Lyon Week #2

Dear Family,

This week was good :) Oh fun stuff! Monday night President let all the missionaries stay out and see fireworks because it was France's fourth of July. It was beautiful and super fun with all the Lyon Missionaries. Plus we got to sleep in! 

Anyway, we have found a few potentials that we hope to turn into serious investigators! Igor is from Congo and we had one lesson with him. It went well, I guess. He has some interesting ideas about religion. He said he stopped it when he was younger but now he just wants to understand. He was funny because he would kinda go in circles and contradict himself a lot, but he could get there :)

We contacted a bus driver, Yves (super French!! :)) who was asking us lots of questions and just really discussing God and so we gave him our card and said to call us, and usually they never do, but literally 30 minutes later he called! We are going to have a lesson tomorrow so we hope that goes well :) 

Then we met this guy Celestin whose entire family are members in Spain. He took the lessons and everything but just never got baptized, so we got his number too and we shall see where that goes :) He was cool too.

On exchanges me and my temporary companion met Nicolas and he was so cool. Like so cool I can't even handle it. We talked about God in the eyes of France and how religion has causes a lot of heart ache here and people are scared of God and how he knows there is something, and whatever it is we shouldn't be afraid. We told him about our strong belief that God is in fact our loving Heavenly Father and we are literally His children and he looked at me and said "It is so good to hear you say that." Then he started talking about authority and how the clergy way back then didn't actually have the authority because if you read the bible... etc. So it was perfect. testify about the restoration of that priesthood power. It was a bummer because he wasn't willing to give us his number or fix a lesson, but he is so cool and soooo on the right track! I hope he goes on the church website. I told him to :) Plus he likes to study religions.

I asked another girl if she had ever asked herself where she came from, why she is here and where she is going and she was like yes but I haven't gotten an answer (she was "non believing") and I was like what are you expecting for an answer and she didn't really know and I was like well what if I said that I could help her find the answers and she looked at me all skeptical and said that would surprise me because I don't think anyone knows. It is just interesting because if reminds me of that story where a guy is in a burning building and he is praying to God to save him, and three times people come up and he tells them he is waiting for God to save him. He dies, goes to heaven and says God why didn't you save me? And God says I tried three times but you rejected all of them. I often wonder what people want when they ask for a "sign" or "answer." God doesn't leave a prayer unanswered ever, but I think sometimes in order to recognize the answer we must continue to align our will with His. And if we don't, we will miss all the answers and help He is giving us.

Saturday there was a baptism for the bishops little girl. They have been working with a friend and his family for about 20 years, it's bishops best friend. Anyway, he was very touched by her baptism and confirmation and we talked with him and got to know him quite a bit. We were talking and I just had such a good feeling about him. He is so prepared. Great guy. Bishop calls after and says that his friend really expressed some things and long story short we are going to William's (the friend) house with the bishops family for dinner :) It might not exactly be a discussion or first lesson, but I am telling you this family is close. It was a great blessing for the bishops family, they have been praying for William for a long time. The Lord's work truly is hastening :) 

 

Lyon is great, I love it. I love the Gospel, I know it is true and I know Jesus is the Christ. I love you all! Happy pioneer day :D

Love, Soeur Roberts

Week #18 Last one from Montpellier!

Dear Family, 

F was baptized July Fifth and confirmed Sunday into the Church of Jesus Christ. It was by far the most incredible moment of my mission. I was so blessed to be able to see her change. She was so cute. Everyone met in the parking lot and she comes out in this adorable white long dress, ready to go! We all go to the chapel and she is just so nervous, she changes and we start. Then it's time for the ordinance! We go walk her into the bathroom and watch her step down into the water. When i saw her go under the spirit was just filling the room. It was so strong. She comes out and she just glowed with the spirit. Calm and confident. She was pure and you could see it. When she came out of the water she just looked at us and smiled and said "This is the new me. I am never going back." It was a beautiful moment. The next day she was confirmed and the spirit was even stronger. She is going to change the world. When she took the sacrament for the first time you could just see that she was changed. F is special. I love her so much. 

It was awesome because her mom came, her best friend, and five other friends who are either atheist or not super practicing. After her mom said "I’ve never been in a church and felt so good." And her best friend said she felt something but didn't know what it was when F was baptized. It was cool to see the spirit work in the hearts of others. 

The rest of the week was pretty crazy! We went to Nice for an exchange so that was really fun. Nice is very beautiful. But oh so hot and humid. I saw the beach though! We talked to this woman who wasn't exactly closed, but she said when she has the desire to know she'll let us know but for right now she doesn't need God. I thought it was so interesting because it's true. People need to have the desire to know and change or it really won't do much. A missionary told me this week that he is tired of chasing, he wants to be chased. It just got me thinking about desire. We can really know anything is true if we simply have the real desire, and with that desire are willing to do something about it. If we truly desire to be like Jesus Christ, we must act and that act requires faith and trust in our Heavenly Father. 

F had the desire. It was real. Because of her, I was able to see the atonement work and change her life. I know this Gospel is true. Jesus Christ is the head of this church. It was restored through a prophet and we still have prophets today. This is Christ's church. He is real and He Himself atoned for each and every one of us. I love my Savior. I love you all! I hope you have a desire to become like Him :) 

Love, Soeur Roberts