Netherlands Amsterdam Mission

Netherlands Amsterdam Mission

Here are free resources about the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission:

Netherlands Amsterdam Mission Address

Here’s a recent address for the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the mission address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.

This mission does not currently exist.

Phone Number: N/A
Mission President: N/A

Netherlands Amsterdam Mission Map

Here’s a link to the mission map for the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission

*Mission does not currently exist. (Browse LDS.org mission maps)

Videos with Netherlands Amsterdam RMs

Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission.  We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews. Coming soon..

Videos about the Netherlands

Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about the Netherlands. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about the Netherlands, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.

LDS Church  People and Culture  history  food  nature  language  Time Lapses

Netherlands Amsterdam Missionary Blogs

Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their mission blog was updated.

*Send your missionary a gift (mission-specific shirts, ties, Christmas stockings/ornaments, pillowcases, etc.)

none found yet

Netherlands Amsterdam Mission Groups

Here are Netherlands Amsterdam Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the mission.

  1. Netherlands Amsterdam Mission about 1995-1997 Group (324 members)
  2. Netherlands Amsterdam Mission: Alumni and Friends Group (98 members)

Netherlands Amsterdam Mission T-Shirts

Here are T-shirts for the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission!

Shirt designs include Netherlands Amsterdam Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL.  The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.

*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Netherlands Amsterdam missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.

*Click here to browse Netherlands Mission gifts

Netherlands Amsterdam Mission Presidents

Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Netherlands Amsterdam LDS Mission.

  1. 2002, Mission consolidated with Belgium Brussels Mission to form Belgium Brussels/Netherlands Mission.
  2. 1999-2002, Thomas C. Anderson

Netherlands LDS Statistics (2016)

  • Church Membership: 9,017
  • Missions: 1
  • Temples: 1
  • Congregations: 33
  • Family History Centers: 13

Helpful Articles about the Netherlands

Coming soon..

Netherlands Amsterdam Missionary Survey

Here are survey responses from Netherlands Amsterdam RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.

*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.

When did you serve?

  • 1999-2001 (Benjamin)
  • 1998-2000 (Michael)
  • 1997-1999 (Jeanne)
  • 1996-1997 (Kristen)
  • 1995-1997 (Spencer)
  • 1992-1994 (Jared)
  • 1992-1993 (Elaine)
  • 1992-1993 (Marsha)
  • 1983-1985 (Mike)
  • 1977-1979 (William)
  • 1979-1981 (Alan)
  • 1991-1993 (Allyson)
  • 1992-1994 (Katherine)
  • 1986-1988 (Shannon)
  • 1985-1987 (Cody)

What areas did you serve in?

  • Eindhoven, Den Bosch, Nijmegen, Amsterdam, Hoogvliet/Spijkenisse, Apeldoorn, Zoetermeer. (Benjamin)
  • St. Niklaas, Mechelen, den Haag, Kortrijk. (Michael)
  • Kortrijk, Belgium; Antwerpen, Belgium; Den Haag, Nederland; Amsterdam, Nederland. (Jeanne)
  • Kortrijk Belgium, Den Haag NL, Genk Belgium, Barendrecht NL. (Kristen)
  • Rotterdam, Haarlem, Gouda, Ensched, Almere, Breda, Heerlen. (Jared)
  • Hilversum, Zeist, Rotterdam, Appeldorn. (Elaine)
  • Rotterdam North, Hengelo, Sneek, Beverwijk. (Marsha)
  • Hengelo, Assen, Breda, Amsterdam. (William)
  • Amsterdam, Zeist, Driebergen, Lelystad, Haarlem. (Alan)
  • Groningen, Den Hague (Wassenaar), Hengelo, Eindhoven. (Katherine)
  • Leuven (Belgium), Leeuwarden, Amsterdam, Rotterdam South. (Shannon)
  • Antwerpen, Assen, Groningen, Utrecht, Kortrijk, Almerestad. (Cody)

What were some favorite foods?

