Speaking Their Language

Soeur Evans and I had another wonderful week here in Villeneuve D'Ascq.

We are coming to the close of our transfer (the end of 6 weeks) ... and it will be time for some changes. We won't find out until next week where we will be going (even though I will probably just stay here in Villeneuve D'Ascq), but I will have a new companion for sure! I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me.

Monday morning, my companion and another sister in our apartment were sharing pictures of their families with one another on the top bunk right above where I sleep. I realized I had been living with one of them for the past 6 weeks and had hardly seen any photos of her family! I wanted to be a part of the fun, so I climbed up on the bunk bed next to it, crawled over, and found a comfy spot next to the two sisters where I would be able to see the pictures. All of a sudden, I heard a crack! I looked around to see the source of the sound when the wooden bed frame holding us up COLLAPSED and our mattress came CRASHING DOWN, pinning us against the wall (see photo below)! We all were screaming and I was just laughing HYSTERICALLY!!! My head was smashed against the wall behind Sr. Evan's back and all three of us were in a mangled pile, stuck by the bed that had just given way. I felt like I was in survival mode, haha, as we had to literally dig our way out. It took about 5 minutes to get out and the entire time I was just laughing my head off ... tears were streaming down my cheeks … it was THAT funny. It took us all by surprise and they all started yelling at me and said, "Who needs a scale to tell you you're gaining weight when you can just break bunk beds!!!" Luckily, it was only the wooden boards that slipped out and we were easily able to slip them back in without having to pay for anything serious. I am still a little apprehensive about sleeping on the bottom bunk this week though ...

This past week we had the privilege of teaching two of our Chinese amis (or investigators). Soeur Evans has traveled a lot in her young life and has even lived in Africa, so she knows some phrases and is able to connect with the African people here super well! I figured, hey, I'm learning French, why not learn some Chinese and African languages while I'm here! Haha. I'm learning different greeting phrases in Chinese, Tree, Wolof, and Angola. It's awesome being able to connect with people we meet on the streets by a simple greeting in their tongue! I went up to a woman from Senegal and tried speaking Wolof (the African language) and she just had the biggest smile on her face when she realized a blondie American was speaking her native tongue! They are so much more receptive when they know you care about their origin and life back home.

We must learn to speak everyone's language … I am realizing that more and more out here. I'm not able to understand where someone comes from until I take the time to LISTEN and put myself in their shoes. Sure, I can rattle off what I know to be true and how I believe it can help them, but we aren’t able to truly understand another person until we listen … to their past, their experiences, their hopes and fears. Some people need more time, while some people need to feel love. Some people have lost their faith and are bitter towards God. In order to discern their needs, we must learn to speak their language ... to speak by the Spirit and tell them what THEY need to hear.

We had an incredible Zone Conference in Brussels last week! President Poznanski and his wife gave us incredible counsel and encouraged us to work towards 100 baptisms as an entire mission before the month of September … that means one baptism per companionship. I know that if we search and find by faith as we follow the spirit, we will be led to where we need to go and we will find those who are waiting!

We had the chance to go over to Camille's and celebrate her birthday over dinner. We had salted crepes for dinner! Talk about DELICIOUS! It is so wonderful being able to simply discuss with her family WHY I decided to serve a mission ... how I know it is strengthening my own faith and will continue to bless my future family for the rest of my life. Sure, a 19 year-old girl could be doing SO many other things with her life, but I know that this time is allowing me to become the instrument the Lord needs ME to be. Camille is so excited to attend EFY with my sister this summer in Ohio … I know it will be an incredible experience for all of those involved.

I would be lying if I didn't say that Saturday was a really disappointing day for my companion and me. It's important to share the wonderful miracles we see EVERY DAY, but I also know there are things we must learn from hard times. We received a text out of the blue, from our progressing ami, Sandrell, with a baptismal date for July 6^th, saying that she was done ... she doesn’t want to see us ever again. I never knew that it would hurt so much to see someone who I have connected with and grown to love; just drop us like that, and not know why! We don’t know if she read something crazy and untrue on the internet, if her ex-boyfriend has gotten involved or the quitting smoking thing just was too much for her and was the last straw … but I did all I could to keep the smile on my face the rest of that day while we continued to talk to other people. My mind continued to drift to Sandrell, and the spirit that was there in each of our lessons, her sweet little daughter LeAnn who would run up to us and hand us pictures she drew of us. That night, as I was saying my prayers, I grew so emotional as I pleaded with Heavenly Father to help me know what I can do to help her. I don't want to lose one of His precious daughters who had begun to see the light and hope that comes from Jesus Christ. She has so much potential and we are going to continue to pray for her. I know the Lord has a plan for all of us, and it is our job to keep the faith and hope, even when we feel like we are in a dark tunnel. We have to keep walking through the tunnel to find the light at the end of it. That's the incredible thing about trials or hard times; we all experience them, regardless of who we are. They make us stronger, and we are always GIVEN tunnels that we must walk through, but we can CHOOSE the LENGTH of those tunnels and when we turn to the Lord in prayer for help, He guides us through and gives us that eternal perspective that we all need to get through this life.

