LaMar's Missionary Journal

This will be backdated to 1957

Dad/Lamar kept a journal during his missionary service. In The History of Joseph LaMar Westra, there is a short recap the mission. Chris decided to re-type the missionary journal so that it could be more easily read and saved for the future. Check out a portion below (Aug/Sept 1957), and then there are blog pages for 1957, 1958 and more will be added as Christopher transforms the printed words into digital records.

1957

Aug 20 - Elder Van Wagenen and I went down to register at the mission home at 9:00 A.M. We met Elder Fetzer and Elder Walker there. We were all assigned to return early the next morning to help the others register.

Aug 21 - Wed- Arrived at mission home - 7:00 A.M. Helped usher until 10:00. We had meetings and talks the rest of the day.

Aug 22 - We went through the temple from 6:30 to 12:30 in the morning. In the afternoon we got our train & boat tickets and had our group photograph taken. We went to meetings afterward.

Aug 23 - We attended classes all day. Some of the speakers were President. Legrande Richards and Brother T. Edgar Lyon. In the evening we had instructions in leading singing by Spencer W. Cornwall.

Aug 24- We had classes in the morning and took a tour of temple square in the afternoon. Later on we had a banquet and a talent show.

August 25- We went over to the tabernacle and watched the choir broadcast Sunday morning. We had some classes and then I went home for Sunday dinner. My Farewell lasted from 3:30 - 5:00 and we had an open house after at our house. I took Joann to the missionary testimony meeting 7:00 - 10:00. Richard and Sylvia also went and we took the girls home after.

August 26 - We had classes in the morning and in the afternoon went through the temple again 2:00 - 6:00. We had classes afterward.

August 27 - We had classes and took an excursion to welfare square in the morning. We had an open period in the afternoon and in the evening Elder Banks and I went to see Joann and Judy and practiced the lessons on them.

August 28 - We had a meeting in the morning and at 9:30 A.M. I went to get set apart. Mom+Dad+Joann were there and S. Dilworth Young gave the blessing. I went down to the station to see Richard off in the evening.

August 29 - I did some last minute shopping downtown and went to the delta-sigma conjoint in the evening.

August 30 - I painted the house and then picked Joann up from work. We played Tennis and Joann drove my car all over. I went to Joann’s house after dinner. We had a real nice dinner at home.

Sept 1 - I got up at 4:30 A.M. and went down to the train station. The train left at 5:50 A.M., without warning, and I wasn’t able to kiss anyone goodbye. Not only that but Dad and Reed Bills couldn’t get off the train. We arrived in Ogden at 6:30 and Mary Ann Drove up there with Mom, Grandma, Stevie, Diane, Jean, and Joann. I had a chance to kiss them all goodbye there. I got a huge all day sucker and a letter from Joann. We traveled all that day and night,1514 miles, and arrived at Chicago at 7:00 the next morning. We made stops at Green River, Cheyenne, North Platte, and Omaha along the way. We saw and crossed the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Others at train station: Bishop Egan, Maxwells, Gayle, Davies, Tim, Frank, Jim Morgan, Sylvia, Colette, Marilyn

September 2. - Mon - Labor Day - We arrived in Chicago about 7:00 in the morning and had to change trains and stations. We took a bus to the other station and then took a bus tour of Chicago and Lake Michigan. We loafed around the station most of the day and went to a double feature in the afternoon. We left Chicago about 11:00 P.M.

September 3 - During the night we stopped at FT. Wayne and in the morning we stopped at Cleveland. We traveled along the shore of Lake Erie and arrived in Buffalo at about 1:00 in the afternoon. (three hours ahead of Salt Lake time) We stayed in Buffalo until 11:00 PM. During that time we took a tour to Niagara Falls and went into Canada. We ate lunch at Niagara, returned to Buffalo, and took another train out.

