WEEK 91

Je n'ai aucune idée où le beau temps est allé! Cette semaine il faisait froid! Et il n'y avait pas beaucoup de soleil. Alors c'était un peu triste à cause de ça, mais autrement cette semaine nous avons passé une bonne semaine!! C'était un peu vite en mon avis, mais ça arrive des fois. Quelque chose que j'ai appris cette semaine, c'est qu'il faut aimer tout les moments dans la vie. Nous pouvons apprendre de chaque moment, alors il faut en profiter !! J'espère que vous aimez mes aventures de cette semaine!  (I have no idea where the good weather has gone! This week it was cold! And there was not much sun. So it was a bit sad because of that, but otherwise this week we had a good week !! It was a little faster in my opinion, but that happens sometimes. Something I learned this week is that we must love all the moments in life. We can learn from each one, and then take advantage !! I hope you like my adventures this week!)

 

LUNDI SOIR

So today was pretty chill cause we were in Waterloo! We had a ton of fun and because of that, we missed our bus getting to family home evening with the ward. Lol so we called up a member and they came and picked us up and we got to family home evening. During it I had my iPad hooked up to the laptop because I keep getting a notification on my iPad telling me that I'm running out of space and so I was moving a bunch of my pictures onto a USB. Thank heavens for technology!! We had a good lesson on the Book of Mormon and then we had a Mexican Party! All the members had pitched in for some burritos and stuff and it was good fun!! I do love me some good Mexican food, we all know that I CANNOT wait for my cafe rio! I've mentioned it to my mom, but I think I might be stopping at the cafe rio in the airport before going to see my family....I'm still thinking on it;)

 

MARDI

Well today was SO FAST!! Like honestly it just flew by lol. It was good though. We had the opportunity to go and listen to president Uchtdorf tonight because he came and gave a special conference for our stake! It was really good and as per the norm, he gave a very good and very uplifting conference. We are so lucky to have such kind and caring apostles and prophets who really do care about us and our well being. I feel that it is a true blessing that we have them that truly worry for us and love us as much as they do. Hearing President Uchtdorf express his love for us, and the love of the rest of the apostles, and the fact that during the weeks after the attacks, they were praying for us, even though I'm not TECHNICALLY a member in the Brussels Stake;), I felt something. I know that they were worried, and that they care for us. Just like our heavenly parents. They want the best for us. I know that truly care for our wellbeing. We are blessed as saints in these latter days! So because yesterday we weren't home at all, we didn't have the chance to clean our apartment and go grocery shopping. So we got up and had studies and then cleaned and then headed out to go grocery shopping. We had told Pierrot this week where we go grocery shopping and he told us that the store we went to is too expensive and that we should try this other one. So we went and I'll tell you what!! WE ARE NEVER GOING BACK TO THE PLACE WE NORMALLY WENT!!! This place Pierrot told us to go to was SO CHEAP! We spent 35€ this week and bought about double the stuff we normally got. I was on cloud nine just like, SURE! Let's buy ice cream!! We've got 30€ more to to spend!! so that was fun. When we got home we put our stuff away and then took lunch before we went out contacting. We went out and got one phone number from a guy who said call me, and we talked to this one younger man who is studying to become a catholic priest and I really wanted to keep going with him. Seeing this man today really lifted my spirits for some reason. Like obviously we all know that we are having some difficulties in finding some new investigators, and even though this man told us in the end that he didn't want to meet with us again, I was really grateful that Heavenly Father put Marc in our path. We talked all about the restoration and we were able to get his perspective on things and try to help him understand the restored gospel, and as I was explaining it, peace just came into my heart. I was so grateful for the knowledge of the restored gospel!!! Then when we were getting to the part where we ask if we could meet again, I was just PRAYING my heart out that he would say yes and let the spirit talk to him. He told us he would love to, but because he's studying to become a priest, his instructors has asked him to do the same we are asked, and to focus only on their teachings. So it was only fair, but as we were walking away, I couldn't help but be thankful! Normally I would be sad, or even a little angry that he wouldn't listen to the spirit, but this time I was thankful we were able to talk and I was able to feel the spirit the way that I did. It was amazing. Isn't the gospel GR8!?! Anyway, by this time we needed to go home and get all packed and ready to go and get to Emmanuel and Claudette's to head up to Brussels for the conference. So we went and changed and packed, because of transfers tomorrow, the elders in Braine asked if we wanted to come and stay and do a finding day tomorrow, and then headed out to E&C's. We got to their place and hit the road and ran into traffic, but it was ok cause I was able to play with Yannick in the back seat the whole time;) he's already teething!!!!! He's only 4 1/2 months!!! Maybe that's normal, but idk! I got a few pics of the little angel. Because of the traffic we were a little late to be seated for the conference, but oh my. IT WAS SO HOT IN THAT CHAPEL. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. No joke. But the conference was amazing. President Uchtdorf asked us to continue to love others, no matter our circumstances, just as Christ would. He related it back to the bombings and told us we need to love our brothers and sisters no matter the cause. We are all family. It was a really good conference. After he finished, he invited everyone up to come and shake his hand and so I went and asked if he remembered me from 4 years ago when I hugged him at a jazz game and he hugged me for my birthday AND!!!!!... He said no haha but it was worth a shot. As I was there I just happened to see Elder Conner Williams who is serving in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission who is in my ward from home and so we took some selfies to send home! He told me he'd prefer if I came and served in Brussels cause they had too many people who spoke French;) lol! We then left and made our way home from the conference and when we got to the gare, it was already WAY too late, like later than you want to know haha and the next train getting home to Braine l'Alleud left in 45 minutes. So we went and got our ice cream and sat in the middle of the gare and ate ice cream out of our huge tub at 11 at night....haha we got home and were in bed by 12:30. We are saying that this one was Uchtdorf's fault;) IM KIDDING. CALM DOWN. I don't blame les apôtres.

