Well this week was one big adventure!
It was so good to see everyone on skype! :) The Smiths have
gotten so big. And Nana and Papa look so good! And Kirstie..what a babe..and
mom and dad lookin still young and fresh!
Ok so this week started off with last Monday. After our p-day we
met this lady named Kathrine. Soeur Johns stopped her on the street and we
began talking to her about the plan of salvation. She opened up about how hard
it was to lose her husband and we just poured our hearts out to her about the
joy of eternal families. She was so touched by the Spirit and was the sweetest
woman. She actually looked just like you mom, so it was interesting, but we
really hope she will call us since we don't have any of her info. It was just
such a powerful contact and the Spirit was so strong. Can't forget the Spirit
like that. We actually testified to her about the temple and how she CAN be
with her husband for eternity. Really cool experience. I don't think I've ever
talked about the blessings of temples on the street in a contact.
Tuesday we had district meeting and we decided to head over to
the beach before our train ride back to Rouen. We got some fun photos..the
beach was GORGEOUS!!!
Wednesday was so much fun! We met Camille, Anne-zo, and Wendy at
the church and they wanted to watch us contact so they observed for about an
hour. We ended up having one really cool contact for quite a while, but no one
was super interested. They were still in awe how we just go out and talk to
strangers on the street and pour our hearts out to them. So then Soeur Johns
has this brilliant idea. She turned to me and said, "We have to make them
contact too!" Crazy idea right? SO FUN! So we asked them what they really
love and they said chocolate! Duh they're women..so then we told them to
approach strangers on the street and share your favorite brand of chocolate
with people and tell them why you love it and then ask them to commit to trying
that chocolate that night. And they did it! Camille is just so confident and
such a fireball! She just saw someone and went for it. After they said,
"MAN THAT IS SO HARD! How do you do that every day??" Then we took
them back to the church for a little rdv to talk about why we are really here
as missionaries. We just testified of how we know God exists. They are all
athiest and it almost felt like Soeur Johns and I were back home around our own
friends just having a conversation. The Spirit was incredible!
We decided to then stop by Malika, the miracle lady we found one
of the first days of the transfer. We tried to find her apt before but had
such bad luck. This time we prayed and tried again and found it! We entered her
building and began to look on the mailboxes and there was a 13 year old girl
standing there. She asked us who we were looking for. Turns out it was her mom!
She was so cute and so excited when she found out we were from the states. I
think that was her first time meeting Americans because she kept squeeling and
asking if we knew celebrities...so funny. Then we had a great lesson with
Malika. She told us she was thinking about us and we explained the Book of
Mormon to her. She said she and her husband were planning on reading it
together. Please pray for her! She has 5 kids and is a busy mom, but we know
she wants this and needs this.
Thursday was super fun! We had exchanges in Paris. I was so
excited to see my trainer, Soeur Wynn and had such a fun day because I got to
be with her. Also got to see Soeur Castillo who lives in that apartment. It was
so good to catch up on old times. The day started with Soeur Wynn and I in a
park teaching this really cool girl from Gabon. It was such a beautiful day and
the Spirit was really strong. Later we had an interesting lesson and later
stopped by one of their amies who talked about how she is getting lots of
pressure from her close friends about the church, but how she defended it
because she knew the church was good. She is really cool! Also had the cutest
little girl. They just had such a special spirit to them :) After we met up
with the Lethuaire family from Nogent. Soeur Wynn and I spent a lot of time
with them when we served in Nogent and really grew to be such great friends
with them. They took us out to a fun Pizza place and it was so fun to catch up
with them and see how much the kids have grown! What a great family! It was so
fun to spend the day with Soeur Wynn and recount all the good times we had
together.
Friday we woke up and I was a little under the weather. We
headed back to Rouen.
