This week was insane.
So last monday I did Kiek Mijzelf... I hope you all did too.
I didnt get to go to the castle, we are doing that today. But I did get to go to St. Bafscathedral. It was beautiful, I will send pictures. Oh and I treated myself to some yummy desserts!
St Bafscathedral
Eating Olliebollen...basically doughnut balls with powdered sugar
Elder Lovin, Zuster Robbins, me, Elder Turner and Elder Frederico eating italian ice cream
On Tuesday, we went to the Van Hees for dinner. They are a family in the ward and funny enough they were the very first dinner appointment I ever went to here in Gent. So it was pretty awesome to see the change in my understanding of Flemish. The first day, I literally did not understand one word, and I actually understood like 3/4ths of what they were saying. haha WOOO HOOOO!!!
We ate yummy Muscles and homemade frites. Everyone here in Belgium has stuff to make Frites, and they all taste amazing. They just double fry them or something. I probably ate about 60 Muscles...They were really tasty actually, I just had to not think about what I was eating, or focus too much on what they looked like...
Eating Muscles
Frites and Muscles
We had District Meeting this week, and Interviews with president.
It was amazing...I love President and Zuster Bunnell.
That is what my title to this email is about actually. In my interview with President, I talked to him about my frustrations about the language etc. etc. He basically said something I will never forget haha. He said:
"You are a candle! You shine out the light of Christ...so for these first few months, I am going to need you to be a DUMB LIGHT!"
Haha so that is exactly what I am doing...haha being dumb, but at least trying to shine with the spirit.
We also had the chance this week to go to a members performance for the Gentse Feesten. She performed like a Henry VIII style dance in a huge dress and we got to go in the nice State House here in Gent, so it was super cool. Her name is Lieve, and she is super awesome. She served a mission in England and is the translator here for Sacrament Meeting. Because she is so good at speaking English...(haha I am pretty sure that was poor English on my part)
English sometimes is a struggle even for me. I called this lady on the phone yesterday and she speaks English and left a voicemail. haha Lets just say it was a struggle.
This week I had Exchanges. So I went to Antwerpen for like a day and a half. Super awesome. My companion for the day was Sis. Maughan...(I think that is how you spell it). She is hilarious, and really outgoing but she talks like a mouse, so I can hardly hear her. She had a Ukulele and so she showed me a couple chords, it made me really want to get a guitar. (hint hint...mommy I might buy one{
}) Found random emojis hahaha sorry I had to.
Exchanges with Zuster Maughn. My insane curls that don't go away, and even if I straighten them they just come right back. It is a struggle...
It was an awesome day, but an awesome day full of lots of walking and knocking. We saw some miracles though.
First miracle:
We went to go look up like 5 people but no one was home...we finally hit the last one and she didnt answer either. We decided to write a message and leave it in the mail box...but because I have a wierd ribcage that likes to act up sometimes (dont worry mom Im looking into it) I said lets go outside and sit down and write it. So I could have a little rest.
P.s. Everyone here lives stacked on top of each other so we do bell ups...basically you go into the bottom part inside and ring everyones door bells after the other in that one room, and talk to them over a speaker....so that is why we could go outside.
Well if it werent for my dumb ribcage they could have never let us in....they saw us from their window and invited us to come in. They were awesome...and she spoke actual dutch so I understood all of what she said...so that is also a little tender mercy.
Second Miracle:
We were knocking doors on our way back from a look up that wasnt home either and we came to this guy who of course said: sorry geen interesse...no interest...but when we asked if he knew someone who did, he pointed us to a house down the road. He spoke straight Flemish though and Antwerpen Flemish so I understood nicks(nothing). But Sis. Maughan did a little.
P.S. here in Belgium they even have different dialects of Flemish so Gent has its own dialect and Antwerpen has its own as well.
We still couldnt find the house he referred us to...so we went to this door that looked kind of like the one he had pointed out...a lady answered. Not interested. But then pointed us to the exact same referral. You have to know, that literally every time we ask them that question they say they have no idea who would be interested. So getting a referral from one person is a miracle in and of itself...but then to get the exact same referral from someone else!! It was awesome. He wasnt home, but they are going to go back and try to contact him again. SOOOO awesome!! The tiny miracles...if we hadnt have knocked on that second door we never would have found the referral the other guy gave to us. Heavenly Father really wanted us to find this guy for sure.
I am pretty sure that is it. Just a lot of walking and talking to people. We gave away two copies of het Boek Van Mormon this week on the street, haha so awesome.
I love you all and miss you. But it is going really great here. I see so many miracles every day...those are just some. Sometimes I am sure I dont even realize or miss the miracle. Heavenly Father is mindful of you, and He loves you so much!!!
Be safe, and have FUN!!
IK HOU VAN JULLIE!!
GROETJES,
Zuster Stewart-Chester
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