There are several
things in the life of a missionary that can distort the idea of time, such as
no weekends, switched pdays, conferences, etc. For me right now I am getting
blasted over the head with reality checks and time warps. Being in Antwerpen
again makes me feel like a greenie again, I sometimes get treated like a
greenie still, but the past 2 days different people have told me that I sound
like a real Dutchman. Nice. And I saw tons of pictures of Elder Conatti and his
homecoming (so great, sooo cool) and also emailed my sisters who are back home
now. And friends are getting home in the coming weeks, getting ready for school
and seeing their families again. And I'm still in Antwerpen haha. It's like
beginning meets the end, east coast meets west coast, alpha and omega yaddah.
 |
| Maria's gift |
I will start with a
Maria story. Yeah, you thought those were gone since I left Apeldoorn. False.
Maria is still here. We went to MLC this week and Hosea gave me a bag of things
I forgot with a big wrapped up box and a letter taped to the top. What. I
opened it up and read the sweetest, funniest, most classic letter from Maria
about how she is doing, and why she wanted to give me this gift. I opened it up
in the car and it was a modern-day translation of the Bible with a white cover
around it! Hahaha soooo sweet of her! It made my week! I need a Dutch Bible
again anyway haha not exactly the missionary translation.... but I am so happy
with it hahah it’s so funny and so classic. We are also keeping in contact with
each other through email so I can help her out with anything she has questions
about while I am in Antwerpen. Apparently she told Hosea and Parr in Apeldoorn
that she needed a rest from investigating, called off the appointment, but then
called at the time of the appointment saying she still wanted them to come over
to stay friends’ hahaha such a gem. So the Maria stories continue! Which is
good, because last week I said something about the former lady I taught here in
Antwerpen... yeah we showed up on exchanges with a joint teach and she handed
us the Book of Mormon back on the door and said no.... Just another everyday
missionary heartbreak.
In other news, we have
made contact with Gerald and Eric!!!! The other elders work with them on their
records, but of course I want to be there with them since they were baptized
here a little over a year ago. They both fell through the cracks in the ward a
bit...(happens too much here) so I am on Mission: Rescue. It's is amazing
because I have prayed for them so much in Delft and Apeldoorn and Vlissingen.
And my prayers have been answered after one year and I get to personally rescue
them.
We taught another
former this last week, Fredrick, and ended up resetting a baptismal date with
him for May. So cool. I really believe I am here again to research and recall
the city that stole my heart and rescue all those I can find again.
Also, the sisters work
with a less active family, Dirk and Christel, and Christel LOVES me because I
would always tease her back and take her stabs as a good sport haha. So the
sisters were in an appt with them and told them they had a surprise coming. We
knocked on the door, the sisters took us to the living room where Christel was
and she jumped up, starting laughing and yelling then basically ate me alive in
a massive hug. It was so great to see her reaction haha I really should have
recorded it... that’s the only regret. She was so excited and couldn't stop
hugging me for the next 15 minutes. So awesome. Those experiences make your
mission gold.
 |
| Ivan and I |
Quick story: this week
we were in an area where we worked with a less active over a year ago, so I
called him and asked if we could visit, but turns out he moved to Turnhout! But
he said he really wanted to see me and would come all the way to Antwerpen the
next day to buy us lunch. Sooo Wednesday we met up with him, had such a great
time and laughed so hard AND HE IS COMPLETELY ACTIVE IN TURNHOUT. HE HAS A
CALLING AND IS WORKING ON A TEMPLE RECOMMEND. AND I DIDN'T KNOW! It was some of
the best news I have heard in a loooooong time! He ended up telling me how I
was one of the first missionaries that put him back on the path to church and I
wanted to cry for joy all over my fried Turkish lunch.
We have a good amount
of work coming which is nice. Our most solid investigator Anita is on baptismal
date for the end of February and is doing so solid. She is a self-referral from
the website and has a sister that’s a member in France.
This week has made me
think a lot about home and school stuff since Morrell Parr Cook and I are
trying to get stuff set up. And everyone is home or going home right now haha.
People keep asking if I will die here in Antwerpen. That would be insane. 7
transfers here haha I don’t think it will happen but I tend to stay in cities
for forever. Heavenly Father still knows I don't like change haha.
Groetekes uit
Vlaanderen!
Elder Trevan Scott Reese
"You don't
inspire others with your perfection. You inspire others with how you handle
your imperfections" - quote I found on an Apeldoorn member's wall
No comments:
Post a Comment