Wednesday, July 18, 2012
July 18, 2012 "Just another missionary week....you know with some trunky tendancies"
Well I won't lie, I just had some serious hyperventalating moments opening up my inbox. This is what I saw:
-flight itenirary
-baggage regulations
-my interview scheadule with president
-and lovely little emails from the family saying things like "next time I'm at home, I'll be with you"...or "I don't know if we're going to have internet in Greece the next two Sundays...so if we don't write you...we'll just see you!"
Oh gosh. So for the sanity of my companion and the lack of tissues in this creepy cybercafé I'm just going to tell you about my week and box all the emotions about to spill out until I have to give that torturous thing called a homecoming.
So this week was pretty crazy. We had interveiws with president, which ended with "see you trés bientot!"....btw I told president my family was trunky and he told me thats normal...so I guess I shouldn't be so hard on you guys lol.
Then we had exchanges. It was good..You know other than we were doing exchanges with sisters in the most southern ville in the mission, and we are in the most northen....4 missed trains and 2 extra hours in Paris later, I spent a lovely day with Soeur Pymm from Idaho Falls, Idaho, we got to reminsce about potatoes and gave Soeur McGhie a break from listening to all my stories from my mission, and got a fresh pair of ears to talk to.
We had some pretty cool rendezvous this week. There is less active that the bishop has asked to visit. We pass by maybe twice a week trying to get inside. Once in a while she will come out and sit on the steps while we a read a scripture to her. Well this week we actually got inside! We tried to make small talk and she was just quiet as usual...then we tried to share a story from the Liahona...but at the end she was like 'honestly, I didn't understand that story at all' ....then launched into a series of appologies about she's sorry that she's been so cold to us, and then pulled out pictures from when the sisters first taught her and told us all her memories about when she first was baptized. She told us how she just started working alot and she forgot about her testimony (she is currently living with a guy and is pregnant) but that she wants to come back to church. She ended with some encouraging words that we need to contact people on the street because we never know when they will accept. It was what you could say is a major breakthrough. Only took 10 weeks.
We felt like we had a lot of major breakthroughs this week that 'only' took 10 weeks. We had an ami finally come to church, first time for us.
We contacted this lady Zhara, and it was such a neat experience. At first she wasn't interested, but for some reason I just felt pushed to just keep talking. Finally we asked if we could just sit on a park bench and teach her for 10 minutes, she agreed. We explained the book of Mormon and she ended up telling us this experience she had with prayer when she was like 14, and ever since that experience she's asked herself "maybe there is someone who listens to prayers". The spirit was so strong there on the park bench right next to the loud construction. It was so neat. The sun even shone for us for like 10 minutes. She took the Book of Mormon, and said we could call her to fix another rendezvous...On Verra.
And we had a cool experience with porting. So during interviews President asked why, I thought, we were having such a hard time finding new people to teach. I really didn't know, I honestly feel like we've been trying everything. We've been trying to apply everything our leaders teach us, we are doing finding all the time...we find cool people...just no one actually progresses. We've taught lots of first lessons and gotten lots of numbers....its just been frustrating to see nothing go anywhere. So he just encouraged us to do more porting. SO, we did. We found this one street where almost every door was an adorable family. Seriously, picturesque mom and dad with three little kids....at every door. And at every door they were very polite in telling us 'no, thanks'. But this one lady, she came to the door with 3 little boys...loud crazy little boys. We were trying to explain we are missionaries blah blah blah, and she was trying to battle these three wrestling boys trying to close the door in our faces. Finally I just said 'listen, I know its wierd to come to people's door and talk about Jesus, but what we really talk about is how to apply his gospel to our daily lives and how it can bless our families". She said "well that, I would be interested in, can you pass by another time?" Of course we said yes, and I barely asked her name when her sons succeeded at closing the door. I guess being blunt works. When in Lille, do as the Lillois?
And we celebrated the lovely Bastille Day, which really the only thing that changed for us was that the buses were less frequent...I really think the French would die if they saw what the Fourth of July is like. Oh well, I was super spirted and wore blue, white, and red. haha
It was a pretty good week, and while yes in the back of my mind I know the clock is ticking on my little missionary life, I also know that I still have alot of hours of contacting ahead of us...so pray that I can have emotional stability in the next few weeks and pray we find people!
