The Week of Traveling

[For the week of Valentine’s Day…]

So, this week was pretty crazy. We spent all of Tuesday in Bruxelles for the Louise anconda squeeze, and Thursday night and all of Friday we were in Paris for my first year legality. [I would just like to point out that I had no idea what she was talking about here. You can kind of deduce from the rest of her email, so just keep reading.]

So, I will start with Tuesday! We knew that we were going in to Bruxelles for district meeting, and that we were going to be doing some contacting for the Louise district because they have been struggling a little bit. We found out from the ZLs on the way that we were going to be doing exchanges for this contacting. So, it comes time for finding out the people for exchanges, and they call me and Soeur Clements. She hadn't even been in the field a week. BLEU EXCHANGE!! Basically they circled the metro stop and said, “Allez-y! Have fun contacting!” I don't think I have ever been more freaked out and more nervous in my life than I was when I was leading Soeur Clements out of the metro. I have also never prayed so hard. Basically, they sent us to the ghetto, so we had to hunt down some women. It ended up being so awesome! I understood the ladies we talked to and we taught two lessons! I was able to carry full conversations in French and holy cow the miracles.

The day and a half in Paris was super fun. Soeur Clawson and I got to explore the Paris RER system [train] so that was fun. We didn't get lost!! We spent the night in St Ouen with Soeur Higgins and her trainer! And then, I got to see everyone from the MTC on Friday for legality! The APs taught an awesome lesson. They talked a lot about not focusing on your weaknesses. I have been so focused on my biggest weakness these past two weeks, and it has really made working hard! But, this week I'm going to try and find and focus on my strengths! They also talked about the importance of having "20 seconds of insane courage." I've seen that when I just pump myself up and go for it, everything is easier! Whether it be talking to someone on the street or on a bus, or making a comment in a lesson at church (that one is really scary) or ANYTHING. All it takes is twenty seconds of insane courage. It's a principle that I plan on applying for the rest of my mission because talking to people on buses really is hard for me and I know that all it takes is twenty seconds of insane courage. Legality was nothing crazy. I had to do an eye test though... and my eyes have gotten a little worse. I have just started wearing my glasses more. We read a lot of road signs...

Saturday was fun. We baked a bunch of cookies because we were going to see a couple single women that day. Bonne fete de Saint Valentin! We went to one of our amis and we talked about the restoration. I had the pleasure of doing the first vision. It was really cool because at district meeting we talked about the importance of eye contact--a lesson from the MTC I kind of forgot about. When I was getting ready to say it, giving the background and all that jazz, I remembered that I should keep eye contact. I looked her in the eyes, and said the first vision. THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG!!! She teared up!!!!! Holy poop, it was awesome!! It was just a really good lesson over all. It was also fun to spend my first Valentine's day in Europe............ hahahaha lots of men bought flowers that day, fun fact.

So basically this week I have had some really great reminders and some really great lessons. From all these experiences, I have been reminded that I am doing the Lord's work, not mine. When I put all my trust in Him, I can do all things. I read a scripture in Doctrine and Convenants this morning that I really love, I'm pretty sure it is in section 6 the last verse, "Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not." I have always loved that verse, but it really spoke to me this morning. In those moments of doubting my abilities and having so much fear that I don't talk to the person next to me is when I'm letting Satan win. I just need to have those twenty seconds of insane courage and then the spirit will help me with the rest. I've seen the miracles that can come from just opening your mouth. I taught two lessons in the street Saturday as the "senior missionary."

I love you all!! Be safe and have a great week! Je vous aime!!!!

Awkward palm tree with the MTC people

High and Lows...The Norm

This week [or technically three weeks ago] was an adventure and a half; I can tell you that much. When they talk about your mission being like a rollercoaster ride, they mean it! I think I would compare this week to a crazy roller coaster I can't remember the name of at 6 Flags, Atlanta. You know, the super roller coaster with the huge hill and then a bunch of little hills after it. (Sounds like your average roller coaster, but yeah...)

We've hit a lot of roadblocks in a lot of our amies these past two weeks. The amies that were progressing now aren't or have slowed down. However, we are still holding on to Gwen! (I will get to her in a little bit.) Tuesday, we had the most beautiful lesson on eternal families with one of our investigators. The spirit was so strong, and she said that she wants to see her brother and father again (they passed away a while ago), but then at the end of the lesson she told us that she still isn't willing to change religions. AHHHH. It was rather frustrating. Basically, we are giving her a lot of space and praying for her every night to read le Livre de Mormon and to be pricked in her heart...

