Week 38

First off, just like whenever there is an important holiday coming up, I make a shout out. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I hope you have an awesome day and that you get to relax a little!

So, this week was the last week of the transfer, which is always a little sad. One of the elders in my apartment is heading home and it's weird to see people at the end of their missions! He is an incredible missionary, 2 years in the making, and now he's headed out to start the rest of his life! It's interesting to think about because part of me thinks "He can't leave! He's put so much effort into this and he's gotten so good at it, why leave now?!" but after 2 years of serving, I can understand a little bit. It also helped me see how a mission prepares you for the rest of your life! He really does have a great base for the rest of his life! I just have to keep working harder and harder so I can get to that point too! But I guess that's how our entire lives are haha

I had an exchange with this missionary this last week too, and I learned a lot! I hope I'll be able to apply the things I learned. I'll do what I can! During the exchange, our companions were together (so, it was two missionaries who had been in Europe for 6 weeks doing missionary work together) and they saw a miracle! They were knocking doors, and a woman let them in! And she was very interested because her mother had recently died and wanted to know about God's plan for his children. So they got to teach her a lesson together and we're going to try and keep teaching her!

We also taught a girl this week who comes to our ward because her mom is a member, but the daughter isn't. We went to their house and taught a message about the restoration, but she already knew all about it! She doesnt believe in God though, so that's definitely what our next lesson will be about! Prayer and faith!

In other news, the tram system in Charleroi works now! After not running for 25 years haha but I guess that isn't big news for anyone but us here in Charleroi haha.

Oh, the picture of my district this last transfer!

The numbers represent the number of transfers we've been out. The "6" is actually supposed to be "16" haha

Well, this next transfer is gonna be awesome because we're gonna make it awesome! I hope everyone of you makes the next 6 weeks awesome too! And no matter what, keep praying!

I promise that next week my email will be a little more interesting haha

Elder Daniel Anderson

Week 37: Baptême!

Elder Haskell, Mathéo, Luca, and me.

Why are the kids dressed in white? Well, because they got baptized June 16th! We've been teaching them for a few months and they made the decision to be baptized! It was an awesome day! It's the first baptism that I've seen on my mission, and it was two on the same day, and it was fantastic!

Mathéo, Luca, and their Dad, Angelo

Angelo got to perform his first baptism ever! He was pretty nervous, but he was ready for it and it went great! Luca had asked if I could give a talk at the baptism, so I did haha it went pretty well! It had been a long time since I had gone to a baptism, and so it was amazing to feel the Spirit that was there. I had heard stories and imagined what it was like, but it really was incredible to experience. After the baptism, we got to talk to a lot of non-member family members and then before Mathéo and Luca left, their dad, Angelo, came up to me and said "You guys are still going to keep coming over to teach us and see us right?" Of course!

There are still the after baptism lessons and because we love their family! It really meant a lot to me.

Also this week we had Zone Conference in Brussels, and that was great! We'll be having Elder Oaks visiting in September, and to prepare for it, our missions goals is between now and then, to have 100 baptisms in the mission! Well, our companionship just contributed 2! I'm really excited for the goal! And I know we can do it!

Also this week, we had a man come up to us and ASK to meet with us one day! That doesnt happen too often, so hopefully that will work out! He was a really nice guy too!

A scripture that I used in my talk at the baptism was 2 Nephi 31:17, and it's an awesome scripture! I know that baptism is the gateway to blessings, help, comfort, remission of sins, and to the "bon chemin".

Just a couple sunset pictures from our apartment window on the night of our first baptism!

Have a fanatstic week everyone! I'm praying for all of you!

Elder Daniel Anderson

Week 36: Big Week!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD! I just wanted to make sure I got that in there so he knows that I didnt forget about him! My Dad is such an awesome guy, and he always gives me awesome advice! Seriously though, I'm lucky to have the Dad I've got!

This week was a busy one! And I've got another busy one coming up! Next Sunday, June 16th, 2013, Mathéo and Luca Tedesco are getting baptized! They are the two kids that we've been teaching for a couple months, and they're doing awesome! It's amazing to see how much they've grown and how much they really understand about the Gospel. I don't feel like when I was their age I knew as much as they do! One of them asked me if I could give a talk at their baptism, so I'll be preparing that this week! That, and getting the rest of the baptism organized haha.

Lately we've also been visiting a less active member, and he has started coming back to church! Yesterday he leaned over to me during sacrament meeting and said "I'm starting to really like coling to church more." So I was excited about that!

We also visited another less active member yesterday, and turned out that his mother, who is 84, just had an operation, and the member that had come with us offered to give her a blessing if she wanted, and she immediately said yes. She isn't a member, but she really appreciated the blessing and she is a super believing lady. This less active member also lives in a house that was first built in the 14th century and was the farmhouse for the castle. Yes, there is a castle behind his house. But it's been turned into an apartment building on the inside haha. He had a lot of stories about how people had been hidden in the basement during wars and escape tunnels and ghosts, so that was interesting! haha

This week I wanted to share a scripture that has to do with Father's Day. One Father that we all have in common is our Father in Heaven, and so I wanted to share Romans 8:16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." We really all are children of God! Sometimes we forget it, or don't think about it, but we are His children and so we should all remember what amazing potential we have! Every single one of us has the opportunity to be great in the sight of God!

Here are some pictures from my week haha

Right in downtown by where I'm sending this email haha

A house for sale down the street from my place! Any takers? (I was on the outside of the building, not inside. Don't worry Mom! haha)

Walking over to Jean-Pierre's house

Just an old Catholic school

I hope everyone has an awesome week! Keep working hard and never stop improving!

Elder Daniel Anderson

Week 35: The Sun'll Come Out... Tomorrow

"The sun'll come out...tomorrow." That's what people have been saying here for the last 6 months. Well, the first of June showed up, and so did the sun! Ah yeah! It's gone now, but at least it was here for a little bit!

This week we did some service at our ami's house, we taught some other investigators, and we've been doing well!

The 2 kids that we've been teaching (Matteio and Lucas) are doing great and will be baptized on June 16th! That's in 2 weeks! We're really excited and they've been really into our lessons lately and they remember what we teach! This last week we taught about commandments, and for the 10 commandments we taught some hand signals (that I just barely learned myself haha) and they loved it! And their parents did too haha. We really excited for them!

Our other ami, Jean-Pierre, is going to be baptized a little later than that, but that's okay! He will hopefully come to their baptism and that will help him take the leap of faith! This last week we held a Family Home Evening at his house with his twin 12 year old girls, and it went well! Of course the kids love it when we teach tithing with candy, but I think they had a good time with the whole evening!

This last Sunday at church we had a surprise visit from the senior missionaries from Brussels! They are Elder and Sœur Okelberry from Idaho, and they're super nice! It was great to spend the day at church with them.

As promised, I also have a picture to share that I received this week:

Zachary Aaron Reinert! My nephew! Already an attention grabber haha

What awesome news! I'll see him in a year and a half, so it's all good haha. That's the only picture I have to put up this week (but if my sister wants to, she can put up more on here of Zach) but I put up a ton of pictures last week haha so hopefully that'll last ya!

Yesterday while heading to our ward mission leader's house, we decided to take a different route. On the way, a man crossed the street to come talk to us, and it turns out he had been taught by missionaries before in another part of the world and wanted to know some information about us here and if he could meet with us after he finds a place to stay. Of course we said yes! So we shall see what happens :)

That's all I've got for this week! Next week I'll have even more updates! I hope everyone is doing awesome!

Don't ever give up on your dreams!

Elder Daniel Anderson