Settling In

July 13, 2105

Hi everyone!

I'm back to typing on a normal key board in place of a French one and it feels really weird. It was really sad leaving Kortirjk and my heart was broken leaving everyone behind, but they all told me to work hard, and as a missionary I will grow as I go out of my comfort zone. I learned so much from serving there and I love everyone in that branch. I know that I'm here for a reason and that as we strive to do our best and trust in the Lord, we will be blessed. I love it here in Hengelo and we have a house instead of an apartment! We already have a new investigator and the work is going really well. Elder Solomon is a great missionary and a very hard worker. I'm happy to be here and I know that as I help others, the time here will fly and I'll enjoy it. We were knocking doors the other day and it was really sunny and hot, and this lady opened the door and let us in! She's from Armenia and she said that they have a custom there that anyone who is from God they have to let in haha. We talked with her about the restoration and she loved it. She had been meeting with Jehovah’s Witnesses for a while and had stopped for about a month, and then she said she prayed and we showed up at the door a few days later. We'll meet with her this Zaterdag and see what she thinks about the Book of Mormon. I love you guys so much and I'll try to send more pictures. Church was great and we have a great ward. They sound so different and everyone says I have a Flams accent haha. Love you guys! Have a great week!!

Love, Elder DeWitt 

Heading to Hengelo

July 6, 2015

Hi Everyone!

I got the call last night about transfers and I've been called to serve in Hengelo, Netherlands. I'm going to miss Kortrijk and all of the members here a lot. I called all of them yesterday and said, "Bye" to them. They think I'm going to come back to serve in Kortrijk again later in my mission haha. I would love to. I know that I'm going to Hengelo for a reason and I can't wait. It's going to be a great experience meeting new people and getting used to Nederlands again instead of Flams. The Leman's have a book that all the missionaries write in and I still have to do that. They're such a good family and they've really given me a lot of support while I've been in Kortrijk. I'll trust in the Lord and I know that it will be good for my progression in Hengelo.

Kaylee's home! I'm so happy that you guys got to spend the 4th of July with her. We went to the Brobbey's on the 4th and they fed us chicken (kip or kieken in dialect) and salad. We have correlation there every week and they're such a good family too. We went to another member’s house after, and she fed us the same thing haha. It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun watching fireworks with the Hippens and the Summerhays. The Tour de France is going on today and it's a pretty big thing. Some of the missionaries are going to watch it and we might see a little bit of it. The Belgians and Nederlanders love biking. It's been really hot this week but the temp is starting to cool down. I love you guys! Have a great week!

Love, Elder DeWitt

Last Week in Kortrijk

June 30, 2015

Hey everyone!

We went to Oostende on Monday and had a really busy day planned for today but an appointment fell through so we can email right now. We finally got a fan for our apartment and the new member who just got baptized is doing great. We had an appointment with him, and there's such a change in him. He has a light in him and it's amazing to see how the Spirit works. We had a lesson with one of our investigators today who is trying to find a job right now and it was a really good appointment. We shared Ether 12:6 with him, “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” By the end of the appointment he was really happy that we came and he felt peace. He prayed and it was a really great personal prayer to God. This is most likely my last week in Kortrijk and I'm going to miss the Branch here a lot. If I visit after my mission I'll have to visit Kortrijk for sure. Tell the missionaries that I say, “Hi” and that they're in our prayers as well. The weather is getting really hot here and Elder Jones got pretty burned when we were at Oostende yesterday. It's a nice beach and we played rugby :) We also washed a member’s roof this week and got to talk to a lot of people. There are a lot more students in Kortrijk now because it's summer vacation. College students are usually pretty chill but aren't really interested in learning the gospel. Some are curious and want to know more about the Church, which is still good. We got a call from the Paris/France missionaries and they told us there would be a new member coming up to Kortrijk who is moving from Wallonia, which is the southern French speaking part of Belgium. I love you guys and it's crazy that Kaylee is home! If you could send some cool hymns that are in Celtic form, Island form, and upbeat/not Motab form that would be awesome. Also some Iz Kamakawiwoʻole or Hawaiian music too. Love you guys. Have a great week!

Love, Elder DeWitt

P.S. Don't let Kaylee hang out with the missionaries too much, she has to start a new adventure :) Beste!  

Our Branch Loves Us (and We Love Them)

June 22, 2015

Hey guys! 