Je vous aime!
à très beintot!
Soeur Smith
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
July 9, 2012 "Don't worry, be happy now"
Bonjour Bonjour!!!
Well this week Soeur McGhie and I were invited again to mission council...one more train ride to Paris (which is ironic because everytime I make that train ride I get all sentimental and tell myself the next time I make that train ride I'll have my suitcases...then something else happens and woaps off to Paris again...)
Anyways...mission council was good. I was expecting all the serious, bussiness talk that Zone Leaders like to make...when President Poznanski got up and asked "when is the last time you really laughed with your companion?"
And he was serious...he wanted stories. So people started raising thier hands and talking about how they had seen someone crash thier bike, or someone had told them they couldn't understand a thing they say, or the cell phone had rang during a prayer. Here I was thinking prez would react by wanted to say something like "have charity for those who crash their bikes, work on your french, make sure you phone is on silent in rendezvous"...but no...he was laughing right along with us. Then I realized...I probably sound much too serious in my emails...ok maybe I imagine that I sound like a serious, seasoned missionary in my emails...but comme meme I decided its time to share with you some of the hilarious things that have happened to us the past couple weeks. Because, oh gosh, being a missionary is one of the funniest things ever. Par example:
-So the cute 16 year old that admires our tags, remember that story? Well her name is Tracy. And Tracy loves to speak english. She is also asking us for help with her homework and always trying to speak with us and the elders. Well, an elder and I somehow started teaching her gibberish words and told her that it is Canadian, and that actually english is my second language. And this has been going on for a good 2 and a half weeks. Now whenever she sees us, she greats us with "ashneedersnider" and says goodbye with " oobish". We even demonstrated entire converstations of "canadian" for her. But before you get worried about how cruel we are...we did finally sit her down and tell her Canadian is not a real language (she might have announced to some ward members she's learning canadian). Anyway...she is kind of a dramatic one, so once we got over the fake crying, she starting saying "I hate you elder!" We told her, Tracy you can't say I hate you...that's very rude in english. But you can say "I don't like your chicken".....haha yes it starts all over again.
-So we have this less active that smokes. We prepare for our rendezvous with her by wearing lots of layers, so afterwards we can peel off all the layers and not smell like smoke for the entire day. Well this week we were teaching were appropriately teaching the word of wisdom. Imagine the situation: We just finished reviewing all the things we are supposed to and not supposed to partake of. She is waving her cigerette in our faces "it is ridiculous that we are supposed to eat vegetables...I hate vegitables!"
We get out of the rendezvous and Soeur McGhie looks at me "I don't think she gets that we're not very concerned about her intake of vegetables."
-So last week we went to visit Rositta in the hospital. We had planned a pretty dramatic rendezvous...you know...the DTR (determine the relationship...but in a missionary way) Either commit to living the gospel...or we can't come see you anymore. Well, we come in and she had just been given some medications. But of course, we don't understand what the nurses give her...so I'm trying to ask her some questions...to see is she is really interested. And she keeps closing her eyes....then opening them...its like blinking...but really slow motioned...and then one time they stay closed. Of course, I'm in the middle of testifying...and finally I just say "Rositta? Rositta?"...yup she fell asleep. We had to try so hard to not laugh until we were out in the hallway...we just decided to come back another time for the whole DTR to be a bit more effective...
-I called this member last week so see if we could pass by and share a thought...well I asked for Soeur ________...and she acted all suspcious and was like "yes, who is this?" and then I said "its the sister missionaries"...and she acted all relieved and was like " oh with your foriegn accent I thought you were going to try and sell me something!!!" hahaha I just want to know what company calls people by "soeur".
-So we were contacting and we stopped this lady with a little boy. We got through introducing ourselves...and her little boy took of running down the street. She just looks at us, and then starts running after him. I wasn't sure what to do...so I chased after her. Soeur McGhie just stood there looking confused. Meanwhile...the lady is chasing her little boy up and down the street...so all three of us are kind of running circles around each other. haha she finally stopped and I was able to finish the contact.....she's not interested. The best was after Soeur McGhie was like "well that was fun to watch" hahah.
