[Eh at least you guys are getting some posts. I mean, over
on my own family blog, we haven’t touched it in like… probably almost a year.
Maybe not. Yeah, I stink. But here’s Caytee, and from what I remember, she
doesn’t stink.]
Don't worry! I'm safe here in Liège. Friday night with the
Vervier incident was a little sketchy... The Soeurs in the other branche were
actually riding the train through Verviers when all that went down. President
Babin has just asked us to be careful and to remember that we are being watched
over. They've stepped up the amount of police around so that's good. We've also
been asked to avoid certain quartiers and just be smart about what we are doing
and where we are going each day. I wish I could remember the talk or the quote
for that matter, but Elder Holland said something once about how if the veil
were to be lifted from our eyes, we would see a ton of angels that have been
watching over us. It's a good thing to remember. You all know that most of the
time I am a worrier, but I want you all to know that I feel safe. Soeur Clawson
and I are working hard to plan with guidance from the spirit chaque jour to
know that our plans are what Heavenly Father wants us to do and that these are
the plans that will keep us safe. We also haven't been doing our less-active
hunting at night :)
In other news, I had my first exchange this week. I was in
Bruxelles this past Tuesday with Soeur Nielson. It was fun! We had two really
good lessons, and two lessons in the street. I learned that I know more French
than I think I do (a lesson that I keep having to learn). I'm really bad about
doubting myself, and my ability to speak French. I talked to Soeur Neilson
about my impatience with myself and how it frustrates me that I can talk
perfectly fine with someone on the bus one minute (like have a normal 30 minute
conversation in French) and then the next minute, in a lesson or something feel
like I don't remember anything! She told me that Heavenly Father gives you the
French you need when you need it. Trust Him and rely on Him and study really,
really hard. So that's what I keep telling myself. Soeur Nielson had me share
and explain my favorite scripture in one of our lessons. I was super nervous
because I didn't know this lady at all, and I didn't want to mess up, but I
shared it (Alma 36:3) and then I explained why I liked it and was able to
respond sans problem when she made a comment. Honestly, I feel myself learning
quickly, I just forget sometimes that I'm only human. I just want to be perfect
and that's not possible!!
Funny Story Time! So, my train home from Bruxelles, I had to
take by myself. Tuesday was after district meeting so I went to Bruxelles with
the Strombaak Elders. So, I got on the train and was like...this is super
weird...I WAS ALL ALONE! Literally the strangest sensation as a missionary. So,
I had a really good hour long language study, and then I arrived home in Liège.
As soon as I got home, we ran back the apartment so I could drop my things, and
then we had a rendez-vous in Herstal (about a 40 minute bus ride). We were
already running late, but we got down and were about the start heading for the
bus stop, and then we look outside. It is literally DUMPING
ice/rain/snow/thundering, and it was windy. Running through that was painful!
But we have to, so we run to the bus, jump on and that takes us to the main bus
stop in town. We get there, and find the transfer stop, and we wait for our
bus. Finally, it comes. A ton of people rush the doors, as normal. Soeur
Clawson gets on right before me, and then I am like midstep about to get on
when the driver slams the door shut and drives away. I literally just stood
there with my mouth hanging open for like a minute. Then, I ask a lady to
borrow her cell phone. She pulls on this brick from the 18th century that she
doesn't know how to work, I don't know how to work it. I was like ahhhh what to
I do?! So then, this man lets me use his phone (he does everything he can to
keep me from seeing the immodest woman that is the background of his phone) and
then I start to call Soeur Clawson when I see her running up the street. She
got off at the first stop and just ran back. So yeah, twice in one day I was a
lonely missionary. It was so strange. We ended up being an hour late to the
rendez-vous, but c'est la vie.
We've been working with the two less-active old ladies,
Soeur Walmag and Soeur Servait. When we first started meeting with them, they
were rather sad and not reading their Book of Mormon or anything. Souer Servait
has been coming to church for the last three weeks and yesterday, when we met
with her she said that she just started the Libre de Mormon this past week. We
were like really?! That's so awesome! We then asked her where she was in her
reading. She again said that she had just started, but then she pulls out her
book, turns to her bookmark and she said <<quatorze>> She read 14
chapters this week! She has really started to progress and she has been so much
happier! Her husband passed away about 2 months ago, and he was a nonmember, we
are planning on talking to her about having his temple work done soon. Soeur
Walmag has also started reading le Livre de Mormon this past week. She became
inactive because of an injury, so she hasn't been able to leave her house. She
just got her back brace off this week though, so she should be able to return
soon! She is super excited and has a goal of going to the temple this year!
These ladies make me so happy!
Saturday, we did a zone wide fast. It was called fasting for
finding. We have a goal of finding 101 new amis for the transfer which ends in
two weeks. We are super close, but decided that the extra effort would really
help. So, we fasted! And we had success! While doing some less active hunting,
Soeur Clawson and I decided that we were going to talk to every lady that
passed by (we aren't allowed to contact men). We stopped this one girl about 16
or 17, and we asked her if she was believing, and she said she was Christian (a
miracle in and of itself) and we said that so were we and she like freaked out!
She was like no way! We would say something we believed, and she would
immediately agree! It was awesome! We got her contact information and hopefully
we will meet with her this week again! We also taught another lady in the
street, and got a couple good bus contacts. FASTING WORKS. Don't doubt the
power of a good fast.
Serving a mission has been the hardest and best thing I have
ever done, and I have only been gone two and a half months or quel'que chose
comme ça. Everyday this is something I wish I was better at, but every day I
get a litter better at something. It really is the biggest roller coaster of
emotions I have ever felt. On days when I hit my lows, I don't feel like
anything can make me feel worse. But, on days when I have my highs, I feel the
happiest I have ever been. I'm learning to be a stronger person. To make the
big decisions. I'm learning what it means to a disciple of Christ. I'm learning
French! Yesterday, in church. I was sitting listening to the Relief Society
lesson, and all of the sudden it hit me...they're speaking French! Haha, it's
funny how that happens. All those years of learning French in high school and
college, I never thought I would actually understand it, and now here I am
almost three months into my mission and I forget sometimes that it's a
different language. And then they say something that I don't understand, and
I'm pulled back into reality hahaha
Holy poop, I almost forgot! Today, the senior couple here Elder
and Soeur Redd, took me and Soeur Clawson around the Liège country side. We saw
a couple châteaus, a really cool church and cemetery, and we also went to a
WWII American Cemetery. Everything was awesome, but the WWII was probably my
favorite. I ended up crying quite a bit, but it was a great reminder of where I
am. Beligum was a battlefield. At this cemetery, there were about 4,500 Americans
buried, and 500 names of lost soldiers. It was so humbling and a really neat
experience. I wish I had had more time there!
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you all.
bisous!!! :)
[Caytee lost her camera this week; therefore there are no
pictures, unfortunately. I do apologize for not posting for a while, and one
day, my apologies will lead to true repentance, and I’ll get better at posting
my sister’s missionary stories.
For those who have been waiting, I’ll go ahead and post all
three emails I’ve got today. Enjoy!]
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