h o m e c o m i n g

Soeur Rhondeau 

will be speaking about her mission

this Sunday, March 16th

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Please email

e.rhondeau (at) gmail (dot) com

for details if you'd like to attend.

hourra!!

bonus!

I love this pretty film and plus some of my missionary friends are the elders in it!

fin

Dear family,

 

At the beginning of last week I kept on thinking about how great it would be if the last week of my mission could be a summary week of some sorts. You know, everything I have felt or experienced or seen the past year and a half all condensed in one week. That of course is impossible, as time itself is what makes these experiences what they are. That being said, this week was a hilarious and beautiful mix of the realities and the joy of being a missionary. Not the least of which was being stuck on a bus for two hours and two of us getting extremely car sick and laying across the seats on the bumpy road. Or getting stranded in a random ville with no transportation back to Blois for five hours (luckily for us there were castle ruins we got to explore while waiting). Or sitting in testimony meeting on Sunday and hearing Paula stand up and testify of the love of God and how it has changed her while her children are sticking stickers on my face. Or the African woman at the bus stop this morning who saw our name tags and proclaimed her love for God to us and to everyone at the stop, with her beautiful African dress and wide eyed children at her sides. Or the elevator in the Zup that smells like it has been there for a million years and feels like it has been there that long too. Now somehow even that seems strangely beautiful and sentimental.

 

All of these people and places are what have made up the last year and a half of my life and I will be forever grateful that God let me come and learn from them and with them, through the good and the hard and the happy and the painful.

 

Someone asked me what I have learned on my mission this week. How do you answer that?! I thought of this scripture:

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.Phillipians 4:11-13

I think that sums it up as well as my Blois library hour computer time permits what I have learned. To be full, but to also suffer need; to understand that Christ is there for us in ALL of these moments, and through Him we can do all things. We can do all things! Life isn't supposed to be easy, it is supposed to be full in order to make us whole.  I have seen this promise of strength carry me through this adventure here in France, and the evidence of it has been made real to me as I watch the lives of my amis here become stronger through Christ. I know that His church is restored here on earth and it is a beautiful thing to be able to share it with others. And I am really eternally thankful for it all and you all who have helped me here.

 

I love this mission and France and you! I cannot WAIIIT to see you this week. Must be off.

 

à tout de suite (!)

 

Soeur Olivia Rhondeau

Bonjour tout le monde! 

I have officially been a missionary for 18 months. Can you believe it? 

It was a good good week. 

Paula was confirmed in church yesterday. I didn't hear any of it because Aiman was going craaaaazy during sacrament meeting and putting stickers all over my face and sticking his pet rock in my eyes, but it apparently was a very beautiful blessing! When she talked about the moments when she feels the spirit she said she just feels as though she could run and dance and she just wants to share her joy with everyone! And she does! Well, minus the running and dancing thing. She shares the gospel with everyyyoonne. Rockstar missionary. Her friend in Tours is getting baptized. Déja. It has changed her so much that she can't imagine not wanting to share it with others. 

Sweet Valbona was invited to a member's house for family night and we talked about faith. For someone who is so new to the Gospel she is just so open and receptive to the spirit. We talked about faith and how we don't need to KNOW all. We just have to start out with desire and belief. She has been reading the Book of Mormon every day and when we asked her how it made her feel she said 

"I feel myself. I feel strong." 

Somehow everything she says in her broken English is more profound than a million words. 

I kind of feel like Valbona today. I can't find my words and I am not sure how to express myself and how I feel about it being the last week of my mission. But I do know that my mission has made me more  myself; and it has made me strong(er). And it is the most wonderful thing to see that in others as well. 

Defranchi left us for Taiwan this week. Sad to see her go, but happy to welcome Soeur Doyle back into the équipe — now we are trois! 

There were lots of other adventures this week — but I am afraid my time at the Blois library is coming to a close and they are kicking me off the computers. 

I love you and I know that this gospel makes us strong and helps us to know who we really are: children of God. 

A très bientot!

Olivia

all things are become new.

chambord

Hi!