-This story is my favorite. So our 84 year old neighbor comes out every morning, walks across the lawn and dumps a jar of mystry juice in the bushes next to the sidewalk. Its always at the same time, and Im always sitting in the chair watching him. Well, a few weeks ago, we were noticing that our front porch smells like urine. Soeur McGhie jokingly said "maybe our nieghbor dumps urine in our bushes every morning " I was horrified and said "no, that can't be it...there must be a stray dog somewhere'"...and a couple days later we even saw a dog in our yard! Well...fast forward a couple weeks and we are at mission council. One elder comes up and says "so I see your living in my old apartment...does your nextdoor nieghbor still dump his urine on your yard"...we both looked horrified and were like "what!!!" and the elder was like "ya, he has a cathader(sp?) and apparently doesnt know how to properly empty it" hahahahahah So Soeur McGhie was right...our 84 year old friend literally dumps his urine on our yard. Apparently the Elders once spent french study writing him a very nice sticky note asking him to stop...maybe we'll try again....
Everyday we're faced with funny situations...sometimes its just getting caught in the rain and deciding to laugh rather being frustrated by the soggy feet and ineffective contacting. In Proverbs 17:22 we learn "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine". I realize some of these stories probably arent too funny for you...but remembering the funny things that happen to us each day help us remember that all this soul-saving bussiness is supposed to be joyful!
Anyways, I hope you all had some funny moments this week too!
Love you!
Soeur Smith
Well this week Soeur McGhie and I were invited again to mission council...one more train ride to Paris (which is ironic because everytime I make that train ride I get all sentimental and tell myself the next time I make that train ride I'll have my suitcases...then something else happens and woaps off to Paris again...)
Anyways...mission council was good. I was expecting all the serious, bussiness talk that Zone Leaders like to make...when President Poznanski got up and asked "when is the last time you really laughed with your companion?"
And he was serious...he wanted stories. So people started raising thier hands and talking about how they had seen someone crash thier bike, or someone had told them they couldn't understand a thing they say, or the cell phone had rang during a prayer. Here I was thinking prez would react by wanted to say something like "have charity for those who crash their bikes, work on your french, make sure you phone is on silent in rendezvous"...but no...he was laughing right along with us. Then I realized...I probably sound much too serious in my emails...ok maybe I imagine that I sound like a serious, seasoned missionary in my emails...but comme meme I decided its time to share with you some of the hilarious things that have happened to us the past couple weeks. Because, oh gosh, being a missionary is one of the funniest things ever. Par example:
-So the cute 16 year old that admires our tags, remember that story? Well her name is Tracy. And Tracy loves to speak english. She is also asking us for help with her homework and always trying to speak with us and the elders. Well, an elder and I somehow started teaching her gibberish words and told her that it is Canadian, and that actually english is my second language. And this has been going on for a good 2 and a half weeks. Now whenever she sees us, she greats us with "ashneedersnider" and says goodbye with " oobish". We even demonstrated entire converstations of "canadian" for her. But before you get worried about how cruel we are...we did finally sit her down and tell her Canadian is not a real language (she might have announced to some ward members she's learning canadian). Anyway...she is kind of a dramatic one, so once we got over the fake crying, she starting saying "I hate you elder!" We told her, Tracy you can't say I hate you...that's very rude in english. But you can say "I don't like your chicken".....haha yes it starts all over again.
-So we have this less active that smokes. We prepare for our rendezvous with her by wearing lots of layers, so afterwards we can peel off all the layers and not smell like smoke for the entire day. Well this week we were teaching were appropriately teaching the word of wisdom. Imagine the situation: We just finished reviewing all the things we are supposed to and not supposed to partake of. She is waving her cigerette in our faces "it is ridiculous that we are supposed to eat vegetables...I hate vegitables!"
We get out of the rendezvous and Soeur McGhie looks at me "I don't think she gets that we're not very concerned about her intake of vegetables."
