Fall Jovo Camp and Winter Begins

On Friday, November 20, we drove to a small village in central Netherlands called Lunteren to assist with the fall camp for the Young Single Adults (Jovos).  The mission president generously agreed to put the senior couples up in a nearby hotel so that we didn't have to sleep in bunk beds at the group camping facility.  We are now down to four senior couples in the mission from the eight that we had when we arrived.  After checking in to the hotel, we drove with Elder and Sister Hill to the group camping facility called the Wildwal.

The Robisons, Hills, Romigs and Caldwells

We always enjoy associating with the young people in the area and now we know most of them.  We have a monthly fireside and sacrament meeting (usually in Gouda).  Our stake has a monthly fireside in Antwerpen and we attend the weekly institute class in our ward.  It gives us a great opportunity to get to know these great young people.

After dinner, the Jovos had a introductory session and a casual dance.  Many were arriving later because of school and work schedules.  Some folks have to drive two or three hours or take the train for two to three hours to get there.

Niek Sumter being served by Brother Arts

Making lunches to go before the temple trip

Happy diners

The Romig's showing everyone how to do the Macarena

Buddy Gout checking in with Niek

Beryl Gout and the some of the seniors

The Arts family did find time for a little fussball

Michael Bogaerts checking in late with the rest of the Antwerp crowd 

Sister Caldwell providing encouragement from the end zone

President Van Dam

On Saturday morning, the senior couples ate breakfast at the hotel and then joined the Jovos for a devotional featuring President and Sister Van Dam who preside over The Hague Temple.  President Van Dam served with his parents when they were the mission president in the Netherlands, then served here are a young missionary.  He returned again as the mission president in the mid 1980s and then he and his wife were serving as MLS missionaries in Den Helder when their mission was cut short and they were asked to return to prepare for their current assignment.  We got to know them before their latest call and we have enjoyed the fellowship and association since they returned a few weeks ago.

They talked about the temple and also about the signs of the Second Coming.  They did so in a sensitive manner without fear mongering, but reminding the youth to stand in holy places and not be moved.  We were surprised to discover that we had been assigned to accompany a number of young people who planned to do temple work that day.  We had three young men assigned to ride with us in our car for the hour and fifteen minute drive to the temple.  We rushed to get to the temple in time for the 12:15 PM session and made it just in time.  Many of the young people participated in baptisms for the dead.  Our session ended up starting about 30 minutes late due to some early arriving German members and they were trying to ensure that spouses ended up on the same session.  There were lots of the folks there and the temple was understaffed, so it was quite a challenge for the workers to keep everything going.

As we completed our session, they informed us that two of our three riders had already returned and asked that we wait for the next session to finish to see if anyone else needed a ride.  They then asked me to help get things finished for the day since Sister Caldwell and I have both been set apart as vail workers.  I ended up baptising a sister since they were short in the baptistry.  I was grateful for the refresher training we received in Zone training earlier in the week so the ordinances went forward without problem.

Saturday night was the first night of frost we have had this fall and I had to scrape a thick layer of frost and ice off of the windshield of the car.  We have been enjoying daytime temperatures in the mid fifties and nighttime temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s, so it felt like winter has descended.  The daylight hours are dwindling as well.  Now the sun comes up at around 8:20 AM and sets at around 4:45 PM.  We feel blessed to have longer days than they do in Norway where Sister Caldwell's brother and wife recently served.

On Sunday, the mission president informed us that the area office decided to restrict missionary travel in Belgium and the south of the Netherlands (since those areas are near Brussels).  That meant that district class was cancelled for Tuesday.  It also meant that all exchanges and zone activities are cancelled.  Church in the Brussels building was also cancelled.  The government shut down the metro and cancelled school and university classes as well while they seek to untangle terrorist plots.

On Monday, November 23, we worked with the Bishop to help a family in the ward with welfare needs.  It is certainly a testament to the wisdom of the program of the Church.  Belgium is a socialist country and most of these families have quality subsidized housing and monthly benefits.  Sometimes the benefits come late so we were able to pick up some food to keep the kids from going hungry.  I couldn't help but think of my great-grandfather, Karl Johan Stromberg and his siblings going to bed hungry many nights or having only a crust of bread to eat.  It makes me thankful for the bounties of modern life and the ability of the Church to meet the needs of so many.