Another Day Another Dollar

Hello

Good afternoon. I had a great week. Things are going all over the place and so are we cause Amsterdam is huge well bigger than Rotterdam especially since it was divided into two areas. Luckily Amsterdam has excellent public transportation. I am walking a ton, I really got used to having a car for 7 and a half months so now its a huge change. I love it though cause if you think of missionaries you get this image in your mind of two missionaries walking down a street. So I am really fulfilling my role as a missionary.

   Last Monday we were invited to a lady's birthday party and we had some BBQ. She lives next to the church and used to take the lessons from the sister. She is really nice. A couple other non member friends came by and we were able to tell a little about the church.

   We have been doing a lot of finding since most of our appointments fell through. I like finding put teaching an actual sit down lesson is the best. I love it.

On Wednesday we had a District Leader council and a Zone Leader Council combined and the first half was separate and President asked me to train the District Leaders. Even though I am a District Leader myself President trusted me with that task. It went really good. We then had a great training by President his wife and the Assistants. The spirit was so strong.

   On Friday all four zones had a training at the same time which were held by the zone leaders. President went to one one assistant to another and his comp to another so there was one more zone that needed someone to be there representing President and so President asked me if I would go to Apeldoorn with my companion for him. It was really cool to be in my old zone and I felt cool, yet also very humbled. All the trainings were powerful. President now calls me his Deputy.

   We live with the Assistants and Elder van de Graaff happens to be one of them and also happens to be one of my former companions and a super good friend of mine so we have a blast in our apartment. Most dinner appointments with members both companion ships are invited so it feels like we are companions again. I love that kid.

   The members here are awesome. I don't have much time to get to know  them but I do love them.

I love this work and I love you all. 

   Love Elder Ellis

Amsterdam

Hey

Sorry I have to keep it short but I don't have much time.

I really like Amsterdam so far and there are seriously people everywhere from all over the world. We try to talk to everyone and of course especially the native Dutch people.

Elder Hansen and I are having fun and get along great. The Ward is great too and things are picking up too. We had one of our investigators come to church. We traveled with him which meant that we had to go through the centrum of Amsterdam. Not the best thing to do on a Sunday morning right before church but oh well. I am working hard and doing my best to rely on the Lord.

I love you all

Much Love Elder Ellis

Farewell Rotterdam

Hello

So transfers is this week and I was sure that I would stay here in Rotterdam and stay as a Zone Leader but the Lord has other plans for me. He has called me to Amsterdam. I am very excited to go there and to work with my new companion Elder Hansen from Idaho.

The cool thing is that I will be in the same apartment with one of my former companions Elder van de Graaff. Also I will be District Leader again over the Assistants and the sisters in Amsterdam. 

   This last week we had a zone conference with a seventy, a counselor from the area presidency Elder Patrick Kearon. He is from England and he so cool and spiritual. The spirit was so strong and there was so much that we learned. We also had a zone leader council with him and that was very special too. I learned so much and felt the spirit so strong.

   I was on x-changes with Elder van de Graaff and we had a blast, I just love that missionary.

I also really enjoyed my time with Elder Schulte, I love all of my companions. I will really miss Rotterdam I mean that is my city now, I love the people and just everything. I will especially miss the people that I have worked with. They all mean so much to me. 

   This last week while on our way home I saw someone from the car that I knew and have taught in the past and that I really care about. I have not been able to get in contact with him so when I saw him I jumped out of the car, ran over and we hugged. It was so good to see him again. I love meeting people and just loving them. I love my mission so much. 

I love you all, love Elder Ellis

Here is my new address

Elder Ellis

Vogelkersoord 4

1112 ED Biemen

Nederland

What a Week

Hello 

Its been a good week.

We went on x-changes this week with the Elders te Utrecht. It was fun I was with Elder Wang, we had a really fun time ,we laughed a lot. We talked to a lot of people and since all the universities are starting up again there are students everywhere, on bikes and businessmen/women so it was crazy to bike through the centrum. This guy almost crashed and so he looked over at me and we just started talking to each other. There are people crossing everywhere and everyone is flying and rushing from one place to the other. Elder Wang was already ahead. The guy and I rushed through the city dodging other bikers and cars and I told him about what we do, I started teaching him and he showed interest and right as I was about to ask him for his information to make an appointment we looked at the road splitting ahead of us and he said where do you have to go and I quickly looked and just barely saw Elder Wang fly over into the street on the right so I said right and he said nice talking to you I have to go straight, and there he went he was gone.

It was a nice conversation and he actually had interest. It was crazy, by the way no one in the Netherlands wear helmets when they bike. We had a great x-change.

   On Wednesday we were in this area looking up a guy when his neighbor looked out the window to tell us that he was not home but that we were welcome to come into his home and talk to him. So we did. He is Muslim and very nice we talked for a while and he told us how he likes Mormons and that he tells people that they should not judge us but that we are really nice, that was very kind of him, then he said that he knows a Mormon that used to come to Amsterdam for work. This Mormon is from Utah and has four wives and we were like oh no. We had a nice conversation, he invited us to come back to eat with him some time.

   This past week we have been able to do more service than usual. We did yard work, helped someone clean and move out of his college dorm room, and move some furniture around. Three different people. It felt great to just help people.

   The whole month of August we have been packed with member appointments and we have been able to work better with our ward. There is some good stuff happening.

   On Sunday one of our investigators came to church who initially told us that she would be unable to attend because she worked till 3 in the morning. Well she came anyways because she did not want to miss one Sunday. She is amazing and is really putting up some collateral. Things are going great. I miss you all and love you.

Much Love Elder Ellis