Many people may think that Valentine's Day as a missionary is the most uneventful holiday of the year for girls who are often mistaken by strangers on the bus as 'bonne soeurs' (aka NUNS). But my-oh-my this week was filled with more love than any other Valentine's week I have had before. Because sharing God's love is just fun. This week Lefrandt and I went a little crazy and made a million heart sugar cookies and handed them out, with a scripture that sort of became the theme of the week: 

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Corinthians 2:9

I saw and heard and felt the love of God through so many experiences this week. We met with Valbona again this week and she talked about how all week long she has just wanted to come back to the church so that she can have that feeling again. We told her that she can have the spirit with her often, not just at church. We gave her the Book of Mormon and invited her to read it and to pray to know if it was true. She said "Well I already know it is true. I would not feel this way if it was not." She has the most sincere desire to seek truth and knowledge. Then this morning she called us and said, "I started read the book. It is a good book!" So adorable. 

Paula was baptized yesterday and it was one of the most beautiful days I have experienced this past year and a half. A rainbow came out (not even kidding), the whole branch showed up, and it was just beautiful. After she came out of the font she hugged us and through tears said "I am new, I am new!"  She stood up and bore her testimony at the end of the baptism and said:

"I left my country a long long time ago. Since then I have always been searching for a home. Today is the first day I feel at home. Today I have found my family." 

And she is home and she has found her family. God really does prepare beautiful things for us. Sometimes we can't see them or hear them or understand them, but that is because they are too wonderful to even comprehend. Just a few months ago Paula was a woman we met on the road who said that she wasn't sure if God was there. Et voila! He is there and we are never too far away for Him to find us. After the baptism Valbona came up to us and said "I would like to do this too." We assured her that could definitely happen. 

We can become new. All of us. 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Speaking of becoming new... some habits just don't go away. Remember that one time I left the camera in the taxi the very first day we got to New Zealand? Yeah. Remember that time I left Paula's baptismal clothes in Blois and I realized while we were already in the train heading for Tours? Mmmhmm. Some things don't change. Thank heavens for amazing members who save the day and search their closets for white dresses. A phone and a baptism dress. In the space of two weeks.  There is still hope for me right? 

I love you from Blois to the moon. Have a happy week. 

Love

Olivia

morning run on the loire.

Dear family, 

Sorry for the day late email! We have had a good, crazy week. 

Paula is officially preparing to be baptized this weekend and our lessons with her have been lovely. This week we talked about the Word of Wisdom and she gasped over the no coffee thing, but then was quiet for about 3 seconds and said, "That's easy. I quit smoking a year ago, so this will be fine. No problem." She so readily accepts change. She said what she has loved most in getting to know God and making changes in her life is that it is free. We search and search and search for things to fill us and make us whole and better, often things that are material or fleeting or empty. My favorite quote of the lesson was this:

"It is free and it makes you free." 

I think that is perhaps the most concise and beautiful way I have heard someone sum up the gospel on my mission. It comes with a personal price of work and change, but the change makes us free and liberates us from the things that bind us. There is such a visible change in her. She announced to us and some members in the ward that she is going to serve a mission someday, too :) 

Paula lives in a hotel for the moment, and in the hotel there are a lot of refugees or immigrants that come and go. Paula is the angel of the hotel and takes care of ALL of them. Translates when she can, takes them to meetings with their social workers, helps them around town, and also introduces them to the missionaries. Which we love :) 

One such friend is a woman from Albania named Valbona. Paula brought her to our rdv this week so that we could speak to her in English. She has been in France for two weeks and doesn't speak a lick of French. She speaks English very well though, so we were able to translate somethings and then teach her. Everytime I meet someone who has a hard life I think "Wow, that's it. That is the hardest story I have heard yet." And then I meet someone like Valbona. Once again, moms are the unsung heroes of the world. She is here with her little six-year-old son and he is so adorable and she is just doing her best to be happy and strong. As we taught her about prayer she listened so eagerly and intently. At the end of the lesson she pointed to her heart and said "I feel something here; I don't know what it is, but I feel something." She said that she prays, and we asked how she feels when she prays: "Better." 

