Preseverance jusq'a la fin!

That means "Endurance to the end."  This topic has been on my mind recently.  It was the subject we were assigned to write our talks on yesterday.  Also, my companion and I taught the district meeting lesson yesterday on the Gospel of Christ (which includes enduring to the end).  I was all pumped about "jusq'a la fin" and then we were handed NEW schedules.  There are soo many missionaries here that now I'm assigned to eat breakfast at 6:30, lunch at 11:00 and dinner at 4:00.  Also, we only get half a P-day.  It's going to be rough, but there are only two weeks left!  Jusq'a La Fin!  I'm not just going to endure though, I want to make these the best two weeks yet.  The Christlike attribute that my district has decided to focus on this week is "Diligence."  Perfect, right?  Last week was "Humility", which was also perfect.  I've realized that I can't do this alone, but through faith and diligence the Lord will help us do all this.  This is the time to really really work hard, this is the final push!  The last third.  We have to be prepared to hit the ground running in France.  Which, by the way, is going to be a dream.  I can't wait...  I'll be able to "sleep in" until 6:30... and I'll be in France.  It's a fairytale, haha.

The speaker in Relief Society yesterday was Bonnie L. Oscarson, the brand new Young Women's General President.  This was her first official assignment.  Wow, she is an amazing woman.  She and her husband were called to open a new mission in Sweden when she was only...25 years old (and pregnant with her fourth child), he was only 29.  I couldn't believe it! That's only a few years older than me.  Woah.  She said that she felt bad for the incoming missionaries who got off the plane and were greeted by a couple of "kids." She gave a great talk about Jacob 5, yes the longest chapter in the Book of Mormon.  She said that it is one of her favorite allegories because it really demonstrates the love of God for his people.  He worked so hard to "save the tree."  God is there for us, no matter what.  "It grieveth me that I should lose this tree."  He will do anything to save us, even sacrifice His beloved Son.  The end of the chapter is a powerful prophesy of the final days of missionary work.  The last great effort to save the "vineyard" or the world. The laborers are few, but we will work with diligence to bring truth and joy to the earth.  Very cool talk.

This week Sister Cutler left.  She just graduated and moved to Salt Lake.  We all loved her so much and it was really hard to say goodbye!  Right before she left she told us about her first day in the mission field, and expressed her love for her mission.  I was very touched... I hope I can love the people in my mission as deeply as she did.  Apparently, according to all the RM's I've talked to, leaving the mission is heart-breaking.  But the greatest joy ever felt is in the mission field. 

We had a really great speaker for the devotional last night, his name was Steven B. Allen, the managing director of the missionary department.  He was really fun and interacted with the audience.  He asked questions like, "who here has gotten a dear John? Who got here this week? etc.  And had us stand up if the question was true for us.  The best moment of this entire week was when he asked, "Who here has a sibling at the MTC?"  I stood up and saw Evan a ways in front of me.  He said "Now point at them."  We just stood there, beaming, pointing at eachother in front of the entire MTC, (there weren't many people with siblings).  It was epic, I couldn't help tearing up a little.  I love love love having Evan here.  I'm so glad we are doing this together!

Other happy things include, the MISSIONARY FIELD, as in the sports field (It is the best part of the day, I love running around it with Sister Cameron, playing sand volleyball with my district and enjoying the beautiful weather), haha, and we have a new investigator, Marc.  Oh and I love the TRC.  This last week we taught this woman who knows the Wilson's!  She said she'd say hello to them.  I forgot her name though.  She was very excited to find out I was a Hilton.   

I would love to hear from all of you!