Become Perfected in Christ

Well my loved ones, it has been quite the week.

My life should be a movie, because sometimes i feel like its one.

Funny story of the week is from thursday:We were heading home from one of my favorite members house, Soeur Maulini, in France. She was less active for 11 years or so because the church was so far away but has recently become reactivated. Because she was gone for so many years she kind of forgot the gospel so we have been teaching her each week as if she is an ami to remind her of the doctrine. Its been so great. She has a goal to be ready to go to the temple by the end of the year. We are so proud of her. She is the sweetest woman and likes to make us good food. Actually a couple of weeks ago we were with her and I looked down at her hands. As I was staring at them, I know that sounds creepy, I thought I was staring at moms hands. I immediately got tears in my eyes and missed my momma a lot. Its fine though, I am not tearing up right now or anything. Gosh, I think I love my mom, a lot.

Anyway back to the funny story. We were going home on the bus and had the pass the border control. We never get stopped on the bus because there are so many people to check and it takes so much time. Well this time we did. And I did not have my passport. Sr. Lala and I were so anxious, wondering what was going to happen. Well the guy came up to me and asked for my passport or identification, and the only thing I had to give him was a little photo copy of my visa that I keep in my petit english Book of Mormon. We were talking in French and he was asking me things like my address and what i thought i was doing. I told him I didnt have my passport and I thought he responded by saying, This is all you have? (waving the little paper around) You dont have your passport? So i responded no. Then he flipped out. He was like the answer is not no it is yes! Blah blah blah, and Sr. Lala jumped in and said sorry I dont think she understood. He then started talking to me in english so that I would understand clearly, and he said that I needed my passport when i cross a border. We then were taken off the bus with three other druggies. I had to have my bag checked, everything taken out and gone through, and they would have felt me all over to check for drugs and suck but i think they realized how innocent I was. Anyway, after he took my American drivers license and checked my information he had Sr. Lala and I step outside. He told us that it was a gift that he was going to let me go this time but that the next time I would have a huge fee and I would have to be sent to a judge blah blah blah.Okay so here is the funny part, when I didnt understand what he said to me, he had said, You need your passport when you cross borders you cant just have this piece of paper. And I said No! Haha It seemed like I was acting like I didnt need my passport when i crossed the border, that it wasnt necessary for me. Haha oopps. Its a good thing I was with someone who fully understands french. I now will never be forgetting my passport when we go to France.

Now for the goods. I know you are all waiting to hear about the baptism. Where thats where more of my movie life comes in. Thursday night we went to go see Eduardo the last time before his baptism and when we got to the apartment called him to see where he was. He told us that they had just got a call that his grandma in Peru was really sick and that they were going to the airport to buy tickets and they would probably be leaving Saturday or so. We were shocked. We didnt really know what to do and it was getting somewhat late so we decided we would head home so we could make phone calls and decide what would be best to do. An hour later, when we were home and trying to find out what we needed to do for the baptism the next day, we called Eduardo and he told us that they had just found out that his grandma had died and that they would be leaving for Peru in the morning at 7 am. It was nine and we were supposed to be home but we asked him if he wanted us to come and talk with him and his mom. He said that would be great, that he thought his mom could really use it. So after calling our district leaders and zone leaders to get approval we headed out to Miryams office, about 15 minutes away. When we got there Eduardo met us at the bus stop. He apologized that he would not be able to get baptized the next day and to tell everyone in the ward that he was really sorry. Then we got to her office and it was crazy. She looked at me crying and speaking spanish and I just gave her a huge hug. From the years of spanish i took and now from the french i know, I understood her say, Why would God do this to me, as she cried hsyterically. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. We then went up to her office as she made phone calls. Eduardo explained to us what was going and we werent there for long, just to say a prayer with Eduardo and to give him a couple words of support. I dont want to say what happened because it is very personal for their family but at that moment looking at Eduardo and Miryam cry and look so frazzled I knew that is how Heavenly Father feels looking at us. He is just watching over us all the time and wants to help us but he cant until we ask him. It was so heart breaking. I gained such a greater perspective of the Lord. We left them and said not to worry about the baptism and that we would talk to them soon. Well the next morning our sweet Eduardo called us around 10 asking us how we were. Sr. Lala then asked him how he was and where he was. They were in Amsterdam waiting for their connecting flight. Then he apologized again and asked when he could get baptized. Sr. Lala told him April 7 and he said, cant it be sooner? He really has the desire to be baptized its so amazing. We know this is a hard time for their family and we could see it hardening their hearts but then again we know everything happens for a reason. We know the Lord has a plan for each and everyone of us. There are a lot of more factors that go into this story but I dont have time to explain.

When they get back either Sr. Lala or I will be gone, but I am hoping that whoever is here will talk to Eduardo about having his baptism on April 6th because of the significance of the day. Another thing that was kind of cool is that Eduardo and Miryam asked for the address of the Church builing in Peru. We are hoping they went yesterday and cant wait to hear how it went. Miryam really wanted to go to the church in Peru and see how it was there. I know that if they went they had a wonderful experience and that they both will have the desire to be baptized. So excited for them.

Last thing really fast, I am running out of time. This week my goal is to study with a question so today my question was, How has the atonement affected the Restoration? Well so that led to studying the atonement further. From the Bible Dictionary defintion i realized that Christ made a "perfect atonement". I then realized how this applied to our lives. The atonement was perfect. It was exactly how the Lord had planned and was everything that needed to happen so that we are able to be purified through Christ. I then connected this to the fact that when the Lord invites to become perfected in him he is inviting us to use the atonement in our lives. He is literally saying, please use this gift that I have given you so that you may become whole and clean. What a wonderful blessing that is. I wish i had more time to explain my thoughts but I dont.

I love you all so much.

I pray that you have a wonderful week and become perfected in Christ.

Soeur Addis