Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great week. A big thanks to mom for sending me pictures from the family reunion. I must say, everybody is looking so grown-up. I litterally thought Brett had been photoshopped... Is he really that tall? Or was he standing on some sort of giant rock... haha and all the "little girls" who are just no longer little. Instead they are beautiful young women! What happened? Have I really been gone that long? haha.
This week was a little crazy. Soeur Liabeuf and I have both been kind of sick, thanks to the amazingly unpredictable weather of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. One day it's super hot and humid, then the next there's a rainstorm. Our noses and throats just can't take it haha.
Well, the week started out good. Bastille Day was this last Monday. On Tuesday we went up to Bethune to see Murielle and we watched the Restoration DVD. We had a really good discussion about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. She loves the Book of Mormon and the way she talks about it, you can tell that she feels the Spirit when she reads. She explained it like thoughts just "popping into her mind," and questions just "suddenly clearing up."
Wednesday we headed down to Paris for a zone conference. The train was suuuuper early 7h47 so we got to take a little tour by Notre Dame. I love Paris... especially in the morning... it's magic. Since it was a zone meeting...I got to see Soeur Tupai!! Seriously, love her. It's such a blessing that we are still in the same zone. She's coming up on her half way mark?!?! I swear that it was just yesterday that she was finished training and we became companions. So anways, as usual, we were one step ahead of the zone leaders. Soeur Liabeuf and I fixed a transfer goal to fortify recent converts and less-actives....and guess what the meeting was on? Recent Converts and Less-actives!
Anyways, Philippe (our recent convert) is doing great this week. We decided to teach him about missionary work...but we weren't sure if it was the right time. We felt good about it and planned to do it anyways. Then the morning of the lesson Aline, his wife, called and asked if we could bring an extra Book of Mormon to the rendez-vous. She said Philippe wants an extra to keep in the car, just in case somebody wanted to learn about it! Haha, well that confirmed that we were going to talk about the right subject:) Our rendez-vous was really good. And on Sunday Philippe got to pass the sacrament for the first time at church. I asked him about it and he just said, "each week is just something new, I can't wait for the next step." And that's how eternity will be, just line upon line, precept upon precept, forever forward and upward...we just have to be willing to trust Heavenly Father's plan. He's such a great example. Love it.
Friday was probably the weirdest day of my mission... I attended a WEDDING in Paris. It was just what you would expect: vintage clothes, vintage car, boating down the Seine (we didn't stay for that part), crazy taxi rides through the heart of Paris. And everything you wouldn't expect: finding myself face to face with my companion's family, being told that what we are doing is delusional (missionary work), becoming the unofficial photographer, and running through the sweltering Metro to catch our train back to Arras...which we missed by 5 minutes... haha. epic fail. Anyways, long story short, we got permission from president to go to Sr. Liabeuf's cousin's wedding. Her family was not at all happy that we couldn't stay the whole weekend...they don't understand her choice at all. I just have to say I'm impressed with her. She is a pioneer:) It's a day I'll never forget...crazy.
Then on Saturday we had a rendez-vous with Estelle in the morning. She's wonderful. I don't really know what else to say for the moment...just that I love Arras and I never want to leave, how about that?
Then we had one of the neatest experiences ever. We met this lady last week when we were in St. Pol, her name is Isabelle. She told us that she and her husband were in the middle of an exciting, fast-paced period of spiritual research and discovery. So we fixed another time to meet. We went over at 2:30 and left and 6:00... it was one of the most fascinating discussions I've ever had. We discussed everything from Einstein's theory of relativity, Buddhism, and the great apostasy, to the Plan of Salvation, the 4th and 5th dimensions, the power of prayer, and eternal progression. It was incredible. They are the fulfillment of the Hebrews 11:6 6 But without afaith it is impossible to please him: for he that bcometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a crewarder of them that ddiligently eseek him.
They have searched diligently, and have been richly, richly rewarded. They shared with us that scientists, philosophers and spiritualits alike are coming to more and more interesting conclusions about the nature of the universe...which line up more and more with the Plan of Salvation. Heavenly Father really is pouring out his spirit more abundantly in our day. I was especially touched when Isabelle explained that all matter, at it's very base, is made of light...we are light, we are divine, and we are all connected. I had heard that before, but it just resonated with me more profoundly this time. Her words rang with eternal truth. Since then I've had some interesting "personal revelations" just thinking about the universe and everything. Just another day in the life, right? Anyways, they are super cool and really open. I'm excited to see them again and to be able to discuss more!
Well, I'm just here, bopping about Northern France, going to weddings in Paris, having four hour discussions about spirituality and helping people come unto Christ...is this real life?
Love you all,
Soeur Lorraine Hilton
They have searched diligently, and have been richly, richly rewarded. They shared with us that scientists, philosophers and spiritualits alike are coming to more and more interesting conclusions about the nature of the universe...which line up more and more with the Plan of Salvation. Heavenly Father really is pouring out his spirit more abundantly in our day. I was especially touched when Isabelle explained that all matter, at it's very base, is made of light...we are light, we are divine, and we are all connected. I had heard that before, but it just resonated with me more profoundly this time. Her words rang with eternal truth. Since then I've had some interesting "personal revelations" just thinking about the universe and everything. Just another day in the life, right? Anyways, they are super cool and really open. I'm excited to see them again and to be able to discuss more!
Well, I'm just here, bopping about Northern France, going to weddings in Paris, having four hour discussions about spirituality and helping people come unto Christ...is this real life?
Love you all,
Soeur Lorraine Hilton
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