Pondering the Great Work - March 27, 2014

Hi family, please include all the pics I sent home in the blog. I heard a rumor that you like to skimp on the pics you put online. Pas cool.

So first off, sorry that this letter is getting to you on a Thursday. We had to go to Brussels this last Monday (our normal pday) to do Soeur MacKay's Belgium legality. So we moved our pday to today. :) This allowed us to go to the photography museum!! (which is normally closed on Mondays). So it all worked out for our benefit.

Elder Christofferson came to Brussels this last week. I don't know what I have done to be so lucky but I have been able to see Elder Oaks, Ballard and now Christofferson. The whole mission wasn't able to come; it was just the zones around Brussels. He said so many amazing and inspired things but the most impressing for me was his great love for this missionaries. He then ended the conference by admonishing all of us to push as hard as we can. That we carry salvation to these people and that we have a personal responsibility to our areas and the people in them. He then ended the conference by bearing his testimony of Jesus Christ. The spirit filled the room so strongly. As hot tears rolled down my cheeks he proclaimed "you are all witnesses this day. You heard if from my lips. He Lives".

We went and visited the Rusu family this last week with Soeur Cockx. Soeur Cockx is actually from Romania so obviously she speaks Romanian :) This is perfect for us when we’re teaching the Rusu’s! We decided to take advantage of this opportunity to clarify quickly any questions they had about the Book of Mormon or the Restoration. Soeur Cockx was a rock star and even though she was speaking in Romanian, we could tell what she was saying and her testimony of this Gospel was undeniable. We then went in to teaching the Plan of Salvation. When we started the lesson, it was just Moise, Mano, Petro and us. By the end there were over 12 of us. It was such an amazing feeling as we testified of eternal families while 3 or 4 families sat around with their kids in arms listening to this beautiful message.

Old story becomes new: During Christmas, Soeur Mangum and I went and did "Christmas Contacting". This entailed us going from door to door asking people if we could sing them a Christmas hymn and pray with them. We decided to porte an area towards where Alain lives. As we were walking there, we noticed a few houses on our way and decided to knock on a few of them. We knock on a door and a woman opens and looks skeptically down at us. We explain while we are there and then we asked her the golden question. Can we or can't we come in. Her eyes filled with tears as she told us that she had just come back from the funeral of her son. She wasn't in much of a Christmas carol mood. I was so caught off guard. But in a moment, I felt my mouth open and just say one phrase. "I know that God loves you". To which Soeur Mangum immediately followed "...and that Christ understands what you're feeling". Between tears she told us politely thank you and bid us goodnight. We had planned on passing by her again a few weeks after to see how she was doing but every time we did, no one was home. Well this last week, while I was on exchanges with Sr. Lai, we passed that same house--except this time, a light was on. I immediately walked up to it and knocked. At first no one came. But I was determined -- so I just stood there on the door step. Eventually the same old woman came to the door.

"Hi. I don't know if you remember us-"

"I know you!" she said and stared straight back at me. "I have told everyone about you. I tell everyone that God sent me two angels that night -- a night when I needed it most – one blonde and one with curly brown hair. Please. You must promise me. Tell the other angel 'thank you'".

As I walked away that night with Soeur Lai's arm around my shoulders, I pondered this great work. The Lord really does lead us. So many around us are just waiting and needing to be reminded of their loving and caring Heavenly Father. He loves us. He accepts us. "[His] love is there for [us] whether or not [we] feel [we] deserve love. It is simply always there."

Honestly, it's hard to remember a lot of our week - so I'll just leave it there :)

Love you all

Soeur Bitter

Flowers From Out Sweet Romanian Family

With Soeur Hafen at Elder Christofferson's Conference

Relief Society Weekday Meeting

Favorite Spot in the Middle of Charleroi

Soeur Puissant's Art Exhibit

Brussels With Soeur MacKay

Brussels Trip for Visa Renewal

When in Brussels - Eat a Belgium Waffle 

Belgium Diet: Fruit and Dark Chocolate

Exchanges with Soeur Nilsson (from Sweden - Great Missionary)

Photography Museum

Old Camera Exhibit - My Favorite

More Pics From the Museum

More Pics From the Museum

More Pics From the Museum

"Nothing heals the broken heart like the words of Christ" - March 17, 2014

Hello,

This week's personal favorite miracle is from Tuesday.

