Bonjour! Good news: I figured out the keyboard. Which means that this week will be much less of a train wreck of an email. I hope that you are all doing so well. This week in Melun was fantastic. AND the sun is out today, which is a miracle. I haven't seen it in far too long, and it makes me so happy! 

This week we went to teach a woman with a recent convert here in Melun named William. William is in his late twenties and was baptized two months ago and is so awesome. The soeurs said that he  was literally the easiest person to teach because he was so ready for it and was excited to live the gospel. He came to teach with us, but the lady ended up not being there so we decided to do porting in the area. Porting in a trio is funny enough (it is hilarious with one person in the middle and two people flanking your sides) and then add on top of that a six foot seven black man. It was like we had a bodyguard. Awesome. So we start porting with no luck, but we all had a little prayer in our heart that we would be let in so that William could have the experience of teaching. When it was his turn to talk when they opened the door, a lady let us in. She told us that she had just been praying for strength when we knocked on her door. We taught about the Restoration and she agreed with our lesson with an audible "AMEN!" and William bore such a powerful testimony to her about how the church had changed his life. As we left, William told me that he felt exactly how he felt the first time he opened the Book of Mormon. It was amazing seeing how the gospel has changed his life, and how he is sharing it with others only two months later, because it has made him so happy and he wants to share it with others. That is how I feel about the gospel. It has made my life what it is, and I need to share it with people. That has helped me a lot as I talk to people lately. Realizing that what I am doing is sharing the thing that has brought me so much joy. It makes it easier and I have found it actually FUN to talk to people on the bus or train or on the street about the gospel. 

It was Soeur Johnson's birthday this week and we decided to celebrate at a Chinese restaurant. BAD. IDEA. Microwaved food. I don't know if I have ever laughed that hard in my life. It was such a memory--them forgetting our food for ten minutes in the microwave, them refusing to give us the drinks we actually wanted. I loved it. We also had zone conference this week and it was so great to see people! We talked about our new theme this year, which is centered on the brother of Jared in Ether. The theme scripture is when he says, "Lord, I know that thou canst do this." I really like the theme, and the concept of relying on the Lord to help us become better and to help others become better and find happiness. I have found that the attitude with which I start the day really determines the outcome of it. If I am grumpy and do not have faith, I generally don't talk to very many people, but when I have the attitude of knowing that the Lord can help me, it makes all the difference. 

This weekend the ward did a "Mains Serviable" service project here in Melun. This year we collected money for the Malta Foundation for Lepers. We put on our little arm bands and stood at the marche asking people for money. I was interested to see what the difference would be between asking people for money and asking them to talk about God. (ha!) It was pretty similar, but always super kind people who would talk to us, with also the occasional "Oh la la there are too many people asking for money, who knows what this is even for etc etc."  Come on people! It is for the Lepers! But I did meet a lot of people who were very generous and kind. I love love love the ward here in Melun. They are all very involved and helpful with the missionaries. 

Today we are going into Paris for Pday. We are going to try to spend some time in the Louvre and possibly Le Tour Eiffel if we are feeling brave enough to climb a few hundred stairs. I love this place, I love this gospel and I love you beaucoup beaucoup. 

love 

Olivia 

Bonjour from Melun!

[Editor's Note: this email has been left unedited with all original formatting intact in respect of Soeur Rhondeau's disclaimer below]

Famille,

Okay, a little precursor to this email: i cant figure out how to change this keyboard to english so excuse my crqzy mistakes: I am in melun! Saying goodbye to Pymm was the saddest. We all rode the train into Paris and said our goodbyes there and our hellos to our new companions. Leaving was hard, but the second I stepped off the train in Melun, I felt at home. I dont know how else to describe it. 

I dont know why this giant space is here. AHHH this computer place is going to drive me mad. 

