February 1 2010

quoi de neuf famille!

This week was an intense, good week. Very full.

Monday was Paris p-day as I told you. Sadly we didn't see the Eiffel tower sparkle but I did see it up close for the first time. I got to see all the sisters that were in the Paris area and that was cool.

On Tuesday we were supposed to see Jess, but she cancelled. We did meet a really cool girl on the train named Matild that I hope gives us a call. We went and saw our good friend Jeanne and started to help her with one of her English worksheets and then we headed out to meet with one of the relief society counselors. She had a 15 year old son and it was just like being around Aaron for a bit. We talked about various members that the ward wants us to work with because less active work usually only works with member involvement. When it's just missionaries, it is pretty pointless.

Oh Wednesday...the best day of the week. We went to visit Martha and Jason. The last time we saw Jason in his prep for baptism lessons we taught the plan of salvation, so logically, the gospel of Jesus Christ would be next. He was so good and attentive and so happy. We talked about baptism and I saw his excitement fade a little. We asked him the baptismal questions and he answered "oui" to all of them. However, when we asked him if he felt ready to be baptized he looked down at the table and said no. I asked him why he felt that way and he wouldn't answer or even look up. I looked over to Martha and asked why he felt that way and she said she didn't know, but that she thought he wasn't ready. I asked her why she thought he wasn't ready, that he had a testimony and had answered all the questions "oui" and she also had no response. I asked Jason if he would pray everyday this week to know if baptism was right and he said he would and I told Martha it was necessary for him to be at church the next Sunday [every other weekend he is with his dad]. I love Martha, but sometimes I just don't understand her.

We also met with Sylvie on Wednesday and that lesson was great. She had read Alma 7, Mosiah 27, and had started the book of Mormon. We taught the plan of salvation and she listened intently and took notes! I love it! Afterwards we asked her if she had prayed about the book of Mormon and said she hadn't, but that she would this week. Her commitment was Alma 40-42 and 2 Nephi 9. We also gave her Elder Holland’s talk "The Only True and Living God and Jesus Christ Whom He Sent" because she had a lot of questions about the Godhead. She’s a champ.

English class with Jeanne had a very sad moment. She asked us point blank if Brigham young had more than one wife and we had to say yes. She was a little upset, but we explained it to her the best we could since there is a HUGE language barrier [she refuses to speak French with us], but in the end she was ok. She is still defending us in her English class.

On Thursday we went to zone conference in Paris. It was a little sad because it wasn't with the usual people because on Tuesday, the day we are supposed to go to zone conference, I have to go get legal in France. However, it was good to see other missionaries. There were a lot of really good talks and a lot of new ideas for things I want to implement in my life.

After, we went district contacting with the elders and had a really good one. We got into this building and were porting. This one guy answered the door and immediately started speaking English with us. He told us that he still believed in God, but that he had turned towards Buddhist ideas; he felt that most Christian religions were just made up by people. We told him that the beauty of our message was that our church wasn't made up by man, but that it was restored by God through a prophet. He seemed interested, hopefully we hear from him.

The only good thing about Friday was that Jeanne called us and asked us to come to her shop and help her edit a letter for her class. The letter was supposed to be written to a friend that she hadn't seen in a long time. The best part was as follows: I am taking an English class at the university institute and going to the Mormons church on Wednesday nights. I'm not going to convert, but I love the missionaries. They love to talk about their Mormon book and explain to me the documentary-novel "the 19th wife." I listen because I'm broad minded. She also gave us these really cool rings that I will probably wear all my life.

Love and miss you all!

camille