The end of an interesting year

                                                                                    

December gave us a chance to         invite and enjoy time in the     Temple with 4 individuals and their   family, who came to receive their   own endowments and 3 couples   with their family, who were     sealed for time and all eternity.     We love the wonderful spirit that   attends each ordinance.   We are so grateful that we can have   this opportunity to be part of their   wonderful day.  We would love to   see more people come to take this   opportunity but all we can do is   invite them.

 We are happy that we can ask an ordinance worker or two to come help and they are thrilled to have the chance to participate and be involved in the work of the Temple once again.  We hope the time when all the workers can return to serve is not too far away.  We sure miss seeing our faithful workers.  

     At the beginning of December 

               we had the chance to                       spend an afternoon with               President and Sister        vanWermeskerken, our 1st      counselor and assistant matron.       They served us a lovely lunch after which we enjoyed a refreshing  walk in Kinderdijk,   the home of 19 windmills and a big tourist attraction located just a short walking distance from where the vanWermeskerkens live.

                

After having only had the chance to  communicate  with them via texts or WhatsApp in several weeks, it was very good to see them again and spend time together. 

 That afternoon really lifted our spirits.

In October the Brandenburgs were called and set apart as our  2nd counselor and assistant matron at the Temple.                                                   

We have had a wonderful time getting to know  President and Sister Brandenburg.                     

 They have come to the Temple several times since their call in October to help with some of the ordinances and to learn all that this new calling involves.   We are so grateful for their eagerness and diligence in learning and helping all that they can even in this time of limited patron access to the Temple.  We know that it is a sacrifice for them to travel all the distance to come and we appreciate their willingness.  We look forward to serving with them.

On Christmas day we went to visit with Henk's brother, Thijs, who lives in Zwolle.  (about an hour and a half drive from Zoetermeer)  He fixed a super delicious Indonesian dinner for us which was way more than we could handle.   He packed up at least enough for another meal and said that it is the desire of every Indonesian cook to send food home with their guests so he was just doing what was expected.

 

 You know that we must be in the Netherlands                   when you see this:

     Our sweet next door neighbors, Johan and Lilian,                       gave us a gift of . . . . . Christmas Tulips.  

                   Aren't they beautiful!!