Happy Halloween!
Hooray! I've been asking around, and
I get mixed answers as to what French people do for Halloween. Apparently the
grown ups don't do anything, but the younger generation is all set on making trick-or-treating
a big thing here like it is in the States. We're gonna start it up :) I want
pictures of Chris in his costume! Cute!
How was your week?
Daryl's an Elder?! That's so crazy!
I'm so sad I missed that! Go Daryl!
Mine was the best ever, thanks for
asking. We had a training this week in Paris (I go to Paris an awful lot, I
realized...) with Elder Gonzalez, of the Presidency of the Seventy. It was SO
good, and it was fun to see that many missionaries in one place! I've gotten
used to being the only ones around. I got to see my entire MTC group, one of
whom I haven't seen since the day we got picked up at the mission home, oh-so
long ago! Well, all of us that came to this mission, anyway. The training was
very good and very entertaining. I thought it was interesting that Elder
Gonzalez talked about the same things that our Stake Presidency has been
talking about, I guess it's a church-wide thing, this push on increasing the
membership of the church. Not only increasing it, but doubling it. So we talked
about helping the members learn how to share the gospel with their friends
because, let's be honest, the whole world would rather hear the gospel from
their loved ones than from two young foreigners in the street. As awesome and
spirit-filled as we are. Elder Gonzalez and his wife did some role plays for us
to show us how to share the gospel with friends. They were pretty cute and
funny, those two. Want to hear the secret tips they gave us? First, pray for
the chance to share the gospel. That should just be happening all the time.
Second, when talking to people, always build on common ground. Third, be
reading the book of mormon daily, so when people talk about problems or
questions you can say, "you know, I've been reading a book that talks
about that exact thing..." There you go. All the secrets you need to know
to become gospel sharing fiends. I would recommend it, it's pretty fun.
Speaking of fun, I wanted to tell
you about my favorite moment from this week. We have an ami who is married to a
really awesome member, and who has been coming to church for about two years
now, but he's scared to get baptized. We had our first meeting with him this
week, and it was so fun! Being bold and testifying, and seeing the Spirit work
in the minds of the people you're talking to, is the most fun thing in the
world, I decided. Haha. He told us he was a tough case, and that the elders
before us had told him he was a tough case, so he wished us luck. Soeur
Williams and I just looked at each other and smiled. And then in our best,
loving, sister missionary way, we then proceeded to use the scriptures to smash
his fears into the ground and back him up against the wall and tell him that
faith was the way to go. Baptize! (Imagine me saying that in a Nacho Libre voice).
My favorite part, though, was when he read Hebrews 10:35-39 and was very quiet
and thoughtful afterwards. I loved looking into his eyes and saying, I know you
know this is true. I want you to know that I know this is true. I know the
Spirit has and is testifying to you. I know that this is the right choice for
you. And seeing him nod.
I love the knowing and the peace and
the joy and the excitement that comes with being a part of this gospel. I love
having a foundation that is sure and solid and which will never fall.
It was a hard week, the work here is
going slower than I would like it to. But the nice thing about weeks like this
is that I have more lightbulb moments because I'm more humble and less
preoccupied and the Spirit can speak. And weeks like this make me appreciate
the good moments more :) It also helps that me and my comps are best friends
and we find ways to make everything all better! Haha. It's pretty much a party
24/7 with her. I decided I just need to find my "Mr. Williams", a
male version of my comp. And then we will live happily ever after. Which
reminds me, it's been really fun being in this little branch and getting to
know all the members, and one of the questions we ask EVERY couple is how they
met. Because we love love! Haha. And I LOVE hearing their stories, there's some
pretty epic ones. Of course, when you speak the language of love and live in
Europe, how could your eternal love story be anything else?
PS, mom and dad, thank you again for
being the best parents ever. The more families I meet, the more I am grateful
that I was born into the one that I was, and that you guys did such a wonderful
job of teaching the gospel in the home, and of loving each other and giving us
such a good example of how a marriage should go. I love you for that! I miss
you!
It is taking a million years to
attach pictures, so I was going to attach more, but that's all you get for now.
Anyway, Blois is cute. You will like it when you come here someday.
Love you to pieces,
Soeur Larsen
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