So Monday night we were doing our planning for Tuesday and I was so excited. The day was PACKED! We had four RDVs straight leading into a FHE with a member and our less active. We head out Tuesday morning to do a little porting before our first RDV. I turn to Soeur MacKay and I'm like "how about on the walk over we confirm all of our appointments." Call 1: RDV cancelled. Call 2: RDV moved to later that week. Call 3: Ami took an emergency trip to Namur Call 4: Cancelled. As Soeur MacKay gets off the phone with appointment 4, the phone rings. It's the member for the FHE that night telling us that she can no longer have the FHE because they are having a dinner party with friends.

We call the less active to see if we can still see her...she's one of the friends invited to the dinner party haha. Oh la la. In less than 10 minutes our day went from RDV full to COMPLETELY empty. I just smiled to myself and told Soeur MacKay, "Well, a day full of finding has gotta start sometime. Let's go!" We head down to the area that we had planned. As I was turning the corner, a few houses caught my eye. "hmmm...I've never seen those before." They had been hidden from view because the street has a dead end at a river and then starts up on the other side. Thinking we should go check it out, we weave our way in and out of the neighborhoods and finally get to the street.

First door: Not home

2nd Door: Not interested

3rd Door: No answer.

But as we are turning to walk away a young man walks up to us and looks at us like "What do you want here?" I then go on to explain who we are and what we're doing in Belgium. He goes to walk into his house. He opens the door and I see his sisters in the kitchen. He walks inside and then turns around and says, "Well aren't you coming in?"

Oh how silly of me waiting on the door step for an invitation, "Yes of course!" I respond and gingerly hop into their home. He then goes to grab his dad. His father comes out and asks who we are. He doesn't speak French so I'm standing there nervously while Moise (son) explains who we are.

I think, "Well. This is probably it. He'll probably invite us to leave now".

He then motions for us to sit down with zero hesitation. After introducing ourselves, he asks us about the Book of Mormon. A little taken back we ask him how he knows about the Book of Mormon. He told us that one of his friends is trying to learn Romanian so he comes over 2x a week and reads from the Book of Mormon to them. Who is this mystery person--not a member of Charleroi 1 or 2 (as far as I know)?

We have a nice lesson and then head out.

Well, since then we've seen them 2 more times (I think that's right) and each time there is an extra brother who joins us. Happiness.

They are so believing. They actually had to flee from Romania because all of the Christians were being chased out. :( So sad. They came here to Charleroi and found a lot of other Romanians who fled out of fear as well. To help them, he opened a protestant church in Charleroi in Romanian because, as he says, "Nothing heals the broken heart like the words of Christ". The dad doesn't speak French so it's a translation game sometimes but we're bringing Soeur Cockx with us next time (she's also romanian) and she will teach with us and hopefully clear up a lot of questions.

Probably one of my favorite moments during the lesson:

Moise: What would you like to drink Madam? (and yes he calls me madam almost every time)

Soeur Bitter: Water is good for me

Moise: Do you want coffee? We're making some right now.

Soeur Bitter: No thank you. I don't drink coffee.

*Speaking in Romanian. Obviously talking about coffee. The dad looks confused*

Moise: It's really not that much trouble. We would love to make you some coffee. How do you like it?

Soeur Bitter: I'm happy with my water. I don't drink coffee

*Speaking in Romanian*

Moise: Have you never tried coffee?

Soeur Bitter: Nope

Moise: Since a child?

Soeur Bitter: Since forever

*Speaking in Romanian*

Moise: Did you give it up for Jesus?

I felt a wry smile creep across my face as I realized that that was exactly why I had never had a sip of coffee. My mind immediately flashed to the sacrifices I saw made for the Savior by members of the Church and other Christians I have known. The sacrifice of coffee seemed so small to me in comparison to what I have seen in others. I then responded:

Soeur Bitter: Yes. Exactly right.

Other great news: Another family is coming back to church more and more! This last week the whole family was there. We went over for dinner that night and my love grew for them even more. Also, it was pretty fun talking with the wife about composers and classical music--she is a professor at the university here. :) Also, small world side note--I knew his brother in Rennes. It's such a small world.