  • Bami Goreng, anything with jus, vla, patat oorlog. (Benjamin)
  • Donner kebabs, Turkish pizzas, croqueten, vrieten, zuiker waffels, Belgian chocolate, vla. (Michael)
  • Gouda cheese, Moroccan bread, Belgian chocolate, suiker waffels, stampot. (Jeanne)
  • Stamppot, stroop wafels, vriets, suiker wafels. (Kristen)
  • Indonesian Food, Doner Kebab, Fries with mayo or sate sauce (Indonesian peanut sauce), Casis soda (black current), boerenkool stamppot (Potatoes and kale mashed together) with sausage. (Spencer)
  • Nasi, Bami, Gouda Cheese. (Jared)
  • Olliebollen, stroopwafels, pannekoeken, poffertjes, gevulde koeken, hutspot. (Elaine)
  • Indonesian meals, stampot, traditional dutch meals. (Marsha)
  • Nasi ramas, stroopwafel, shwarma. (Mike)
  • Dordrect, Mechelen, Amstelveen, Rotterdam, Antwerp. (Mike)
  • Vla, Gouda, and Rijstafel. (William)
  • Pastries and breads. Also Indonesian food. Love the cheese, vla and yogurt. (Alan)
  • Bami, nasi, hutspot, oliebollen. (Allyson)
  • Oh, don’t get me started!!! Haagelslag (dark). Chocolate. Dutch crunch bread. Yogurt. Flaa. Fanta. Magnum bars. All of the stampot, hutspot, etc. Cauliflower with curry. French fries, or anything to do with potatoes or meat with lard AND stoop waffles!!! Spekulaas. (Katherine)
  • Stampot, hutzpot, boterkoek. (Shannon)
  • Fries with Stoofvlees. (Cody)

What was a funny experience?

  • We met with refugees often who did not speak Dutch or English well which often made for some funny language misunderstandings. One time teaching a man from Syria about Holy Ghost in English he thought we were saying “holocaust” instead of Holy Ghost. It took us several minutes to realize what he thought we were saying. Once we knew the misunderstanding we quickly corrected it and we were able to have a good laugh. (Benjamin)
  • Getting made fun of for bike helmets. (Kristen)
  • Being asked if I came from the same convent as my companion. (Marsha)
  • Slipped in ice while tracting and laying flat on my back when the door opened. Talking to companion at the stoplight and notice that the light changed – older gentleman behind us said “Groener wordt het niet Heeren!” (William)
  • Eating horse meat on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t know until after. (Alan)
  • Someone asked me for a lighter for their cigarette. I replied, “I’m sorry. I don’t smell.” The words for smell and smoke are very similar. (Allyson)
  • Too many! Probably an American member perming my hair! Or going through a McDonald’s drive thru with John Eyring ordered a shake vanilla and strawberry, and having the lady ask ardbei, and him shouting Allebei!! (Sorry spelling) on a drive thru the country with our choir tour. (Katherine)
  • One that comes to mind is my first experience with ijsel. Sister Stoddard and I were down to one bike, so we made a valiant attempt to ride achterop. Yes, we failed. 🙂 (Shannon)

What was a crazy experience?

