Soeur Alyssa Trotter: Baptism! (Week #13)

Date: February 22, 2016
Area: Paris

Companion: Seour Archbold

Well Mes Amis,

I am officially settled in a location SUPER far away from my last ville. About 5 miles to be exact ;). But it is really weird when people ask me where I live, and I can say "Oh! I live in the quatorzième!" As in one of the arrondissements of Paris. It's some pretty high class living. It is really weird, because I am not far away from my last area at all, but the people there are so much more humble and just live in such worse conditions. It is interesting to see the difference.

Soeur Archbold is my new companion, my new mom, as she is the one finishing up my training. :) And she has already been here for three transfers! But she is an incredible missionary. I have seriously lucked out with my companions. And that is all I will say about that because me and Soeur Clements found that I have really really bad luck and a way at jinxing everything. So if I say I have good companions too much, then my next one will be.. well like I said, I won't talk about it haha :)

But I cannot wait to tell all of you the ways that I have been blessed this week. I cannot even count them. I think it is so crazy that just last week, I received such an unexpected transfer change, and I was all "woe is me" and "why would this be the plan He has for me" and "I am not ready to leave St. Ouen!" I was honestly kinda complainly and grumpy and confused. I mean, I was excited for what was to come, but definitely caught off guard. And I am constantly amazed at the ways that I am reminded that His ways are higher than my ways.

Now this is where it gets exciting. Day 1! It gets exciting DAY ONE. How cool is that?! We got a call from another Soeur équipe, who said that they had a referral for us, and wanted us to meet this "Zoe" with them, so they could pass her to us to teach. And we were excited. But we had NO IDEA what was going to hit us. I want you all to picture the cutest little dark haired woman that you have ever met, who is kind to everyone and a little shy and just adorable.

Zoe is French, but she lived in Florda most of her life. And she is seemingly perfect. Well, I have yet to find a problem :)

And in that first rendez-vous, she told us that she wants to be baptized. ON MARCH 12! What? three weeks away?! And we have spent a lot of time with Zoe since then, and she is so excited for her baptism, and she comes to church, and came to Matheo's baptism. :)

I didn't know why I was called here. And I honestly believe that Président Babin didn't know why I was called here. But in Day 1, in my new area, I found out why. I have learned things from her that I needed to learn, and I know that me and Soeur Archbold needed to meet her and teach her. What an answer to my prayers... I am so lucky that I have someone who knows better than me what I need. And who guides me to certain places with certain people who impact me. :)

And Matheo's baptism was incredible. I am so glad I was able to go. Soeur Clements wasn't able to make it, too far away, but Matheo's face was just bright all day and he was so excited. It was his 10th birthday the day before, and we both agreed it was a pretty good birthday present, to be baptized :) He is such an example to me. He bore his testimony after and cried, as we all did. And I was just reminded of how perfect little kids are :) and how perfect he is for wanting to be good and be better and follow Jesus :)

I feel like I am living in a dream. So many people would die to live in this apartment that I live in, and be able to see what I am able to see every day. And those are all great things, that I live over the catacombs and go to church next to Centre Pompidou, and see all of these cool things. But so much greater is that every person I talk to, I am giving them a chance to feel something special, something familiar.

Being a missionary is amazing. It includes not-such amazing things like eating muscles with tongues and dealing with grouchy ward members are being out late on cold nights. But the good always wins over the bad things. And by the end of the week, I don't even remember the bad things. :)

But I hope you all know I pray for you and think of you and wonder how you are :) I hope you are all doing well :) I am grateful I have so much support. I was looking at how many people are on my email list and I said wow, I have a lot of people who love me. 110 to be exact :) I am one lucky missionary.

Can't wait until next week. Who knows what will happen this week! I am done making predictions. I am always wrong haha :) ALWAYS.

A Bientôt,

Soeur Trotter