Humbling Embarrassment

Where to even begin about this week. You would think that a missionary on their last transfer would be confident, calm and know how to keep herself together. To be given a map and know how to get from point A to point B. To speak the language and talk to everyone they see. Think again... unless well then it is just me. Ya know, it could very well just be me. This just might be the most embarrassed I have ever felt in my life. So with that said, please laugh at the series of events I am about to share. Because you won't be the only ones laughing... Yesterday we were asked to give talks during the Wassenaar Ward (English) but during the Sacrament, the young men had just lined up at the end of the water portion and the fire alarm went off. I turned around and the look on those Deacon's faces was priceless. They looked scared out of their minds. Everyone totally confused, finally the Bishop told us to exit the building. The Zoetermeer ward was already making their way out, two wards all standing outside. After several minutes they tell to come back inside. But not even a minute later the alarm goes off again and back outside we go. Then several different people at different times asked if I set the alarm so I didn't have to speak. What the heck man?! When we finally did get back in, the Bishop came up to me and said due to time I didn't have to speak. HA! Saturday we had a Spring Deep Clean of the ward building. There were several tasks to be done. It kind of felt like we were back in the MTC where there was someone standing there with a whiteboard with a list of tasks and when one was finished they gave you another one. Our first task was to clean windows..Check. But there were several people, which is good! However, when we went back to see what more we could do, Br. Vis gave us the duty of scrubbing the gym floor. So we got on our hands and knees and scrubbed the gym floor. The bishops came by and joked that we needed toothbrushes and called us Cinderella. Friday Zr. Bybee was supposed to go to Brussels for legality things. Due to bad planning from the office and a series of stressful events, she didn't make it. We were on a train for 3 hours.... Again on Friday we just got done with a lesson with the elders. We were biking on our way to Zr. Van Der Scheer for dinner. First I almost fell off my bike trying to get on! Took a wrong turn, then fixed our direction. Then I heard a loud noise and my chain got stuck and I almost fell off. We pulled over and some wirey thing came off and got caught in the chain! It was terrible. I tried to fix it but one I was laughing too hard and second it was really stuck. We were by a canal and the houses on the other side, a guy came out and asked if we needed help. I had no idea how to explain it. He came over and had to go get big duty tools.... garden clippers and a saw. He then cut the wire thing out. Handed it to me "Alstublieft, as a souvenir." And walked away.... My biggest regret is that I did not bring my bike my last transfer and am now using a worse bike. We were knocking doors, a man opened, looked scared and motioned a cross with his hands and blessed us. Thanks kind sir, I needed that! One night we were walking home from the Tram halte when all of a sudden I heard this sound right behind us. Had been a bit slower in walking we would have been peed on!!! A guy up at the tram spoor was peeing off the edge... so gross! Friday night at our dinner appointment Zr. Van Der Scheer made a dish... one that she grew up on. One she was very proud of and loved. One she thought was the best way to prepare it. It was Sauerkraut.... with potatoes, hydrated fruit and lots of cream. Needless to say it was not very yummy... poor Sister Bybee did NOT like it! And I could tell, so I used my experienced missionary skills and shoveled it down, and being polite ate a second plate so that Bybee did not have to. Just had the worst taste in my mouth the rest of the night... sacrifices. I got us lost several times!! Asked several people for help, they thought I was nuts. I know the helmet doesn't help! But they all said that we need a new map. We also need an updated ward list. Twice this week we showed up at a house for a dinner appointment and they had moved. The best was when the man across the street came out and told us they moved. Looked like an idiot! Alrighty... whoa that was a lot. So now on a more spiritual and good note, we had pretty sweet experience. On the day I got us lost and we were all over the place. We stopped and ate ice cream. After that I saw a street and decided to go over there. (This is the street we got blessed at the door). Kept knocking and then we came to one door, the man came to the window. He is Catholic, yet never heard of our church or the Book of Mormon. We taught him the first lesson through the window, gave him a Book of Mormon and prayed with him. We are going back this week. It was a really sweet experience! And seeing how happy and excited Bybee was, was really rewarding! We are doing our best to figure things out. We have big shoes to fill here in Zoetermeer. I am trying to do my best to help Bybee... I feel like I have no idea what I am doing. Everyone here reminds me of how much time I have left... I see the days ticking away.. It doesn't feel like I am on my last transfer. I just hope you all know how hard I am working, or how hard I am trying to work. This means so much to me, and I know I am not the best or most talented missionary. But I am giving my life, absolutely everything I have to do what the Lord expects. To talk to as many people as I can. I love this work. It is the hardest thing I have ever done. But this is the closest to heaven and safest I have ever felt. Please never forget that there is a Father in Heaven who loves you. He is waiting to hear from you. No matter how hard it gets, he understands. You are so precious to him. Be humble and lean on Him. He wants to lift you and your burdens. I love you all... have a beautiful week and smile! -- Zuster Young