joyeux noel

Bonjour!

 

The Christmas music is playing on the streets, people are selling holly wreaths and bouquets and it is almost Christmaaaaas! Which means I get to talk to you in two days. So I will make this a quick short email, but just wanted to share a Christmas miracle with you.

 

So remember Paula? The woman we met last week? We met with her this week and basically she is a long lost soul friend. I just love her. She is one of those people who is easy to laugh and love, and she just exudes light. She reminds me a LOT of Laura Pertab. So obvs she is great. She told us all about her life story — born and raised in Brazil, was in the army, moved to Spain, studied PoliSci, teaches Portuguese classes here, makes jewelry out of garbage she finds on the street, has been searching for truth — she is the coolest. We watched a video of the birth of Christ with her and she was in tears, and we talked about Christ and why this Christmas season is so important. She told us about how she sees something inside of us that she wants, that assurance that "God is at your side." We told her that is exactly why we are here and that she can have that. We shared the scripture in Luke 2:

 

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Obviously the reasons and necessities of a Savior are many, but I love this verse for so many reasons.  I love that the first thing the angel says is "fear not." That is the same message of the Savior today. We don't have to fear the future, our sins, our sadnesses, our shortcomings, because of Him. Because of him we can live peacefully and have a calm assurance that when we turn to Him all will be well. We don't need to fear. And He is simply a good message of joy.

So we talk to her about that and she says,

"Well, I really hope I have just found the truth becase Buddhism is my last option and I don't want to shave my head and orange really isn't my color."

I know she has found it, and it is a miracle. She and her kids came to the Branch Christmas party and it was a hit and there is a Branch member who speaks Portuguese and they just chatted the whole night and yaaaay! And then as we are leaving her daughter Maria says "Wait we didn't say a prayer together, we can't leave!" So cute.

Also the Christmas party could be a whole email in and of itself, I will have to tell you all about it on Skype — the Young Men did a poetry reading and a choreographed dance number, there were small plays, and a history reading of the Loire valley. It was ADORABLE. And Soeur Doyle and I sang and played the guitar which was so so much fun.

Can't wait to talk to you soon. Merry Christmas, I love you from Blois to the moon.

xoxo

Olivia