la.la.liv

Buon giorno Principessa!

The sun is OUT and France has started shedding their clothing. The number of 

1. pantless 

2. shirtless or 

3. all of the above 

people that opened their doors to us this week was a little frightening. Soeur Bradley and I had to bite our tongues a few times, just focus on looking at their faces, and try not laugh too hard. 

This week was good. A few ups and downs, but the work is progressing so well in this little ville. Our friend Anna is seriously incredible. This week we taught both the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. After our lessons she cuts us up amazing amounts of fruit and we sit and talk about life. She told us all about the Armenian quarter in Jerusalem that she lived in for six years, and about living in a city that holds so much history. On Friday she came to translate a lesson for us and she was basically a sister missionary. Defending and testifying of the Book of Mormon. And we have only known her for a little over a week! She came to church with us again on Sunday and the ward loves her and we love her. She is so full of love and thanksgiving all the time. 

Last week the elders met this woman in centre ville who came up to them and told them that she wants to meet with the missionaries. So they sent us her number and we planned to meet her in Centre Ville. Soeur Bradley and I go to our appointed meeting spot and we felt like we were waiting for a blind date or something. We were laughing so hard guessing who it could possibly be. "Oh my gosh it is totally her look she is coming towards us it is definitely — !! Oh wait. Not her." This went on for forty minutes. She eventually showed up and with her son Foued (p.s. we totally thought his name was Fred and he just had a speech impediment and was saying "Fwed." That's a whole other story though) and we sat on the cathedral steps (ironic?) and had a lesson with them. At the end of the lesson she pulled me and Soeur Bradley into her arms, kissed our cheeks and said "Vous etes comme mes filles! Je vous aime!" She is our new fun, whacky and totally full of faith grandma who considers us to be her daughters. So great. 

This week we had an Armenian dinner with the Sevoyans and it was AMAZING. The lesson was a little crazy, with their kids dancing on tables and whatnot, but the food was so good. Mme Sevoyan is so kind. She is one of the purest examples of kindness and selflessness that I have ever seen. 

One of my favorite moments of the week was a miracle that we saw at church. the elders had been telling us about this large group of Albanians that joined the church in Albania and then moved to France, but they haven't been able to find the church in France, etc. So they are sort of like these lost tribes of people in France that the missionaries are always trying to find. The other day the elders were at the gare and this group of kids came running up to them and told them that they were members of the church and if there was a church in Nancy. The elders gave them the card, but then had no way of contacting them because they didn't have an address. They have been praying that they would find them somehow, and then yesterday they walked into church! They are the biggest breath of fresh air I have seen in a while. They don't speak French, but speak a little English and they are ADORABLE. There is a girl that is 18, and then 4 other boys who are younger. Soeur Bradley leaned over to me during the lesson and said "Okay, they are TOTALLY the Albanian version of One Direction or some other boy band." It's the truth. These cute little Albanian boys, some are members, some aren't, and they were just full of so much light. They laughed and smiled and joked, which was a nice change from the sometimes too serious French mentality. And then they would have these beautiful comments full of simple faith. I left the lesson thinking, "I want to be more like them." They have a large family who aren't all members, and this week we set up a time to meet them in a park and teach them. I just love how many people from all over the world bring something so unique and needed to the gospel. They were so fun, and I can't wait to be able to start teaching them and their families. 

Another favorite moment of the week: I forgot to mention the fact that there is basically a wizard store under our apartment. Wands, cloaks, fairies, swords, gems etc etc. I KNOW. Not even kidding. Soeur Bradley and I have been saying that we need to go in soon, so the other day during lunch we went and it. was. epic. We walked in and there was Celtic music playing and we may or may not have done a little Irish jig. They have handcrafted wands. And a replica of King Arthur's round table, with all of the little replica knights that is 450 EUROS. We died. So hilarious. But also legitimately awesome. How in the world do we live over a magic store? Quelle chance. 

Well, I love you a lot. This week was harder, not necessarily because of the work, just because I was feeling a little down and overwhelmed. Sometimes life just gets a little hard, and you feel a little or a lot  tired. But I know that there is always hope and happiness and good things ahead, and that when we trust in God and keep on moving forward, tout sera bien enfin. Voila quoi. 

Je t'aime!

xo

Soeur Rhondeau