Salut!
Joyeux anniversaire à Sadie and Jen on Friday and Leah on Sunday! Sorry I forgot to tell you Shazi's baptismal date, he's getting baptised on the 11th and all is going well.
Sorry this is going to be another short email. Laura, an 8 year old girl in our Branch got baptised yesterday. Shazi loved it! Afterward he was just smiling and I said, "that's going to be you in 2 weeks." He just smiled and knodded his head. Every day we see him he looks more and more happy, especially from when we first met him. Osas started reading the Book of Mormon and his mom even read with him! Which was a shock because she studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses for about 6 years. He said that he and his mom agreed that the Book of Mormon is of God. He also brought one of his friends to our rendez-vous. We taught them the restoration and then we invited them to be baptised once they have received an answer that the Book of Mormon is true. They were both silent for a little bit, so we again said, "If it's true, will you be baptised by someone who holds the priesthood authority?" They both said, "Yes"! and then Osas said, "Of course I believe it's true, I wouldn't have brought my friend if it wasn't. Isabelle has continued reading the Book of Mormon! We really prayed to know what to teach her though since she's still stuck on her promise with her dad. We felt really inspired to teach her about the temple and eternal families. It was a great lesson and she wants to start doing her family history!
That's my little update for the week. Sorry I'll try to write more next week and hopefully send pictures (we'll see if I keep that promise ha!) I love you all and I love this work and I love finding people the Lord has prepared to receive his gospel.
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
week 48
Shazi's getting baptized!!! I have never taught someone who has progressed so quickly! He reads the Bible every morning and then the Book of Mormon at night, and if he doesn't understand something he reads it over and over again until he does. At our lessons he always gives us a summary of everything he has read, he knows the Book of Mormon better than I do! He told us he talked with his cousin and he said the same thing. Last night we asked him if he had prayed to ask if The Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. He said, "Yes." So we asked if he received an answer/believes that it's true. He said, "How can it not be? There are only good things that come out of this book, and no greedy man would have written it." He said he doesn't understand why other churches do not use the Book of Mormon :) He then said that one day he will be up on the pulpit preaching from the Book of Mormon! He loves the Branch and said he feels like they're his family (we only met him a week ago!) He already wants to help out in cleaning the church. He is such a sweet, humble man who has gone through more trials that anyone I know. I feel so privileged to know and teach him. I know Soeur Creager and I knew him before this life and promised to teach him here on the earth. He told us he feels like God hasn't been answering his prayers and he doesn't understand why he keeps having one trial after the other. Soeur Creager pointed out that if he hadn't had the trial he had he would not be here in France and he would not have found the church. He agreed and said that he has been able to focus and give so much time to God since being here. We promised him that God does answer our prayers. Right now he is having a trial of his faith, but we know that the Lord has so much potential for him.
The rest of the week went so well! We found 3 new amis and then on Saturday night we prayed that the Lord would have at least 3 amis come to church. By the time we had sacrament meeting there were 3 amis there! As well as 3 in-active members! It was wonderful!
Sorry I don't have any more time. Love you all!
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
The rest of the week went so well! We found 3 new amis and then on Saturday night we prayed that the Lord would have at least 3 amis come to church. By the time we had sacrament meeting there were 3 amis there! As well as 3 in-active members! It was wonderful!
Sorry I don't have any more time. Love you all!
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
Monday, January 16, 2012
week 47 - For every Dianne there's a Shazi!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The most amazing miracle happened yesterday!!!! Where do I start? Well, first things first I forgot to say Happy Birthday to Braden the other week and Happy Birthday to Megan today as well! That's exciting that you're getting baptized, you'll have to send pictures!
Last week was a good week, there were some up and down days, but that's okay, because there's opposition in all things, and if we hadn't had our awful day on Friday (the 13th, not to add) we wouldn't have been as grateful for our miracle yesterday. On Friday we went to stop by Dianne and she was finally there, but her reaction was not what we expected. When she opened the door she said, "Ce n'est pas la peine." - "It's not worth it." She had gotten on to the internet and looked at all sorts of anti-mormon stuff, and she was not very kind to us with the things she said about the church. We were devestated and she saw it. Before we left she told us to not be sad. We asked her too if she had read any of the Book of Mormon and/or prayed about it. She hadn't. That's what made me more sad, because she herself talked about how it is through the Holy Ghost that we can know the truth of all things. Rather than turning toward God to know, she leaned on the arm of flesh. After we left we knew that we shouldn't let ourselves get discouraged, but we couldn't help but cry when we got in the car. We felt like Nephi, Alma, and the the sons of Mosiah.
