Elder Chase Player: Monday, Miracles & Moving Day

The Seine....Brrr it's cold!

Bonjour! It's hard to believe it's already Monday again. I love reading how you are doing and sharing with you the work that is going on here in Rouen. It's been a great week and we've seen the hand of the Lord in the work!

Last Monday evening we made our way to the church to have a rendez vous with Aboubacry. We had met him contacting a few days earlier and given him a Book of Mormon. We couldn't exchange numbers because he didn't have a phone so we set a time to meet at the church. We had to meet the sister missionaries to get the key to the church because we only have one key between the four of us. When we arrived they were a little bummed because one of their amis, with a baptismal date, had sent a text saying she didn't want to see them anymore. So, while we were waiting for Aboubacry we got some hymn books and started to sing Christmas Carols outside the church. Our church is right in centre-ville next to all the shopping so there are always people there. One lady walked by and then circled around and came by again. She stopped and crossed herself (Catholic Cross) so the sisters decided to go and talk to her. We continued to sing. The lady asked if we did this every night and suggested we should. She loved it and could feel something. The sisters asked if they could talk some more to her and tell her about what we believe. She said, "Yes, and please come soon!" To us it was a miracle. Aboubacry didn't show up so we went to the metro to contact people on the way back. While we waited for the metro Elder Cramer started talking to a women. When the metro arrived we got on and a guy stopped me and asked if I could explain more about the book that I was holding - The Book of Mormon. we sat down and talked about how it's helped me and how it gives me hope and faith in Jesus Christ. He really liked what I was saying and asked if he could have or buy one. So of course, I gave him one and set up a rendez vous for later in the week. On the way home we found an artificial Christmas Tree in a garbage can so we took it back to our apartment. So, our Christmas tree is up...I'm taking it to a new level of early this year!!!

Tuesday we went to do a passback at a batiment. Madame Dupont let us in to talk and we had an awesome lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She'll be an awesome amis to give to the sisters! Later we went out and did some porting. All the buildings here have a box with buttons. You push a button and see if someone will talk to you and they buzz you in. We pushed a button, explained who we were and a lady buzzed us in. We went up to the top to talk to her but when she opened the door she was shocked and said she couldn't hear us and she wasn't interested because was an atheist. We asked some questions and nothing seemed to be working. We got this prompting to ask if she'd had anyone recently who'd passed away. She said, "Everyone in my family and I'm the only one left" and started to tear up. We asked if we could pray and she said, "No, "I'm not ready." So we showed here Mormon.org and gave her a Plan of Salvation brochure and left. That was a testimony of how important it is to follow the Spirit and what can happen. I don't know if she'll read the brochure but I know she heard our testimonies and that's what she needed at that moment. The Spirit is an amazing tool. We try everyday to have it with us because people don't learn from us but only by the Spirit they can feel.

Wednesday and Thursday we gave service to a member, the Terreaux Family, who was moving. We had to take the bus for 30 minutes and then it was a 25 km drive from there. It was in the country and was absolutely gorgeous. All the leaves are staring to change here. We were in the mountains with cool old homes. Something everyone should see when they come to France. Over the next two days we made many trips, moving large dressers up and down tiny, steep, European stairs. We stacked boxes in the attic, and evenhad a European pizza with delicious Normandy cheeses, like Coeur de Lion! The highlight of the move was the large van he'd borrowed. It was super old and the door wouldn't even shut because the hinges were rusted. It worked, but late Thursday night the old van ran out of gas. We pushed the van into a parking spot and got another car. On our way home we were bummed because we'd missed our rendez vous with Bojaarden but guess who was in front of our apartment when we got there? None other then Bojaarden and another man who we had contacted. We set up a rendez vous for this week and he really likes what he's been reading. Another miracle!!!

Friday we had Zone Conference and had interviews with President Poznanski. He is awesome and we are so lucky to have such an amazing mission president and mission mom. Sadly, Soeur Poznanski could not make it this week. We found another family with three kids and taught them. We are hoping to have a family home evening with them this week!

Finally, on Sunday we had church and Orion said she'd come to church. When sacrament meeting started there was no sign of Orion but right before the sacrament song she walked in. It was the first time in 2 1/2 months the Elders have had someone here at church. She loved it and hopefully will bring the girls next week. The members were awesome and she even stayed after and sang in the choir for the Christmas program coming up. It's been an awesome week and I can hardly wait to see what happens this coming week. Also, I found out that Una, who Elder Eldredge and I found in Strombeek, was baptized this weekend. That was awesome news. I hope you all have a great week. I love and miss you and love hearing how you're all doing.

Love,
Elder Player

Random Things from the Week:

Took a train to see Orion because we thought it'd be faster...in reality we learned high speed rail was slower because our train had a problem and was delayed.

Had my first religieuse pastry this week...was delicious!