I need to just say one thing...I LOVE LIEGE. I feel so honored to be serving here! The branch is really stepping up to the plate right now and we are already seeing a huge difference in missionary work. I just can't believe how blessed I am to be a part of it!
Today I want to talk a little bit about setting goals. When Soeur Walker and I planned for this transfer we decided that we wanted to make it our "Transfer of Excellence," meaning that we wanted to reach each standard of excellence at least once during the transfer. One of the hardest ones is teaching 8 lessons with a member there. I don't know if Soeur Walker or I have ever done that on our mission. It's so much easier to just teach our amis by ourselves. It's complicated with scheduling and transportation, and even just FINDING a member to come with...we were looking through our planned lessons and we figured maybe 4 or 5 of them could be member present lessons...then soeur walker said, "let's just put 8." So we decided that we'd just do our best and the God would help us the rest of the way... and He did, in ways I wasn't even expecting.
On Wednesday night we had two lessons planned, one with a non-member named Myriam and another with an inactive lady named Katie. Myriam is an adorable young grandmother who lives next to the Branch President's family (the Motulet's). She and her husband have had the missionaries over before and they've been to activities and such over the last 20 years. I thought that this would be just kind of a "making friends" type rendez-vous and that maybe we wouldn't be able to talk about the gospel very much. So I brought my violin and we prepared a short message about Christ... When we got there we started out by chatting for a little while while dinner was cooking and then once it was almost ready, Myriam casually said..."Okay, now I'll just call next door and see if any of the Motulet's want to come over." Before we knew it, we were having a discussion about Christ's visit to the Americas and the Book of Mormon with Myriam and Roxanne, the Motulet's 22 year old daughter. Myriam had never even heard of the Book of Mormon! After living next to the Branch President for 20 years...haha she was intrigued and offered to pay us for the book. She even called the Branch President's wife and told her over and over to thank us for the book of mormon.
The point is that had an unexpected member present lesson! I was feeling pretty amazed at this point as we caught the bus to go visit Katie. Usually her lessons are just her and us, but when we got there, her fiancée Alexsandre immediately came in and sat down, ready to listen to us. I had my violin there and so they invited the kids to come join as well. They were all cuddled together on the couch, like they were been filmed for a mormon ad...I couldn't help but think, wow, what a beautiful future family. (They are literally beautiful btw, Alexsandre is a movie director and Katie should be a model if she isn't already). We talked about how the gospel blesses families, the spirit was incredible... this is what it is all about...FAMILY and how it can last forever.
This is just a glimpse into how the week went...we were able to get our 8 member present lessons! The numbers don't matter at all, but I really learned a powerful lesson on faith and having vision.
So yes, this week I turned the ripe old age of 23. And I think I had like 23 birthday parties! No, I'm just kidding, but I had at least four:) Tomorrow I'll be sending pictures from some of them:)
So on January 6th to celebrate Epiphany, here in Belgium we eat what's called a "Gallette des Rois" (cake of the Kings) and there is something hidden inside of it...I was the lucky girl to find it in my piece of cake and hence became the "Queen" for the next year. Soeur Walker has also taken to calling me the "Queen of Liege" because I have been here longer than anyother soeur. Gigh must have been thinking along the same lines...you'll see what I mean when you see the pictures tomorrow. Well, I really rather like my kingdom here in Liege. I hope my reign here lasts forever!! LONG LIVE LIEGE.
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