Hello all...

Well, first of all, I hate Clint and Katie for going to a Thrice concert... and second of all.. it is pretty crazy that Grandma and Grandpa are home.. in fact that is REALLY weird..
As for Thanksgiving... I don't know what you remebered from last year but we didn't go to a member's house, that was what I cooked for Thanksgiving.. haha.. Europeans don't even know what Thanksgiving is... I'm actually not sure if they are even very grateful for what they have :) I don't think we wil have anything special but it really doesn't matter.. There are some American Families here in Brussels, but so far no invitations.. but don't feel bad for me.. I signed up for this, I signed up for a mission with the intentions and the knowledge that things wouldn't be the same and that I wouldn't really have Christmas' etc...
As for the Christmas package.. I really don't need too much.. I could use some new slippers.. I have thrashed the ones Tess gave me.. You use slippers so much here in Europe... everything is tile.. I DON'T need new shirts or pajama pants.. I have enough stuff as it is... I would however like some butter popcorn. They don't really have that here and I found a pack in our apartment and it was GOOD.. so you could send me some of that and I would be content... I don't know if you want to throw in a new pair of cotton/poly garments I would be ok with that.. mine are starting to wear out..
So that is that.. This week has been interesting.. We have really been trying to find some new people that are interested and have time for us... Everyone is always too busy or just saying yes to be nice but they aren't really too interested.. a lot of boafed RDV's. But we taught Melody and Kofi, the Ghanian family that I told you about. She is really great, she understands very well and loves meeting with us.. we have been emphasizing baptism a lot and she knows why we are there.. so.. it is only a matter of time. She also will have her baby soon so she might not be baptized til Jan or so.. They are coming to church on Sunday though.. so that will be great..
This is a cool little miracle... so this week we had a BIG Brussels exchange where all the missionionaries in Brussels came together and we exchanged companions... also we were all fasting together.. We all tried some new finding ideas etc. Well the day went great.. I was with Elder Benito and we wrote questions on the ground in a big Place and then contacted people as they walked by.. It was pretty neat we found some cool people. Elder Benito is from Spain and so he was like, "Do you think we should write a question in Spanish?"  Well there aren't many Spanish speakers in this area.. but I said, "Ya, why not?"  Then we ended up meeting like 6 people who all spoke Spanish.. from Spain, Equador, Columbia etc. It was awesome.. we spoke to more Spanish people than French speaking people.. it was fun.
Then we all met at the church to end our fast together.. and while we were all waiting for the Sisters.. I see this lady come up to the door of the church and she was looking at the sign with the name of the church. So I run to go talk to her.. and I asked her how she was doing and if she had some questions.. but I asked in french and she was like, "Do you speak English?" and I said ya.  She was from the Phillipines and she said that she saw the church and wanted to know what it was, and what the church was all about. So I invited her in and told her we could meet with her another day (she said she had to go..) she told me she would come right back.. so ten minutes later she shows back up and I invite her in and introduce her to everyone. Then she said.. "I was just walking by and I felt goose bumps and I wanted to know what this was." So Elder De Mass was like, well let us take you on a church tour.  So the Sisters took her on a church tour and showed her everything and she told them that it was an answer to her prayers. She has problems with her health and her lawyers and so that night she was looking for a clinic and a new lawyer... and she found the church instead. She is going to church this Sunday(in Brussels 2 that is filled with middle aged Phillipino ladies about 6 or 7 of them) so she will fit right in... the Sisters in the other Ward will be teaching her.. so that should be sweet.. It is amazing the blessings and miracles the Lord gives when we pray and fast together..
Anyway that was a highlight.. also we saw the family Johnson last night and taught them about the Priesthood.. It was good.. The girls have a little part in the Primary program tomorrow. They had to write their talks on how families can be together forever thanks to temple ordinances and what the Prophet has counseled us to do as families to stay strong.  Their talks were amazing... their parents didn't help them (because it was in French and they don't speak French) and it was like they had been born into the church. Etiosa said, President Monson teaches us to have a Family Home Evening.. where we pray and sing and read scriptures together.. then Osazuwa said, Sealing is an ordinance that we do in the Temple. Thanks to temple we can be sealed together as a family so we can live together forever.. I have always dreamed of going to the temple and I can't wait to be in the temple together with my whole family.. haha it was crazy... Then Bro. and Sis. Johnson asked if we were going to come back when they go to the temple and we both told them yes.. So I am hoping that next Thanksgiving break the Lord will provide a way for me to be in Belgium so I can go with the Johnsons to the Temple, hopefully with Elder De Mass by my side..
Well I hope you have a good Thanksgiving.. eat some pie and turkey for me.. and we will talk to you later..
Love Elder Simonson