-So last week we went to visit Rositta in the hospital. We had planned a pretty dramatic rendezvous...you know...the DTR (determine the relationship...but in a missionary way) Either commit to living the gospel...or we can't come see you anymore. Well, we come in and she had just been given some medications. But of course, we don't understand what the nurses give her...so I'm trying to ask her some questions...to see is she is really interested. And she keeps closing her eyes....then opening them...its like blinking...but really slow motioned...and then one time they stay closed. Of course, I'm in the middle of testifying...and finally I just say "Rositta? Rositta?"...yup she fell asleep. We had to try so hard to not laugh until we were out in the hallway...we just decided to come back another time for the whole DTR to be a bit more effective...
-I called this member last week so see if we could pass by and share a thought...well I asked for Soeur ________...and she acted all suspcious and was like "yes, who is this?" and then I said "its the sister missionaries"...and she acted all relieved and was like " oh with your foriegn accent I thought you were going to try and sell me something!!!" hahaha I just want to know what company calls people by "soeur".
-So we were contacting and we stopped this lady with a little boy. We got through introducing ourselves...and her little boy took of running down the street. She just looks at us, and then starts running after him. I wasn't sure what to do...so I chased after her. Soeur McGhie just stood there looking confused. Meanwhile...the lady is chasing her little boy up and down the street...so all three of us are kind of running circles around each other. haha she finally stopped and I was able to finish the contact.....she's not interested. The best was after Soeur McGhie was like "well that was fun to watch" hahah.
-This story is my favorite. So our 84 year old neighbor comes out every morning, walks across the lawn and dumps a jar of mystry juice in the bushes next to the sidewalk. Its always at the same time, and Im always sitting in the chair watching him. Well, a few weeks ago, we were noticing that our front porch smells like urine. Soeur McGhie jokingly said "maybe our nieghbor dumps urine in our bushes every morning " I was horrified and said "no, that can't be it...there must be a stray dog somewhere'"...and a couple days later we even saw a dog in our yard! Well...fast forward a couple weeks and we are at mission council. One elder comes up and says "so I see your living in my old apartment...does your nextdoor nieghbor still dump his urine on your yard"...we both looked horrified and were like "what!!!" and the elder was like "ya, he has a cathader(sp?) and apparently doesnt know how to properly empty it" hahahahahah So Soeur McGhie was right...our 84 year old friend literally dumps his urine on our yard. Apparently the Elders once spent french study writing him a very nice sticky note asking him to stop...maybe we'll try again....
Everyday we're faced with funny situations...sometimes its just getting caught in the rain and deciding to laugh rather being frustrated by the soggy feet and ineffective contacting. In Proverbs 17:22 we learn "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine". I realize some of these stories probably arent too funny for you...but remembering the funny things that happen to us each day help us remember that all this soul-saving bussiness is supposed to be joyful!
Anyways, I hope you all had some funny moments this week too!
Love you!
Soeur Smith
July 2, 2012 "Parable of the Rock"
Bonjour Bonjour.
So I thought I'd start this week off with story time. Our lovely zone leaders shared this nice little parable with us:
Once upon a time there was a man. And one night, the Lord came to this man in a vision. He instructed the man that there was a rock just outside his house. The man was to use all his might and strength to push against the rock. The man awoke from his vision with determination. From that day on, he woke up every morning and would go and push against the rock. He would push with all his might and strength for the entire day. He would come in at the end of the day exhausted and worn out. He did this...every day. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months. Satan saw this man's efforts to be obedient, and decided to enter the picture. He started to place thoughts into the man's mind such as "why are you doing this? You have been exhausting yourself for nothing. The rock has not moved one inch and you have been doing all you can. Why try?" The man fed into these thoughts. He started to create his own thoughts such as "maybe I could just put in half the effort...why does it matter. Even with all my strength the rock doesn't move. Maybe this is worthless. I'm not being a profitable servent to the Lord. I cannot move the rock". One night, overwhelmed by these thoughts, the man decided to make it a matter of prayer. He expressed his thoughts and doubts to the Lord. And the Lord responded " My dear servent, I did not command you to move the rock. I simply commanded you to push with all your might and strength. Look at how your muscles have grown from all your pushing. Your arms and back are strong and ready for greater tasks. I did not ask you to move the rock, I will move the rock. I simply asked you to have faith and be obedient. I simply asked you to push.I, the Lord, will move the moutains."
