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Me & Stahly with our Thanksgiving meal. Seriously one of the best I have ever had.

Hello family!

 

Had the happiest Thanksgiving week. We spent the day before walking a million miles, trying to find people (we never found them), but we did find out a lot of fun things about each other. Something I love about missions is the time you have to talk to just one person. You would think that after two months of non-stop togetherness you would know everything there is to know. Not true. Always more. Like one of my favorite Jane Austen quotes,

 

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever.” 

 

That night we got home late after an emergency call to go help someone do their home teaching ('on call' takes on a whole new meaning as a missionary), and we hadn't baked a single thing and somehow came up with a banana cream pie and pumpkin cake. We all met in Paris for Thanksgiving and we took the RER C, which means we got to see the replica of the Statue of Liberty, which just made me especially thankful for America and freedom and home. The day of Thanksgiving was spent with our amazing zone (and zone leaders ... who are Canadian ... and organized a the whole thing. Bless their hearts). We made feather headdresses and ate food and played games and sang and talked. It was just the most beautiful day. 

The district. Hats with thankful feathers. You each made it on there.

I left feeling so full of happiness and home and light. It was something you just wanted to have forever, you know? I think what was so wonderful was that we were all together and there were no distractions and we are pretty much all any of us has here. We don't have our family here, so we create one. I think that is what eternity is. Being with people you love, with no distractions or fears. And I love that this Holiday stems from gratitude. That we remember what we have been given and who we are. Some days it feels like nothing is happening or that I am not becoming. But this week helped me just stop and remember.  I love this quote from Elder Eyring:

 

"Remembrance is the seed of gratitude which is the seed of generosity. Gratitude for the remission of sins is the seed of charity, the pure love of Christ. And so God has made possible for you and me this blessing, a change in our very natures: “And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.” (Moroni 8:26)"

 

And then I remember Mom and Dad and Naomi and Daniel and E and this person and that person and suddenly I am full of hope and gratitude. And I remember God, and how He has this plan and how we have this beautiful gift of change. And through Christ we can change and be filled with perfect love, until that day when "all the saints shall dwell with God.” All of us together! That is eternity. And there is always something new to be observed in each of us, because we change and grow and will continue to get to know eachother and I just think it is beautiful.

 

So this week just remember. Remember all of the beautiful blessings of life and that you are known and loved by God.

 

The rest of our week is a bit of a haze because of the nasty virus I caught, and spent a lot of dizzy days in bed. But I'm back and all is well, and am just happy for this week.

 

I love you.

 

xo

 

Sœur Rhondeau

Marylline and Serena! Look at my hand that mysteriously morphed into an African hand. We laughed for a long time.

Me and Prisca! Visiting her was so wonderful. Her family is doing so well, and she is just glowing with happiness.