Beauty and Miracles All Around

Soeur Wynn and I witnessed miracle, after miracle, after MIRACLE this week! Sometimes I wonder why we are so blessed to see so many beautiful things, but all I know is that we really are doing everything we can to be exactly obedient, dig our hearts deep into this work, and give it our all these last three months we have on our missions. It truly is a blessing to be a mere instrument in the Lord’s hands to participate in miracles among His children.

We had back-to-back exchanges with sisters from Versailles and then sisters in Rouen. Soeur Wynn and I hardly saw each other, haha! My first exchange was with Soeur Barton, who came to stay the day in Paris with me!! She was actually living in Helaman Hall as a BYU freshman the same time I was there, but we didn’t even know each other! It was fun finding out that we knew several of the same people, including one of my best friends, Rebecca Malmrose! It’s a small world.

Miracle: We had an appointment set up to meet with our amie, Fabienne, but we were running super late and on the way I had dropped and lost the post-it note that Soeur Wynn had made for me with all of the directions to her apartment written on it! I tried not to get stressed, but as I looked down on the crazy Paris metro line map, my head couldn’t help but spin a bit as I tried to figure out where in the world she could possibly live. I tried calling Fabienne several times but she didn’t answer, so I left a voicemail apologizing for not being able to come and said we would set another time to meet.

I turned to Soeur Barton and proposed that we say a prayer to know what we should do. As she said the prayer, I had a strong feeling that we needed to pass by one of the apartments of our amies, Sandrine, (who we hadn’t seen in weeks) and see if she was there. When we knocked on her door, it immediately flew open. She was SO excited to see us! She told us her phone had been stolen and that she had been praying and praying that we would come back to see her! We ended up teaching her and testifying of Christ and the power of The Book of Mormon. She kept saying, "I want to follow my Savior, I want to follow Him." We then invited her to be baptized on May 25^th and she accepted!!! What a miracle. What a testimony of the power of prayer and the importance of following the Spirit immediately.

Later that evening we had a family home evening with a Ukrainian family in our ward, the Kretsu family! We were able to show the "Because of Him" video to their family and Elena, a 30-year-old woman who has decided to come back to church, and we testified of Christ and His resurrection. They are such a solid family ... both of the parents are converts to the church after searching so long for themselves to know the truth. It is such a blessing to know that we don’t have to just believe the things people tell us are true; that we can go to the source and ask God ourselves through prayer! It was a wonderful evening and they even made an authentic Ukrainian meal for us! It was delicious! Nothing too strange, haha.

Soeur Kohlert (my old companion in St.Quentin) told me that Isabela Efosa got baptized this past weekend!!! She wasn’t going to be able to do it, but miraculously everything worked out! Soeur Kohlert and I found her together and had spent so much time teaching her. She is a special and faithful woman that I will hold close to my heart for the rest of my life.

I was in the hospital two different times this week … don’t worry Mom, not for ME! It’s true, as Sister Training Leaders, we find ourselves PRETTY busy during the week, but as STLs in Paris, we often are "on call". We are close to the mission office, so if there is ever a problem, a missionary sick, or an errand to run, OUR PHONE rings! I had no idea! Anyway, during one of the exchanges, the Assistants called and told us there was a young woman who had stumbled into the church and kept repeating, "Hospital, hospital, I need to go to the hospital." They then asked me if I would come immediately and handle the situation because they were in the middle of an important training. WHAT?! They also asked me a million questions, like numbers to call taxis or ambulances or the location of the nearest hospital.  I found myself flipping frantically through the map book looking up information, all while training a younger sister for the day! It was crazy, but once again, I said a prayer in my heart and everything ended up working out, as we escorted her to the hospital and made sure she was checked in and going to be alright. We were able to tell her that God loved her and we testified of the Plan of Salvation on the way there. It was a hectic, but a very neat experience for me!

Friday night, President Poznanski called and said there was a sister missionary who has been having severe headaches and neck pain for the past few weeks. He said she would be coming up Saturday morning, and that we would need to take her to the American Hospital here. President ended up coming with us to make sure everything would be okay. Soeur Wynn went back with Soeur Ridd (the sick sister) when the doctor called them, and I was left in the hospital waiting room with President for the next hour and a half! Haha, I couldn’t help but laugh about it, and he joked saying, "Now you can write in your journal that 'Today, I was a companion with President Poznanski." We were able to talk for a long time, and I asked him so many different questions. I felt so touched, as he expressed his gratitude for the mission I have served and for the woman I have become. He told me, "Not a day will pass by when you don’t think of your mission. The dedicated way you have served your mission will bless you for the rest of your life, and will have a resounding impact on generations to come." My eyes filled with tears as I truly felt the Lord’s love for me and for the work I have done. I am SO grateful that I have been blessed with this opportunity to serve. I know that President is an inspired man of God and I feel so blessed to have served alongside him in this great work! He works so hard, and it seems as though he gets no sleep at night, with all the stress and worry he must feel for his missionaries at times. I will forever respect him and his wife for the eternal impact they have made on my life. They truly are my French parents.

