Belgium Sept 25th - Sept 29th (Sunday-Thursday)

 Uncle Mikey took us to the aiport and Troy, Grant and I flew off to Europe to go tour Grant's mission with him for a couple weeks.  1st stop Belgium.  We flew into Paris and took a train up to Brussels for Troy to do some work for a few days.  Grant and I's first day of wandering consisted of wandering around the city, seeing the famous statue of the little boy peeing, shopping for Grant some clothes (he wanted to get pants in Europe not the states).  Tried to find some books to get for Grant to read in French, but we couldn't find the ones that he wanted.  Of course we bought some chocolate too, which we ate that night back at the hotel while watching a movie and waiting for Troy :)

Day two, Grant and I first stopped off at the Museum of Brussels right in the main square.  Then we took the train up to Ghent to see another side of Belgium.  There we wander around.  We ran into the sister missionaries!  So darling, great girls.  Then we walked along the river and to the city center and down what we call cathedral row (6 cathedrals along one street!) and then we had soup for a late lunch.  It's difficult to eat late in Belgium and France. After 2pm lunch closes and only drinks are served until dinner, so we just take what we can get.  We then toured the castle with the crazy torture chamber in the basement, wild.  Sang a little madame guillotine from Scarlet Pimpernel in the guillotine room then headed back for dinner with Troy and __ from Huntsman. 

Day three in Brussels.  Late check out, so we enjoyed our last inclusive breakfast of the trip in which I had an omelet and pain du chocolat, or chocolate bread with fruit every morning.  Wonderful.  

There was a protest going on in the main square, the civil servants were picketing.  They were lighting off firecrackers, like M80's, loud bang and smoke.  Poor Grant jumped a foot when the first one went off.  So we headed a bit out of the city center and went to the war and air museum.  We then caught up with Troy and headed to the train station for some waffles for dinner and onto Lyon!!  We got in at midnight, super nice cab driver took us and all of our bags, we were taking christmas stockings to the mission home for the missionaries that don't get a package from home at christmas.  I know, poor Troy and Grant had to lug 4 huge suitcases/duffel bags for me!  

Pictures that I took at Victor and MJ's wedding lunch and wedding

Pictures I took the day we did Morgan's Senior Pictures

Last Letter from Grant last week after he got home!

Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2016 12:05 PM
Subject: Salut les missionnaires!

Alors je suis rentré chez moi en Houston et c'est toujours bizarre pour moi.

So I landed at 2:30 and that was super cool! to see mom and pops again. As well as the rest of my family. I cant fully explain what if feels like to see them again. Anywho, I have been hanging out, taking some online classes for school. Playing basketball with the ward! It felt super good to play again. However I think my shoes are a little to big.

Well, enough chat. Here are some photos.

:)  <3 p="">

To Grant from Mum and Reply - Sept 4th & 5th

Bonjour Elder Keller,

What song would you like to sing in Sacrament on your return home?

Had to get that out of the way.  Also, what is your waist size?  32, 33 34?  Some shorts are on sale so I thought I might grab you a couple pairs before sales end tomorrow... It is hot here, you may enjoy a pair of shorts to wear till we can figure out what clothes you need, etc.  You are totally welcome to wear suits as long as you need to, but with the heat and humidity I think you might want a t-shirt and shorts.  It's going to be a bit weird isn't it, changing your lifestyle again over night?  With the kids in school most of the day there will be some time to fill.  It will be ok, but I'm realizing we will need to find some things for you to fill some time.  There are some online classes you could look into taking.  There are some late start classes for 8 weeks at the local college that may work.  A few people have thought you can probably get a job for a couple months down here.  It will take a little thinking and figuring out, but we will help and support you with thoughts and ideas that you think will help you fill up the long days before you head to college : )

McCall after two weeks was ready to head down to school.  I forget that every minute of your life right now is pretty structured.  I guess I feel like telling you this to hopefully alleviate any stress you may have about coming home.  It will all work, just may take a little bit of time to figure some things out.   If you would like you could work at the temple too.

I've warned Morgan that she can't introduce more than one new song a week into your life, hahaha.  She has playlists of things she wants you to hear and play with her.

I believe I told you that you'll be home here a week and then we will run up to Utah and leave from there to go to belgium and france for two weeks.