I love my mission. It makes my heart burn with joy as I hear more and more news about others preparing to serve and getting their mission calls! Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and mail on my behalf! I LOVE YOU ALL – please never forget that Jesus Christ really is our Savior. I am learning that I can truly talk to him about ANYTHING. Build your relationship with Him through prayer, and TRUST Him. He knows what is best for us.

Have a wonderful week!!! LOVE YOU ALL!

Soeur Madeline Vance

 

Not By Bread Alone

We had a super wonderful week! Thank you to all of those who continue to reach out to me and email/write me! It’s so much fun hearing from you all. I love and think of you often.

I'm finding that grocery stores run a LITTLE BIT differently here, haha. Sr. Evans and I went to buy some groceries on Monday, and we figured that we would buy some real french bread from the bakery and run it through the fancy bread slicer they had right there in the bakery! The only thing is that, apparently, you're not supposed to run warm, freshly cooked bread through it. Long story short, the machine started going nutso … it started smoking and our loaf of bread was obliterated by the machine! Bahaha! All of the people in line behind us couldn’t believe what was happening, and when we opened it up, instead of neatly sliced bread, we found mangled pieces of bread all over! Haha, it was hilarious!!! We ended up bagging the little pieces and bringing it home … still tasted good!

Most mornings Soeur Evans and I go running for our daily exercise. The other day, however, the other sisters in our apartment suggested yoga and some karate moves. Haha, needless to say, we felt like we were with Rex Kwon Do from “Napoleon Dynamite”. I even threw in some punching techniques that I learned from the Title Boxing Club last summer.

I have made it a goal to write in my journal every day, because I know it will be important to look back on these experiences, when my faith and testimony are at their peak, and I want to share a journal entry from the other day. ''Today I had one of the most powerful and incredible lessons of my mission! Sandrell (30 year-old French woman who we have been teaching for a month and a half) came to church last week. She partook of the sacrament, felt the Spirit, and loved hearing the testimonies and personal experiences of the members. We asked her to read a specific chapter in the Book of Mormon yesterday and she told us when we arrived that she had read four extra chapters because she couldn’t put it down!

We taught her about repentance and forgiveness. I can sense that underneath there is still a lot of pain from the way she has been treated by past abusive boyfriends and her mother, who abandoned her at a young age. I testified to her with all of the sincerity of my heart that we can truly be healed through the Atonement of Christ. He gives us the power to forgive those that have hurt us - when we normally wouldn’t be able to do it. Every time I speak, even if I make small grammatical French errors, I can tell she is intently listening. Normally, I feel like others would maybe judge her by her appearance - with blonde, short spikey hair, eyebrow piercings, a constant habit of smoking and a tattoo. But we are told to see others as what they can BECOME. My love for her is so strong and I see so much potential in her. She is a daughter of God searching for peace in her life. The spirit filled the room as she seemed to understand that the burdens from her past can be taken from her shoulders through the gospel. I saw the fear leave her eyes as we testified of Christ. I then invited her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized … and she said YES! I couldn’t believe it! We fixed a date for July 6^th. I pray I am still here in Villeneuve D'Ascq to see it. We then asked her to say the closing prayer; the spirit was so strong and Sandrelle paused in the middle of her prayer, and began to weep … tears of joy as she thanked Heavenly Father for sending us to help her in her life. It was such a special moment; one I will never forget! She wasn’t able to gather her thoughts because of her emotions, so her little girl, LeAnn (who is 5 years old), just starting praying and finished her prayer for her! It was adorable.

