May 27 – Kissy, Kissy, Kissy, Kissy

‪            So you are probably wondering.....why the subject of kissing?!?! Tots innapprops (completely inappropriate) subject while on a mission, I know. BUT this week was a week filled with kissing!! It’s always a fun experience getting on the metro and throughout the day and have couples full on making out.  I’m not gonna lie, the first time I saw it, I couldn’t help but laugh! I nudged my comp and she just smiled and said....what of it? This is FRANCE! Hahahah I see it daily and now and it doesn’t even phase me! Also I got a lot of lovin this week! The beloved Bisou!!! Yes, the kiss on both cheek French thing. Yah, that’s for reals and we do it ALL the time! I actually love it!! So this was a week of kissing! And also a week of ALOT of rejection! Yep, A TON of rejection. Our amis (investigators) have been super flakey lately. They cancel their lecons at the last minute and it’s been SO frustrating!! So we have to contact and porte (knock doors...more like ring buzzers at gates) and let me tell you, it’s not fun getting door after door slammed in your face! It gets old really fast!! I do have complete faith in the Lord’s timing and direction, however. And if the Lord wants me to knock on all the doors of Toulouse, then I will do it with a smile! I was so frustrated at one point that I finally thought: “why even knock?”  I already know the outcome.  But then I immediately thought that I am planting seeds. I might not be getting to teach these people behind those doors, but I am planting seeds for future missionaries!!! And I am totally OK with that. 

So my favorite amis is moving this week. She is going back to Australia. I was so frustrated with the language and everything else that I really feel like having her for an amis was a gift from God. You see, I was able to teach in English and bear my testimony. We went over for dinner and then shared a lecon (lesson).  There was one point where I stopped, looked in her eyes, and said, “Maria...God loves you, I know it. And we love you. You are loved.” She then burst into tears, the spirit was so strong. It was a good reminder to me that everyone needs to be told they are loved. Everyone needs to feel love. I feel God’s love around me everyday. So friends, family, and world: I LOVE YOU.  We saw her again later that week.  Because she is moving back to Australia she is getting rid of a ton of things and she gave me this really cute hat.  It’s apparently like a $500 dollar hat! Hahaha. I am really going to miss her. We are taking her to the airport tomorrow. 

So to answer some of your questions: Soeur Bayles is awesome! She is from Florida.  she is 24 and she went to the University in London and graduated in Anthropology.  We get along great!  She is super patient with me but really pushes me (aka she makes me talk…haha).  This is really good for me! My apartment only has two sisters living n it—just Soeur Bayles and me! We are the only Sisters in Toulouse.  Toulouse is a HUGE city.  We have been apartment hunting because we are getting another equipe (pair) next transfer!! woot woot!  My health is fine. We have 4 equipes of Elders and then the two of us here. Toulouse is AWESOME!! I love it! It's huge but has an awesome feel to it! It’s kind of a college town so it’s really alive and young! But it seriously is huge!! We attend two sacrament meetings because we are the only sisters! But I love it!!  So you asked if I have any needs.  Lets see...do I have any needs? Ya!  I need to learn French. I need the people of France to be touched by the spirit. I need a temple in the South of France. As for temporal needs....none that I can think of.  It is true, Mondays are my pdays. And by the way, I about died at how cute Elle, gavie, and eddie where.....such cuties!!  Thanks for the photos. In France they listen to a lot of American pop music.  What joy?! It is soooooo hard not to sing along to all the songs  (Katy Perry, Mumford and sons, rap, you name it!). Its soooo distracting.

It was mother’s day in France yesterday! Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELISA...welcome to being 21! Actually, it’s not that cool, sorry.

We just had Zone training and our goals are to get 25 new amis by 2 Juin. Much prayer will be needed!!! We are also going to call down the powers of heaven for angels to guide us to the elect. My mission president is BOMB. He is so inspiring and thoughtful. 

Also please pray for sunshine.  On Saturday we tracked ALL day and we literally had the craziest weather. It went from sun to rain to sun to sleet to sun to hail to slush to wind storm......it was unreal! And of course it was on the day we were outside walking all day!!! I am really building a lot of Character here in France ;) 

Have a fun Memorials day...eat a hot dog for me...and play loads of volleyball!!! Bon Semaine! 

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!! 

May 11 – Leaving on a Jet Plane

We are allowed to send one last HURRAH from the states!!  My plane to Chicago departs from the SLC airport @ 11 am! Then from Chicago we leave at 6:30 pm (I think) and then from London....I don’t even know! We are flying Delta/British Airways! Woot woot! I am SO excited!

            I love Zach, Jess, Elle, Gavin, and Eddie's "plane package" I am SO excited to try the orange creamsicle gum! I looks delicious.  Thanks Elle for all the thought that was put into the items. By the way, Cinderella looks very modest. :) I love all the notes. So cute! Thank you, thank you!!

AND MEGAN! WOWOWOWOW! The ring you made is amazing!! You should start a business. Every girl going to my mission wants one! I LOVE the gold! If I had the choice between the gold or silver, I would’ve picked gold. Soooo it works! I have worn it everyday since I've gotten it! I love it!

            I feel so blessed to have such supportive family, I love you all!  So cool story! My teacher pulled me aside the other day and was like...Hey you haven't taken any French before right?? And I said: well not according to MTC standards (High school and up) I took it in JR. High....so ya basically hahaha.  He said how impressed he was. And that I know SO much! I should feel way prepared. He was seriously so impressed.  Of course that made me feel WAY good about myself.  I just hold myself to such a high standard that its hard to see my progress. I was very appreciative that he took the time to tell me I am doing above and beyond what’s expected of the MTC. A sigh of relief came over me! But I still have a ton of work to do!!

I have been SO ANTSY to leave. TWO DAYS AHHHHHH.  Dad, you're package was awesome. I love the Bee from Sister Dalton. She is my favorite!! I am still not over the fact that she has been released.....sigh.

            TYLER: HOLY SMOKES. YOU AND EVA.  You looked like you two should be on the RED CARPET. Unreal!!! And having the change to go to every dance at school...You are a pretty popular guy! Keep up the good work homie.

            Mom thanks for the Bread and Cheese and Fruit AND pastries. I take them back to the Residence hall and all us Lyon sisters partake of the goodness. They all said THANK YOU. They are in love with you. hahah We all DEVOUR it because its REAL food! The cheese was way good. Especially on the pear. I highly recommend it.

            SO For the call: Yes....unfortunately no Mom's day call from the MTC, BUT I get to call the next day! YA! We will be calling from the SLC airport. I can't give you a definite time but it will be somewhere in the range of 9:15-10:30AM. I will call the home phone...so whoever wants to hear my voice....be there or be square. :) Maybe have a sleepover Sunday?? IDK, whatever works! Its weird to think the next time I call will (which is at Christmas) 1. I will be Skyping you and 2. I will be like half way done with my mission!! hahahah weird!!!

            Well I am sooooo excited!! Good luck with life!! And all the crazy decisions you guys are making at home. GO, FIGHT, WIN!! Love you more than words can express! Everyone travel safe (Chicago, NYC). 

PPS. I will let you know as soon as I can if I actually made it to France! R5 for life!