here comes the sun

Helloooooo!

Let me just preface this week by saying that contrary to what the past few months of emails have seemed, I promise I am not a hypochondriac, claiming to be sick all the time and making up all these sicknesses. Melun seems to weaken my immune system because guess what? Soeur Bitter and I got a nasty virus this week and were like two wounded soldiers. This virus was the virus king, because it included everything you could ever want in an illness! After a conversation with the mission doctor, Dr. Lazarus (Not kidding. His name is really Dr. Lazarus. "Arise") he advised us to stay indoors when at all possible. Here's the thing: since Soeur Bitter has arrived I have been this sad sickly trainer. At first I was thinking "Come on Rhondeau snap into it, why are you so exhausted?!" But voila. We blame the virus. So a lot of the week is sort of a zombie-like blur to us of missing busses and then waiting for busses in the rain etc etc.  And then yesterday came and it was like a whole new world. It was about 65 degrees, blue skies and sun sun sun! And we felt better! And it was our first day as lively energetic missionary comps together and let me tell you: Soeur Bitter and I have fun when we are actually alive. It is like she said yesterday "We should've known we would be like this when we are healthy. Even when we are sick we were lying on the floor laughing our heads off." Mmhmm. I love my collegue. 

Yesterday was a day of so many beautiful things and miracles. We had found quite a few people to teach, and yesterday we went and stopped by. France wakes up in the sun. It is amazing, almost like a whole different country. In the neighborhoods we were in there were BBQs, and music playing and little kids playing soccer everywhere. We taught a woman named Denise who is from Togo and had a lot of questions about God. I love teaching people who have lots and lots of questions. It makes it more of a discussion, and it was really neat to see her open up. We are going back next week to teach the Plan de Salut. And our BFF Aline from the ward is back after a few weeks in London, and she taught with us and went porting with us yesterday and it was so so fun! She is terrified of dogs, so we would ring the door bell and if she heard a dog bark she would jump and hide behind the car. Oh la la, la vie missionaire. But we walked all over the place yesterday and we didn't even wear coats or tights. I can't express the joy. Six months of tight and coat wearing in France seems to finally be coming to an end! We went to dinner at the Ponelles last night, and their son came to the gate to let us in. Let me just give you a description of this kid: skinniest tiniest little 11 year old guy with glasses, and a heart of gold. As he opened the gate he says, with a very suave look on his face, "I can tell that you are worried. I'm not home alone, so you can come in and don't have to worry about breaking the rules." Favorite moment of the day. And then we ate "Mexican Crepes." I think they are called burritos or something in America? 

One of the highlights of my week was when we stopped by an old ami whom I had never met, but I just kept on feeling like we should go see her. We stopped by and she told us that her daughter, who had taken the missionary discussions as well, recently passed away. She is so heartbroken and sad, and we were able to share Alma 7:11 with her and talk about how Christ lived so that he might heal us and understand us and succor us in need. As we talked to her and testified of the truth that she can see her family again I really felt like we were sent there to her that day to help her. The more I am a missionary the more I feel like there is nothing that I really do. I feel like we are just guided and led to people who need healing and really need the aid of God. We also taught Amma this week and she is doing so well. She really is just one of those people who makes you feel like a million bucks when you are with her. She just exudes love. Aaaand she offered to take me and Soeur Bitter to Africa after our missions! Ha! We told her how we wanted to go visit Africa after meeting so many people here in France from Africa and she said "Well then I shall accompany you. You must have an African there with you." She is the best. 

Petula is still lovely and progressing, minus the fact that she was in and out of the hospital with her daughter Grace this past week with a crazy high fever. And now she has gotten whatever Grace had. Poor thing. 

I am really loving being here. This week reawakened my love for missionary work. I saw the WHY of it all again, and really found joy in talking to people. We are so lucky for having this gospel in our lives. I love you all beaucoup beacoup!!!!!

Love

Liv