Pioneer of France - June 16, 2014

Well this week was just wonderful. First, we decided to have a FHE with Sonia, Clement and theVogel family. Phillipe is one of the Vogel sons and he served a mission in the West Indies (which is where Sonia and Clement are from) and his parents have been wanting to have a FHE at their house with our amis for a long, long time. So we thought it was perfect. 

Well, it was. It couldn't have been more perfect!! The members here are so awesome. They bore wonderful testimonies but even more than that, it was a testimony to me of the power of a Christ-centered home. The Spirit came so easily into their house, even during dinner. Then that Sunday (yesterday) all of them came to church!! It was Sonia's 2nd or 3rd time at church, Clement's 1st time and it was the 1st time that the kids were all there too. It was amazing. Oh and how did they get to church you ask? By nothing short of a miracle, they were able to get a car!! It was such a good feeling seeing them all at church. 

Earlier in the week, I had the thought to call a widow in the ward and offer to come and play my violin for her. When she picked up the phone she was SO excited to hear from us and then she told us that actually her friends were in town and they would just love to meet the missionaries. Win. 

So we went over. Let me just tell you; she is AMAZING!! So to paint the scenery, she lives on a peninsula. From her house she can see 300 degrees of ocean but then her yard goes out onto a point where it is 340 degrees of ocean. No joke. As soon as we arrived, she told us to go out and explore. 

After about 20 minutes she came out and we all sat on the tip of the peninsula while she told us stories of the early days in France. How she was baptized by Mitt Romney, etc etc. She told us that when this area was a district, she was called as the District primary president. She organized with the Mission President so that she could have all the primary kids all over Breatagne and the Loire valley come to her house and camp outside. She told funny stories of early morning work outs along the beach and bonfires at the end of the peninsula.

She then told us that many times at Stake Conference grown men will come up to her and ask "DO YOU REMEMBER ME?!" After talking she'll learn that they were one of the young boys who came to these activities and now they have 8 and 10 year old kids of their own. "That's something that warms the heart". I am continually amazed at the deep sacrifices and service that the early members of the church here in France have made.

I actually don't have a lot of time today so I'm just going to leave the email there. :) Sorry it's shorter this week. I'll make up for it next week I promise.

This next week, we are having our last Zone Conference with President and Soeur Poznanski. They are being released in a couple weeks so they can be the president of the seminary and institute programs for Europe. I am going to miss them so much. I actually have already met the new mission president and his wife. I had the chance to meet them in the MTC. They are so wonderful and will do so many amazing things here. It's just crazy how time has flown. Most likely tears will be shed.

I love you all so much
Soeur Bitter

Sr. Mason and I at Sr. Berthlin's house.

Exchange with Sr. Callister. Yes that is our backyard!
I love the green forests of France. :)