"Go ye therefore and teach all nations . . ." Matthew 28:19

"Go ye therefore and teach all nations . . ." Matthew 28:19

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Week 21 - Singing and Coffee

Bonjour à tous!

J'espère que vous allez bien! This week one of our members called us and said that their mother was in the hospital and needed a blessing. We were able to talk with her, laugh with her, and give her a blessing. It was a humbling experience as you are surrounded by those physically afflicted and in pain and you realize that you are blessed beyond belief with health and so many other things. 

This week for some reason Elder Shaw wanted to play guitar and sing for people...so we ended up making cookies and singing for Sylvie Dupont's mom on her birthday, and for Dora and Ruud when we visited them. Both times we sang "Deep in the Meadow". We didn't crash and burn so that was good :). I really don't like singing for people so of course I have a companion who loves to. haha. 

I may or may not have broken the Word of Wisdom this week...so while we were at Dora and Ruud's they gave us some cookies from the Netherlands. They were called Café Noir (Black Coffee) which should've made me suspicious, but I didn't think much about it and figured they would just taste a bit like coffee. After eating 5 my companion whispers to me, "Hey I read the ingredients and it says 'instant coffee' so you probably shouldn't eat anymore". Who puts coffee in cookies?! 

Anyways lesson wise we had a good week. We were able to meet with Kathleen and her dad André and started reading the Book of Mormon with them from the beginning. They kept a commitment and read Alma 36 between our visits!! Nothing makes us happier than hearing they had kept the commitment they had made. Nothing makes us happier than when we see the gospel start to change lives. 

We said goodbye to our friends Mark and Mimi this week because he is returning to Texas for school and she is going to Australia for school. That was hard after getting to know them really well and meeting a lot of their friends. It was my second experience with what Elder Shaw says is the hardest part of the mission, saying goodbye to amazing people we meet and grow to love as our family. 

One chapter in the Book of Mormon I encourage you all to find some time to read is Alma 29. What hit me about this chapter is how poetic it begins. Alma is bearing his testimony and the word choice and metaphors he uses are incredible. I love how powerful the testimonies of the prophets and missionaries are. Specifically I love verse 10, "And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer, yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me." We felt this when we heard that they had kept the commitment to read and I feel this when I hear from back home and hear about all the amazing progress occurring. Friends with mission calls, friends preparing for mission calls, friends engaged to be married in the temple, and friends going through hard times and emerging with even stronger testimonies. 

I pray that we all can look for the good in each other and watch for the progress of others. When we take time and turn away from ourselves and look at others, we will see the Lord working miracles in their lives and our joy will be full as we reflect on the steps they are making and their great examples. 

I love you all!! Stay safe, stay faithful!

Love,

Elder DiReda