Also on Tuesday we met with another lady who is an eternal investigator. She is literally running out of money to the point where she can barely live. It's really heart breaking. While we were visiting, I felt impressed to share the poem "Don't Quit." (Good thing this was an English lesson, huh?) She read it, she I could see that it really touched her. She asked if I could help her print it off next time we are at her house. It was a really special moment. Afterwards, we had a mangez-vous at a member’s house, and to avoid an hours worth of travel time, she offered to drive us there. Now, the thing about Liège, and it's surrounding cities, is that they repeat road names all the time, so when looking at a map, you have to make sure that you are looking at the right city. We were in search of Rue du Plope in Ans that night. Our investigator put Rue du Plope Liège in her GPS. An hour later, and a lot of worried prayers, we finally get to the members house in time to share a small message, eat some ice cream, and then get home by 9:30.

Wednesday we had a lesson with another amie that had stopped progressing. Then, we went on an adventure to find a members house. We got off the bus, at her rue, Rue de l'agriculture, and house number 80 and she was number 406 or something like that. So, we started walking...and walking...and walking...and then all of the sudden we are standing in a field! It was like being back home for a minute!! Fields around us, fresh air, sunshine... It was beautiful!! 

And then we found her house. We had a really good visit! We set some member missionary goals with her and talked to her less active husband, it was a lot of fun. Then we went to go see Gwen! She has been progressing really well and preparing for her baptism like a champ. Anddddd then we hit a speed bump that we were going to address that night. However, we get there and there is a man chilling there that we don't know. So, we quickly change our plans because we can't talk about what we were going to talk about with other people around. So, we teach tithing. It totally made sense to her! She was like, “Yeah that makes sense. You have to give to receive.” Boom. Bah. Heck yes.

Thursday we saw Soeur Walmag who is a less active because she physically can't come to church right now. We have been working with her to get her to read her scriptures every day. She has been and is slowly making her way through 1 Nephi. She's so awesome! We then had the most awesome member present lesson ever! We went and saw Cythina (an amie who hasn't been taught for 6 years!) We took an awesome member with us. Again, the GPS let us down though, and we were half an hour late, but ça va. We talked about faith and the importance of acting on your faith because Cynthia really wants to grow her faith and she is asking all the right questions in her life right now, but we can't get her to act! Coralie (the member) bore such a great testimony on the importance of acting on what Heavenly Father is telling her to do. She had Cynthia, herself, and us in tears! The spirit was so strong! Then, after the lesson Coralie told us that that was the first time she had ever taught with the missionaries and that what we do is incredible. It was a really touching and humbling moment, an awesome reminder that we really are doing the Lord's work, and that every day is a blessing. We also saw another less active that day, she is one of my favorite people ever, but she is REALLY having a hard time. I'm really quite worried about her.

Friday we saw a recent convert and did our weekly planning. We were planning on seeing Gwen that day, too, and finally talking about what we really needed to address to be able to move forward in her baptismal plans. But we got there and she said that she needed to leave to stop by the post office before it closed. So, she said to come back Saturday at one.

Saturday was rough. We went and passed by Gwen, but she wasn't home. We decided to go pass by some less actives we have been meaning to see, but the bus didn't go to the right city. We passed back by Gwen but she wasn't home again, and she wasn't answering her phone. This is when we started to worry. We did a lot of unsuccessful contacting that day, too. Tell me how you can contact 4 people in an hour in a large city, who have already been contacted by other missionaries? That doesn't happen! But, we kept going, and 10 minutes before our senior couple was going to pick us up for a meeting, we decided to contact one more person. We found a lady. I walked up and did the normal thing, and holy cow. She just took off like a rocket! She was amazed to find people so young talking about religion, and then when I said that I had been religious my whole life, she really got excited! We talked for 20 minutes! Finally, we exchanged cordonnées and ran to the Redds for the meeting haha. So, moral of the day, when things get rough, and nothing is going right, KEEP GOING.

Sunday was a lot of fun! Gwen didn't come to church (this is when we really started to worry), but I was so proud of myself! I was talking to members like no ones business! I have really seen so much progress in myself in the last transfer. It was really fun to be able to talk to members, and set rendez-vous, and ask them how they are doing. We also went to see my favorite lady of all time that afternoon, Marie!! Then, we went to another less active who randomly answered my phone call the other day. She was converted a couple years ago and then started school and fell away quickly. It's so sad! Also, walking into her house was rough, because three people had just been smoking in the room where she wanted to meet with us… It was super hard to breathe for the 45 minutes we were talking to her. We also finally saw Gwen! And we finally got to talk to her about what we really needed to talk to her about, and we had an awesome lesson, and hopefully, we will get to set an official baptismal date this week!!!!