Soeur Ridd ended up having many tests done but is okay! She is on medication and returned to her city in Angers this afternoon.

I love my mission so much. We are seeing so many miracles. This week Soeur Wynn and I invited ALL of our amies to be baptized, whether or not they are progressing or feel ready. We have two amis with dates! All we can do is invite, and when we do, we find that the Lord softens their hearts and helps them understand the beauty behind this sacred covenant. I feel as though time is flying, but I really am giving it all I have. There is nothing distracting me or deterring me from this incredible work; from helping these incredible people!

Soeur Madeline Vance

p.s. We had the chance to visit the Louvre this past week … so amazing!

Fire to Find

I hope everyone was able to have a wonderful Easter!

I did my first exchange with Soeur Scott in the city of Caen (in Normandy)! What an incredible experience. The two hour train ride was absolutely beautiful … fields covered with yellow daffodils! Soeur Scott has been in the mission field for a month and a half. She is from Boston and is a very accomplished young woman. She attended an Ivy League University and had dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, before she had a tragic injury, ending her career. She opened up to me on how big of a trial that was for her, and how she feels like she is once again trying to discover her individual worth as a daughter of God. It was neat being able to relate to where she was coming from, having a younger sister so deeply involved in intense ballet training and also having to deal with physical and limiting injuries myself while playing soccer in the past. I really felt the spirit working through me as she looked to me with questions, seeking guidance.

We had a really great time together and I was able to learn so much from her. We both had such a great desire to find people and prayed with three different people while knocking doors! I feel so blessed to be able to do exchanges with sisters and see how their areas are doing; and doing all I can to help them build their area by building THEM. She gave me a huge hug at the end and sincerely thanked me for the chance we had to work together. It really reassured me as I know the Lord has need of me at this time to serve in this capacity, in order to strengthen my fellow sisters. I can feel His help, and His loving hand, building me up and blessing me with the energy I need each day.

Soeur Wynn and I are on a fiery search to find a French family! We can feel it. We know the Lord is preparing one for us. We must do all we can to be worthy and obedient at this time to be led to a family that will receive us.

We, as missionaries, had the opportunity to bring one of our amies, Michele, to a film production at the church where we watched 'The Saratov Approach'. It is a film based on the experience of two missionaries in 1998 in Russia. They were kidnapped and held hostage for 5 days ... but were let go through the power of their testimonies and their faith. The director was there as well! The film was shown all over the states, so you've probably all heard of it, but it's so good! Whether you're a member or not, it is so incredibly powerful. I found myself in awe at their mountain-moving faith and trust in the Lord … to the point where they found themselves testifying to and praying for their captors. I left the film that night with a strong conviction to fill my heart with that Christ-like love for everyone around me, to stand as a witness of Christ no matter the circumstance. The Lord truly watches over His servants and I have felt His watchful care and protection in my life so many different times. I will forever be grateful for these two young men and their story that touched my heart so strongly.

We tried talked to everyone this week ... and towards the end, we were on our way to the metro to go home, when Soeur Wynn got a distinct impression … "climb back up those stairs, your work's not yet done". So we did just that and we talked with everyone for 10 more minutes but no one was interested. Then we saw a couple turn the corner ... voila. They were the reason! We talked with this little French couple for 15 minutes on the street that night and left them with a Book of Mormon. They are expecting their first child soon and were married a little over a year ago, and are very religious. We had a great talk with them and we hope and pray that one day they will be ready!

Yesterday (Sunday) we had the wonderful opportunity of meeting a woman named Fabienne, who met with missionaries years and years ago and decided to just show up at church! She is ready to be baptized and just wants to review all of the lessons. 

In our mission we taught over 1000 lessons this week to people here in France. One thousand people were blessed to hear the joyful message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This mission is a baptizing mission. We are able to see so many people brought to Christ through the baptismal covenant and promise. I love being here; I love my companion! I am so proud of my sister, Lydia, who is preparing to leave for Spain! I know she will be an incredible servant of the Lord!!