The spiritual thought of the week is brought to you by President Uchtdorf. This quote worked an amazingly beautiful miracle this week. Wish I had time to share the miracle but instead I'll share the quote:

"Brethren, there is a better way. Let us rise up and become men of God. We have a champion, a Savior, who walked through the valley of the shadow of death on our behalf. He gave Himself as a ransom for our sins. No one has ever had greater love than this—Jesus Christ, the Lamb without blemish, willingly laid Himself on the altar of sacrifice and paid the price for our sins to “the uttermost farthing.”7 He took upon Himself our suffering. He took our burdens, our guilt upon His shoulders. My dear friends, when we decide to come to Him, when we take upon ourselves His name and boldly walk in the path of discipleship, then through the Atonement we are promised not only happiness and “peace in this world” but also “eternal life in the world to come"....

“We acknowledge that your path will at times be difficult. But I give you this promise in the name of the Lord: rise up and follow in the footsteps of our Redeemer and Savior, and one day you will look back and be filled with eternal gratitude that you chose to trust the Atonement and its power to lift you up and give you strength.

“My dear friends and brethren, no matter how many times you have slipped or fallen, rise up! Your destiny is a glorious one! Stand tall and walk in the light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! You are stronger than you realize. You are more capable than you can imagine. You can do it now!"

Love you all...but the ones who write me a little more than the rest. Tehehe. I'll let you dwell on that.

Soeur Bitter

Transfer Day - Goodbye to Soeur Mangum -- March 10, 2014

Hi Family & Friends,

Well for starters—it is transfers again! But this time I am transferred to Charleroi 1. It was sad to say goodbye to all of our amis and members of Charleroi 2. Sad phone calls. Saying goodbye to Soeur Mangum was sad too!!! We were together three months!!! We were so frazzled trying to get her on the train that the doors almost closed...with her inside...me outside...but her ticket in my hands. Tehhehe whoops.

BUT! Things are going really well in Charleroi 1. We have found a lot of people this last week. But I don't have much time because I want to pull lots of pics onto my sd card. So I'll do the best I can.

Soeur Puissant was at church again and even better, the entire Gisonda family was at church!!! SO AMAZING!! Soeur Gisonda is a professor of music in Brussels and she is very busy. But they are soo sweet. I'm excited that they are taking steps back.

Soeur Duret (mom of 15 kids) is doing alright. Her son is going to have an eight hour surgery this next week and that is the only thing occupying her thoughts right now. We went over the other day and because it was vacation, everyone was there :) PARTY!! Highlight of the lesson: I reach down and pull the Plan of Salvation pamphlet out of my bag and I ask the kids "What do you remember about this?" to which all of them quickly run to their backpacks, purses or to the book shelf and they pull out their personal brochure. They all sat around attentively looking at me and one of them even asked "Which page are we on again??" So cute. :)

This last week we saw the Nagloo's. Frere Nagloo has been a member for a long time. His kids are members too. He married a non-member (Annick). She got baptized this last year and they are a really strong family in Charleroi 2. Seeing them was actually our last RDV for Charleroi 2. We decided to teach the Plan of Salvation but with the perspective of Temples. We had heard that she was preparing to be sealed to her husband so we were really excited. We laid out the little pictures which she immediately exclaimed "WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE USE THESE!!!?? This makes it so easy to understand!!" It was such a beautiful lesson. At the end and with eyes full of tears she said "This is exactly what I want. I want to be sealed to my Jean Marie and our kids for all eternity.” So beautiful. That's what this work is all really about—husbands, wives and children being sealed together for time and all eternity and thus being able to live together forever.

Alain is doing well. Still progressing. Still coming to church. Pics below of our FHE with the Ypersiers. That was Soeur Mangums last FHE in Belgium. Tear, tear.

This last week we went by Lili's house again. We meant to go on Tuesday night but everything was pretty crazy trying to get Soeur Mangum ready that we weren't able to go. So we stopped by Wednesday just to say hi and to introduce my new companion. Immediately she threw open the door and welcomed us in. All her kids were there. I told her we could come back if she wanted to have our lesson another time. "No, no. Now is the perfect time." Later we find out, it's the 22 year old son's birthday haha. But even HE was like "It is such a pleasure to have you here." We talked about the power of prayer. They are from Romania and none of them smoke or drink coffee and when the oldest daughter told me that she worked on Sundays she said it with such sadness. "It stops me from going to church--the place where I know I should be."

We had a beautiful lesson about prayer and at the end the oldest daughter turned to me and said, "When I came here tonight, I was so tired. I felt I had given everything to my job. I work extreme hours. But then you came and shared this message and now I know I'll go home and I'll feel good. I feel great. I feel energized. I feel at peace."

