365 Days

Dude, I have been a missionary for a year now! You already know we celebrated with the traditional burning ceremony. Pictures to come at the end. Well we have had a crazy week, spent a lot of it traveling and in Antwerpen. So first I want to share a couple moments from the week: 1-Spent all day Thursday helping a woman in Leuven move into her new house. Man it brought back so many memories of the years of moving. I am a bit sore... let me tell you. 9 missionaries, a senior couple, and then this woman. It was a party! 2-We got back in contact with some investigators. One of which isn't progressing, but it was good to see her. Another family, we had gone out to contact but I thought we should go look them up. As we turned the corner, Agata, the daughter walked out the door. She was walking to pick up her brother from school. We walked with her and then afterwards went back. We saw the mom, who is getting married this week so there was all sorts of Polish and Romanion family members there. She was super excited to see us, we had a lesson. It was short and sweet, the spirit took over. At the end everyone, even though we couldn't quite communicate the spirit did and we all knelt in prayer. 3- In Antwerpen working with Zr. Johanson: walked off the tram and started walking down the street. I saw a woman walking our way, I pulled out a card and stopped her. She heard our accents and asked where we were from. This woman is from Detroit, Michigan. She was cool, on the way to pick up her child from school. We talked for a bit, really open and has an appointment. A woman, from Lebanese parents, born in Detroit, married an African and lives in Belgium. Never heard of the church and two American girls stopped her in a street in Belgium. Oh how the Lord works... 4- Now fast forward about 30 minutes in the same neighborhood. It is a beautiful October afternoon, standing on the sidewalk in a Belgian neighborhood, surrounded by houses and trees. Leaves falling. Parents with their kids coming home from school. We contacted another woman, she knew who we were because she had talked to Elders one time before. This woman was very interesting. She continued to talk about the Mexican Mafia. Now my whole time on my mission I have never heard someone bring up issues from the South America. And she talked about issues and things and we just stood and listened. There was even a little girl who fell off her scooter, I got down to help her up and the woman didn't even stop, just kept talking. Now during this conversation, she kept looking at me. I felt like she was looking into my soul. I had no idea what to say, I was trying so hard to follow all that she was saying. So finally I just said: "I know what you are child of God. He knows you and knows what you are looking for. He sees you trying." I saw the tears water up in her eyes and a smile come across her face. I was hit with the spirit, and I know she felt something too. Religion is kind of a touchy subject here, so I had this impression that she doesn't get to talk about her feelings, thoughts and what she is looking for. She is trying and looking and then we came. We listened. I thought of Christ and when he was on Earth. He listened to people, he didn't force a first lesson on them, he listened to them and then said what they needed to hear. Left it up to them. That was our experience with this woman, we could only listen because maybe that is what she needed, told her of God's love and testified of Christ. We fulfilled our purpose in that moment. I hope she holds on to that feeling. 5-We are having problems with the plumbing... whats new? There are always things wrong. The Zone Leaders showed up in onesie suits and a plunger! 6- Waiting the Markt Centrum of Turnhout for Jenthe for the JOVO Fireside, there was a drunk old man who came up to us and went off about Hillary Clinton and money. Kept laughing... and then walked away and told us not to forget him. I never will. 7- Saw Agnes this weekend... I love that woman! She is doing good! Okay now I will share an insight from my studies this week and my testimony! Whoa this is long... sorry y'all! Mosiah 4:27 "And see that all things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength and again it is expedient that he should be diligent that thereby he might win the prize, therefore, all things must be done in order." I have left to come to Belgium to teach the word of God. Yet the preacher is no better than the hearer...we are all equal. I too have left my labors and all I have to be here. But I too am just as important as the learner. I am not just a teacher but a student. Now go to Psalm 37:23 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in His way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." Please don't forget that you are in the arms of the Lord. He knows all that you are doing, he walks with you. But you must realize that you cant run faster than you have strength. There is a purpose for all things. Sometimes it might be a little hazy, you have stumbled, or the lights have dimmed but don't give up. He has you in his hands. -- Zuster Young

So the fire...een totaal mag niet! maar is goed! Het was echt leuk!