in the Netherlands to serve in the mission to which they were called.  The Lord does hear and answer our prayers.  This has been a miraculous transfer.

Good bye to three more GREAT missionaries

President Teixeira's Mission Tour Zone Conference

December 10, 2013 President and I along with our Assistants  Elder Van Komen and Elder Lewis, picked up President and Sister Teixeira from the airport and began our week of conferences with dinner and a planning meeting with the Assistants. 

 Elder Lewis and Elder Van Komen

 Sister and President Teixeira

 President and Sister Robinson

 Back at the hotel, President Teixeira held a planning meeting with the Assistants.

 President taught, trained and challenged the Assistants to plan, set goals and achieve with faith what the Lord has required at their hands here in the Belgium Netherlands Mission.  

 Through role-play and really thinking beyond what we sometimes 'think' we can accomplish and do, President Teixeira inspired and motivated each of us to do and be more than we are now.

 December 11, 2013 we held our first Zone Conference with the Den Haag Zone, Amsterdam Zone and Apeldoorn Zone.

December 12, 2013 we held our second Zone Conference with the Rotterdam Zone, Antwerpen Zone, and Eindhoven Zone.

Sister Robinson wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas from President and her.  Also, missionaries were encouraged to make Christmas Day a Christ-Centered day with their Missionary Work.

Elder Douglas and Elder Taylor

Elder and Sister Seiter, Sister Greenwell and Sister Gallegos.

Elder Rudolph, Elder Chantry, Elder Pugh, Elder Argueta, Elder Pitts

Sister Brophy, Sister Djoukeng, Sister Morris

Elder Praag, Elder Endicott, Elder Sanderson

Elder Slingerland, Elder Krebs, Elder Bean, Elder Van de Merwe, Elder Sumter

Elder Hunt, Elder Frisby, Elder Bitters, Elder Moomey

Elder K. Hansen

Elder England, Elder Corsini, Bro. Geens, Zendings Lieder uit Gent, Belgium.

Elder Enslow, Elder Eby, Elder Hulet, Elder Womeldorf

Elder Bourne, Elder Lind, Elder Ipson

Harry Van der Sanda

Elder Taylor, Elder Douglas, Elder Alfaro, Elder Gomez, Elder South, Elder Silva, Elder Davis

Elder Price, Elder Stanley, Elder Taylor, Elder Douglas, Elder Alfaro

Elder Thueson, Elder Toole, Elder Fowkes

Sister Packer, Sister Aston, Sister Frandsen, Sister Heilner, Sister Watkins, Sister Elting

Sister Meier, Sister Nelson, Sister Mizell

Elder Wombeldorf, Sister Juchau

Elder Armstrong, Elder Roemer

Elder Tjong-Ayong

President and Sister Robinson

December 13, 2013 President and Sister Teixeira trained the Mission Leadership at the Mission Leaders Council at the Mission Home.

Following the training, President Teixeira asked if we would take him and his wife not far from the Mission Home to the local windmill.

While there, President Teixeira made a short video of President and I about some of our thought about the mission, our time of service and how this has blessed and sanctified our marriage.

Getting the mic set up.

Setting up the camera and the sound.

The interview.

The windmill near the Mission Home, a saw mill named, 'The Salamander'.

President and Sister Teixeira, President and Sister Robinson

President and Sister Teixeira

Elder Van Komen, Elder Lewis, President and Sister Teixeira


It was a wonderful conference.  The missionaries were taught and inspired.  Many reports came to President the following days and weeks as to the successfulness of the missionaries as they implemented the ideas and approaches that were taught during the conference.  It was a wonderful way to enjoy the Christmas Season.