Well first of all let's just say that I am the happiest missionary alive. Vannes. is. AMAZING. It is basically like a mini Rennes. And the people are just so lovely. And on top of that, we live...RIGHT NEXT TO THE OCEAN!!! I walk by it every day and I say hello. Also, ALL of the members have really good friends or family in Rennes. So it was really easy getting to know them all. We are actually in a Branch. But it's a decent sized branch. There are about 70 people who come every week.
Soeur Francis is the BEST. I love her so much. I haven't laughed this hard in a really long time. She is so humble and an AMAZING missionary. We clicked right away and we have just been laughing and tearing up this Ville from the get-go. I have so much to learn from her. I will attach a picture of us. We are so cute.
So the work in Vannes is on a high. We are teaching tons of families and I feel that all we ever do is walk from one lesson to the next. We're still looking for new amis but we have the chance of teaching some pretty amazing people right now.
There are so many highlights that I do not even know where to start. Well for starters, we pretty much only taught one lesson this week- our 'Easter message'. The message is centered on the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we just applied it to each person depending on their individual needs. It was probably the best way to personally prepare for Easter.
Well, a personal favorite was actually a less active lesson we had. Her name is Soeur Tamahouki. Back in July(ish) Soeurs Garrett and Johns (love them!) started visiting her. She was raised in the church but after her divorce with her first husband, she stopped coming. She is remarried to a really nice man but he does not believe.
We sat down for our lesson and I took out the Plan of Salvation brochure and showed her the picture of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (something I learned from Sr. Francis) and asked her what she thought when she saw that image. Her eyes immediately filled with tears and after a moment she whispered out "nothing". To which Sr Francis immediately responded, "You know that's not true". Silence. For a good minute or two we just sat there as she stared at her lap. She then looked up and said "I'm too lost. Too far. I've made too many mistakes."
So the work in Vannes is on a high. We are teaching tons of families and I feel that all we ever do is walk from one lesson to the next. We're still looking for new amis but we have the chance of teaching some pretty amazing people right now.
There are so many highlights that I do not even know where to start. Well for starters, we pretty much only taught one lesson this week- our 'Easter message'. The message is centered on the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we just applied it to each person depending on their individual needs. It was probably the best way to personally prepare for Easter.
Well, a personal favorite was actually a less active lesson we had. Her name is Soeur Tamahouki. Back in July(ish) Soeurs Garrett and Johns (love them!) started visiting her. She was raised in the church but after her divorce with her first husband, she stopped coming. She is remarried to a really nice man but he does not believe.
We sat down for our lesson and I took out the Plan of Salvation brochure and showed her the picture of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (something I learned from Sr. Francis) and asked her what she thought when she saw that image. Her eyes immediately filled with tears and after a moment she whispered out "nothing". To which Sr Francis immediately responded, "You know that's not true". Silence. For a good minute or two we just sat there as she stared at her lap. She then looked up and said "I'm too lost. Too far. I've made too many mistakes."
The lesson then turned to the meaning of repentance and HOW MUCH the Lord wants to forgive us. It was one of those moments on my mission where you feel as if the Heaven's open and you can feel so strongly the love that God has for the person in front of you. It was interesting because I could see in her face the scripture in Alma 36:
"Yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. Oh, thought, I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds."
But then I felt this overpowering love. I could not explain it if I tried. In that moment I was the one being taught. Through teaching her, I got a window into how our Heavenly Father feels as he urges and begs us to repent. I understood how much it pains him to see his children who have fallen or slipped into sin and who have accepted the idea that it is "too late" for them. The Savior wants to forgive. He wants us to feel the redeeming power of the Atonement and to be wrapped once more in the arms of his eternal love. Then we too can feel as Alma the younger did when he said:
"I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"
What a glorious message we carry forth to the world! People can change and grow and become more like our Savior. And in the process find peace and joy beyond what they previously thought possible.
Next story: So one of the families we are teaching has 3 kids but the dad is gone right now on a military mission. He will be back at the end of May. Before he left he said, "When I get back, I'm getting baptized."
So right now we're teaching his wife and kids. The mom's name is Sonia and she is just about one of my favorite people. We visited her this week to teach the Easter message. She misses her husband so much--it's touching. But she's so sweet and loving and happy at the same time. After talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we then asked her "and what does that mean to you? Christ's victory over death?" She thought for a second and then said, "He proved that death really isn't the end."
We then went on to explain that not only is it not the end but he made it possible that we can live as a family forever. I then said as I pointed to her kids, "That means that if you live these things, you will live with each one of your 3 children and your husband for eternity". At that moment, her daughter was sitting on her lap. Sonia tightly wrapped her arms around her and said with a smile, "That is what I want."
So beautiful I can't stand it!
Oh my goodness. I wish I could tell you more. Those two lessons were just half of one of our days together. We really do teach so many amazing people and we have already met so many great people together. This transfer is going to be amazing.
Below, I attached pics of me and my new comp. Aren't we so cute? The senior couple is the Harris couple. They were here when I was in Rennes too! I love them so much. The chocolate bunnies are actually from them. How kind is that?!
Love you all!!
Soeur Bitter
"Yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. Oh, thought, I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds."
But then I felt this overpowering love. I could not explain it if I tried. In that moment I was the one being taught. Through teaching her, I got a window into how our Heavenly Father feels as he urges and begs us to repent. I understood how much it pains him to see his children who have fallen or slipped into sin and who have accepted the idea that it is "too late" for them. The Savior wants to forgive. He wants us to feel the redeeming power of the Atonement and to be wrapped once more in the arms of his eternal love. Then we too can feel as Alma the younger did when he said:
"I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"
What a glorious message we carry forth to the world! People can change and grow and become more like our Savior. And in the process find peace and joy beyond what they previously thought possible.
Next story: So one of the families we are teaching has 3 kids but the dad is gone right now on a military mission. He will be back at the end of May. Before he left he said, "When I get back, I'm getting baptized."
So right now we're teaching his wife and kids. The mom's name is Sonia and she is just about one of my favorite people. We visited her this week to teach the Easter message. She misses her husband so much--it's touching. But she's so sweet and loving and happy at the same time. After talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we then asked her "and what does that mean to you? Christ's victory over death?" She thought for a second and then said, "He proved that death really isn't the end."
We then went on to explain that not only is it not the end but he made it possible that we can live as a family forever. I then said as I pointed to her kids, "That means that if you live these things, you will live with each one of your 3 children and your husband for eternity". At that moment, her daughter was sitting on her lap. Sonia tightly wrapped her arms around her and said with a smile, "That is what I want."
So beautiful I can't stand it!
Oh my goodness. I wish I could tell you more. Those two lessons were just half of one of our days together. We really do teach so many amazing people and we have already met so many great people together. This transfer is going to be amazing.
Below, I attached pics of me and my new comp. Aren't we so cute? The senior couple is the Harris couple. They were here when I was in Rennes too! I love them so much. The chocolate bunnies are actually from them. How kind is that?!
Love you all!!
Soeur Bitter
 |
| Brother & Sister Harris with Sr. Francis in Vannes |
No comments:
Post a Comment