Monday, January 20, 2014

November 11, 2013 - Praying Through the Phone

What a week! This week was a mission wide "M-Week." Basically this stands for Monster/Miracle Week.  Each day every missionary had a challenge or task to accomplish. Soeur Beeny and me ROCKED IT! We are hard workers. For one of the first times on my mission, I could actually see direct results to our work. Our numbers for this week were...unreal. But we had to work hard to accomplish it. We gave away 12 BoMs, 26 Pamphlets, 14 rendezvous, and...8 New Amis. Yes...8 amis! We also got an Engagé! Mory is set for the 30 of November!! I am exhausted!! But loving it!! On Friday we had a mission wide "Monster day"!! We had to leave the apartment at 10:30 am and couldn’t go back once for meals, supplies, etc. during the day.  We finally returned to the apartment at 9:30 pm. That day was....crazy. 1. That is a long time to be out and about with no food and breaks, 2. It was monsooning—hardest rain I have ever been in and 3) all our plans for the whole day fell through.  So, all we had to do was be outside to contact/porte. Soeur Beeny and me reached 7:30 pm and I just started LAUGHING because it was slightly ridiculous. There was not one person in sight to contact we were trudging through rivers of water and soaked to the bone. Every door we knocked on...was the home of a crazy!! Breaded bearded man, deaf man, missing fingers man....you get the picture. We literally didn’t know what else to do but laugh!! But that is what the gospel does.  All signs (the weather, people we were meeting, our hunger) were pointing towards “Go home to your apartment.”  But we didn’t.  We walked through the monsoon for Jesus. We talked to anybody we could see/find for Jesus. Our strong love for Jesus and his gospel can push us to do what is required of us. We returned to our apartment at 9:30 p.m. with smiles on our faces and the spirit beaming through our eyes. We love Jesus.               
As you all know, I went to Switzerland this week...HOLLER. It was amazing!!! So fun!! The train ride was breathtaking! We were determined to buy chocolate before getting back to France. Our kind ZL eventually gave in and took us to get some on the way to the train. This decision was 17 minutes before our train was to leave...#worthit.  I have never felt so accomplished. Yes we sprinted to make our train...but as we were sitting on our train partaking of the Swiss goodness we didn’t regret one thing. So thank you Elder Olivier for being sweet enough to run us around Swiss to get the Gold. We literally almost started crying it tasted so good!! 
Sunday is always an interesting experience. Our Branch has about 30-48 people every week....hahahahahahahahaha! ITS SO DIFFERENT but the people are so sweet and need a lot of support!! They are exhausted!! They have to do sooooo much with loads of callings, etc.  The sad part is they are the solution to their own exhaustion. If they would focus more of their energy into missionary work, inviting their friends, being bold....they would have more members and eventually fewer responsibilities. We are working a lot with the ward. They aren't super keen on missionary work...but I am determined to change that. We got play with the Ferraris kid's for an hour and we played dodge ball! They are sooo fun and love the attention!! Léo is my favorite!! He is super sweet and shows up each Sunday in a suit and tie. He reminds me of Tyler. Just a great kid. He ski's and competes in races. Super legit.     
Since being in Chambèry I have met about 6 people from Toulouse...I kid you not. I think that is one reason I am here.  It is because: 1. I know the ward there and 2. I know the missionaries there. So each person we meet I can personally testify of the ward and missionaries there. I also can pass their info to missionaries that will fit their style of learning and give what families will be great to help integrate them. It’s been super fun! But it also reminds me of Toulouse and that is just painful. I am still not over Toulouse...and I don’t know if I ever will be. The members, missionaries, JA, ville...will forever stay in my heart. Sigh...I was able to Talk to Elder Phelps for a bit when I passed him one of our Amis and he gave me updates on the ward, etc. Sigh...I just love that place! But I also love Chambéry.  Please don’t think that I don’t!! I am giving my 100 percent here. We had a member invite us over for Thanksgiving...weeks in advance. It was so sweet. It is unbelievably gorgeous here!! I literally get my breath taken away!! We had teatime at the Munn's (an English couple living here) and they literally live in a cottage in the woods. Like Snow White status cottage!!! Sometimes I feel like I am a Disney Missionary. Just living my missionary life in Storybook France.
Speaking of Disney, if MoTab Choir has a Disney CD...that would be cool!! I'd enjoy that for Christmas. Also socks, cute socks I can layer with things. Idk...whatever!! 

Challenge of the week: Google Chambéry. (especially Aix les bains, point de beauvoisin, and of course Chambéry) And think of me and get your breath taken away by the lake, mountains, and other scenes. Then pray for my comp and me to find someone for baptism.

Thanks for all you do, your prayers, love and support!!! Continue to live worthy of the spirit!! 

Happy Birthday Elle!! Love you!!! Hope you get your gift soon!! 
Shout out to TJ, congrats on the patriarchal blessing!! 

Love you all, miss you all!! Hey I totally forget we Skype at Christmas!! weird!! 

XOXO
Que Dieu vous bénisse!!! 

Soeur Richardson 

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