October 17, 2011 "muzighakjgdqszchzh (no I didnt just hit random letters...thats dutch silly!)‏"

Well Bonjour à tous!

 

I'm not exactly sure how to describe this week. It started in Paris and ended in Bruxelles. Ya Im still wrapping my mind around it. I would describe the lengthy, messy process of leaving Paris...but I think I'll just leave it at... well, it was emotional.

So now Im here in the land of Belgium! To add onto my list of languages that I've encountered on my mission, lets add dutch and flemish! (yup there is a sign hanging above me right now that says...Overzicht van de hoofdrubeiken... go ahead.. google translate. Im in a library so Im assuming it has something to do with books...)

 

Remember in elementary school they would teach you that America is a melting pot?? Well they lied....Belgium is the current boiling soup of the world. I seriously don't even know how many languages I hear in one day. I wish I could say a dominant one was french, but its not. Its a little discouraging because I've gone from one very-American ward to the next. President Poznanski told me before I left Paris to 'forget I even know english, only function in french'...and I'm trying but it sure is hard when the Bishop, 2nd counselor, Relief Society President, Elders Quoram president, Primary Presidency, the Ward Mission Leader, and most of the youth and children are all american. Or at least not french speaking haha.

 

The ward is... curious. Im going to try not to be obnoxious and compare everything to Paris...but I need to in this circumstance to make my point. In Paris our Bishop anounced one Sunday that there were currently 27 different nationalities represented in our ward. Yet somehow it was a very high functioning ward. However, here there are countless nationalities and its a very divided ward. Its definately lacking unity. The Americans stick to themselves. Most are here because of jobs with NATO and so they live in American communities, with American schools and stores. The Belg are annoyed with all the Americans. The other countless nationalities have there own groups. Its very different. Seems kind of like a hostile environmen to bring amis into. SO before you think Im all discouraged and annoyed by all this... guess again! When Soeur Murray and I left church she asked me what I thought...and she was a little shocked when I said Im so excited for this ward. After being in Paris with Soeur Wiliams the work was a little slow because of uncontrolable circumstances, Im so excited to be here because we have SO much work to do, and I kind of feel like a brand new missionary and I seriously can't sleep at night because of the things we have to do and Im so excited for it all.

 

So I guess this is my really long way of telling you that I LOVE BRUSSELLS already. Our ward mission leader told us that the ward is ready to burst, it has alot of potential ( we have lots of amis in progress...still working on meeting all of them) but this ward needs entheusiastic missionaries...so I'm determined to give it all the entheusiasm I've got!!!

 

Donc, things are going great...really! I feel such love and excitement for the area already. I cant really express it through email...but I am 'très content'.  Ok random things you guys asked about. Apartment is tiny, but has a seperate bedroom and only two of us living there so it feels like a step up from Paris. We went around to meet our neighbors and explain who we are...we had some interesting run-ins haha but also got a rendezvous with one of our neighbors! SO yes mom I am safe and warm. Soeur Murray is great! She is from Mapleton, Utah and is an elementary school teacher...aka really patient and sweet. She helps me alot with french. We are determined to speak french all the time because we are not really immerssed it in here...and I can feel it helping already. Whitewashing has been an adventure...its definately resulted in lots of laughter and adventures. But its fun to discover the Ville together.

 

I wish I could tell you something about Brussells but I literally know nothing! I know that Grande Place is cool...we are going to go see it this afternoon. I know NATO is here. I know we live in a french neighborhood...but Im currently in a dutch library down the street so who knows how that works. (the guy at the front desk was very offended when we tried to speak french to him...) I don't really know where the ward/mission boundaries are. I think we share this area with the Dutch mission...when we asked about mission boundaries and we were kind of told 'dont worry about..go as far as public transportation lets you'. Our ward boundaries definately go into the dutch mission...as in when went to the Ward Mission leaders house last night Im pretty sure we left our mission...but stayed in the ward boundaries...ya its complicated. I just smile and nod lots... haha. So if you guys back home want to google things about Brussells and tell me about...that'd be great because Im just figuring it out one day at a time haha.

 

Well if this email seems totally scattered and all over the place, I think its because I'm still figuring out which way is up here in Brussells. But to sum it all up we have TONS of work...aka Im grinning from ear to ear.

 

Love you and miss you!!

Soeur Smith