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
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