Saturday was CRAZY! We made a wedding gift for amies of our
branch president and then headed over for the big day. So our branch president
and his family are the most incredible people ever. He works as a volunteer
fire fighter and has a lot of friends there. Two of his friends were getting
married and asked him to have a little meeting before and talk about the
importance of families and Heavenly Father's plan for families (a lot of
emphasis on family proc). They came to church a few times and they are so nice
and fun. We just love them. After everyone left the room, the elders and
President Bertrand and Frere Bitanga gave them both priesthood blessings before
their big day. Then we got to go to their wedding at the Marie and there were so
many people everywhere because there was a wedding just before and it was so
much fun. Then we went back to the reception hall and hung out with the bride's
sister, Vanessa and their other sister Amandine during the cocktail hour. SO
FUN! Vanessa and her family also have been investigating the church with the
Bertrands (Soeur Johns and I hope that we can begin teaching them.) We just
click with Vanessa so well and she has the cutest kids and the sweetest
husband. I just can't express how much I love these people! It was such a neat experience for us to participate in their wedding. When we left,
President Bertrand and Frere Bitanga told us how this is the start of
something BIG and the Spirit had touched many hearts that day. We all could
feel the special spirit that was there and we know that this experience
instigated a lot of curiosity in the church. It was the coolest experience
ever! The coolest part of it all is that the bride and groom's parents were
both atheist and didn't really want to go to the reunion with President
Bertrand speaking, but they went anyways to support. Before Amelie and Anthony
(bride and groom) met the Bertrands, they weren't really believing, but now
they are inviting their family to listen to an explanation of the Family
Proclamation and how God plays such a big role with families! WOW!!!!
Sunday was quite an adventure too. We had church and then headed
over to see the Barnjaks and pray with them. Then we went to see Monique. We
sang with her and introduced her to a member who lives literally down the
street. They clicked right away and we hope we can use this sweet member to
help us talk more about the church with Monique. We just love Monique! Then the
rest of the night was skyping and being with the Bitangas. It was so fun
because it was like we got to have personal interviews with the Bitangas while
the other comp skyped their families. I just LOVE the Bitangas! They are so
wise and have such good counsel and advice, but they just feel like long-time
family friends.
Yesterday we had a lot of rdv's so that's why we are emailing
today instead. We made a cheesecake and went over to celebrate Aurelie's
birthday with her friend Maud. Then we went to the Kalobe's. Love that family!
We showed them the restoration film about Joseph Smith and they said they
believed that that happened! They also really want to come to church and have
their family in Madagascar go to church there. Wow! We just love them and know
we have to go a little slow with them so they can really understand everything.
We have such a vision for them and know they will go places. Later we went
contacting. We had about an hour and so we went to stop by a lady we found a
week ago. Turns out her number and her address didn't match up with anything so
we figured she might've "forgotten" her address and her number when
she gave them to us..but it's ok, because if we would've had the right address
and the right number..we would have NEVER found CINDY!!! She is the coolest
person EVER! So we were crossing the street a little bummed that we lost that
lady we found. Then in the middle of the big busy road in front of the gare,
Cindy stopped us and asked us if we were lost. We told her no and she was so
friendly and said she could help us if we needed. We were about to thank her
for her kindness and let her go, when I just felt in my heart that no we can't
let her go..she contacted us! That rarely happens! So we spoke up and
introduced ourselves and she was so interested in who we were and why we are
here. She had a million questions and literally Soeur Johns and I clicked with
her so well. it just felt like I was with 2 of my best friends on a little
chunk of side walk in the middle of a highway. We had so many inspired and
interesting questions that we asked Cindy that we had never used in
contacts before. In the end we got her number and we are going to see her on
Wednesday! EXCITING! Pray for Cindy!
Well that about sums up the hectic, super fun, adventurous week.
The church is true. I see everyday how much it blesses so many lives. The
testimonies of members really strengthens me and I'm so grateful for the
members here. Sometimes I don't realize how much I appreciate just sitting down
with members and hearing how the gospel has blessed them that week. It can get
a little hard sometimes because as missionaries we just feel like therapists
for people. We take on the weight of so many trials of others, that it really
feels relieving to hear the testimony of a member. So I encourage you all to
search within your weeks to find how the gospel has blessed you and share it
with the missionaries if you can. I know it helps me and I realize I need to be
more grateful for that.
Thank you for all the prayers, love, support, putting my name on
the temple list, and for everything you do for me and for the Lord. Until next
time,
GROS BISOUS!
Soeur
Berge
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