September 4 - We arrived in Hoboken N.J. about 7:30 in the morning. We took a ferry boat across to New York and a cab from there to Hotel Wellington. We all got cleaned up there and set out to see the city. We walked over to Fifth Ave. and then we took busses up and down Fifth Ave. We went from Washington Square to the zoo in central park and then to the top of the empire state building (102 stories). We went 65 stories in the Rockefeller building and then saw a show, The Pajama Game, in Radio City Music Hall. It was Raining when we got out and we returned to our Hotel room to watch the Gene Fullmer, Chico Vejar Fight from Salt Lake on T.V., we watched the Yankees lose a ballgame in extra innings also.

September 5 - We got up about 8:00; cleaned up, checked out, took a taxi to the ferry boat, rode the ferry boat across, and took another taxi to our pier at Hoboken. We got on board about 10:00 AM and the boat sailed at 12:10. We had a good lunch and supper and saw the show for the night.

September 6 - Friday - I got up at 9:00 for breakfast and spent most of the day studying and writing letters. We ate at 1:30 and 7:45. The weather remained good but started to fog up in the evening.

September 7 - The weather is still good and the meals have all been excellent. I spent most of the day studying. I met some of the members of an L.D.S. family on the ship, the Allens, going to Turkey. I skipped the show again that night.

September 8, Sunday - We had breakfast at 9:00 and afterward attended the church services of the Episcopal and Protestant faiths. We played checkers and chess and studied the rest of the day. I retired early.

September 9, I got up late for breakfast and studied afterward. It fogged up outside so I studied and took a nap.

September 10, Tuesday - I studied in the morning and saw a show at 3:00 that afternoon (Johnny Tremain). We had turkey dinner that night.

September 11, Wednesday - Rose early for breakfast and studied and wrote letters after. The sea started getting rough and they started fastening everything on board ship. They gave the farewell dinner that night and we went to the show, the Devil’s Hairpin.

September 12 - Thursday - I studied and wrote letters most of the day. We sighted land (The Scilly Islands and then the British coast). I went to parts of the show and the talent review and then went to bed after doing my laundry. - 12:00.

September 13 - Friday - When we awoke in the morning, we were docked in Southampton, England (7:30). We left England at 9:00 and headed across the channel to Lehavre, France, arriving at 4:00 and leaving at 5:30. The channel was rough all the way but I didn’t get seasick. It was raining off and on all day so we studied the rest of the day.

September 14 - We awoke and had breakfast at 7:30 and we were inside Holland going toward Rotterdam. We got there about 10:30 and got off the boat at 12:00. We went through customs and went to the hague in President Sperry’s Car. President Sperry, Elder Russell and Elder Teerlink had met us on the boat previously. We had dinner and slept that night at the mission home. It rained all day our first day in Holland.

September 15 - Sunday - We woke up at 6:30. Ate breakfast, and went to a priesthood meeting at 9:00. We went to Sunday school and returned to the mission home for lunch. Elder Whiting and I took a walk out along the dunes to see the North Sea, and afterward we went alone on the tram to church at 5:00. We returned to the mission home, ate dinner, studied dutch, and then went to bed. It was a good day and the sun shone for a good part of the day. The wind was blowing hard however.

September 16 - In the morning after our breakfast President Sperry took Elder Whiting and I to Rotterdam to have our passports checked. We returned to the Hague for dinner and then I took a train for Amsterdam. Elder Wolthuis met me and we went to the mission home there. Elder Brague and I went to a cottage meeting (3:00-5:00) and Elder Van Stetten and I went to dinner (5:30-7:30), and to a cottage meeting (8:00-9:30).

Amsterdam

(Check out the post Amsterdam Inspired to see more mission memories brought on by Shane's Trip to Historic Holland in 2018). 

September 17 - Tuesday - I got up and Elder Van Stetten and I went shopping for a bicycle after breakfast. I bought a Gazelle model for 238.15 Guilders or about 63 dollars. I studied the language most of the rest of the day.