 

MERCREDI

So there is not a ton to tell about today. I think all the information from yesterday should make up for the lack of information about today;) it was good though. So there were 2 big events that happened today. 1) Elder Anderson got up and got in the shower this morning and when he got out, the shower had clogged and the water was not moving! So I thought to get a plunger to try and plunge it, but they didn't have one. So there's a story to that later. But the second thing is that we got a call from Elder Taylor this morning and he told us that, long story short because of really complicated reasons that you all wouldn't understand cause you aren't missionaries in Belgium haha, they were going to be a trio-companionship til Friday cause his new companion would be staying in Paris for a couple meetings. So we decided that we would just make this a week of finding! Neither of our companionships have investigators and so we decided that we'd spend Wednesday in Braine l'Alleud and Thursday in Namur and try and find us some new investigators. Cause for some odd reason, miracles always happen on exchanges!! So we started off the day going to the store and trying to find a plunger to unclog the shower drain and when we got home and plunged it, lots of gunk and nasty stuff came up, but the water was still standing there and so we decided to just give up and all head over to Nivelles apartment and take showers there. So we went and did that and then by now we went and worked. I went on a small exchange with Elder Larsen and it was great! We talked with tons of people, but all the people here have the same problem as those in Namur. THE BELGE ARE ALL SO HAPPY AND CONTENT WITH LIFE. Haha it's a blessing and a curse. But we talked with lots and got a lesson with one lady who was obviously drunk....but she wanted to talk and so we talked and we gave her a brochure and she said that she was going to read it and call them. So we'll see if she turns into something! Towards the end of the night, we met up with the other guys and we had gotten Elder Taylor and me and Elder Anderson were put in a trio-companionship for the night to go and work. So we went off and honestly, going porting with 3 missionaries is WEIRD! Haha people like freak out seeing the three of us at their door. But we knocked and taught a lesson to this one guy who seemed interested to have people over but not really to learn more. He said he liked exchanging ideas..but we prayed with him and then we made our way around the rest of the neighborhood and knocked some doors and we got s few passbacks for them! So that was great. We'll see what happens for them. We then headed in for the night and ended it with some curry and raspberry crumble which was DELICIOUS. I've decided that I've come to love raspberries. Grandma, do you want to get some jam ready for me for when I get home??;)

 

