The past week proved to be a week of reflection for me. I am
at the halfway point of my mission and I couldn’t help but think all the way
back to the day I entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo nine months
ago. Time has really flown by, and as I thought of all of the people I’ve met
and places I’ve served, I couldn’t help but smile as I realized how much
eternal joy has truly entered my life because of the experiences I have had
while doing the Lord’s work.
Soeur Hill and I moved out of our old apartment and temporarily
moved into a new apartment with four other sisters until the mission finds us a
new one. With six sisters living together, it can get crowded at times, but it
is also such a blast getting to know the other sister missionaries! I am living
with Soeur Thibault again, one of my close friends who lived with me in our
apartment in Villeneuve D'Ascq. It is neat to come home after a long day and
share all of the miracles and/or crazy stories we have had together.
Across the street from our new apartment, there is a store
where they sell puppies! They are sitting in a bunch of hay in the front
windows playing around all together. There are yorkie puppies jumping all over
one another and each time I walk by I just want to buy one! Memories flash back
to when we first got Sadie, our little family dog at home, and how much joy
that little fireball brought into my life.
Soeur Hill and I decided to get a jump on trying to
reactivate the less-active members in the ward here at Paris Lilas. Soeur Hill
was looking through the list and felt prompted to call a woman whose name she
did not recognize. Her name is Margerette, and when we called her she happily
answered, and we set a dinner appointment with her for last Monday night. After
taking a while to find the apartment building, we decided to call Margerette to
see if we were in the right area. When we did, Margerette answered and said she
was actually all the way on the other side of the city at her daughter’s house.
We were kind of frustrated that she had canceled on us like
that, since we had confirmed with her the night before. She told us we could
still see her at her daughter’s house if we wanted to meet. Not knowing what to
do, we decided to stop and pray. Afterward, Soeur Hill and I both felt
impressed to get back on the tram and metros and head over to her daughter’s house,
even if it meant it was going to take 45 minutes to get there. When we arrived,
Margerette met us and led us to her daughter’s door. Margerette is an elderly
woman from Haiti and explained that her 34-year-old daughter was going through
a hard time, and asked if we could share something that would boost her
spirits.
When we walked inside, a beautiful young woman approached
us. She introduced herself as Sophie. We all sat down and began our lesson with
a prayer. After taking some time to get to know her, she explained to us that
her husband had left her about a month ago, even though she was five months pregnant.
She said it was really hard for her at the time, but said that the joy and
excitement she felt anticipating the birth of her son was the thing that kept her
going. Tragically, two weeks later she lost her baby, the very thing that had
kept her going through such a hard time in her life.
My eyes filled with tears as I felt this woman’s pain. She
seemed so alone and she felt abandoned by God, not understanding why she had to
go through such hard things all at once. We followed the Spirit and testified
of the power of the Atonement. I testified that there were times in my life
where I too felt completely alone. I looked her in the eyes and told her that I
knew, without any doubt, that her baby boy was in the hands of the Savior and
that one day she really would see him again. Her tearful eyes seemed to fill
with light as we told her how the Book of Mormon was going to help her build
her faith. We testified that, by reading this powerful book, she would be able
to acquire a firm and unshakeable foundation of faith that would help her
overcome any trial that came her way. She was on the edge of her seat and began
to ask question after question, wanting to know how she could gain the same
conviction that we each had that Jesus Christ truly is our Lord and Savior.
It was such an incredible experience for me … being able to
share the message of hope and happiness that we had to share with Sophie. I knew
that our Heavenly Father was aware of her and had heard her desperate cries. We
were led to His precious daughter, to give her the lasting peace that comes
through the message of the gospel. She has been reading the Book of Mormon, and
is coming to church this week! Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, that she
will continue to progress!
Samia and her little French family is continuing to
progress. We are actually teaching her sister now too! Halimata and Ammara are
on track for baptism as well.
We were able to go to a special missionary conference at
Versailles on Saturday morning. It was so neat seeing so many missionaries who
are all serving in the Paris area. We had the chance to hear three General
Authorities speak … Russel T. Osguthorpe (Sunday School General President),
Randall L. Ridd (2nd Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency)
and Elder Patrick Boutoille from the Area Seventy (who I knew personally from
serving in Villeneuve DAscq). It was such an uplifting conference filled with
ways we can improve as missionaries as we apply the principle of real intent in
all that we do!
Last week on preparation day we went to a big catholic
cathedral called La Madeleine. We also went to Place de la Concorde and the big
Opera House. It was so cool … because we were also able to see the Eiffel Tower
in the background the whole time we were walking around. They are starting to
decorate the streets with Christmas lights, and it truly makes this holiday
season such an exciting time! Later today (Monday), Soeur Hill and I are going
to climb up to the top of Arc de Triomphe and stand on the top of it! I’ve
heard it is one of the greatest sights in Paris! I have the coolest mission in
the world!
I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve. It makes me
sad knowing that I only have half of my mission left, but it also motivates me
to work harder than I have before. I know that I want to implement the
incredible lessons I have learned into my life well after my mission. My
perspective has changed … I am blessed with moments where I truly feel I have
God’s eyes. As I look around at the people here, it doesn’t matter their
station in life, their appearance or difficulties, or where they are from … I
see them as my brother or sister, a child of God and someone who has divine
potential to return to live with Him again.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! I love you all and
am so grateful to be a servant in the Lord’s vineyard … especially in the
greatest city in the world!
Soeur Madeline Vance
p.s. Please remember our amies (Halimata, Ammara, Sophie,
Samia and her family) in your prayers.