September 18 - I got up and got ready (7:00-8:30), after which we bicycled over to Elder Springers. We ran some errands and had lunch (9:00-1:00) We held three cottage meetings afterward (3:00-11:00) then we bicycled home to the church. Elder DeBry had missed his train and wasn’t in yet

September 19 - Thursday - (7:30-8:30) - Got ready and went over to Elder Springer’s again. (10:30-12:30) - Elder Springer and I went tracting but didn’t get in any homes. We had lunch and then held three cottage meetings. (3:30-11:30).

September 20 - Elder Springer and I went tracting (9:30 - 12:00). After lunch, Elder Halliday and I went tracting and we got in two homes (1:30-5:30) after supper Elder DeBry and I went to two cottage meeting appointments - one fell through. (7:00-9:30)

September 21 - Saturday - I got up, ate breakfast, and did some washing; after which Elder Halliday and I went tracting (9:30 - 12:00) - We went shopping and in the evening went to Haarlem for a party and dance. (6:00-12:00)

September 22 - Sunday - We went to priesthood meeting and sunday school (9:00-12:00) I studied that day and went to church at 5:00. Afterward Elder Springer and I went to a cottage meeting (7:30-11:00

September 23 - I went over to Elder Springers in the morning and we went shopping and to a show. After supper we went to two cottage meetings and returned home (7:00-11:30)

September 24 - Elder DeBry and I went to  Haarlem in the morning. Elder Vriends and I went tracting and held three cottage meetings. (10:00 - 12:45) We went to another family of investigators after lunch (2:15 - 5:30), and two others after dinner (7:00 - 11:00). One was an elderly man and the other was a woman member and her husband

September 25 - Wednesday - I spent the night Tuesday at Haarlem with Elders Vriens and Bradford. In the morning after breakfast, we went over to the church where Elders Giles and Van Slooten were staying. Elder Van Slooten and I went tracting (9:15 - 12:45), and got in twice. After lunch at the church, Elder Bradford and I visited five investigators and members (2:00 - 5:30). Elder De Bry and I then returned to Amsterdam and after dinner, went to the outskirts of town for another cottage meeting (7:30 - 10:00).

September 26 - I studied dutch and wrote some letters in the morning. Elder De Bry and I went out to find an apartment (10:30 - 12:30). We returned for lunch and afterward I studied and we went to Sister Myers for dinner, the four of us. After that, Elder De Bry and I went to two very nice cottage meetings (7:00 - 10:30). I studied some more and then went to bed.

September 27 - Friday - I studied in the morning and Elder Brague, two sisters, and I took the train to Beverwijk for the funeral of an elderly woman member there (10:00 - 3:00) I studied some more and after dinner Elder De Bry and I attended two cottage meetings (7:00 - 11:00). We discussed some problems and then went to bed.

September 28 - I studied in the morning and Elder De Bry and I went to Haarlem to help them paint some rooms in the church. (9:30 - 5:30) There were ten elders there. I studied, did my washing and wrote letters after.

Sunday - September 29 - Got up early, at 6:00, and got down to the train station. We took the train to Den Helder (7:00 - 10:15), and went to church at 10:30. I studied, ate lunch, and went to Sacrament meeting at 5:00. Afterward we went out to dinner at a members house way out on the point by the lighthouse. It was really a beautiful place, mostly surrounded by the North Sea. We had a real dutch dinner, and it was really “lekker.” We went back to the church and Elder McKell and I returned to the lighthouse to sleep there that night.

September 30 - Monday - We got up and went back to the church in the morning. We went tracting, Elder Smith and I, (9:00 - 12:00). We returned to the church for lunch and Elder McKell and I went tracting (1:00 - 3:00). We only got a few unpromising callbacks. Elder De Bry and I left Den Helder for Amsterdam. (3:15 - 6:00). We had dinner and I studied in the evening.

To read more, check out the rest of the journal ...

Mission Journal 1957      Mission Journal 1958      Mission Journal 1959      Mission Journal 1960    Extra Information

Also check out these Lamar Mission blog posts ...

