Soer Larsen: Part XXXIV

So, this week was the BEST!

To begin with, last monday was the 4th of July. And at the end of it, when I was all full of burgers and root beer floats and we were throwing the football around with the stake president next to this great big field, I just felt so American and decided that it may have been the best 4th of July ever. No offense, family. I think being out of the country made me appreciate it so much more :) I LOVE AMERICA!

Then Tuesday we finally met our new mission president! And his wife! And their two daughters! Who are beautiful and speak like ten languages. Ugh. Europeans. I'm mostly just jealous. Well President Poznanski and his wife are absolutely amazing, I love them already. She served in this mission! Cool huh? So that'll probably be me in 30 years. Big changes, everything was in FRENCH! You'd think that would've happened sooner. They used to do trainings and district meetings in English because most the missionaries are English speakers and it helps the native French speakers learn English. But no more. Trainings, zone meetings, district meetings, letters to the President, all conversation outside the apartment, is all supposed to be in French. Honestly I should've been doing that last one all along... We try, but sometimes we're lazy. Also tout le monde speaks English here in Belgium. And my French is already much better. Hooray! I'll probably be one of those cool returned missionaries who can't remember how to speak English. And I'll say everything with an adorable French accent. 

Anyway so the training was really cool. They talked about walls, like the Berlin wall and then the wall around Jericho in the book of Joshua. They talked about how with both walls, once the Lord became involved, they came down quickly. Especially with the wall of Jericho, where the people had to march around the wall with the Arc of the Covenant in front of them once every day for 6 days, and then 7 times the 7th day and shout, and the Lord said the walls would fall flat. To anyone who isn't used to working with the Lord, that sounds like an absolutely ridiculous way to bring down a wall. Sister Poznanski said that for us in the France Paris Mission, there is a great big wall between us and success and ultimately, a temple. This wall is built brick by brick with each thought such as, "nobody baptizes in Europe" "this is an exceptionally hard mission" "the people here are so hard-hearted" "the members don't help with the work" and on and on and on. Satan rejoices with each brick. But, she said, NOW is the time to bring down that wall. President Poznanski is our Joshua, Preach My Gospel is our trumpet, and God is in our midst, as he was with them in the form of the Arc of the Covenant. We are on the seventh turn, on the seventh day. Ps, you should all read the Book of Joshua! It's totally cool! Might be my new favorite. Or tied with Daniel.

President Poznanski then talked about the two main objectives we have, which are working hand in hand with the members, and removing the walls which keep us from having baptisms. Already, as of yesterday, I feel like member-missionary relations have improved a million percent. I don't know what happened, but everyone just seems to have gotten fired up with the spirit of missionary work! It was so fun. Sundays are a blast when you just spend the whole time hearing members tell you all the times they are available that week to teach with you, and how badly they want to feed you, and how excited they are about so and so who they've been sharing the gospel with. HOORAY! Also, I have a new HERO, a member of our ward who is interning for NATO and served her mission in Moscow. She's super spunky and cool. That will be me someday.   

In other news this week, we did sister exchanges with Versailles! Sister Judd went down there and I loaded her up with postcards for my old amis and Sister Barros came to work with me in Brussels. She is a HOOT. And her French is amazing. I LOVE her. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It was the best exchange ever. We had a really wonderful lesson with Didier, and that night I got to hear all about my beloved Versailles and how everyone is doing. It was so wonderful to hear! And all the less-actives we were working with are coming to church now! I couldn't believe it! Cheers all around. Also it was good to learn from her because she really is just an incredible missionary and she said most of her growing and learning has happened in her last four or five transfers, which made me feel better. Still lots of time to change!

Oh how I love the friends that I've made here on the mission.

Have I told you about Roya? She's from Iran, we met her when we were lost and asked for directions and discovered she spoke english! And she lives right by a few other amis so we visit her every week; She's so funny. She's so worried that we're going to be missionaries forever and never get married or get educations and she makes us promise we will do both every time we see her. She said she'll even come to Utah for our graduations :) Haha. Pressure...
So this morning I was reading 1 Ne. 2:19-20 where the Lord promises Nephi that if he keeps his commandments he will be led to the promised land, a land prepared for him and choice above all other lands. I thought about how the Lord has a promised land for each of us, ready and waiting. And then I thought, wait, I'm IN my promised land! There's nowhere else on the PLANET I would rather be than serving in the France Paris Mission, especially here in Brussels. I couldn't imagine anything better, and here I am! A land prepared for me, choice above all other lands. I can just imagine the Lord preparing it, getting so excited that I would meet Dominique, and Mireille, and Michelle, and Rachel, and Max, and David, and Didier, and all of my incredible companions and the other missionaries whom I love with all my heart. I'm so grateful that he knows me so well and loves me so much :) 

Ok last thing and then I will stop, I promise. I just wanted to share really fast the member missionary plan we've been sharing because I think it's genius and super easy. Ready? I'm only going to tell you if you promise to do it. K? Promise? OK, here you go.

Pick a day and fast that people prepared to hear the gospel and accept it will be led to you. Then pray every day that week for a prepared person to be led to you. Then, wait in readiness to open your mouth and share! It works, I have lost of stories to prove it. Plus it's easy, because they come to YOU! The Lord will answer your prayers if you are ready to act when he does, I have a testimony of that :) Now go forth! I better hear lots of cool stories.

 

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To bits and pieces.

More that I love Belgian chocolate.

And Belge things in general.

Which is saying something.

Haha

K bye

 

LOVE

SOEUR LARSEN. The one and only.