I say crazy because some were amazing and others were strange.
Sadly none of our amis came to church, but 4 of our inactive members/families that we have been working with came! So that was exciting and Martha finally came (she is the mother of Jason who is hopefully getting baptized in one or two weeks). However she called Soeur Larsen the day before saying she had had a vision, but now she knew God loves her and she would come to Church. We weren't quite sure what that meant but we found out on Sunday...
After Relief Society and during Sunday School we taught a lesson to Martha and her friend Gloria (who we thought was a new ami, but we later found out that she is a member but has been inactive for a really long time). Thankfully frere Salinas (our DMP or ward mission leader) was with us as well as Elder Costner, Elder Ellis and Nicole and Zeinab (a member and our recent convert). Anyway we started singing an opening hymn and all of the sudden Gloria screamed "Mon Seigneur!" and began wailing and crying. Frere Salinas tried to calm her down but then Martha told us that we need to be quiet and listen to her because she was "prophesying" and we needed to hear any important things she said. Gloria then knelt on the ground still wailing and then lay flat on the ground. All of us sat in silence and shock not knowing what to do. (I'm sure all of you are trying to imagine what this must have been like). ( :O :( 8-S :-/ - these were the looks all of us had on our faces) Gloria finally stopped crying and got back up and was asking God for forgiveness. As if it couldn't get any worse Martha then closed her eyes and started talking about the end of the world. Whenever frere Salinas tried to say something she said, "Don't interupt me, I'm prophesying, the Lord is speaking through me." I couldn't really understand much of what she was saying so I had to ask Soeur Larsen afterward. Soeur Larsen then took Zeinab out into the hall to explain that that isn't how we do things around here. Thankfully Zeinab said, "Don't worry, I know." Finally Martha stopped and frere Salinas explained to Martha that she didn't need to worry about the end of the world or going about warning people, everything she was talking about is already in the scriptures. He told her that the missionaries have been called by the prophet and it's their job to teach people and prepare them for baptism. Elder Costner then read Mosiah 2:17 to and told Martha that if she wants to help people she can do that be serving them and being a good example. We then ended our lesson.
I had heard of crazy experiences happening like that on people's missions, but I never thought it would happen on mine. Poor Soeur Larsen just started crying afterward because she was tired and stressed and frustrated with Martha, but later that night we had a big laugh about it. The other Elders were sad they had missed out; I felt bad for the gospel doctrine class that was next to it because they had all heard Gloria's screaming, but thankfully they thought it was a child. Thankfully, Martha is doing better now; we've visited her a couple times this week and one of her visiting teachers came with us.
On Monday we went contacting in Paris and while I was talking to a man another one came up to Soeur Larsen and asked who we were. She explained that we are missionaries and he then started talking about how not many people are religious now days. After finishing my conversation I came over and joined them. He then asked Soeur Larsen if she was from Bolivia or China because he said she has squinty eyes ha. Then he pointed to me and said, "Vous etes americaine! J'aime leurs sourires, ils sont trop grands!" (You're American, I love their smiles, they're so big) He then told me how big and beautiful my eyes were. That's when I realized we should start stepping back. He suddenly wrapped his arm around me and my whole body went tight as I tried to pull away! He then leaned toward me so I ducked down and he kissed me on top of my head! (Had I not ducked it may have ended up somewhere else). I told Soeur Larsen that I had felt like screaming, "Don't touch me! I'm a nun!" The man then left us smiling and said, "Bonne journee!" (Have a good day!) Oh dear! There are actually lots of stories of sister missionaries getting hit on here in Paris.
Well, now that I'm done talking about the crazy things how about the spiritual and exciting things. On Monday when we were on our way back from Paris I was sitting on the train when an African woman walked up and sat down in front of me. We had already been on the train for a while and I noticed that she had been staring at me. She said, with a smile on her face, "Les derniers jours." (the latter-days) "Do you really believe it's the last days?" I then told her yes and that these are the last days before Christ's second coming. She then told me she was Catholic and she asked who I was and what I believed. I told her I was a missionary and then I pulled out a restoration pamphlet and talked to her about the importance of having a prophet and explained to her the different dispensations. She saw the picture of the first vision and asked if I believed if God and Jesus Christ were actually different people. I said yes and explained to her that Heavenly Father is the Father of our spirits and Jesus Christ is his son and the Holy Ghost is a spirit. She then said, "Ok, so they're 3 different people, but one God with the same work." Yes! Exactly! I'm so glad she understood it right off. I then bore my testimony to her about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and gave her a copy. We got her number and I called her yesterday; she has 3 children and works, but she said to call back next week to see if we can set up a time. (Her name is Lucille by the way). That was such a neat experience for me, because for a while I thought I would love it if someone just walked up to me one time instead of me walking up to everyone. Of course we have much more success when we contact as many people as we can but I thought, "Heavenly Father if there is someone that is ready let them come up to me." It's amazing how quickly prayers are answered as a missionary. Even yesterday I hadn't contacted many people and we were on our way home, but I thought to myself, "I won't feel like I really tried today if I don't contact one more person." I then said a prayer in my heart asking Heavenly Father to bless me with faith and have the courage to talk to the next person I passed and also to allow that person to stop and listen rather than walking off and saying they aren't interested. And guess what? It worked! The next man I talked to stopped and allowed me and Soeur Larsen to tell him that we have a message about God's plan for us. We talked for a little longer and gave him a pamphlet with our number on it (I should have asked if we could have his number, but I guess we learn from our mistakes and do better the next time), and he said that he would go home and read it.
On Tuesday Zeinab was with us all day! I love her! Both of our appointments fell through so we ended up contacting all day until English class that night and she walked everywhere with us. She didn't complain at all and when we tried to talk to people who ignored us she thought they were so silly. For her, being a person who immediately accepted the gospel and has partaken of it's blessings she can't understand why others aren't willing to listen. She also went out with us last night, and our lesson fell through again! But she still wants to go out with us on Sunday! Nicole (whom I mentioned earlier) has gone teaching with us 2 times and is going with us again tonight. Wow it makes a difference when members are present at lessons! To all of you my family members, if missionaries need members to go with them, take time out of your schedule or let them teach an investigator at your house. Julia and Rui loved Nicole and because of her they're coming to church tomorrow and bringin their children! Nicole shared her conversion story with them and told them how she gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon. She said she didn't have the desire to know and if we don't have a desire to know we can't receive an answer to our prayers, but she told them that they can pray to have the desire.
We taught Rita this week with Nicole and she is one fire! Rita just soaks up everything we teach her and she was talking to us about the God head saying, "If we were created in God's image why would he not have a body?" She talked for a long time and to tell you the truth the only word I understood was "image" (some days my French comprehension is great and other days it goes in one ear and out the other). I asked Heavenly Fahter to help me know what to say and suddenly the scripture D&C 130:22 popped into my head so I had her read it and she said, "I didn't think you could understand what I was saying." I thought to myself, "I didn't. That was not me, it was the spirit." She then said the scripture was perfect and that she always new that God and Jesus Christ had to have bodies.
Anyway, sorry this email is so long. I just never get the chance to write in my journal so I always want to email as much as I can so that I'll be able to look back at those. Don't worry I'm trying to get caught up on my journal writing.
Love you all! Bisous,
Soeur Valerie Reeves
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