Windmills, Polders and Dutch History

Lamar's Mission Memories ~ Scheveningen (Nude Beach)

Mission Memories - Dutch Costumes & the City of Urk

Lamar's Mission Memories ~ Dutch Canals

London Temple Dedication

First Baptism

An Appeal, An Answer and an Ab-Wheel

In December of 2020, as part of the "Light the World" challenge, Mom/Margie shared a couple stories about prayer from her youth (Mom's Memories). Not long after, Derek shared a story as well. Here it is. 

God Has a Sense of Humor (Ab-Wheel Story)

Shared by Derek Westra via email, December 2020

When I had only been on my mission to Brazil a couple of months – I had this strong desire for a piece of exercise equipment that I had used every day before my mission – it was called an ab-wheel. I’m not sure why I wanted it so bad, but I have always hated sit-ups and they just weren’t doing it for me out there and I felt like I was losing my six-pack. :) My companion was a Brazilian named Elder Mariano, and while I still didn’t know the language very well yet, I told him about the ab-wheel and asked if I could find one in Brazil somewhere. He had never heard of one but said I should mention it to some of the members to see if they had. I did this at several houses, but no one had ever heard of one. Since I was new to Portuguese, I remember struggling to explain what this was. “E uma roda. Como… uma roda plastica, pequena que voce usa para fazer exercicios. Assim – eu vou te mostrar.”

I’d say: “It’s like a plastic wheel with handles that you use on the floor to do exercises, like this!” Then I’d try to demonstrate – which must have look ridiculous. One of the members was taking a trip to Sao Paulo to go to Wal-Mart and I asked them to look for one and buy it for me and I’d pay them back, but they couldn’t find one. I became sort of obsessed with finding one and since missionary work can be somewhat monotonous and unimaginative, I started working my new-found obsession into our door approaches. “Hey there – I was hoping you could help me with something: I’m an American and I’m looking for this exercise thing (I’d describe it) have you heard of this?” The answer was always no, but Brazilians love helping and to ask for a favor (a glass of water or help with an address) was always a better, more effective approach then just telling them we wanted to share a message.

My companion started to really tire of my obsession with finding an ab-wheel. I could tell it was starting to bother him, but I didn’t know a ton of Portuguese yet and I had gotten pretty practiced at my approach so I kept using it. Finally, one morning during our companionship prayer before leaving the apartment, Elder Marino was saying the prayer and said (with a lot of pent-up frustration): “Heavenly Father, please help us today to find Elder Westra’s stupid ab-wheel so he can stop talking about it.” I opened my eyes to scowl at him, but this was as earnest and sincere as I’d ever seen him. I got the hint that he had had enough and decided to drop it.

We went out knocking doors as usual and I avoided the “ab-wheel” approach since I knew my Senior Companion was at his wit’s end. But one street in, we came to a house where this really strong guy was exercising out front with his shirt off (doing pull-ups). I looked at my companion and he said “Okay – ask about the thing.” I went up to the guy and said, “Excuse me, but you look really strong and like you exercise a lot.” He was flattered and entertained by where this was going. I said, “I’m an American, and there is this one piece of exercise equipment that I can’t find anywhere in this country, it’s called an “Ab-wheel.”’ His eyes lit up and he got really excited. “They don’t make it here.” He said. But he had a huge smile, like he knew something I didn’t. “But I do!” He told us to come in his house and he had three of these home-made ab-wheels that he had made out of wood and broom handles. “I’ve seen these on TV, but they are only in the United States – I wanted to try one so I made a prototype out of wood. It’s not perfect, I’m still working on the design, but this ought to take care of you.” He handed me one of his three wood prototypes and said “It’s yours.” I looked at Elder Mariano and he was speechless. We had somehow found “Elder Westra’s stupid ab-wheel” on the day that he earnestly prayed and asked that we would. I’m convinced that in that huge country, we were led to that house, where someone was making these out of wood and was willing to just give one away.

Now, wouldn’t it be cool if I had some awesome conclusion about how we went on to teach that man, and how he became a great Church leader? Well, that didn’t happen. :) He had no interest in the Church or our message, and I never saw him again, but I used his homemade, wooden ab-wheel every day until it broke a month before I came home from Brazil.