This week has been so great and so different. you would think that going half way across the country wouldnt make that much of a difference, but I feel like I a, in a different world! Melun is 20 minutes fro, Paris and I love the fa,iliarity of it fro, when I was in Paris for Study Abroad; Melun is really big city feelingm and is poretty gritty in a lot of places. There are so many people, and I have actually found it easier to talk to people here. We do a lot of bus contacting which was hard for me in Rennes, but for some reson it is easier here. We have a huge area, and so we take the train all the time to the smaller villes arouns-- Fontainbleau, Brie Comte Robert, and a lot of others. It is so fun to get out of the city and be in the small towns righ toutside to teach. The other day we were in Brie Comte Robert and we ate lunch by a half burned down hundreds of year old chateau. It was one of those moments where I realized that I live in France. We visited an amazing lady from the Cote d'Ivoire there. She is amazing.  Okay seriously i a, writing like 2 words a minute on this keyboard so I a, just going to have to give you a quick list of happenings in Melun:

-my collegues are Soeur Johnson and Soeur Jenkins. They are great! Soeur Jenkins and I hit it off right away--her fave movie is About a Boy, so obvs we are BFFs. She has the most genuine and down to earth way of teaching the gospel. She is from Northern California and goes to BYU studying Journalism. Soeur Johnson is fro, Utah and is a really great missionary and is almost done with her mission, Soeur Pymm was actually collegues with her before me! 

- We taught a woman from Ghana who I just love. She is an artist and Childrens book writer; and just being in her ho,e was enriching. She is just one of those people who makes you feel like a better person just by being around her.

-I haven't met many ward members yet since it was cancelled but  the people I have met are great. Church isnt too far from our house and we have been able to have some rdvs there. 

-It is freezing. I have been lining my shoes with plastic bags on the inside. So classy. 

-Church was CANCELLED  yesterday because of the snow! It has been co,ing DOWN, and they cancelled it so we took the train into Paris and went to Sacrement meeting there. It was so beautiful to see Paris in the snow. There is so,ething so beautiful about that city, and I love how fa,iliar it feels to be there, especially because it was a place that I lived in with Best Friends and visited with fa,ily, it just feels comfortable. 

-Last night we went and taught a guy named Guilaume who the Soeurs talked to a while ago but have never had a rendez vouos with him. He told us right away that he is atheist, but that he wants his children to learn as much about religion as they can so that they can make their own choices. So he had his son come in and discuss with us. He asked us lots of questions and it was really cool to see how they interacted as a family. They were so respectful and loving towards each other and towards us. We are going back to teach him next week. 

-I have a million stories I want to tell you, but I a, really going to have to wait till next week to tell you ti,e is short and this keyboard is impossible. :ore ;eaningful words next week. But I am alive, and Melun is new and all covered in snow and I am doing just fine. 

Love you from Paris to the Moon,

Olivia

ps When you send letters, put LES MISSIONAIRES above my name. MERCI!! Love you. 

last letter from Rennes.

Family,

So I totally didn't clarify in my transfer day email: I am still in Rennes and will be here until transfer day, which is Wednesday. So we get the news of if we are staying or going on a Saturday (so you can always expect an email from me on the last Saturday of a transfer), and then we leave on a Wednesday. So I am still in Rennes, and living up every last second with my BFF Pymm by dancing in the empty metros and seeing everyone I have met before I go. 

When I first flew into Paris from the MTC and found out that I would be serving in Rennes, I had at least six Elders come up to me and say "You are the luckiest bleu (new missionary) in the mission! Rennes is the promised land!" They could not have been more right. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been able to spend the past two and a half months here. The people I have met and the places I have been have shaped me and changed me. After I got the email that I would be leaving and we left the internet cafe, we went over to Nathalia's house to tell her I would be leaving. She said "Ca me fait mal au coeur!" And that is exactly how I feel--it makes me heart sick! I guess it is just the first time I realized that on a mission you move around all the time. I am excited to go to Melun though. I will always have a special place for Paris in my heart, and I can't wait to be back in that area, although I think this time my experience will be a little different from eating baguettes under the Eiffel Tower with my friends . . . It was hilarious yesterday at church when I told people where I was going they would raise their eyebrows, sigh and say "Well, it isn't Rennes . . ." But that is also exciting to me too, to have a new experience in a new place. 

