What went down:
Monday- was already discussed last email.
Tuesday- a few tombezvous but ça va. We saw a less-active named M (who's getting re-activated next Sunday!! We talked about the area plan with him. He loves talking to us. He has few friends in France, most of them are back in Haiti. He just needs someone to talk to sometimes. Then we planned out our zone run for Thursday, we will go around and install smoke detectors and Carbon monoxide detectors in all the apartments. We also planned a zone activity and that took planning, calls, prayers, discussion, and whatnot. Then we ate dinner with F, an exuberant member who thinks he's Italian. It's pretty funny. He's really nice, he loves the missionaries. He calls us all his sons. It's weird. I think he's convinced that we are his real sons. We also talked about the Inter-regional plan with him. Then we saw C, a really cool member who's been having a rough time and confided to K, and K told us so we went over, shared the deliverance story of Alma's people in Mosiah 23-24 and gave her a blessing. She was really grateful! She has a great family. One of her daughters is going to BYU in August, the other is going on a mission!
Wednesday- amazing!! We went right next to Monaco to a little town called Cap d'Ail, where we met a Portuguese potential amie named Al. Elder Sauro met her a while ago, and gave her a Portuguese Book of Mormon. We did the restoration with her and explained importance of the Book of Mormon as proof of this restoration. She was intrigued by the book, expressed an interest, and promised to start reading. She also agreed to come to church next Sunday to see how it is! After that, we took the bus back (about 50 minutes) to Nice, and we saw M at her apartment. We read 1st Nephi 4 with her, and she kept saying how she feels happier than she used to since she's started coming to church, reading he Book of Mormon, etc. We helped her realize that it's the Holy Ghost she's feeling, and that after baptism, she will have those feelings even more-much more. She kept saying that she wants to be baptized, but still won't accept a date because she doesn't want to feel forced; she wants it to be 100% her decision. After that, we went up to the church to plan out our zone member weekend, a little activity to help us work with members. Then we had ward council, and that was the day. At ward council, D told us that soon, we might have the chance to meet U2 (we still haven't forgotten!) so that was exciting.
Thursday-delicious. We had our Nice district meeting, Pizza Hut for lunch (a lot better in France, actually) then we went to Antibes to install their new smoke and CO detectors. Then we went to Toulon and stayed the night there and installed their detectors as well. It was fun to get to see lots of zone members!
Friday-great day. Legendary. We had district meeting in Cannes,and had Steak n' Shake for lunch! Then we went to St. Raphael to put in their smoke and CO detectors. Then we came back and got two new amis, L and C! They are weird, we are not sure about them but they bought us ice cream (so far, so good!) then we read the Book of Mormon with L.
Saturday-we went to a picnic at Colline du Chateau (Castle Hill) with some members who were visiting with a sister missionary who returned from her mission the day before I got in. Her name was sister Patrick, I think. Funny story: her brother and parents just got home from their missions in Tahiti, her dad was the mission president. Her brother knows elder Sauro's ex-girlfriend, and sister Patrick knows my ex-girlfriend. That's hilarious!! What a coincidence. Then we finished the day with planning after a Rdv with M. She's gonna get baptized soon!
Sunday was very rewarding. We actually missed sacrament meeting because we waited for our amie Al to come from Monaco, and she came! We were just an hour late, unfortunately. M came as well. Al liked church, she didn't say much (she's very quiet and timid) but she said she'd come again, and we're going to continue to see her. After church, we had a big ward meal where I talked to M a lot (she talks a lot, so if you don't escape, it's like a tornado-you can't get out) but it was very rewarding. She said that God told her to be baptized, but she is just waiting on an answer from her deceased father. She likes "talking with her ancestors," so to her, having the blessing of her father is very important. So I say: c'mon, Tevye!! But, true to her character she'll be baptized with or without her dad's approval. Then, I gained a testimony of member work for myself. We visited our elders quorum President. We talked about the area plan, and he actually had not yet written goals down on the card. So he and his wife did that, asking us questions and whatnot, sharing stories. Then at the end, we asked "who else could enjoy doing these things with you or with us?" And we got two referrals! I have seldom had that happen on my mission. Extremely rare. But how much better is this with members?! Working without them is like using a LEGO hammer to build a life-size castle. It's like trying to travel across the world on a pogo stick. It's like trying to drive people to heaven in a golf cart. It's so much better with members!! I knew that in my head, but until yesterday, I did not know that in my heart. Frere R is awesome. He's a really genuine guy. He taught me a good lesson: missionaries need to gain the members' trust in order to get to teach their friends. They all like us; they all think we are nice guys; but if we don't show that we are responsible, then we won't earn their trust. A good lesson was learned.
(free) Advice I have:
"Become a Star Thrower," by Elder David B. Haight, October 1983 Gen Conf. An excellent talk on doing what we can to rescue our brothers and sisters who are, for some reason or another, stranded on the beaches of life, and need help getting back to the "living waters" of the Gospel. It doesn't matter why they are stranded. What matters is that they need our help, and we must help them.
I love you all! Merci merci merci pour votre soutien constant. Avec votre aide, je m'améliore et je suis reconnaissant pour cela. Je vous aime! À plus
Elder MacArthur
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| Up around Beausoleil and Monaco! |
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| More mountains |
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| Speaks for itself |
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