Hello Family,
So first off, for the scripture. No, I don't want that scripture. That's
not my favorite one. Could you put Alma 26:27,31? Or if not, just verse
27?
This past week went by pretty well. It was rather long, but it was still
super great. :) Tuesday we had a nice big zone conference in Angers. It was
pretty cool. Everything was all about teaching and was directed at helping us
improve our teaching. It was supposed to end at 3 but went 40 minutes over...but
it went by pretty well.
Not too much happened during the week...until FRIDAY!! We just had a super
magical day. We combined forces with the Lyon mission. We did an all finding
day, with the goal to find 1000 new amis/leçons. We were instructed to stop
every 30 minutes to do a prayer with our companions. It made finding a lot more
spiritual and uplifting than it usually is. It was rather great! Friday seemed to
fly by SO fast!! I was actually rather amazed. Usually an all finding day seems
to go by a little longer than normal. We did have to opportunity that day to
stop finding for a bit to help our ami, Sonia, move. It ended up taking 2 hours,
but it was so rewarding. She was so grateful and then she even gave us the phone
number of her little brother to "go and pray with him and share with him our
message." So we have a potential ami thanks to the service opportunity that was
given.
I have learned that some of the best missionary work we can do, members and
missionaries alike, is service. Service really is the way to open one's heart.
It not only opens those whom have been served, but those equally that are
serving. As we serve each other, our hearts open to one another creating new,
lasting friendships that are founded on a base of charitable love. Ammon is a
super great example of this in the Book of Mormon.
Saturday, we had a rdv scheduled with Anne, but she texted and told us that
she was sick. We offered to give her a blessing and she accepted. We went over
there with a member named Pierre Nicolas. We explained what a blessing is and how
it is performed. And then asked her what was the reason of the blessing. She
explained to us what had happened, and all I will let you know is that she was
wronged very maliciously by a friend. She then chose Pierre Nicolas to do the
anointing and I to do the blessing. After the blessing she said she felt better.
We then talked to her about her smoking problem and proposed to talk about the
stop smoking program we have. She agreed to read over it and expressed that she
has a desire to stop. We then let her know we would put into initiation the
program the next time, and she agreed to that.
We were able to see Raphael this week as well, we shared with him Alma
34:32 and then ended up talking about the atonement and how that can help us in
our lives. He still hasn't been able to give up his last 1.5 cigarettes yet, and
I think we found out why. He expressed that he said it was him who had started
smoking and who continues to smoke, so it must be him who stops. And that Christ
can't be the one who makes him stop. We testified to him about the Atonement and
the healing power it has to help us over come temptations and addictions in our
life. And then we ended with a prayer (comme d'hab). I do honestly feel like the
reason he hasn't been able to make this last step is pride. He seems to feel
like it's all up to him. Which, in a sense is correct, it's up to him to choose.
He can choose to rely on Christ and come to the realization that he can't quit
without His help, or he can continue to struggle through this like he is. We are
hoping we can help him through this.
So Church yesterday went pretty well. Although, during Sacrament meeting,
the microphone was having troubles, so l'épiscopat just turned it off. Well,
even though the microphone was off, almost everyone that came up and bore their
testimony still adjusted the mic. Finally, a member came up to bare his
testimony and started off by saying how funny it was that despite the fact that
the microphone was off, everyone was still adjusting it. After, people still
adjusted the mic, then would realize that it was off and would stop touching it.
It was rather funny. I thought certain among you might enjoy that little
experience there. :)
So, I had quite an interesting experience yesterday. We went to the gare to
check out train times to be able to plan when we can go to Niort this week (the
Fitt couple will be in Britagne all week doing apartement checks...so we're on
our own this week.) and to find train times to go see the Swanepoels. Well,
while we were there, I had to go...pretty bad. And they have this bathroom that
is in the corner. It basically looks like a big wooden box. I had never used it
before though. So since I had to go so bad, I decided to try it out. I walked in
and locked the door, found a place to hang my bag when I started to notice. This
bathroom stinks. But not like a bathroom...It smelled like a very clean chicken
coop. Then I realized there wasn't a place to wash my hands...and then I looked
in the toilet. The bowl was a plastic bag that had cedar chips in it...then I
saw a dispenser that had cedar chips and a scooper to use. I wasn't sure if I
should still use it or not...so I did anyways. I sat down, then I saw a sign
that explained what in the world this odd toilet is. It's a dry toilet!! Made to
save water. These toilets save 20,000 liters of water per year. What you do is,
you do your buiseness, then you scoop enough cedar chips to cover your mess and
leave it clean for the next person. Luckily, after I was done, I did see a hand
santizer dispenser and used it. Very odd experience. I'll include the pictures I
took. :) Just so you can really get the jist of this experience. :)
And that was basically the week here in La Rochelle. As for transfers, they
were 3 weeks ago. So the next one will be in 3 weeks. The Wednesday right before
General Conference. Elder Smith and I both think that I'll be transferred
away...since there have been no missionaries in our mission that have served
more than 2 transfers together. But we will find out in 3 weeks. Ha.
I love you all!! :)
-Elder B. Stanton Wilson
By the way, quick note, I got word from the Pettitt Family in
Cergy. Dominique got her mission call!! She's going to Frankfurt!! How cool is
that?
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