We Are All Here to Serve

This month and certainly this week has been a time of service for many of us missionaries. There have been so many opportunities to serve other members, investigators and other missionaries as well. 1. The short story, from our perspective, is that we have been able to help another Senior Couple (Elder & Zuster Kirkman) install new laminate flooring in the apartment of Elders Burke & Carey here in Rotterdam. Then the elders put in the floor trim. That was the 4th floor that Elder & Zuster Kirkman had installed, and the miracle was that all the materials were donated. 2. Next Zuster Servoss and I moved on to the apartment of Zusters Matos & Kriser in Gouda. We obtained the paint and they painted the kitchen, while we removed the old linoleum floor covering. This week we will return with the Kirkmans to install another laminate floor (still using donated material). 3. Last Wednesday Elders Tilleman & Berry and I went to the apartment of a new investigator to help her move. We drug and hauled 9 very large boxes to the lower level storage area. We had to traverse 91 stairs each way. Then we took smaller boxes down. After 2 hours we were finally able to sit down with her and give her a lesson on the restoration and the Book of Mormon. The next day Elders Gish & Borgholthaus joined us to help Martha clean up for another 2 hours. The next day Martha and her two children flew back to Curacao to live with family. 4. Then yesterday Elders Tilleman & Berry and Elder & Zuster Servoss went to a member's home and removed some fir trees from her "achter tuin" (back yard garden). We used some small saws with 10 inch blades, and branch loppers. Once the trees were down it was necessary to cut up the pieces, so they would fit into the garbage can and bags. The largest branches, bags and garbage can had to all be taken around to the front of her home (part of a 4 plex). The various service activities bless everyone and give us all a better opportunity to get to know these people.