I’m convinced that Heavenly Father knows us personally and cares about the details of our lives – even the insignificant things that matter more to us than they should.

Check out MargiesMessages - Prayer Section for more inspirational stories.

Derek ~ Missionary Prep

 This will be backdated to July 2001

Pre-mission photoshoot for Derek ... similar to Shane's, with picture poses around the house and yard. Originally, I only found about five "photoshoot" photos. Then I went out to the folks and glanced though some boxes and saw a bag of pictures - new ones I hadn't seen in Dropbox. So I grabbed them, scanned them, and redid my collage to feature more photos!

Inside ... and out! Showcasing Mom and Dad's lovely yard!

Honestly, this one might be my favorite!

Derek had turned 19 on May 5, 2001. He was finishing up his first year at BYU,  when his mission call arrived at the house. Derek had shared this memory ...

I was at BYU when my call came. It came a week early and I wasn't expecting it. I got home at the end of the day and my roommates said "your mom has called like five times." :) Mom had never called before so I was worried something was wrong! I was told that my mission call was here and that I'd better get home to open it. I didn't have a car, so I had to wait for my friend Blake to get home (this was before cell-phones). 

Blake drove me back and I just opened it late at night with Mom and Dad, Shane and Alicia and Blake. I remember being slightly disappointed when I saw Brazil. At the time (for some reason) I was hoping to go to Asia, or be called to a sign-language mission (I was taking ASL at BYU). I was very excited for Brazil within about 30 minutes though. I do recall strongly wishing I had been called to a different Brazilian city though. There was something about saying "Campinas" to everyone who asked, and having them say "is it really pronounced just like that?" that I didn't like. :)

The openhouse after the farewell ...

Departure day was July 3, 2001. 

We got some more family photos the day he headed out.

Adeus Elder Westra!

He's off!

 

He's Home ~ Shane is Back!

(This will be backdated to June 1997)

Shane had left on his mission to Brazil on July 19, 1995. He returned June 25, 1997. Family went to greet him at the airport to welcome him back. Not a lot of photos, but some film footage was found capturing the event ...

https://youtu.be/tNsjs3OtD9Q

 Here's an excerpt from Dad/Lamar's Journal

25 June 1997  "I took another vacation day, we left about 3:00 for the airport to see Shane's arrival. He was scheduled to arrive at 3:58 pm on United Flight 385 from Denver, but the plane didn't arrive until 4:30. The twins and their buddies, Nate and Wendy arrived, then Scott and Amy and kids, and Rick and Wendy and Janika and Landon. Jen was having back problems and Rick and Wendy were tending Landon. It was quite a crowd there at the gate, with lots of missionaries arriving home. Shane looked great, albiet a little close cropped in the coiffure. We drove home and had a nice evening at home, hosting lots of visitors, and had a nice lasagna dinner.

Mom has mentioned the funny memory of Derek coming downstairs laughing and telling her "Shane has been talking to me in Portuguese for the last fifteen minutes and he doesn't even realize it!"  

A few days before at the Blackham home ...

From Jen's Journal: Monday, June 23 ... Rick called with the idea of getting all the grandkids together to make welcome home signs for Shane. We hosted, and they brought some posterboard and paint. 

A few days after the airport, there was a big Westra gathering held in Scott&Amy's backyard (Hello/Goodbye) ... the first time EVERYONE had been together in a couple of years. A family photo was taken. We welcomed Shane home from his mission, and bid Jensen's good luck in their new home in St. George.

Shane's homecoming was Sunday, June 29. Jen sang and Wendy signed. 

There was a luncheon back at the Westra Backyard after the church meeting. 

There is a little video from that gathering too ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnqCDP6L41c

Check out the Pre-Mission Photoshoot/Mission Call Memories for how it all began ...

Pre-Mission Photoshoot & Mission Call Memories

Here's Shane's mission call memories he wrote up in an email a few years ago ...

