The "Galette de Roi" ....I won as the "Reine." This is the best French tradition ever! All of January they have these cakes where they put a tiny santon or figure hidden inside. If you find the figure, you are queen or king and get to wear the crown!
How is it that I love these people here in Nice SO MUCH, that I have only known for 4 months of my life? It really blows my mind. I get so excited for Sundays because that means I get to be with all the members, less actives, amis, and other missionaries here in Nice. I love getting to the church early and waiting by the glass doors, to see all the members walk in. Every week- there is Felix, just dragging his grocery caddy along and wearing a bungee cord as a belt. He brings the missionaries gifts of random food items every week in his caddy. I love when the sisters of the ward walk in and we bise, and I get to ask them, "Vous-avez passée une bonne semaine?"
I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE. My love for them is just bursting for them. Before my mission I would hear people say, "Oh, you will just fall in love with the French people." And I didn't really understand that completely. Because sometimes I will be riding a bus full of French people, and I look around and think, I don't feel this OVERWHELMING love for all these random people around me. But for me it is that I feel so much love for the members and amis I have met here. I have learned to better appreciate the French flaire. The honestly and bluntness of French people. How sincere and not fake they are.
This week we had district meeting here in Nice. Which meant I got to see my favorite Soeur evaaa SOEUR CUSICKKKK. Literally she is absolutely insane. Soeur Cusick tried to get Elder Carlson (our zone leader) to let her lead district
meeting. She wanted to lead the meeting so bad. Malheureusement, he wouldn't let us lead district meeting. In district meeting we talked about remembering to hear the MUSIC of the gospel. How sometimes we do the dance steps but forget to hear the wonderful music of the gospel. At district meeting, Elder Tew from Texas made his famous biscuits and gravy. Yeee hawww a little taste of 'Merica." Any event where we get to be with other missionaries is basically the best day ever. Because you feel like you actually have friends and people who are similar to you haha. Also- I laughed so hard during our meal at district meeting with the other Cannes Sœurs and my companion that my cheek bones were just so sore by the end. Elder Reuben is an elder in our district who makes all of us laugh our heads off. Have you seen "A Cinderella Story?" With Hillary Duff? Okay. Well Elder Reuben is just like Sam's best friend, Carter. The one who tries to dress up as a gangster and then Sam is just like, no Carter... stop. Seriously everything Elder Reuben says we just DIE at.
At district meeting we were all in the kitchen cleaning up and I said to Elder Wiberg, our other zone leader, "Elder Wiberg, do you remember when Felix sang, "Je t'aime car même, je t'aime car mêmeeee"" But all the other missionaries only heard me say the last part "je t'aime car même" to Elder Wilberg wich means, "I love you still." And all the missionaries looked at me and just laughed way hard. Oh the things missionaries find funnny...
This week, sadly, we were not able to see our ami, Alexis. He said he was really busy with work this weekend. But that is okay, we will keep trying and praying that he will continue to progress and learn. BUT a little miracle happened. There is someone in our ward who brought his girlfriend, Veronique, to church about a month ago. She is not a member but has a religious background and a lot of faith. Well yesterday she showed up at church again with him! I talked to her for a while about how she has found her faith. She also said that she and Daniel (her boyfriend who is a member) have been reading the Book of Mormon that we gave her and praying over the phone together. She lives in Toulon so it makes it a little tricky for her to come to Nice often. I talked to her yesterday and asked her if she would be interested in having the missionaries in Toulon teach her and she said that would be good. MIRACLE. And tonight... we are having a Soirée Familial with her and Daniel!!!! I can't wait!
I read a talk a few weeks ago that has really been on my mind a lot. You should read it. It was given in conference October 2015. These lines from the talk have really influenced me. It says,
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| Donna bought us Crumpets. YUM! They have these holes in them so the butter can soak in:) |
"The Holy Ghost doesn’t tell us to improve everything at once. If He did, we would become discouraged and give up. The Spirit works with us at our own speed, one step at a time, or as the Lord has taught, “line upon line, precept upon precept, … and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, … for unto him that receiveth I will give more.” For example, if the Holy Ghost has been prompting you to say “thank you” more often, and you respond to that prompting, then He may feel it’s time for you to move on to something more challenging--like learning to say, “I’m sorry; that was my fault.”
So if you are wondering, "How do I better use the atonement in my life?" This is how. Little by little. Line upon line. When we go to the Lord and say, "Hey, what is one thing I can improve on or be a little better at?" He will tell us!!! And little by little, we change into the best version of ourself. It is a lot less overwhelming to me when I look and think of it that way. Of like... okay. Heavenly Father ISN'T requiring me to change everything at once. He just helps me one step at a time.
Another good quote I read this week from a talk in conference said, "You are rich if you can live happily within your means.” It got me thinking. That really, we are happy if we choose to be grateful for the things we have, the people we are with, and where we are at RIGHT NOW in our life. Because it would be easy for me to say, "Well... Im not with my family right now, and they are the ones who make me happy. So I'm not going to be happy." But I have other people around me right now. I have Soeur Allen. I have the members here in Nice. I am not the best at it... but something I am going to work on is just being grateful for what I have and where I am right now in my life. If I waste away my time wishing I had more ami's to teach right now, I won't be happy.
I am SO grateful for the people I HAVE met here. And although I haven't had the opportunity to help someone get baptized, I know that I have made a difference in someone's life here in nice. Even if it is not an ami. Even if it is just Soeur Carbonne. That is good enough for me. These people here have truly changed me for the better. Soeur Carbonne always tells me EVERY TIME... "Aimez-vous les unes les autres." Or in English (love one another.) It is so simple but how easy is it to forget something as simple as that? Love one another. Take time to listen to your kid, your Dad, your friend. Think of how much you have been given and all the tender mercies that the Lord blesses you with every day. None of us are going to be perfect at it. But if we just continue to make a consistent effort to be grateful and try and love others a little better... we will be happier.
Love, Soeur Jones
P.s... for pday today... we are going on a hike that overlooks Monaco. And for lunch we are going to go eat at a burger place in Massena. I can't wait to wear my chacos and Utah sweatshirt today!
PDAY HIKE OVERLOOKING MONACO
PDAY HIKE OVERLOOKING MONACO
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