Seriously people, I LOVE my mission. This week was absolutely wonderful...Last night I literally ran out of a rendez-vous and started singing Mariah Carey's version of "Joy to the World!" (...all the boys and girls, joy to the people everywhere you see, joy to you and me!...)
...Right after I wrote that first sentence I remembered that Soeur Johns and I were also so sick this last week...I had completely forgotten! That is the funny thing about missions, there are really hard moments, but whenever I look back I magically don't remember them anymore because they are overshadowed by all the awesome...and really there is so much awesome.
At this point you are probably wondering what was so awesome about this week? Well, it all started on P-Day. It was just a p-day like any other...but was it really? This last p-day...Sr Johns and I...bought SUPER WARM, matching coats. I really can't explain how much of a difference they've made. We are basically in love with them. I don't even think you can imagine how pleased we were with our purchases...so content.
Alright that's it! The work is hastening dramatically with our new coats. Talk to you next week:)
Just kidding. Do you really think I'd throw up a title like that with no explanation? Buying those coats really was a transcendent experience, but it's pretty much nothing compared to everything else that happened...if you can even imagine that;)
Let's start with GIGH. So Gigh went to Charleroi this last weekend for the JA activity and absolutely LOVED it. She made so many solid friends, one of which invited her to be baptized! Gigh had expressed all her worries to this girl, and she just calmly said, "I know that you're going to do it." As Gigh was recounting this to us she said, "I know she's right, I need to pray about my baptism." (!!!) Awesome. Then we taught her the word of wisdom, which she is already living. It was more like her teaching us actually! Then on Friday she didn't show up to Institute for whatever reason, we were a little disappointed. But after we left one of the members texted us to say that as everyone was leaving she showed up, and literally ran into the church to "say goodbye to her friends" because she's going to Bulgaria for a week for a modeling event. The church is her HOME. Oh and here's the Gigh quote for the week.
Sariah: "So if the girls from modeling aren't your friends, who are your friends?"
Gigh: (with an incredulous look on her face) "THE SISTERS! and YOU!"
That just warmed my heart:)
THANKSGIVING. Seriously thanksgiving was incredible. Nothing more hilarious than a bunch of missionaries throwing together a thanksgiving feast. Sr Johns and I made SEVEN PIES. One of which should have ended up in Sr Johns face.---okay story time: we sort of had a little tiff during planning one evening because I thought that six pies was plenty. But she was just convinced that we needed one more banana cream pie. I finally gave in and we made the seventh pie and she promised that if it wasn't eaten I could throw it in her face. I have never had such a problematic pie. When we set it out it looked horrible and one finger lick let everyone know it tasted bad too. So there it sat completely untouched... Sr Johns looked too nice for me to actually throw it in her face, but that's where it belonged, haha--- Anyways it was a wonderful day filled with turkey stuffing, Elders eating whipped cream until they barfed and to top it all off, a very pinteresting "fruit turkey" brought to us by the Charleroi Elders. And in the evening we went to the Schuerch's house and had another Thanksgiving (Sr Johns said, what we did with the zone was cute, but this is real!) and then on Friday we had a "Thanksgiving" dinner for institute. They tried so hard...But we ended up with "Chicken and applesauce" and another salty pumpkin pie. I loved it though!
Okay (it's not over) on Saturday we went to Brussels for stake conference. We had a really wonderful adult meeting about missionary work. Elder Teixera (Area Seventy) spoke to us and gave us the growth report in Europe. It is incredible. The church is really growing in the Europe Area. 100,000 for sacrament attendance this year! And 1000 missionary calls! That's the most ever. So cool.
The next day they reorganized the Brussels Stake. It was really powerful. The Stake presidency is really really young. Just these young fathers with lots of kids and stellar testimonies. They are going to do great things!
Now I will finnally explain the title of my blogpost. So do you remember Nadine? And her family home evening every monday night, strength of youth reading, Mormon.org watching, adorable family of four children? Well we swung by her house Sunday night with a scrumptious pumpkin pie we made to say "Thank You" for the other night. (Yes...we actually made more than seven pies) She was just delighted to see us. Nadine is just a peach. Sr Johns described it nicely, "whenever we talk with her I feel like I'm chatting with one of my young women's leaders." Seriously she is so great. She is quite the chatter though. We basically just listened to her. And here's what she said:
"Peter said this last week that 'Mormonism is the perfect religion, but I don't want to stop drinking.' But don't worry we set it as a New Years' Resolution to stop."
"Do you have any ideas for family night this week?"
"I liked Mormon.org on facebook."
"Are you listening Steve? (her oldest son) Sr Johns and Sr Hilton have read this entire book!" (The Book of Mormon)
"What are you sisters doing for Christmas?" (yes she hinted at inviting us over!)
This is the rendez-vous that I literally left singing for joy (to the world). We are going back on Friday! So excited.
Well, that was my week! Filled with so much awesome:)
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