January 18, 2010

This week has really been a good week. I find such a joy in Missionary work. It is easier to work when you like who you are with. We were talking about our week last night and thought that we hadnt had such a productive week but then as we really looked at all we had done and everyone we had been able to teach and see it was actually the best week we have had! Xavier continues to get ready for his baptism but he didnt come to church this week so that was a little disappointing. We had a good laugh with him the other night. I dont remember what we were talking about but we had just finished reading a scripture and she says "I love my dad." we looked at him like what then he said it again this time adding "Ilove our dad, come on dad give me a kiss;" I was laughing so hard. But he was so serious the scripture had touched him. Ya it was funny but thinking about it now how cool it is to see how much love he has for our Heavenly Father. Then yesterday our lesson in Relief Society was the same as yours about our Heavenly Father. It is so cool to think how we grew up spiritually speaking with him. We taught us helped us, and prepared us to come here. One thing that we talked about was we forget those things when we come to earth that is why we need to try new things. Also why we have Patriarchal Blessings; We have so many tools to help us grow and develope in spiritual things and worldly things. I really am loving my mission. I learn so much everyday. There are definitely advantages to staying int he same place for such a long time. I was thinking about it this weekend. I can say that this ward needs the sister missionaries. It is true that we are here to find people to come to christ but also to strengthen the church where we are. And This ward really needs that. There are way to many stories and sad things that have happened in this ward. I cant even begin to tell you. but there is one thing that I know and that I can tell you I love this ward.I love the members here. There is a young women Jeanne that is same age as I am. She is amazing. She has become like a sister to me. She teaches with us a lot and is just so strong in her testimony. I love her.

January 11, 2010

Xavier is doing well. We fixed a baptism date with him for the 6th of February. He Came to church Yesterday. He fits in really well with the members or the members seem to like him and here that is sometomes a hard thingfor our amis. It was really cool to see how the members his age especially welcomed him and we hardly had the chance to talk to him which is such a good thing. It is so cool to have an ami that is serious and keeping his commitments. Besides Xavier we don't have very many amis that are progressing or that we see often. But this week we have done a lot of contacting and even knockinig doors. We had more success knocking doors this week than we did contacting. We pray that we can really be instruments in the hands of the Lord to touch these peopel when we see them this next week. It is so true that without the Lord we are nothing his work doesnt go anywhere. It has been cool the last few days as well with the members. We are trying to work better with them. This Ward is in real need of strength you could say. It is something that we can see and want to help with. sO we decided to go and to visit some of the members that have been here since the ward was started to get their ideas of what we can do. Can I just tell you that it has been amazing. One of the families was the Trevision's. They were one of the first couple baptized in the 60's. We went with the intention to stay for an hour and ended staying for 2 and a half. THey can see what we see and have somany ideas. Sister Trevision has been fighting cancer for the last 2 years and has really struggled with not coming to church and not being able to help the missionaries. ANd so for us to go and to visit made her week. I cant tell you how cool it was. Even Yesterday Brother Trevision was asking us about how the work is going. There were other members as well that we went and saw and they too were more interested and asking us how the work is going and how thye could help us. I love to see all of the changes in the ward and how I much the members really take care of us.

I love pictures from France!

Sister Trevision and Jen

They have a tradition in France that the first of theyear they have a dessert and they hide a little figurine in it and there is a crown that comes with the dessert when you buy it. The person that finds the figurine as you are eating dessert becomes the queen or king and has to wear the crown. It is a fun tradition. The day Jen and her companion ate dessert with the Trevision's, Jen found the figurine so she became the queen.
Soeur Lake and Soeur Brunt striking a pose!

Jen just goofing off at a castle on P-day!

January 4, 2010

We have an ami, Xavier, that i amazing. The only problem we have had is he disappears then for a few days then reappears. And he had disappeared for a day or two this last week and Thursday we were at the church waiting for an appointment that didnt show when he called and said he was close by and wanted to stop and talk to us. So we waited. We ended up having such a cool lesson with him. We talked about Baptism and confirmation and ended up engaging him to be baptized. He is ready. He has now come to church the last 2 Sundays and for the full 3 hours. We are hoping to fix the date for his baptism this week.
We don't have very many progressing amis right now and are really trying to search; Heavenly Father really has helped us this week to see miracles. I know that he guides us in this work. Sometimes we have to find a lot of crazy people before we find the peopel that are ready to listen to the message of the restored gospel. There were a couple days that we werent out much just because Sr. Brunt really was sick but when we were out we had a greater desire to work and talk to people. its like that in life if we are giving all that we can Heavenly Father is going to bless us. Sometimes it does feel like nothing is happening but He knows best.
Yesterday was kind of weird I was sitting in Sacrament meeting listening to the testimonies and everyone kept talking about their new years resolutions and being better this year. There were some that talked about their trials of the last year and how much they have grown. It got me to thinking of where I was a year ago. It is hard to believe that a year ago I was still getting ready to come out in the field. My life has completely changed. I had been thinking during the week of how i had changed recentely but couldn't really see any changes. I realized yesterday and even today how much I am growing and changing for the better.

