Have you ever had a moment where in the middle of it you thought to yourself, "How in the world did I come to be in this critical moment of this complete stranger's life?" If you answered yes, I would put big money that you've gone on a mission. This week was just loaded with moments like this, but I'm just going to focus on one because it pretty much flipped my universe upside down.
Tuesday afternoon Soeur Grewar and I were walking from a lesson to go pass by an ami when I saw a familiar face out of the corner of my eye: PATRICIA. The first lady I ever mustered up enough courage to talk to on the bus during our second week here. We almost didn't even go over to her because we weren't sure if it was even her, but both of us got that little burning feeling in our hearts. Well it was Patricia alright, sitting on two duffel bags on the side of the road with a black eye and bruises head to toe. She told us immediately that she had been abused by her boyfriend, just left him, and had no friends, no family, and nowhere to go. You could tell that she was so tired and spent. Soeur Grewar got on the phone right away, called the Branche President's wife, and found a battered women's shelter. Then we took Patricia's bags and walked a solid mile or so to find the place. When we got there they put us in the waiting room and Patricia laid on my lap and just started bawling. I started rubbing her back and just looked at Soeur Grewar like, "how in the world do we help her?" I sat there in silence for a second and then pulled out the Book of Mormon and started reading from Ether Ch.12:27-the end in the best French I've yet to speak on my mission. It was in this moment that I actually realized how much I believe in this book. I wasn't sitting there reading it to her because it's what I felt like I was supposed to do as a Mormon missionary, but I was reading it to her because I knew with perfect clarity that these words could help her and that they were the words of God. After I was done reading she just laid there for a second and then sat up and took the Book of Mormon and kept going. We had a Rendez-Vous that we had to get to, but we set up a one with her for the next day to start teaching her how to change. Since then she has found a place to stay and we've met with her twice already. I can testify that there is no way we could have been in Patricia's life save it be by the hand of God. Heavenly Father loves that little lady so much that he sent us to her in time of greatest need to literally carry her burdens, help her find a place to rest, and offer her a new beginning through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God is love. 1 John 4:8.
Love is really what missions are all about. You could go throughout every day following every principle of preach my gospel, being exactly obedient, and knowing your scriptures through and through, but if you don't love the people you serve it is all in vain, and the only person you end up serving is yourself.
Christ loved us so much that he atoned for our sins and continues to watch over and abide with us. Does the world understand how much this means!!? He will not leave us comfortless, all we have to do is knock.
On a less serious note....
Here are the 5 most random things I did this week:
1) had a sleepover in Nantes with Soeur Alley. AKA went on a sister exchange. Nantes is BEAUTIFUL. I literally tracked next to a castle. I was laughing to myself thinking "this is what everyone back home thinks that I do all day" What a life. Soeur Alley was awesome as well. Super inspiring.
2) Gave the Holy Ghost talk at a baptism on Saturday. What?? Yeah the Elders had a baptism. I have no idea why but the convert chose me to give the talk. First talk in French. Had to happen some day.
3) A sister in our ward just left on her mission to St.George today, and the family asked the missionaries to prepare a slide show on America. (I prepared the food slide, naturally) I also had to give my testimony at the end in English, IT WAS SO HARD!!! Every time I would try to start it it was in French. Hahaha. Good thing no one could understand me because I said the most awkward things, "I uhhhhh know that Joseph Smith was a uhhhh prophet a long time ago and I'm uhhhh really grateful for the Pioneers?" Hahahah. I think I'm just going to stick with French.
4) WE DID IT, we sang our song. Oh boy was it painful!! Hahahaha. Don't worry, it's recorded! But no one will see it until my funeral. :)
5) Taught a bunch of lessons and did a bunch of other cool stuff, but I don't have time to tell ya!! None of our amis have dropped us yet! YEHAW.
Je t'embrasse,
Soeur Johns
P.S. I don't think I've told y'all enough how much I love my companion. Literally every single day I just love her more. I am NOT excited that transfers are in a month. Companions are by FAR the easiest part about a mission so far.
 |
| Precious Sister Grewar |
 |
| French Countryside |
 |
| Beautiful Yellow Field |
 |
| Castle in Nantes |
 |
| We forgot our dress shoes after tennis and had to teach the lesson in our Nikes! |
