Week 35 ~ coppers

READY FOR ANOTHER SHORT EMAIL? Cuz that's what you're getting. Sorry love you! 

We had some pretty crazy stuff happen this week! First of all we freaking got pulled over by the cops hahahah it was quite an experience. We had been in an area for about five minutes and had knocked like three doors and then these cops come speeding around the corner like out of a movie and they pulled up on the curb next to us. They beckoned us over and we had to show them our residency cards and our ministerial certificates too. He checked through our bags and looked at our book of mormon and herstelling (restoration) pamphlets. Zr De Souza tried to do some missionary work and asked if he was religious, but he shut her down pretty quick and said he was atheist. Apparently people in the neighborhood were getting sketched out by us... two frickin girls in skirts. Really people? Anyway then they just asked us a bunch of questions about what we're doing and they let us go. Hahahah it was so hilarious and then we were like sucks to suck people we're going to keep working in this area. So yeah.

ALSO we had interviews this week and the worldwide missionary devotional! A bunch of changes were made to our daily schedule and key indicators so that was crazy! 

Zr De Souza and I both got a prompting to talk to this girl on the street who looked like she was in a hurry and had her headphones in.. so we did! And we gave her a Book of Mormon and exchanged numbers! Miracles!

Zr. Boyd made french toast with speculoos spread for me for breakfast on exchanges.. and it was HEERLIJK. She's a gem 

Then the greatest thing happened! On Sunday we had FOUR of our investigators come to church! It was so awesome! I love our people! 

Also I'm the worst and I have no pictures from this week... Sorry!

I love you!!

Love, Zuster Fordiani

1-the countryside. my love

2-with our investigators priscilla and chasidi and then their husband/dad

Week 34 ~ Savannah Stevenson fireside!

Hey people I'm not really feeling like writing a weekly this week so yall get some lekker highlights.

We were street contacting and we met a man who bought us drinks and we taught a restoration in a bar! Doesn't happen too often hahah

We presented in zone conference and it wasn't a total faliure! Haha jk it went well. Pres. was spouting out revelation over the pulpit though and told me I'm gonna be relief society president someday. 

So stay tuned

We did some service for the Bishop's family and helped them move into their new home and also built some ikea furniture for them haha. It was so nice wearing jeans!!! I need to lay off the frites though... lol

Savannah Stevenson came and gave a fireside in Antwerpen! She played Glinda in Wicked and also Mary in the bible videos! It was awesome to hear her bear her testimony and sing. Our investigators Chantal and Murtaza came along as well! President was there and Chantal told him he couldn't transfer us haha and then pres. asked if he can attend her baptism. Hahah so funny

Anyway that's pretty much it.

Ik hou van jullie!

Zuster Fordiani

1,2-Sint-Niklaas squad

3-guys i grew a plant!

4-cool little place we found randomly

5-Savanna Stevenson

Week 33 ~ refferals up the wazoo

This week was a week of REFERRALS. We contacted a bunch so that was sick! We finished up contacting our referrals and contacted the remaining six this week! We had to take some crazy buses to the middle of no where and walk forever, but we saw some miracles as a result!

We got on a bus on the way to contact this guy named Gwen and we had called him earlier but he didn't answer. While we were on the bus to his house, he called us back and said we should come over in an hour! It was so sick! So we went over there and gave him a Book of Mormon and will be going back this Tuesday with a joint teach to teach him a Restoration lesson.

We also had a Restoration lesson with another of the referrals, Johan! We brought a joint teach and it was a great lesson! He was so excited when we gave him the Book of Mormon! At the end of the lesson his friend came in and we ended up giving him a Book of Mormon as well! Johan then starts telling him to read the Restoration pamphlet and then he needs to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. Already doing missionary work.

Random, fun things:

FOUR of us in our district previously chipped our front tooth and now have fake teeth

We knocked on this lady's door and she didn't have interest but she did have cookies! That she so kindly shared with us haha

I found a FREE bathroom in a time of need. (That never happens btw)

I stood in Belgium and the Netherlands at the same time... holla

MORE SNOW (that lasted for a day)

I tried escargo and schnitzel!! Both super good. Would recommend

I was sitting next to our investigator, Murtaza, on the floor and he just leans over and goes "tickle tickle" and tickles my feet. Hahahah make of that what you will

One of the sacrament speakers didn't show up to church so the bishop asked me to give a talk with like ONE MINUTE of preparation. IN DUTCH may I remind you. I pulled something out of my butt about the gospel of Jesus Christ and enduring to the end. Hahaha life of a missionary

LOVE YOU

Zuster Fordiani

PS I failed at taking pictures this week so you get to see the only two I took

1-someone needs to wife me (in like three years lol)

2-random church in Lebbeke

Week 32 ~ alcohol chocolate...and SNOW

HEYYOOO.