Dad and Ethan spent the past two days helping to clean up the flood damage in Louisiana, it was a great experience for them.  Elder Nelson came and spoke to them today at the church before they got started, he had the Deseret news take a picture so I'll see if it gets posted this week and send you a copy.

I'm adjusting to my time change of getting up early for seminary ; ), but it has been really good.  I really like our class and am trying to come up with ways to encourage the kids to read their new testament this year... any ideas?

Anything else I need to cover?  I got a bike for my birthday, you can go on long bike rides with me :).  You can go rowing with Ethan, we started him in a rowing club. ride bikes with dad and I.  I'll pay you money if you can get morgan exercising... running... hahaha, no seriously.  We can take a spanish class find some volunteer work for you and a job and you'll wish you were back on your mission.  No you have lots of lives to touch here for a bit.

je t'aime
mum


Grant Keller  Sep 5 at 10:31 AM
To
carlin keller
Message body
My favorite hymns are "a poor wayfaring man of grief" and "nearer my god to thee" there are obviously others but these two have always been special. If she wants to learn a French hymn (because there are a couple of those) she could look up "souvien toi" I'll play it on the guitar for ya when I get back ;)

I would love to see what kind of late start classes they have. What's really been weighing on my mind is that I am going to be fairly far behind in college. I was even thinking of doing some summer semesters. Not to catch up but if I am not going to work over the summer I might as well keep going to school. If the late start classes don't work out I would love to look into some online classes.

I have a large list of reading material I want to attack as well as some other things I would like to do :P I was thinking about picking up a coding language or two in free time.  I have some ideas for apps or programs that I think would be fun. I figured if I want to go into computers I might as well speak some languages.

I would love to take a Spanish class with you! Honestly, that or Russian? Want to speak to Tanya in secret? :P

I don't know where I stand financially going to college. I believe hoody(old track coach I would love to see if we have some time this upcoming week) said that if you are not living with your parents and are going to college you can get government funds for school. When I took his financial lit class he told us how he made a bunch of money going to college because he moved out. It would be something to look into. :) I'll shoot him an email after I write my weekly ;)

I would like to go to the temple a few times next week. I can't believe I just wrote that sentence. Haha it's been so long since I have been in the house of the lord. We pray to Joseph smith in the celestial room right? Or is it after a sealing ceremony? It's been to long.

Do you want me to attend seminary with you? Where is it at? What time do you wake up and what do you teach on usually? To read the New Testament? The most I believe you can do is explain to them why it is important, give them tools to accomplishing it, and continually invite them to read. It won't mean anything to them if they don't take personal initiative. You invite, they accept and they see the benefits for themselves. You could give them rewards or make it a competition but reward based behavior doesn't last to long if it is not backed up by personal motivation. I am going to get Morgs and E, I'm sure Anna will just follow us, outside and runner around. or is it too hot in Texas? If we could take the car to go throw the frisbee at a park or even just play boules :)

The cannery sounds cool! Go can peanutbutter! :D

I am wearing French pants right now and my size is 44...I think that's like an American 34. However the suit pants I bought today(yes I bought a suit my last week on the mission) are 42s(French). So it might be safer to look it up.

I also bought a French patisserie cook book!!!! :D This week we bought stuff to make macaroons and flan. We will have to try some of them out.

Anywho, love you!

Avec amour,
Elder Keller

Le 5 sept. 2016 à 06:15, carlin keller a écrit :

Letter from Grant - September 5, 2016

Sent: Monday, September 5, 2016 10:53 AM
Subject: I spent way to much time writing mom and now I have to go.

Anywho, if this week and a second title it would be "things we lost to
the fire" LItteraly we lost all three of our investigators with
baptismal dates due to satan. So our teaching pool has taken a three
sixty but we have three new people that we have been teaching.

Tracey is this cute 40 year old Chinese lady who we taught twice this week.

Dennis asked questions about eternal marriage.

And we are still teaching Ali he just went to an evangilist church
last week and doesn't want to get baptized anymore. We think he will
change. He just needs some time.

Anywho here are some photos of the week.

We went to a chocolate store and ate the most expensive chocolate of my life. It was really good!

Avec amour,
Elder Keller