On Saturday we tried to keep ourselves motivated by studying comforting scriptures and trying to remember that not all people in France are like Dianne. We had received a referral from the Lyon mission and passed by. His name is Atef and he's very interested, so we fixed a RDV for the next week (because we couldn't go in without another woman). We then had a RDV with some former investigators. We made our purpose clear, as to why we were there, because they have been taught so much in the past and never progressed. After talking with them we realized that the dad, Joseph, does not recognize that there is only one true church, so we told them we would come back next time and teach them about the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. His son Kevin was very interested and wants to read from the Book of Mormon! We then had a RDV at the Kokesha's house who had invited their friend, Ange, but when we arrived Ange wasn't there. However about 15 minutes later another friend Adrien walked in. We introduced ourselves and he started asking all sorts of questions. We ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and have a set RDV with him for next week! So Saturday was awesome and we felt so much better and we realized that no effort is in vain. Our job is to raise a warning voice, and then people have their choice to accept our message or not.
Now comes the good part! Yesterday we were at church in St. Dié and afterwards received a text from a member in Colmar saying to call as soon as possible. We called him and he said that a man had come to church for all 3 hours and wanted to meet with us and that he was expecting a call from us. His name is Shazi and he is from Pakistan! Uncle Dave and Aunt Vickie are going to be excited. He has been living here in France for 4 months as a political refugee. He said that he started going to a church in Mulhouse (where he lived before), but no one invited him for Christmas or the New Year and he felt very lonely, so he called his cousin, who is a member of the church and who lives in Virginia. His cousin told him that he should come to our church and he gave him the information, so Shazi showed up at church yesterday! He speaks English fairly well, but hardly any French so different members took turns translating for him. We asked him how he liked church and he loved it because he said everyone was so nice and he loved that everyone participates. He said all growing up it was only the priest who would speak and he always had questions, but he nevery got to ask them and he loved that yesterday he got to ask questions as well as give answers. We asked him when he wanted to meet and he said that night so we came back to Colmar right away and taught him the first lesson and he wants to get baptised!!!! It was amazing!!!! We feel so blessed that the Lord is allowing us to teach Shazi! He is excited to read the Book of Mormon and he is anxious to hear more about Joseph Smith.
I love the Lord and I know that he has prepared people and we are seeing the fruits of our labors.
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
The most amazing miracle happened yesterday!!!! Where do I start? Well, first things first I forgot to say Happy Birthday to Braden the other week and Happy Birthday to Megan today as well! That's exciting that you're getting baptized, you'll have to send pictures!
Last week was a good week, there were some up and down days, but that's okay, because there's opposition in all things, and if we hadn't had our awful day on Friday (the 13th, not to add) we wouldn't have been as grateful for our miracle yesterday. On Friday we went to stop by Dianne and she was finally there, but her reaction was not what we expected. When she opened the door she said, "Ce n'est pas la peine." - "It's not worth it." She had gotten on to the internet and looked at all sorts of anti-mormon stuff, and she was not very kind to us with the things she said about the church. We were devestated and she saw it. Before we left she told us to not be sad. We asked her too if she had read any of the Book of Mormon and/or prayed about it. She hadn't. That's what made me more sad, because she herself talked about how it is through the Holy Ghost that we can know the truth of all things. Rather than turning toward God to know, she leaned on the arm of flesh. After we left we knew that we shouldn't let ourselves get discouraged, but we couldn't help but cry when we got in the car. We felt like Nephi, Alma, and the the sons of Mosiah.
On Saturday we tried to keep ourselves motivated by studying comforting scriptures and trying to remember that not all people in France are like Dianne. We had received a referral from the Lyon mission and passed by. His name is Atef and he's very interested, so we fixed a RDV for the next week (because we couldn't go in without another woman). We then had a RDV with some former investigators. We made our purpose clear, as to why we were there, because they have been taught so much in the past and never progressed. After talking with them we realized that the dad, Joseph, does not recognize that there is only one true church, so we told them we would come back next time and teach them about the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. His son Kevin was very interested and wants to read from the Book of Mormon! We then had a RDV at the Kokesha's house who had invited their friend, Ange, but when we arrived Ange wasn't there. However about 15 minutes later another friend Adrien walked in. We introduced ourselves and he started asking all sorts of questions. We ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and have a set RDV with him for next week! So Saturday was awesome and we felt so much better and we realized that no effort is in vain. Our job is to raise a warning voice, and then people have their choice to accept our message or not.
