Can I just say. This week has been
crazy. We taught 19 lecons this week, went on exchange, went to a musical
Soirée in Grenoble, and had district meeting.
All of this is also know as—not being in your sector and not doing you
own work. But we still managed to teach
19 lecons, get 7 amis at church, 6 amis with a baptismal date fixed, and get 3
new amis (just so you know, these are pretty big numbers for Europe/France). While you were enjoying your break from life
and school, all the missionaries were rolling up their sleeves and going to
work, work, work! Basically work is the best solution for not thinking of home.
The holidays are especially difficult. Basically
because our family is so tradition orientated. I knew exactly what you were
eating for dinner, all of the activities you would be doing, etc. But the
harder I work, the less I can think about you all—no offense.
My heart was extremely full of
gratitude this week. We saw so many miracles and tender mercies. A family in our ward La famille Arnaud
supported us and came to our weekly FHE and of course NO ONE ELSE SHOWED UP.
Not one single ami!! We felt soooo
bad! But we had a great spiritual thought with them and really built a better
relationship. They are amazing. Thanksgiving Day was amazing. A member
remembered that it was Thanksgiving and invited us over. She spent all day cooking for us. Turkey,
purée potatoes, and even yams!! She also made a pumpkin pie (which is extremely
difficult to do in France because they don’t sell pumpkin purée. You have to home make it!). Maybe this is why
it was the best pumpkin pie I have ever tasted!! It was SO good! She even
invited a friend over to meet us. She is an amazing woman. We went back to her
house and did her dishes the next day for her because she has her hands full
with her Grandson who she took in because he has an abusive father. She has
loads on her plate. And it was way to nice of her to spend the time to cook for
us a Thanksgiving meal especially because she really didn’t have the time. She
is such a strong converted woman. So back to La Famille Arnaud, they surprised
us on Thanksgiving Day with boxes of groceries. He looked like Santa Claus with
so many packages. It was just soooo
fitting that we was unloading boxes of delicious food for us!! HOLLER!! It was
soooooo nice of them! We will not go hungry for weeks!!! Haha We have been eating like Queens this week!
This week on my mission I saw a lot
of different situations. We taught a lecon
to a member’s mother. She took us over and introduced us. However, each time
her husband (the member’s father) walked into the room we would have to hide
the Book of Mormon so he wouldn’t know what we were doing. Its been interesting
to see various types of situations where I have been able to apply the things I
have learned about emotion disorders from my major into my missionary work.
There are reasons we are where we are. Transfer
calls will be coming this Friday...already!! I bore my testimony this last Sunday.
I am really growing to love my little branch.
Sooooooo I am now going to explain
the title of this email. I was robbed. When I was in Grenoble for the Music
Concert, I set my bright green carry on bag just inside the apartment complex
door so me and Soeur Stevens could contact people while waiting for the other
sisters (I was on exchange, FYI). We
contacted just around the apartment, so I could also keep an eye on my bag.
Well to make things a little less dramatic, by the time we walked into the apartment
to get my bag and go up stairs and my bag was gone. GONE!!! ALL MY MAKEUP,
RETAINERS, CURLING ROD, MY TWO BEST OUTFITS, PERSONAL SCRIPTURES, EVERYTHING
WAS GONE!!! I was slightly angry.....hahahaha.
We took the elevator up to the apartment to continue with our day because we
were already late for the music concert. I was sooo mad while we were up in the apartment. Hundreds of dollars worth of things were just
stolen away from me!! Who would dare
steal from a servant of the Lord? A few minutes later, I realized to my horror,
that the apartment keys were also in my bag!!! AHHHHHHH! It was then that I began
to cry. I prayed in my heart and told Soeur Stevens before we left to go to the
concert, "I have the faith that my green bag will be back where I put it!"
Pushing doubt and disappointment from my brain, I pushed the elevator button.
The elevator came, I went back and opened up the door and there was my bright
green bag. It had come back to me! It
wasn’t like I didn’t notice it before because we checked for it everywhere and
it was nowhere in sight...someone had to have taken it. But my faith brought it back. Everything was
in there and all was well in Zion. I learned a valuable lecon that day.
I got to talk to Soeur Caldwell on
the phone this week! It was the best! It
made me miss her even more! She is the greatest and she seems to be doing well
in Carcasonne. I am already planning a way for us to return to Toulouse. It might
be breaking a few rules...but hey..it'd be worth it ;) haha
Other random tidbits: My ZLs
brought us Sprees, Gobstoppers, Reeses, and Starburst from Suisse!! I have been
so lucky to got to Suisse and also
eat the delicious things from Suisse.
Blessed. #AMERICA. Unfortunately, I am
not even going to attempt to give you an updated Ami list. It would take to long and I don’t have the
time. Sorry. I am, after all, 100% obedience!!
Challenge of the week: Listen to the Michael Bublé Christmas
CD for me in my honor...its OK I understand if you begin crying from missing me
so much while you are listening - hehehehe ;) Love you all!!
Merry Christmas!! xoxo
Soeur Richardson
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