So, overall, this week wasn't bad. Typing this post has helped me see that we had a lot of miracles and blessings this week. I've really been working on finding the missionary fire! I saw a lot of my weaknesses this week, but that's a good thing, because now I can work on making them my strengths! You all are awesome! Share the gospel with everyone. If there is anything I have learned in the last few weeks is that "some will. Some won't. So what? Someone's waiting," is the truest statement on the earth... Well one of them at least. Heavenly Father is preparing each one of His children for the gospel. It usually isn't in our time though, some day that friend that you have been trying to teach will understand the truthfulness of the gospel, and when they do, nothing will stop them from finding it.

Alma 37:47 "Look to God and live"! (My life motto)

[These final pictures were included even though she mentions nothing about seeing her MTC family. But that's who's in the pictures, so have them and enjoy...]

Transfer One is DONE

[Last one for today is the email I got today. So I am ALL caught up. Which is good.]

Holy Cow! I can't believe I have been gone for three months already! These past 8 weeks have gone by crazy fast, but it has been fun this week to look back at all the progress I have made in these short weeks. My French has improved a ton, I have pretty much conquered my fear of the cell phone, and I have really fallen in love with missionary work and the people in Liège! Also, Wednesday, I will no longer be the youngest Bleu in Liège, because we will be getting a new Soeur and a new Elder! Yay for new Bleus!

This week has been a good one. We had an FHE at a member’s house, where we set missionary goals with three member families. I also discovered that the son of the family whose house we were at was in the same ward as me in Rexburg last fall, so that was weird. The Mormon world is so small! We were sitting and talking about missionary work, and all of the sudden, it hit me why he looked familiar. We totally saw each other at least once a week for a semester, haha!

Tuesday, we had district meeting in Bruxelles with all the zones there to celebrate with a pizza a party the accomplishment of finding 101 new amis as a zone this transfer. I heard my first dying testimony because Elder Jones goes home this week. So sad! He has been in Liège for the last 6 months and now he goes home this Thursday. After we had our meeting, we were enjoying our pizza when I learned that I would be attempting my first flan suck. You put a little cup on flan on you plate, and then somehow you are supposed to suck it up and swallow it all in one motion... Let’s just say, that I did not do very well. I kind of got flan everywhere. It didn't all fit in my mouth. Maybe next time it will go better...

Elder Buxton preparing to flan suck.

Wednesday and Thursday were normal days; we had some good lessons. One was with an old amie we found in the area book. She hasn't been taught since 2009, but she accepted an appointment with us. The rendez-vous was awesome! The first thing she asked us was, “Is it possible to grow my faith?” We were like, Ba...oui!! And then, she asked us “How!” And we were like WE CAN HELP YOU!! So, at the end of the rendez-vous, we gave her Alma 32 to read, the chapter that was literally created to help us missionaries out. It's so funny how at one moment in someone's life they are not prepared for the gospel, but six years later something has changed, and they realize there is something missing. We are super excited to see her again this week!

Friday, we went to Paris!!! We caught a train to Bruxelles at 6:30 in the morning, and then another train from Bruxelles to Paris at 8:15 and got to Paris at 10! The Soeur conference was AWESOME! And it was all in French, but the cool thing is that since I have been learning French in Belgium where the accent in TERRIBLE, I can understand French-French because it is so clean and beautiful. It was awesome! They talked about security and all that fun stuff, and the all the STLs did mini lessons on health, unity, and coming closer to our Savior, and then we had lunch. After lunch, Soeur Babin talked about how we are all daughters of God, and then President Babin talked about stress and something else that I can't remember off the top of my head... One of my favorite parts by far though was seeing Soeur Ulrich and Higgins again! We literally talked and talked and talked and talked!!! It's also funny that we have been apart longer than we have been together now, but we are still best friends and inseparable!

The Soeurs and their transfer numbers.

Saturday I don't remember super well...and I don't have my old planner to tell be what happened...the repatoire came out, no changes for me and soeur clawson, but soeur Proudfoot will be training in her 3rd transfer (a scary pattern that has started in Liège), and Soeur Hogan is off to Orlean which is smack dab in the middle of France.

Sunday, we had an amie that we have been trying to get the church for the past month finally come!! And, one of our less actives got up and bore her testimony. It was so awesome to see their progress! Testimony meeting in Liège is super awesome, the two that I have been a part of have had no pauses, great testimonies, and we have gone over a tiny bit. It's super cool, especially because it's a branche. I also, broke away from Soeur Clawson for the first time to set up rendez-vous!

Waiting for the bus crammed on someone's porch.

I love you all and I hope you all have a great week!!!!

And to finish, the picture is of my district and everyone's transfer numbers!