My last week in Rennes was an awesome one. We taught Oyun again and she is just so prepared for the gospel. I can't wait to see how everything goes with her in the future with other missionaries. While this week was good it was also rather rough. One day we were walking home in the rain and it was freezing and I turned to Soeur Pymm and said, "I feel like I have been hit by a bus." Literally two seconds later somebody drops a giant bucket of water on our heads from the apartment building above. We didn't even miss a beat or look up but just kept on walking and then looked at each other and said, "Wait, did that really just happen?!" And then we laughed our heads off, soaking wet the whole way home. A bucket of water out the window. Persecution at its finest. They had good aim, I'll give them that. 

Yesterday at church as I stood up to give my farewell testimony, I looked out at everyone and just felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude that I got to spend time here. I learned so much from them.  After church we had a little farewell lunch at Nathalia's, and I had a rough time saying goodbye to her and her beautiful little girls. I love her and her family. Then we had a gallettes de rois fete at the Moals. It's this thing they do where you eat a cake and they hide something in the cake and whoever gets it wins the crown and becomes the queen. And guess who got to wear the crown? Yep. This girl. 

Well, I have a million thoughts and things to say, but we have to do quick emails today because I have to pack AND Soeur Pymm and I are getting our hair cut today because last week everything was closed! We found this fancy French salon that we decided to go to and are getting our hair cut by a  man named Nicolas. 

I love you and will be sending news your way next week about my new home in Melun. 

Bisous,

Olivia

the news is in:

After days of waiting and hoping and praying that I would be staying in Rennes, looks like God had some different plans for me . . . I'm heading to Paris this week! I thought I would be crying my eyes out, but I actually feel okay about it. It will all work out. I will be in a suburb of Paris called Melun. Don't know anything about it, but I will soon! So so so sad to be leaving Pymm and all of my fave people here but it will be okay. We just had lunch with Elizabeth and went to the market in Rennes one last time just in case; we thought we would be good, mais non. Keep calm and carry on. 

I love you all beaucoup! Please please keep me in your prayers extra forte this weekend. 

love 

O 

**  attention, letter-writers! please note new address as found at top of right sidebar.   **

everydayeveryweek!

Dear family,

Happy 2013! Soeur Pymm and I started off the year by making 13 goals and eating duck and . . . wait for it . . . FOIE GRAS. Quel surprise! My goals consist of a lot of mission-related things and how I want to grow spiritually, and also things like "learn how to drive stick shift" and "become best friends with the boulanger." We are off to a good start on both of those, I'll have you know. 2013 started off so well though, minus a small car accident (not our fault, I swear. Driving in downtown Rennes on tiny cobblestone streets is impossible). Our first day back to missionary work after a two day break was rougher than I thought it would be. It was hard to get back into the rhythm of it. We went porting that night though and as luck would have it we taught 2 LESSONS in ENGLISH! This guy answered the door and started closing it and saying, "Sorry I don't speak French" and then we said "Neither do we really! We speak English!" We then found out that he is from Mexico and is here going to business school. He invited us in to teach him and his two roommates from India were there. We taught them about God, and then asked them if they have ever wondered what life's purpose is. The Indian guy turned to us and yells "EVERY DAY EVERY WEEK!" (family, we can now add this to our "HOLY COW!" and "TEAM INDIA!" repertoire . . . ) We had the greatest lesson just talking to them about God and about finding purpose. They are all so nice, and we are going back to teach them. As we left Soeur Pymm says "Have you ever seen Big Bang Theory?" I just burst into laughter because seriously they ARE the guys from that show. After that we kncked on a door and an Asian guy answered who spoke English as well. He invited us in to teach and there were four other Chinese girls there. They had just finished business school here in Rennes aussi, and were leaving the next morning. None of them believe in God, or have ever really heard anything about religion. We taught them about God and then how to pray. They were so sweet and humble, and whenever I am in situations like that where I am teaching people the concept of God for the first time in their lives, I feel so blessed to be able to introduce Him. There is always a special feeling of sacredness in those lessons. Every Chinese person I have met here is so open and humble and kind. They are in China now, and I kept on thinking how lucky it was that we got to teach them the day before they left for China. Who knows if they will ever have the chance to hear about God again, but they know Him at least a little now. That makes me so happy.

