Area: St Oeuns 2
Companion: Seour Clements
Another week has come and gone in this mission experience. It's funny what happens when you are busy. The days go by. Each day slow, and each week pretty fast.
I'm having a hard time adjusting to a new country still, but it's better! It doesn't feel like home just yet, but the people who I am close with are becoming family. So that is pretty awesome. I've always cared more about people than location anyways, so I'm fine with it.
The people here are brutally honest. Haha it's great. Kind of makes me wonder how they grew up, but not gonna lie, it's fun to watch. Haha until they say stuff to ME. For example, one of the women in my ward touches my face and tells me that I have pimples. Which I don't! Haha Sister Clements has been told she has gotten fat, and Soeur Touret, a woman in my ward, looks at me sometimes like I'm some sort of alien and just tells me I'm very bizarre. They love us, but someone somewhere in their lives forgot to tell them how compliments work.
Oh and my family has pointed out to me that I forgot to tell everyone what became of the trajet tragedy. No fears, I got my companion back. I found her at the next stop on the metro dying of laughter. Haha.
But overall France is good. I still hate cheese. We had Soirée Familiale (FHE) the other night with a family in the ward. and they had us all tasting all their different cheeses. One of the most stressful experiences ever because I REALLY don't like it. The things you do for members. But they just kinda watched with confused stares as I cut off a slice that could probably only be seen under a microscope. I'm really trying I swear. It's a process.
Everyday I'm here I am learning something new. I keep something I call a Hand of the Lord Journal, and every night I record one tender mercy of the Lord I saw that day, or one moment when I felt His presence in my day. And I truly do see His hand everywhere.
Yesterday, we were counting our numbers for the week, how many lessons we have taught, how many new investigators we have received, how many less active members we visited. And our numbers were very low. We had cancelled discussions, investigators dropping off the face of the planet, and no luck in walking around in the cold trying to find people to listen. And we counted these numbers, and just looked at each other. And the mood in our room went from happy to glum in a matter of seconds.
What were we doing wrong? Did we not talk to enough people? Do the investigators not feel what they used to? And our District Leader, the Elder ahead of our area, texted us. He told us about how he used to talk to people for hours and hours with no luck.
And it was a complete reminder to us that this work is hard. People here really don't like us for the most part. They can be snobby and mean and just plain rude. But those people are not prepared. And that is okay. It makes me so excited to find those who are. And they are here. I don't know if we have found them yet, but I know that all over the world, people are being prepared. It's the greatest message in the history of forever.
That was a hand of the Lord moment for me because I was reminded that my list of numbers is nothing. These are people, actual people who need this gospel in their lives. Life is really hard. And as soon as we make it through one trial, another comes. That's how it works. But we also have a promise that someone a lot greater than ourselves died for us so that He could walk with us through those trials.
I love you all very much. I hope you remember that even on our worst days, if you think hard enough, there's probably still one moment in each of your days in which He was there. Because I know He is there, sometimes He is just harder to see.
I love what I'm doing.
And I always ask my missionary friend Elder Randrianaivo, who is from France, if I sound French yet. And he always says, "Pas encore, demain." Or "not yet, maybe tomorrow." Haha and then laughs at me.
And so to all of you who are wondering if I sound French yet, my answer to you is, NO. But maybe tomorrow ;) wish me luck. :)
Soeur Trotter
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