  • We were referred by some other missionaries to teach a man and woman from Sweden who were heavily under the influence of powerful drugs. We realized this after several minutes in their apartment and while attempting to leave they began to get angry and threatened to hurt us. From the drugs their emotions changed quickly from angry to apathetic and in that time we were able to get out the door. (Benjamin)
  • Coming back from a dinner appointment, in Mechelen, my companion and I were stopped on the back path and told that someone had tried to steal something. Without too much thought I chased after the thief on my bike and was able to stop him and hold him until the police came. He did have a gun, which of course I didn’t know at the time. This was in the newspaper and was seen by a reporter for a very popular program, Man bijt hond, and they came and interviewed me and my companion. For the next month or so the missionaries were being asked in just to talk because of the interview. We were also given permission to have a filmmaker from Brussels come and follow us around making a documentary because of this experience. (Michael)
  • Getting rocks thrown at us in Rotterdam. (Kristen)
  • I was crossing a road, and was in the middle, standing on a median, waiting for traffic coming from the right so I could walk across. I didn’t realize there was a lane close to me that had traffic going the opposite direction. When all became clear on the right, I stepped out into the road. A car coming from my left ran over my toes. My toes went numb for a bit. I was very thankful that I wasn’t injured, hit, or killed. (Jared)
  • Several bike wrecks, but not all of them mine. Also, I accidentally got on an express train in Amsterdam, thinking we were going to Antwerp. Train didn’t stop in Antwerp. We had two convince the conductor to stop in a little town in South Belgium and let us out, as the next stop was Paris. (Mike)
  • Bicycle slid though intersection on black ice. (William)
  • Every day in Amsterdam riding my bike. (Alan)
  • I ran into a tram while riding my bike. (Allyson)
  • Having our brand new apartment in Eindhoven broken into and being robbed while we were at District meeting. Meeting crazy’s on the street and having them yell at you and touch you and run away screaming! (Katherine)

What was a spiritual experience?

  • Numerous personal revelations occurred while pondering the scriptures at the beginning of the day. (Benjamin)
  • I was in the Hague when they announced the temple. We decided to have a fireside and invite the community to come hear about the temple. I asked the mission president to come and speak, he was a little tentative because he was worried about his language skills. I told him that he was going to do great. We ended up having about 200 people show up, the meeting was very spiritual and we even had people asking us after the meeting how they could become members. Great night!!! (Michael)
  • When President Hinckley came to Den Haag. (Kristen)
  • Seeing people change their lives, and seeing the light that came into their eyes as they followed Christ and repented, and accepted callings and joyfully served others. (Jared)
  • Finding and teaching Fernanda Carrique. (Mike)
  • Teaching at Catholic seminary in Roosendahl knowing the young priests-to-be could not deny the Spirit. (William)
  • Teaching. Every time. (Alan)
  • Discussing the gospel with a family who, after I asked how they felt, each member of the family listed something similar to the “fruits of the Spirit”. The Spirit was incredibly strong except the father got nervous and reminded them all that they were Catholic. (Allyson)
  • Of course, watching someone’s heart change and accept the gospel! Having President and Sister Perry come and walk and talk with us! Singing to the Country in a mission choir. (Katherine)

What are some interesting facts about the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission?

  • I taught lessons to people from 103 different countries. Along with Spain, the Netherlands is one of the largest exporters of vegetables in the world. Rotterdam harbor was the largest harbor in the world while I was on my mission. It might still be the largest. (Benjamin)
  • 1st non-English Book of Mormon. (Kristen)
  • I served in a city that was on the coast and below sea level. (Spencer)
  • Rainy. Much of it is below sea level. There are great museums. Everyone, nearly, rides a bike. Mothers take their children shopping via bicycle. Teens go on dates with one riding on the bicycle — either on the handlebars, or on the bike rack. (Jared)
  • It is below sea level. (Elaine)
  • It started as an 18 month mission and got longer when they changed to 24. (Mike)
  • We placed a Book of Mormon on the first door the first day. That guy joined church – 18 months later I was not in a district with a baptism for the first 12 months, but baptized 14 in last 8 months. (William)
  • Dutch people are closed in general but when they find out you are willing to learn their language they are very impressed and open up. (Alan)
  • People are very independent and opinionated but are some of the most hospitable people you could ever meet. They are honest and caring. It’s riding a bike the whole mission if you’re a sister but that’s not a bad thing! (Allyson)
  • “God made the earth and the Dutch made Holland”, most of the world’s tulips come from Holland. If they counted bike theft, they would have the highest crime rate, but since they don’t, it’s extremely low. They have ambulances for their animals since most people ride bikes! I could go on and on! (Katherine)

What was the weather like?