The next night, I was having a really bummer day. Not because anything was necessarily wrong, but I was just exhausted and all of our lessons had fallen through. It was ten minutes before we had to go in and we decided to go visit a less active lady. Right before we went in I said a little prayer in my heart just asking God to help me realize my purpose and to help me feel His love. We got out of the car and rang the sonner and the lady rejects us (comme d'habitude) and I turn around to go home and on this empty street in the middle of a random neighborhood in Rennes, I hear "How's the preaching going?" from that same great Indian accent voice we had heard the night before. The two Indian guys happened to be on that street and we talked to them for a while, and I know it sounds silly, but I really felt like God answered my little prayer. To just help me feel like, even though I am in a city of thousands and thousands, He knows that I am here. He knows that all of us are here and that sometimes we need to feel like we are known to Him. 

Elizabeth is back from her Christmas in Italy (so jealous) and we taught her on Friday. Our lessons weave in and out of great spiritual discussions to hilarious commentary by her ( i.e. "Elizabeth, what do you think of when you think of obedience?" "Umm rules. And dogs, mostly.") and we just love her! She told us the happiest news too--her parents decided to let her get baptized! I nearly cried when she told us, just becuase of how much happiness I know this first step of the gospel brings. Yesterday she came to church and then we all went to a member's house to eat lunch (Oysters. A whole plate of them. And that was just the first course out of 5. FIVE. I kid you not) and it was great. I love teaching her because it feels like I am just talking about the gospel with my best friend or something. 

Then last night. Oh man, it was perhaps the loveliest night I have had so far on my mission. The Elders contacted a lady from Mongolia a long time ago, and then asked us to teach her, We have tried but she was moving and it was busy, but last night we finally went over to her house. We were welcomed by two sweet little Asian girls and went into their beautiful humble home and taught them the Plan of Salvation. Her name is Oyun, and they have been living in France for two years. I always hear people talk about how they find people who are "ready" for the gospel. I have never quite had that experince of feeling that until last night. We were planning on teaching other things, but we walked in and just started teaching something different, and I felt so helped with my words as I taught. We sat across the table from her and her little girl who was kneeling on the table, playing with the different pieces of the Plan of Salvation diagram. After we were done with the lesson, she told us how she has been looking for God, and how she went to another church and it didn't seem right. Soeur Pymm then said "So, you are searching for the truth?" Oyun then looked up and said "Nope," and then pointed to us and said "I have found it." She is the most humble and loving person. (For example she had to cancel a lesson last week because she was at the hospital translating for a family whose child is sick and they don't speak French) I can't wait to continue to teach her and introduce this beautiful plan to her. 

Naomi told me that she had a theme scripture for this year and I loved that idea. My scripture theme this year is, "See that you look to God and live." (Alma 37:47) I just find that often I get discouraged and rely on myself too much. But when I look to God I feel that capacity to keep on moving, and not only keep on moving, but to love each step. It is so simple--just look to God and live. 

Today Soeur Pymm and I are getting haircuts and going shopping with our Christmas money and going to the Paperie to buy dream journals. We have decided to start writing down our dreams because they have been SO hilarious and bizarre lately. Last night dream included eating lunch on the sidewalk with mom and dad in Maurepas (sketchy neighborhood in Rennes) and then running to the Metro to get mom and dad out of danger and then joining all the gangsters in a Step Up like dance on the metro. Yeah I know. And too weird to not be recorded when I need a laugh on a rainy day. 

I love you and miss you, as always. 

xoxo

Olivia 

new year's eve.

