March 21, 2016 - Bucket List Additions

The biggest advantage in the Antwerpen zone is that you become a family. We are the only zone in Belgium and have recently been cut off even more from the Netherlands with limited international phone use. What's nice is that everyone down here is tight with each other and loves each other. It truly is a mission inside of the mission. 

This week we had a zone pday playing district on district ultimate frisbee with a volleyball and eating Belgian pannekoeken a wonderful member made for us. The Brussels district won, and we all got fat on sweet Belgian chocolate pancakes. That's what you get when you put 30 Americans together for a day off in Europe.

Then we had zone training Tuesday. This one was the one that we spent the least amount of time planning for and setting up. And I think it might have been the smoothest. Blessings. I wrote my 20min presentation the morning of about confidence and love and it went well. I hope I could share some mission wisdom with the young bucks. Then we had a masterpiece haha I learned this awesome song on the piano a few weeks back and one time, Elder Hill came in and started yelling motivational pick-me-ups while I played. It was glorious. So to cap off zone training I had him come up, and while I played he gave one of the most incredible motivational speeches I have ever heard. Actually, I never heard it. The acoustics from the piano were quite poor. But we had missionaries crying and super pumped and ready to attack the Belgians with the Gospel. Purpose served? I hope so. Never ever be afraid to use your talents to further others' progression in the Gospel.

We had to close the senior couple's apartment this last week after their transfer, and they have a piano in their apartment. So for a bit of studies I dinked around on it and discovered that I can actually play the song I used in zone training without looking. So I put a blindfold on and played most of it fine, the rest coming with practice. SOOooo the newest addition to my mission bucket list is to make it to a major train station with a piano, put a blindfold on and play the intense, beautiful song without sight and place a whiteboard nearby with something along the lines of 'if man can perform without earthly sight, imagine the view with eyes opened by Jesus Christ.mormon.org' or something like that. We will see if it happens but it's an idea haha

Also, we ate a member's house this last week who travelled to Japan way back when and changed my view on Japanese bathhouses. Let's just say I really want to get to one. Hour body massage, 2 hour nap with mineral bath or something and being fed fruit the whole time and bunch of other things haha his story was so funny. Add it to the bucket list.

Teaching is going well right now, it's still progression that we are working on with people. Our strongest people now, Anita, Jean, Christel, and Alex and beginning to keep more commitments, except that of coming to church. That's the hardest stumbling block in Europe. Church here is like a shadow on life and people don't go anymore, so getting them to go to a new one is hard. We pray for it all the time though.

What I like about Europe is that you really have to strive to be friends with people to help them receive the Gospel. So what is neat is that people make slow progress at the start, but as you fellowship and learn about them and never back down from your purpose, they are interested in you, your message and the Spirit they feel. And you make a ton of friends with a ton of selfie taking. I'm probably all over the internet by now haha

The work keeps going so do we.

Loves

Elder Trevan Scott Reese

March 14, 2016 - Spreken is Zilver, Zwijgen is Goud

Ok here is the low down. This week I was bombarded with emails of people getting home from missions, getting married, going to school, living a life that I have forgotten how to live, and getting older and wiser in the process. So today, the short length of this email will tell more than any amount of words could say today. Speaking is silver and silence is gold. (email title)

Transfer week. Missionaries are now to travel alone between cities. Internationally. Missionaries that don't know Belgium with 3 bags and a bike. It was a nightmare, but things will get better with the system. Luckily no one was lost or taken. It's especially intense sending sister missionaries alone, but everything worked out. Eventually.

We had less lessons this week but they increased in quality. Quality over quantity is a huge underlying theme to missions in Europe. So I guess that makes it a good thing. We taught a cool girl named Christel and her sisters Linda and Belinda (yes those are their names). And they couldn't believe we were 20 and teaching them and they wanted us to tell us everything about God's plan. I like them a lot, haha, chill, fun people who investigate seriously. The best mix.

