Thanksgiving and Thinking of Christ :) (Week #18)

Date: March 28, 2016

Area: Paris

Companion: Seour Archbold

Thanksgiving. That's all I can think of to start this email. Which is funny because it is no where near thanksgiving. In fact, yesterday was Easter. But really, the only word I can think of today is thanksgiving. I am full of gratitude towards our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I want to flash backwards to the beginning of this week. Tuesday was our district finding day, where we go out all day and we trouver the people who are ready for this gospel. I absolutely love it. Nothing beats finding. Well, baptisms are some competition, but I really love finding :) BUT honestly, it had been a little but if an eery day for me. Just one of those days that feels a little off all day, and you don't really know why. Well, we all gathered back together at the end of our finding day, to share some miracles and say bye. And all our phones went off at the same time. And so needless to say, the day got a little eerier when we found out that 4 of our own missionaries were injured in a terrorist attack. We were all just silent for a minute, kind of thinking about what that meant, wondering why the good guys, why the Lord's missionaries were even in the airport that morning, and on top of that, why they weren't protected. We didn't really know how bad it was yet or what it would mean for those missionaries, but they were in the hospital and they were hurt.

I don't know how many times I have prayed for these missionaries since then. I can't count. And I think that I can probably speak for every other missionary in this mission. BUT. One thing I am sure of, is that they were protected that day. We all have agency, and honestly these are the last days. We know that people will abuse that gift of agency. And a lot of people died in Belgium because of it. But I know, I really know those missionaries were being watched over. They should have died. I saw a newspaper the other day that talked about how there was a huge bomb in that airport that failed to detonate. Those missionaries should've died. And they didn't. I don't think there could be a bigger hand of the Lord moment, a bigger tender mercy. He is so present, so aware of us, so much more involved in our protection and well-being then we sometimes remember.

Répertoire was also this week. Or in other words, transfer changes! And honestly we both saw this one coming. I am headed to my third ville with my third companion in my third transfer. And I am headed to Normandy! Rouen to be exact. And now comes the best part. A few weeks ago, me and Soeur Archbold went on exchanges with Rouen. I was with Soeur Spencer, who is from Zimbabuay and we were on fire that day. We had so much fun and were contacting and we taught an incredible lesson. It was so good! We went home that night joking about how we would be the biggest dream team France ever saw. we wanted to be companions so bad! Haha but she is only two transfers ahead of me so we made this plan that we would be companions later on in the mission..

Now see if you can guess whose name was next to mine on the répertoire? :) Haha it is going to be an adventure. I am going to miss the people I have met in Paris, but I feel so good about next transfer and I am so excited.

I was talking to Soeur Archbold the other day when I was upset about how I am being moved around so much, I guess I kind of just felt like another Soeur in the mission, like they were throwing me everywhere without a ton of thought. It honestly felt like that. Because I feel like I haven't been able to bond with my wards and companions with the amount of time I have had in each one and it was just so frustrating. I want a constant, something familiar to stay with me, and I can't really find that!

BUT, I realized this. The work I will be doing in Rouen is the same work I am doing in Paris. I am wearing my same plaque with the same Book of Mormon and the same purpose: bringing people to Christ. The Savior that led me through St. Ouen is the same Savior that led me through Paris, and He will lead me through Rouen. He is my constant.

Yesterday was Easter. And I don't think it is coincidence that Easter was the same week as répertoire, or of that accident. What an amazing time to be able to sit back and reflect on what His Atonement means to us. It means that all those people who died will live again, with their families. That he understands those families who lost people and he understands the pain and fear of those missionaries who were hurt.

I want you all to feel the love that I have for Jesus Christ. He fixes me in ways I couldn't do myself. He changes my heart, and protects me, and he watches over me always. I could not be a missionary and I could not wear His name if I wasn't positive that He was with me. I know He is with me. I know that sending me to Rouen was inspired by Him. I know He knows what is best for me. These are really the last days. Things in the world probably won't get a ton better until He comes again, but! These last days can also be the best days with the knowledge that we can have of who Jesus Christ is and what His gospel is all about. It can be the happiest time that there ever has been, despite all this adversity. I am so grateful that I have Him in my life and that I have His example to follow and His support to rely on :)

So in other words :) It was a really good week. Despite everything. Could the week of Easter ever really be a bad week? I don't think so. I love you all :) Til' next time...

Soeur Alyssa Trotter :)

Easter Bunny came for our roommates! haha (aka us!) haha so Fun! (:

Gina :) Filipino who taught my Filipinos with us. She is perfect! :)

One of my favorite families in the ward! He accidentally biased me once haha so funny haha!

Last Sunday at Church in Paris! 

Artsy Picture with Notre Dame!

