Friday, April 25, 2014

Il n'y a pas d'étrangers sur cette terre

 
This week I saw my first naked person of the season. I had forgotten about French summers...
well, here we go! 
 
There is this white fluffy stuff ALL OVER THE GROUND!!
 
And I get really excited about it.
It's like SNOW!!

I was so sad to see Soeur Elliott leave. It was such a shock! We were supposed to stay together for two transfers. But I know there is somebody (or a lot of bodys) in Cholet who needs her. After I dropped off Soeur Elliott, Soeur Cameron and I went on splits for the day because we both were waiting for our companions to come on their train from Paris. I don't mean to be dramatic, but it was the BEST DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. Soeur Cameron is this long lost soul friend I just discovered! We just talked and talked and my soul just healed and healed. She is just brimming with kindness and wisdom. She sees life the way I do and I admire her so much, which makes me feel like maybe I am doing ok. I am so excited that she is in my district!

Soeur Elliott's planner I made from the works of art of one of my favorite artists ever, Emile Friant.

My planner. :D ISN'T IT THE BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE??
 CATS. CATS! CATS!!!!
 
 Soeur Foster's planner. It is her last transfer so it only seemed fitting to have the Arc de Triomphe!
And she said she wanted one of my drawings...

I adore my new companion. She is originally from California (so we just understand each other) and she is an awesome missionary! She just got done training but you absolutely would never know it. She came in and told me she didn't speak any French but it's not even close to true. She totally rocked it and jumped right in yesterday and was explaining prophets and apostasy like a boss. We also laugh SO much. She is just happy and relaxed and loves being a missionary and it shines through into everything she does.

Astou! The most beautiful woman in the world. She is from Burkina-Faso. 

We walked into church this week and a member I had never spoken to before came up to us and introduced her daughter-in-law who was there for the very first time. She asked if we could teach her at the end of church and so at the end we all shuffled into the only empty room and sat on these tiny children chairs and began to have one of the most beautiful lessons I have ever been a part of. Laura had zero religious background so we started with the absolute basics: God is your Heavenly Father and He LOVES you. I looked into Laura's eyes and said "Love is the base of everything we are going to talk about. It's the reason for everything. And I know that God loves you. He knows you perfectly and personally and he worries about you." And as the words came out of my mouth I was instantly overwhelmed with the love for Laura that poured into my heart. I got the tiniest glimpse of what God must feel for her and it was overwhelming and beautiful.

I love those moments on a mission when you just feel absolutely certain that you knew someone before you met them. Those moments when you feel eternal. When heaven feels so near and your eyes are opened and for a second you catch a glimpse of people's souls. And I caught it.

The amazing and beautiful Priscilia!
Our last party with the young adults and our amie, Sam. (Blonde girl second to the right)
Ines and Sara! MIRACLES!
 

Our ward mission leader always wears this pin on Sundays that says "There are no strangers on the earth." I loved it SO much and always complimented him on it. This week during our weekly meeting he gave it to me!
 

I love that truth so much. None of us are strangers. All of us are eternal and important and God knows us perfectly and personally and loves us so much.

xoxo, Soeur Autumn Bradley

No comments:

Post a Comment