And the Holidays begin :) (Week #53)

Date: November 28, 2016

Location: #5 Orléans

Companion: Soeur Robertson

Hello Everyone!

I apologize for the lack of last weeks email! I was impressed though that that was the FIRST TIME in my mission that I haven't sent a weekly. That is quite a feat. I will send the one I had written for last week after this one and I think you will all understand why it wasn't sent. :) It includes my iPad dying and me destroying the church library :)

As for this week, we were nonstop busy. We even travelled quite a bit :) I still haven't made it out of France yet, but I made it back to Paris! Haha and we also went this smaller city called Montargis, and another city called Blois. It was fun because we had a conference with a bunch of other missionaries and I was able to see a couple really good friends before they go home next week! Crazy! It is already the end of another transfer! I swear that every single transfer goes by faster. Without fail.

As for us in Orléans, Soeur Robertson is getting out of control. I haven't seen anyone so excited about Christmas in a long time. Haha so we are doing our best to decorate the apartment with all of the old stuff left over in our apartment and rocking out to David Archuleta Christmas every night. We even bought a Christmas tree today. I real one. Haha we are getting excited! It is out of control. We even got a star to go on top.

HOWEVER, I must add as well that we didn't forget about thanksgiving. Of course not! In fact, with the young adults here in Orleans, we through a big thanksgiving feast on Wednesday night. Me and Soeur Robertson were in charge of potatoes (Dad, you taught me well ;)) and pumpkin pie. Haha only thing is, is that you can't find pumpkin in France! Or pie crust! Haha but we aren't quitters so we found some sort of squash that resembled a pumpkin and went with it. The Lord was in deed, once again on our side. My mom would be very impressed. It came out perfect first try! Usually our annual pumpkin pie doesn't turn out right until attempt #4 :)

But I think the best part ago thanksgiving night was when we started talking about gratitude. France doesn't have a holiday to give thanks. They should! :) maybe I'll start one. ;) it was so cool to talk about some of the tender mercies we have seen in our lives, the ways the lord has blessed us. I think my favorite part was when Simplice raised his hand. This man, guys, I don't know where he comes from. Like technically I do, that is one of the fundamental questions of the plan of salvation that I teach on a daily haha but really! People at church keep asking if we are positive that Simplice didn't used to be a member. I REPEAT. HE IS NOT A MEMBER. Well, at least not until December 17.

This week we were able to teach Simplice the Plan of Salvation. It was the most incredible thing. We were drawing it out on the whiteboard and he kept jumping up and going to the board and pointing, saying "NO ONE ever told me that I lived with God before I was born! Why did no one teach me about the kingdoms of glory! It is in the bible! Where would I be if I hadn't found this church! Every one needs this! And he would be all excited and then he would sit down and ponder for a few minutes, and say, "This is so important. I know that it is true. I just know it. It isn't what you are saying, it is something inside of me. Where I just know, that it is true. I have finally found the truth." Simplice, has, without fail, given me the ability to see things on a level that I never knew existed. He is such proof that God prepares His children. He doesn't leave us astray. He listens.

At the Thanksgiving party, we were all talking about our blessings, and Simplice raises his hand. And when the floor was his, he bore his testimony that God had answered his prayers by directing his path and leading Him home. That He had found where he needed to be, and that he was eternally grateful.

I hope you all know that I know God directs our paths. We met Simplice on the tram! On the tram! Just in passing, and He felt something and so did we and that is how this all started! If one of us hadnt followed the prompting given to us, we wouldnt have met. None of this would have happened. If you get a good feeling, act on it. Whether it is the Spirit or not. Just do it! Because every time, without fail, that I act, i never regret it. And when I dont, a lot of times i look back and wonder what could have happened. It is true I am a missionary. But We all have the ability to share what we have. And it is too important not to. Because those people I am teaching, have these moments, when it all sinks in. When they look back on their life, and it hits them. That God has been there all along, preparing them. And when the truth hits them. They feel it. The Spirit is a powerful thing my friends. It has changed my life. And watching it changes the lives of others is something I can't explain. But it is real and watching it happen has opened my eyes to what the gospel really is. It allows me to love them and it makes me want to be a missionary forever.

I love you all.

We are working really hard and having fun. Especially with our new ChristmasTree. :)

Until next time-

Soeur Trotter

Orleans Cathedral!

Christmas Tree this morning! Yay!!!

Walk on the river with the cathedral in the background (:

With a man that we contacted! :) He was so nice! And a little tipsy... Everyone needs the gospel right? :)

Elder Jongejan is so huge! We love him!! I got a new dress that day :)

haha Elder Trotter had a long day that day (: haha #trainrideproblems 

Teaching Simplice the Plan of Salvation! (: 

Last weeks Email. Never Got Sent due to Technical Difficulties... :) (Week #52)

Date: November 21, 2016

Location: #5 Orléans

Companion: Soeur Robertson

Hello Everyone!