As we walked away from her house and down the alley back to the street, Soeur Evans and I stopped and offered a prayer of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for allowing us to know the needs of our dear friend, Sandrell. Afterwards, I told Sr. Evans that I felt like the Grinch (my heart grew 3 sizes that day)! That lesson with Sandrell was one of the greatest moments of my life. THAT is why I'm out here … to bring lost and searching souls to the truth."

We are not perfect missionaries - that's why the power of the Holy Ghost is so crucial to our work. Sandrell has committed to stop smoking, and we will be with her every step of the way. There is a special 7-day program created by our church that is guaranteed to work if you follow it with exactness! Please keep her in your prayers as she goes through with this and as she tries to grow closer to Christ.

I love the work - we really are mere instruments of our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for my family's support and willingness to join me in my missionary work by opening up our home in Ohio for my dear pen pal, Camille, who is going to live with them for a month this summer. She will have the opportunity to go to EFY and live with a strong LDS family - I couldn’t be more excited for her! All of you are in my prayers – please continue to find ways to share with others what Christ means to YOU. He really is there, and He looks out for us! If you don't believe it, try praying with all of your heart and a sincere desire to know, and you will feel His love!

Have a wonderful week - the sun is finally starting to shine here! Thank goodness! For a while there, I thought it was a return to the Ice Age, haha.

LOVE YOU!

Soeur Vance

p.s. Transfers are June 23^rd … hopefully I will be able to stay here in Villeneuve D’Ascq!

Jesus is the Christ

We had a wonderful week! Let's start off with ... SAMEDI SPORTS! We don't get to play soccer EVERY Saturday, but when we do, it’s always a blast! It makes me miss it so much sometimes! We only go when we have an ami (someone interested in learning more about our church) there with us. This week, Noé, Camille's brother came! He was one of the best ones out there ... who knew?? I didn't score any goals this week ... I know, sorry, BUT I did have some great headers and crosses/switches of the field! This week we played FULL field! I felt like I was in a real game ... running ALL over the place! I ended up being SO incredible sore afterwards because my body wasn’t used to the sprinting up and down the field like that!

At the end of the day, my body was still super sore. We were waddling around all day. Sr. Evans contacted some girl on the metro and decided at the last second to get off at the same stop as her to get her contact information. I didn't realize it and reacted slow, so Sr. Evans was already off by the time I was heading to exit the metro and the doors had already started to close. I ended up getting slammed between them and had to bust my way through what seemed like two 400 lb. linemen closing in on me. It absolutely KILLED! I made a scene and the people on the metro laughed as I made the desperate attempt to stay within sight and sound of my companion. Man, the things you gotta do to keep the mission rules! The metro is always an adventure, and waiting for the metro in this weather (photo below … yes, that’s me), can be a challenge to both body and spirit as well.

I have been reading from the book, "Jesus the Christ" by James E. Talmage, and it is absolutely incredible! I definitely recommend it! There are times when I am reading it silently to myself during personal study and I just say "wow!" out loud without even realizing it! I learn so many new things every day and truly feel like I am coming to know my Savior better in very real ways. There is great power and comfort that comes with the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ.

We ended up having five amis (investigators) come to church on Sunday, one of them being sweet Sandrelle. She studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses for a year and a half before meeting us. When we first invited her to come to church she said that she didn't really like the idea of being in an enclosed, cold building where people have to be silent and where children aren't welcome. We assured her that church is a wonderful experience where we can receive personal revelation and receive answers to our questions through the Holy Ghost. So she said she would come the following Sunday, but cancelled the morning of, and promised she would come the next week. She came to church yesterday and LOVED it. She said that she felt something “weird, but good-weird, she felt … good”. It was our fast and testimony meeting, and she was really touched by the testimonies and personal experiences of the members. She was so excited to be able to come next week and bring her children, after she saw how family-friendly we are in the church. It was a miracle the she came with the preconceptions she had about how church would be with us. She found it to be a warm environment where she could feel the spirit of the Lord. She was really touched and is excited to come back!

We also had a super awesome Family Home Evening with Camille's family and the stake president’s family! We made American chocolate chip cookies with them for the activity! It was a big hit!

Miracles happen out here every day. I love my mission and know God wants me here … I feel His love and the push that can only come from a Father. He is your Heavenly Father too, and no matter your situation or difficulties, the gospel of Jesus Christ will help you understand where God wants you to be too! I love you all - have a wonderful week!

Soeur Madeline Vance

God Loves Us All

Hallelujah. I made it through another week as a missionary. Just kidding … we had a super week!