With all my love,

Soeur Madeline Vance

23 rue du Onze Novembre

78110 Le Vesinet

FRANCE

Easter Miracles

Family and Friends … there is something so special about this time of year. It is unreal being back in Paris in the warm spring air when the flowers are blooming, and my allergies are kicking in like crazy, knowing the last time I was serving here it was decorated in Christmas lights! How lucky am I to have celebrated the two biggest holidays (Christmas and Easter) in PARIS! 

We have been asked by President Poznanski to really put an emphasis on sharing this joyful Easter message with everyone around us, knowing it would bless them, but I have come to realize how much this message is really blessing ME. The Spirit flooded the room every time we testified of Christ and His resurrection. My week was full of reflection towards my Savior … I truly do know that He conquered death so that we may live again!

Soeur Wynn and I are having way too much fun together. She was one of my close friends in the MTC. She is 22 years old and from Rancho Cucamonga, California. I am learning so much from her already. We are working super hard and we are already seeing so many miracles! We are just the instruments; as he really is strengthening and changing ME!

The elders passed us a woman to teach named Michele. The first time we met with her, I wasn’t even sure how to respond to her questions or help her with the many problems she has had in her rough life. She is a 55-year-old woman and kept making the comment that we were "too young to understand what life was like in her shoes”. We told her she was right: that we don’t understand the many sufferings she has been through, but we also testified that we knew someone that DID understand; that person being our Savior, Jesus Christ. As missionaries, we don’t have the knowledge or, honestly, the time to solve everyone’s problems for them, but by inviting them to accept the restored gospel, we give them the key to cope and overcome these problems with Christ!

Well, we ended up setting a baptismal date with her for the end of May!!! The couple days before, she was very hesitant and against the idea of being baptized, but then, out of the blue, she called us and said she had thought a lot about what we had taught her and that she wanted to follow Christ! I am excited to keep working with Michele … she is really searching and I know the Lord will bless her with answers.

Church on Sunday was a neat experience for me. The bishop and several of the other church leaders are actually American! They live in Paris with their families for work. There were so many new faces and people from every cultural background, not to mention the huge groups of LDS tourists from all over the world that attend church while visiting here in Paris. It was funny because I had no idea WHO was a visitor, or member, or investigator; and I had no idea WHAT language to speak when saying hello to someone. I would try and start a conversation in French with someone, only to have them tell me they were American! Hahaha, oh well, I was doing my best and I already really love this ward. We taught the Young Women’s class and the Spirit was so strong. You come to realize that no matter WHERE in the WORLD you go, the church is always the same … the doctrine and the gospel are the same, and the members have the same Christ-like and loving attitude. It’s wonderful.

The bishop’s wife thanked us at the end for our lesson and thoughtfully gave each of us a cute Easter basket full of treats!! Then, spontaneously, The Maillots, a great member family, invited us over for their HUGE Easter feast after church!  We ended up eating LAMB! First time, and yes, I actually really liked it! Meat is meat! We shared an Easter message with them and went on with the rest of our day of appointments. I want to take care of missionaries when am back in a home ward some day, because the members sure have taken care of me!

Soeur Wynn and I are super busy as Sister Training Leaders, and I have never been more tired, but I am loving every minute of it! I am following Soeur Wynn’s example and she is leading me along. We already teach so well together and the Lord is pouring down miracles upon us. I know that because of HIM (Our Savior) that we can be made clean. We can do what He needs us to do to bless the lives of others. I love my mission so much … and I am making the most of it!

Soeur Madeline Vance

We used this video in our Young Woman lesson on Sunday. So inspirational!

http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694

The Greatest Show on Earth

Hello Family and Friends!

The other night, at one of our family home evenings, someone brought up the idea of doing arm wrestling as an activity. Considering I have lost some of my strength on my mission, I was hesitant to do so. Everyone wanted to see Soeur Kohlert and I go at it. We gave in, and faced each other across the table, trying not to laugh. They knew transfers were coming up and said, "The winner gets to stay in St. Quentin! … GO!" We both used all of our force, battling it out. We were laughing so hard our faces were turning red! After quite the struggle, I finally got her down!!! It was hilarious.

BUT, even though I won, I didn’t get to claim my prize. President Poznanski called me late Sunday night, and told me I have been called to be a Sister Training Leader!! I will be packing my bags, and heading BACK to PARIS!!! I will be serving with Soeur Wynn, one of my best friends from the MTC!!! President Poznanski thanked me for my hard work here in Saint Quentin and told me he knew it would be hard for me to leave a place and a companion I have grown to love. He reminded me that this call was from the Lord and that I am needed in Paris at this time, to serve my fellow sisters. I am so honored and humbled by the great privilege of serving as one of the 10 sister training leaders in our mission! It will be quite the adventure. It means that I will be in charge of all the sisters in three zones of our mission, going to different cities throughout the week to do exchanges with them, and finding ways to uplift, strengthen and encourage them … all while helping them improve the work in their area. It should be pretty busy, but very rewarding as well! I am so excited to learn from the many sisters in this incredible mission.