On Sunday she came to church and Soeur Lefrandt translated for her and when they said the opening prayer she turned to her, pointed to her heart and said "I am crying! Why?" During the lesson something was said about priesthood blessings and she asked if she could have one after sacrament meeting. There was someone visiting the branch who spoke English (miracle) and he gave her the sweetest blessing of comfort. After the blessing she was in tears and Paula came in and just hugged her and held her. It was so beautiful to see her helping others already with the gospel and with the innate love that she already has. It made me think of our baptismal covenants and this scripture: 

 8 ... and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

I love that we covenant to bear each others' burdens and comfort those in need and be a witness of God. I am amazed at all of the witnesses of God I have seen on my mission. They are everywhere and they are so good and kind and true.  I also love that He asks us to do these things so that He can pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon us. 

It is free and it makes us free. And it just makes sense. 

Another highlight of the week was Aiman praying at the beginning of our rdv. Still prays about cars, and is really hoping to get a blue one. I love it. 

I love you and miss you and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love

Olivia

the quest for joy

on the train going to paris for the conference

Dear family,

This week was really wonderful. There was a conference in Paris, we went to Nancy for legality, and the sun is shining today. I also lost our phone on the train but I don't even want to talk about it. So the conference was beautiful. Elder Kearon came to speak to us and he was so refreshingly real and his British accent was lovely. Just so many beautiful phrases and witty remarks. What I really loved was his overarching message: We are here to help God's children come home. And He wants them home because he loves them. Thus, what missionary work is is a labor of love, and we should never forget that. Cheers cheers and Amen. 

So I had to finish my legality in Nancy and Soeur Lefrandt and I felt like we were going on a roadtrip. We had peanut M&Ms, we had our weekend bags, we had so much fun. Sad news is that I walked in to the office and they said "You can only pick up your visas on Wednesday." Would have been nice to know BEFORE we took the train across the country, but ça va. We had a million adventures, I got to see my Albanians for the last time before I come home, and Lefrandt and I had a grand time. 

in Nancy for my legality BEST EVER! Didn't get my carte de sejour but did get to
eat peanut m&ms and road trip with my bff lefrandt!

Did I ever tell you about the sushi restaurant by our house? Well there is a sushi restaurant that has Miso soup and cabbage salad for a euro and it has become one of our favorite spots. Soeur Lefrandt and I have also been thinking a lot about finding new people to teach, and we were praying specifically for someone we could teach. And Soeur Lefrandt was like "I just think they are going to be Asian. I just feel it." So we went to celebrate Chinese New Year at the sushi place (I know I know, sushi is Japanese) and by the end of the night we were best friends with the girl that works there who is adorable and from China. She gave us free cakes and then said "Do you guys want to go to the swimming pool with me tomorrow?" I had to stop myself from saying YESSSSSHHH! and instead said "Well we can't go swimming, but can we make American food together this week?" Keep it cool Rhondeau, keep it cool. We have a new friend and she is adorable. And God leads us in mysterious ways. 

We came back from Paris and  Nancy and the week was nearly over, but we continued to see so many happy things. Paula is a miracle. At church she pulled me aside and told me she had a big concern. Of course, my heart drops and I am thinking of all of the possibilities and she says "I have been studying tithing and the thing is I can't pay it. I don't have an income. But I want to pay it SO BADLY and so I was wondering if I could clean the church instead? Is there anything I can do to make up for it? I wish I could pay because I kinow that some of it goes towards helping you missionaries, and I want more missionaries to go out and one day I want Maria to go." She is a powerhouse and the sweetest example to me. She has already scouted out a church by her mom's house in Brazil and has sent her the address and asked us to send the missionaries to her. 

with Sarah. She said the most epic prayer for me and Lefrandt this week, holding hands and all. And she prayed that we would find good husbands for about five minutes. With faith like Sarah's, our future is set :)

I just love all of these people and I think the most beautiful and favorite part of my mission is feeling how much God loves them. Not one of them less than another. And like Elder Kearon said, God just wants them to come home happy and fulfilled. And he wants you to come home happy and fulfilled. Soeur Lefrandt and I have been talking lately about how hard things don't have to be bad things, and easy things aren't always good things. Missions are hard and life is hard, but it is all strengthening us to become. And as we become we search for joy, a joy that is lasting. I love this quote that has been a favorite of mine throughout my mission:

"His gift to those who testify of Him is not freedom from hard work or sorrow or stretching but the surety that every ounce of effort in His name is an investment in joy."

