Bonjour bonjour!
This week is going to be photo dump week. Because pictures are worth more than a thousand words and this week I am feeling a little wordless. It was a wonderful week though. Things really slowed down, and it was actually a nice change of pace. We cleaned the old apartment for the new Elders (who are both so so awesome) before they came, and didn't have a lot of rdvs. But we saw so many wonderful things quand meme. I'll just share a few of my favorite moments of the week.
After cleaning the apartment we went porting and knocked on the very first door and the kindest lady let us in. She is from Cameroon and said that prayer is "the food of her day." She is wonderful and we are teaching her again tomorrow.
On Saturday we put together a little musical arrangement of I Know That My Redeemer Lives for a woman in our ward. She recently lost her husband and she is the sweetest person. Soeur Bitter played the violin and I sang, and then after we sat in her home and listened to her stories from when she met her husband, when she lived in Algeria, about her 11 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. I love learning people stories. Everyone has one and it is so beautiful to see how people have become who they are.
That night we went to visit a recent convert named Faith who has been in Africa for that past month. She visited people in the hospitals and just sat with them and talked to them about how they are not alone and that God is there and He loves them. She is one of the calmest, wisest people. As we left her apartment this man waved us down (literally—both arms flailing through the air. It was awesome.) and asked us who we are and what our story is. He told us that he has always had problems with religion and such. He is a big history buff and a scientist and has had a "tumultuous relationship with God," but now he believes and when we asked him who God is to him his face lit up and he started waving those arms again and just yelled "He is the creator of all, the creator of beauty!" I loved it and I loved him. Our new friend Olivier. And now he doesn't think we are a cult because we "are far too nice and normal." Voila. Sometimes when people say things like that I feel like a successful missionary.
And then today! Best. Pday. Ever. It is yet ANOTHER jour ferie in France, and so we stayed in Melun and went to explore the forest. Yes. FOREST. We go running in the mornings and noticed this awesome chateau up in the trees and then noticed a trailhead and so we went and explored it. We didn't find the chateau, but it was magical and I felt like I was in Oregon and it was rainy and green and I loved it. I love Soeur Bitter. We were just goofy and it felt like I was a normal kid again. I'm a real boy!
Alright, short and sweet I know. But I love you I love you I love yooooouuuu. You are in my thoughst and prayers always.
Love,
Olivia
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