Last Tuesday we had a giant Sisters Conference. Sisters from the entire mission came together and gathered in Paris. President and Soeur Poznanski told us they organized this event so we could strengthen one another and to also thank us for our hard work and examples in the mission. It was so fun catching up with all of my old companions and laughing about the memories I had with each of them. We started the conference by listening to some great and inspiring talks, and ended the day with fun activities! They wanted it to be fun for us and invited different women to come and lead stations, including dress and accessories and how we could make boring missionary outfits even cuter, a scrapbooking craft where we made cards and picture frames, and a spa-type station where we learned some fun make-up tips! We all felt so spoiled and grateful for such a wonderful day. It was relaxing, spiritually uplifting and a great break before we headed back into our hard work as missionaries for the rest of the week!

During the week we were in “Carnival Prep” mode, as there was a big activity at the ward. We had so much to do, and wanted to make it the best we could! We made over 100 cookies, 2 giant garbage bags of popcorn, and tons of different decorations. Soeur Kohlert and I might be a bit on the perfectionist side, but we wanted to make sure that everyone had a wonderful time. It was definitely the busiest and one of the greatest weekends of my mission!!!!

As you know, we had been praying during the week for our amie, Isabelle. We had her baptismal date set for Saturday, but she had been struggling with the idea of tithing, and was still not sure if she had a testimony of the Word of Wisdom regarding coffee, even though she had already stopped drinking it. I found myself sincerely praying for her every night, and all throughout the day, that if it was the Lord’s will, that she would be ready for her baptism on Saturday.

On Friday night, we met with her and she had her baptismal interview. She said she still felt really good about things, and even asked us if she could pay her tithing, even when she wasn’t receiving any income!! It was unbelievable. She kept saying that all of the commandments and principles we had taught her were crystal clear. She said she found much comfort and understanding as she read from the Book of Mormon each day.

On Saturday morning, we went early and hung up all the decorations for the carnival, and made sure everything was in place for the baptism that was planned for right before the carnival. We were waiting for Isabelle, and for the first time, I began to worry. I didn’t know why, but I was nervous and wondering if she was going to come.

It was the greatest feeling seeing Isabelle walking towards the church door, with the sun shining on her face, dressed in all white. We gave her a huge hug and said, "Today's the big day! How do you feel?"

She then turned to us and said, "You want to know what happened? Last night, after seeing you guys, I felt super good about my baptism. But as I went to bed, I woke up in the middle of the night, restless and scared. I didn’t know if I was still going to go through with it all. Then, I decided to pray. I began to ask Heavenly Father if this is what He really wanted me to do. I thought long and hard about it, about everything you had taught and shared with me. Then feelings of love and peace rushed over me. I knew everything was going to be okay. I was able to sleep without worry... and here I am, ready to follow the Savior."

Soeur Kohlert and I looked at one another with tears in our eyes and threw our arms around Isabelle. What a miracle.

The baptismal service was such a spiritual moment for me. I was so happy as I saw Isabelle enter the water and make that sacred covenant with her Heavenly Father. Isabelle truly was prepared. She did everything we asked of her, and trusted us as the Lord’s servants. Isabelle will never understand how big of a miracle she was for me here in Saint Quentin. It was so wonderful to witness her baptism, and was a moment I will never forget!

The carnival was a HIT! All of the members came and invited their friends and neighbors! We had tons of our amies that came as well. Alexandra and Logan came too! The kids were running around with different superheroes painted on their faces, with candy and prizes filling both of their hands. It was a wonderful missionary opportunity and those who had never been to the church before were really touched by the importance we put on strengthening and spending time with our families. By the end of the night, there was a man who wanted to take the missionary lessons from the elders and three people that told us they wanted to be baptized, including Alexandra and Logan!!!!

I am so grateful for this Easter season; the chance we have to once again, turn our thoughts to the Savior. After three days, He rose from the dead; and because of Him, we will ALL have the amazing opportunity to be resurrected as He was.

I am so grateful for my sweet companion, Soeur Kohlert. I have learned so much from her and she really has become a sister to me. I know we will be close friends for the rest of our lives. How blessed I am to have so many Christ-like examples in my life. I love my mission … PARIS, here I come!

HAPPY EASTER!!! Dye and decorate eggs for me!

Soeur Madeline Vance