Week 60 "I'm Going to Geneva Switzerland"

I'm getting transferred to Geneva Switzerland! 🇨🇭

Look what the young woman wrote for me on the board at the top. " Sister Jones, we're going to miss you!"

When president called to tell me where I would be serving, I just had this feeling that I was going to Geneva. I have wanted to serve there my whole mission! My Grandpa Max and Grandma Nancy served there a few years ago and I have always wanted to see where they served and meet the people they love. Wowowowow! My new companion will be Soeur Delmundo. We were in the MTC together. She is from Canada. I also heard you eat dinner and lunch with members in Geneva. Soeur Schneider (who I am replacing) told me today.... you WILL get fat. Hahahahaha. So bring it on round cheeks and double chins! Also, Swiss is SUPER expensive and very clean. I think it will be quite different from France.

At parc de la tête d'or saying goodbye to our dear friends.

Leaving a ville is always a bitter sweet moment. I have absolutely loved serving in Ecully, being so close to the Browns, watching new missionaries come in and sleepover at our apartment, being comps with Soeur CUSICK!!!!! Ahhhhhh I loveeeeee Soeur Cusick and am really going to miss that crazy nut head. I love how real she is. I think that is something Soeur Cusick taught me. Is to be myself no matter who I'm with. I am going to miss her and the people in Ecully a lot. Luckily I am coming back for MLC in one week.

I said goodbye to many people I love this week. Yesterday we went to Parc de la tête d'or and sat on the grass with "E" and "G". I am sad I won't be here for "E's" baptism but am so proud of the progress and changes she has made in her life that don't mind too much not being there.

I love how "E" is so sensitive to the spirit. I love her humility and kindness. I love that she calls us "les filles." I love that she invites us to eat Brazilian food with her every time we teach her. I her Portuguese accent.

I am grateful to have met Amandine, Soeur Berger Perrin, "E", "G", the ZINNS. I absolutely adore the Zinn family. They treated me like one of their own kids and just took such good care of me. We went over there Sunday night to eat dinner. Soeur Zinn asked me what I wanted for my last dinner and I said "brocoli chicken casserole, rolls, and banana cream pie." She is the BEST. I love her food too.

I can't wait for you to meet them one day mom and dad! Calvin their son makes me laugh sooo hard. He wanted to give me a gift as I was leaving so he brought me 2 American kraft mac n cheese boxes from their pantry.

Pretty dang good gift if you ask me. Last night Soeur Zinn and brother Zinn took us home but they took us on a "scentic route" which just ended up as them driving us around in their car talking and laughing.

So this last week we found a really cool new ami. Her name is "J" and I felt super impressed to talk to her on the bus last week. She is from Mexico and is about the same age as me. We were able to go over to her apartment and share a video about Christ with her. I promise you I love French people. But people from South America and America are a lot more open in general with the whole religion subject. I am grateful though to have served among French because it has made more patient and less judgmental.

I gave a talk on Sunday so that was terrifying but also good. I still have a fear of talking to large groups of people in French. Jamo you will totally be able to relate to this... but people judge your French really hard. French people and missionaries. I am pretty sure France is the only mission where people really care about and correct your speaking skills. Well it's okay, I am just glad with how much my French has progressed since day 1. For my talk, I talked about how we come to know the Savior as we serve others. I feel I have become so close to Christ on my mission because I have been able to serve so often. I talked about how the best service we can give others is our time. To really sincerely listen to someone will fill you with more compassion and love. You will be able to see people as Christ sees them.

Love, Abby