Monday, June 27, 2016

6-27-16!

This week has been a great one. Lots of new stuff, all very interesting.

This week, I went on an exchange with Elder Zhu. It was a little different because he doesn't talk much, but we had a lot of good things to do. We gave two Books of Mormon to a lady named C. who wanted one for herself and her daughter-in-law. We taught her the Restoration, and she expressed interest in seeing us again this week to talk about the book. She is very curious, and loves learning about religions. Hopefully we can see her soon and get some new amis! Elder Zhu loves Nice, and despite his limited French, he does his best to contact people (especially the Chinese people!) everywhere.

Our teaching pool has yet to increase. Out of all the new amis Elder Nadauld and I found, we haven't even gotten one to start progressing! Sometimes agency is annoying haha. We are still seeing our amid M., and she is doing as well as ever! Yesterday at church, the word of wisdom was taught, and she loved it! She has yet to learn a doctrine of the church that she doesn't love. She always says "c'est tellement beau" or "c'est magnificque, ca!" or (my favorite) "c'est ce que je pense aussi!" She's awesome! While she remains a little apprehensive about accepting a baptismal date, she asked us how a baptism works and she got really excited. She'll be baptized soon, I can tell! We read in the Book of Mormon this week with her, because she wasn't ready on her own. She was taking an I'll-read-when-I-want-to approach. After reading about Nephi's trip back to Jerusalem to procure the brass plates, she said that she had more envie to read on her own! Every little problem that presents itself seems to crumble away. The Lord's hand is clearly in it.

This week was lots of fun, we got to play basketball with Elder Nadauld's family who were in town visiting the mission, we played with L. and got to teach him as well. We had lots of cool things, but alas I have not much time to write them. Not even an hundredth part, actually.

This week, I set out on my transfer goals to act on the advice my mission president gave me. I worked on the Christlike attribute of humility. I read somewhere that humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking less about yourself. I really tried to work on that this week by serving the elders in the apartment. I'm not sure how successful I was, but I am increasingly aware of my lack of humility, at least! It can hide no more haha. This will help me with my personal goals for this transfer:

  • Study the Savior to become an example of someone changed by Him (Daily reading in Book of Mormon, The Life of the Savior, Jesus the Christ)
  • Humbly seek His will, then humbly do it (work with Elder Sauro to know what the Lord wants us to do)
  • Just plain never be frightened (increase my faith in the Savior and His Atonement, let that faith drive my work) 
This week, we shared a conference talk with a less-active, M. It's by Bishop Waddell, titled "A Pattern for Peace" from the last general conference. He said something that touched me: "In our search for peace amidst the daily challenges of life, we’ve been given a simple pattern to keep our thoughts focused on the Savior, who said: 'Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus Christ.' Learn, listen, and walk--three steps with a promise." I realized that these are my goals for the transfer! Learn, listen, and walk. That got me really excited, I know that these goals were given to me in part by President Brown's inspired counsel and certainly the Lord. I'm confident that they will help me - maybe more than any other goals I've ever set! I am very happy in Nice.

I get to go to Lyon today. Then Bordeaux. Then Brive on Wednesday for legality! I love Brive so much!! This is going to be such a good transfer. I'm in the best mission in the world, in the best city ever. And my companion is an angel. Elder Sauro's strengths are very often my weaknesses. The correlation is so reoccurring it's uncanny. I know it's no coincidence that we are together. I know I'll drive him crazy, but it'll be very good for me haha! This I know. He's got lots of good ideas, he likes changing things, and it's already benefiting us. I'm excited to work with him and to get to love him.

Thanks for listening! I love you all!
Elder MacArthur

Ben and Elder Naudald (who is visiting Nice with his family before flying home)

Ben, Elder Sauro and the Marseille elders

Ben, their investigator M., and Elder Sauro

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