Sorry this email is a little late. You will laugh when you hear why. Like my companion. I didn't laugh. It is always funnier when you are the one that gets to watch, while your companion destroys everything she touches. Haha so me and Elder Trotter are sitting at the desk at the church in the library that has the computer and the printers and everything sitting on top of it. And we are typing up our emails! And I got up, went to the bathroom, came back, sat down, and the table literally collapsed. It just fell off the wall. It is one of those ones that is mounted on the wall! And the screw just ripped right out! And it just fell! the second that I sat down! Haha so three things we were learned. 

1. I am still me. Haha clumsy and clutzy as ever. The mission definitely doesn't change everything.
2. Me and Elder Trotter still haven't been able to find a relation between us, but I have all the proof I need.
3. It turns out even though I didn't think so, the baguettes and pastries have taken a toll. Tables don't just fall haha.

So basically our P-Day took a turn- and instead of writing our lovely friends and family, we got to prop up a very valuable table with scriptures and chairs that we gathered from around the church, while trying to decide what nice words of explanation we were going to give our bishop. It is good he is an understanding man. i guess we will just have to work extra hard this week and make him a few dozen cookies ;).

But now that I am going to try and get my mind off the fact that I am destroying the church building, our week was great! We were all over the place, taking buses and trains to different villes, attending baptisms, going to tropical parties at the church. It was great!

Simplice, our amie, is doing incredible. Number 1, the man has style. He has come to so many church events and he always has on these different outfits and every time we call him to invite him somewhere he is like, "I am going to start ironing my suit right now." Haha it is the best. Because he shows up, and he always has on a bright colored tie and suspenders and socks to match it. And usually a fedora of the same shade. I just have to say, I have never seen a man wear that shade of red before :) haha. But in all seriousness, Simplice is a stud. He comes to church, he knows everyone there, and he is so excited to be baptized that he just radiates "happy." It is incredible. There are no words to describe it! Every time he raises his hand in class or shares his simple testimony, my heart just beats a little faster and then a little faster. Because every time, i just look at him and see his potential and there is so much of it! Oh la December 17th is going to be a day for the books :)

The best part, is that Simplice came to a baptism this week. And after the baptism, he hunts down this man who has just entered the waters of baptism. And he just grabs this man and looks at him and starts talking about the Spirit that he felt and about how great of an example he was for him because he is going to be doing the same thing next month. I am not sure exactly how, but Simplice received his own answer. He knows what is right, he knows what he wants, and He is pretty darn sure that it is going to happen. I know that he is going to see opposition. But as He relies on the Lord, He is going to continue to improve. He is going to get one heck of a Christmas Present this year.

By the way, I apologize, from now on I am probably just going to go on tangents and rambles about Simplice. But we do have other amies that I love. We stopped by these old amies of the Soeurs this week, and it is a mom and her little girl :) and they are so cute and have been reading their Book of Mormon ever since last year, which is the last time they met with the missionaries. Not sure why they stopped but we are back! We love them already. Line and Sophie :)

We also got to eat Cow Kidney this week. I guess this is just preparing me for when Christmas comes and I have to eat the traditional French frog legs and snails :) I am super excited. I just have to say, I wouldnt recommend it. The kidney that is. I didnt like it and the family started laughing at me because they made me try it before telling me what it was. They are all like, "If we tell you, you wont eat it!". And they were so surprised i didnt like it! Haha and they went off on a tangent about how it has to be prepared right. But I am pretty sure kidney is kidney and it is just one of those things that should, for lack of better words, not be eaten!

Anyways, that is all I have for this week. Sorry this didnt get sent sooner. I was fixing a table :) I love you all! We are working so hard and the Lord is blessing us in ways I would never have thought of. He knows best :) Don't forget to thank Him this week! It is thanksgiving! :)

Soeur Trotter

Cote D'Ivoirian Food :) And cow kidneys in the bowl in the back :)

Marie Pierre! My favorite woman ever! (: 

Hammocks during rendezvous! haha Our Amie has the coolest house! :)

Hawaiin Party and our Amie Audrey Rose!

Jean-Pierre's Baptism!

Such a fancy restaurant! Our Amie took us here! 

Simply Put...It was Simply Amazing (Week #51)

Date: November 14, 2016

Location: #5 Orléans

Companion: Soeur Robertson

Well My Friends,

This week was, simply put, one for the books. It never ceases to amaze me, who God puts in our path, and when. He takes the most inconvenient circumstances, and turns them into something you remember for the rest of your life. This week, we were blessed with a man named Simplice.

