Week 32 "Votre grand père était très beau quoi"

I will start out with my favorite Soeur Bonnamy quote this week. She was looking through my "my family" booklet with my genealogy. She saw a picture of one of my great grandfathers and said, "et en plus, votre grand père était tres beau quoi!" (And also, your grandpa was very good looking!!!) Ha, she is a funny one.

Soeur Zamori and Soeur Bonnamy

Another funny story. We bought flowers for an old woman in our ward. Her name is Marguerite Zamori and has 94 years. We were going to visit a member before Soeur Zamori and we didn't want the member to feel bad that we didn't get them flowers too. So before walking into the member's apartment, we hid the flowers under the gate. After the 10 minute RDV with the member, we walked outside and the flowers were
gone! Someone stole them! Hahaha. So cute Marguerite Zamori didn't get flowers. BUT someone else did! I hope they appreciate those flowers. I hope it made their day.

Just doing my autoome hour and studying Jamison's genealogy book he made.
It made me cry

Pretty cool miracles this week. We ate lunch at Aimé's house with Soeur Bouloi. Aimé is a very kind member in the ward from Africa. He is so generous and always gives us tons of random food from his house. He is in a wheelchair and his voice was affected because of an accident a few years back. Soeur Bouloi is a convert of 10 years. As we sat around the table eating lunch, she told us her conversion story. She told us how she was Protestant but refused to be baptized because she didn't believe they had proper authority to baptize. She searched and searched around a bunch of different churches. She said, the day she finds a church with a prophet, she will be baptized.

When two missionaries in white shirts walked directly towards her on the road one day, she felt as if they were sent from heaven. It took her a
while to actually meet with the missionaries, but when she finally met with them and they told her that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and showed her a picture of Gordon B Hinkley, she couldn't believe her ears. They also told her that we have temples on the earth today. And she told the missionaries she wanted to go right now to the temple. And they said, okay, well first come to church. Super cool story. She is so passionate about the simple principles of the gospel. I love the energy of converts. I think we should all have that same energy.

As Soeur Bouoli told this story, 2 girls walked in. One was Aime's niece, Elsa. She sat down next to Soeur Bouloi and listened to her tell this story. The spirit was so strong in the room. After, Elsa asked a bunch of questions. Soeur Bouloi bore such a simple, sincere testimony of the Book of Mormon. After, she gave Elsa the Book of Mormon. We 3 missionaries sat there in amazement as we listened to
this member just killin it as a missionary. We are going to try to have a RDV with Elsa this week. But it is cool how when you just keep doing what the Lord asks of you, he fills your life with miracles along the way. And a lot of them come when you're not expecting it. I was so touched by Soeur Bouli's story and was reminded of why I am here on a mission.

I love the gospel. Today I have been thinking about how grateful I am to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. Too often, we get caught up in details of the church that are not the core. But I know that the five basic principles of the gospel are what keep us grounded. Continual FAITH (and trust) in God. REPENTANCE (change for the better. Recognizing when we have messed up and trying to be
better. Letting the Lord take the weight of sin from us). BAPTISM (taking the sacrament every week and coming to the Lord and asking him how we can improve. HOLY GHOST (having this gift with us all the time to guide us through this bumpy journey of life). And ENDURING to the end. Being patient through trials. Choosing to be happy now.

Sunset in Aix en Provence

This mission is not easy. But it would be impossible or completely miserable without Christ by my side every single day. I know that even the days when I feel like Christ has left my side and I am all alone, I know I am not. He has not left my side and he never will. My joy is full because of this gospel. I have changed and grown so much since day one of my mission. And at first I was really scared of change. But
by being humble and teachable enough to let the Lord help me, I know I have become something so much greater than I could on my own. This gospel takes a constant effort, but it is so worth it. I am so happy. I am so happy to have Christ as my center.

I feel like at the beginning of my mission, I wasn't super happy. I think I was waiting for the day I would be happy. But then, I decided just to stop waiting for that day and to be happy today. What a good choice that was.

Love, Soeur Jones