faux pas dire

the pretty cathedrale up the street

Chere Family,

Still basking in the happiness of seeing your faces on Christmas. It was a lovely day and I was blown away slash touched to the point of tears at the kindness of the Branch here in Blois and the kindness from you across the sea. 

Yesterday we had what is one of our final mangez-vous of the season (thank heavens. I am seriously feeling like a stuffed Christmas goose.) chez the Branch President and his family. After the giant cheese plate came out I asked them what their favorite cheese was. They stared at me blankly.

 "C'est pas possible." I told them I would rephrase the question, and said

"Okay, okay if you could only have one cheese for the rest of your life and all the other cheese in the world were wiped out which one would you choose? "

They. Were. Horrified. I have never seen a look of such fear. 

"Écoute Soeur Rhondeau. That is impossible. No. Don't joke about things like that. That is like me asking you what your favorite kind of apple is. It is just not tha—"

"Pink Lady."

Silence and blank stares. 

"It is not that simple." 

Lesson learned. We do NOT talk lightly about such topics here in France. I love that about them. 

So other than my major cheese faux pas, it was a swell week. We were able to watch the Restoration video with Paula, and she loved it and we love her. We were a little wiped out this week, but one night we went to do finding and it was rough and long and then we knocked on a door and a family let us in and they are amazing. They are from Congo Kinshasa and are so full of faith. Before I tell the rest of this story let me preface it. When we teach lessons 99 percent of the time the TV is on. People always have their TVs on. ALWAYS. And when we ask them to turn it off they just turn it down. So we teach our little lesson and go to kneel down to say a prayer together and I start speaking, when the dad stops me mid sentence and tells me to wait, and then TURNS OF THE TV before motioning to me to start praying again. And then the son asks if he can pray after us. Biggest miracle of the week. 

blois

me and Maggy, a recent convert in the Branch, on Christmas. She made me the coolest head towel thing.

People were just so kind to us this week. It was really .... touching. That is the only word that I can use to describe it. Sometimes people aren't so nice to missionaries. But then when people are kind it just seriously turns my day around. Everything feels lighter. Kindness is powerful. I found this quote by George Albert Smith that I LOVE:

"What a joy, what a comfort, what a satisfaction can be added to the lives of our neighbors and friends through kindness. How I would like to write that word in capital letters and emblazon it in the air. Kindness is the power that God has given us to unlock hard hearts and subdue stubborn souls."

I want to write it in capital letters and emblazon it is the air too. And maybe we can. By being kind. We can't win every battle we fight, but we can be kind. And maybe that is worth even more than winning. 

I love you BEAUCOUP! So so much. And I love that I learned kindness from you, and I love that I get to be here representing Him, who was the kindest of them all. 

à la semaine prochaine, 

Olivia