Christmas in France

Jenni and Soeur Brunt visiting Soeur Nazeroff (she is 90). The Bishop and his wife and little girl also dropped by to see her.
The missionaries visiting with Sr. Garcia and her two granddaughters. She is an amazing woman.
The missionaries eating Christmas lunch - an all American PB & J sandwiches!
Soeur Brunt and Soeur Lake - great companions

December 28, 2009

During the week we had found some clothes that other missionaries had left in the apartment and put ribbons on them, then prepared some cookies to give out to people on the street. Then as we were walking we gave them our to homeless people. There was one guy that I was really touched. He was sitting on the side of the road begging for money. That day it was really cold. He had a skimpy jacket, a t-shirt, and a pair of jeans on. That day we actually didnt have anything but Sr. Brunt saw him as we passed took off her purple gloves and went and gave them to him. since that day I have thought about how Christ gave everything. She showed me such a great example that day. She was cold yet she didnt care he needed them more than she did. The real spirit of Christmas wasnt in those big fancy meals. They were in the little moments with Sr. Nazeoff, the homeless people, talking to you.
We had some really cool experiences this week. We were able to go to Toulouse for our Zone Conference. The morning was the usualy meetings and very spiritually up lifting in the after noon we had a talent show. Then we were able to go caroling. There were about 40 of us missionaries in a huge park. It was so much fun to sing for the people . i dont know if we really sounded good but really did make some noise. it was fun to watch the people that stopped and listened.
Yesterday we had the coolest thing happen. Sr. Brunt has a super bad cold and could barely talk yesterday but still wanted to work so we were doing some pass backs. We had planned to go and see this lady but when we got to the corner of the road we saw her husband and little girl coming out of the bread store. He doesnt really like us so we decided we would wait and go to see someone else. We had turned the corner and ran We contacted this lady. At first she said in english I dont speak French. We were like oh well that is ok we speak english. As we started to talk to her she. she saw our tags and was like "normally I wouldnt have stopped to talk to you if I would have seen you tags. and if you would have been two men I would have just ignored you, but I guess you talk about Jesus. What is it you do exactly?" We ended up talking to here for bout 20 minutes. Her name is Hieka. She has been here for 4 weeks. inthat for weeks she has been thinking a lot about Jesus Christ. She said that she was glad to have talked to us. She isnt too sure about what we said but she said she feels good about it. It was such a cool experience. And amazing to see how Heavenly Father helped us to find her. He knew we needed to turn and go down the other road and not follow what we had planned.
I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost who helps us along the way that even with little things he helps.

December 21, 2009 - Merry Christmas!

A man that we contacted during the week we gave the Restoration lesson on the street. He was a little skeptic; but in the end he wanted to know more and said that he would come to church yesterday. And he did. It was the coolest thing. He didnt understand much of why but he said he was willing to keep his promise and he came. The funny thing was he and his girl friend came in in the middle of sacrament meeting and sat on the front row. There were a few members that went and talked to him after because they thought he was a member. He fit in with the members.
I am learning a lot about myself. And Heavenly Father is really humbling me and helping realize that I need him more than i realize; So many times I think that i can do it myself i get too confident. I still have a long way to go but i am working on it; He helps me.
I dont know how much i have told you about the Oger family but I absolutelly love them. They take good care of us missionaries. and spoil us to be honest. They ahve a little girl that is severly handicapped. It is hard for them when it comes to coming to church because one of them has to stay with her at home so they take turns eah week coming. We were at their house on Friday and Brother Oger was talking to us about the plan Of Salvation. he said that in the beginning it was really hard that they cant go to the temple together, they cant come to church together, but then he said that They accepted it. That as much as it maybe a trail during this life they wont complain becasue they literally have and angel living with them. And Every day she is a reminder of their eternal goal. she cant talk to them in this life but after this life in the celestal kingdom she will be able to. But that means for them they have to live worthy to get there to talk to her. Their house is a house of the Lord the spirit is there. I feel different when i am there I feel like I am home.
It was a great testimony to me of the importance of doing our very best everyday and keeping and eternal perspective.
I Love you so much. I want you to know especailly with this week being Christmas that i know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. That in humblest of circumstances he started his life. I know that he died for us that his is the only way we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again.