This week, me and Souer Robertson were given the task of bringing the main meal to district meeting, and for one reason or another, we decided to make soup. Well, to feed 8 people, you need a ton of soup. And not thinking before hand, soup is a little hard to transport when you don't have a vehicle. So here we are, walking though the train station, the streets, on trams and buses, with giant pots of soup. Haha on the bright side people kept telling us in smelled good, so at least we are good in the kitchen.

So, as we get on the tram, I notice a middle aged African man, just staring at us. And at first glance, I could've sworn this man was trying to figure out why the heck we were holding a bunch of soup. And I didn't give it a ton of thought. But something pushed me to look at him again, and I could see his lips moving, trying to make out the words on my plaque! Totally not what I thought! So I knew I needed to say something. And as the words came out of my mouth, "Have you ever seen plaques like these before," He decided to speak up at the same time, and He asked, "What are you guys doing here in France? What does that say on your plaque?" Well, my heart started to beat a little faster because I just felt something within me telling me that something was special about this man. So, he asked for our number, and of course we wanted His, and we went our separate ways.

Flash forward 3 hours. Our phone rings, and who is it? It couldn't be the man from the tram! People never call us first! But he DID! And he wanted to meet. The only time that we could do it was that same night, and he agreed to meet us at the church, so that we could show him around and have a lesson. And HE CAME! Words can't explain, and I can't remember everything that happened that night, but this man is something else. He comes from Congo, and he explained that when he was in Africa, he used to always see our church, and he never knew what it meant when he saw "Latter Day Saints." And He always wanted to ask, but he never did! And the years went on, and he found himself in France. And he started on a search, to know which church was the Church of Christ, and would pray and pray and pray to know. And he said that he has never stopped looking. And He said that when he saw us get on the metro, with those big bowls of soup, he didn't know why, but he felt something inside of him pushing to talk to us. And I would like to believe that it was that same person pushing me to talk to him. And I think it pushed us at the exact same time. I mean we interrupted each other!

And He explained that He felt something tell him that he had found something good, something from God. I don't have the words, but the look on his face when we told him that there is another book that testifies of Christ, that there is the true church of Christ restored to the earth, it was something I can't explain. He was so happy! And He kept saying, "Teach me more, please give me more." And we had a member with us who was just dumbstruck. Haha. And we told Him that we

had to go, that it was getting late. And He looked at us and said "You have to explain this. I have to read this book. I have to know. What do I have to do to know. This is too important." So we told Him the Book was his, we testified of its power, and Simplice was seriously so happy. I have never seen anything like it. It was a changing moment for me. To see someone get that excited about that book. It was a reminder of how much of a blessing the Book of Mormon actually is. He flipped through all the pages, saying "These are different names than the ones I know! Are these other prophets? There were other ones? How do no other churches have this? This is too important!" And we couldn't get him to put the book down!

Basically, we ended up practically running out of the church because we were going to be late. And when we got to the tram, we ended up having to wait for while for the next one to come. And Simplice came walking up a few minutes later, and we started talking again. And somehow baptism came up. And I told him that there was a baptismal service the 17th of December, and before I could explain, he said, "What do I have to do to be baptized on December 17th? What do I have to know? How do I prepare?"

Since that night, Simplice came to church. He loved it. He kept talking about this church and how he loved that He feels like it is a big family. And how he knows it is from God. He even signed up on the ward list to bring drinks to the ward party and he came to church an hour early to be in the choir.

I learned a lot this week. But mostly I learned of the important of being anxiously engaged in the gospel. I think that sometimes, because the gospel is such a constant in my life, I forget just how exciting it is. How refreshing it is, how true it is. And what that actually is. If the Book of Mormon is true, this church is the Kingdom of God on the earth today! It IS Christ's church, He IS the center of it, and it is led by a living prophet. We have a book that testifies of Him, that is given to us to lead and to guide us. That really is incredible.

I am super excited for what is going to happen this week, in these coming months for all of our amis, but in this moment, Simplice. He has something in him, I can feel it. It isn't going to be an easy road for Him, that is certain. But he knows what he is looking for, and if he has an open heart, he will find it. I think that he already has, and from the sounds of things, he knows it.

Never forget just how happy and exciting the gospel is. It changed everything, it changes us, it changes our lives for the eternities. We have something grand, something bigger than we can comprehend. Remember the feeling you had, when you first knew the Book of Mormon was true. The joy that fills our hearts. And if you haven't yet, I invite you to read it. There is power in those words. A power that doesn't come from how well we explain things, or from how much we study. It simply comes from God. He inspires us and He fills our hearts. And we can know it is true.

