To anyone reading this email who is considering serving a mission full time, all I can say is: GO. Nothing has deepened my love for my Heavenly Father more than these 18 months here. I love Him and I know He loves us all.
To tell you all the happenings of this week would be absolutely impossible. It has been nonstop. Go go go go go go go. No breaks. Straight through. We had so much to do administrative-wise, but that was on top of our normal missionary load. Our amis...and then also, the members all wanted to see us to say goodbye to me. (Which was so sweet!!...but VERY busy). BUT in good news, it looks like everything is coming together and everyone and everything are getting taken care of.
So here's the spark notes version:
Françoise and Patrick: They are doing so well and she is still progressing amazingly towards baptism. We have finished teaching all the commandments necessary for baptism and every time, she so willing accepts it all. She just wants to know ALL the commandments asap so that she can make sure not to make any mistakes in ignorance. So sweet. She also had us over this last week to make dinner for us as a goodbye. And guess what she made: ALL SEAFOOD. We had shrimp...then oyster (which we sucked out of their shells) and then SCALLOPS! We were pretty stuffed by the end...especially since it was a full french meal...which means cheese...bread...salad...dessert etc etc etc. She is so sweet and I just know that she will make such an amazing member. She is so loving and so humble. She will be a great addition to the RS and to the ward in general. They will all be blessed by her loving kindness like I have been.
Julie: She is doing so well!! She said her first prayer in front of us this last week and it was so beautiful. It is always so special to hear someone pray out loud for the first time. It's so....pure. There is no other way to describe it. It isn't rehearsed. There are no often-repeated lines. It's just straight from the heart. She is so loving and wonderful. She ALMOST came to church. GAH!! I was so disappointed. She was planning for it. She even got a friend to come with her and then at the last minute she got scared. BUT!! I know that she will come :) some day. But I was still so disappointed. She was just one of 2 of amis who didn't come this last week. But she was the one that I was praying the hardest would come. Next time.
GAH!! Too much to share. Running out of time. Ok I'll have to skip to church. GAH so dommage!! There were so many cool miracles this week. Ok tant pis.
Church was amazing!! How many times can I say that I LOVE Bretagne. I absolutely love everything about it. These people are so wonderful. They made my last Sunday so unforgettable. They went to such great lengths. I was getting so many little presents and cute notes from all the members. They took such good care of me. (except when they chose to sing God be with you 'til we meet again. tear-jerker) They really are like family to me.
I actually gave a talk and did a musical number and it went pretty well. I got to translate for the primary but while I was in there the Elders were with our Amis in Gospel Principles. After church the Elders came up to us and told us "the coolest thing happened in Gospel Principles. Remind us to tell you". Not thinking they were talking about our amis, we forgot. Well that night, the Elders called and said "SOEURS!! WE HAVE TO TELL YOU!" They went on to tell a story that I will now tell to you.
Before I start the story though, I want to remind you of a family that we teach. The parents are Karene and Sylvain. They are from Guyane and they want to get baptized...but they're not married...and they're not really planning on getting married for a while. Kind of hard to get baptized then.
Anyway, Frere Letendre is gone on vacation so Frere Bouaka (who you met via Skype on Mother's Day) taught in his place. He is the 2nd counselor in the branch presidency and I just LOVE their family. He comes in and welcomes everyone and then asks someone to offer the prayer. After the prayer is said, he sits for a second while everyone is waiting for him to start. He then says, "Before I start the lesson, there is something I feel I must tell you." (Now imagine all this being said with the voice of Mufasa from the Lion King).
"Karene, Sylvain. I want you to know that I pray for you every day. This whole branch prays for you. We want good things to come to you. We want you to be blessed by our Heavenly Father. I know you want to be baptized. Both of you. I know that is the deepest desires of your hearts. I feel within myself that you really want this. The only thing stopping you is getting married. I know it's not clear to you now but trust me. After you are married and baptized you will be blessed beyond anything you can imagine. The Lord is waiting to bless you. So go. Get it done. Get married. We love you. We want these blessings for you. So again. Go. Get it done."
He repeated this (plus or minus some phrasing) 3 times. The Elders told us that the spirit was so strong and that the Batistas could feel his love for them but at the same time that he was right and that they needed to repent. SO COOL! members are such rock stars. Seriously. This work would just not be possible without them. Well yes. Quand meme. It would be possible. It just wouldn't work as well as it does!!!! We are really praying that they will have the courage to really go through with this and then they can be baptized!!
One last quote before I leave. I can tell you, from experience, that this quote is so true.
"As we extend our hearts and hands towards others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
I love you. I pray for you.
à très bientôt
Sœur Bitter
Françoise & I plus oysters! Good-bye meal. |
Julie and I. Best friends! |
My favorite 2 English girls. They are basically our best friends here. |