So every time we go through something hard or stretching, it is an investment in joy. The more we are expanded and stretched, the more room for growth and real joy. So those are my scatterbrained sushi-nancy-joy-paris-joy-tithing thoughts for you this third day of February. If you feel so inclined you should read the whole talk called "The Quest for Joy:" 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2005/07/the-quest-for-joy?lang=eng

I feel like my mission has been a quest for joy, and life is a quest for joy and everyone we talk to is on their own quest for joy. I love that we are all in it together and that God has provided a way for us to find it.  Je vous aime. Always always. Have a great week! 

xoxo

Soeur Rhondeau

Bonjouuuur! 

Today I had good customer service in a French store! She smiled! She asked if I needed help! She didn't get mad when I knocked something off the hanger! Just thought I would start out with something happy. 

And this week was really happy. Soeur Lefrandt arrived and it seems that the fact that [mom and dad] were friends with her parents just ensured our friendship. She is so wonderful. We go running every morning, eat the same food, have the same clothes (really. It is kind of bizarre) and have a grand ole time together.  I think the fates put us together for my last transfer. We have a visa waiter here named Soeur Defranchi as well and she is great. She is going to Taiwan and is half Taiwanese and teaches us cool Chinese things. 

But the most beautiful news of the week is this: Paula is getting baptized! We had our FHE last Monday night and we walked in and she ushers us over and shows us her tablet and how she has downloaded every single thing she could from lds.org. Book of Moromon, DandC, you name it. She was thrilled. As were we.

We taught Plan du Salut and focused on earth life, and how while here we are subject to hard things —  to sin, to sadness, to things outside of our control. And we talked about Christ and how through Him we can overcome this, and not just overcome it, but become because of it. We talked about prayer as an important moyen to communicate with God and navigate our way through life. We asked her if she had been praying and she said 

"Well last night Aisha woke up with a fever and was screaming and I exhausted and at my wits end, and I simply cried out to God 'Are you there?!' And then Aisha stopped crying, looked at me, and fell asleep. So it works!"

We went through prayer and invited her to pray every day. She said she would and two days later she called me and said 

"Rhondeau, it WORKS! The first day I prayed about thirty times and today my heart is continually praying. Every time I am overwhelmed I pray and I receive peace in my heart. My kids even asked me what is happening to me, they said 'Maman we like you like this'"

One of the most beautiful moments of my mission. To see someone change through prayer and God's love. Yesterday at church she said 

"I have changed so much in one month, can you imagine who I will be in a year?!" 

I loved that. How beautiful. That is the point of all of this. Of baptism, of faith, of repentance. To change how we see ourselves and God and the world and prepare us for eternity. We read this scripture with her and I love it: 

And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;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.

I love that the fruits of what we do when we follow Christ are the feeling of hope and perfect love that helps us be diligent until the end, until we are all together again, united with God. 

This is all true. It is beautiful and I love seeing it change hearts and families. I also love that Aiman has a stuffed animal scottie dog named Clauchard that he carries around with him everywhere, and makes us bisous it chaque fois. 

The other night our neighbors had a craaaazy party right above us and it sounded like the party was in our house it was so loud. So what does our new Fench friend do? Hit the ceiling with a broom and then calls the cops at one a.m. The perks of living with a sassy frenchie. 

Je vous aime. BEAUCOUP. Have a happy week. 

Love 

Olivia

Salut!

This was a week of the most small and simple miracles.  I love being on a mission because you get to see (or perhaps you have the TIME to see) how God is in the details of our lives. 