God really blessed me this week. I learned a lot about the importance of listening to our hearts. When we know something is good, whether it is a book, or a feeling we get to talk to someone on a tram, we have to do it. Because doing so could change just about everything, for our own lives, or for the person we talk with. When we follow what we feel, we are led to people, we are led to miracles. God never ceases to amaze me. This mission is insane. But it is something I would never take back. Ever. It has changed my life.

I love you all :) I am having so much fun and I am working really hard.

Soeur Trotter

Paris' Best Pastries! Soeur Roberston like hasn't had any since being here and I am showing her all the best ones! 

Simplice bought us pastries! (:

I went to Paris to renew my Visa! Met up with old MTC friends :)

Super Cool View!

Arts and Crafts with a member! She made a house out of a phone book! :)

                 

Burnt Cookie and The Last Supper (Week #50)

Date: November 7, 2016

Location: #5 Orléans

Companion: Soeur Robertson

Hello Everyone!!

This is Soeur Trotter speaking from the beautiful city of Orléans. I have to just say, God is really great. It is so true that He blesses us everyday in every way. He is blessing us in every aspect of our lives. He even gave us snow this morning! We were slightly super disappointed that there wasn't enough to make a snowman, but we are trying to be positive. Maybe I will get to have a white Christmas after all! But on top of that, He is helping me to bond with my wonderful companion, helping me get to know the members, and He is making me feel super blessed to be a missionary.

I don't have a ton of time to tell you everything, there is way too much to even try to recount all of the stories that have happened. But there are a few that really stuck out to me.

We met this family this week, Helene and Joseph. And they can be explained in one word. Perfect. Just kidding. No one is perfect. But kind of. Listen to this. We scheduled a rdv with this family, and on our way there, we got lost. Shame. We were so disappointed and so we started knocking on doors, and asking people, "Are you Helene?" I guess that is one way to get it done. But we werent having a ton of success. But it was so cool because we talked to them on the phone and Joseph was all like "Stay right where you are. I am coming to get you. Don't move." So five minutes later, there is this big African man walking down the street. Miracle. Anyways, we teach this family and they just soaked up everything that was being said, and they said they want to be baptized the 17th of December! We are crossing our fingers! We thanked them for inviting us into their home, and Joseph just looked at us and said, "Look at everything that you have brought into our home, to our family. Thank YOU!" They are just incredible and they have such a desire to follow Christ. Joseph had a few fears about being baptized for a second time, and his wife just looks at Him, and is like "No no no. You don't understand. They are saying that if this church is the true church of Christ, do you want to be baptized and become a part of it? And yes. We do." Yeah, Helene. Way to tell Him how it is. :)

Oh! And this less active Marie came to church on Sunday! She was so happy to see us, and we were even happier to see her there. And she kept talking about how it had been forever since she had taken "The Last Supper." Haha I thought it was so funny she referred to the Sacrament as the Last Supper. But the more I thought about it, it helped me remember why church is important and what it actually symbolizes.  So that was a huge miracle and we have high hopes for her. :)

Haha so American cookies are a huge thing here. People love them. And we decided to teach some of our members and less actives how to make them! Bring a little fun into the good ole missionary work. And we went over to this one house, and well, we hope that she likes Burnt cookies. Haha it was a fail. But it ended in us singing some hymns together and Fatima is a good sport so she thought it was funny that we failed. She just kept telling us that we were going to get fat from our insane cookie dough intake- it is a real problem, and about how she wished that we had just made crepes instead. Haha next time.

Something that I have learned this week is just how much Heavenly Father loves us. I found this one scripture that says something that Iove.

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9.

I can't explain all the reasons that it touched me, I don't know them all. And if I did, there are too many of them. But I do know that when I read it, I feel something within me pushing me to work a little harder, pray a little more sincere, try a little more to give everything I have to give to the Lord. He has so many blessings prepared for us when we love Him. And I know that when we love Him, we want to show it. My mission has taught me so much, but this week I am really grateful that I have this time to give myself to the Lord, to turn to Him. There is a picture of Christ on my wall at my desk, it is my favorite one. It is one that every one knows. But every time I look at it, there are these feelings inside of me that I know him, that He knows me. I feel so grateful to wear His name and to spend my days in His service, bringing others to Him. Through it I feel like I have another strong connection with my Savior, something linking us together. :)

Don't hesitate to show the Lord that you love Him. He promises us that He will love us forever, and I know that if we keep our end, He always keeps His.

I hope you all know I love you and that I love what I do. I feel so grateful to be a missionary and we have so much fun here. There is always something to smile about. :)

I love you all!

Soeur Trotter

Cathedral Today!

Me and Soeur Robertson!

Burnt Cookies!

With our beautiful Amie Audrey Rose (: We love her!

I have this thing where I have been taking pictures with every lion that I see. Haha you will probably be getting more of these in the future.  But what a cool ride :)