Transfer Time

Hi!! It was so fun to talk to you too!! I think it's definitely a missionary blessing that you were so happy during the season. I've loved being here for Christmas. There are all these missionary moms that come to the VC and they have told about how when their kids go on missions a certain spirit comes over their home. And when the missionary is released, it's gone and they miss it! I hope you enjoyed that for Christmas, since it's the only one that will happen during my mission! A once in a lifetime opportunity! 

There have been a few moment in the last few weeks when I felt weird because I knew it was the only time I would live a moment like that, and that I'd be looking back on that moment forever! Some of those times were when we had a goodbye dinner with the Woods, when we had special musical evenings at the temple, when we were eating our crazy Christmas meals... Those are already cherished memories! 

Things have gotten much better in our trio. It was definitely a period of adjustment at first... But either way I look forward to being just a companionship of two again. There's a lot more talking when you're three! I'm staying in my area for the next transfer and I'm getting a new companion named Sœur Olsen. I already know her and love her. I lived with her for two transfers before, and she's amazing! She used to call her friend (who didn't know how to read) every night to read the book of Mormon to her. She called every night at 10 pm, even though it was her personal time and even though her companion didn't always want to. I'm so excited to serve with her. She's the type of person to just do the right thing because it needs to be done, and not expect a big deal to be made about it. It's going to be great. 

There were A LOT of changes that happened in the visitors Centre this transfer. There was a sister who will be going home, a sister going on an outbound to Belgium, and a sister coming back from her outbound. In a few weeks, a missionary that was delayed will be getting here and Sœur Ethington will train her. 

Today we went finding with the new missionaries! It was amazing! I went with a Sœur from Lethbridge (she came on her mission from Langley BC.). We had such a miracle! There's something about people that are fresh on the mission that brings MIRACLES. It reminded me of my first day! Our little blue came out of the mission office and the first thing she said was "I'm just going to go at this with no fear" and that's exactly what she did! She bravely stopped people and paid very very close attention when I stopped people. You could tell she was learning as much as she could possibly take in. There were about six people outside for the 17 équipes that were walking around the office. We walked past this one man and I figured I'd let her start up the conversation. She said a brave, "Excusez moi," and told him that we were missionaries, here to talk to people about Christ. Unlike the majority of the people we talk to who are in an typical Parisienne rush, he said "I'm listening." We told him a bit more and he told us how he's recently begun to find hope in Christ, but what he's found hasn't quite been the right fit for him. So we told him about the restoration and how the church of Jesus Christ is restored now with a prophet who speaks for God. He also told us how it hurt him that some churches deny people the blessings of baptism. I shared with him the experience of my friend that got baptized recently, and he talked about how he wanted that for himself! He loved it so we exchanged numbers. Five minutes later, we got a text from him saying. "Thank you so much for this encounter that was all but a coincidence. Best to you and may the spirit of Christ direct your path." This was such an exceptional experience but it really taught me that if we want them, God will put miracles in our path.