Men are that they might have joy. Missionaries are that they might share joy.

Bonjour à tous!

This week was absolutely lovely. On Thursday we had a zone conference with President and Soeur Babin, I love zone conferences, they are always exactly what I need! We also had interviews so that was really great too. They have so much love for us, it is so touching! I love them, they have so much confidence in us it makes me feel like I really can do anything!

Later that night we were waiting at a crowded bus stop and we started talking to an African lady (I would tell you her name but I have absolutely NO idea how to spell it) and as we were chatting with her another woman close by was listening in and watched us the whole time! I tried desperately to think of a way to involve her in the conversation but nothing was really working, eventually the conversation died and I turned to Soeur Melville and said something in English and the woman watching us asked in English "so English is your first language" Yes! so then we all got on the bus together and we sat down next to her, she is from Egypt and people call her Dee. She was so cool!! we gave her our card and hope to see her soon! then we got off the bus and the African was right behind us and started talking to us again! She had felt the Spirit earlier and wanted to feel it again. we gave her a brochure and prayed with her. It was a wonderful miracle :) 

So each Saturday we have something called Samedi Sports where we go with amies and members to play games just to help our amies be more integrated and get friends so last Saturday we went to the church with a bunch of members and amies and had a HUGE nerf gun war. It was probably the most fun I have had in a loong time. We were running everywhere and it got pretty intense ha hiding in corners with our guns our hearts beating out of our chest as we prepared to make a run for it through enemy territory... it was awesome. 

Yesterday we went with a member Sariah (she leaves on her mission to Canada next week) to do some less active pass bys throughout our area and it was so fun and so productive. We drove all around just talking about missions and also our favorite ways to eat potatoes! We were able to see so many people! and cross off a few on our list as well ha we went to this one house and a bunch of people were outside working and they asked us who we were looking for. when we told them, they said he was already dead but we could find his son. apparently he is really famous with the police and in prison at the moment!! the workers were like maybe don't go visit him huh? that was interesting but then we passed by a woman named Jessica, she was baptized 6 years ago in a different branch and has 2 adorable children. she loved church but then they moved away into our branch and got kind of lost. When she opened her door and saw us standing there she was SO happy. We shared a message with her and the whole time she kept saying how touched she was by our love for her. She is coming today to our branch activity and i am so excited! 

Last week during Sacrament Meeting a man stood up to bear his testimony. He talked about how the missionaries helped him overcome his smoking addiction and prepare to be baptized. He kept saying over and over "the gospel has made me happy, so happy." he said it so many times and it was so touching!! he was so humble and so grateful! I loved his testimony. Sometimes after so much rejection and no immediate results from our work I get a little discouraged and I forget what a powerful impact our message can have on those who are ready! We are here to share JOY. this gospel has given me so much happiness I cannot even begin to describe it and that is why I am here in Liege Belgium talking to random strangers on the buses on the streets, everywhere! Because they are children of God and they deserve this happiness too. I am so lucky to be a missionary. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for letting me have this amazing opportunity. It is hard but is SO rewarding. I am so grateful for all of things that I am learning and experiencing here! Heavenly Father is so kind to each of us!

The gospel has made me so so happy.

avec beaucoup d'amour, soeur alicia hawkes