Scout :) (Week #17)

Date: March 21, 2016

Area: Paris

Companion: Seour Archbold

Bonjour Mes Amis,

Oh là là. This week was really short. I feel like I was just writing my weekly email and now here I am, doing what? I am writing my weekly email. Haha you will all be very happy to hear that after three months of living right by Paris, I FINALLY made it to the Eiffel Tour. I didn't make it up the Eiffel Tour, but I got to stand directly under it, so that's good enough for me. I have never been SUPER interested in architecture or anything, and I always found myself sounding like my great grandpa. He used to say, "Why would I go look at it if I can just see it on a postcard?" Haha but now that I went, I realized how big it actually is and it looks really cool up close :) so I can now

check that off my list!

If any of you know my family at all, you know that us Trotter kids have a big problem bringing home stray or otherwise unwanted animals. We would save them all if we could. Emily saved some mice who were going to be fed to the class snake in her fourth grade class, she

saved a few cats these last couple years ;) haha and well, let's just say if it didn't say "don't have pets as a missionary" in the missionary handbook, I would probably have one by now. Anyways, me and Soeur Archbold went to Toul this last week for exchanges. Toul is probably my favorite place in France. You blink and you miss it. There is nothing there and there is no one there. Just green fields and brown fields and trees and prettiness.

I absolutely love it.

Those missionaries have to have a car too because everything is so spread apart. Well. Soeur Archbold was with Soeur Empey, and Soeur Jicha was with me. And the other Soeurs had a rendez-vous, so me and Soeur Jicha decided to go porting, or in English we decided to go be

missionaries and to go do what missionaries do- knock some doors. Well, within a few minutes, we noticed we had a little friend. This super cute dog was following us everywhere. For a long time! And he had no collar, he was so dirty and smelled so bad, and was so skinny

and had cuts on him.

So I did what anybody would have done- I named him Scout!

Now, looking back I shouldn't have named him because like I said, in the rule book is very clearly says I can't keep him. But we could not leave this dog there. So we took him back to the apartment with us, fed him some meatballs, gave him a bath. It was lunch hour don't worry

;). Turns out after trying to pawn him off on Président Babin's son, we took him to the vet and he had an owner. Not a very good one apparently, but they wanted their dog back so that was the end of Scout. BUT I had a dog for like an hour or two so that was exciting.

Soeur Empey is here for her first transfer and she wanted to know if that is how all exchanges are. The answer was a resounding "no" haha but it made for an adventure :)

Now onto more spiritual- more worthwhile things, although I do like a good story! and dogs! We still cannot get a hold of who was our most progressing amie, Zoé. She wanted to get baptized so bad and now we don't know what happened. We keep praying and we keep hoping but she

is just so unreachable. So the prayers and the phone calls continue. We will see what happens :) we won't stop trying though! I know she is ready for this.

Our amie Djélika really wants to get baptized. She is 21 and has read the Book of Mormon 8 times and has been taught all the lessons and is so ready. She knows this gospel is true. But her dad is Muslim extremist and it is making it really difficult for her. It is actually really hard for me to watch someone who has so much trust in God and in the scriptures, and who wants to progress and just can't. It just breaks my heart! BUT she is continuing to progress and I know that things will work out the way the are supposed to, whether she can get baptized in May or in 5 years, it is all in His timing. He always knows best.

By the end of this week we will know what is happening next transfer. We are pretty nervous because a few people have hinted we are up for another challenge but we will see what comes. I was thinking about it, and I realized that transfer calls are the same weekend as Easter. Coincidence? I think not. There is a reason that the Atonement enables us. It is true that it can cover our imperfections and that He lived and died so he could always understand what we go through in this life, but he also died to enable us to be able to do what seems to be impossible.

I know that we all have our different lives, and some of you are parents and grandparents, and some of you are friends of mine from high school, college, some of you are my young women that I love so much. I find it is so incredible we are all in such different stages of life and yet the

Atonement works for all of us and it strengthens all of us individually, but collectively.

I love all of you. I hope that you have a really amazing Easter, and I hope you remember why we celebrate Easter :)

Oh! And Hand of the Lord moment! I don't know if you remember Marie-Clausette- She was the amie that feel asleep in our first lesson when I was with Soeur Clements in St. Ouen! BUT she is progressing and the Elders called last night and said she went to church! Miracles! :)

Anyways, until next week,

Soeur Trotter

This is Toul! Best place in France! (:

Me and Seour Jicha and Scout! (:

My Spirit Metro Stop! 

