Hey family!
Guess what? I'm being transferred! Mom, it's just like you said, big mix of emotions. I LOVE the people here. Isn't that what every missionary says? I never understood it before. Now, when I think about leaving it breaks my heart. It's strange to think that I may never see some of them again. There are some people here who have changed my life and seriously strengthened my testimony. Mom, I think you're exactly right when you say that service to the Lord bonds us more than anything else. I feel that with mission companions and with people that have come to teach with us. There is something that can't really be described or replicated. So I'm headed to.... VERSAILLES! Exciting, eh? Apparently it's one of the strongest wards in all of France. I will be companions with Sister Gifford. She is just a transfer behind me so I knew her in the MTC. She is a sweet heart and I am super excited to be able to work with her. It's the ward with the APs, office elders, Stahelis and Elder Causse. I have talked to some of the elders here who served there and they have said that it's one of the nicest areas in all of France! I'm not so fancy myself so I'm thinking about going and trying to find some cute shirts. I am sad to leave but excited to keep working.
So V and A came to family home evening Monday night and V leaned over and said, "Hey Soeur Powers, i have to talk to you after ok?" So after we sat down and she takes a big breath. I thought she was going to say that she doesn't want to see us anymore or something heartbreaking like that BUT she goes, 'A and I went home and prayed after our last rdv. We have been talking a lot about what you said and we have decided we are going to be baptized in a month and half.' Haha I almost jumped out of my chair. I love them so much. Then on Saturday, they came to play sports and we taught them the word of wisdom. we were talking about respecting our bodies and how they are gifts from God and she said "so, what do you think about chastity? is that disrespecting your body?" So then we got to teach that too. It was incredbile. They both have such an amazing desire to learn and to become the son and daughter that Heavenly Father wants them to become. The elders have started teaching A because he doesn't really understand french and Elder Duarte is Portugese so that is perfect. They came to church again yesterday.

Quick miracle! So on Monday we got a referral from the office for some guy who just moved here from Italy. Well we were kind of in his area and so just stopped by. He lives in this dorm-ish set up so we opened the door and followed the voices. We asked around and nobody knew who he was. They were all these young African guy students. They kept saying "mmm, I don't know him, lets knock on this door and see if he knows." Well we get to the top floor and we haven't found him so the last guy we go, 'Hey, so, I know that we haven't found who were looking for but we're missionaries and...' He invited us in and we started teaching the restoration! As we're talking to him he tells us that when we knocked on the door he had been praying to know how he could get closer to God. Everything in his life has been upside down lately and he decided he needed to realign his spiritual life first and then everything else in his life would straighten out. Right as he was asking we knocked on the door! We went back and taught him with R and she was able to testify strongly of how she changed and the blessings she's seen in her life since. It was beautiful. He came to church and it was perfect. The lesson in the amis class was on the gathering of Israel so...a little bit deep but he had a ton of questions and eventually the teacher said, ' write your questions down and the missionaries will answer them when they come to see you next' :) haha he is so cool. I'm sad I won't be here to see him progress and get baptized.
We played basketball today! Malheurusement I'm not so good anymore. I did win knock out twice and it felt so good to play again. The next email you get will be from FRANCE - crazy and a little nervous:)
soeur powers

Oui un jour nous nous reverrons, dans la paix du seigneur

Hey family! John Rolph got married?! Who did he marry? I still remember dancing to 'getting jiggy with it' at Josh and Kristina's wedding. I'm also really happy for Joel! I got his wedding announcement and he looks really happy! She looks amazing! Way to go.

I'm glad the Book of Mormon activity went well. Did you make the photo background mom?

We had the farewell for the Phairs. They are the senior couple who have been running the young adult center here in Brussels. They are absolutely incredible. About 100 people showed up and it was a blast.' There was so much love in that room! Rachel wrote a song for them and we sang with her and her sister Koumba. Unfortunately us white girls don't have beautiful African voices like they do but it was fun nonetheless. Sister England was up here for an exchange so she was able to sing with us. It was so fun! They will definitely be missed around here. I am so excited for mom and dad to go on a french spêaking mission! I can't even say how much of a difference they have made in the wards here in Brussesls. They served tirelessly and probably worked harder than all of us young missionaries. I hope to be like Sr Phair one day.

I taught the young women yesterday! The lesson was about how we can prepare ourselves to be teachers. It was fun to hear about teaching experiences they have had with their friends. It also gave me the opportunity to reflect on all the pre-mission opportunities I had at Oakton. I remember a conversation i had with Mr Pringle once. He was asking me about some core beliefs and I drew out the plan of salvation for him. Then I told him that America was founded/established was because Heavenly Father needed a place for the gospel to be restored. hahah He thought I was absolutely crazy! Missionary opportunities are all around us if we pray for them and then open our mouths when Heavenly Father gives them to us. D&C 100:5-8

Transfers are next week so I'll keep you updated! We find out Saturday. That is kind of nice, then we are able to say goodbye to people on Sunday.