We met with an investigator yesterday whose basement flooded and she was really upset because she planned on going to the gym and washing her car but couldn't. But instead of complaining she switched it up and used the basement water to wash her car and lugging buckets of water up gave her 1.5 hours of fitness haha. She posted it on Facebook and became famous. I thought it was great.

This is a packed transfer with weekly conferences and trips to the Netherlands. Au revoir. But it should be good. Today the zone is coming to Antwerpen to play sports and eat pancakes then tomorrow we are having training here. All of which is on our shoulders but the best way to take potential stress and responsibility is with composure and confidence and so everything is working out fine.

Alright, that's it. Enjoy the picture of my master parallel parking job this week. You become real good in Europe you know.

Loves

Elder Reese

March 7, 2016 - Aan Het Dorpen

Dorp is a word in Dutch that doesn't have an accurate translation. It basically means village but village sounds impoverished. And it's too small for a town. And Belgian dorps especially, are NOT impoverished. 

We have received 28 Facebook referrals in Antwerpen for people who requested a free DVD. We split them up and took the ones farthest away since we have the car and have been knocking those out this last week. Because the people are a little more wealthy and classy, most of the time they look at us and before we say 3 words the door is thrown in our face. But luckily that didn't happen with all of them this time! We were able to teach one of them about the restored Gospel and gave her a Book of Mormon in exchange that we come to Paul the Apostle: the Musical in Bruxelles next month. ...... So we may have just booked the Brussels elders a night on the town for next month. Oops.

While doing these referrals I had the feeling to knock around the neighborhood of one who denied us, because God sends us to certain areas for different reasons sometimes. We knock around and find this lady named Nancy. At the beginning, her interest and patience with us was about a 2 on a 1-10 scale. But as we chatted and laughed together, she opened up about her beliefs, her story, her depression, and her desire for happiness. We testified our hearts out and told her that her problems would be soothed and even solved by reading and studying the Book of Mormon. I think we were all stunned when that was said, but it made her take the book and agree to have us back again. Yesterday we drove back out to work there, and as we knock she pulls up into the driveway and lets us in. We taught her the Restoration and a bit about the Atonement which is going to change her life. I know it. I said one or two sentences about the Atonement before closing and the Spirit sucker punched us all. I have been praying for her a lot, which is real special to me because of the big number of people we are working with. Keep her in your prayers please! We are teaching her about the plan of salvation and the atonement on Sunday.

I almost forgot, we had transfer calls this week. 9 out of 10 times I am immune and am called a believer which means I stay in cities for a long time. So yes, I am staying for a 5th transfer in Antwerpen. This is my city. Most of the zone stayed too which is good. Cook is a zone leader in Amsterdam, Morrell in Rotterdam, Parr in Apeldoorn and me here. There are only 6 zones and we are all split up into 4.

It's crazy but awesome to see the bulk of emails I get come from returned missionaries and friends who are back home. Thanks for the love and support and encouragement.

Love

Elder Reese

When Past Meets Future – February 29, 2016

Last week I didn't give any stories so I will dedicate this email to a few:

This last week we had exchanges with the Assistants in Amsterdam where it starting SNOWING. But just like any Dutch weather pattern it lasts a few minutes then scoots along. I got to work with Hirsch and we taught a guy that spoke no English or Dutch. So we had to pull at strings to communicate. Talk about MTC flashback. Then he left to buy us soda and water and milk and juice because his smartphone translated or into and HAHAHA so when he read what Hirsch wrote he grabbed his coat and left... So we were alone for 10 minutes in his house with cigarette smoke and Arabic TV but didn't want to make him buy us that stuff. And earlier that day Hirsch got 5 euro stuffed into his pocket for giving away a Book of Mormon (another story, another time haha) and so we decided to make a Mormon message come to life and put the 5 euro in the investigator's shoe. So there we are in his house alone, breathing intense amounts of nicotine, 5 euro in the man's shoe, John Kerry on Arabic television and he walks in with assorted beverages speaking a language we don't understand. It would only happen to us. Loved every second haha

Glorious moment #2:

