8-8-16!

Hey everyone! This week great being with Elder Sauro and Elder Zhu. We had lots of fun and good work.

What went down:
Monday was great! Elder Zhu and I went down to Marseille, gave Elder Raherimandimby his bags, then hung out with missionaries at the gare. We came up with Elder Sauro at 1:30, took the train back to Nice, and met the Ajaccio elders there. We did a shopping, Elder Thangaraj and I got matching t-shirts at H&M. Then we went to family home evening!

Tuesday, we all three taught a few lessons, finished emails, planned. Not much there. It's different being in a trio again!

Wednesday, we saw an old member named F! He's 78, comes to church every week. He has hands like a bear. He destroyed me in an arm wrestling match. To be fair, he could destroy almost all the missionaries in our mission. After that, we saw a new investigator named S! He's Spanish, and really cool. He committed to read the Book of Mormon and come to church. He asked really good questions! After him, we went back to St. André to see A. We did some porting before that, we set up a few RDVs to pass by tomorrow. Our lesson with A was great, we explained the temple and how that's our goal for him. He'll come to church this week, and he started to Book of Mormon! He seriously has big-time potential!

Thursday, we met with a new member who just moved to Nice from Spain! His name is Y, he's from the Ivory Coast. We talked about the temple and he really wants to go. He was baptized 6 months ago, he's super solid. The lesson was in Spanish, so I didn't understand much, but it seemed really good. Nowadays, being with Elder Sauro and Zhu, a lot of lessons are in Spanish or Potuguese or Chinese or Japanese, so I don't always understand haha. Then we saw DC and M.  D is finally going home! He bought us pizza! It was great. We talked about PMG chapter 8, about fixing goals. Hopefully he'll fix the goal to get married soon! After lunch, we helped some new members move in to their apartment, carried a washing machine and other things. Then we went porting a little in St. André.

Friday was alright, nothing special. We saw L, we talked about testimony, it was pretty good. He's been going back to his old church.

Saturday was good. We saw V, the investigator of Elder Zhu (the Nice 2 equipe). She's on track for baptism, she just needs to get married to her "husband/boyfriend" so we hope that goes quick. Then we saw E, and Elder Zhu was shocked to see such a dirty and gross apartment. He couldn't breathe, it was so gross. Now he has empathy for us each time we go over!

Sunday was pretty good, we had church which was really spiritual, it was fast and testimony meeting. Getting to translate the French to English helps me internalize and put into my own words the messages given at church. I have to pay really good attention!

What I learned:
I finished the Book of Mormon this week! My favorite part of this book is the end, I find great inspiration in the words of Mormon, Moroni 10:

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.
9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;
10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.
17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.
18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

They come unto man, according as he will. It is up to us. These words remind me of others: "If it is up to be, it is up to me." How important it is to seek the gifts of the spirit. These gifts, acquired by the Spirit, will help us to become like the Savior.

(free) Advice I have:
"The Long Lines of the Lonely," by President Monson, April Gen Conf. This is such a good talk that expounds on the scripture in James 1:27. Read this talk! It will make you feel good. President Monson is such a wonderful man, he has a heart of gold. He shared this thought: "The leadership of this Church is mindful of the widow, the widower, the lonely. Can we be less concerned? Emerson counseled that rings and jewels are not gifts, but substitutes for gifts. The only real gift is a portion of oneself." So, Go visit the lonely, the dreary; Go comfort the weeping, the weary. Oh, scatter kind deeds on your way, And make the world brighter today.

Well, we're still à trois. We might be three for a while! We'll see how it goes. It's pretty fun! Thanks for listening, I love you all!
Elder MacArthur

Elder Tahiana and Ben (in his new French suit)

Cleaning out an old Souers apartment.  Lovely!

Pizza!