Last week was a great week. This week we
FINALLY got on the Miracle (a mission wide newsletter) for the number of
contacts!! We had been trying since Week 1 of this transfer and each week
missing it by less than 10. But hard work will eventually pay off. On Tuesday
we contact 414 people. It was A LOT especially in little Chambéry! We had to
contact just about every single person we saw (old, young, groups,
Muslims…everyone, Haha!) And it was a full day of "NOs!", getting no
numbers, and setting no Rendezvous. It
kind of shook us a bit. We were being so diligent and then nothing came from
it! Not only was it a little disappointing, but it was also absolutely
exhausting and really run us down. But we kept our heads up and did our best.
All though by the end of the week we both had colds. Sigh. Missionary work is
just not effective while you are sick! My comp took about 15 minutes to talk me
into taking a nap. She is great! She gave me some cold medicine and put me in
bed, where I basically just laid there until I couldn’t take it anymore (30
whole minutes!) and so we got back to work! We might not have seen immediate
results from our huge day of contacting but I know the Lord will bless us. Just
in his timing. All in his timing...patience...hahaha :)
We had a huge miracle with less actives this
week! We have been trying to see one of our conacts for months now and with no
success. We felt inspired to go out and try to visit one of her less active
daughters. She lives in a tiny little town. We went out knocked on the door and
our original contact answered the door! He daughter immediately invited us in
to join her daughter’s birthday party. Not only were we able to spend the night
celebrating with her and her mother but another daughter as well who is less
active and hasn’t been seen by
missionaries for quite some time! By the end of the night they were in love
with us!! We were in love with them. We were playing with all their kids and
they insisted we stayed finished the party with them rather than taking the bus
back home. One daughter said she would take us back. It was AMAZING!! We were
in shock for days!! It was such a positive experience and I know God inspired
us to go on that day and that exact time! She is one of the coolest people I
have met in France. She served a mission in England and we talked for quite a
while about mission life. I have just been so blessed with Less active work
throughout my mission. I absolutely love it!
We had loads of Rendezvous with great
potentials!! I just love "Leçon 0s"!! Soeur Bowman and I are really
trying hard to establish a spiritual enlightening experience in each Rendezvous
and are perfecting our teaching together!! I just love Soeur Bowman!! We get
along so great!! She has a real fun personality and is so funny!! We get along
great!! I have been so blessed with all my companions. I love each and
everyone!! (Shout out to all my comps: Soeur Mod., Bayles, Luthi, Caldwell, and
Beeny!!)
We even had a Rendezvous inside of a
Casino.....missionary appropriate??? Not quite sure! Hahaha! It’s a gorgeous
huge Casino in Aix-les-bains and we sat in a lounge area. It surprisingly
wasn’t weird at all, and the spirit was still there....sooooo, I am taking that
as a good sign! I felt like I entered Vegas. It was fancily decorated and so
shiny! We also had a great rdv (rendezvous) with Beatrice, a student in
Chambéry. We gave her a tour of the church and talk about the BoM. It was so
filled with the spirit. This week was filled with many positive Rdvs!! But
there are always two sides—so now for the bad news. My favorite Ami, Daniel, is
leaving the country for the month of February. Sigh. He is off to The Holy
Land!! He was so sad to be leaving and sad to be missing my birthday!! Its just
so crazy how attached you get to people! How your desires and thoughts are all
targeted towards other people. That is one of the blessings of a mission.
Everything is all about everyone else.....unless its your birthday #holla
:)
I just love our little Branch with all my
heart!! We had so many fun experiences with members! We made Crêpes with Soeur
Belibi and laughed the night away. I love her. We had the Relief Society Party
in which we played games and laughed till we cried. I absolutely love the RS
Sisters!! We were playing, "Who sings what?" and of course
majority/all were French artists. Then Sr. Gaggini said, "qui chante
Toxic?" Half asleep/zoned out I shouted out BRITNEY SPEARS!!! We all
busted out laughing!!!! They love us missionaries!!! I can see their love for
me in their eyes. It’s so touching!! They send us texts of appreciation, come
up and give us hugs...they just love us. Fr. Gonon came up in Church and
said...what are the chances of you giving a talk today. (it was the second hour
of Church)....being a Richardson of course I said, "Sure!!" This gave
me about 15 minutes to prepare a talk. I talked on the importance of prayer and
how this gospel is never ending and improving our lives is an ongoing process.
And one way to do that is by improving our prayers. I then used the examples of
Joseph Smith and Nephi. I talked about how they were specific during their
prayers. Then invited them to make their prayers more specific so that they
could get answers that were more specific. For only a few minutes to
prepare....it went pretty well. I cried of course. I mean how can you not cry
when you get to share things that are so close to your heart while looking at a
room filled with people that you care for sooo much! I sat down and Arsène (a
fairly recent convert) turned around patted my knee and said tearing up, When
are transfer calls? I told him at the end of the month. He then said, "you
are going to leave. I really don’t want you to leave but because I really don’t
want you to leave, I think you are going to leave." We started crying
together and then laughing! :) Then Neomie, one of my favorite kids in the ward,
came up and handed me the cutest little drawing in the world it said,
"Pour Soeur Richardson... tu est la meilleure!!" I started crying
again. She was sooo concerned!! Actually I think the whole Branch was (I mean
there are only 40 people there, if someone is crying it is VERY noticeable).
But I just couldn’t stop my tears. I love these members SO much!! I want only
the best for them. I want them to exceed SO badly. This much be how having kids
is...you just love them sooo much. I am obsessed with this little branch. They
are the best. They have become such better missionaries in the past few
weeks...its so heartwarming. This gospel is so undeniable true. Being a
missionary is undeniable the best thing in the world. "Then sings my soul...How
great thou art!"
Friends, Family, loved ones....if you are not
keeping the covenants you have made I beg of you, put your confidence in the
Savoir. Be free. Be Happy.
Challenge of the Week: Listen to the Taylor Swift song "22" and buy Cold
Stone ice cream, sweet cream with brownies. You can even blow out a candle in
my honor!! Cause guess what folks? "I don’t know about you but I’m feelin’
22!!!!!!!"
Love you all!!
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