Another monday. Another email.

First off, shout out to my Mom and brother Anthony! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you people!

Second off, it snowed!!!!! It was super weak, lame snow, but it still snowed nevertheless.

This week was crazy. We had MLC up in Leiden, Netherlands on Friday so we got to have a sleepover in Gouda on Thursday night and then another sleepover on Friday night in Zoetermeer! Which means I got to see both my MTC comps! It was so great. MLC was really good and I learned a lot! It's always fun to go get spiritually uplifted and see all my friends! Saturday was insane and the trains were all screwy so we ended up traveling for SIX HOURS to get home on the train. It was death haha but we met some cool people and I met a girl from Utrecht! I love Utrecht.

I got a call from a random number this week and it was ZR LODDERS from Utrecht!! I was so excited to hear from her. She is the best.

Other funnies this week:

I ripped my coat in the armpit... again. Trying to reach my glove that fell in the crack by the train. I was lying on the ground trying to reach it and a guy came up and offered to help. When he found out I was trying to get my glove and not my cellphone he decided not to help though... awkward. BUT tender mercy! When we got on the train I found a glove on the ground!

Our investigator gave us chocolate.... we were eating it waiting for our train and there was a suspicious individually wrapped one. So we broke it open, sniffed it, and deemed it okay. Well it WASN'T OKAY. Freaking alcohol hahah it burned my mouth and then we were just coughing and spitting everywhere. Hahah pretty great.

Zr De Souza and I almost got separated on a train! I jumped on the train and then the doors started to close so Zr De Souza couldn't get on so I pulled an Elder Roberts and jumped through the closing doors and like superman opened them to get through. 

That's pretty much it.

I love you people!

Love, Zuster Fordiani

1-5-Gent!!

​1-Book of Mormon challenge :)

2,3-Dendermonde

4-Some of the snow... it was pretty much melted

5-America vs. Canada hahah

6-New Years eve in our matching sweaters from the ward :)

7-Cluffy and I on exchanges in Antwerpen​

Week 31 ~ 2017

Happy New Year!!

Last P-day we went to Brugge! It was beautiful. We also saw the Blood of Christ in this creepy little church.. not sure if it was authentic..... but I wasn't allowed to take a photo hahah.

We also had another lesson with Nicolai this week! He keeps getting cooler and cooler. He freaking loves tennis! Dad his favorite player is Macenroe. I think you guys would get along really well. We had a huge discussion about tennis hahah. Also he used to play piano for ballerinas so he knows tons about ballet and we had a cool conversation about that too! Don't worry we also taught him a lesson ;) 

Guys. I finished the Book of Mormon!! At 11:50 on New Years Eve hahah. I had a lot of time because we had to be inside by 4:00 pm on New Years Eve so I read from Ether 4 to the end! The challenge was to finish the BoM on Dec. 31 and mark all the names of Christ. We started in October. It was such a cool challenge! I know that the Book of Mormon truly testifies of Christ. You can see his name marked in red multiple times on almost every single page of the book. One thing I noticed as I read the Book of Mormon, is how loving and merciful Christ is. He has so much charity for everyone and never gives up on us. I've been focusing on developing charity for the past year or so and in Moroni chapter 7 it explains really well what charity is.

 45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Then comes my favorite verse in the Book of Mormon... 

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

along with the quote "The best evidence of our adoration of the Lord Jesus Christ is our emulation of Him." -Russell M. Nelson. This is a quote I've stamped on my heart throughout my mission that I wanted to share with you guys. I hope you all can continue to read the Book of Mormon throughout your life and learn something new every time! 

It was really cool to finish the Book of Mormon again, and then as I was praying about it in my bedroom, I just felt so much joy! And then all the fireworks started going off! It was a really cool experience :) I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it will bring so much joy to your life if you read it every day!

I hope you all have a wonderful 2017! Beste wensen :)

Love, Zuster Fordiani

Photos from Brugge!

 Oh also! Our district. We tried to spell Antwerpen! hahah fail :) And Zr De Souza was super excited because we went to McDonalds​.