ZUSTER TATE STEWART-CHESTER Called to Serve May 2015-Nov 2016: ......WOW.....

HALLO!!

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is just doing fantastic.

This week was a crazy one, as you all are aware I am sure. But it might have been one of the best weeks of my mission...and I dont really know why...I just had the most amazing spiritual experience, that was sooooo humbling, in a weird way.

With the attacks in brussels, we have been taking extreme precautions. The first day we couldnt leave our area....(where our apartment is in Deurne) and we still are not allowed to use any trams or trains...but busses were recently allowed. So remember how I told you that we never bike here? well that changed this week, because in one day, we biked more than I ever did in one day in Groningen. It was insane.

We had an appointment with someone all the way out in Brasschaat, and we didnt have her number so we couldnt call to reschedule...and that night we had to bike all the way back from Brasschaat to Wilrijk which is the complete opposite direction...and then we had to bike home, and even before Brasschaat, we had to bike to the hospital...(but I will get to that) so I hope you look at a map of Antwerpen and look how far I biked in just one day. BUT it was sooooo worth it.

That morning we biked to the Stuivenberg ziekenhuis, because we found out the Fanny (the girl missionary who was in the airport at the attacks) was there. She is far from family, and we figured that she would like a little bit of company and maybe a good song. This was the most amazing experience I have ever had. I cannot stop thinking about it. I didnt really know what to expect, and when I saw her I was taken aback. She was so small and fragile, and some of you have probably seen pictures, but she has a mask completely covering her face. As soon as I walked into the room, I felt the spirit just come over me. She was so sweet, positive, and kind. We didnt have much time, because actually a lot of people came to see her, and she could only see people for a half hour. So we went in and introduced ourselves and I sang I heard Him come, because that is the only English song I have. Afterwards she thanked me and said she had been dreaming of music. I just couldnt help but tell her that God loved her, and that he had protected her, and that there were angels all around her. She laughed and said she already knew. That night I just wept thinking about this experience. Thinking that God could have easily made it so it never happened....if she had only gotten her visa she would be safe on her mission and the other missionaries also wouldnt have been hurt. I thought about how for the rest of her life, she might never look the same, or grow back all her hair, and how she will be treated differently. I wished that it had not had to happen. But I was sooo impressed with how she handled it. She was just so ready still to go on her mission. She is such an amazing example to me. I couldnt help but think that it could have been me, and I asked myself: would I have been as good as she is, and still been so postive. It was humbling in the sense, that I realized I have been given sooooo much, and I realized that I need to do better and be better, and never complain ever again!! It was so great, and I hope I can go see her again, and feel of the spirit that she has with her.

Afterwards we left and I biked the rest of the day with my guitar on my back but it was soooo extremely worth it to have experienced that sweet moment.

We made it to Brasschaat and our lesson was sooooo amazing. I really was just led by the spirit. I am having to talk a lot, but even sister lindsey killed it on her first dutch Restoration lesson. She took it really well!! Then we biked all the way down to our appointment with a members wife named Karin.

SHE IS AMAZING!! My first sunday here she came to church and talked to us, and this week we finally were able to meet with her and she told us that she wants to be baptized as soon as possible. It just shows, that we do nothing!! There really are people who are just prepared, and it is a matter of finding them!! She is wonderful, and we are now working with her to get her ready.

The rest of the week, me and sis Lindsey got super sick...I think we ate something bad, so it has been a rough weekend, but we were still able to get a lot of work done this week even with the Brussells attack and getting sick...and biking...my throat isnt getting much better still, probably because we have been biking to kindom come, but it was good to force myself to kind of rest this weekend. I love this work!! Being a missionary is amazing. I feel so lucky, I love these people. Even if they are tough nuts to crack!! I cant believe sister Harris goes home soon...time passes way too fast. I am not ready!! I LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU!!

WEES VEILIG!!

IK HOU VAN JULLIE!
PRETTIGE WEEK NOG!!

VEEL LIEFS,