It really is so powerful what having the Spirit with us can do. So many times we tell less actives and amis "I know you are tired after a long week. And Sunday morning comes and the last thing you want to do is to go to church for 3 hours. But I promise that you will feel more energized and ready for the upcoming week." And it has proven to be true time and time again.

Well, that's all my updates for this week. More pics to come.

Love you all and miss you

Soeur Bitter

Goodbyes With Soeur Ypersier and Soeur Mangum

New Companion: Sister Mackay

A Week of Miracles - March 3, 2014

So many miracles I don't even know where to start!! Let's start with a fun story shall we?

So Saturday afternoon, Soeur Mangum and I are about an hour early for our RDV. We decide that we should probably take advantage of this moment to eat some lunch. We left the apartment at 10:00 and we wouldn't be eating until 6. After wandering around Centreville for about 5 minutes, we discover that our only options are kabobs or pizza hut. We decide to go for the pizza hut. We go in and we order a medium sized pizza (which happened to be half off that day. Only 5 euros) and sit down. In about 5 minutes, the man brings out fine china, warmed silverware, soda and our deep dish pizza in a stone pan. What! Where are we?? I felt like I was in Brick Oven. We felt really fancy eating our 5 euro deep dish pizza with utensils....so naturally we did the classiest thing we could think of---we took out our cameras and snapped a bunch of pictures. :)

Now the miracles. Week six is the last week of the transfer and it is always FULL of those cherry on top moments where you really do see all your hard work coming together.

Church was amazing this last week. It was fast and testimony meeting. The testimonies were incredibly powerful. But at one point, Leila (the 2 year old daughter of our Recent Convert) came up and was talking to us-- because we're her "best friends" as she says :). Well then suddenly I get the feeling I should be paying more attention to the testimonies. I look up and Sœur Puissant is walking to the pulpit. For a refresher--Soeur Puissant just barely started coming back to church about 3 weeks ago. She gets to the pulpit and starts her testimony by saying "I have just barely started coming back to church thanks to those two sister missionaries"--to which I almost started bawling. She then went on to tell of a RDV we had with her not too long ago. Here is the story which I will start from our point of view:

It was the end of the lesson and Sœur Mangum and I had decided to leave Soeur Puissant with the conference talk by President Uchtdorf "Come join with us". It is an amazing talk and I had seen it work some pretty awesome miracles in Rennes and we both agreed that it would be good for her to read it. So at the end of the lesson, I ask her if I can pull it up on her computer (which was right next to us). I pull it up and then we say our little goodbyes, she gives us cookies (comme d'habitude) and we left.

Now I will shift to her words: "After they left, I wasn't quite in the mood to read the talk so I thought I would minimize it to read later while I watched a movie on my computer. I try to pull up a new page...and the internet isn't working. Oh well, too bad, I'll watch some soccer on TV. And would you know it? The TV isn't working. Now I'm not a technician but I know how to unplug things and reset them. Affter ALL this, still the only thing that was accessible was the talk that the sister missionaries left me. I'm not stupid. I know when Heavenly Father is trying to tell me something. So I sat down to read the talk. And you want to know something? After I finished it, the internet and TV started working again."

MIRACLE. So cool. Also, seeing someone up there bearing their testimony, who 7 months ago wasn't letting ANYONE into her home, was just such a beautiful finishing touch.

Second story. So on Thursday, we planned to go out to see the Rosenbluth's again. They are a less active family as well. They used to be INCREDIBLY active. She served in the temple and they were there together all the time. When I first got to Charleroi, their door was completely closed to all visits. Home teachers-no. Visiting teachers-no. Missionaries-definitely not.

Well we schmeegled our way in and they are SO incredibly nice. We love them. Well the only problem with visiting them...they live FOREVER away...and actually we have rarely been there via public transportation. We had always planned it perfectly so that we were visiting them right after being with a member and the members are so great here that they always offer to drop us off at our next rdv. And to add on top of that..our maps don't go out as far as her house. The funny thing is, she is really not that far. She is about 10 min drive from the church.

But whatever. Anyway, we get rough directions and we head out there. We step off the metro and it is hailing and sleeting. Lots of fun haha. We ask the metro driver if he knows where their road was. He said he did and pointed us in the way and we started our walk. SOOO COLD. We get to a Bus office station (with all the workers) and we go in (pretty wet) and ask for directions again. The room is full of about 15 men and we're just these little lost american missionaries haha.

