Here it comes. My Last Email. EVER!!!!
My title today comes from a weird investigator that the South Elders brought to church yesterday. We were sitting in gospel principles class this week and because there were a couple new faces we all went around and introduced ourselves. Most peoples were something along the lines of: I'm from here, my family is like this, or my hobbies are that. Then it gets to Robert... "I work 40 hours per week. I like movies. I have a DVD player at home" and just stops. haha!! it probably wasn't that funny, but we all just broke down laughing because we realized how weird some of our investigators are.
Another cool thing this week. We were at an investigator''s place and he had a buddy over who plays for Feyenoord, the best pro soccer team in the Netherlands. I asked this guy if he had an extra sticker I could have and he said, "nah, but I got something else. One second." then he gave me one of his game jerseys. Super Sick!
Based off request from my dad I have a list of 10 things I'm going to miss, 10 things I'm not going to miss, and 10 things I've learned on my mission. Here we go!...
10 Things I'll Miss
- Sambal: A type of hot sauce that is way better than anything in America
- The Netherlands/Dutch
- Meeting People from all over the world
- Riding Trains, trams, and buses
- Ron and Esther/The Beutes
- Inviting myself over to eat at peoples homes
- Moments when you feel the spirit so strong after a contact or lesson
- Pinda Saus (Peanut Sauce): Delicious
- Dutch quirks: Always needing to be right, dish out sarcastic comments but cant take them, and more. dutch people are so odd that's why they are the best people
- Each city's identity: Back at home you don't know really where Draper ends and Sandy begins (note not even sure if those are next to each other or not) everything flows together. Here in the Netherlands each city has its identity and there is a social and physical separation between each city. I love it. People are proud of where they are from and it gives each city a unique identity
10 Things I wont miss
- Appointments not going through
- Having a Companion by your side 24/7
- The missionary rut: wake up at 6:30 leave apartment at 10:30 knock till 9. Doing the same thing everyday for 2 years gets a bit old.
- Unnecessarily rude people
- Working on Sundays and Holidays
- Dutch Stairs: because homes are so small the stairs are tiny you can usually only fit half of your foot on there, so you go up the stairs sideways
- Emailing...
- Being more chase than a Nun
- Getting called Jehovah Witnesses everyday
- The disappointment that comes when someone drops you
10 Things I've learned:
- How to deal with rejection
- A restoration truly was needed: There is so much confusion over religion and no one seems to know where to find the truth.
- Never eat a super spicy pepper. ever.
- To be open to new ideas and people
- Who I am: My strengths and weaknesses, interests, and goals
- To love learning
- Patience: there have been some companions...
- How to relate to people
- How to study
- How to plan
See you guys Thursday! :)
--
Elder Talyon Anderson Perry
Belgium/Netherlands Mission
Side note from MOM...Talyon flies into LAX this Thursday at 11:55am. We realize that it is not a convenient airport or easy time, but for any family or friends that is interested or desires to welcome him back at the airport just send me reply to this email and I will get you all the flight and terminal information. We're so excited to see him this week!!!!