  • Cloudy days with some amount of rain most days. However, nights were often clear so it was fun to still see the stars. There were many days that I saw a rainbow in the morning and the afternoon. Even in the winter, fields still had a lot of green to them. Summers were pretty humid; winters very wet. (Benjamin)
  • The weather was quite rainy and cold in the winter and pretty dry and hot in the summer. I didn’t have a lot of snow, but very cold rain. (Michael)
  • Mostly cool, with plenty of rain. Hot in summer, though. Snow in the winter. (Jeanne)
  • Seattle. (Kristen)
  • Mild, not too hot or cold. Often overcast and rainy. (Spencer)
  • Pea-soup gray clouds most of the time. Rainy drizzles all day long. Freezing cold winters. Several scattered days of sunny, rain-free weather during the summers. (Jared)
  • Nice during the summer. Bitter, bone-chilling cold in the winter. Take wool socks and have a nice pair of warm boots. (Elaine)
  • All kinds. Hot. Humid. Rainy. Sunny. Cold….Sometimes all in the same day. (Marsha)
  • Mechelen was very muggy in the summer. Dordrect was cold and wet, but not too bad. (Mike)
  • It rained 201 days out of 365 in my first year. (William)
  • Rainy. 300 days a year. (Alan)
  • Cool, rainy. (Allyson)
  • Beautiful and pleasant at times. EXTREMELY cold and icy winters. Lots of rain in the spring. (Katherine)
  • Incredibly cold in the winter especially north of Groningen. (Cody)

Any things you really like about the area/people?

  • People are very direct and punctual. Mostly polite to missionaries, though also very apathetic. Beautiful scenery. People were willing to discuss many topics. (Benjamin)
  • I loved the people in the Netherlands and Belgium. I spent most of my mission in Belgium and the Flemish people are so humble. As missionaries we spent a lot of time working with immigrants, and I met people from all over the world. This was an added blessing as I was able to experience so many different cultures while on my mission. (Michael)
  • Holland is colorful and lovely. People are frank and open. The members are wonderful people! (Jeanne)
  • Honesty. (Kristen)
  • They tell you what they think. If you’re skinny or fat, they say so. There is a rich history. Great architecture and engineering. Beautiful canals. Awesome bike paths. (Jared)
  • The beauty and cleanliness of the land. (Elaine)
  • Very cultured, diverse, and friendly. Beautiful country with much to offer. (Marsha)
  • Everything. Mayo on my fries, language, surinamers. (Mike)
  • I liked the green and I appreciated members who were faithful. (William)
  • Everything. Some of my best friends in the world live in the Netherlands. We visit them and they visit us. (Alan)
  • Good hearted people, variety of ethnic backgrounds and delicious food. Story book like scenery. (Allyson)
  • So friendly! So stoic! Fierce Friends! Best little cleanest country in the world! (Katherine)
  • My first city was Antwerpen, Belgium. (it was part of the Netherlands mission at the time) We lived in an apartment in a suburb called Hoboken. Hoboken was celebrating its 700th birthday. I remember marveling that I was walking on cobblestone that was older than my own country. (Cody)

Any packing/clothing advice?

  • Have good shoes that can take walking over uneven cobblestones and tiles. A good rain jacket is a must. Trench coats were discouraged while I was there because Jehovah’s Witnesses wore them and we would more frequently get mistaken for them if we wore a trench coat. Having a few extra socks and garments extra in the rotation helpful because you get wet so often. Wrinkle free shirts don’t work because most apartments don’t have a dryer so you will still have to get used to ironing. (Benjamin)
  • Make sure you have a couple really good pairs of walking shoes. They won’t last very long if they are low quality and the shoes over there are much more expensive than they are here. Also, make sure you get a good bike when you get there. I spent most of my mission riding through the Belgian countryside and spent far too much time, energy, and money dealing with cheap bikes. Pony up the dough at the outset and get a good bike for hard riding. (Michael)
  • Wear clothes you feel comfortable and beautiful in. (Kristen)
  • Buy your winter coat and boots over there. They have clothing made for their climate. (Spencer)
  • Bring or buy lightweight rain gear that can be stowed in your bike bags. (Jared)
  • Bitter, bone-chilling cold in the winter. Take wool socks and have a nice pair of warm boots. (Elaine)
  • Pack very little. Get a jacket and bike from an elder leaving. Buy a suit local. (Mike)
  • Bring your rain gear in Holland. (William)
  • Layers. It rains a lot. Always have a rain coat or poncho. (Alan)
  • Tights, long underwear, boots, etc. (Allyson)
  • Buy all of your boots, rain gear, and umbrella THERE! Nothing we have compares to how they make rain gear!! (Katherine)
  • Use a duffel bag instead of luggage. One piece is easier to pack and carry on the train during transfers and you’ll destroy the wheels on your luggage dragging it along the cobblestone streets. (Cody)