[And that’s it. I’m tired guys, and I apologize for always being tired. I would apologize for my life if it would help, but it wouldn’t. It would just make you all uncomfortable.

As always, have an excellent week. I hope I can see you next week. We’ll see if it becomes two.]

Bonjour Tous

Bonjour tous le monde!

It was so exciting to hear about everyone's traffic problems this week hahaha I hope you all have better travels this week. You all weren't alone when it comes to traffic issues, you can take some comfort in that. I think, it was two days ago—something like that—and we woke up to snow just dumping! It had been snowing for a while, and three hours later, after studies, it hadn't stopped. We noticed the buses were just sitting at the stop outside our apartment, they hadn't moved in a while. So, we called the elders to try and figure out what was going on. Turns out, the buses were on strike, so we had to walk to all our rendez-vous in the snow. Luckily, Soeur Clawson and I weren't going far that day, but the other soeurs had an hour long walk to a rendez-vous. Ouch!

This week has actually been really good. I've been really happy, and I feel like I have made some progress in my language study. I have gotten to the point where I can pretty much read the Book of Mormon in French sans problem, but I'm still fighting with remembering words. I have been trying to expand my vocabulary more; I just have found out that I am NOT good at memorizing. I am starting to get more comfortable with having conversations now, and I am not wanting to hide in a corner when the phone rings and I have it, so that's good.

I was humbled yet again this week. We went and visited Marie Servait again this week. I know I talk about this lady a lot, but I really love her. For a quick refresher; she is eighty-seven years old, she is super short, hard of hearing, she is less-active but has been in church 3 of the 4 last Sundays, and her nonmember husband passed away about two months ago.

So, we were talking to her yesterday, and we pulled out our Book of Mormon to leave her with a spiritual message, but she says that it's Sunday and you can't study on Sunday! We told her that we just wanted to share a little scripture with her, and that's it. She insisted that that would be studying haha but she said that we could read from le Liahona (she LOVES the Liahone), so we gave in, she pulled out a story and said it was her favorite and she wanted to read it to us. We agreed that would be awesome, so she begins to read. The message was Il y a toujours un moment pour la priere (There is always a moment for prayer) She read a couple paragraphs and looked up and in her blunt and wise voice said, <<C'est vrai ça>> Then, she went on to talk about how during WWII her parents and her and her sister had to bike from Belgium to the west of France one night to avoid the German attacks. They were going and at one point they needed to hide from the airplanes searching overhead, so they ran into a field and ducked down. They prayed over and over that they would be safe and the Germans wouldn't find them. They were kept safe, the air searchers didn't see them and the ground soldiers didn't see them. She said that she can never doubt prayer and she can never doubt God. She was young when all this happened, but she said that at 87 years old, she still sees the explosions, the death, and feels the fear of that time in her life. She told us from that moment she decided that she was Mormon, and she was going to stay Mormon! Her sister fell away from the church and her husband never joined, but she still has one of the strongest testimonies I have ever heard. Since we have been meeting with her she has been back to church and she has been finding hope again, the loss of her husband was really hard on her. BUT she told us yesterday that at the end of the year, she is going to be sealed to her husband in the Franckfurt temple! That news pretty much brought me to tears! I seriously love this lady more than words can describe! I will definitely be getting a picture with her eventually!

We also saw this week our other less active that we have been working with, Laurance. When we first met her she was really lonely and sad, this week she was beaming! She came to church for the first time in a long time two weeks ago, and then when we met with her this past week she told us that we were heaven sent. She is gaining hope, and I love it because I know it's not me or Soeur Clawson; IT'S THE SPIRIT!!! We have committed her to reading the Book of Mormon everyday and keeping a study journal. We hope to keep her feeling this way and progress back to being active.

We also got two new amies this week. There have so many little miracles here in Liège! It's so awesome. One of my goals for this week is to start falling in love with the work. The last thing I want to happen is to get caught up in the routine and not enjoy doing everything. I have been waking up full of energy and more excited these past couple days, so I think I'm making progress. I just really don't want to waste the Lord's time, so I'm really working on that. I know that as we do all we can and strive to our best, the atonement really does make up the rest. No one is perfect, we all have weaknesses, but we can be made strong through the atonement.

Also, I'm going to Paris this week!! We are having a Soeur conference with all the Soeurs in the whole mission, so I get to see Soeur Ulrich and Soeur Higgins!! I'm SOOOOO excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Je vous aime! J'espère que vous passez une bonne semaine!

[I know I could Google translate that French… but we’ve basically surpassed my little bit of knowledge, and I don’t trust Google translate. So there you go.

Also, here’s my dear sister with her new camera taking a selfie.]