June 8, 2015
This week title is recycled due to my own
ignorance and not even explaining it after titling it for last week's email.
I apologize.
When we were in Turnhout Branch 2 weeks ago in
Belgium (#blessedland) the branch president’s wife gave a talk on faith to
follow. She told us how faith can be compared to Wi-Fi, you can't ever see it
but it connects you to everything you need. I thought it was pretty cool. But
hopefully you don't lose signal.
....
Sorry that last week was such a bummer email.
My condolences and apologies but these last 2 weeks have been frazzly.
Our work in Delft has slowed down a little bit
but that isn't even a bad thing. We have been able to go and find a lot and
have taught a couple new people and set up return appointments so
#newinvestigators added to the stack. Our soul harvest is looking lively.
This week we have been busy at a member’s home
recording an album of 6 songs for our project so unfortunately that ate up way
too much time in the week but I got all my parts done so Elder Shaw and I can
go out and do something while the others do theirs.
Oh yes I forgot. We had 2 performances this
last week, the surprise one in Zoetermeer.. And the one Saturday in ANTWERPEN.
The one in Zoetermeer was also recorded and I have a DVD so I can send it home
for you all to watch :) but it is in Dutch hahahaha sorry but that's the
language of the land here. The language of the spirit is universal though
The concert in Antwerpen was just as you would
expect being in Antwerpen. Out of this world. It was like 900 degrees in that
tiny chapel but 200 something people still came from all over Vlaanderen and
people really enjoyed it and enough tears were shed to resolve the California
drought.
Hence it went well.
One particular story was of a member in the
Turnhout Branch who has been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer at the
age of 40 or so. She has 2 children who are teenagers and her husband, all
strong members and all amazing people. We stopped by for our appt. about the
project and as I said the opening prayer I was prompted to pray
specifically for her children and their spiritual well-being. As it closed Zr
Van De Waard was already crying and the spirit was so strong. That day was this
last Friday which was about 30 degrees or like 90 in Fahrenheit with humidity
that would drown even a fish. As evening came and we met with the family and a
massive summer thunderstorm came in and pounded Belgium, but as we began to
sing Where Can I Turn for Peace the storm calmed and they could hear us. We
then sang another number for her that is on the album about crossing the divide
in life and she was touched so much. I can’t describe the experience let alone
across email. As we left and drove away the storm picked back up and rattled
the town but for those 15 minutes where we sang and testified, I have no doubt
the Lord calmed the elements to allow for this woman to be healed through His
Atonement and love.
Yesterday we got to go to church in Den Haag
aka HOME for the 5th time ever in my 4 transfers here... Kim and her daughter
Angel came (she is the member trying to stop smoking and her husband wants to
be baptized) and they had a great time. Angel is 3 and can be a devil with her
behavior haha but it went well, she loved nursery and the members in Den Haag
were so solid in helping out, as Always in this wonderful place. The testimony
meeting was fantastic and they have to tell members to try and cycle through
the members because everyone wants to bear testimony every month and there is
never enough time haha
I hope you all had a wonderful memorial day
last weekend and that you took the time to reflect on the ones who gave their
all so we may have what we do. NEVER forget that. Take pride and passion in
your homeland. Especially with the women’s world cup that is here now ;)
I had some hilarious moments this week too
namely because we travelled and toured Gent and Brugge last week (we get to go
all over Europe it is so cool) and Miranda Sings was in Antwerpen THE DAY WE
WERE THERE. So I talked like her for a day and introduced her to a member that
we party with in our concert, Marcia, and killed myself laughing.
I have come to appreciate so many things that
I have taken for granted before. I have 3 pins on my bag given to me by 3
different people who mean a lot to me. A BYU pin from Elder
Bosco to never forget where my sights are set. A Dutch/USA pin from my
mom to never forget where I come from. And a Delft blue pin given to me by
Elder Pouwer who just finished his mission and left the music group to never
forget exactly where I am.
Beauty lies within the simplest of things.
Make it a killer week. It depends on you.
Elder Trevan Scott Reese
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