I saw all of the pictures of Cierra and her graduation! I'm really happy that a lot of the family came to the graduation and that you had a good time at the dinner too. Elder Jones and I had a crazy week. I was to Gent on dinsdag (Tuesday) and to Antwerpen on Woensdag (Wednesday). We had back to back exchanges with the Zone Leaders and District Leaders. I got back on donderdag (Thursday) and we went to our investigator’s house for an appointment in Ieper. We knocked on his door and he wasn't expecting us and he was sick. He let us come in and was so happy that we were there. He said he thinks he's going to die soon and then asked for a blessing. We gave him one and he looked a lot better after. He was so thankful for everything and it was a really spiritual but also very unexpected experience. We left the appointment and someone from South Africa came up to us and told us he knew us. He told us that the first missionary who talked to him was named Angelo and that’s the name of someone in our ward who served his mission in South Africa! I don't know if it was the same Angelo but that would be really cool. We got his number and we are going to give him a call. Friday was a little more rustig (quiet). We went to a new member’s house and ate, and then went to the Leman’s and ate, and talked to people on the street. Zaterdag (Saturday) was the day of our investigator’s baptism! He showed up and I gave the opening prayer, and when he went in the font, he kind of kneeled down, went all the way under, and then couldn't get back up, but every thing worked out. It was a beautiful experience and de Geest werd aanwezig (the Spirit was present). We ate at a member’s house, visited a less active family from our ward, and then went home. It was 11:00 at night and we were wondering why the District Leaders hadn't called for numbers, and then I remembered I left the phone in my suit pocket and the battery had run out. We plugged it in and we had six missed calls and found out that our entire ward was scared and going crazy and our District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and Mission President didn't know where we were. We had to call everyone and tell them that we had misplaced our phone and that we were in our apartment safe and sound. On the positive side, we know that our Branch loves us :) Say, “Hi!” to Kaylee for me when she arrives! Tell her that she's awesome and that she served a great mission! Love you guys! Have a great week! 

Love, Elder DeWitt 

Grateful for Every Second

June 15, 2015

Hi Guys!

I can't believe Kaylee is coming home so soon. Tell every one I say, “Hi!”  Geef de groetjes aan iedereen (Give my regards to everyone). Tell Brother Capone I'm doing well and that I say, “Hi.” He's such a cool guy. So much is going on back home right now it's great. A lot has been going on here as well. Our investigator is getting baptized this week, we had an awesome lesson with another investigator and set a baptismal date with him. He was born in Belgium but his parents are from Italy. We've been seeing so many blessings and the Lord's hand has been in my life every day. This Sunday was Father’s Day and we went over the Leman’s and had a big party (feestje) with the rest of their family. There was a ton of food, and we played soccer. Haha one of the Leman's said I live here now because I've been in Kortrijk for so long. I love it here, but I think I'll only have about three more weeks in Belgium. It's been such a good time here and I'm so grateful for every second. I've learned so much from my companions, experiences, and ward members. When Kaylee gets home, greet her for me. She's been a really big influence for me while I've been out here on my mission. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! I love you and I hope you have a great week. Thanks for encouraging me to go on a mission and to leave my comfort zone to try new things. You taught me to always rely on the Lord and that has been such a great blessing to me. I love you, Dad. 

Love you guys!

-Elder DeWitt 

Everyone Here is Family

June 8, 2015

Hi Everyone! 

We had a really good week and our investigator’s new baptismal date is set for June 20th! He wants our Ward Mission Leader to baptize him; and he's doing really well. We have 4 investigators in Ieper right now and a few people here in Kortrijk. The weather is getting really warm and our ward members are all doing really well. President and Sister Robinson are going home this week, and we'll see out new Mission President soon. Pray for our ward member’s sister. She lives in New Jersey and has a disease that she might die from any day and it's really tough for her right now. It was a really nice fast Sunday. We got to hear the testimonies of a lot of the ward member. I love Kortrijk and I've learned so much from the members here. They have such a strong faith in Jesus Christ and they know that if they trust in him and put him first, every thing will be okay. Everyone here is family and it's an amazing branch. We got to go to Antwerpen this Saturday, and a family in our ward brought us home. There's a group of singing elders that travel around the mission and perform musical numbers and they’re really excellent. 

I can't believe Cierra is about to Graduate! Love you Ci, keep up the good work and have fun too. It's good to hear that Kasey is doing well. Kaylee comes home from her mission in two weeks!? That's crazy. Enjoy the weather and have a great week. Love you guys! 

Elder DeWitt 

Their Burdens Were Made Light

June 1, 2015

Hi Guys!

Wow so much is happening back at home. How is everything going with Kasey? Is she doing alright? That's crazy that Silas is engaged already. Tell Caleb not to get married before I get back haha. My new comp is Elder Jones and he's a really cool guy. It's really fun serving with him. A lot of my friends from the mission went home this transfer and they sent me e-mails already. They were home and on the beach with their families haha. It's so weird to see that. We had a really good week and our investigator finally told us that he drinks. I've been praying he would tell us or that something would workout. I'm really happy that he was honest with us and we had three investigators in church this week! I know two of them want to get baptized, but they have to overcome some addictions and our Branch President is working with them. We're meeting with them every week, and it's going really well. We're going over a member’s house tonight and we're going to share Mosiah 24 with her, about how Alma and his people were persecuted, but they prayed in their hearts and their burdens were made light. I think it will help her. Kaylee gave me the idea. Eric is doing awesome and the Lord will watch over him. I think it's funny how the guy gave the missionary back his bike and helped him up. It's cool that people still believe in God in some parts of the world :) Love you guys! Have a great week!

Love, Elder DeWitt