JEUDI

So the shower problem in the Braine l'Alleud apartment is still not fixed. We got up this morning and we all got 'ready' meaning dressed in normal clothes and headed over to Nivelles apartment so that we could all shower. So we went and did that and then had to go and buy some Drano so that they could try and dump some of that down the drain and try to clear things up for them. So we went and did that and then headed back to their apartment so that they could do that and then we all changed and we headed out to go and catch a train from Braine into Namur! So we were finally on our way home!!! When we got into Namur, we all made our way back to the apartment and took our lunch and got all our plans out for our little finding day here in Namur! Elder Dudfield, who is from Australia!!, asked if we could go together and so needless to say, we had a blast. I love that kid. Seriously it was so much fun and he told me today that if I ever come to Australia, that I'd have a place to stay. I told him that I returned the favor for when he ever came to Utah. We had quite a fun afternoon to tell you all the truth. We did spend most of the day walking around and contacting, but it is always good to change it up a little bit. As we were walking, I was about to contact this one lady and instead she came up to me and said, 'Are you the Mormon missionaries??' That is the first time that that has happened to me! I told her yes and she told me that she knew our bishops mom and that she thought that what we were doing was incredible and that she was eager to learn more, but for the next month or so, she's trying to finish up school and get her head a little bit above water, but that she'd been invited to church by the bishops mom plenty of times and that when she finished school, she'd definitely come! So that was a blessing for me. Haha. We had been out contacting for about 2 hours and then had planned to go and meet up with the other guys so that we could take a 20 minute pause and then head out and do some porting, and it was so funny cause on the way home, we got talking about the 50 NIFTY UNITED STATES and since he's Australian, he didn't know all 50 and so he was trying to name as many as he could and it was so weird to be with someone that didn't know them all! Haha I was just singing the song in my head and he was having trouble getting more than 25 haha! When we got back to the apartment, he had me draw him a map of the US so that he could try to name them all haha. When everyone got to the apartment, we went and caught a bus to this neighborhood and we all split up and went knocking on doors. Sadly, no one really wanted to listen to us now either....so when the time came to go and catch a bus, we went and caught it and then we stopped by chez gaby for some frites cause everyone wanted some, and it had been a while since we'd eaten frites haha! They were delicious as usual, and after we all headed home for the night.

 

VENDREDI

Well today wasn't too full of anything either. Haha the funnest part of today was lunch with Patrick and spending the night with the youth at the church! Frere Istace, the young men's president, asked us, the missionaries, to start coming to the weekly youth activities cause he wants us to become friends with the youth and start getting them excited to go on missions. He said that us being their friends and showing them that missions are fun would really help them, cause it isn't easy for these youth in Europe to go on missions. Not a ton of them really want to go. So he's just trying to figure out how it can really help them out. Anyway, we all got up this morning and the other elders all had to leave around 9 cause they had some appts in their area and so they headed off and me and Anderson finished our studies and then once we finished we went and had lunch with Patrick. We got there and ordered the usual, cause we always get the same thing to eat haha every week, and the workers came out and told us that they'd messed up the order and made some different pasta for us and he was wondering if that was ok...so we told him that it was fine and he brought it out and I'll tell you what!! This pasta was so spicy for some reason that my mouth was on fire and I swear I was on the verge of tears! Lol it was so spicy and I couldn't figure out why. I loved it cause my mouth hasn't had that kind of spicy in almost 2 years, but wow! It was spicy! So anyway after we'd finished, we got up and headed home and me and Anderson weekly planned. It amazes me how even though we have no investigators to plan for, our sessions of weekly planning still take forever and a day. Haha it's weird, but they do. So anyway, when we'd planned and gotten next week taken care of, we went and we contacted for a couple of hours. The weather this week has been so nice and it's been really great to go and walk outside. I haven't been too upset with the fact that we needed to be outside cause I don't go outside and die once I beat the brick wall of 440 degrees Fahrenheit! Ha so we were out walking and sadly we just walked and talked to people but nothing still. It's a little rough not having investigators haha! When the time came we made it to the church and the youth activity for the night was cleaning the chapel. It was fun and they had pizza and we even got to play a little bit of soccer. It was funny cause Frere Istace came up to me and Anderson and said, Libby, you look so good! You've got the tie and pants and suit and you look European! But Anderson, you keep wearing those baggy clothes, and people are gonna know you're American! I thought it was super funny, and plus it was the first time that someone complimented my clothes and told me I looked European! #swag tonight just across from our apartment they were having some sort of like block party and were blasting music til about 12 or so and the members were all laughing telling us that if we were planning on sleeping tonight before midnight, that we needed to change our minds;) haha it wasn't too bad though. Drunkies make me laugh;)

 

