Tuesday, April 16, 2013

I AM IN LOVE WITH MY COMPANION.  She is the very best!  Her name is Soeur Moderitzki.  She is from Alpine, Utah and I just love her. I could not have picked a more perfect companion. We get along so well.  

So I went to San Francisco this past week to get my Visa for France.  IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. Perfect Californian sun. The weather was PERFECT (hot sun, little to no breeze) It was just what I needed. You have to be "invited" to the French consulate and visit in person. We flew out in the morning and I was designated Group leader! We got to San Francisco at 10 am and all 9 of our appointments only took a total of 30 minutes! They just had to see you face to face and finger print you! So then we had the rest of the day to explore the wonders of San Fran!! We went to Pier 39 and ate at Boudin (famous for the Sourdough bread....it was AMAZING).  We then went to Ghirardelli Square and ate ice cream Sundays.  We then went to Lombard street (the windy road), the Golden Gate Bridge, and to a tower/look out point we called Rapunzel’s tower!! That’s for all those TANGLED fans out there!! It was the best of days! It made us all REALLY excited to get out in the field and preach the gospel to people!!

So my district has gotten REALLY close! We are all best of friends! I can ask almost any question and bear testimony in French so I would say that is a pretty good improvement since last week!!

I am really finding Gym time to be...the BEST time! Working out is the best thing ever to us. They have ellipticals...and as you know I have been injured for the past while and not able to work out.  Being a “Richardson girl,” I really have been "attacking" my workouts.  If I only have 35 minutes, I am going to use it to the best of my ability. I was on the elliptical one day and a girl leaned over and said.....Man you are really going at it!! I then realized that I was practically sprinting on the elliptical...practically shaking the whole machine. I started laughing realizing some girls were feeling threatened by my vigorous exercising. Gym time is the greatest. Don’t even get me started on the four square games that go down.

  

It is still just starting to hit me that in a few short weeks I will be flying to the country of France. Like....I really am going to France you guys. They weren't joking. Learning the language.....has been interesting. But I know that Heavenly Father will help me. Like I have no doubt.  A major highlight of the week is attending the temple and getting breakfast!  Sunday walks are also the best. BASICALLY the temple is the greatest place on earth! Everyone go do temple work! I have been keeping a great journal....I am in love with my journal already!

Lesson I learned this week: I will have learned 3 languages by the end of my MTC experience. 1) English (which I have already mastered) 2) French (well its coming along) and, 3) the language of the Spirit. It is truly amazing how the spirit works on you. In one lesson, it was my turn to bear my testimony on Joseph Smith...I got a little teary while I was bearing my testimony of Joseph Smith in the most broken...horrible French. But there was no denying the fact that I had done my part. Even though my investigator barely understood what I said in my broken French the spirit smoothed those words, refined them and delivered them straight to my investigators heart. I thought before the mission there was no way I could walk up to a complete stranger and share my beliefs. But now, there is no way I will be able to hold myself back. I am ready to take the gospel to whoever will listen. I am ready to walk up to complete strangers and talk about religion. I have been ordained by God. Set apart. And I am being prepared. "God qualifies whom he calls." I know that that is the case. I am so unqualified for this. But Heavenly Father has allowed me to grow leaps and bounds in just these first two weeks. I love you all. More than you all know. I know that my Redeemer lives. Je sais que Joseph Smith est une prophete de Dieu. Le Livre de Mormon est vrai. Share your love of the gospel with those who need it. KEEP THE FAITH!!

XOXOXOXO

Soeur Richardson