Famille,

It was so lovely seeing all of your faces on Christmas. It already feels likes years ago, but it gave me the reassurance that you are all still there and will still be there when I get back. We have recovered from the foie gras and cavier, and are feeling a little bit like the poor french Christmas goose that they stuff till it dies. But we are alive and well and living off of salads for the rest of our livesssss. Je rigole. It was great. And the members here are fantastic. Just pray that I don't have to eat another slab of foie gras. One member kept on saying "Pourquoi est-ce que vous mangez come un petit oisseau?! Mange!" 

This week was great. We had exchanges and I went to Quimper (Mom, can you believe it?! It is all coming full circle . . . ) with Soeur Bracken. Soeur Bracken was in my ward at BYU, and we both got our calls around the same time. Sometimes in the middle of knocking on doors, or walking down the 'Chocolat'esque streets, we would look at each other and say, "A few months ago we were sitting in mission prep in church together in Provo, and now we are in FRANCE being real missionaries!" Isn't time the funniest thing? It just keeps on moving and eventually something that was just an idea in your mind comes into full fruition. And suddenly you aren't just imagining a future event, you are living it. Such a strange, and oddly comforting thing. Time just keeps on moving foreard. I loved Quimper. It was really different from Rennes--much smaller, much quieter and a lot more old people. I forget sometimes that Rennes is such a universtiy city, with a lot of energy. Quimper was so so quiet. It was really hard to find people who were interested there, but we went porting and met some great characters. We ported into a man named Yves who was probably in his 80s, he was the kindest man and said he wasn't interested. Soeur Bracken asked if we could at least leave him with a prayer, and he was surprised but said yes. We said a prayer for him, asking Heavenly Father to watch over him and protect him and comfort him. When I opened my eyes after the prayer there were tears running down his face, and he just held his head in his hands and sobbed. He then told us that his wife had died recently and how alone and far away from her he has felt, until that moment when we prayed. He was embarassed, and started closing the door, but then we were able to testify of the Plan of Salvation, and how he will see his wife again. He smiled, continued to sob, and closed the door and asked us to come back another time. It was so heartbreaking. But it was also hopeful, being able to share this message with someone who is in such need of comfort. I love that hope is ultimately what the gospel gives to people. 

After sleeping over in Quimper and spending the day there, coming back into Rennes on the train felt like coming home, and it was so good to be back! Soeur Pymm and I have started teaching a family from the Congo who are just incredible. Yesterday when we were teaching them he told us that he has already read the Book of Mormon and he knows that it is the word of God. Sitting and talking with him is so enlightening and he is so insightful. He talked about how life becomes better when you embrace God's love. Not because life gets easier, but because you have the hope and trust and faith to overcome things. And then he said, "You just wake up in the morning, put your feet on the ground and say I am going to work the best I can today. I am going to apply the things I know to be good. I am going to work. When you work on what is right, God blesses you." I just love the simplicity in which he sees life. And their lives haven't been easy, but they have amazing faith. It reminded me of a quote from Elder Holland that I found that said:

"The formula of faith is to hold on, work on, see it through, and let the distress of the earlier hours--real or imagined-- fall away in the abundance of the final reward."

So voila. Hold on, work on, and see it through. We have a day filled with New Years celebration. We are going to "THE bash of the year" with DJ Hustler tonight. Just kidding, those posters are everywhere though and we laugh everytime we see it. We are actually going to an adorable little family's house to ring in the new year. Not quite DJ Hustler, but definitely more entertaining.  ALSO, this week was Soeur Pymm's birthday and I managed to shove 22 CANDLES in an orange for her birthday. We were so sick of sweets that we couldn't do cake. And then we blew up those bubble ballons and did wish paper wishes. Pictures to come next week. Also, we have been tracking down this Asian family named the Ho's who are inactive. Last night we finally found their appartment building and we sonner her and she answers and says "No one is here you can't come up." When we told her well, YOU are there, can we at least bring you something? She replied "cough cough cough I am so sick cough cough" She needs to work on her acting skills. It was hilarious. Soeur Pymm and I laughed the whole way home. Why people fear two little American girls so much is beyond me. Well, I must be off. 

I love you all! 

beaucoup beaucoup d'amour,

Liv