Now comes the good part! Yesterday we were at church in St. Dié and afterwards received a text from a member in Colmar saying to call as soon as possible. We called him and he said that a man had come to church for all 3 hours and wanted to meet with us and that he was expecting a call from us. His name is Shazi and he is from Pakistan! Uncle Dave and Aunt Vickie are going to be excited. He has been living here in France for 4 months as a political refugee. He said that he started going to a church in Mulhouse (where he lived before), but no one invited him for Christmas or the New Year and he felt very lonely, so he called his cousin, who is a member of the church and who lives in Virginia. His cousin told him that he should come to our church and he gave him the information, so Shazi showed up at church yesterday! He speaks English fairly well, but hardly any French so different members took turns translating for him. We asked him how he liked church and he loved it because he said everyone was so nice and he loved that everyone participates. He said all growing up it was only the priest who would speak and he always had questions, but he nevery got to ask them and he loved that yesterday he got to ask questions as well as give answers. We asked him when he wanted to meet and he said that night so we came back to Colmar right away and taught him the first lesson and he wants to get baptised!!!! It was amazing!!!! We feel so blessed that the Lord is allowing us to teach Shazi! He is excited to read the Book of Mormon and he is anxious to hear more about Joseph Smith.
I love the Lord and I know that he has prepared people and we are seeing the fruits of our labors.
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
Monday, January 9, 2012
week 46 - Year mark on January 12th!?
Chère famille,
I can't believe that this Thursday it will be one year since having entered the MTC!!! It goes too fast! With the new year and also realizing how much time I have left I have really been thinking about what things I can change and do better. Soeur Creager was very sick this last week and in bed almost every day so it gave me a lot of time to study and write in my journal (I'll admit I'm excited to get back outside though.) It helped me really reflect though and see where I'm at at the moment. Yesterday I went to church with the question of what I can do to be more motivated to constantly talk to people. I listened to all of the talks and lessons at church, but then my full response came as I was falling asleep; the spirit reminded me of a part of my partriarchal blessing, so this morning I studied it and I realized that LOVE is the motive! Love for Heavenly Father, love for the people here and love for myself. At every moment with every action or choice that I make and need to think, "Will this show Heavenly Father that I love him? Would this make Heavenly Father happy? What would he have me do?" I re-read a talk that President Ulicny shared with me at my setting apart that talks about love being the motive and Sister Bateman shared scriptures quoting:
John 3:16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
I know that if I go about every day of my mission that I have left, being motivated by my love for my Heavenly Father I will make the best decisions and be happy and help bring others to taste of his love.
We were able to have another lesson this week with Jayaraj. It went really well and the spirit was so strong. We taught him the third lesson, but especially focused on the gift of the Holy Ghost and being worthy of Him by repenting of our sins and taking the sacrament each week. Jayaraj seemed to realize better why we come to church and was supposed to come but sadly didn't. (We called to find out if everything is ok, but he hasn't responded yet). He also wants to prepare to receive the priesthood.
On Saturday we had a great lesson with Isabelle! The amie whose husband is an inactive member. We also planned on teacher her the third lesson to help her realize the blessings of baptism; however, the first half hour we were there did not go as hoped. We followed up on her Book of Mormon reading and she has not read she we last saw her a month and a half ago :-/. We talked about how she could find or make time, but she used all sorts of excuses then while we were talking her daughters kept running in and out and her phone rang two different times, so she walked out to talk on her phone. We looked at each other and then at Soeur Dubaut and we weren't sure what to do. We prayed in our hearts and when Isabelle came back she was somewhat agitated and the spirit really wasn't there, so we told her we didn't want to take too much more time but that we wanted to share a scripture with her. We opened up to 2 Nephi 32:3-5 and asked her to look for the blessings that come from the gift of the Holy Ghost. After she read the scriptures it was totally silent, she sat and looked over the scriptures again and pointed out how the Holy Ghost can tell us all things we should do. We then each testified to her of the blessings that come from having the Holy Ghost. Soeur Creager then followed the spirit and said what I was too nervous to bring up...She told Isabelle that we respected the promise she has made with her father, but we are only here to help add the faith that she already has and it is only by being baptized by the proper authority that we can have the gift of the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead as our constant companion. She told her that the gospel will only bring her more blessings and we're here because we want to help her realize that and partake of those blessings. We recommitted Isabelle to read the Book of Mormon and asked her if she will find time to read it. She said yes and then she fixed a RDV with us for this next Thursday! Usually she'll only see us about every two weeks. I know that she felt the spirit and prehaps she recognizes now that it's something she wants. We pray that she will read before Thursday. After the lesson even Soeur Dubaut said that something amazing happened and a change came over Isabelle. I know that there is so much power in the scriptures and in bearing testimony!
