Howdy everybody! I hope you're doing well. If you're not doing well...
1) Take a deep breath.
2) Smile slightly.
3) Get out a piece of paper and write down all the things you have to do in order to feel better, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual, etc.
4) Rank them in order of importance.
5) Do the most important one first.
6) Once it's done, reward yourself with something delicious, like tiramisu.
7) Continue down the list in like manner until your life is figured out.
8) Thank me later ;)
We had a good week! It really flew by just like the week before, and the week before that, and the week before that, and so on and so forth. Mission life is crazy. Did you know that?
There's something I forgot to mention that happened to us last week or the week before: we were to our way to the museum in centre ville and Elder Abney and I, like the obnoxious Americans we are, were speaking to each other in English. A woman standing a couple feet away leans over and says with a sly smile, "Vous êtes en France, parlez français." ("You're in France, speak French.") Before either of us could get a word out, Elder Alvarenga stepped directly between us and the woman and proved to her (very politely) that he was a native French speaker. He finds lots of opportunities to do that! Turns out she had been visited for a while by sister missionaries a long time ago, and she was fairly nice.
This week was Zone Conference! Lyon and Ecully Zones got together, it was really fun :) We had a great conference about hope. President asked for a show of hands on how many équipes were teaching amis who are ready for baptism, but don't want to get baptized. Too many hands went up, as they've been doing in other zone conferences. We discussed how we can help our amis see that the commandments and commitment to Christ and new responsibilities are nothing compared to the joy that is set before them. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ brings sooooo many blessings, and too many of our amis haven't internalized that. This foundation of faith and hope starts with our example as missionaries (read: guides), so we discussed what a hopeful, repentant missionary looks like. Now we just have to go out and be that missionary :)
Other things we did this week: Pass out flyers and set up/take down for a blood drive they held here at the chapel. It was kinda fun and we got free food :)
We went to a single sœur's house and got sooooo full on couscous. I thought Elder Alvarenga might throw up, but he's a tough cookie.
On Saurday I had an exchange with Elder Graff whom I met at Camp Helaman back in 2014! Small world :) We did some passes up in the hills of Northeastern Grenoble and it rained all day and we walked up a huge hill and got soaked and then a very kind Muslim/Jewish/Christian man offered us a ride down. More blessings for him :)
Something else from Zone Conference that I loved was a quote from Elder Battezzato, currently Lyon zone leader: "There is no way that a loving Dad sent us far away from home without a way to come back." It's so true! I love the simplicity of the Gospel. Either Christ lived or He didn't. He did! Either He was the Son of God, or He wasn't. He was! Either He atoned for our sins, or He didn't. He did! God loves you. He always has and always will. He answers prayers, even when we think He doesn't. I've had times in my life when I was discouraged and had doubts, but I've already had too much evidence of the truthfulness of the Gospel to deny it. Count your blessings :)
Love you mucho!
Ciiaaaoooo
江长老
1) Take a deep breath.
2) Smile slightly.
3) Get out a piece of paper and write down all the things you have to do in order to feel better, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual, etc.
4) Rank them in order of importance.
5) Do the most important one first.
6) Once it's done, reward yourself with something delicious, like tiramisu.
7) Continue down the list in like manner until your life is figured out.
8) Thank me later ;)
We had a good week! It really flew by just like the week before, and the week before that, and the week before that, and so on and so forth. Mission life is crazy. Did you know that?
There's something I forgot to mention that happened to us last week or the week before: we were to our way to the museum in centre ville and Elder Abney and I, like the obnoxious Americans we are, were speaking to each other in English. A woman standing a couple feet away leans over and says with a sly smile, "Vous êtes en France, parlez français." ("You're in France, speak French.") Before either of us could get a word out, Elder Alvarenga stepped directly between us and the woman and proved to her (very politely) that he was a native French speaker. He finds lots of opportunities to do that! Turns out she had been visited for a while by sister missionaries a long time ago, and she was fairly nice.
This week was Zone Conference! Lyon and Ecully Zones got together, it was really fun :) We had a great conference about hope. President asked for a show of hands on how many équipes were teaching amis who are ready for baptism, but don't want to get baptized. Too many hands went up, as they've been doing in other zone conferences. We discussed how we can help our amis see that the commandments and commitment to Christ and new responsibilities are nothing compared to the joy that is set before them. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ brings sooooo many blessings, and too many of our amis haven't internalized that. This foundation of faith and hope starts with our example as missionaries (read: guides), so we discussed what a hopeful, repentant missionary looks like. Now we just have to go out and be that missionary :)
Other things we did this week: Pass out flyers and set up/take down for a blood drive they held here at the chapel. It was kinda fun and we got free food :)
We went to a single sœur's house and got sooooo full on couscous. I thought Elder Alvarenga might throw up, but he's a tough cookie.
On Saurday I had an exchange with Elder Graff whom I met at Camp Helaman back in 2014! Small world :) We did some passes up in the hills of Northeastern Grenoble and it rained all day and we walked up a huge hill and got soaked and then a very kind Muslim/Jewish/Christian man offered us a ride down. More blessings for him :)
Something else from Zone Conference that I loved was a quote from Elder Battezzato, currently Lyon zone leader: "There is no way that a loving Dad sent us far away from home without a way to come back." It's so true! I love the simplicity of the Gospel. Either Christ lived or He didn't. He did! Either He was the Son of God, or He wasn't. He was! Either He atoned for our sins, or He didn't. He did! God loves you. He always has and always will. He answers prayers, even when we think He doesn't. I've had times in my life when I was discouraged and had doubts, but I've already had too much evidence of the truthfulness of the Gospel to deny it. Count your blessings :)
Love you mucho!
Ciiaaaoooo
江长老
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