So Paula grew up speaking Portuguese, but then lived in Spain where she spoke Catalan. She loves speaking Catalan and has been searching for books in Catalan for a long time so she can read to her kids. But she cannot find them anywhere. Now a little side story — Two months ago we were in Versailles and I saw this smaller-looking Book of Mormon on the shelf and, for a reason totally unbeknownst to me at the time, picked it up and stuck it in my bag and kept it with me ever since. This week we taught Paula about the Book of Mormon (which she was THRILLED about and had already done research and was hanging on every word) and guess which Book of Mormon I had in my bag? The Catalan one! She was THRILLED. Smile on the face, tears in her eyes. When we asked her to read a chapter she said "Well yeah I will read that, but could I read the whole thing too?" Yes Paula, yes you can. 

This week we were on the bus going to a lesson, and I was sick and not feeling so well, but we get on the bus and Paula and her kids are there, and then as we are on the bus I look out the window for a split second and see the Albanians that used to be in Blois but had to leave! We jumped off the bus and laughed and cried and hugged and took pictures together and it was her birthday. Small thing, but important thing. 

Then on Sunday we walked to church with Paula and the kids, and guess what? The teacher of the amis class speaks Portuguese. And so does is wife. And so does our ward mission leader. So they sat there chattering about in Portuguese (while I sat with Aiman coloring and eating snacks. He won't go to Primary and I secretly don't mind at all because then he gets to sit with me) and throughout the lesson they would translate what was going on. We talked about God and the preexistence and Paula was crying tears of joy and said "I believe this and I have always believed this!" It was beautiful. I love something a teacher at the MTC said: "We aren't in the business of teaching people. We are in the business of reminding them." I see it all the time. We are simply helping them remember. 

And then we ate couscous with Amina and it was a FEAST. Man, Middle Eastern food is GOOD. And she is so so sweet and she talked about God and her faith and we love her. 

So this week I just was amazed at the little things that God prepares for us. Is it the end of the world if Paula reads the Book of Mormon in Portuguese instead of Catalan? No. Is it the end of the world if we don't see the Albanians on their birthday? No. Is it the end of the world if we have our lessons in French and not Portuguese? Nope. But what is important to us is important to God. He is in the details. Because He knows us and He loves us. And to be able to recognize the little details of joy that He puts in our lives just makes life happier.

 

And guess what? So our District leader was joking around with us last night and was like 'They are totally going to put a second equipe in Blois etc' and we were like don't even joke about things like that and then he was RIGHT! Soeur Doyle and I are getting split up but both of us are staying and opening up a new equipe and I am going to be comps with Soeur Lefrandt. So today is the last first day of a transfer on my mission. Whoa. Excited to be opening up a new equipe here in Blois. And then there were four. Lots of good things to come. And we have an FHE with the Ferreira's and Paula. 

I love you. 

Love

Soeur Rhondeau

Bonjour! 

The week in review:

Met an amazing new amie named Amina. We had found her number that the old soeurs left, gave her a call and she said "I have been waiting for your call for months, what happened?!" She is from a Muslim background and is from Algeria and has the most beautiful little children in the world. Her 4 year old is obsessed with police and by the end of our rdv I had about ten police cars, helicopters and other various items and toys piled up on my lap. Amina embodies kindness. She is one of the most beautiful people inside and out. We talked about faith and prayed and then she invited us back to eat an Algerian meal with her! We are going tomorrow and I can't wait. 

Another lost and forgotten amie named Mirlande invited us over and we went with a member because she lives far away. Two hours later we are lost in the countryside but it was secretly a tender mercy because I got to see beautiful scenery and chateaus and I know it doesn't REALLY matter, but it was a nice tender mercy quand meme. We eventually found her and she is wonderful. From Haiti and full of love and faith. 

I mentioned in passing to Paula that I have always wanted to do service on my mission but can never find associations that will take us. She calls two days later and tells me we have a rdv at a shelter in Blois that she will take us to on Friday. She is a SAINT. She did this in the midst of finding out some awful news at the hospital and caring for her three kids. She is the most pure example of turning outward. So we went to the rdv and it was just a beautiful thing. People of all backgrounds and walks of life sitting and eating together. We get to start next week distributing food. I cannot wait! 

