while on our sunday walk this week...

...we found the first dance studio i've seen in belgium. wow is about all i can spit out.

it comes complete with any class imaginable. (except of course the most important form. hello?)

on to the rest of the walk and city square. nothing like a walk on sundays.

i believe in living prophets

Let this story illustrate.

In 1986, one month after being called to serve as an apostle, Elder Ballard was in Bolivia and Peru for conferences. He went to visit Lake Titicaca which is the largest lake in South America. That year the lake rose 10-12 feet in a few short months destroying surrounding farm land. Over 200 LDS members had property destroyed and 40 members lost their homes as a result from the flooding. Elder Ballard and other visiting authorities stood on the shore of the lake to survey the damage. When the other authorities left Elder Ballard had a feeling to bless the land. It wasn't a vision or a voice, just a feeling. Nevertheless he followed it, and called the other authorities telling them to come back to the ground. There, near the lake, Elder Ballard offered a prayer to God and said, "By the authority of the priesthood, I command the water to recede." He returned to his hotel room that night and thought about the prayer. As a new apostle he began to be frightened because there was no where for the water to go. Experts said it would take a couple years for the water level to return to normal. He prayed again and said, "Heavenly Father, maybe i have overstepped my boundaries, but I felt prompted. Grant it to be true." In less than two months he received newspaper clippings in the mail saying, "Lake Titicaca drops an unexplanable 10 feet. It's a miracle."

And one more story about how an ordinary man is purified to be a living prophet.

At the age of 30, Elder Ballard was serving as a bishop over a congregation. One woman in his area was a widow living with her daughter. She and Elder Ballard were close and he even called her his, "Grandma Friend." Late one night after meetings in the chapel Elder Ballard got in his car to drive home. He thought of his grandma friend and felt like he should go visit her. He looked at his watch. It was ten o'clock. "It's too late," he thought, "I'll see her tomorrow." He drove home and attempted to sleep but couldn't stop thinking about her. First thing in the morning he knocked on the door of his grandma friend's home. Her daughter answered, "Oh Bishop. Thank you for coming. Mother passed away two hours ago." He said he stood on the porch and wept. He got back into his car after consoling the family and uttered a humble prayer, "Heavenly father, I will never do that again. I will not argue with you. If you ask me to do something I will do my very best to do it."

After last night, after encouragement, after counsel, after answered prayers, my testimony was fortified that after all I believe in living prophets.

blogging on lunch break

after i declared all that inspiration to about hard work, here i am blogging on lunch break. alas, here is a minute from a momentous night at the killpack home. we needed something fantastic to eat on our new flea market plate so luckily had just the thing.

we tried our first belgian waffles!

pardon the gross pics.

regretfully the weren't from a street vendor(bound to try that soon) but the price=1.20 euro for ten waffles at the local bakery was much more tempting than the street vendor's 3 euro per sweet. don't let the bargain decieve-we were not prepared for how incredible they were. can't wait to get home to a belgain waffle maker and try my hand at mimicking them. in the meantime you'll have to make waffles for me and i'll just eat the storebought sweets:)

ps. i'm blogging on lunch break because tonight you'll remember we are going to listen to a prophets voice to hear the word of god. i'm practically bursting with anticipation.

power of work.

completely irrelevant image from the embassy street in downtown bruxelles

in most recent years i've gone to school and taught dance. school, though a form of work, is not employment and dance can barely count as work cause i love it so. in essence then, this is my first job job. sometimes when i'm counting down the hours til i am off, i am gently reminded of this quote,

“There is not a single condition of life [or] one hour’s experience but what is beneficial to all those who make it their study, and aim to improve upon the experience they gain” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young[1997], 179).

...repeat...NOT A SINGLE HOUR but what is beneficial to those who make it their aim to improve upon the experience they gain! really? after recycling this quote through my mind, counting down the hours does not seem like i'm aiming to improve. work can be sometimes dull, but i've grown to love the time it gives me to think. this quote whips me into shape, turns on my ambition, and focuses my at times flighty brain to improve every SINGLE HOUR. and for the meantime that means going to bed! au revoir.

braderie

translated: rummage sale, clearance sale, discount sale, car boot sale... you get the picture.

