Transfers....I'm Staying in Nogent

Porting in the Paris, France Mission

Our apartment trying to guess
who will go where! 

District picture with # of transfers in the card!

Bonjour Tout le monde!  Another transfer has rushed by and I'm staying in Nogent!  My new companion is Elder Meng from Kennewick, Washington who is in his fifth transfer.  I'm excited to meet him and get to learn more about him on Wednesday.  Elder Alexander is going to Dunkerque, which is right on the seashore, and from the apartment you can see the UK.  Our apartment and district, other than Elder Alexander leaving, is staying pretty much the same.  It has been another great week here in Nogent.  Sadly France lost their game in the World Cup last week to Belgium so the French people have been sad but now we can relate better since America lost to Germany.

We were able to have a couple of great lessons with Pelenda.  Tuesday we went and gave him a baptismal calendar and he fixed a date that he felt comfortable with.  On Thursday we went back and taught the end of the restoration and it went so good.  We were able to really testify about the promise in Moroni and the spirit was so strong.  He said he'd read and pray for an answer about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He also said that after we leave he can feel a difference from before we arrived.  Normally he is tired and then when we leave he feels energized and feels the desire God has for him to do these things.  He's so awesome and I can hardly wait to teach him again!

This week we went and did some porting to finish off one night.  For about an hour we ported (knocked on doors) in a huge apartment building and got about 4 of the 18 floors done.  But in that hour we were able to get 3 passbacks with families and teach a lesson to a lady named Josephine.  We taught her at the door while her family ate.  We were able to teach a good portion of the restoration and introduce the Book of Mormon. After we were done she didn't want to take the Book of Mormon because she couldn't call it "holy scripture" like the Bible.  We asked if we could pray with her and in her prayer she said, "I'm sorry Lord that I'm not ready to receive this message that they bring to me.  Please forgive me and give me another chance when I am ready."  Even if she didn't take the Book of Mormon it was amazing to me that she recognized that she just wasn't ready for the gospel message.  It continues to build my testimony that people are truly prepared by the Lord to receive us!

For the 4th of July we were able to meet our new mission president, President and Soeur Babin.  They are from Evry, France, which is about 45 minutes from Paris.  They are awesome.  They introduced their family, who all lives in France.  Then they gave us some training on what they want for each of us to take from our missions.  It was so great.  Here are a few things that I loved:
"Christ doesn't look at where we are on the ladder of life, how high, how low, but only at the direction in which we are going.
"Today is the first day of your mission!"
"We want you to be able to close your eyes and be able to have the arms and love of the Savior be there and this should happen often on your mission"

It was a great meeting and we got to have 10 minute interviews, as companionships, with him and his wife, and tell him a little bit about ourselves.  Then, because it was the 4th of July, we had KFC, fries and oreos to eat...It was delicious!  Elder Davis and I were able to talk about what we were doing this time last year when our sink exploded in Brussels...Good Times!

This week we visited Jackies' wife, Antonina, in the hospital where she has been for about a month.  She is being treated for her cancer.  We arrived and Jackie told us that he went to the ATM and two young teens had attempted to rob him.  He fought back and another guy came and helped him.  That's crazy and the last thing he needed.  We were able to go in and talk with him and pray for her.  She was super tired from the medication and the treatment they were doing so we left and he took us to Subway for lunch.  This man is one of the most Christlike men I have ever met.  He is always giving and so strong in all things, especially the gospel.  We have had the chance to eat with him every week and with both of them before she went into the hospital.  On Saturday night we received a call that Antonina had passed away.  We were in shock.  We had just seen her and nobody thought that'd be the result.  I can honestly say that was one of the hardest few minutes of my life but I was able to see the amount of love that I have for these people and how Christ has helped me gain that.  Yesterday, to our surprise, Jackie was at at church.  He bore his testimony and said that the two last things she told him was to go to church the next day and that she loved him!  His testimony was so strong and I'm so grateful to have been able to know him and Antonina over the past few months.  He's going home on Friday to Tahiti.  After a year away from his friends, children and family he'll be able to be with them and have a service for her to celebrate her life.  I'm so grateful for the Plan of Salvation and eternal families.  With our knowledge of the gospel we can know that he has a plan for each of us and everything will work out.  Most importantly, we will be with our loved ones again!

Highlights...
We had an awesome mangez-vous with a cool family last night.  They spoiled us with Lamb steaks.
We continue to teach Sebastien and Cedre and they are doing great
Enjoyed public transportation with major delays for the RER's because people kept going on the tracks! Haha

That's about it for this week.  Have a great week and I'll email again next Monday.  Love you all lots!

Elder Player

Jackie at church yesterday...I love this man!

Elder Davis and me!