We had a rdv with a man that Pymm taught and saw baptized when she was in Blois. He is the most tenderhearted, heart broken person. He has struggled with so many hard things, and this week we talked about re-finding faith. He feels that he has lost it and cannot get it back, or is not worthy to get it back. We talked about Alma 32 and about DESIRE. How desire is what we need, and then our faith grows from there. 

We had exchanges in Paris and it was lovely to be back. Such a busy, moving city. We taught another beautiful Muslim woman there who is actually getting baptized! It is such a beautiful thing to meet these people who would have otherwise just been strangers on the street. 

I just love these people. It is really the most beautiful part of being here. They bring so much to the world with their light and their faith and their stories. A pretty quote for the week:

"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest to you."

Such a good mantra. We need not look far, juist help the person nearest to you. 

Those are my thoughts for this week. I love you and I miss you and I am thankful every second of every day for you. 

Love

Olivia

bonus!

Since I couldn't send any photos today here is an oldy but goody that Soeur Stahly sent to me today. MAGNIFY YOUR LIFESH BY MAGNIFYING YOUR SHMILE! Just a catchy phrase I came up with. 

xoxoxoq uizeofjqslkdjf

bravo!

Bonjour! 

Bonne Nouvelle Année! Happy 2014. This is going to be a good year. I can just feel it. 

To ring in the New Year we were invited over to the Family Ferreiras' house. There weren't busses running that day so I got out the map and, feeling confident with my one year and four months in France map-reading ability, mapped out the quickest route to their house. Flash forward an hour and a half later when we are LITERALLY in the forest on a road called 'path of the donkey' in the pouring rain and covered in mud. I thought it was just a cute name not an ACTUAL donkey path. Well. Good story for the future right? Eventually we found their house and they thought it was hilarious and so at least my map reading mishap brought some New Years cheer, and lots of comments like "Hey what a great omen for the New Year! Lost in the rain in the forest! Also why didn't you take the bus? The one to our house takes 15 minutes and it runs on New Years." 

Faux pas after faux pas. But this week was good! We spent most of our days inside doing some crazy area book work and scheduling lots of rdv's for this week. But we did have a beautiful Sunday when Paula and her three kids, Maria, Ayman and Aysha, all came to church! We picked them up and all walked together, and Paula participated during every lesson. I got to sit by the kids during sacrament meeting (GOLD STAR to every single mom in the world who sits with their little kids during sacrament meeting. That was no easy task.) During Sacrament meeting Ayman would observe everyone during the prayer and then follow suit and fold his arms or clasp his hands together. And during the songs he just belted whatever tune came out and after everyone's testimony he would shout 'BRAVO!' As they were leaving church he was sobbing and wouldn't leave without us, and was rattling off phrases in Spanish and Portugeuse that ended with "Laaaasss CHICAS!" So we walked on home with them and I got to walk hand in hand with Ayman while he told me about boats and his favorite colors and animals. The cutest curly haired three year old I have ever seen. Can I bring him home with me?

Paula has had a hard life. One of the hardest. And it was so beautiful to see her with this new family that she has at church, and speaking in Portuguese with the Ferreiras, and smiling and laughing. She talked about how she is just searching for a "hope for joy." I just kept on thinking of our fave fam memorized scripture: "Adam fell that men might be, men are that they might have joy." 'Tis true. I believe in joy and I believe that we find joy in finding God. 

So it was a happy day to end a pretty cooped up in the apartment week. I love you and miss you toujours. Tonight we are teaching a lady named Zena Fofana. YES!

Olivia

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

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

1 — last week for p-day we went to the champs to the christmas market and rode the ferris wheel and this was the magical view.

 

TWO — (the two key doesn't work ayayayaya)  me and Stahly on the ferris wheel.

 

3 — me and Soeur Doyle. I ate escargot for the first time! And the last!