They gave us directions again and sent us on our way. To which about 45 seconds after, one of them came running after and offered us a ride. Now as a sister missionary, we can't accept rides from men. So I'm standing there in the sleet and I just say "no. but thank you so much for offering!" At this point he looks very confused and says "...but it's raining!" To which I respond "I know. It's good for morale." :) Well we then turn and continue on our way. We are LAUGHING so hard. The hail is pecking at our faces and we just couldn't help but laugh at our pitiful plight. And I kept thinking "Maybe our pitiful faces will help them come back to church".

We finally find their place. Before going in I turn to Soeur Mangum and ask:
"Do I have mascara on my face?"
"....yes..."
"Ok. Will you get it off?"
"......."
"Don't be shy."
"Well it's everywhere"
"HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH"

Tant pis. We'll just knock anyway. Soeur Rosenbluth threw open the door "I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!!! Come in. There is hot chocolate. Give me your wet coats". Within 3 minutes, we were seated at the table with hot chocolate in front of us, I no longer had makeup all over my face and there was the biggest pile of chocolate treats I have ever seen.

We then proceeded to have a beautiful lesson about the temple and the direction it can give us in our daily lives. We shared this amazing quote from True to the Faith that I have found to be SO true.

"Sometimes you may feel that you cannot think clearly because your mind is so burdened with problems and the many things clamoring for attention. In the temple, the dust of these distractions can settle, the fog and haze can lift, and you can understand things that you have not understood before. You can find new ways to deal with the challenges you face."

By the end of the lesson they were reminiscing about their days in the temple and she took out an old photo album of all the temple pictures and postcards that she has ever collected. It was very beautiful.

And guess who was there this Sunday :) Brother Rosenbluth. So amazing. We were trying to find a place to sit in Sacrament meeting and I thought to walk down the left side instead of the right like normal. And who do I pass sitting in the corner? Our good friend Frere Rosenbluth. I immediately plopped right down next to him. So it was a pretty amazing Sunday. Lots of amis at church and one less active bearing her testimony while I was sitting next to another.

Another CRAZY miracle. This one takes some back story. Here we go.

So a couple of weeks ago, we were at interviews in Brussels and the Soeurs in Strombeek said that they found some information about an old ami who had moved to Charleroi. They hadn't met her but they found her phone number and had called it and she said that she lived in Charleroi so they gave us a piece a paper with her name and phone number on it. Well, we head back to Charleroi and I get off the metro and as it's pulling away I realize "you don't have everything you had when you got on that metro." I look down and what am I missing? A package, letters from friends, a bag of candy...but most importantly---the womans info! I JUST ABOUT DIED!! It had already been a very hard day and I just thought "well that is just the icing on the cake". One of the Elders we were with felt SO bad for me and when we talked to him later he said "Soeurs! I've wanted to talk to you! I prayed that you would get back that info and I got the answer 'all in the Lord's time'. Don't worry Soeurs!" Well. That Elder was 100% right. Here's the story:

Last week in our meeting with our Ward mission Leader from Charleroi 1, he gave us a list of all the people that the missionaries have visited in the last 6 months. Annick was on there but I noticed that the number next to her name was not the number that we normally call her on. I check the phone and sure enough, they're different. "Well we'll try this one I guess." I decide to call her and a woman picks up on the other line...except she has a completely different voice than Annick.

"Is this Annick?"

"Yes this is!"

"...hi this is the sister missionaries-"

"OH LA LA!!! It has been TOO long! How are you??"

"...I'm doing well. How are you?"

"So good my sister. So good."

At this point I am thoroughly confused. Not only is this not the Annick that we know, this is someone that definitely knows the sisters

"Well we were calling to know if we could come see you this next week"

"OF COURSE! You tell me what day"

We then fix a time and day in my mind but I'm still thinking "this is not annick. I have to get this person's address". She tells us that she will text it to us. We get the text...and it is in the Charleroi 2 ward....now we are really confused. How did our ward mission leader get this number? She's not even in Charleroi 1! Still confused, we go to the RDV. After getting to know them, I realize THIS IS THE LOST REFERENCE FROM STROMBEEK!!! She took the lessons in Strombeek back in 2008. Went to church a few times. We taught her and her husband the Book of Mormon. They accepted it opening and were very excited to read it. Before we could even ask them if they would read it she said "we will read this every night." to which her husband added "we'll read it together".