I can think about 100,000 ways this story applies to missionary work. But in discussing this story with Soeur McGhie, I decided to break my rule about not talking about the end of my mission with her. I couldn't help but bear testimony of how much my 'rock' or my mission, has helped me change. Throughout my mission, I've seen things happen for reasons I don't understand. You try and have such and faith and hope in people, to only have them turn away at the last minute from the gospel. You go out contacting with the faith that the Lord truly will put people in your path that are ready, only to return home at the end of the night with no success. You fix goals, only to fall short. At the beginning of my mission I had a list of things I wanted to have learned by the end of my mission, and I'm just starting to see that I had no idea what I needed to change and learn, but the Lord certainly does. He knows which of muscles need strengthening. And I most definately cannot see which mountains he will later ask me to move in my life, for now its all about the faith to push.
And push is mostly what this week has been. Our rendezvous with our Brik fell through. Other people we had high hopes for didn't turn out. Rositta is still in the hospital...and well this week she told us that she is sick of all this talk about baptism and will call us when she's ready to talk again. So we've done lots of finding. Which is really the focus in our zone right now. Finding, finding, finding. I feel very unified with our zone, and our district. Everyone is praying for one another to find. Yet, we haven't seen the success. Yet. And sometimes I feel anxiety because my time is limited...but in the end the Lord knows what we need. Right now, we must show our faith to go out and find and be obedient.
So that's the status in Lille: rain showers with intense rock pushing.
Love you all!
Soeur Smith
So I thought I'd start this week off with story time. Our lovely zone leaders shared this nice little parable with us:
Once upon a time there was a man. And one night, the Lord came to this man in a vision. He instructed the man that there was a rock just outside his house. The man was to use all his might and strength to push against the rock. The man awoke from his vision with determination. From that day on, he woke up every morning and would go and push against the rock. He would push with all his might and strength for the entire day. He would come in at the end of the day exhausted and worn out. He did this...every day. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months. Satan saw this man's efforts to be obedient, and decided to enter the picture. He started to place thoughts into the man's mind such as "why are you doing this? You have been exhausting yourself for nothing. The rock has not moved one inch and you have been doing all you can. Why try?" The man fed into these thoughts. He started to create his own thoughts such as "maybe I could just put in half the effort...why does it matter. Even with all my strength the rock doesn't move. Maybe this is worthless. I'm not being a profitable servent to the Lord. I cannot move the rock". One night, overwhelmed by these thoughts, the man decided to make it a matter of prayer. He expressed his thoughts and doubts to the Lord. And the Lord responded " My dear servent, I did not command you to move the rock. I simply commanded you to push with all your might and strength. Look at how your muscles have grown from all your pushing. Your arms and back are strong and ready for greater tasks. I did not ask you to move the rock, I will move the rock. I simply asked you to have faith and be obedient. I simply asked you to push.I, the Lord, will move the moutains."
I can think about 100,000 ways this story applies to missionary work. But in discussing this story with Soeur McGhie, I decided to break my rule about not talking about the end of my mission with her. I couldn't help but bear testimony of how much my 'rock' or my mission, has helped me change. Throughout my mission, I've seen things happen for reasons I don't understand. You try and have such and faith and hope in people, to only have them turn away at the last minute from the gospel. You go out contacting with the faith that the Lord truly will put people in your path that are ready, only to return home at the end of the night with no success. You fix goals, only to fall short. At the beginning of my mission I had a list of things I wanted to have learned by the end of my mission, and I'm just starting to see that I had no idea what I needed to change and learn, but the Lord certainly does. He knows which of muscles need strengthening. And I most definately cannot see which mountains he will later ask me to move in my life, for now its all about the faith to push.
And push is mostly what this week has been. Our rendezvous with our Brik fell through. Other people we had high hopes for didn't turn out. Rositta is still in the hospital...and well this week she told us that she is sick of all this talk about baptism and will call us when she's ready to talk again. So we've done lots of finding. Which is really the focus in our zone right now. Finding, finding, finding. I feel very unified with our zone, and our district. Everyone is praying for one another to find. Yet, we haven't seen the success. Yet. And sometimes I feel anxiety because my time is limited...but in the end the Lord knows what we need. Right now, we must show our faith to go out and find and be obedient.
So that's the status in Lille: rain showers with intense rock pushing.
Love you all!
Soeur Smith
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