La Tour Eiffel :)

La Tour Eiffel :)

La Tour Eiffel :)

The "B-word" and other Beautiful Things (Week #16)

Date: March 14, 2016

Area: Paris

Companion: Seour Archbold

Bonjour Tous Mes Amis,

I am officially starting to branch out. It is funny because a lot of missionaries that come to the Paris France mission don't actually ever serve in Paris, because it is so big. And here I am, and I can't seem to get out of Paris! Haha but this week I got to go to Nancy, which is about an hour and a half away by train :) super far, I know :) Haha if I was living at home that would get me to Los Angeles, while here it gets me to the other side of the country :)

We went for exchanges though, and I was with Soeur Poznanski :) she is French, and her dad was actually the mission president before President Babin. So I was a little more than nervous to be contacting and teaching with a Francophone missionary :) I had no desire for her to hear my broken French haha. And she assured me that it was better than I thought it was, but I proved her wrong when like three people asked her to translate for me. Lame. ;)

But Nancy has so much potential! It was weird to be in a city so much smaller than Paris, but it was kind of relaxing and I was able to see how nice everyone there was! And I absolutely love Soeur Poznanski so it made it so much better! I love how much I learn from each missionary I am with. We all have such different qualities and are so different in the way we talk, teach, act :) Sometimes I find myself saying, "I wish I was just more like Soeur ... ...She is such an incredible missionary!" And then I hear that little voice in my head that says "No! Be your own missionary! Just be yourself!" That is something that I am really coming to learn. That yeah, Soeur Archbold is amazing at French and Soeur Marshall is amazing at discerning people's needs, and the list goes on. But I also have things that people need. These people need Soeur Marshall and Soeur Kinder and Soeur Archbold and Poznanski in their own personal ways, but they also need me because of who I am. That is why I was called there. We are all needed in different ways!

Haha so one of my first weeks here, we taught our ami Philip. It was the first time that I had met Philip, he is the boyfriend of our Relief Society President. And he is taking the lessons. And I felt so prompted to invite him to be baptized and to pick a date to work towards! And he said no, that he wanted to one day but needed to find a new apt. and other things before he could be baptized. So that was that.And we have taught him since then and he has become a great friend. :) And on Sunday, Claudia, his girlfriend came up to us and said that every time they read the scriptures and the word baptism comes up, He stops reading and says "It's the B-word. Ohh.. Sister Trotter..." Haha I am just going to take that as a compliment and be happy that whenever he thinks of baptism he thinks of me :)

I don't know if I have updated you on my Filipino's. But Cathy emailed me a few weeks ago and told us that she is done meeting with us. And it crushed my heart! I had just felt so strongly that family was prepared! And so after a few weeks, I couldn't handle it anymore. So we went to their apartment. With cookies of course. But it is terrifying to show up to a place where you were literally uninvited. BUT we knew we had to go. I could not let this family go! So we knocked and Cathy's mom opened the door and was sick, but wanted us to come back! And so we got to do that last night! And apparently Cathy was the one who didn't want us to come back. Malou and Agnes, the others, still love us :) And we were able to bring a Filipino member with us and it was incredible.

I know that teaching with members is important. It is really important. But Gina, this member made that rendez-vous so special! Two years ago she wasn't a member. She was a member of their same church. And she was able to bear testimony to them in their own language and the Spirit was so strong :) And when we left that rendez-vous, they were best friends :) It was truly amazing to see.

Anyways, I could go on and on and on about my week this week :) So many little miracles it was crazy! But I will end with a few funny things :)

1.) Soeur Archbold almost ate an alcoholic filled pastry with the Filipinos..

2.) We had a rendezvous with a girl named Claire who somehow didn't realize that we were missionaries... :) But she is actually still interested!

3.) Its not funny but we found a Chipotle! Haha I used to get stressed out ordering in that Chipotle line at home so you could imagine it in another language...

Anyways, I love all of you. Always remember that whoever you are, be you and admire other people. but don't wish you were like them. Because I am learning that people need to learn things from each other. Because every one is different! I love that! I am grateful to be me, and to be a missionary here, and to have met the people I have met. There is nothing greater :)

Beaucoup d'amour,

Soeur Trotter

At Seour Claudia's House with the Family!

At a Book of Mormon Activity after Zone Conference! (:

With our New Friend Claire! (:... She didn't know what a missionary was! Whoops!

It's Centre Pompidou!

At Chipotle!

With Seour Poznanski!

Searching for Nuns and Exchange Miracles (Week #15)

Date: March 7, 2016

Area: Paris

Companion: Seour Archbold

Bonjour Tout le Monde,

I never know what to title my letters because so much happens in one week. The struggle is so real. But I had a really good week in France this week. I witnessed so many miracles, and I did some fun things to top it off. But I will start off my email with a miracle. Because who doesn't like hearing about a miracle?!