I left feeling mind blown. Unfortunately we won't see them again haha. We're no longer over charleroi 1 and 2 wards. We're just over Charleroi 1 but we'll pass them to the Elders of Charleroi 2...which is the Elder that prayed that we would find them. Interesting how that all worked together isn't it?

Well there is lots more but that is a pretty long email and I feel that for some of you, you're eyes are probably burning from staring too long at an LCD screen. So we'll just keep it there.

Transfers are over. It's crazy to think how different Charleroi is now. Soeur Mangum and I were talking today about how proud we are of this area. It has completely turned around. The members have turned around, we have amazing amis and even the apartment is nicer :) haha. It has been a wild ride. Soeur Mangum is off to Paris and I'm going to have a new companion named Soeur Mackay....that's about all I know about her so you'll have to tune in next week if you wanna learn more.

I love you all.

Soeur Bitter

Best Bus Ride in Paris - February 24, 2014

I apologize in advance for my lack luster letter. I am extraordinarily tired--not like when I had insomnia but just emotionally drained. Last week was a roller coaster of emotion. But let's run the highlights quand meme.

Highlights:

Last week Soeur Walker and I went on an exchange to Paris. We had to start our 2nd year legality. (Side note: from Monday-Wednesday I took about 8 trains. To think I never took a train before my mission is just crazy. Trains are such a part of my life these days). Anyway, I lived one of my long awaited dreams in Paris!! Here is the story.

We get to Paris Monday evening. We contact the St Ouen Soeurs who live next to the Arc de Triumph and stayed the night with them. We woke up Tuesday morning and headed out to Versailles for our legality. At this point, between my doctor visit, paying for transportation in Bruxelles and Paris, I'm pretty drained on money for the month. But luckily I had enough to get out to Versailles and back.

We get off the metro to Versailles searching for our bus. We get on the bus and hand the driver our 5 euro bill. He looks at us and says he has no change. "Oh no." I thought "Why didn't I bring any coins?!" With panicked looks on our faces, we both look at each other to which the bus driver says "Ca va. Just get on. Free of charge mes filles".

I am now completely shocked! We sit down in the front seats. The next stop, someone gets on who clearly doesn't speak French and is trying to find a specific stop. We ask him if he needs us to translate to which he happily agrees. We start talking with him and we find out he is from Liege (the city Soeur Walker is serving in) and that the bus driver used to take lessons from the missionaries before moving to Versailles. And on top of that, it's rush hour, yet we are the only ones on the bus. Coincidence? I think not!

While driving through his route, we're trying to get this Liege dancer to his practice site. We see our stop but we tell the bus driver that we will just walk to the Prefecture after finding this man's dance practice. Well we finally arrive at the end of the line :(. The bus driver tells us that he thinks it is up the hill from that. To which we reply "Ok. we'll get off here. What are the directions." The bus driver replied "No no no no! Don't worry about it! I will drive you there." "QUOIII!?" So then we're dodging through these tiny French streets as we have now adopted our very own FREE chauffeur!! DREAAAM. He pulls right up to the arena and we go to get off to which the bus driver says

“Wait. Aren't you going to the prefecture?"

"Yes....but we can walk from here."

"That's stupid. I'll drive you. I'm done with my shift."

He then drives us up to the entrance of the prefecture, drops us off as we skip happily into our appointment. DREAM. COME. TRUE!! Ever since riding on public transportation, I have wanted to be dropped off specially RIGHT IN FRONT of my destination.

On top of that, we were able to talk to the bus driver a lot about the church and we got him in contact with the Elders from Versailles. So hopefully he will be able to restart his lessons and start progressing again.

The ward had a ward cultural night and it was AMAZING. SO many less actives and amis showed up. Of course Alain was there and he made a "specialty" from Marseilles...but I gotta tell you...I'm pretty sure it was an American beef stew. I almost wanted to move his soup to our American table tehehe.

He's progressing well. He had an interview with the Bishop however and the bishop wants him to wait a little longer just to be sure that he will be faithful. So for now he's not getting baptized this next weekend. He's still really excited about getting baptized and is coming to everything. He loves church and the members and his testimony is growing each day. So if anything, he'll just be even more ready for his Baptism.