Frère Dubaut also came to church on Sunday! For all three meetings! He used to only come every once in a while and only for sacrament meeting, but for the past few weeks he's been coming to all three hours! It's been neat to see him change too! He's done so much for Soeur Creager and I since we arrived.
The members here are wonderful! I love serving in Colmar! I love being a servant of the Lord! And I'm excited to find more people who are prepared to accept the gospel!
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
I can't believe that this Thursday it will be one year since having entered the MTC!!! It goes too fast! With the new year and also realizing how much time I have left I have really been thinking about what things I can change and do better. Soeur Creager was very sick this last week and in bed almost every day so it gave me a lot of time to study and write in my journal (I'll admit I'm excited to get back outside though.) It helped me really reflect though and see where I'm at at the moment. Yesterday I went to church with the question of what I can do to be more motivated to constantly talk to people. I listened to all of the talks and lessons at church, but then my full response came as I was falling asleep; the spirit reminded me of a part of my partriarchal blessing, so this morning I studied it and I realized that LOVE is the motive! Love for Heavenly Father, love for the people here and love for myself. At every moment with every action or choice that I make and need to think, "Will this show Heavenly Father that I love him? Would this make Heavenly Father happy? What would he have me do?" I re-read a talk that President Ulicny shared with me at my setting apart that talks about love being the motive and Sister Bateman shared scriptures quoting:
John 3:16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
I know that if I go about every day of my mission that I have left, being motivated by my love for my Heavenly Father I will make the best decisions and be happy and help bring others to taste of his love.
We were able to have another lesson this week with Jayaraj. It went really well and the spirit was so strong. We taught him the third lesson, but especially focused on the gift of the Holy Ghost and being worthy of Him by repenting of our sins and taking the sacrament each week. Jayaraj seemed to realize better why we come to church and was supposed to come but sadly didn't. (We called to find out if everything is ok, but he hasn't responded yet). He also wants to prepare to receive the priesthood.
On Saturday we had a great lesson with Isabelle! The amie whose husband is an inactive member. We also planned on teacher her the third lesson to help her realize the blessings of baptism; however, the first half hour we were there did not go as hoped. We followed up on her Book of Mormon reading and she has not read she we last saw her a month and a half ago :-/. We talked about how she could find or make time, but she used all sorts of excuses then while we were talking her daughters kept running in and out and her phone rang two different times, so she walked out to talk on her phone. We looked at each other and then at Soeur Dubaut and we weren't sure what to do. We prayed in our hearts and when Isabelle came back she was somewhat agitated and the spirit really wasn't there, so we told her we didn't want to take too much more time but that we wanted to share a scripture with her. We opened up to 2 Nephi 32:3-5 and asked her to look for the blessings that come from the gift of the Holy Ghost. After she read the scriptures it was totally silent, she sat and looked over the scriptures again and pointed out how the Holy Ghost can tell us all things we should do. We then each testified to her of the blessings that come from having the Holy Ghost. Soeur Creager then followed the spirit and said what I was too nervous to bring up...She told Isabelle that we respected the promise she has made with her father, but we are only here to help add the faith that she already has and it is only by being baptized by the proper authority that we can have the gift of the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead as our constant companion. She told her that the gospel will only bring her more blessings and we're here because we want to help her realize that and partake of those blessings. We recommitted Isabelle to read the Book of Mormon and asked her if she will find time to read it. She said yes and then she fixed a RDV with us for this next Thursday! Usually she'll only see us about every two weeks. I know that she felt the spirit and prehaps she recognizes now that it's something she wants. We pray that she will read before Thursday. After the lesson even Soeur Dubaut said that something amazing happened and a change came over Isabelle. I know that there is so much power in the scriptures and in bearing testimony!
Frère Dubaut also came to church on Sunday! For all three meetings! He used to only come every once in a while and only for sacrament meeting, but for the past few weeks he's been coming to all three hours! It's been neat to see him change too! He's done so much for Soeur Creager and I since we arrived.
