First Email :)

Family!!!

Oh my goodness I have so much I want to say I think I may just
explode. First of all this email will probably be short and full of
mistakes because the keyboards here are way weird -- anyway I shall
try.

So yes, I am here in the beautiful city of Antwerpen! I was the only
one in my district to stay in Belgium and I am SO happy I am here...
This city is beautiful! My collega is Zuster Gulliver and she is
amazing! This is her last transfer which makes her an excellent
trainer. That also means that I will be taking over the city when she
leaves, so Pres Brubaker told me to get to know the city, get to know
the ward, and get to know the people. Haha, no pressure right?

So if there was ever a time to think this is not the language they
taught me in the MTC now is it! EVERYONE here speaks Flemish which is
WAY different from what they taught us. I have a very hard time
understanding things, but it is getting better! The first night I was
here we met the ward mission leader who does not speak any English,
and has a very strong accent, and totally looks like the old man in
that one Pixar chess playing short film, and I was so lost. Haha, it
has not discouraged me though! I am improving every day, and I smile a
lot.

Ok so I have so many stories. The first night we arrived in Brussels
they took us to the beautiful grand plaza or whatever it's called to
contact: Scary! Zuster Pierson and I went to the side to pray, and
as soon as I opened my eyes there was a man standing right in front of
me! He said something in French but I said sorry, I do not speak
French to which he responds, "Oh you are so beautiful!" He kept
saying all this stuff like that and asked why I was there so we
started to talk with him about the gospel. Haha, he wasn't too
interested and kept asking what he could do for me. I told him to
look up the website www.mormon.org and learn more. I went to shake his
hand to leave and he leaned in and kissed me! Haha haha, it was on the
cheek and normal I guess but it freaked me out for a second. Pres.
Brubaker thought it was very funny and said it was a good thing I was
leaving the city ;-) Anyway it is true that you never forget your
first contacting experience.

The work here in Antwerpen is amazing! I am lucky, I walked into three
baptismal dates! A girl named Heidi and her mother and a woman named
Monica are all set for May 30! Since I have been here we have found 8
new investigators and have seen so many miracles. We meet so many
people every day, and have had several wonderful lessons on the street
and off. I love these people and have met people from all over the
world. The language is slow, but the members yesterday said it was
already very good. I had to get up in church and introduce myself and
bear my testimony; oh I was so nervous! It really did go well though,
I was blessed.

Today has been great so far; I just had my first Belgium waffle -- YUM...

Well I love you all. Thank you for your love and support! The gospel
is wonderful and so true!

From now on I will only be able to read emails from family members.
Friends will need to write me by regular mail at:

Alfons Schneiderlaan 172 Bus 2
2100 Duerne, Belgium

I pray for you all! Thanks again!

tot ziens,
Jane