Assen?? More like Awesome!

Okay, so I'm still a wee jet-lagged and I met 5 gazillion people this week so bear with me!

So, Monday, we woke up at 4:30 to get to the travel office to get to the airport on time.  We boarded and flew to Seattle (nothing special-sorry Seattle) and it was awesome because right as we got to our next gate they were just starting to board-some people in our group were sort of freaking out but eefe chille jullie effe chille (Hakuna Matata)...that might not be the way you spell that...

So we got on the plane and we all sat relatively close to one another so we got to talk and play and write sonnets in people's hymn books (me, I wrote 3 sonnets for people - I composed 3 btdubs).  Okay, no movie flights are hard people; I ended up listening to the two Piano Guys albums that they had for about 8 hours of the flight so yeah...Other than that the flight went awesome:)

After we landed, my goodness were some people cranky, but eventually we got to "border patrol" or whatever you call it and it was smooth sailing:)  The other people in my district were asked a few questions (the big one: Why are you here?) The patrol people were talking in English because they could see the American passports, but one elder in my district went right up and said "Zendeling..voor onze kerk." (Missionaries for our church)  And that was it..okay yeah.  

We met President Robinson and his wife (her eyes are like blue demon dragon things...soooo pretty blue) and the assistants to the president.  We ended up somehow (I can't remember) at this pretty hoity toity hotel in Leiden and had our orientation/filling out paperwork, lunch, and then more paperwork and stuff. We did get a kleine "siesta" so that we didn't die and then we had dinner which was uber delicious.  After that we got our first assignments and then bed!  Glorious, unadulterated sleep!!  Woke up the next morning, much to my chagrin, nevertheless, I did get up and we had breakfast and met our trainers!

Sister Voss is totes amazeballs and just the best person I could have ever asked for!  This is her 3rd transfer so she just barely finished getting trained herself so it's all still fresh:)

Zuster Dobler and her new companion, Zuster Voss (in the middle)
and Sister Voss's former companion, who was preparing to return home!

After buying me a stroopwafel (which are pieces of heaven), we got on the train to Assen.  We went and set up an appointment with one of our onderzoekers (investigators) and then did a little door contacting. So that was Wednesday.

The city of Assen - Our room with a view

Beautiful snowflakes!

Our front room with Christmas decor

Our kitchen and large reminder of home

The Dutch Royal Family!

 Um, like I said, I've met a kajillion people so far and they are all truly amazing!  I've been surprised at how much interest I have in each person I meet; on Thursday we met a guy named Luit and he literally talked to us for an hour and a half and told us his entire life story and his life philosophy (which is basically a shot for shot reiteration of the Gospel) and yeah- just the coolest guy you will ever meet.  I was really surprised at how amazingly wonderful the members in the branch are; I've never met nice people.

Zuster Dobler in good company!

They asked me to introduce myself/bear my testimony in Sacrament Meeting (which I fully expected; they thought they would scare me, ha ha) and so I did and apparently I was delightful - their words, not mine!  I just told them that I'm from SoCal where we basically don't get any rain and now I'm her in Nederlands where, well, you know...(it rains 190+ days/year!)  I guess they thought that was pretty funny; it's true though.  So yeah, just incredible members-we have lots of dinner appointments-at least 3 set ones for every week.
I have an awesome bike so now I'm een echt Nederlander en ook een echt zendeling -when I'm not falling off it of course (I'd say about 5 times and once into a bush...)  Things are great; I've only lost feeling in my toes once and Oma's socks are fantastic!

I am oh so excited for Christmas; they have two Christmases here, so on the 25th we'll be at the Loorbachs, who I think are basically the branch's powerhouse family (we get to watch Disney movies on Christmas!!!! So Zuster Voss and I are voting for Frozen) and then for 2nd Christmas (what about 2nd breakfast?) we're going over to a lady who we do service for in-laws; it's crazy...she has an 8 year old son, 1 year old twins, and is 8 months pregnant. She's not a member but she loves the missionaries and so we go over and do service for her. So, that's the plan :)

Well, I love you all and am so grateful for this Christmas season-it truly is a time where we can reflect on the miracle and wonder that is Jesus Christ.  Lately, "Homeward Bound" by MoTab has been in my head and the words are so perfect, I'm off on a mission to find my Father in Heaven and help other people find him and I'll return to you all (jullie) somehow:)

Have an amazing week!  I'm eating the herring today so pray for  me!  Ik hou van jullie!
Dooiiiii,
Zuster Dobler

P.S.  Apparently dice in Dutch is dobbelsteen or something like that and so that's what people think of when they hear Dobler...crazy Dutch people:)