The members here are wonderful! I love serving in Colmar! I love being a servant of the Lord! And I'm excited to find more people who are prepared to accept the gospel!
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
Monday, January 2, 2012
week 45 - Bonne Année
Bonne Année! Bonne Santé! Meilleur Voeux!
First things first, Soeur Creager and I are staying in Colmar again! I'm so happy! We will be here for sure until the 15th of February. Ryan - I need your mission address. I don't know where I put it and I don't have time to search through all of my emails. Thanks!
This week was wonderful! We had an awesome miracle! On Wednesday we decided to do finding, because we had no lessons in the evening. On Tuesday night while doing our planning we said a second prayer to ask the Lord help us know where to go or what to look for. We both just sat there thinking for a little while and then stared at the map. Finally we decided that we should go to Horbourg-Whir (a town right next to Colmar) and do porte-à-porte/tracting. We did a pass by first for a former investigator in Horbourg-Whir, but no one was there, so then we tracted for a little bit in that neighbor-hood, but didn't feel like we should continue in that area. We got back in the car and said another prayer, we turned on the GPS and I touched a road and it took us to another part of town, so we said, "Why not?" When we arrived we drove past some apartment buildings, so Soeur Creager said we should go back to the apartments and sonnet (ring doorbells). Not many people were interested, but we were able to talk to a few on the road and then through their windows or the intercom (have I told you that hardly anyone comes to their front door here? They usually open a window and pop their head out! It's pretty funny, because you hear a voice and then have to look around to find who's talking to you). Anyway, we started on the fourth building and the second apartment that we sonnetted let us in. Her name is Dianne and she was very happy to talk with us! She asked us who we were and what we had to share. As we spoke she agreed with everything we were telling her, and she asked how we were different so we showed her the Book of Mormon. She brought up the scripture in Revelations about not adding or taking away from the Bible, but rather than continuing on that subject we just testified of the Book of Mormon and told her that it is another testament of Jesus Christ. We then shared the restoration with her and told her the Book of Mormon is the fruit of the prophet Joseph Smith. She told us that we couldn't convince and that only the Holy Ghost can convince/testify! Of course we agreed and then read Moroni 10:3-5. She was very touched and said she wants to read it. We told her we want to come back to find out what she thinks and share more of our message. She's supposed to call us today, if not we're going to pass by her later this week, because thankfully we have her address! I know it wasn't accident though that we were led to her. When we are prepared and in tune with the spirit the Lord leads us to his children who are prepared to listen to and accept the gospel.
Cindy and Nicolas are doing well. We had two lessons with them this week that went great, but we haven't re-committed her to baptism yet. There was way too much noise from the children and it wasn't really the best moment for the Spirit to testify, but we are planning on committing her this week. She's been reading the Book of Mormon though!
Dad I love your idea about sharing missionary experiences each week. That's actually what my talk was on yesterday at church. President Tomadon asked Soeur Creager and I to speak in sacrament meeting, so we both based a lot of our topics on Preach My Gospel. She shared how PMG helps us be prepared to respond to peoples questions and prepares us to share the gospel, and I talked about praying for and fixing goals so that we have missionary experiences. We both shared stories from before our missions, so that we could relate more with the members. I hope that they will build up the courage and faith to talk with their friends.
We went to the Tannacher's again on New Year's Eve, and thankfully had to go home by 9:30. I would not want to be out late in this area. France is crazy during the new year, they buy all sorts of fireworks type objects, except they're not fireworks, they're more like little rockets. We had to drive around town, rather than through the middle to go home, because the Tannacher's told us teenagers shoot them at cars that drive past. Soeur Creager said from about 11:50 to 12:30 these rocket/fireworks were going off. They are so strong and loud; she said she was amazed that our apartment building was still standing. As for me, I slept right throught it! ha. I guess it makes sense if I even sleep through earth quakes.
That was our Christmas to New Year week and it was great! We worked hard and were busy and very happy! I know that we are always happy when we keep the commandments! (Mosiah 2:41).
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
P.S. None of the members have guessed that it was Soeur Creager and I who did the secret santa, except for Soeur Tomadon (our Branch President's wife). This is the awful part though! We lied! My face turned so red! Soeur Creager said she could feel the heat coming from it! When she asked if we had been the ones who did it, we said no and that we had gotten one too. Everyone else who was there at their house to eat though said, "It couldn't have been the sister missionaries. The card said it was from a member, and besides the missionaries don't know where I live." (We laughed afterwards saying, "they have no idea how sneaky and sly we were in figuring out where each apartment was.") If they ask again we'll tell them the truth and tell them why we did it.