Have I told you about JP and family? I met him on the metro last week and I gave him a pass along card. He asked how he could get the Finding Faith in Christ movie and we told him we could bring it over that night. We have been back to teach them again and they love the Book of Mormon; they have so many questions! I love it when people really want to know! They have 5 kids all under the age of 8. Their house is a party and I can't wait to go back this week.

V and A are doing well...she had to work Sunday so they didn't make it to church but they are still progressing.

F has been reading. I stopped the every night thing because I think it was bugging her but it has helped her to get started. We should see her tomorrow and we'll be able to talk more about it. She's awesome.

We have exchanges and Soeur Thompson is coming from Liege on Wednesday and I'm excited to work with her. Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to stay in Liege. I love that city.

Ok time to go. Love you bunches. Have an excellent week and keep praying for chances to share the gospel. People are all around us and they ALL need what we have!

Soeur Powers

so good talking to everyone yesterday! it is just like you said chels, it didnt even seem out of the ordinary to be chatting with you all. dad even asked about the weather:) everything was just like normal! jill's song was adorable. hows the house buying coming? is the lady selling still pretty crazy? is it looking like youll be able to move in when you hoped? when is kevin finished? was he at work when i called? tell him im sorry i missed him and i love him. what an excellent brother in law! i am so happy to hear that grandma is doing ok. i am going to write her a letter today. when will she be able to walk again? how is grandpa doing? is he still working at the office or has he finished yet? i bet he is taking good care of grandma!

V and A are still doing really well. They were able to see S receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and Celia (member who is helping us teach them) said they have a bunch of questions about how to have the same thing! The lessons in church yesterday were all about the temple and exactly what she needed to hear. They are coming to fhe tonight and we're teaching them before french class tomorrow. It was really cool last week. We were supposed to teach them with a brazilian recent convert but then she couldn't make it at the last minute. With the Phairs leaving they are transitioning to have member couples take over the young adult center. Well, there is this couple in the other ward named the Fernandezs. They were there early and the wife is from Cape Verde! She had time before so we asked her if she wanted to teach with us. It was excellent! I love member testimonies. It makes all the difference in the rdv. I feel like I am being taught every time we are able to have a member come with us. Their experiences fortify my own testimony. Do you remember me telling you about a girl named F? We met her at a metro stop a couple of months ago. She is from St Martin and her mom is the primary president there! She hadn't been to church in a long time and when we contacted her she was like 'mmm yea I've heard of the church, I'm a member.' We have been trying to fix a rdv with her since then but it hasn't worked out. We finally got to see her on saturday and challenged her to read the Book of Mormon with us. I told her I was going to call her every night to see how it is going/what her thoughts are. I called her last night and I think she was a little bit surprised that I actually meant what I had said! Hopefully she doesn't start avoiding our calls:) No, i doubt it, she is really cool and is giving me another reason to feast upon the words of christ.

The point of that is to share something cool that I learned in my studies. I got so much out of 1ne2 this morning! First of all, I was thinking about how Lehi names the river and the valley after his sons. They clearly aren't exactly righteous or firm or steadfast but Lehi sees the potential in them and tries to help THEM see it. I think sometimes we get in our own way. We don't develop to become what we can because we don't see it as possible for ourselves. When we have someone else who is there to point out what we CAN be, we reach for it and are able to get where we maybe wouldn't have alone. Mom, you're really good at that. I've always felt pushed to be better because you believe I can. That goes back to seeing people as God sees them. That being said there is a stark contrast between Laman and Lemuel and Nephi. When they hear about their father's dreams, instead of trying to figure out if they are right or wrong, L&L stay where they are. 'they knew not the dealing of God who created them' and they didnt try to know them. Then you have Nephi. in vs. 16 he says he had great desires to know the mysteries of God. He gets to understand because he wants to understand. Someone shared proverbs 3:13 with me, 'Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.' not only does he get to understand truth but he is also HAPPY. Doesn't it seem like L&L are always angry or mean, never really happy. So we are blessed when we seek to know truth like Nephi did. Then in vs. 20 the Lord talks about the land that he has prepared for Nephi. I was thinking about how that blessing came only after nephi sought but also the fact that it was prepared for as soon as he was ready to ask for it. Cool eh? Same is true for us. As soon as were ready to ask/seek/knock, we are blessed with the things that have already been prepared, they're waiting for us! Anyways this has turned into quite the mom-email:) I better stop! I love you all! Happy Mother's day again! Is there a grandmother's day? Or is it all clumped into one? I think gmas deserve their own day. Talking with everyone sure did remind me how fun you are to be around. I'm glad we have a funny/fun family. Not sure if it's a rare thing but I'm glad Heavenly Father blessed me with one! I love you!