November 25 -- We Thought It Would Be Sick Until We Got Sick

Christmas decorations by our apartment

In order to begin each of our teaching points here we talk about the crazy weather in America haha its so mild and warm here.

The transportation was all shut down because it is all run by a system called De Lijn who protested against government taxes being increased so they did it to cripple Antwerpen and Belgium for a day.

We did stuff we needed to around the apartment like weekly planning, area book, and 12 week training but then went and talked to people and ended up getting a lesson with an investigator that made a baptismal date too!

From time to time, missionaries get certain ideas that seem like they will be out of this world amazing. Thus, last Sunday we set up 8 meal appointments and FEASTED this last week. Thursday I was on exchanges with Elder Bosco and we legit had a breakfast appointment eating loads of Belgian crepes at a members house. a breakfast appoinment. haha. Then an hour late we had a lunch appointment with family schiltz and she made BUCKETS of spaghetti. the most unbelievable thing on my mission so far was when I thought i had pulled it off and forked down all the spaghetti, and sister schiltz brought out another huge bowl. and of course we had the traditional dessert after as well which only poured more salt on the wound. Elder Bosco and I then waddled around to appointments that day and ended with a dinner appointment in Mechelen with members that are renowned for their food. terror to our ears. We ate like 4 witlof stalks each which are like the size of enchiladas and apple pie. I have never been so full in my life and I thought i was dead. and you have to eat everything because during the wars people starved so it is custom that they eat EVERYTHING. So sick that night haha

fall in our park by the apartment

But the Lord prepared us well with all that food because the next day we had 5 appointments and they ALL went through! We taught Fredrick who is a man that has been investigating for a year but won't give up tea (stupidest thing in the whole world) and doesn't understand the resurrection. hah. and he had no idea what the Holy Ghost was. until now. we went in with the goal to DTR with him and figure what in the world he was thinking. but it went GREAT. and Elder Shelton taught so well about baptism that he accepted a date for January 11th to be baptized! MIRACLE. Then we taught Gerald about baptism through authority and the 10 commandments by reading the story of Abinadi and Alma with him which really helped him understand how there are stories in the Book of Mormon. He is reading and is in the middle of 1st Nephi. Coming to church is the hard thing with him so his date is moved back a bit... bummer.

WE ate with members after that and taught a part member families' niece who is returning to England to reactivate her mom. right? so cool. then we taught Eric and his mom so told us a story about her praying and singing and then we starting praying and singing hahahahaa Antwerpen is little Africa I swear. She is crazy but she came to church and loved it! Then we taught Kjelt who has a date as well and he LOVES everything we say and gets the Book of Mormon. Best part is that he is Belgian and loves to talk to us which is different from usual here. Church is a little hard for him though too. It takes centuries to travel around this place so getting people there is difficult.

thanksgiving at the schiltz met ze 6

That was all in one day.

Yeah it is nuts. we finished this week with 12 lessons which is unheard of for this mission. some companionship's teach maybe 1 in a week. MIRACLES are happening here. its so neat and we are praying it will continue.

We also got a cool potential who is a US MARINE has a bullet in his arm and has killed a man in Afghanistan. I don't know if I'm allowed to think that is cool but it is. call me apostate. We see him tomorrow and his name is Blake Alexander. if that's not a cool name then I don't know what is.

Familie Schiltz went to to extreme efforts for us Sunday and gave us an American Thanksgiving dinner which was sooooo sweet of them. We had a 9 pound turkey, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pies, and vegetables. They went all the way to Brussels to get American food for us. AHHH i love them so much it was so sweet of them. They are going to London Monday so we had to say goodbye while they are gone on their 2 week temple trip.

Schiltz family 

WE had our Turkey Bowl today which was AWESOME and its not cold here at all. maybe 40s. all of our how to begin teaching points are about the deep freeze in America right now haha so thank you for your suffering, you are helping progress the work.

I hope you all have an AMAZING thanksgiving. My favorite quote from this week came from Allison's email in North Carolina: It's having an attitude of gratitude that can turn a dinner to a feast, a house into a home, and a stranger into a friend. YES. Just do it.

also, i think there should be missionaries in our ward still at home. I have found that as a missionary, if you can have a really good relationship with a certain family in the ward things so by so much better and happier. especially if the missionaries there have such a small area and cant do much tracting. help them out. have them for dinner often. every week. do it because they can be example for the other kids because that is huge for us to be that here. if you get good relationships with them and talk to them you will be able to see more firsthand what it is like for me here. also, this is kind of scary but if they have investigators, meet them and fellowship them. member missionary work is soooo important and if you care the missionaries will love you and always remember you as someone who they loved and the investigators could make outstanding progress if taught in the home of a member. it is scary. put try to do it. please. that's one thing that is cool here when we could do it. that's why i love Antwerpen because i have members i lov so much like that. i will always remember them. I have ladies at church who give me cookies because they know i love them and a lady who made me soup because i said i didn't have time to eat dinner. they are so funny and so nice here hahaha i want that to be with the missionaries at home in our ward too. my favorite people are the ones who care about missionaries, their struggles, and provide ground for them to talk. Because really, Ive learned that all day everyday you are doing something that everyone else hates and everyone out in public hates you for what you are doing. so having a member family that brings you in is everything. i feel like the Boise mission could be a hard one too. do it please. send pictures of them too

sounds like you have had a nice break. we are caroling tonight to people in the ward that are less active.

Love

Elder Trevan Scott Reese

" yeah? call me professor snape. he turns out to be the good guy in the end anyway. #antwerpencentrumgotnothingonme. " (above pic)