Week 15 "Zone Conference in NICE"

This week President and Sister Brown came down from Lyon for Zone
Conference. I loved this conference because it was a smaller group-
only our zone (Nice, Cannes, Antibes, St. Rafael, and Corsica). I also
loved it because President Brown was able to interview each one of us, one on one. I really needed that. He gave me some great advice. What I got from our interview, is that I need to stop self critiquing and just go forward with what I have to offer. He said "You could drive yourself into a mental hospital self critiquing."

Soeur Cusick is one of my favorite people in the world

I shouldn't hold back who I am because I am scared of what people will think. He also reminded me not to dwell on all the things I am not so good at, but to focus on the people......to love them and TRULY listen to them. I should see them as Christ sees them and love them before being a missionary to them.

Abby and Elder Hoggan....Olympus Buddies.

I know that one of the reasons I was sent to the France Lyon mission,
is to have Traci Brown as my Mission Mom. I feel like I relate to
Sister Brown so much. I told President in the interview, "I feel like
my personality, who I am, just doesn't fit in in France." And he
replied, "And you think Sister Brown fits in here?" I just laughed and
cried all at the same time and said, I guess not. Sister Brown was
needed here in France as the person she is. Not as some cookie cutter someone else. She is so real and so genuine and that is what people need. She is herself. She drinks too much diet coke, loves to play games, and cannot keep a secret for the life of her. Like if I were to imagine a mission for Sister Brown I would say... Texas. But France?

Hahahaha. But the thing is... she IS needed here. I need her here. I
also love President and Sister Brown's relationship. She will just
yell down the church hall, "Scottieeee?" "Yes sweetheart?" They are
always talking about how lucky they are to have each other. If I ever
found a man who loved me as much as President loves his wife- I would marry him like THAT.

After meeting with President Brown, I have realized how personal
this gospel is. Every baptism, confirmation, temple ordinance,
interview is one by one. I also think of my patriarchal blessing, how
personal to me- Abby Jones- that blessing is. I sometimes wonder,
"Wow, how did President Brown say EXACTLY what I needed to hear?" And it is because he is being guided by the holy ghost. It is not
President Brown, or my bishop, stake president, or patriarch who know me perfectly, it is my Heavenly Father. That is why it is so important for me to go to him as my first source. Because he knows me inside and out. He knows what will make me happiest, what bugs me, what tempts me, what motivates me. That is why it is so important to be in tune with the holy ghost. To know how the holy ghost speaks to you personally. The holy ghost tailors to each person specifically. It is so real.

DONNA the Gourmet cook

At zone conference... we ate SUCH GOOD FOOD. AHhhhasldkfjlakkdnvoewrnv yooommmyyy yummmyyyy oooommeeyyy it was sooooo good. A woman in our ward named Donna made it. Donna is from England, but she works as a personal chef for famous people here in Nice. Like whatttttt! We ate like kings- mushroom stuffed turkey, baked vegetables, "grown up brownies" and whites chocolate mouse. I sat next to Sister Brown and we chatted and chatted.

Pancake night at the chapel

Saturday night we had a Soirée Pancake at our chapel. The missionaries
organized it and we invited our ami's. It was SUCH A HIT. We had 3
ami's show up! Quentin came, as well as Dave and Erin's friends from
Eze- Chantal and Yves. It was fun to feed French people some American pancakes. With whipped cream, Nutella, and all that jazz! A lot of ward members showed up which was awesome for our ami's to meet them. We also watched the Easter Mormon Message, "He Lives." It was so powerful and the spirit was so tangible in the room.

Dave and Erin's friends...Chantal and Yves came to our Soiree Pancake that the missionaries organized.

I just want to testify of the truthfulness of this gospel. I have
never come to know my Savoir so well as I have right now in my life.
Every day, I get to tell people about Jesus Christ. That there is a
Father in Heaven who loves them. That the atonement can help them move on from their past mistakes and help them see all the good things about life. The atonement has never been so real to me as it is right now. Because I get to tell people about the hope of the atonement, but also use the atonement for myself. This message is real. The Book of Mormon keeps me grounded. I could not do this work if I didn't know it was true. I could not walk around for 15 hours a day telling people that God loves them if I didn't know it for myself.

Love, Soeur Jones

PDay Photos: