Week 9

Ma Chere Famille!

Hello all I have an awesome, funny, and neat experience to share with you! Last Sunday Soeur Larsen and I met up with our ami Norbert. He is a 24 year old French guy who does not believe in God. I can't remember if I told you how I met him on the train and he wasn't interested until Soeur Larsen came over and shared her testimony with him as well. (mouth of two witnesses!) Anyway he really wants proof that God exists and we told him that he can only get proof by reading the Book of Mormon. He wasn't willing to take one the first time we talked with him. We told him that we all receive answers to our prayers in different ways, through the Holy Ghost, and that God knows each of us so we will receive an answer in a way that we understand. He then grabbed the Book of Mormon out of Soeur Larsen's hands and mockingly said, "Ok, I'm going to open this and the Lord knew I was going to be talking with you today, wanting an answer and he knew that I was going to open to this page and read this verse, because he knows me so well that he knew this is how I wanted to receive an answer." I silently laughed to myself because I knew that he would get an answer! He then started reading silently to himself and then laughed. He showed us the scripture and it says, "And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign..." (3 Nephi 21:2). Soeur Larsen and I both immediately said, "That was not coincidence!" I bore testimony to him that God does know him, but he has to be willing to act on the answers that he receives. He kept saying that it was just coincidence, but at the same time I think it sparked some desire in him to know more. He ended up taking a Book of Mormon and we'll find out later today if he has started reading it.
We met with a new ami named Lydia. Her brother who lives in Sweden is a member and referred her a while ago. We've been trying forever to see her; everytime we set up a rendez-vous we go and she isn't there, but this time we caught her! We found out that she has been avoiding us because she thinks that we are a cult and that we worship Mormon. We explained to her that we worship Christ and that the Book of Mormon is another testament of him and that Mormon was a prophet who put together all of the ancient records of America. We read 2 Nephi 25:26 with her, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." It then all made a lot more sense to her and she felt a lot better about it. She then kept apologizing to us and said that we are welcome in her home whenever we want! We are very glad that she was honest with us because she immediately told us how she felt and asked some questions, whereas some people stay silent and when we teach them about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon they think we worship him. That's why it's so important to teach them about Christ in the first lesson and that our purpose is to help them come unto him. We are excited to go back and see her again. She has started to read the Book of Mormon because her little 11 year old daughter began reading it and she wanted to make sure it wasn't something she would be uncomfortable with having her read. Now she knows it's a testament of Jesus Christ.
Transfers are next week! I'm so sad that Soeur Larsen is leaving, she's going to Brussels, but she's going to be Soeur Judd's companion; my first companion from the MTC! Soeur Murray and Soeur Woodruff are coming to Versailles so I will be in a three-some once again. If you remember Soeur Murray was my companion in the MTC and Soeur Woodruff was one of my roommates, we will be co-companions all having only been out for 2 transfers! But I guess the Lord and President Staheli trust the three of us together.
I love you all and hope all continues to go well! I'm sorry I've missed everyone's brithdays! So happy late birthday to Megan, Mike, Jen, Sadie, Leah, Lindsey, Carrie, Nyall and I hope I don't miss anyone! By the way I get to skype home in two Sundays! So I will see you then ;)

Bisous, Soeur Valerie Reeves