October 3, 2016
Bonjour everyone!! Thank you for your love, support, letters, pictures and emails! Please know HOW MUCH I appreciate and hold onto your words. I only get 1.5 hours to email back on Pdays. So i'm really sorry to anyone who writes me and I don't write back. I have time to read things, just not always reply. But just know HOW MUCH I love all of you!
Things I love about Southern France
-The bises (cheek kisses for greetings). Honestly, I like it more than hugging people to greet them. You don't have this awkward "Do I side hug? Give them a pat on the back kind of hug? Or a tight squeeze?" You just "kiss kiss" both cheeks and then it's over. It's simple and adorable.
This is the first day we were able to go to the beach on our Pday!!
-the diversity of scenery. I look one way and see a glimmering ocean with tourists sun bathing. I look another way and see giant green rolling hills dotted with colorful homes. I take a train ride 20 minuets away and am surrounded by towering red rocks. I go another 20 minuets and see endless rows of fields.
-fresh fruits and vegetables. The climate to grow things here is top notch. We buy locally grown fruits and vegetables every single week. The strawberries here are smaller and taste different
Our Ward Soiree Family last Monday
Our Ward Soiree Family last Monday
-Instead of saying "oui" normally, sometimes people just like do this light breathy "whuy" that just sounds like they are taking a gasp of air. (Ask Jamison to explain and demonstrate this for you... I'm sure they did it in northern France as well)
Patisserie on Pdaysss
-the time people take to make food taste good. They let sauces marinate longer. Watch the chicken more carefully so it doesn't burn. Beat the eggs with more love. They just appreciate food. Just like me!
-baguettes! I know it's a stereotype... but it's real. They are everywhere! A woman we visited yesterday gave us 5 baguettes to take home. And I love seeing classic old French people walking down the street carrying a baguette. The sound of a baguette makes when you crunch it is amazing.
Funniest experience happened last Lundi. After Soirée Famiale (FHE) with our amazing Nice ward, Soeur Holmgren I ran to catch the tram. As Soeur Holmgren jumped trough the door, it shut after her. And I was still outside the tram. We frantically pushed every button to try and get it to open. The glass wall between us made it so hard to hear each other. (So just picture this scene for a moment). The tram then starts moving, I am pouring on the door half trying to speak in English and French, and half laughing in a panicked scream... sprinting along side the tram. For most people it'd be like çava, calm down, just call each other on the phone. But foto us... I have NO phone, we NEVER separate, and I don't speak French tho ask someone for help.
So the tram flys away, out of my sight, and I'm just standing there all alone. At 8:30 at night, with no phone, and no companion. I start jogging after the direction of the tram while just laughing my head off. I literally couldn't stop laughing out loud. Everyone around me was just staring at the crazy American girl. I was half talking to myself/ half jogging/ half laughing. So then I see the tram stop off in the distance. As I get closer and closer, I see this girl in a dress, weaving through the crowd of people. When Soeur Holmgren and I saw each other, we just SPRINTED and then completely EMBRACED while laughing/ crying (of laughter)/ gasping for breath. People around us were probably thinking, "awe, cute, they haven't seen each other in years. What a sweet reunion." When in reality it'd been 2 minutes without my companion. HAHAHAHAH. It was truly a moment from a movie... except in real life.
Train Ride to Lyon with my companion Souer Holmgren. We passed through Provence.
General Conference was just so refreshing. My favorite talk was either Elder Ballards, or Russel M Nelsons. We are here on this life to have JOY. Saints can be happy under ANY circumstance. Regardless of what is or what is NOT happening. For me, joy includes having perspective and having hope in Christ. As I am out here on this mission in southern France and face disappointment when I don't feel like I'm good enough, or I get discouraged with how my French is coming, or I just have OKAY days... I can feel JOY in something greater. In a bigger perspective. I can have joy in Christ. As we face trials, we can look towards Jesus Christ to have hope that things are going to be okay.
I love how Elder Ballard talked about faith. Faith is a word I have heard my entire life growing up. I always thought I'd had faith and that faith was something I didn't really struggle with. But out here on the mission, it has been harder for me to have faith. Faith requires action right? So sometimes we believe, but when it comes down to it... are we willing to take a step in the dark and show our ACT of faith? For me, it's opening my mouth to talk to the woman next to me on the bus even when I don't know what is going to come out of my mouth. Or being obedient to the mission rules even when I don't understand WHY there is that rule. But I love how Elder Ballard said, "Sometimes we just have to believe, TRUST, and hope." When your faith is failing... do not give up. Keep taking a step at a time.
Service we did up in the mountains. This garden was HUGE!
The Lord suffered for our infirmities so he could know how to succor us. One of those infirmities being loss of faith. If there is one thing I've learned on my mission so far, it is that there are no short cuts in life. No short cuts to true joy. Christ HAD to suffer for every detail of our pain, weaknesses, and sins, (including loss of faith), in order to truly understand what we are going through. If I want to learn French, there are no short cuts. I can't just sit back and hope it comes. I have to work at it every day. If you want to run a marathon, you have to run every mile, every step. If you want to become who you want to become, you HAVE to do what it takes to do so. It is a gift from our Heavenly Father that he allows us experience this life for ourselves. If we want to feel joy in our lives, it is going to take some extra effort and work, even making some changes in our life. And the most amazing part, is that although we have to walk every step of the way... we don't have to walk alone! Christ is right by our side, encouraging and strengthening us!
Lunch with Souer Roustand. She made us RATATOUILLE with vegetables from her garden!
Don't you just feel so good when you listen to conference? The amazing thing is that we can literally feel that joy every day of our lives if we choose to. I know so many people say this, but Christ is just waiting to help us. And you might think "ya ya ya, I know I know." But honestly, he can strengthen, heal, encourage, and lift you. He is ALWAYS constant, but its us who chooses how much we want him to be apart of our lives. There are times in my life where Christ I haven't focused enough time on the gospel (Christ's teachings). But now out here on the mission, I truly need him every hour. And my life is SO much better. Not because I don't have hard days, but because I have hope in Christ. The more I learn about Christ, the more I discover and feel his love for me. He loves me so much. He just does. I am his daughter. He WANTS to help me. And I am so far from perfect, but Jesus Christ has helped me become such a happier person.
Sometimes, when people back home hear missionaries speak, or read what they write, all they hear are the miracle stories. And yes. I see miracles and I have experienced a lot of cool things out here in France. But a lot of the day is just doing normal things. Waking up, walking around in a dress, trying to talk to people who are grumpy, reading my scriptures, brushing my teeth... haha okay you get the picture. But the amazing moments, when someone smiles at me on the street, or I see the morning sunrise, or I watch someone change as they come unto Christ... just are moments of joy. They aren't like the big things you see on T.V... It's a deeper, more real type of joy. But it's REAL and just so beautiful.
Ward Party: Elton and Violetta, missionaries and other ward members
Nice ward party!! Elder Suro, Soeur Holmgren, Elder Peron, Elder Zhu, Elder Carlson
I know the atonement is real. I have used it in my life and have become a happier person because of it. I've been able to progress, feel relief, and move on after I've made mistakes. I love Jesus Christ. He is so consistent in my life and I am thankful for his patience he has with me even when I'm not patient with him. The Book of Mormon gives me more clarity in life. When I'm confused or discouraged, the Book of Mormon reminds me what is most important. I love that I get to share my testimony every single day with others. I love what I am becoming on this mission. I love what I'm becoming because of Jesus Christ.
Love, Soeur Jones
LIZEE thank you for the letter!!
LIZEE thank you for the letter!!
The Memorial for the terrorist attack in Nice.
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