Yesterday morning we arrived at church, nothing out of the ordinary, I casually waltz into the chapel and see 4 Dutch faces turnaround from their seats, point to me and laugh. Suddenly I was thrown into a world of laughs and warmth from Vlissingen last summer and ran over to bear hug Familie Van Eijzeren. !!!!! They came to visit since they are the Stake YM and YW presidents and also just to make my week. So after bear hugging and reverently attending sacrament meeting we got to chat and laugh and love one another again. Bjorn is getting his mission papers sent in soon and the branch in Vlissingen is getting a new building. After we calmed down and laughed more and probably made all the other ward members wonder what the heck was going on, we took this gem of a picture below. They are simply the greatest. And I was only with them for 6 weeks.

#3: We went to district meeting in Leuven this last week and got to go sing to an old folk’s home afterward with the senior couple Caldwell’s. Turns out that Sister Caldwell plays the ukulele, has one, and it is super nice. Then I made the mistake of saying that I play the uke and got myself into the hole of playing and singing 4 Disney songs for the old Belgian generations. Classic. And it happened. So my ukulele career travelling Europe and singing has taken off. My signature is being sold for $20 a pop. You're welcome.

We are working hard through things, I got my bag back from Eindhoven after going to Amsterdam then having the Den Bosch elders meet us in Breda and yeah.... loong story but I have it so life is good. I saw Cook for a second at the mission office in Leiden too which was niiice.

Well I won't make it long this week.

Loves

Elder Reese

Confidence Amongst Confusion - February 22, 2016

Listening to a talk and some music this last week, I was blessed to be hit with a brick of personal revelation that served as a confirmation/awakening to what I feel like I already knew. We are the Church of Jesus Christ; this is the truth. We have every reason to stand tall. Christ's entire life, and thereafter, was pure and perfect missionary work. Even after His mortal death on the cross, what did He do? He continued His work among those already dead. Then He returned overcoming physical death, still fulfilling His mission. And afterward? He ministered among His other sheep in American continent, never ceasing in the work of saving souls. Diligence is the name of the game.

In Europe, missionary work is hard. It is courage crushing, heartbreaking, physically exhausting, work. Which makes it all the more worth it. Having picked up mission wisdom here and there from my experiences, I have learned how we have to internalize missionary work to the roots of our souls and allow the Lord to use us as His instruments. We all have talents and abilities unique to our frame and capacity. Use them. It saddens me when I see missionaries’ miserable over here, going through the motions and wondering when success will come. Success is there, waiting to be found, waiting to be crafted, and waiting to be internalized. 

 

I have learned to have confidence in my calling. To enjoy it. To take to heart the fact that through obedience and diligence, no force will stop our work from progressing. The stone cut from the mountain and rolling cannot be kept until the Lord says enough. I go out to meet people, to hear their stories, to understand their lives, to heal their wounds with the one and only remedy for one and all. Your final 6 months as a missionary of the one and only true Church looks a lot like your motivational feel-good film, making a difference in the world each and every day. Is there not a greater cause than that of strengthening the weak and lifting the poor in spirit?

This week we went to a potential's home who is from Ecuador, a Belgian man let us inside, took us upstairs and we sat with him and our potential, speaking Flemish, Dutch, Spanish, and English. We learned of their lives, their struggles, their hobbies and explained to them how the Book of Mormon and our testimonies of Joseph Smith have shaped over lives forever. We met with them spontaneously, in the middle of the city, teaching principles of the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation and the Gospel as fellow brothers. That is one of countless stories that mean nothing to you perhaps, but have redefined the meaning of adventure and time well-spent for me.

I come across familiar faces and old streets daily. Corners with 3 day old puddle water, gum prints, and broken traffic lights. Corners where I have given away Books of Mormon, taught Gospel principles and been yelled at and shunned at. These dirty, old, historic, ghetto, miracle-filled streets are where some of my most precious memories live. Antwerpen is a place of holy worth to me. I am seeing miracles similar to those from over a year ago. I know the Lord sent me here to teach and also learn from this city.