What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?

  • Greater testimony, deeper insight into the scriptures. Wider knowledge of the people and customs of the world. (Benjamin)
  • Most of the blessings I have in my life right now can be linked to my mission in some way. It was the best and hardest two years of my life. (Michael)
  • Growing into the role of leader, developing skills at talking with people (both strangers as well as is discussion situations), learning a language, deepening my testimony, experiencing and loving another culture, and so much more that can’t be put into words. (Jeanne)
  • More open-mindedness, stronger testimony, love of travel. (Kristen)
  • Broadened my perspective. I gained experience talking to people from all walks of life. Learned of compassion, of sorrow, and of the fruits of living the gospel, and the grief caused by sin. (Jared)
  • Everyday I think about my mission and am impacted by it. I share mission stories with my children, friends, and at church; it is still an important part of my life. I am working on family history for converts that joined while I served. (I am staying within the parameters of the church, doing work for those who have been dead for over long enough). I can relate to my husband, and my children and their own mission experiences because I served. (Elaine)
  • Experience of another culture and an appreciation of diversity, religious and otherwise. (Marsha)
  • Virtually everything I know about the Gospel and leadership. (Mike)
  • I learned perseverance and I strengthened my testimony. I Learned to work smarter. (William)
  • Eternal life. I was converted. The Spirit guided me in my imperfections. It’s amazing really. (Alan)
  • Perspective, learned my capabilities and leadership abilities, learned from wonderful people, etc. (Allyson)
  • So many! A stronger testimony. Fierce determination and discipline. A love and respect for another culture. Lifelong traditions and stories to tell my children. A deep love for my Savior. (Katherine)
  • I met nearly every Dutchman in the country and thanks to that there isn’t anyone I am afraid to approach. (Cody)

What are some skills you gained?

  • Making appointments efficiently and succinctly with others on the phone and in person. Observing how good and bad ward councils function. Understanding how different auxiliaries in the ward work together. Knowing how to budget my money and how to keep a schedule. (Benjamin)
  • Cooking, cleaning, putting up with people who you would rather not like to spend time with (i.e., some of your companions), Dutch/Flemish, etc. (Michael)
  • Language, teaching, organizing. (Jeanne)
  • Second language, people skills, compromise. (Kristen)
  • Leadership and a foreign language. (Jared)
  • Empathy, love, understanding, greater depth in my own testimony, appreciation for temple work, and boldness. (Elaine)
  • Tolerance, patience, diligence, and compromise. (Marsha)
  • The ability to learn languages and to set goals. (William)
  • Language, public speaking, social interaction. I was pretty introverted going in. (Alan)
  • Leadership, independence, determination. (Allyson)
  • Tons! Cooking stoop waffles! Eating. Riding a bike, doing everything, carrying everything, including curtain rods and people! A very difficult LANGUAGE. Singing in a foreign tongue! Etc. (Katherine)

What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?

