BBQ, Openhouses, and Hikes

Bonjour TOUS!

So this week was incredible! But I do have some news! I will be moving to Nancy this week and I will be comps with...SOEUR LEFRANDT! Again! I'm so excited! It's crazy that a year ago we served in Nogent and now we're serving together again and I couldn't be more excited. I was so shocked when I found out. I never thought I'd get to serve with any of my companions again. It's not common at all so I am so excited to work with her again!

So this last week began with an FHE with the Bitangas. LOVE THEM! 

Tuesday we watched a conference talk with Ludivine and it went really well. She liked listening to the prophet and she loved the stories. I'm so grateful conference talks always upilft us and I raelly think she felt the Spirit. She's been pretty busy this week though.

Later we went to our lesson with Daniel..but he was in Belgium..sad..but it's ok. They are still really interested and wonderful, so hopefully in the future they can go to church.

Wednesday was one of the craziest days of my life! So we had a wonderful conference with President and Soeur Babin. They are so wonderful! I am so excited to hear their ideas and direction for the mission. They are so sweet and so funny. We all had interviews with our companions with them and Soeur Johns and I thought we would be clever and describe each other instead of presenting ourselves. We are like sisters now so it was so funny as they asked us questions and we would answer for each other. I'm so sad to leave Soeur Johns. We have had such a blast together these past 2 transfers. 

Later after our awesome conference, we went straight to Mantes La Jolie. The are 4 elders in that ville and they had a big openhouse for their church and their bishop wanted sister missionaries to be there so they called and got permission for us to come and help with their openhouse. It was SO FUN! We got there and there was a TON of people. The members there were the cutest. They were handing out fliers, calling out to people left and right, testifying so strongly, and brought so much life to the open house. Our hearts were overflowing with love and the Spirit as we bore our hearts out to strangers for 4 hours straight. It was pure joy! There were a few people that stick out in my mind from that evening. Soeur Johns and I were contacting this lady and she wasn't really interested, but there was a guy that saw our card in her hand and stopped. So we talked to him and took him back to the church and gave him a tour with 3 youth members that were participating and taught him the most intense lesson ever. He was just thirsting for the truth and had so many questions. It was awesome. There was also this little family with 3 girls and they just loved the church. I sat down with the two youngest girls and told them that God loved them and they said they would pray and their eyes were just BEAMING in awe. They were the cutest little girls!! The Spirit was so strong that entire day and I think between the 3 teams of missionaries there was about 9 lessons total which is incredible. Then Soeur Johns and I went home completely exhausted from running around all day!

Thursday was really fun too. We did service for Soeur Bachelet in her garden again and then we had a BBQ picnic with her and some of the members. It was so yummy and so fun. This ville is THE service ville! We are always doing service for people and it always feels so good especially when you end your service with a BBQ , sliced watermelon, and good company.

Later, we prepared a dinner and an FHE for Milady and her kids. It was Maxime's birthday and he was turning 8! What a wonderful age :) So we brought them pancakes, egg pop overs, and hash browns for a breakfast dinner and we sang I am a Child of God and explained what the words in the song mean. It was so fun. Maxime LOVED his birthday dinner and we loved sharing it with him. He also loves talking about God and Jesus and he even prayed at the end for us. PRECIOUS! It's crazy that these kids just don't have much background of God and Jesus Christ, but we are so happy to teach them and watch them soak up the gospel like a sponge. We ended the FHE with a fun game and boy what a fun day! Milady even told the kids that this time when they go to church they are coming for all 3 hours of church!

FRIDAY-HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY ERBODY! We visited Nina and talked with her about patience over her wonderful beignets! She gave us scarfs as gifts and she is just the sweetest!

The day ended with Branch Counsel and us singing loud and proud our national anthem for these frenchies..they think we are crazy. We even walked home singing patriotic songs and some punk teenager started cursing at us so we put our little flags away....safer that way..haha

Saturday was nuts! We had an awesome hike with the relief society and it was SO FUN! Beautiful hike! I love these members. We all had a blast singing hymns marchin in the woods and then it ended with a yummy picnic and games joining up with the young men. We all had so much fun. I can't get over how much I love these members.Then we finished the day visiting Eva Panou and Barbara with a FHE. LOVE THEM!

Yesterday we had church and Milady and her kids came all three hours and loved it. The elders invited somoene to come to church the next day and passed her to us. Her name is Grace and she is from Lebanon. She is so nice and was also a bit confused during church, but it was still great and the Spirit was strong. Teclaire even told us she went to church with her member friend in Paris! So awesome. 

Then the day ended with us going with the Bertrands to their house to have a spend the evening with the Bertrands, Soeur Bertrand's sister's family who also moved into the branche, the their friends the Barbiers (Vanessa from the wedding) We had so much fun playing with the kids and hanging out with my favorite family ever, the Bertrands. We had a really good time and even had a really bold conversation explaining eternal families and what the knowledge of the gospel brings to our lives as members of God's church. It brings us hope, peace, joy, and everlasting happiness with those we love. The Spirit was so strong and it was overall just an awesome day.

I will truly miss Rouen. I just love this place with all my heart. These members will always have a special place in my heart and I thank Heavenly Father that I had the priviledge to serve here and meet some life-long friends.

All in all, the theme this week was the gospel blesses families, marriages, relationships, friends, and everyone who seizes the opportunity to take hold of the iron rod, obey the commandments, and find no greater joy than serving our brothers and sisters. This church is true because it asks us to go beyond our human capacities and become like Christ. Everyday we are faced with temptation, little or big, and we have to choose to make the efforts necessary or be lazy and give in. I encourage you all, DON'T GIVE IN! Just keep on keepin on. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and there is joy for those who grasp the gospel of Jesus Christ and endure to the end. I love you all. Have a good week!

GROS BISOUS

Sœur Berge