Exchanges were this week. And I was really nervous because usually, as a missionary, you go on an exchange with your STL's. An exchange is where you get a new companion for day, and you continue with the work, but with someone new, usually your leader. The problem is, is that I do not have an STL this transfer, for obvious reasons that I have explained before haha. BUT that means that I was going to go on exchanges with some girls from my MTC group. Which you could also guess what that means, but I will just tell you. I was terrified. Neither of us speak french really. I mean we "speak french" as in we get about half and half of what they were saying, and we just hope and pray that we will receive some pretty good inspiration :) But I noticed that as the days got closer, I was just getting really excited to see what would come of everything. This transfer is really weird so I have been trying to just go with the flow.

Tuesday was a finding day. So we didn't plan any lessons. Finding days are days that we spend completely consecrated to finding new amis, new people to teach. And I made it a goal to contact using family history, to maybe change things up a bit and say something other than " I am here because I know that God loves us."

Anyways, I was put with Soeur Marshall, who is an amazing missionary. I was so excited. She was with me in the MTC. But because we are new missionaries, I think we were probably a little nervous! But we prayed about where to go, and we went! And we had decided on Luxembourg Gardens, which is a pretty touristy spot. But we felt prompted and wanted to follow it. Anyways, we were able to teach three people using family history! And it was amazing!

But this is where it gets pretty cool :)

We stopped this woman and introduced who we are, and that we are here because we know that God's loves us, and has given us families. And she went off about how her kids don't like her, and she is happy with life with her dogs, and on and on and on. And I knew that family history wasn't for her. And we testified of the power of prayer. And I remember telling her what prayer means to us, how I can pray for thanks and for things that I need, and she told me I was selfish for praying for things that I need, and not for others... In other words, it wasn't going well.

And so we stopped talking. And honest, we didn't know what to say for a second. But I told her that I could look at her right then, and see and feel the love that her Heavenly Father has for her. And that I am on this mission, not for me, but to help others, to find people like her. And the Spirit in her countenance completely changed. And she got teary eyed and said that she could feel the Spirit that we have with us, that it was something good, something pleasant.

I find it amazing that while our goal was family history, that is not what that woman needed to hear. And because we were able to follow the whisperings of the Spirit, we were able to bring that Spirit to her, and it changed her heart, in the matter of seconds. The prayer that we said with her for her and her family was full of love. And I am so grateful that when we follow promptings of where to go and what to say, and when we are obedient, the Lord will place prepared people in our path, or he will place us in theirs. I am so amazed by Him.

And so apparently that is what happens when you throw two blues out into the grand city of Paris, France. MIRACLES.

And to end on a fun note, this was kind of weird... We haven't been able to go to any huge monuments because of recent events. BUT the Elder's called us and gave us a fun task :) Apparently a member went and visited Sacre Coeur, a giant cathedral here. And she met a nun working there, and thought this nun needed something more in her life, so we were asked to deliver a Book of Mormon. And unfortunately the library was closed and no nuns were in sight, but we saw Sacre Coeur and it was pretty amazing. And we got a picture with a monk :) Paris is a pretty cool place.

Oh! And one more really cool moment. There was this woman visiting from America... She is older... and kind of really negative. We went to visit her at her hotel and to walk her to the metro stop to teach her how to use the metro. But she started talking about how there is no Spirit here. How France is a giant great and spacious building, how the people are cold, how the streets are dark. And when we were about to leave, Soeur Archbold prayed that we would find someone on they way to the metro stop, to show this woman that France is really amazing!

And on the way to the metro, I contacted this woman. And she was just so rude. So all I could do was just say a prayer in my heart. We NEEDED to find someone. and I contacted another. And she let us pray with her, and she listened, and smiled, and was adorable. And this older woman with us just watched with amazement.

I hope you all know that people are ready. Sure, Paris might be a "great and spacious building" of sorts, and there are people who aren't super ready for the gospel. But I think that the main thing I have learned this week is that the Lord is preparing people all over the world, in their own different ways. And if we are willing to pray and search and talk to everyone, he will place them in our path. So wherever you are, if you are a missionary, or a member, or none of the above, there are good people everywhere, and the Spirit can dwell within us, anywhere, if we allow it to.

I am so grateful to be able to find those people. I know we can do anything because of the enabling power that comes from Christ's Atonement. I love you all so much.

Soeur Trotter

Sacre Coeur! It is huge! And really pretty :)

Sacre Coeur! It is huge! And really pretty :)

Sacre Coeur! It is huge! And really pretty :)

Parks in France are so cool!!!

Reunited with Seour Marshall!!

Dinner with our Ami Zoe and the cutest member ever, Pamela!! :)

Authentic Mexican Tortillas in France.. I had to make a smiley face! :)