I hope everyone is safe. My heart goes out for everyone in
Costa Rica. I can't imagine. That’s so crazy. I'll be praying for all the
people there, especially Mary. When I heard about what happened, I had goose
bumps. I know that the Lord kept everyone safe. I'm sorry for all that has to
happen, having to move missions and all, but everything, I’m sure will work
out.
So, remember when I said, that this week would be better?
Well, it was. Most definitely the Lord was answering our prayers.
Tuesday we went to Épinal for district meeting and had a
finding day while we were there. It was the best meeting we have had so far.
Elder Rollins is leaving this week to go home.
His mission has been completed. He’s such an awesome Elder and we will
sure miss him being around here, with all his wisdom and awesomeness. I felt
the spirit during the meeting so abundantly. I got teary eyed at some points.
We were talking about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. My testimony of
the Book of Mormon has developed so dramatically. I read a chapter a day with
the manual. I've read the whole introduction and testimonies of the witnesses
too. It’s unbelievable how much has been brought to my attention. I believe that this sacred Book is REALLY the word of God. I can’t
express it in words what has come to my attention. All I know is, these people
really did sacrifice so much for this Book. God is real. Joseph is really the
prophet who restored the true and everlasting gospel to the earth. How can I deny
what I’ve felt from reading and learning the truth of these things? Its real, and its important.
Another thing that was brought to my attention was what was
said from Elder Currie. He said, "20 year olds can sit in a room all by
themselves and feel the Spirit together."
That was pretty cool to think about. I'm literally in a different
country expected to speak the language and follow the rules. We have no one who
is really taking care of us. We live by ourselves and have decided to share
this gospel. We definitely could just
sit at home all day and say we’re doing all these things but we don’t. I guess there is something to be said about
missionaries having a certain kind of power about them. I don’t know, it was
just a cool thought.
Epinal is a very small little ville and very beautiful and
quaint. After district meeting, we went to a Kebab food joint. According to the
missionaries here, you haven’t really adapted to mission life if you haven’t
had one yet. So it would be my first and Elder Rollins' last. This is only a
treat for special occasions. What is a Kebab? Oh, let me tell you in the words
of the all knowing, fantabulous, 7 foot
Elder de Geus. "It’s a bunch of fried meet on a rod that just cooks and then
is put in some fancy bread. Bon.
"It's soo good you can even taste the grease run down your throat."
Now I know why this is only eaten on special occasions. There’s a 90% chance
you could die after eating it. I’ll just say it was pretty good, but I don’t
want to eat another for a good month.
Afterwards we went finding. We had a couple of good chats
with some people, but nothing really crazy came out of it, at least none that I
know of. I’m still trying to understand why people think we are devil
worshipers. We’re of the devil, teach things of the devil. How can what we say
be bad?! I just don’t get it, but imma keep trying.
We came back to Nancy on the train which is a 45 minute ride.
I love, love, train rides. It’s always so beautiful to watch the countryside
fly by. I always fall asleep though. Elder De Geus usually needs to sit in a
row all to himself. He’s literally too big to sit at a table. His knees will
get stuck underneath. It’s the most hilarious.. We all have a fun time giving
him a hard time. Elder De Geus is such a sarcastic person and he’s such an
awesome Elder, always making situations light and fun. Gotta love him.
Once we got back we had an immediate rendezvous with Joseph.
We met at a member’s house and taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I never
want to tech without members again. They add so much and help explains things
in ways we never could with only 1-6 months experience. Already it’s hard for
Joseph to understand us because his native language is Arabic. But he’s always
doing what we ask him to do. He believes everything we tell him and he loves to
read the Book of Mormon. He reads a chapter every day. He’s so awesome. The spirit was definitely in
the room. Joseph was so intent in listening to us. At the end, we asked him, “If
you gain a testimony and come to know for yourself of these things to be true,
will you follow the example of Jesus and be baptised?” He didn’t understand us
exactly. We all got very confused when
he started to talk about the Scriptures, but we just went with it. I just kept
getting the feeling that we needed to explain better and help him to understand
what we were asking him. I know we needed to ask him again. We needed an
answer. So I nudge my comp. again, to ask him again. I had to do it a couple
times, but eventually she did it again with more carefully and with pictures. He then understood and said
yes he would get baptized. We were so happy! Soeur Giles was very happy that I kept
nudging her to ask him again. But do you want to know the saddest news ever?
He's moving this week. He's moving to Bordeaux. So we get to see him one more
time and then that’s it. But we’ll let the Elders down there know and continue
to teach him about things. Don’t worry!
We then went to a member’s house to eat dinner. They’re the
most sane and awesome people in the ward. It’s a young couple in the ward and
the husband is the 1st counselor in the bishopric. The wife is the organist. Its Enyora and Alex. I asked Enyora,
"Est-ce que vous pouvez m'enseigner le francais, sil-vous-plaît?" (Will
you teach me French please)then I added the pouty face. So now she’s giving us little lessons! It’s
very helpful learning from someone who lives here how to say things with the
right accents. I learn a lot. Alex intimidates me a lot. He has a very particular
personality. He just has a lot of expectations. The kind of person who doesn’t
want to have a little Halloween party because the holiday derived from the Pagans
that worshipped their gods before Christianity took it over... and we only
worship one God... So I was very nervous to give a spiritual thought at the end
of the dinner. I gave a little prayer in my heart that I would remember the
things I needed to say and that I would be comforted. I said everything I needed
to say and I was pretty calm and I even said a little more. All I know for sure
from that experience is that prayers are answered, and that God really does
care about our feelings and concerns. It was a good little message we shared. What
was also more intimidating was that they’re both returned missionaries. But
they were really nice about everything.