I received my call on my birthday in 1995. It hadn't been that long since I submitted my papers, so while I thought it would be cool to get my call on my birthday I was totally expecting it the following week. But I went to the mailbox just to check, and the big envelope was there! I couldn't believe it. Mom was the only one home, and I knew she would try to convince me to open it right away, so I shoved it under my shirt and came home and said "sorry, I guess we need to wait". I went up to my room (I was staying in the East bedroom at the time) and put it under my pillow and went about the day like normal. A while later Mom said "I was so hoping it would come today!" and I admitted it did come. She made me go get it right away and said I should open it right then, but I wanted to wait. She convinced me to at least call Dad from work and open it with him on the phone. I remember seeing Brazil -- somewhere I hadn't really seen myself going -- and "Belém" was a place I had never heard of, so I ran and got the globe and found out where that was. As we learned more about Belém and Brazil in general I became even more excited, while Mom became even more nervous. It was also cool to see President Hinckley's signature on it, as he has just barely been sustained as the prophet and president of the church. 

Shane was he the fourth Westra missionary, but the first of the Westra siblings to leave the country for a mission. Shane had been going to school at the U, but was still living at home, so he hadn't had that "out of the house" experience the other Westra missionaries had. Mom was a little nervous about it all.  He was scheduled to leave for the MTC on July 19, leaving for Brazil in September. Mom and Dad tried to get in a lot of landscaping around the house while Shane was still around to help. Then the yard and house was used for a pre-mission photoshoot! 

Mom remembers that they didn't check the mission papers for awhile, and then saw the passport stuff should have been started earlier. They panicked and worried it wouldn't come in time! They ended up going to a place in Trolley square to get the passport photo taken--nearest place they could find back then.

Pretty good pictures ... but too bad Alicia wasn't around to do a professional photoshoot ;) 

(check out Landon's Pre-Mission Photoshoot for Alicia's photos)

Shane was the first Westra (of this generation) to leave the country for his mission - 

but he wouldn't be the last!

"Used To You Already" ... Mission Return

Chris left on his mission in October of 1987. Derek would have five years old. So two years later, comparison pictures of Chris and  Derek. Mom remembers as they picked Chris up from the airport and were traveling home in the car, Derek commented  "You've only been home a few minutes and I'm used to you already!"

Related Posts ...

• If you ever find a picture or event and wonder when it happened (a birth, leaving for a mission, new house, etc), remember there is a great Westra Timeline that lists all these events in order! It's also in the family dropbox. Good information!
• For more funny sayings, check out the Cute Quotes page (Derek's cute quote above as been added there!)
• Check out the labels (Missionary, Chris, Derek) for similar topics!

 

Scott - Mission Complete

Scott left on his mission May 26, 1983 (Farewell to Florida). In 1982, the missionary term was changed from two years, to 18 months. Scott served during this time, and it was probably helpful to Mom/Margie to have her first-born back a little sooner than the full 24 months. Scott said that the mission rule was returned to the 24 month length on the day he arrived home ... but that his Mission President (President Talbot) wouldn't let him return. 

In the 80s, it was writing snail mail letters, with a phone call at Christmas and Mother's day.  

Just a few photos taken with a film camera. 

Scott got back just after Thanksgiving (November 30) in 1984. 

Pictures (1) A little pre-Christmas celebration in Florida (2) Hitchhiking home (just kidding!). (3) Airport arrival - Elder Frank T. Reilley was there, one of Scott's companions (he actually served with him twice, once in Titusville, and then again in Port Charlotte. (4) Home for Christmas.

Scott thinks he gave his Homecoming talk the Sunday after he returned home. The folks were great at keeping all papers with the Westra name in them, and while that program hasn't surfaced, this one from January 1985 in the 11th ward was saved (scanned in 37 years later!). The returned missionaries would travel to other wards in the stake and speak on High Council Sunday. Scott mentioned that the missionary circuit was discontinued, but that he thought it was a good experience for missionaries and members.  

Farewell ~To Florida

 

So long Scotty! He's Mr. Missionary now, off to Florida to serve an LDS mission. Here in mid-May, he had his official farewell at the church. This was back in the day when the meeting was all about the missionary, with everyone in the family having a part on the program. According to the program, there was also an open house the next day at the Westra home.

