Bonjour a tous!
How is everyone doing this week? This week was a very good one! A bunch of stuff happened this past week, with almost something every single day, making the week just fly by! Now its the last week of the transfer already!! That means I've almost completed two transfers already!! Where is the time going?! I don't even know. It's pretty insane. So this past week started out last p-day, When we went to the Atomium! We decided to go into the Atomium, all the way up to the top! It was such a cool experience, and was surprisingly well priced!
Then on Tuesday, I found out what everyone actually thinks of me!! Okay, I'll tell the story. So, we were at the church to play basketball with members and amiss and such. We were the first ones there because we had the keys to the church. I was playing around, shooting some hoops, when Elder A* says, "How are you able to play basketball when you just look like such an uncoordinated goofball?" I then decided to ask the other Elders if they thought the same, and they did!! So the joke this week was, whenever I did something that was cool, or required coordination, they would ask, "How did you do that when you look like such an uncoordinated goofball?!" I haven't decided if that's a compliment, or if its just something else.Haha.
Anyways, next. Thursday we had a double mangez-vous schedule! In the morning we ate lunch with F F*. (Everyone remember him?) Then in the evening we ate with a the K* family. They are a family from the Congo. I'll have to admit that I was a little worried going over there, because I didn't know what to expect to eat! But I sat down, put the meal on my plate and started eating. It was super delicious! I'm not sure everything that was in it, but it was delicious. Gotta love Africans! Halloween was on Friday! I don't know about yours, but my Halloween was spent basically all day at the church.
Friday was our zone conference, meaning president and his wife were there! Zone conference started at about 10 and went until about 3:30. But every other transfer, President and his wife conduct interviews, so they started interviews at about 9 and went until about 8. Our interviews were scheduled for the very last time, meaning around 7:30. So as soon as zone conference ended, we went home, ate dinner, and by then it was time to go back to the church for our interviews!! So Friday day was definitely dedicated to zone conference!
Halloween here isn't as big as in the United States. There are a few that go trick or treating, but not really. The only people I knew of were some members from America..and they went trick or treating on a military base or something like that! And the reason that I knew that was because we ate a members house on Sunday, and they talked about it with us. We ate at the B*s, along with the R*'s and the L*s. They are all Americans living in Belgium, all in their 30s ish I think..That meal reminded me of exactly something that I would have back in the states! With turkey, potatoes, corn, salad, and dessert. It was pretty delicious.
Now is the time for the main event. The story from where my subject line comes from! So we were on our way home from the B*, and were on the tram. This black kid, about 14 or 15, comes and asks what time it is. We tell him, and then he starts asking him, so obviously we start telling him about us, and what were doing here. That's when a guy gets on the tram, sits down and says, "Hey, you shouldn't be listening to those Mormons." Elder A* goes over and sits by him, and starts to talk to this guy instead. He first asked if he had seen or talked to other missionaries like us before. The guy said he had. Then Elder A* asked why he told the kid he shouldn't listen to us. The guy said, "Because I could tell he wasn't interested. You can come talk with me instead of that kid. You can come over to my house and well all have a beer. Oh wait, you don't drink beer, you can have water, and I'll have a beer." So we hopped off the tram, and walked to this guys house. He asked us a few questions about ourselves.
Things like, "How old are you?"
"I'm 19 sir."
"You Mormons get married right? Are you married?"
"Yes, we get married, and I'm not married yet. We're here as missionaries, and after we'll get married."
"Why aren't you married?!"
"Because I'm 19 sir!"
Now I'm sure that some of you will find this next part funny..if you know or get the joke. This guy was absolutely convinced that I was not American..guess where he thought I was from? Yup, you guessed it. He guessed about 10 different countries in Asia, after I had already told him I was American!
"Mongolia?"
"Nope."
"Turkey?"
"Nope."
"Japan?"
"Nope."
Elder A* had to back me up and tell him I was really American! We made it to this guys house and walked in..His house was a complete disaster. There was stuff everywhere! I was stepping over all sorts of things to get to the seat he told me to sit in. We sat down and started talking. He had a few questions about our beliefs and stuff, but the conversation wasn't really going anywhere.. He kept going back to the fact that I didn't look american. I'll admit that this guy was drunk..he wasn't completely wasted, but you could tell he had had a few drinks.
He then picks up this book off the floor, and hands it to me and said something I didn't understand. Elder A* said, "he said it was a gift for you." I took the book, and it was a book about the history of Venice, and the history of art. Or something to that effect. Then the guy motioned for me to give the book back, so I did. He took it back, signed the inside cover, and handed the book back. We told him that we had to go because the conversation wasn't going anywhere, and during our stay we had found out that he was an old man named S*, and that the other Elders had dropped him because he wasn't progressing.
We started walking out, jumping over all the things on the floor, when I saw a knife just embedded in the floor. "That's when I thought, boy I'm glad this guy likes us, and that we are leaving!" On our way out, he stops us, and tells Elder A* that he has a gift for him too. He goes into his back room, and comes out with another book, about some war or something. He gives it to Elder A* and then sends us on our way. It was pretty funny, not gonna lie! I wonder if that man remembers us now that a whole day has passed! He was very nice to us, and even gave us some gifts. We headed home for the evening, and that was our night!!
And then I think that that concludes my week actually..I just want to end by saying one thing..HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAYSON! Oh man, my little brother is turning 14. The big 14. You know what that means? Yes. That means stake dances for the little man! Oh dang. Hes getting old! I hope that you have a great birthday this week! And now that concludes my week in a nutshell! I love you all very much! Until next week!
Love The Uncoordinated-Asian-Looking Goofball,
Elder Hamilton