 

Be a confident disciple of Christ. You have nothing to be afraid, belittled, or ashamed of. This is the truth. He is our Great Eternal Head. The Gospel and atonement are infinite and universal. Live through them. People should look at you, your lifestyle, your confidence, your security in His plan and wonder, what do they have that I do not? Your light will so shine that others cannot attempt to ignore it. Be confident in your calling. Whatever it may be. Be yourself because the Gospel is already a part of who you are.

I know this is true because it cannot be learned or taught through any mean than by that of the Spirit of God, who is the source of all and only truth. I will be eternally grateful for the light and investment He puts into me, a weak and humble servant.

This morning I had no plan of writing this as a testimony actually. The Spirit works in wondrous ways, eh? I say this in Jesus Christ's name, Amen.

Love you all, thanks for all you do.

Forgive me for the monologue.

Elder Trevan Scott Reese

Boulevard of Blessed Dreams - February 15, 2016

While driving back from a late appointment this week, I looked over the freeway to see the Antwerpen skyline and dark, cloudy sky, and had a moment of sheer love and appreciation for this ghetto, dated, miraculous city. My mission will always be classified under my experiences in Antwerpen. I am a Belgian missionary. This week proved that yet again.

As a greenie, I saw immense amounts of success here and it truly set the tone for the course of my mission. The Netherlands didn't harvest the same result that I was hoping for, at least not in the same ways, but now being back in my stomping grounds, I have been able to refall in love again and again with this fantastic country. This week we taught the most lessons of my mission, since I was here the first time. And not just fly by, one hit wonder lessons, but quality, retaining, BELGIAN lessons. We doubled our teaching pool and had some of the smoothest Restoration lessons of my year and a half here.

Anita is our progressing investigator who should be baptized next, and she is killer. We had 3 appointment planned this last week, the second one didn't go through (the only one EVER) because she was working with her lawyer for something. We go by for our Saturday appointment and taught her the law of chastity. She isn't married to her boyfriend she lives with BUT turns out that 2 days before she was with her lawyer getting her Italian and Belgian documents arranged for work and marriage. (....) I'm telling you, people are prepared. She walked late into church with her little daughter and a member grabbed her right away and told her to come sit by her to see her daughter. Then 4 other members came up to her and were so happy to see her and play with little Laeana. Dream come true as a missionary. I wanted to run outside with an American flag and climb a mountain it made me so happy.

One of the many cool stories this week: Saturday we had a killer day and were teaching the entire day, but had about 45 minutes left at the end of the day. We went and looked up a guy who actually gave his Book of Mormon to his neighbor. He wasn't home so we knock the neighbor. She tells us we better come in or else (hahaha what) so we go in, the kids are playing card games, then she goes and pounds on our investigator's door, he answers (what) and he comes over for a sick lesson about the Restoration and about the church. Their names are Tina and Hadi and they are total homies with each other which is hilarious because people never talk to their neighbors here.

I am still writing Maria every week and she sent another email this week explaining how she is going to stay with the bible and her church but that the missionaries and the ward mission leader visit her a lot. So nothing new for now.

Monday. Monday I got stuck in an elevator for the first time. HAHA on our way out of family home evening with Zr Van Wauwe, we foolishly crammed 5 people into the 3 man elevator to prevent the 9 flights of stairs. It was going decently smooth until we were between the ground and second floor... The elevator stopped, the buttons wouldn't work and every time you got too close to the door it would beep at you. HAHA so here I am with a member, a recent convert, and the 2 sister missionaries’ in a stuck elevator. The call button doesn't work right, and I am talking to Zr Van Wauwe through the phone as she tells me what to do. Nothing else works so the concierge comes and pries the door open, we have to jump half a story down to the ground and make it back home. This was all around 9:15 at night haha. Needless to say we are making the concierge cookies and she has had questions about the church so.... missionary opportunity!

I also ate fufu again last night which is the African soup and potato dough stuff that you eat with your hands. Look on dropbox for that video haha.

It's been a good one, the transfer is half over almost, people are going home, getting married, and we are going to go tour a 15th century castle in Mechelen today. All is well. All is well.

Elder Trevan Scott Reese