Soeur Larsen: Part XXXVII

What do you do when your skirt falls off in the metro? Like the title of the email? Well never fear, if you ever find yourself in a situation that begs the question, just call me up, cuz I would know. More on that later though :)   Thank you SO MUCH for the birthday package! Thank you Kari, for the adorable earrings, and Amanda for the picture (I MISS girl's camp! Hey Amanda, want to call me as assistant camp director when I get back? I feel like it's an inspired idea...) and Mom for the BEAUTIFUL jackets! I love them! I wore the red one yesterday to church. I will be sending pictures tonight at the church, because this library computer isn't working. The package was just wonderful, I felt so loved. You are the best in the WHOLE WORLD.  Ok, now to the skirt story. Ok so Thursday night we were heading home after a long day and I was wearing a skirt that actually used to be a dress so it doesn't have a waistband really and I had safety pinned it. We were on the metro and I got up at our stop and felt something fall. I thought it was my scarf and looked down only to see my skirt around my ankles. It was a very odd feeling while my mind processed the situation and went, wait... that shouldn't be down there... I yanked it up and hopped off the metro just as the doors closed and looked back to see a metro full of people bursting a gut. Yes, you're welcome, people of Brussels. I'm here to bring a smile to your face, whatever it takes... Just kidding. So  yeah, that's my skirt story. I kept going, "My skirt just fell off in the metro!" while Soeur Emilcy laughed and laughed. I feel like it was a very landmark missionary moment. Don't worry though, I was wearing a slip.  This week was just full of adventures. First of all, I think one of my favorite things about Europeans and their cold, stony stereotype is that all the Europeans think all the other Europeans are cold and heartless. At least where religion is concerned. We contact people all day and they go, "well yeah, I have been posing some questions about God and life after death and I secretly read the Bible and the Koran in a desperate search for truth and yes, I would love to read your book. But if I were you I'd stop trying to talk to anyone else about religion, they won't talk to you. Religion is taboo over here." We hear that from everyone. They all are looking to religion in search of something more but they all are doing it in secret, apparently. Also a good bunch of the people we talk to are willing to take the Book of Mormon and read it on their own, but they don't want to be told all about it. So you're welcome, missionaries who serve in Belgium in 20 years, I have a whole city full of people ready for you who will have read the Book of Mormon and gained a testimony of it and are just waiting to be baptized. Dang it, now I sound like those missionaries who are like, "maybe I'm just here to plant seeds..." Boo. Well, next story. The other day Sr. E and I were walking along, when we realized that we didn't have any more BoM's in French, we just had one in English. So we prayed for an english speaker and lo and behold, the next guy we contacted was from Ghana. He comes from a mixed background, mom is muslim, dad is catholic, and he's leaning towards muslimism (is that a word?) we gave him the book and invited him to samedi sports and he came and brought a friend. They both wanted to come to church but then they both had work but we got to see his friend after church and give him a first lesson. It was AWESOME. Best question I may have heard so far on my mission, "Do you think Jesus Christ would be ready to accept me?" My dear friend, there are hosts of angels shouting hallelujah at the fact that you are even talking to the missionaries. Don't wait another second! We shared from 3 Ne. 9 with him and he's so excited to learn more and he's so honestly seeking. Also he's on vacation til September so we'll be seeing him often and he's excited to come to church and to all the YSA activities, he's only been here about 6 months and  he says he doesn't really have any friends. Perfect. Baptize! haha. Also, DAVID IS BACK! Remember him? I told you about the best rendezvous I ever had with this boy and then after that he kind of fell off the face of the planet. We had some scattered contact with him, but all we ever got out of him was that he's run into some trouble and was really busy and would call us when he had some time. I've been praying for David since the day I met him and now he's back! I seriously just can't say enough good things about this boy. He is just so humble and wonderful and I just can't even wait to see all the things the Lord has in store for him. We fixed a couple rdv's with him that he didn't make it to, then he said his mom has gotten really sick but that he still really wanted to talk to us. Friday night he sent us a text explaining his situation and some of the trials he's been going through. It's a heavy load for a 20 year old. We talked to him and he said that his questions that he said he had during the first rdv have been growing and becoming more important to him in light of all these problems, and he doesn't know where else to turn. I asked him if he's been praying and he got quiet and then said, "you're not going to believe me, but I have. And I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I feel like it's helping." My heart just about burst with joy. Its funny, thinking about this, it's really not a big story, I don't have an email full of baptisms or big miracles. But talking to David friday night was to me, a miracle. I hope I never forget the way I felt. It's all these little tiny moments, like hearing people pray, or hearing 8 year old Grace tell me this week, "I prayed. And I KNOW Joseph Smith is a prophet. And when you showed me those other pictures, I knew all of them were prophets too." Moments like that have made my mission and filled me with giddy happiness that I can't describe! They are the best! I love these people with all my heart and every little baby step they make in the direction of the Savior just gives me so much hope and redoubles my love for the gospel and my desire to serve. Well, I hope you all get to meet David someday! You will, I know it. And you will love him. And all the other people I've met and love here. Oh ps, dumb story. We have an ami named John who is the funniest and most frustrating ami ever. We had an awesome lesson with him the other day and just smacked him with the spirit and at the end he had a little revelation and was like, "wait, so what you're trying to tell me is that you are convinced that there is one true church on the earth and you want me to be convinced too? Look me in the eyes and tell me there's only one true church and yours is it. If you can do that I'll start reading the book and doing whatever you say to find out for myself." Well of course I looked him straight in the eye and told him there's nothing I'm more sure of in the world than the message I've been trying to share with him for 3 MONTHS NOW. It was a powerful moment but REALLY?! I've been testifying to you for 3 MONTHS that I'm here to help you find out for yourself that the true church has been restored to the earth and that JUST NOW clicked in your brain? It's moments like that that bring you down to the dust in humility, I suppose. Anyway, I'm not frustrated anymore, but it was quite a moment. Fun fun fun. Missions are such good life training. And so full of fun and miracles! I suppose I should wrap this up. I LOVE YOU all!! Thanks so much for all the letters and prayers and everything. Thank you for your testimonies and examples. The church is true! The Book of Mormon is the best book on earth. In my personal opinion. I'm pretty much addicted to that book now. Which is funny when I remember writing 'read the scriptures every day' at the top of my new year's resolutions every year and NEVER reaching that goal. It's ok, I got whipped into shape eventually. Sorry this is scattered. Love you! It's August! Party! K bye.   Soeur Larsen. the Great. And Terrible.