Well, this is the last week of transfers. Next week we will find out what's going to happen to Charleroi.

Spiritual thought for the week comes to you by our beloved prophet Thomas S. Monson:

"Heavenly Father loves you—each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there."

I highly encourage each of you to read the full talk from this last conference. It's called "We never walk alone".

I hope you are all doing well. You're in my prayers

xo

Soeur Bitter

Fun at Ward Cultural Night

Ypersier's granddaughter - My New Best Friend

Valentines Day - February 17, 2014

Hello hello!! Another week reporting from Charleroi!!!! I don't have a lot of time this week because I have to go into Brussels (for many reasons that I don't have time to explain). SO we are going to do the bullet point form!!

Alain: He is still doing really, really well. He really likes the Book of Mormon and has started reading it a bit. He came to church again this last Sunday and we're still planning on him getting baptized a week from this Saturday. WOOT WOOT!! He will get baptized the same day as an ami of the elders and also Katsia. She is the daughter of a messy divorce. The parents were both members but after the divorce, the mom then said that her daughter could not get baptized. Katsia has come to church every week. Finds a way there all by herself (rockstar 13 year old!!) and after months of the missionaries meeting with their family, her mom said that she could get baptized and in fact this last Sunday, her mom came back to church too! WOOT. So awesome. So next Saturday, there will be 3 new members of Charleroi 1!!

Speaking of less actives coming back, Soeur Puissant was there again this Sunday. We sat right next to her and she seems to be happy to be back. So my first Sunday I came to Charleroi 1, there were about 50 people in sacrament meeting. It stayed like that for a couple months until about 2 or 3 weeks ago and then there were 75! And it's been sticking! This last week we had over 75 people in sacrament meeting again. THE WORK OF THE LORD IS MOVING FORWARD!! And it's amazing to be a part of it. I feel like a little ant in this great work of the Lord. It's incredibly humbling.

Now I think I'm going to spend the rest of the time talking about one of my favorite members. Her name is Julie and I love her!! She is from the Congo but came to Belgium in about 2005. She is such a rock star. She is a single mom of three boys. She has pretty bad skin cancer right now and half of her family is still in the Congo. She has a lot of trials in her life but if you met her you would never know it. She is so full of sunshine.

A member was talking to her the other day and said "Julie it must be hard to be a single woman these days". To which she responded "I'M NOT ALONE! I have my Savior. And I have this wonderful church. So many brothers and sisters who are so good to me and even more, I have my Lord and Reedemer--my best friend". She gave the lesson this last Sunday for the class for our amis. It was on the Holy Ghost and I was floored at the amazing spiritual experiences she has had with being in tune with the Holy Ghost. She then at the end of the lesson directed a comment to our Ward Mission Leader "Frere Ypersier says that I'm full of the Sunshine of Africa. But I say NO. I'm full of the sunshine that the spirit brings". She Is INCREDIBLE.

Her attitude towards life is the perfect example of what President Hinckley wanted for each of us when he said in 2001:

"I have little doubt that many of us are troubled with fears concerning ourselves. We are in a period of stress across the world. There are occasionally hard days for each of us. Do not despair. Do not give up. Look for the sunlight through the clouds. Opportunities will eventually open to you. Do not let the prophets of gloom endanger your possibilities.

The Lord has said: “Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made” (D&C 25:13).

I believe He is saying to each of us, be happy. “The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course there are times of sorrow. Of course there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice. I see so many people … who seem never to see the sunshine, but who constantly walk with storms under cloudy skies. Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.

We know from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for our own personal development. We also know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. It is also true that every cloud we see doesn’t result in rain. Regardless of the challenges, trials, and hardships we endure, the reassuring doctrine of the Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ includes Alma’s teaching that the Savior would take upon Him our infirmities and “succor his people according to their infirmities.”

This Gospel really is one of Joy. Julie is such an example to everyone around her. She is amazing to teach. People see that she has lived/is living through such difficult things but she has the MOST POSITIVE outlook on life because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is contagious. It makes our amis want what she has found-the peace and joy the Gospel brings.

I love you all so much. Soeur Mangum and I the last couple days talked a lot of the things we loved about our families (with it being Valentine’s day and all) and our siblings and parents specifically. I feel so blessed to be part of each of your lives and for some of you to be counted as family.

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Soeur Bitter

A Mannum Bar For Valentines Day

                

A Valentines Replacement Suitcase From Home