Not a lot of pre-mission photos ... in fact, this was the only one found.

... a bit blurry, and only recently scanned in (in 2020). 

The first of the Westra kids to go on a mission ... but not the last.

Dutch Christmas Song: SinterKlaas Kapoentje

When we were kids Dad often had little songs and sayings that he would share with us. One of these was a little Dutch Christmas Song called "SinterKlaas Kapoentje." I asked Dad to share the lyrics of this song (with the correct spelling) and he sent me this information:

Here is the little song they sing in Holland on Zinterklaas Dag, which is on the 5th of December.  

This is how it is spelled in Dutch (Nederlands).

SinterKlaas Kapoentje

Gooij wat in mijn schoentje

Gooij wat in mijn larsje

Dank ja SinterKlarsje 

Here is how we might pronounce it in some kind of phonetic way. 

SinterKlaas Kapoontcha

Go-ee vat in mine schoontcha

Go-ee vat in mine larssha

Dank ya SinterKlarsha

Here is a translation in English.  

SinterKlaas You little elf

Throw something in my little shoe                  

Throw something in my little boot

Thank you little SinterKlaas

Gooij = throw

Wat = something

Schoentje = little shoe

Larsje = little boot

Rick recently did a podcast of both Mom and Dad and Dad actually sang THIS SONG in his podcast! Dad starts to explain the background of this song around (9 minutes and 40 seconds into the podcast and then sings it! ) I think most of the Westra kids have this song memorized!  

My Dad has some wooden shoes from his mission that we would often use for Show and Tell at school. Jeni is wearing them in this picture at our Girl Scout Cultural Night:

 I think this picture was taken on Dad's mission. It shows the Dutch people wearing wooden shoes.  

Perhaps we were celebrating Netherland traditions with my primary class in 1975 when we placed all of our shoes outside the classroom and then later found them filled with treats!

1975: Wendy's Primary Class in the Cottonwood 11th Ward (Teacher DeLora Gould)

(Back Row) 

Tally Lloyd, Robbie Lindsey, KirkWahlen, Tanji Anderson, Julie Monson, Michael Richards 

(Front Row)

 Joey Orvin, Wendy Westra, Anna Marie Tims, Wendy Woodbury

Mission Memories ~ Amsterdam Inspired

In March of 2018,  Shane went to Amsterdam on a business trip and asked Dad/Lamar if he had any addresses or memories from his mission time there. Here's Dad's answer ...

Hello Shane,

We got your letter from Amsterdam. You asked about the addresses of where I lived, and where our church in Amsterdam was located. I had to look up in my old Missionary Journal for some details. 

My mission actually started 20 Aug 1957, and we spent 8 days in the old mission home in Salt Lake City. My companion was Elder Ron Whiting, from Basalt, Idaho, also assigned to go to the Netherlands. We studied some Dutch language and missionary lessons.

Then we traveled via train to Chicago and New York and boarded the SS Maasdam for the trip to The Netherlands, 5-14 September. Newly arriving missionaries in The Netherlands usually went straight to The Hague (Den Haag), where the mission home was located, and where the missionary school was located, where we could get additional language and culture training. However, since we had only the two of us new missionaries, and they were expecting three more missionaries in three weeks, they decided to send us out with a missionary companion to bone us up on that kind of stuff. 

I was sent to Amsterdam, where my companion was Elder Robert J. DeBry, now the famous ambulance chaser. Elder DeBry was the District President in Amsterdam, and spoke very good Dutch. He was a good teacher. We lived above the church, which was then at Weteringschans 101. It was just one of the many buildings along the street. The church was on the main level, and there were four of us missionaries living on the upper floors. 

The church was near some famous buildings in Amsterdam. One of them was Het Rijks Museum, which had lots of art work by Rembrandt, especially his famous Night Watch. The other building was Het Concert Gebouw, translated to The Concert Building. That is still in operation today. I hear on the BBC about concerts coming from Het Concert Gebouw. We had a missionary choir, and sang in lots of places around the mission, and one of the places we sang was Het Concert Gebouw. I still have the programs for this concert in my missionary journal. (See London Temple Dedication for another choir experience). 

