Elder Hayden Lott: Second P-day, Wednesday August 20, 2014

Week 2, email
Hey all!

Time is simply flying by and I don't even know where to start. Not much has changed since last week. We have the same schedule pretty much everyday. Wake up at 6:30, get breakfast, study until our gym time, come back and shower, go to language class, lunch, language class again, dinner, personal study, companion study, and more language study, that back to our residence for journal and personal time for like half an hour and then to bed. It is getting very monotonous with everyday blending together. The only thing breaking it up are devotionals on Sunday and Tuesday night and church meetings on Sunday. Well and I guess P-day of course. I have noticed myself almost slipping into the monotony by not making sure that I am using every bit of time I have to best prepare myself the way I should be. I have really started picking up on the language and think that was probably part of the problem because I think subconsciously I was like; ok, I can take my foot off the gas now, I've got a handle on this. That is good, but I know that I have strive to be the best I can be, and that means pushing myself. I had to stop on Monday and make a list of tough goals for myself so that I can keep pushing. I made it a goal to learn 20 new words, 6 new phrases, and a scripture in Dutch each day. It is a good goal for now and is certainly pushing me, even if I fall short I know that it is doing me more good then simply letting it come to me. I think part of the struggle will be forcing myself to push myself even as I see others start to lose steam. We are in a great zone, everyone is always happy and positive, which is definitely a blessing. But one of the downfalls of that is also that we almost get along too well. We spend a little bit too much of our time socializing and not focused on the mission we are currently on. But as one of our teachers reminded us yesterday, we are here on the Lord's errand to dedicate ourselves to his work, we are all missionaries first and friends second. I hope I can find a good stride to be in so that I can make sure I give 110% to the Lord and have good relations with all who I come in contact with.

Daily Schedule, except we do sack breakfast at 6:35

Laundry Hangout!

Like I said before, the language is really starting to sink in, I can understand probably 85% of what my teachers are saying all the time and can answer almost any gospel related question even if I answer simply and in what is probably terrible grammar and accent filled dutch. I would like to add my testament to that of many others here that the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues is real. Our Heavenly Father wants us to succeed so that we can become useful, responsive, and fine tuned tools in his hands. All we need is to put forth the effort to do our best, which is why I am so excited to see how much more he will bless me as I strive to be more diligent!

Last P-day after we had the chance to email, we also had the chance to go to the temple. It was an amazing experience, and it was also the first time I had gone to the temple without my dad, which when I thought about it was super weird. We decided to go and do sealings because some of the Elders in our district had not ever had the chance to do so. I will not say all the the experiences I had while we were in there, but let's just say it was truly fantastic.

During last P-day I also had the chance to see Elders Clyde and Ahlstrom (Anthony, however you spell it), it was so weird to think that just a week ago that had been me, and even today when more elders start arriving it will be weird that we have been here 2 whole weeks!

Mom, (and family) all the Elders in my district and even my Zone and floor absolutely loved your "Magic Tuesday" gift for all of us! We all had a great laugh and re-lived the memories of that scarring and hilarious day! Thank you so much! We are even as of now scheming up which hobbit hole to hide the extra one in, although we have all agreed that we will hide it with the I <3 Magic Tuesday shirt that we made. The next BELGIUM-NETHERLANDS missionaries to find it will surely either be freaked out or have quite a laugh.

'Magic Tuesday' cups

I know that if for no other reason, that all the elders coming with me to Belgium and Netherlands are coming because we fit the kind of personality the Dutch in general are. We are all active and healthy, fairly analytical, and haha mom you are going to love this... are fairly metro guys. (We all like looking nice, and having nice things) I believe we will have such an easy time learning to love the people and that is just one of the many blessings that He will have given us with the mission we will be in. (Also, we are all fairly athletic; we beat the Swedes and the Danes in soccer 6-3) I'm sorry, I had to put that in.

I would also like to put it that this week I have recieved my witness that the Lord trusts me. It was back when I realized that I probably wan't giving 100%, I got on my knees and asked for forgiveness for having not pushed myself to become the best possible missionary I could be. As I got up from my knees I had the overwhelming sensation that he had forgiven me, and that he knew that my heart was in the right place, that I would try harder. I felt overwhelmed with His love, and with the feeling that He trusted me, and needs me for this work. I am so grateful for this blessing He has given me, it will help me go forward with faith, and with a confidence that would have otherwise been hard to come by. This is His work and His glory, and I will do my best to help it roll forward and to be a faithful steward.

I weet dat de evangelie waar is. (I know that the gospel true is.) Ik weet dat God en Jezus Christous houdt von alle mensen. (I know that God and Jesus Christ love all people) Wij zijn zijn kinderen. (we are his childeren) Hij verlangt dat wij te hij terukeer. (He desires that we to him return.) Wij konnen terukeer door Jezus Christus en hij verzoning. (we can return through Jesus Christ and his atonement) Ik weet dat Joseph Smith een profeet von God is, en dat Thomas S. Monson de profeet von god vandag is. (I know that Joseph smith a prophet of god is, and that thomas s monson the prophet of god today is.) Het Boek Von Mormon waar is (the book of mormon true is) Dit sagt Ik, in de naam von Jezus Christus, amen. (This say I, in the name of Jezus Christ, amen.)

Dutch sounds a little bit like German and a little like English right? and part Yoda...

Love,

Elder Hayden L. Lott

ps Thanks for the garments, they were of much need!

Also, if you could find out Jordan Miller, and Brets, and Taylors lds mail addresses for me that would be great, they all have fairly common names and so they might be different from the normal.