Saturday, February 1, 2014

Week 1 in Pau!!

Well first of all - an embarrassing story. The day we were leaving for blue's conference I had this strong impression that I shouldn't pack anything that was important to me in the suitcase in case it got stolen. I pushed that completely aside thinking that was silly and that I could just watch my luggage like I always do and everything would be fine. (I think everyone knows where this is going...) On the way back from Lyon I checked my luggage at every stop except the last one. I made my way over to my luggage and it wasn't there. I wasn't even surprised - I knew it was going to happen. I definitely cried seeing as my journal among many other important things to me were in there - but something tells me that even though it has been a few days, that I'm going to get my luggage back! On the bright side of everything - the suitcase contained 21 copies of the Book of Mormon!!! The person who stole it will be converted for sure. :) Send some prayers my way that I'll get it back!!! The power of prayer is real!!!

Soeur Bagley

Soeur  Bagley

 Oh my heck where do I start with Pau???? I LOVE IT HERE. It feels like an enormous city in comparison to Carcassonne. It is GORGEOUS - but it rains like all the time (thank goodness for the free super comfortable zip up rain boots I got from the Perpignan dead pile*). Also I absolutely LOVE that we can take buses everywhere. Bus contacting isn't my favorite thing in the world, but it beats walking everywhere like we did in Carc! I don't even know what to say about this ward... they are phenomenal. Seriously, they are SO excited about missionary work right now. The missionaries are teaching lots of member referrals right now and we are having baptisms left and right in this ward!! (There's one on Saturday!) The DMP is incredible (I still miss Frère Vital, but I love Frère Hennebeque too!!) For the ward mission plan he decided that he would print out a piece of paper for each member. On it there are check boxes for 1. teaching with the missionaries and 2. inviting someone to our ward activity in February. At the end of next month he will collect everyones papers and follow up on what they did and if they didn't check off both of them, ask them what was keeping them from doing it and committing them to do it the next month. WHAT. So awesome. And we had all sorts of people approach us on Sunday and tell us that they would love to teach with us - so exciting!!!

Nutritious dinner provided by Elder Adams
Arrival in Lyon avec Elders Erikson et Price
On Sunday in Relief Society we had the most amazing lesson on what else... missionary work!!!! One of the women in the Relief Society gave all the sisters ideas of sharing the gospel that aren't necessarily inviting someone straight-up to take the missionary lessons. It was seriously perfect and what everyone needed!! Ah, if you can't tell I'm in love with this ward!

Les Soeures
We have had so many tender mercies this week (despite the loss of my luggage...). We went and visited Mme Lahore (a member referral). She recently had her husband pass away and she has a couple friends at church and she agreed to meet with us. She has been taking the lessons for about a month and hasn't made much progress because she doesn't want to come to church (she says she doesn't have time....), she can't read the BOM because she has eye-sight problems, and she hadn't prayed before with the missionaries. WELL. We went and visited her this week and something miraculous happened. The Spirit was so strong during the lesson, she couldn't hold back her tears. By the end of the lesson she agreed to come to church and SHE PRAYED to end the rdv!! Unfortunately, everyone thought it was the other person to make sure she got to church, so no one called her... BUT she will definitely come next week, I'm super excited!!
Pau

The other day we stopped by a man named Bonine's house (someone they found porte-ing) - he wasn't there so we did the classic "leave a note in the mailbox" thing that hardly ever works. On the trainride to Lyon, we get a call... BONINE!!! He said that when he found our note he cried because it was just what he needed that day and he asked when we could come back and teach him. WHAT. We'll see him this week. :)

We also met a guy named Pascal contacting the other day who said his best friend is mormon and he's always been curious to learn more - we'll see him tomorrow :)

The Pyrenees
One last person to tell you about - Michael. Dad, he is so much like you. I personally don't know him very well, but from what I've heard, his conversion story will be quite similar. He is a very intelligent person - he has read the French and English copies of the BOM cover to cover (he met the missionaries in July...), the church fascinates him but he still isn't quite sure if he believes in God. But something keeps pulling him back because he comes to church every Sunday. I think he needs what you needed - to receive his sure witness AFTER the trial of his faith!! We'll meet with him this week and invite him to baptism! Pray that he'll feel that it's right!

Intense Relief Society lesson planning session
Well... Thursday to Saturday we basically spent travelling, so there's not a ton to talk about!!

This week I've really been studying teaching simply. There is a great exaple in John 21:15-17. It is so simple - and he repeats it 3 times. When we share the gospel with others we don't have to convince or overcomplicate. We make it CLEAR and the Spirit will testify of the truth!

I love you so much family!! Have a great week!!

Soeur Everett

P.S. Will - Dad sent me a picture of you in your new suit.. it looks so good!!!

*dead pile: where sister missionaries leave clothes they don't want in the apartment closet for sisters who come later to claim

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