First things first, Soeur Creager and I are staying in Colmar again! I'm so happy! We will be here for sure until the 15th of February. Ryan - I need your mission address. I don't know where I put it and I don't have time to search through all of my emails. Thanks!
This week was wonderful! We had an awesome miracle! On Wednesday we decided to do finding, because we had no lessons in the evening. On Tuesday night while doing our planning we said a second prayer to ask the Lord help us know where to go or what to look for. We both just sat there thinking for a little while and then stared at the map. Finally we decided that we should go to Horbourg-Whir (a town right next to Colmar) and do porte-à-porte/tracting. We did a pass by first for a former investigator in Horbourg-Whir, but no one was there, so then we tracted for a little bit in that neighbor-hood, but didn't feel like we should continue in that area. We got back in the car and said another prayer, we turned on the GPS and I touched a road and it took us to another part of town, so we said, "Why not?" When we arrived we drove past some apartment buildings, so Soeur Creager said we should go back to the apartments and sonnet (ring doorbells). Not many people were interested, but we were able to talk to a few on the road and then through their windows or the intercom (have I told you that hardly anyone comes to their front door here? They usually open a window and pop their head out! It's pretty funny, because you hear a voice and then have to look around to find who's talking to you). Anyway, we started on the fourth building and the second apartment that we sonnetted let us in. Her name is Dianne and she was very happy to talk with us! She asked us who we were and what we had to share. As we spoke she agreed with everything we were telling her, and she asked how we were different so we showed her the Book of Mormon. She brought up the scripture in Revelations about not adding or taking away from the Bible, but rather than continuing on that subject we just testified of the Book of Mormon and told her that it is another testament of Jesus Christ. We then shared the restoration with her and told her the Book of Mormon is the fruit of the prophet Joseph Smith. She told us that we couldn't convince and that only the Holy Ghost can convince/testify! Of course we agreed and then read Moroni 10:3-5. She was very touched and said she wants to read it. We told her we want to come back to find out what she thinks and share more of our message. She's supposed to call us today, if not we're going to pass by her later this week, because thankfully we have her address! I know it wasn't accident though that we were led to her. When we are prepared and in tune with the spirit the Lord leads us to his children who are prepared to listen to and accept the gospel.
Cindy and Nicolas are doing well. We had two lessons with them this week that went great, but we haven't re-committed her to baptism yet. There was way too much noise from the children and it wasn't really the best moment for the Spirit to testify, but we are planning on committing her this week. She's been reading the Book of Mormon though!
Dad I love your idea about sharing missionary experiences each week. That's actually what my talk was on yesterday at church. President Tomadon asked Soeur Creager and I to speak in sacrament meeting, so we both based a lot of our topics on Preach My Gospel. She shared how PMG helps us be prepared to respond to peoples questions and prepares us to share the gospel, and I talked about praying for and fixing goals so that we have missionary experiences. We both shared stories from before our missions, so that we could relate more with the members. I hope that they will build up the courage and faith to talk with their friends.
We went to the Tannacher's again on New Year's Eve, and thankfully had to go home by 9:30. I would not want to be out late in this area. France is crazy during the new year, they buy all sorts of fireworks type objects, except they're not fireworks, they're more like little rockets. We had to drive around town, rather than through the middle to go home, because the Tannacher's told us teenagers shoot them at cars that drive past. Soeur Creager said from about 11:50 to 12:30 these rocket/fireworks were going off. They are so strong and loud; she said she was amazed that our apartment building was still standing. As for me, I slept right throught it! ha. I guess it makes sense if I even sleep through earth quakes.
That was our Christmas to New Year week and it was great! We worked hard and were busy and very happy! I know that we are always happy when we keep the commandments! (Mosiah 2:41).
Bisous, Soeur Reeves
P.S. None of the members have guessed that it was Soeur Creager and I who did the secret santa, except for Soeur Tomadon (our Branch President's wife). This is the awful part though! We lied! My face turned so red! Soeur Creager said she could feel the heat coming from it! When she asked if we had been the ones who did it, we said no and that we had gotten one too. Everyone else who was there at their house to eat though said, "It couldn't have been the sister missionaries. The card said it was from a member, and besides the missionaries don't know where I live." (We laughed afterwards saying, "they have no idea how sneaky and sly we were in figuring out where each apartment was.") If they ask again we'll tell them the truth and tell them why we did it.
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