Monday 20 October 2014

Waterloo & Braine l'Alleud

Our actual area covers a couple cities in and around Waterloo and Braine l'Allued with most people commuting to Brussels which is a 15 minute train ride. 





Elder Bailey and I have been working hard this week and have had a number of cool experiences. This week we found 4 new amis that we are teaching and then taught an additional 10 other lessons. Our one Amis name is Renault. A 19 year old non practising Christian, super cool college student that is studying to become a teacher . We contacted him on Wednesday of last week walking down this tiny little side street. We have been praying and praying to find the people that are ready to hear our message. So we taught him this week in this cool little park and he loved it. He was super receptive to what we taught and definitely felt the spirit. At the end of the lesson after he said his first prayer with us, which was so cool we challenged him to pray about the truthfulness of our message and we promised him that Heavenly Father would answer his prayer and confirm what we said. He kind of pondered that and then we talked a little bit about that topic of receiving answers. He said "you know I think my prayer might have already been answered". During our discussion in the park that day he said that the day before he was on Facebook and saw a Muslim and a Christian arguing over beliefs. He said it made him think about things and he was really confused. That night he said he sat down and asked Heavenly Father to send someone to him or give him a sign of the truth. The VERY next day we contacted him on the street and he agreed to meet with us. I know that he was prepared to meet us and that it was not a coincidence that we were walking down that same little street at the same time he was.


Site of the Battle of Waterloo

So Elder Bailey and I had another super good week. We worked hard and had some amazing experiences. So first I was telling you about how Renault got an answer to his question and is super interested. This week we meet with him again at a members house, with a member who is his age, they get along really well. The member picked us all up and then we went to his house. As always he was super excited. We introduced and taught about the Book of Mormon because he was curious, we answered some questions by using the Book of Mormon. Throughout the lesson he keep saying/ referring to the previous lesson and how when we bore our testimonies he knew that there was something different about us! He knows that he has felt the spirit and he knows it’s real. The lesson went super well again. He said that everything made sense about the Book of Mormon. On the way back in the car with all 4 of us (Elder Bailey, myself, member Florant, and Renault) Renault starts talking about baptism and how soon does that process usually happen. We were like WHAT. We told him as soon as he knows and is ready he should get baptised.  After the lesson we invited him to church and yesterday (Sunday) he shows up in his suit, tie with his white shirt on all ready for class. All the talks and lessons were super good and he loved it. He even stayed after with all the youth, the bishopric, the young adults and the 4 missionaries to help plan for the Halloween party. He has all of these friends at church now too, So cool! We literally could not have asked the Lord for someone who was more ready. I really think that Renault is going to progress to baptism. All we have to do is trust in the Lord and help him get to that point! 

                   My First French Macaroon

So another cool experience this week we had in Waterloo was in this really nice area contacting on the streets. We were walking and we stopped this lady who was maybe fifty or so. We explained where we were from and why we were here. We taught her a little about why our church is different from others but she wasn’t too interested as most Catholics here. So we asked her if we could say a prayer with her before we left. She said sure and we asked her if there was anything specific she needed help with. She said that her husband was really sick.  So I said I would pray for him. I started to pray and blessed her and her husband as well as some other things. It was super cool. After I said amen she looked up and was almost in tears. She said she felt something different that she had never felt before. Unfortunately as people are stunned with what just happened they say that they have to go and we give them our card. It happens a lot.  People often deny the fact that they felt something different and say they have to go. That’s part of planting seeds though. We know and they know that they felt it. Pretty cool. We are also teaching another 10 lessons a week so we are busy. 
 I went on an exchange this week to Charleroi. I was with an Elder from Switzerland. It was pretty interesting. We had a couple lessons that day. (it was only for a day)One was in Spanish. A lot of nice people there. One man told me that he thinks with the accent I have I could have been here for at least six months. So that answers your question about how the Language is coming. In the lessons Elder Bailey and I try to switch off evenly. 



                            Brussels

So this week was a cool European culture week. Our area Braine l'allued and Waterloo are FULL of teenagers and high schools, all the bus' and trains are packed. One night we were riding the train to a dinner appt. and literally the bus was empt,y we turned the corner and got to a stop and not even joking 150 teenagers got on the bus and you couldn't even see the front of the bus, it’s crazy. Elder Bailey and I were just sitting there like ummm we have to get off at the next stop and weave through a mass of kids.  Another thing that’s funny is that girls 14 to 18 years old drive these little scooter mopeds to school and then after school you’ll see like a train of them with their handbags and decked out helmets driving down the street. It's super funny.  The kids here are insanely well dressed.  You have no idea, when you guys come here after my mish to shop you will be blow away.   

                    Oldest Shopping Mall in Europe

Each Tuesday we also get to go to district meeting in Brussels. We take the train to Brux Nord station and then walk 5 min to the church. I took a super cool picture there this week that you should get printed and put it up on the wall. Anyway it’s awesome.  I’ve made some great friends in the Zone. We had a mini Canadian thanksgiving last week and one Elder wore his Canada tuoque, tie and sweater. I think we are having a zone conference in the next couple weeks.  This week we actually had the chance to go to Brussels on Friday. We took a little tour for our lunch break and went to see Grande Place and the oldest shopping mall in Europe. Super cool Experience. We just had some fresh baguettes and ice cream on the street. Pretty cool!

                                           Grande Place


Anyway's it’s been another awesome week! Oh so at this point I would just send letters to the mission home with my name on them. 

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