4 — this is the most awkward picture ever taken and I have no idea what is happening and I love it. My new fave.

 

5 — Paulas' (the lady we met last week)  little girl Maria at the Christmas party TOOO CUTE.

 

blah blah Blois

Bonjour! 

Hello from happy, sunny, beautiful Blois. I arrived here on Wednesday after a crazy day of lugging suitcases on and off trains (with looks of dismay from the Parisians on the metro) and saying goodbye to my BFF Stahly. I am convinced that transfer day in France is the craziest of transfer days. 

Blois is wonderful. Every time I say that it sounds like I am saying blah or that I am gagging. But that is the furthest sentiment from the truth. It is magical here. Aaaand the smallest little place I have served in on my mission. Is it possible to have culture shock just moving from one city to another? Because I think that happened to me. We live right in centre ville next to the chateau and the pretty winding streets, and when I walk around sometimes it doesn't feel real. But then I contact someone and I am brought back down to reality :) My companion is Sister Doyle, she is from Herriman and came out the same time as Soeur Bradley. She is wonderful and loving and we are going to have a good time. 

One of my favorite contacts yet was a super nice woman we contacted outside of the chateau who talked with us about faith and love and charity and then we asked her if we could see her again and she says "Yeah I work in the public bathrooms at the chateau, come by tomorrow and we can chat." So we stop by the public bathrooms and there is no one. As in OF COURSE no one works at the PUBLIC bathrooms. I think we got shafted and sent to the bathrooms. Oh the shame! 

We don't really have any investigators at the moment, other than a beautiful family from Kosovo. They speak Albanian (my favorite!) and we have our lessons through Skype with the missionaries in Albania — so crazy! It is really neat to sit in and just listen to their beautiful language. They are wonderful and the branch has just adopted them as their own. 

So, because of the lack of people to teach we did a LOT of finding this week. Which was an adventure. After a long afternoon of knocking on doors, we were waiting at the bus stop and I saw a woman across the street waiting for the bus. I had a really strong feeling that I needed to cross the street and talk to her, but the usual excuses came to my mind "It's a huge intersection, I am tired, that is so awkward etc etc." And then the bus pulled up giving me another excuse to hop on and avoid the situation. Later that night we were lost and on lots of different busses with no idea where we were. Then all of the sudden guess who gets on the bus? The same lady from earlier, with her three beautiful children. They were speaking in Spanish, and I had no idea if they spoke French, so I got nervous again. But this time I knew I had to do something, so I leaned over to Soeur Doyle to tell her we were getting off at the same stop as them. Totally not creepy. So we get off and I start talking to her and she speaks French too! Relief. She was so kind and I told her who we were, and she told me that she wasn't interested in religion. I asked her if she believed in God. She hesitated and said, "I did once. But my life changed and He left me." Then she tells us her story — three little kids, moved here from Spain, her husband left her, they were homeless etc etc. She said she feels abandoned, but that her mom prays for her and that gives her comfort. We asked her if we could walk home with her, and she said of course and so I pushed her little newborn baby in a stroller and Soeur Doyle saved the day with stickers to occupy the little ones. And we just talked and talked and she is incredible. A super hero mom. The hardest life, but she is full of so much light and love and laughter. We got to the hotel where they are living and said a prayer outside, and she was so happy! She gave us her number and asked us to call again and now we get to see her again next week. 

It was a really beautiful experience for me, especially because I don't know that I have ever felt so strongly that I had to talk to somone on my mission. And then God gave me a second chance and hopefully we brought her some hope and happiness in a dark time of her life. 

The branch here is tiny — there were may be 30 members there on Sunday — and so so kind. We had lunch with a member named Nathalie and they are just like a family here. 

We only have a super limited amount of time here at the library  and I cant change this keyboard into English, which means that it takes me double time to write ... so I have to run, but I love you and I miss you and I can't wait to talk to you soon! One week! 

xoxoxo

Olivia

** new address!! **

Les Missionnaires

Sœur Olivia Rhondeau

60 rue Denis Papin

41000 BLOIS

France