the biggest flea market in europe was this weekend in Lille, France. the drive only took ten minutes more than the drive i would make from my utah home to my parents house. i wish i could explain adequately through words or these pics how big this was=6o miles of stalls, selling for 33 hours straight, 100,000 stalls, shoulder to shoulder traffic jams, etc. our non stop walking for seven hours, never on the same street nor touching the tip of the iceburg, was just right for us. out of it all we rummaged: one plate for our collection, sore walking legs, a kebab with calories to last a week, and loads of inspiration. mercy beaucoup!

europe thus far: one month

before i forget all the changes (read-hopefully growth) that have happened i must write them down.

thus far in europe we still can't believe that we really live here, live.

thus far in europe we've gotten lost three times.

thus far in europe i've worn the same four pairs of shoes.

thus far in europe we haven't eaten fast food, and only eaten out on someone else's tab.

thus far in europe i have to listen to hymns or i am too anxious to sleep.

thus far in europe i really love the village feel, with big open spaces like this one

thus far in europe we line dry all our clothes, and hand wash all our dishes.

thus far in europe devin has converted to sparkling water. i'm still not sold.

thus far in europe i've half-way converted to dark chocolate, devin is still not sold.

thus far in europe i've only missed three days of talking to my mom.

thus far in europe we can't get christmas of our mind.

thus far in europe devin has done 100% of the driving and purchasing.

thus far in europe we've become better friends, written higher goals, and gone to bed too late.

thus far in europe i miss the mountains, and the temple.

thus far in europe we finally feel like we've found the budget system that works for us.

thus far in europe we haven't sent or received a single text message.

thus far in europe i have loved seeing devin work, and have enjoyed working.

thus far in europe we filled up our tank of gas once (it was a 94-dollar-ouch)

thus far in europe i have read more conference talks in concentration than ever before.

thus far in europe we've worked too much.

thus far in europe i've been too scared to speak french or go anywhere without devin.

thus far in europe we feel like this is the hardest thing we've ever done.

thus far in europe we've needed the Lord more than ever before.

thus far in europe we've never seen more blessings.

i'm bummed to be missing labor day weekend, particularly for the day off work, lucky! enjoy it for me. we're making a break for the southern border and are hitting up a flea market in france tomorrow with about two million other people. until monday...here's to a bon weekend.

has been's, since's, and if only's...

...humor has been a saving grace lately, since long work days always have room for laughs. if only i was as funny as devin pretends i am.

...healthier hair has been my fortune recently, since i blew fuses and retired my blow dryer till we return. if only i didn't look like a "lion" -to quote devin's endearing description of my mane.

...devin has been joining me in running the past month, since i'm too scared to go alone. if only we could run as long as we did today everyday.

...sunshine has been making me happy this week, since clear skies are a rarity. if only i could store it up in a little monsters-inc bottle for when skies are grey.

...the dog around the corner has not been receiving kind thoughts from me, since he howls/moans/barks all night long. if only he'd stop barking.

...learning has been on my mind now, since i wont be going back to school with everyone else. if only i could've forseen the future need for french.

...my mother has been my main heart throb today, since i haven't gotten my daily talk time in. if only she could sing me my favorite lullaby i'd fall asleep better:

you are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

you make me happy when skies are grey.

you'll never know dear how much i love you.

please don't take my sunshine away.

the first glimpse from hitting the beach last week. soaking up the sun:)

Bruges

while headed back from the beach, we spent the evening in one of belgium's most lauded cities. bruges. one of devin's co-workers titled it the venice of belgium. it was everything we were hoping for in a weekend outing. couldn't beat the canals, but highlights included: a huge central square dating back to the 14 century, crowds, fountains with funny statues, cobblestone streets, the tallest steeple in europe, and surplus of shopping (3 h+m's, 2 zara's, a zara kids, and a zara home in half a mile on the same street.)

celebrating...

...one month in our new home today. it's amazing how home can be wherever you make it. the past four weeks have not seemed like just four weeks. oh no, but boy our we grateful to be growing. here are some snippets of the weekend.

the coast of belgium is just an hour and half away. we can't resist being that close to a beach. after a hard week of work this felt like heaven, but i do picture heaven being warmer than 60 degrees. we walked a few miles along the shore, soaked up the scenery, gawked at the high rises crammed next to old houses, held hands, took our hats off to anyone who got in the freeeezing water, got free sprite, spied on millions of darling families, admired the bike riders galore, and enjoyed observing a nice sand tennis tournament to techno music.

i know now how glorious and needed weekends are. maybe you, like me, are already planning this upcoming one:)

sorry the pictures look grainy. silly blogger.