So I think Tuesday was super awesome! We accomplished so, so
much. We went to Epinal and went finding, had a lesson with an ami and asked
him if he’d get baptized and saw/ visted members. Yeah, we felt very
accomplished.
Thursday morning, I made a wonderful bowl of cereal. I was
walking over to go sit down and I was very excited to eat it. Then, next second
I miss held it, and I just dropped it. I just stood there, like what the heck
just happened?? I cleaned it up, and made another bowl and dropped it again...
but it wasn’t as bad. I half way caught it. At this point I’m thinking,
REALLY?! I really just can’t eat a bowl of cereal?! I thought today was going to be rough and I was going to have a bad
attitude, but it turns out that if you decide right then and there that you're
going to be happy, then you will. Crazy huh! Also when you walk the streets of
France for hours you also can't help but be happy.
My goals for the week were to give out 3 copies of the Book
of Mormon and get a number. Before we went out to go finding, Soeur Giles said
she had a prayer in her heart saying, please help us to find someone normal and
willing to hear our words. So here we go. Out to find the people of France. We
met this girl, her name is Heloise. She is a college student studying right now
and she's taking English classes. What a surprise. We gave her a Book of
Mormon, got her number and set up another appointment for today with her. We
taught her the Restoration and she was super interested in what we had to say.
Very enthusiastic to learn more. I'm pretty she was, not exactly scared, but something
was up in the middle of our conversation. We felt the Spirit and we know she
felt it to. She probably didn’t know what to think of it. But at the end before
she left, she said, let me go home and search you guys up on the internet, to
make sure this is what I want. I'm thinking, oh no, oh no. you can’t just
search us up! You never know what could be on there! So I hurried and gave her
a card with our website mormon.org and said that this was our website. We said
we were excited to meet with her again and that we were really happy to have
this conversation with her. As we walked away we were soo, soo happy. We were
going to cry with relief. The Lord really does answer prayers! She was so
normal and willing to learn!!! That night, we made dinner and then got a text
from her, saying, I’m sorry as I was reading the things you gave me on the
internet, I decided that this is not something I want. I must cancel our rendezvous.
Thank you for the chat, God bless you. We were devastated. Soeur Giles started
crying when she was telling Elder Currie about what happened that night. I really
didn’t want to give up on her. So last night I texted her back and said,
"Hello were the missionaries you met on the street and we know you
probably saw something bad on the internet, but please give us a chance to
speak with you about your concerns. We know that this gospel can bless your life,
because it blesses ours every day." and then she responded back
saying," sisters, I know how this may look, but I was reading the things
you gave me, and this is not something I want in my life. I don’t agree and I need
you to not ask me again. Please respect my choice. I also enjoyed our chat, but
I just don’t want it in my life." CRAZY! But I guess it’s up to her. We
then told her, "Alright, well, we will not bother you anymore, but please
promise us that the next time you see a missionary companionship like us, give
them a chance. Thanks for everything and may God bless you." She finally
said, "Thank you infinitely, you as well." that’s it. And we’re devastated.
Hopefully things will work out according to Gods plan for her, and of course, I
have no doubts.
I’m just starting a tender mercies book and a miracles book.
I don’t want to forget the things I feel and experience. I want to look back
and remember how I feel with this gospel in my life. And if I were you, I’d do
the same. Nothing crazy just simple and short but enough for you to remember what
happened!
I'M SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE! I love these men! They’re
prophets of God and they have a special power about them! Write down what the
spirit tells you! Not word for word everything they say. Everything the Spirit
wants you to remember! Because that’s what’s most important.
We had the repertoire for transfers on Saturday! EVERYONE IS
STAYING IN THE DISTRICT! I’m super happy about that. But I’m sure my companion
is leaving next transfer. She’s been here for almost half her mission! We have
a new blue in our district and it would be pretty cool if it was James! He would be placed in Epinal if he was... but
we’ll see!
On sunday we were celebrating the self reliance program
because not a lot of people here have jobs... but anyways, there was food for
lunch and it was a little social. We were talking to this senior couple who is
lives in Lyon and maybe Lille. They’re
names are Elder and Soeur Geddes. They’re from here but they were working in
BYU Idaho. They just retired. Anyways, Soeur Geddes asked me a question in French,
and I just froze and tensed up so bad, I broke the plastic spoon in half that I
was holding. She said, "...Oh wow,
you’re really good at breaking spoons too!" They all laughed it off. But I was
embarrassed. She was speaking English to me the whole time and then just
switched on me! We continued and once we were done, Elder de Geus leaned over
to me and asked, "Were you nervous?" I nodded and said yeah I was. he
said, "Holly Cow, Soeur, you need to relax. Everything’s fine. People
understand that you haven’t been here for a long time and if you don’t understand
then just let them know. Don’t just sit
there quietly. It’s not a big deal. Let your pride go and ask for
clarification. I’m still in my 7th transfer asking really stupid questions! If
you need anything let me know." Once he was done, I got a little teary
eyed because he was so nice and sincere about it. He really cared and wanted to
help me. He’s so awesome!
Anyways, that’s it for me folks! Stay tuned for more French
missionary stories next week. Stay
safe and remember, n'ayez pas peur, Dieu est la! (Have no fear, God is there)
Love you all and thanks for everything. As usual, you bless my life in so many
ways 24/7. Talk later!
Love Sarah
Which French Calvin and Hobbes should I buy?
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| a London phone booth in France |
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Epinal, France |
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