Back on the internet

We are now hooked up to the internet again and I don't feel so disconnected any more. We have been really busy with all that is involved with moving into a new apartment. We have commissary privileges and so we drove the two hours to get to the airbase north of Brussels. We will probably do that once a month. We were thrilled, until we got home and realized that somehow we were going to have to climb up four flights of stairs to get it all up to our place. Ben rigged up a rope and hook to haul it up so we would not have to climb up 12 times. I think we had better stop eating,(which would not hurt either one of us)

We finally hung our drapes and will now be able to walk through the house instead of crawling on all fours.

I hear in Utah the weather has been pretty dry. well, I'll send over some rain. We get a shower at least once a day, and have learned to carry an umbrella with us all the time.

We went to our new ward for the first time Sunday, and the people were very friendly, we do want to know however which one of you told them we were coming. We were asked to take a few minutes in Sacrament meeting and also in Relief Society and Priesthood meeting. Ben had to say the prayer and was assigned to teach Priesthood next week. Pour guy, not much rest for him. One thing that surprised me was the way people dressed. One of the Sacrament meeting speakers wore faded jeans, a wrinkled white shirt and no tie. The bishop's wife wore tights with a tunic top, the counselor in Relief Society who gave the lesson wore slacks. Boy did we feel overdressed for this party. We however will not be able to dress down much while we are here. We have to wear our whole mission outfits, white shirt (no rolled up sleeves)and tie for Ben and a skirt and nylons for me everywhere we go.

We though that Flemish would be much like Dutch. Well maybe so if people speak very slowly, the trouble is they all speed through each conversation. I'm sure it must be difficult for them to understand us as well. We try to slow down as much as we can. One thing, almost everyone understands some English and they love to practice on us. We are the only Senior Couple that both speak the language. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for those other couples where only one of them speak the dutch they remembered from their first missions.

Our Mission President in our incoming interview told us that our calling is to teach (or should I say) show the people how to love one another. Many of the new converts are refugees from Africa and have a hard time with the Dutch language, they do speak some English. They are not accepted by the members and so don't want to come back to church after baptism. I can really see why we will have to be here 2 years.

Tuesday we went to a Zone conference in Amsterdam and were able to meet some of the other Senior Couples. We have been borrowing a GPS from one of the other couples and can hardly wait until ours comes in the mail. There is no way in Europe we would be able to find our way around without one. Thank heaven for modern technology.