SAMEDI

Today was a straight up Blur!!! It went by so fast but it was good. We got to do service for the first time in forever haha that's one thing that I'm really sad about. During my mission I haven't had a ton of service opportunities...its been a bummer, but I'll take it whenever I get it!! The bishop had called us earlier this week asking if we were busy today cause he had a few things he needed help with in the yard at his place. So this morning we got up and then headed out contacting before he said that he was going to come and get us. So we headed out and all of the sudden we were in the middle of the weekly street market in downtown Namur! Going to the street markets is always a fun time. It's really fun to see what everyone is selling and the fun ideas that people come up with. We then headed home and changed and then went up to the church where the bishop was coming to pick us up. When he got there, we climbed into his car and then headed to his house when he told us he was planning on having a bbq for us, but because the wind was blowing and there were clouds in the sky, he didn't want to be out in the cold, so instead he made us some burritos! When we got there his sweet wife, who just had a baby, had set up the table and they had made us this huge meal to eat that was delicious!! Like holy Moses it was great! I'd forgotten what really chili tastes like! So after we'd eaten til the point we were about to explode, he told us that he just needed help getting some stuff moved from the yard into a trailer so that we could move it to the dump. So we went out into the yard and we were loading things into his trailer and then took them to the French dump! Haha I'd never been before, but it's not like the ones at home. Instead of having just a big open place for all your stuff, they make you sort all your stuff into different bins and take metals to one place, wood to another, and paper to this one.....haha it was a different experience! When we got back to the bishops house, he gave us some ice cream and then told us he wanted to play a game with us, so we got out one of his games that he had, cause he's a HUGE gamer, and we played one round and he creamed us haha I don't even know what game it was, or what I was doing, but he beat me haha! His wife then took us home when she left to go run a few errands, and then we came in and changed and we decided that we wanted to try and go see a member family that hadn't been to church in like 5 weeks haha so we went and we tried to see them, but their less active daughter told us that they weren't home and they'd all be at church tomorrow. So we hope that means her as well! To finish out the night, we went around their house and knocked on a ton of their neighbors doors and they all told us no....but we're going to keep on trying! Just like tommy boy, we don't take no.......PRISONERS! No, we don't take no......for an answer;)

 

DIMANCHE

Well today was a fun day! It started out with us missing our bus to church...to be fair, it passed 2 minutes early and so us getting out of our apartment as it passed by means that technically we were on time and the bus wasn't being fair.....so we just walked over to Emmanuel and Claudette's and asked if we could snag a ride with them and they told us yes, but they were running late. So when we all got up to church, we had like 3 minutes before the meetings started;) hahaha all the members were like, you guys were late!! On the bright side, there was this guy that we met a couple weeks ago on the street that randomly showed up to church! So that was swag. As we walked into the sacrament meeting, Chung came up to me and goes, Bishop just told me that someone isn't going to be here today who supposed to give a talk, so he wants me to talk about the bbq that we are doing in June. So here I'm giving you the paper so that you can go and talk about it. ....I was like, no you're the ward mission leader and he asked you so you do it! And he goes, but you know more about it! And I was like, bishop asked you to do it so go ahead! And he goes, fine but at least come up and stand by me...haha this man is a character! He was like whatever I miss, go ahead and tell about it. Haha so we got up after the sacrament and he talked and asked if we had anything to add and I was like....nope! You did it! I think he was a little agitated....lol then we went to the gospel principles class with the investigator that came and Chung again was trying to get us to teach the lesson when the instructor, which is normally supposed to be the ward mission leader, but Chung doesn't want to so he always asks Frere Badoux, was trying to teach his lesson....so that was again awkward.. But we talked a little bit about the church and what we do and stuff. Then we fixed a rdv with him this next Saturday at a members house that knows him already a little bit! So that's going to be great. After church I was hoping to get invited over to Pierrot and Annabelle's, but we can't win them all;) so instead we came home and ate lunch here and then we did some of the first 12 weeks studies for elder Anderson and then we had about a half hour before Frere Halushka was going to be picking us up at the gare cause we were invited over for dinner tonight! So we went out contacting and then met up with Frere Halushka and we went to their house and ate with them and had a fun time. I brought jungle speed to play with them and they loved it! It was a fun time with them. Then their son who is 12 wanted to play a little foosball with us and so we went and played that and let's just say I found my god given talent! And it's being a cheerleader for foosball players lol. I couldn't play that game to save my life. Anywho, we had a fun night with them.

 

Et voilà! Une semaine de plus fini. Je ne peut même pas le croire. Haha merci pour tout vos prières. Merci pour tout votre amour! Je sais que la fin de ma mission s'approche, mais il faut que je me reste concentré! Alors continuez de m'encourager! Et aidez moi de continuez:) je vous aime et je vous souhaite une belle semaine!! À tantôt! (There you go! One more week ended. I can not even believe it. Haha thank you for all your prayers. Thank you for all your love! I know the end of my mission approaches, but I must remain focused! So keep encouraging me! And help me to continue :) I love you and I wish you a great week !! See you!)

 

Elder Libby

 

1 Corinthians 12:17-22