  • I wish I knew how quickly it was going to go. At the beginning, you feel like two years is going to be an eternity. The harder the days were, the longer it felt like it was going to be. Then one day, it was over and I was on a plane back to the US. Don’t waste a single moment. Take lots of pictures. These days it is a lot easier than when we had to use film and get it developed. You can take as many storage cards for your camera as you can afford and snap away. (Michael)
  • Less type A personality. I would have liked to have been braver when trying to speak the language. (Kristen)
  • That it would mostly be hard; that my first responsibility was to save myself, then my companion, then those in the land where I was serving. Perhaps I would have been more patient with my companions who were struggling. I have had one companion who has left the church. How could I have been more loving to help her gain her own testimony of the divinity of the Savior and His Atonement and the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel? (Elaine)
  • Learn to ask for the appointment on the doors. (Mike)
  • It’s better to approach people on a bus or in a store than it is at a door. (William)
  • Wish I’d ridden a bike more before the mission. I adjusted fairly quickly though. (Allyson)
  • The LANGUAGE!! How emotionally and physically draining it would be. How much you would dread coming home!! (Katherine)

Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Netherlands Amsterdam?

  • Keep studying/improving you language skills throughout your whole mission. By three months you’ll be able to “get by” but you will still have a lot to learn and won’t be able to be as effective as a missionary without learning the more nuanced parts of the language. You will also be accepted more often the closer you can get to native fluency. (Benjamin)
  • The people in the Netherlands and Belgium are awesome. Beware however, that the women are extremely attractive, so keep your mind out of the gutter. (Michael)
  • Rely on others when you need strength — the Lord, your companion, your district leader, your zone leaders and so forth. (Jared)
  • To overcome discouragement, these are some things I found helpful and still find helpful. When you are feeling down, do anything to bring the Spirit back: 1. Bear testimony. Find someone, anyone, talk to people and share your testimony of the Savior and His gospel. 2. Sing a hymn. 3. Count your blessings. Love your companion. I said this before: Your first responsibility as a missionary is to save yourself through establishing a relationship with Christ and understanding the Atonement, then save your companion by loving him/her and being patient and discovering what Christ would do if He was this missionary’s companion, then save the people in the land by going out on time and talking to everyone. You are there to talk to people and serve them. (Elaine)
  • The more knowledge you have of Biblical information is helpful. Be prepared to increase your religious knowledge in ways unimaginable. Rejection of the message you share is inevitable. Don’t take it as a personal attack. Afford all people you contact their agency and be accepting of those who differ with your beliefs. They will be many. (Marsha)
  • Work every day like it’s your last month. It goes too fast. (Mike)
  • Learn how to cook and how to develop a simple exercise routine. (William)
  • Love the people. That isn’t easy. You will be rejected most of the time. If you can love people who don’t accept you, then you will become a disciple of Jesus Christ. (Alan)
  • Expose yourself to the language before going. Study the scriptures and missionary library. (Allyson)
  • Study Dutch!! Don’t argue with a Dutchman, just love them and prove to them that you are trustworthy and HARD working! Prepare to be shocked by a very “progressive” and liberal society. Learn to love people that constantly “say it how it is!!” (Katherine)

What was a funny language mistake?

  • I often couldn’t tell the difference between slang terms for describing things and more conservative descriptors. That got me into trouble sometimes. Dutch and Flemish are similar to English in that they have a huge vocabulary to choose from. So knowing what words are more formal/polite from words that are popular/colloquial take some time. (Benjamin)
  • Instead of knoflook (garlic) sauce, my companion asked for knuffletje sauce on her vriets. 🙂 (Kristen)
  • I was so tired and we had been street contacting all day. I approached someone who I thought looked like a man and mistakenly said, “Pardon mevrouw” which means, “excuse me ma’am.” The person got offended and said in Dutch, “is it that obvious?” And walked off. I tried to apologize. I must have approached a transvestite. (Elaine)
  • My companion told me to ask for strawberry jam at a store. He told me how to say it wrong (on purpose) so what I really ordered was hemorrhoid jam! (Alan)
  • Het Adval DE Adval (sorry, not sure of spelling anymore!) (Katherine)