First off, so excited to see all your faces Wednesday!! I'm thinking 5pm my time should work just fine. The family said they have everything to Skype...but it case they don't the DMP has 2 computers with everything set up so we'll just skip over to his house if need be.
This week was really awesome. I can't believe all that has happened actually. Wednesday we went to Versailles for a Christmas conference. There were about 5 zones there so it was HUGE. It was so amazing. President and Soeur Poznanski really took care of us.
Highlights: When we showed up, under each chair was a large vanilla envelope (yes I know it's a manila envelope but seriously. What the heck is a manila? Vanilla makes so much more sense) and a small Christmas envelope that looked just big enough to fit a credit card in. After many beautiful uplifting words, we watched a slide show of photos of the people who have baptized and confirmed this year. Well naturally every missionary was feeling pretty fragile at the end of that. Then Soeur Poznanski tells us we can open the small Christmas envelope. Too excited to contain myself I rip it open. What is before my eyes? A temple recommend holder with the France Paris Temple on the cover. On the inside was written a quote from President Monson and then a message from President and Soeur Poznanski that said
"Nous prions pour que vous puissiez vous trouver un jour dans le Temple de Paris avec ces âmes si précieuses".
Translation: We pray that you may find yourself one day in the Paris Temple with these very precious souls.
My eyes filled with tears as I immediately thought of Prisca and Sophie. (Side note-Prisca's husband is getting baptized soon and Prisca is stronger than ever. They are planning to go to the temple to be sealed to their little girls a year after her husband is baptized). These people have become a piece of my soul and the idea of leaving here one day tears me up. I pray that one day I can find a way to come back after the Temple has been finished and re-find my best friends inside the walls of the Lord's House.
Second highlight: At the end of the conference, the Assistants opened up 2 LARGE boxes and Soeur and President Poznanski reached in and pulled out hundreds of red and green envelopes. My heart skipped a beat as I instantly thought. "No. Could it be? Are those letters from our parents?! Did they arrange to have our parents send letters to us?!" Sure enough that was EXACTLY what it was. Naturally my name was the 5th to last called. I hurriedly took my envelope and found a little corner in the church to read my letters. Hot tears rolled down my face as I read some of the most loving words from the most amazing parents. Thanks mom and dad. It was exactly what I needed at the exact time.
Highlight from Charleroi: So on Saturday, we went to go see Chantel. This was the first time I have ever met her so I was pretty excited :). I love new people! Well we get to her home and she lives in incredibly humbling circumstances. We sat down on the only two chairs she had (while she stood-even though she has a bad back-she insisted we sit. SUCH NICE PEOPLE!). The house was dim and her daughter (during the whole lesson) was in the process of silencing their loud and vicious GIGANTIC dog. Theoretically this would not be the best atmosphere for inviting the spirit. But I just thought "Tant pis. We told her we would teach her about Jesus Christ and that is EXACTLY what we will do."
This week was really awesome. I can't believe all that has happened actually. Wednesday we went to Versailles for a Christmas conference. There were about 5 zones there so it was HUGE. It was so amazing. President and Soeur Poznanski really took care of us.
Highlights: When we showed up, under each chair was a large vanilla envelope (yes I know it's a manila envelope but seriously. What the heck is a manila? Vanilla makes so much more sense) and a small Christmas envelope that looked just big enough to fit a credit card in. After many beautiful uplifting words, we watched a slide show of photos of the people who have baptized and confirmed this year. Well naturally every missionary was feeling pretty fragile at the end of that. Then Soeur Poznanski tells us we can open the small Christmas envelope. Too excited to contain myself I rip it open. What is before my eyes? A temple recommend holder with the France Paris Temple on the cover. On the inside was written a quote from President Monson and then a message from President and Soeur Poznanski that said
"Nous prions pour que vous puissiez vous trouver un jour dans le Temple de Paris avec ces âmes si précieuses".
Translation: We pray that you may find yourself one day in the Paris Temple with these very precious souls.
My eyes filled with tears as I immediately thought of Prisca and Sophie. (Side note-Prisca's husband is getting baptized soon and Prisca is stronger than ever. They are planning to go to the temple to be sealed to their little girls a year after her husband is baptized). These people have become a piece of my soul and the idea of leaving here one day tears me up. I pray that one day I can find a way to come back after the Temple has been finished and re-find my best friends inside the walls of the Lord's House.
Second highlight: At the end of the conference, the Assistants opened up 2 LARGE boxes and Soeur and President Poznanski reached in and pulled out hundreds of red and green envelopes. My heart skipped a beat as I instantly thought. "No. Could it be? Are those letters from our parents?! Did they arrange to have our parents send letters to us?!" Sure enough that was EXACTLY what it was. Naturally my name was the 5th to last called. I hurriedly took my envelope and found a little corner in the church to read my letters. Hot tears rolled down my face as I read some of the most loving words from the most amazing parents. Thanks mom and dad. It was exactly what I needed at the exact time.
Highlight from Charleroi: So on Saturday, we went to go see Chantel. This was the first time I have ever met her so I was pretty excited :). I love new people! Well we get to her home and she lives in incredibly humbling circumstances. We sat down on the only two chairs she had (while she stood-even though she has a bad back-she insisted we sit. SUCH NICE PEOPLE!). The house was dim and her daughter (during the whole lesson) was in the process of silencing their loud and vicious GIGANTIC dog. Theoretically this would not be the best atmosphere for inviting the spirit. But I just thought "Tant pis. We told her we would teach her about Jesus Christ and that is EXACTLY what we will do."
We decided to teach the Gospel of Christ. We started (naturally) at the beginning - faith. As soon as we started testifying of what faith in our Savoir meant, the spirit filled the room. Throughout the lesson, the dimness of her home and her humble circumstances seemed to wash away. Her dog that, if left to it's own devices I'm pretty sure would lunge at my throat, didn't seem so intimidating and instead of another stranger, I saw standing in front of me, a humble, searching, beloved daughter of God.
We invited her to church and when we called her the next morning (at 8am) to tell her we found her a ride, she told us that she was already ready and she was excited to come to church. When she arrived, I asked her how the rest of her Saturday was. She said that after we came, her day was so much brighter and she was just so excited to come to church. The members showered her with attention and love and I loved watching her throughout the meeting as the members testified of the Birth of Christ. Needless to say, we love her and I'm so excited to see her this week.
I stink as a daughter/sister. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH, STEVEN AND PAPA!!!!!!!! I'm sending you all personal emails as we speak. I'm cutting this email short so I can :) feel special
Anyway, I will see you all soon :) I'm so excited to skype with you.
May your Christmas be centered on the true spirit of Christmas and may you hearts be filled with thoughts of our Savoir and his birth.
Love love love you
We invited her to church and when we called her the next morning (at 8am) to tell her we found her a ride, she told us that she was already ready and she was excited to come to church. When she arrived, I asked her how the rest of her Saturday was. She said that after we came, her day was so much brighter and she was just so excited to come to church. The members showered her with attention and love and I loved watching her throughout the meeting as the members testified of the Birth of Christ. Needless to say, we love her and I'm so excited to see her this week.
I stink as a daughter/sister. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH, STEVEN AND PAPA!!!!!!!! I'm sending you all personal emails as we speak. I'm cutting this email short so I can :) feel special
Anyway, I will see you all soon :) I'm so excited to skype with you.
May your Christmas be centered on the true spirit of Christmas and may you hearts be filled with thoughts of our Savoir and his birth.
Love love love you
Soeur Bitter
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