Soeur Alyssa Trotter: 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