Last week my mom sent me an email reminding me that the Lord is aware of the personal details of our lives and nothing is too small to for our prayers. She encouraged me to pray for strength and stamina to do the work. Little did I know that her counsel would come in handy the very next day and throughout this last week. I woke up the next morning with a terrible cold and the sorest throat of my life! I have never had strep throat, but I had such a hard time breathing and my throat was on fire! I did all I could to make it better, but the cold and rainy weather all week didn’t help either. As I prayed to the Lord to gain the strength to do His work, I began to see the blessings that come from getting on our knees and praying for the smallest things. I am finally feeling better and did not let a little sickness slow me down!

First and foremost: The baptism of our sweet investigator, and gypsy, Sofia! What a special day … and we were blessed to have a day full of sunshine. I had been praying for Sofia all week as she is very timid and was nervous to do her baptism in front of so many people. She truly has become like a sister to me, and as a 19 year old (closer to her age), I feel like I am able to connect with her in ways that (24 year old) Sister Evans cannot. It was marvelous seeing Sofia dressed in white. My eyes filled with tears as I pinned her hair out of her face with bobby pins and looked down to see a huge smile on her face. She was so excited! Right before she entered in the water for baptism, she became super nervous and cried, "I can't do this!" Our bishop, the man performing the baptismal ordinance, spoke to her calmly and told her everything was going to be okay. In a panic, Sofia looked to me for affirmation that she should go forward. I nodded my head, smiled, and told her that everything was going to be okay and that she had made the right decision. There was something so incredible about seeing my "sister" Sofia, come up from the water, knowing the significance of the ordinance she had just performed. My heart burned with joy as I was able to talk to her after her baptism and explain to her that she was perfectly CLEAN, as she had been washed from all of her sins, and would have the opportunity to renew that covenant each week going forward as she takes the sacrament. We gave her a framed picture of the temple as a gift and encouraged her to make it her goal to go there some day. I was so proud of her and I know that little moments like this make any hard thing worth it!

We also participated in a 6K charity race for an organization that helps orphan children in Nepal. It was a fun experience being able to run with all of the members of the stake for such a great cause! It was also funny because my brother, Elder Spencer Vance, ran in a charity race in his mission only a week ago!

We were at our amie Sophie's house, and as always, she offered us something to drink. We are always running (literally) late and often arrive winded and thirsty at her house. She had just told us how tired she was so I thought I would do it for her since Sophie was already sitting down and was exhausted. So I went into the kitchen to get us some water. I brought out the bottle and three glasses and started to pour the beverages. Sophie and Soeur Evans were discussing some problem she is having with her computer and I decided to dive into my drink. I gulped a mouthful of “water”, and it was wretched! The bottle was marked 'water' but was a little beat up and kind of old-looking. I came to find out that I had just poured all of us some nice white vinegar to drink and gulped down a mouthful! We were all laughing so hard, especially Sophie. She told us that she loves us both, even when we're dumb (she's really direct like that, haha). WHO STORES VINEGAR in WATER BOTTLES??

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve. We never feel like we have enough time, and are doing all we can to find those who are ready to hear the restored gospel! I am so grateful for the knowledge I have to know that everything is possible through Jesus Christ. I am gaining such an appreciation and love for singing the hymns here ... even if they are in French. I know there is a power that comes through going to church every week. As missionaries, one of the neatest things is being able to promise blessings to those we teach. I know that if we come to church with a question in mind, and we pray to find an answer that we WILL get one. Heavenly Father is SO aware of us ... even with the smallest things. Forgetting that means we forget who we are … we are children of God and He loves us!

I love the work, and I know it is already (and will always be) the greatest blessing in my life. I would love it if you would include our investigators in your prayers, as I know there is power in prayer from my own personal experiences. Pray for them to open their heart to Jesus Christ and to do all that is in their power to know the Book of Mormon is true and act upon their answer.

Our specific amis are:

The Stagno family, Mado, Sophie, Sandrelle

Thank you so much for your love, emails, and support! Life as a missionary is crazy as I am continually trying to keep my heart and mind focused on the work! For those I have yet to write back, I’m sorry! Patience is a virtue! LOVE YOU ALL! Have a wonderful week and pray to your Father that loves you more than you know!

Love,

Soeur Madeline Vance

p.s. To overcome fear and doubt in your life, “look unto Christ in every thought.” - Doctrine & Covenants 6:36