Super Soeur

Camille! I knew her in Nancy and she just showed up at my ward here in Paris! LOVE HER.

 

So... I'm moving again. We were informed this week that there are TOO MANY MISSIONARIES so they're buying even more apartments. Two companionships of Elders are moving into our apartment, we're moving into the Nogent Elders apartment, and the Torcy Soeurs... are actually moving to Torcy. Which is nice because they'll actually be in their area now and don't have to take a long train ride. But I'm still sad. Living with Soeur Garrett feeds my soul.  

I hung up my sign early... because my mother did a BEAUTIFUL job and I LOVE IT!!



 

But anyways, new address coming soon. We're not sure when we're moving. It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. All we know is the papers are signed and whenever they give the Torcy Soeurs some furniture, It's happening. Mais, ce n'est pas grave. If I miss any mail, the Elders can give it to me at church.

One more thing, when you write letters to me it's best if you write LES MISSIONNAIRES above my name. Lots of our mailboxes don't have personal names, just LES MISSIONNAIRES. I just discovered this. I put my name on the mailbox here, so I have received all of my letters. No worries. THANK YOU for all of your letters and support! I feel SO loved!

 

Well, I have absolutely no idea what to write about this week.

 

My planner. It says "The only way out of the prison of self is the love of one's neighbor." And then there's a strawberry head man and some hot air balloons. I know, I'm so spiritual.



 

So I'll probs end up writing about love.

This week we got a lot of new amis from REFERRALS! (YES! The best. Refer your friends!) We contacted them all and had some amazing lessons. We took them all on church tours and then talked about the importance of the sacrament...which leads so perfectly into baptism. When I first got out here I was pretty scared to bring up baptism au debut. It was just this huge scary step and I didn't have the guts to invite someone I had just met to covenant with God right then.

 

LILLIANE! Our nouvelle AMIE!

But it really is so interesting that if you just fill your heart will love and let the Lord fill you his vision for their eternity, you can just look them in the eye and just invite them to be happy. Invite them to change. Invite them to come unto Christ.

This super sweet Indian family who let us in one night.

A big lesson I've learned on my mission is using your strengths. As my dear beautiful friend Soeur Garrett likes to say: "Superheroes don't ever get jealous of other superheroes powers." And it's so true. It would be absurd if Superman stopped being Superman because he couldn't shoot webs out of his wrists.

Soeur Garrett et moi.

 But why do we assume so easily that everybody else got the better powers and somehow your powers are worth less?

I think some of my super powers are love and passion. I get overly excited about simple things. I love people inside and out to an absurd degree.

But they're my super powers.

I've been told many many times in my life to "calm down," "relax," "chill out" because for some reason people think it's so much cooler to act apathetic about things and not love anything or anyone too much.

But Jane Austen sealed the deal as my soul friend when she said this "There is nothing I wouldn't do for those whom I truly call my friends. I have no notion of LOVING PEOPLE BY HALVES. It is not my nature." 

So... I am convincing all the girls in my apartment to wear red lipstick. It's spreading. I'm thrilled.

I've made it a huge goal on my mission to never do anything by halves, especially not loving others.

 

Yes, we are best friends with our investigators and talk to them about everything. We are called of God to teach people, but we are also humans. And it's a lot easier to tell your good friend to stop sleeping with her boyfriend than a girl you have only had awkward conversations with over law of chastity pamphlets.

 

So there you go. It all comes back down to love again.

Susan. AREN'T THEY ALL SO BEAUTIFUL?

I am so excited for this week and the adventures/progressing investigators/trying to read ginormous maps of Paris it will bring! I am so excited to be overly thrilled and run and hug my amis! I am so excited to get overly passionate about the Paris Opera House!

Hotel de Ville in Paris

 

I was walking through Notre Dame this week when something hit me and I just stopped and looked down at my feet. And I realized that I was walking through my bucket list. I was standing in the middle of my dreams.

I get overly excited about old things.

 

And I am so grateful and so full of love I can hardly breathe.

Me in front of the SEINE. NBD. [No Big Deal]

Avec amour, Soeur Autumn Bradley