Toulouse
Dear everyone,
Our calls with M have been going really well. I think the best lesson we had this week was in person on Saturday. We talked really straightforwardly about baptism: what things are necessary, what promises we make, and what promises God makes in return. We wrote it all up on a chalkboard. She is someone who likes things to be clear. We read through the sacrament prayers and pulled things out of them and discussed it. We talked about how we promise to be "willing" not perfect. We also read Mosiah 18:9-10. I love how clear and true the principle of baptism is.
Today we went to a restaurant for our halfway mark. It was great! While we were sitting there eating, a line of firefighters and policemen went by with their sirens blaring. At first we were concerned, but then read the signs on the sides of the trucks that said en grève or on strike. Then we just shook our heads and laughed. XD
I've been trying to tell Heavenly Father something I did well during the day and something I'm going to work on the next day in my evening prayers. I feel encouraged and hopeful doing that. In the mission we focus on reviewing progress, making goals, and setting plans. This way it makes à little review, goal, and plan every night. I hope I can progress little by little until the end of my mission. And the rest of my life. :)
This week we had a conversation with M about Justice and Grace and Mercy. In France a lot of what inhibits people from believing in God is seeing the things that aren't good in the world and blaming it on Him. But what they don't understand is that everything that is good comes from Him and from the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for Him. Through Him we can overcome physical and spiritual death. Through Him comes every good thing as it says in Moroni 7:24. Through Him we overcome everyday weaknesses. Through Him we progress and are perfected.
We went and painted again for a member! Soeur M and I celebrating our halfway mark. A a pretty building in Limoges.
This has really been a great week. I know I say that every time, but it was! We got to go to Toulouse Monday and Tuesday. Monday evening we had a contacting activity where we separated and went to different parts of Toulouse to talk to people. I was very lucky and went to centre ville or downtown which means I got to see beautiful architecture and share the gospel at the same time! We used the video "Grâce à Lui" and people were open to watching it and discussing afterward! It was great! Standing there holding the tablet so they could watch it, I prayed so hard that the Spirit would touch them. I hope it did even if we didn't see immédiate results. We did invite people to à special sacrament meeting come and see that is taking place in francophone Europe and one of the people we invited was from Limoges!
The zone conference was amazing. I learned so much about obtaining goals as an équipe and as a mission. The Spirit was really strong inviting us to do good. That evening on the train we had another really good conversation with the couple across from us. At first I felt like I had nothing to start à conversation with. I searched my brain but felt void of good ideas. So we didn't really talk until the last hour of the train ride when Sœur M and I were talking and a question about French came up so I asked the lady we were with. They turned out it be really nice and we talked for an hour after that. I know that it wasn't me that found the courage or the way to start a conversation. It was thanks to the Lord that something came up and that I asked without over thinking it.
Our calls with M have been going really well. I think the best lesson we had this week was in person on Saturday. We talked really straightforwardly about baptism: what things are necessary, what promises we make, and what promises God makes in return. We wrote it all up on a chalkboard. She is someone who likes things to be clear. We read through the sacrament prayers and pulled things out of them and discussed it. We talked about how we promise to be "willing" not perfect. We also read Mosiah 18:9-10. I love how clear and true the principle of baptism is.
Here in Limoges we added Grâce à Lui to our contacting and showed it to two people. One was a young man. He was from a religious family and we actually ended up giving a short retab lesson and reading from the intro of the Book of Mormon. He said it all made sense and agreed. I was so excited! But when we asked if he would read it he said no he didn't want to read or learn more. Even when we explained what things result from the knowledge it's true. The fact that it means Good speaks to us today, we have living prophets, and there is the priesthood in the earth. But no. It was really sad. As we walked away I felt like my heart had been torn in half. It's difficult to accept people's agency sometimes.
I've been trying to tell Heavenly Father something I did well during the day and something I'm going to work on the next day in my evening prayers. I feel encouraged and hopeful doing that. In the mission we focus on reviewing progress, making goals, and setting plans. This way it makes à little review, goal, and plan every night. I hope I can progress little by little until the end of my mission. And the rest of my life. :)
This week we had a conversation with M about Justice and Grace and Mercy. In France a lot of what inhibits people from believing in God is seeing the things that aren't good in the world and blaming it on Him. But what they don't understand is that everything that is good comes from Him and from the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for Him. Through Him we can overcome physical and spiritual death. Through Him comes every good thing as it says in Moroni 7:24. Through Him we overcome everyday weaknesses. Through Him we progress and are perfected.
I love my mission! I love this gospel! I love you all!
Sœur Marriott
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