blog:

pass out the shovels

We had an incredible week here in Antwerpen and couldnt be more excited to be doing missionary work in this mission! I really feel more and more privileged to be here everyday! So first off, we had 2 baptisms in our ward saturday! Sara had a rough week being fed anti information about the church and then things going a little crazy with timing for everything but she stayed strong and we had a beautiful baptismal service. might be my favorite one so far.  the 3 of us (my comp,sara,and i)  got to share a special moment together in the changing room after she got out of the water and she shared an amazing testimony at the end that left people in tears.  definitely one i will not forget!  I want to send pictures soon but ill have to print them out because i cant figure out how to upload them here.

we also had zone training this week done by our amazing zone leaders! we have no senior couple in this zone and since we work alongside the zone leaders, i became the senior couple.. meaning that i get to cook for all the trainings for all 30 of us. this week we did chili and baked potatoes and no baked cookies. of course on the way our train got stuck so i had 40 mins to prepare everything before the conf started.. but we had so much fun (my comp and a couple elders) working quickly together stabbing potatoes and crying cutting onions.  but.. i went out to check on the potatoes half way through and low and behold, the oven was on the wrong setting and the potatoes were still cold! my comp and i just died laughing in the kitchen and then one of the elders came and said a prayer on the potatoes. and you know it, they were just perfect when everyone was ready to eat. our little funny miracle of that day! 

other than the cooking, zone training got us all so excited to be serving in this area. we have recieved so much inspriation from authorities lately and have the faith that this area is going to flourish in the next few years.  one experience (and the reason for my subject above) is about moving mountains.  we are planning on baptizing enough members to build a new stake in the next year and we know that kind of miracle takes lots of faith. lots.  so one elders shared an experience from his dads mission.  his dad was a greenie and an older missionary asked him "do you have the faith to move that mountain?" he responded stuttering "uhh umm if its the lords will.. ya"  then he asked the older missionary if he had the faith and he responded "yes i do and i will be the first one at the base of the mountain with a shovel".  So that is what we are going to do. one of the elders quickly responded "pass out the shovels". sister hinchcliff and i build a mountain out of paper in our apartment this week with 2 shovels to remind ourselves that we are going to "move mountains" this transfer.

thats all i have time for now! till next week!

zuster j