May 20 – French Explosion

‪            Well well well...I am currently sitting in an internet cafe in the downtown area of Toulouse France, typing on a French keyboard with Arabian music playing in the background. Random I know. 

Where to even start? So flying was the most stressful thing of my life. I did not get a wink of sleep on the Chicago to London flight. I didn’t get any sleep on any of the flights. That was a real bummer. And then I arrive in France and no bags arrived. The airline lost both my bags...not a fun way to start off my first day (no sleep and no bags).  I spent the entire week in Lyon.  We had legality issue so basically all the new missionaries stayed in a hotel.  On the first day the mission president met us, fed us ,and then sent us to bed. We must have looked like death. I got back to our TINY hotel room, took a much needed shower, and then somehow I was fast asleep. I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, however, to a French couple SCREAMING at each other. It was actually way scary. I think that is when I really realized that I AM NOT IN THE USA anymore. It dawned on me that I was away because first, I had no clue what they were screaming and second, I thought I was going to have to call 911.  Then I realized I DON’T KNOW THE NUMBER FOR 911!!!!! Luckily I fell back asleep right after they ran off yelling at each other.  Basically a moment I will never forget! Haha 

Quick Birthday shout outs to Janelle, Max, and Aunt Payslie!!!! Love you all!! Hope you had wonderful days!! So when I finally got to Toulouse we had just enough time to set my bags down and then we got a call from the Elders giving us an amis (friend/investigator) to teach who they had contacted earlier that day. We met her at a metro stop and took her to the centre (its a young adult center) in Toulouse. It was the strangest thing I’ve ever done. Seriously though. SOOOO strange. She was talking and then all the sudden stopped and started shaking and like squinting/pushing...then she would breath really heavy and started apologizing.  She said that is how the Lord communicated with her. As you can imagine I didn’t know how to react. AND I HAD NO CLUE WHAT SHE WAS SAYING! So I just held the same face the whole time! I literally didn’t move or change. It was a great experience. 

Soeur Bayles is my trainer. I LOVE her. She is at her half way mark on her mission this transfer. She speaks good French. I would like to pick up how to speak French...I think that would be VERY useful.  Sigh... I am trying to stay positive about all this language stuff. God has been telling me repeatedly not to worry about it (the President said: "I know you, this first bit is going to be very hard for you just be patient"). On Sunday there was a girl that was in our ward randomly...she served in the Paris mission who basically said the same thing.  We also had some Soeurs (Sisters) spend the night in our apartment because they had to be at the Gare (Train Station) in the morning to go to LYON.  Both were their 2nd transfer and they said, “if the lord wanted you to be connecting and communicating with the people then you would be doing that...but that isn’t your current purpose”.) idk.  Loads of great advice and comfort have been coming my way.  It has been helpful.  In all honesty this is HARD. Learning a language is HARD. But I know that God has his timing and hand in all things.... so I am not too worried. 

I love my ward sooooo much. I go to two ward because we are the only Soeurs in Toulouse and we are in charge of both wards. There is a 13 year old girl in the 9am ward that reminds me SO much of Mckynlie Jackson. She is awesome!  She is the biggest 1Direction fan...so we had loads to talk about! I already love the people sooooo much. I just wish I could communicate with them hahaha :) Gratefully they are all super understanding.  So that scary experience where you have to go bear your testimony to your ward on the first Sunday in the country…I got to do it twice. LUCKY ME! Let me tell you...it is very embarrassing speaking your horrible French in front of fluent French speakers.  Yikes!  Ohhhh well. Cest la vie. 

If you want to be my best friend send me peanut butter....it doesn’t exist here :( Fortunately pretty much everything else is 100X better than food in the USA. Their cereal has like chunks of delicious chocolate....and their cheese!!!!! OH MAN its good. The only American foods I’ve seen so far are Pringles and Lays.  No Sunchips, however. :( I discovered that in France, they use butter like mayo. So like they have ham, butter, and pickle baguette sandwiches.  You know what?  They are to die for. Soooooo good. 

My address is:

Soeur Lauren Richardson

70 Ave Jules Julien Apt #14

31400 Toulouse

FRANCE

Please send all my mail to me....unless you are worried I am moving or something....I just have to wait longer to get it!!!! Oh I almost forgot to tell you we visit a cat lady.... she literally has 26 cats. I will spare you the details of the state of her apartment :) Gotta love being a missionary!!!

I love you all. This church is SO true. Never stray. Hold to the rod. Bear  testimony!!! Au revoir!!! Bonne semaine!!