Baby Bump

March 4, 2014 

Well family.....I guess you all want to know what is happening with Transfers. But first I will tell you how my last week went. IT WAS WONDERFUL. Absolutely so filled with happiness, joy, and love. Each week I feel so blessed by the people I have met, the members and their love, my companion, and my personal growth. Missions our just wondrous things. I am so happy. So sincerely happy!

Since it was the last week of the Transfer we decided to find reasons to celebrate!! We celebrated Soeur Bowman’s Birthday a week early and took P-day time to celebrate it in Annecy! We walked around the lake and found a fancy Tea Room! We of course wrote songs for her...it’s turning into a Birthday tradition!! :) Annecy is UNREAL cute! We also went out to dinner with Fr. Nacarro! He took us to a crêperie and I ate my first non-sucré crêpe! Wowzer! It was delicious!! He is the sweetest man alive and makes you feel so good about your self!! He was soooooo relieved I stayed in Chambery.  He was also really sad that Soeur Bowman was leaving.  He gave her a classical music CD, it was adorable. He has already texted me asking when he gets to see us again and meet my new comp. We also had a Movie Soirée and it was a hit!! We watched the Prince of Egypt. Yes...it was spectacular!! We got permission from President and it was just the best thing in the world. It was a fun way to end a transfer!!     

I had the opportunity to go to Pont de Beauvoisin this week to visit Soeur Vivants (a member) parents, specifically her mother. It’s always such an honor to be specifically asked and trusted with tasks like this! It was an adventure. Since the last time we saw her she has really taken a turn. She is very depressed, unhappy, and suffering. She has lived a hard life and continues to dwell in her past rather than looking towards a possibly brighter future. She would ramble off on random stories from her Childhood that has been so suppressed over time. We are talking a nonstop ramble of anger, hurt, and exhaustion. We tried everything we could think of to get her mind off of her past. We read scriptures, sang hymns.....everything!! Soeur Vivant pulled me aside with hope filled eyes and asked, "Soeur what else can we do?" With tear filled eyes I responded..."I don’t know. I don’t know" When all is said and done we can only do our best. We can do everything we possibly can to help someone...but they will always have their agency to deny it....Just as our Ami Sophie used her agency to discontinue meeting with us. After her amazing Rendezvous together, she called us and thanked us for everything and for the good feeling she felt. Then one day we got a text from her saying she was not at all interested and would like to discontinue contact. It hurt. And I hate having to be strong....but Soeur Bowman and I looked forward with faith. We did the best we could. I have to trust and believe in the Lords timing.     

While this past week was filled with quite a few bumps in the road but we were always able to find the reasons to smile. For example, District meeting. There is nothing better than getting together as missionaries. We were able to each share our testimonies of the Gospel and the end of the meeting and it was very inspiring. For our final district meeting together we decided to have raqlette for lunch! We felt extremely fancy!! And it was soooo much fun!! I have never laughed so hard! It’s like family dinner! Our Zone Leaders were there and they always bring a great spirit! One is English and the other a Frenchie. So clearly it involved speaking in English accents and learning French slang. I feel so blessed to work with amazing missionaries.    

So I guess I should tell you the Transfer news. I am staying in Chambéry!!! Woot Woot!! And I am training again!! I don’t know who my companion is yet for I leave tonight for Lyon and will get her tomorrow. I am beyond excited and ready for some fun! I loved training (shout out to my baby blue Soeur Caldwell, love and miss you) and am excited to train again. I also get to stay with the other Sisters in my apartment Soeur Witt and Soeur DeO!!!!!! This will make 3 transfers together!! They are basically my comps!!! We all just love each other soooo much and were so happy for another transfer together! Once again... I am blessed. 

We went out to lunch to and Indian Restaurant with an Ami Chan. The food was amazing and he is really starting to open up to us. He secretly really loves hanging out with us and is addicted to the weekly FHE's, slowly but surely he is turning to the light :) We also have seen Soeur Tabka (a less active) she is really making some progress. We had a very stern, powerful rendezvous and she committed to read the scriptures. Our next rendez was going to be discussing what she had read. Well in our next rendezvous she was there ready with the scriptures on the table and cantiques ready to sing a hymn. This was quite a change...but she had a bit of a breakdown but bold testimonies all turned well again. She is very sad with the way her life is...if she would just realize the gospel could completely change that. 

Sunday night we went to the Nkossi's daughters 18th birthday party. Yes....like a party party! It was totally an exclusive invite only family party...and I for one felt extremely honored to be included. And the guests loved us. Their family loves us. And I love them. We ate SO much delicious African food...I thought I was going to die! I think the highlight of the party was when Paulina (the mom) went to the middle of the room and started belting Beyoncé...Paulina is sooooo funny!!! Or maybe it was when Eduardo and Paulina started doing a traditional African tango. Or maybe it was when Béni’s (their 20-yr old son) hilarious reactions to all of Dorkus's gifts. I could continue...haha. We felt like members of the fam!! They were jumping on top us taking "selfies" with us. They were joking around with us. We are TOTALLY forever in their family videos and pics. I just love it. Probably the best night of my mission so far. They have loads of potential and are little by little making progress. We got to talk with Christian for a long time...and he has been reading the Book of Mormon still AND watching general conference. WHAT!!!! #golden. Eduardo dropped some sad news that he would be leaving for Angola for 5 months...but he said, please continue to be apart of my family. Stop by the house often and love them. You can imagine my thoughts... NOT A PROBLEM!!! We can do that!! As we were leaving the party they basically invited us to all of the rest of the family birthday parties which will be happening at the end of this month...boo ya. Long story short, I had the best night of my life. I felt so loved, and they did too. Oh and for the kicker...Petra heard me speak French for the first time (they attend our English Class) and she died at my "totally French accent" I almost started crying I was so happy!! I don’t know what happened this transfer but my accent improved a billion and my French is starting to soar. God is blessing me soooo much, I am so grateful.  

The worst part of the week was putting Soeur Bowman on a train and saying goodbye. She is fabulous. A stellar missionary. Words can’t express my appreciation and love. I can’t believe that a whole transfer has already gone by!! Dang. It’s already Mars!! 

Well family!!! Pray for my Blue and me to find some solid people to teach!! I want my bleu to have great experience at the commencement of her mission!! 

Love you all more than words!!  

Soeur Lou