Brussels is back!
When we arrived in Brussels the wonderful senior couple (Elder & Sister Slaughter) were waiting at the train station to take our luggage! We were both really grateful because we had 3 bags each so it makes it a little difficult to travel. They took our bags back to the apartment and we took the mettro. Our apartment is in a really great neighborhood and is a lot bigger than my other apartment! Before we could get settled in we had to spend a little time cleaning because it has been awhile since the last time it has been cleaned. We quickly discovered that there are 6 area books and over 1000 teaching records. To put that is perspective.. My last area had 1 area book and maybe 100 teaching records. In other words, there is lots and lots of work to do here! One of us started organizing the area books and the other person started making calls to the most recent Amis. We were able to schedule 4 lessons within the next two days! We even had some people who didn't answer at first but actually called us back! That's a total miracle in the mission field. We have started calling Brussels the "promise land!"
Our first lesson was with a lady who is from Nigeria. We taught her in English because she doesn't speak French as well. She is in Belgium working so that she can send money home to her family. The missionaries had just started meeting with her right before they had to leave so she hasn't really been taught very much. We introduced the Book of Mormon and invited her to read it. She started asking why there are so many different churches and that lead us right into explaining the great apostasy and the restoration of the gospel. I was in the middle of explaining the great apostasy when she interrupted and said, "I can tell you are "well traveled" because of your broken English..." I literally didn't even know what to say back to her! My companion just replied, "Wow, you are very observant!" We both had to try to keep ourselves from laughing. I think it was supposed to be a compliment but it definitely wasn't... I just tried to focus on the part where she said I'm "well traveled." It makes me feel better about her "compliment!"
Belgium is surprisingly more different than France! It's a very international city. There are so many different languages spoken. We went to the grocery store the first day and we heard at least 3 different languages. When we have gone contacting we have ended up talking with people in English way more than I ever have before. Brussels is actually split into two different missions! The Paris mission and the Netherlands mission. We are both able to travel anywhere in Brussels so we technically end up crossing into each others mission boundaries. However, if we find anybody that speaks English or Dutch as their first language we have to give them to the other mission.
Our ward is a French and Spanish ward! The other ward that meets in our building is an English and Dutch ward. I literally felt that I was in America when I walked in and everyone was speaking English! They actually are in a totally different stake and even mission but we both go to the same church building. Most of the English ward is from America so they told us they will help look out for us if we need anything. Our ward is super great! They haven't had missionaries for a couple months so they are excited to do missionary work. There are a lot of part-member families that they want us to work with. The Relief Society President invited us over for lunch and went over a list of all the people we needed to visit. (She also made sure to address important things like finding the best gaufres & frites etc.) There is so much potential here and we are so excited to really start getting to work this next week!
Today we explored the Grand Place in Brussels and of course had a gaufres. I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to serve here and to serve these people. On Sunday when we bore our testimonies we shared the scripture in Alma that says, "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word." The people here in Brussels are definitely being prepared! I started reading the Book of Mormon over again this week. I love the faith that Nephi shows when he was asked to go back to Jerusalem to get the plates. "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." We can always count on the Lord to prepare a way to accomplish the things he asks of us. I have gained a strong testimony on my mission that the Lord definitely qualifies those he calls. There will be lots of things in life that we feel like we are not "capable" of doing on our own. It's a good thing that in this life we are never alone! He is always there to help us and guide us. He will give us strength and ability beyond our own to accomplish the things he asks of us. I'm excited to see all the things here that we will be able to accomplish with the Lord's help!
Love, Soeur Johnson
When we arrived in Brussels the wonderful senior couple (Elder & Sister Slaughter) were waiting at the train station to take our luggage! We were both really grateful because we had 3 bags each so it makes it a little difficult to travel. They took our bags back to the apartment and we took the mettro. Our apartment is in a really great neighborhood and is a lot bigger than my other apartment! Before we could get settled in we had to spend a little time cleaning because it has been awhile since the last time it has been cleaned. We quickly discovered that there are 6 area books and over 1000 teaching records. To put that is perspective.. My last area had 1 area book and maybe 100 teaching records. In other words, there is lots and lots of work to do here! One of us started organizing the area books and the other person started making calls to the most recent Amis. We were able to schedule 4 lessons within the next two days! We even had some people who didn't answer at first but actually called us back! That's a total miracle in the mission field. We have started calling Brussels the "promise land!"
 |
| Brussels is back!! |
Our first lesson was with a lady who is from Nigeria. We taught her in English because she doesn't speak French as well. She is in Belgium working so that she can send money home to her family. The missionaries had just started meeting with her right before they had to leave so she hasn't really been taught very much. We introduced the Book of Mormon and invited her to read it. She started asking why there are so many different churches and that lead us right into explaining the great apostasy and the restoration of the gospel. I was in the middle of explaining the great apostasy when she interrupted and said, "I can tell you are "well traveled" because of your broken English..." I literally didn't even know what to say back to her! My companion just replied, "Wow, you are very observant!" We both had to try to keep ourselves from laughing. I think it was supposed to be a compliment but it definitely wasn't... I just tried to focus on the part where she said I'm "well traveled." It makes me feel better about her "compliment!"
Belgium is surprisingly more different than France! It's a very international city. There are so many different languages spoken. We went to the grocery store the first day and we heard at least 3 different languages. When we have gone contacting we have ended up talking with people in English way more than I ever have before. Brussels is actually split into two different missions! The Paris mission and the Netherlands mission. We are both able to travel anywhere in Brussels so we technically end up crossing into each others mission boundaries. However, if we find anybody that speaks English or Dutch as their first language we have to give them to the other mission.
Our ward is a French and Spanish ward! The other ward that meets in our building is an English and Dutch ward. I literally felt that I was in America when I walked in and everyone was speaking English! They actually are in a totally different stake and even mission but we both go to the same church building. Most of the English ward is from America so they told us they will help look out for us if we need anything. Our ward is super great! They haven't had missionaries for a couple months so they are excited to do missionary work. There are a lot of part-member families that they want us to work with. The Relief Society President invited us over for lunch and went over a list of all the people we needed to visit. (She also made sure to address important things like finding the best gaufres & frites etc.) There is so much potential here and we are so excited to really start getting to work this next week!
 |
| Belgium gaufres! |
Today we explored the Grand Place in Brussels and of course had a gaufres. I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to serve here and to serve these people. On Sunday when we bore our testimonies we shared the scripture in Alma that says, "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word." The people here in Brussels are definitely being prepared! I started reading the Book of Mormon over again this week. I love the faith that Nephi shows when he was asked to go back to Jerusalem to get the plates. "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." We can always count on the Lord to prepare a way to accomplish the things he asks of us. I have gained a strong testimony on my mission that the Lord definitely qualifies those he calls. There will be lots of things in life that we feel like we are not "capable" of doing on our own. It's a good thing that in this life we are never alone! He is always there to help us and guide us. He will give us strength and ability beyond our own to accomplish the things he asks of us. I'm excited to see all the things here that we will be able to accomplish with the Lord's help!
Love, Soeur Johnson
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