After that assignment in Amsterdam, I went to the missionary school in Den Haag to learn more Dutch. That was at the church there, Loosduinsekade 11. That was a regular church building, and is likely still there. 

After that, I had assignments in Arnhem, by the German border, and then back to Den Haag, and then to the town of Ijmuiden, which was in the Amsterdam district. It was a town of over 100,000 but hadn’t had missionaries in over 30 years. We organized our own meetings in Ijmuiden, above a bar. We had other meetings in the nearby city of Haarlem. 

Then I returned to Den Haag, now as the missionary teacher. After that I served in Zwolle, and then Rotterdam North. 

I never did get to serve in the northern provinces of The Netherlands, Friesland and Groningen. My grandfather (Ate Westra) was born in Friesland and my grandmother (Geeske Egberts de Haan) was born in Groningen. They married in Groningen in 1902 and came to Utah in 1907. My father (Joseph Ate Westra) was born in SLC in 1911. 

After my mission ended, in May 1960, I spent about three weeks in Friesland, doing some genealogical research. Then we traveled through Europe and took a ship home, the SS United States, four days. Two of the five missionaries traveling together had purchased Volkswagons, so we traveled in those, through Europe, and put them on the ship, and drove them to Utah. 

In 1960, near the end of my mission, they were preparing to make the first Stake in The Netherlands. It was actually the first non-English speaking stake in the world. I don’t know for sure if there are now more than one Stake in The Netherlands. You can use your Dutch and ask when you go to church there. There is now one temple in The Netherlands. One of the missionaries serving with me, Elder Springer, went back to the Netherlands to help build the Temple. He is a builder and used to live in our ward in Timmerman’s house. He recently died.

You mentioned you stayed away from the shady areas of Amsterdam. We would sometimes go down to the Red Light District and call the young women working there to repentance. One of my companions actually did talk to one of the girls. Many of them were just teenagers. They would sit in a showroom behind a big window, in their pretty formal dresses. Back then, you could tell the location of the Red Light District, by the big Catholic Church, with a huge red cross on top. I think maybe the popes have since then stopped that display of obvious connection between the Catholic Church and the Red Light District. 

I’m glad you know what unsafe areas to stay away from----visitors often don’t know that. Wendy didn’t know on her mission, and was in a bad part and the buses had quit for the night. A policeman stopped and told them they needed to get out of that dangerous area. They called their zone leaders to come get them. When Janika went to Atlanta this past summer to be an EFY counselor, she met some people that had known Wendy on her mission!

The churches in the northern part of Holland were mostly Dutch Reformed, John Calvin, and the churches in the southern provinces of Holland were mostly Catholic. 

Let me know more of how your church meetings went,

Dad

From Shane: Thanks for the info, Dad, that is really cool to hear!  Weteringschans 101 is very close by where I'm staying, so I'll pass by there to see what is is now. I went to the Van Gogh museum today, it is right in between the Rijks museum and the Concert building, and I walked around part of the Rijks museum afterwards -- its a really cool building. I might go into that museum tomorrow.  I looked it up, and the Den Haag Ward is still at that same address. There are currently 3 stakes in the Netherlands; Apeldoorn, Rotterdam, and The Hague (which includes Amsterdam).  Very cool to hear about your experiences, and to be where you were 59.5 years ago!

From Mom/Margie: Dad said Amsterdam is probably 4 or more times larger than Salt Lake City, which makes it even more amazing that Shane is staying close enough to walk to where Dad lived 60 years ago, out of the entire huge city.

Check out another one of Shane's trips to Holland a little later in 2018 where he visited the city of Groningen where Dad/Lamar's grandfather lived/married/worked and returned to for a mission after immigrating to the United States. Historic Homes in Holland ~ Shane's Trip.  Shane was able to locate a number of residences and church buildings from our family history!