My sweet family. As always I hope you are doing well and that you have had a wonderful week. Happy Belated Birthday to my sweet maman, a card should be arriving soon. Sorry it is late. I tried my best :)
Speaking of mail. I went to the post office today to pick up the package from Mom because we were not home when the mail man came so I couldnt sign. Thank you so much. I already made some delicious AMERICAN chocolate chip cookies, and gave almost all of them to the Elders and they were very happy. Even though Elder L'Homel likes to rag on americans he was happy to have american cookies. The reason I call them american cookies is because they do not sell brown sugar here so when cookies are made with brown sugar they are considered American. Anyway thank you very much. It was the first time in over 7 months that I have made cookies and it was very relaxing (since it was something that I would do at home to de-stress).
The work in Gex is going. It is really hard because it is considered a "white wash" and neither of us know the area or where is the best place to do work. We had stake conference this past weekend so I was able to see people from the Saleve ward, including Miryam and Eduardo. It was so nice to see them even though it had only been about 10 days. But because we had stake conference we were not in the Gex ward so we still dont know everyone very well but we frequently see members during the week. Anyway its going. I know that as the subject line says, as I do my best and give all I can the Lord will take care of the rest. He will put the elect in our path. It is just going to take alot of time and patience.
Mom reminded me that I told you how I was going to be driving and teaching in spanish. Well unfortunately neither of those two things happened. Sr. T and I tried doing a test drive the night before the exchange and I did not pass. I didnt feel comfortable with driving stick so I ended up going with Sr. Waldron in the Lac area of Geneve and her companion, Sr. B (italian) came to Gex. It was kind of perfect though. Sr. B speaks enough spanish to be able to communicate well with Sr. C and I was given more time to work on my driving manual and speaking spanish. Hopefully I will get another chance soon. It really is a goal I am working on to learn spanish while I am here too, and Elder Smith, who will be leaving next week to go home, gave me his spanish books so I can learn! Obviously French comes first but spanish is also very useful here.
We had zone conference this past week and it was great. It was the Murdocks last one so yes it was sad, but it was pretty inspiring as well. I love zone conference and being with so many different missionaries. The first picture that I have from ZC is with Elder S and C, the assistants and the Elders who used to be in Gex, the next picture is with Elder E who was in my district at the MTC and the next one is with Elders who I have served with in the Saleve ward. There are 2 Elders in the background because they havent really served in Saleve with me.
Transfer calls are this coming friday and we should be moving to are new appt in Gex pretty soon so dont send anything this week. Hopefully next week I will have more information for you.
Lastly for a spiritual experince I had this week. It was thursday morning and Sr. W and I started companion study with singing Joseph Smiths first prayer. At least i think thats what it is called in english. So every morning in companion study after we sing and pray we have scriptures that we recite and the first vision. This morning however the first vision hit me more than normal. I was tearing up as I said it and could not help but feel the spirit testifying of the truthfulness of Joseph Smiths experience. Later that day, before a rendez-vous Sr. T and I were porting, knocking doors. There was a man that was not very nice at all and said we belonged to a sect. Although many people say this for some reason that time it really made me mad. I said to him as I was walking away and he was closing the door that the church was not a sect, he insisted and so did i, repeating myself that the church is not a sect. Well although the conversation it self did not get super heated i did. I hate the fact that people here refer to the church as a sect, I guess its in the states too. Anyway I was getting more frustrated as we went to every house and the people kept rejecting us. Somehow the spirit was able to remind me of why I am here. I knew at that very moment, that I was here because Joseph Smith restored the gospel in its fullness to the earth. I again felt the spirit testifying to me very profoundly. It was a feeling I could not doubt. About 20 minutes after this experience in our RDV with a recent convert and the Elders, Elder Claflin asked me to share my testimony of the restoration. I was amazed. The whole morning I kept getting feelings of the truthfulness of the restoration and it was because the Lord knew that I needed to bear a strong testimony to our recent convert. It was definitely one of the most touching experiences I have had thus far on my mission. I know without a doubt in my mind that Joseph Smith did in fact see God the father and Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph was the prophet to open this dispensation so that we are able to be blessed with a fullness of joy. I love this gospel and I know that it is true.
Hope you all have a wonderful week,
Love. Soeur Addis
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