September 2, 2013 As Long As He Needs Me

 

 

 

This week was awesome and a bit bland. We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders here in Carcassonne for Monday and Tuesday. We split up and went to opposite sides of the city. I loved it because I got to see more of my home! There are lots and lots of Muslim communities on the outskirts of Carcassonne. Lots of beautiful families, but unfortunately they weren't too interested. On exchanges we get to do a lot more than we normally get to, because its double the work force for our companionship! So I went with Soeur Pfost (the sister training leader) to Villemoustassou where we Heart Attacked some members homes. Villemoustaussou is TINY! You can literally walk from one end to the other in like 18 minutes. But it was awesome!

President has instituted a new key indicator (or thing we should do to succeed, like contacting or having lessons with members present); So the new one is called a Member Experience. Pretty simple, just have an experience with a member every day! It is truly inspired ya'll. We try really hard to have a member experience everyday, we even have several days where we have 2 or 3 experiences. IT IS SO INSPIRED! Heart Attacking the members is a member experience... we hear attacked 3 families this past week. yesterday during testimony meeting, one of the families stood up and testified that we (the missionaries) are inspired. We heart attacked their mailbox, and their neighbors were intrigued by it and asked... they got to have a missionary experience because of it! Other ward members stood up and shared testimonies on how important it is to let us into their homes so that we can perfect our French and our teaching; it was seriously so cool. They have all really opened their hearts and their homes to us since we started focusing on having experiences with them and showing them our love. President Roney is truly inspired. We have seen much success with the members and getting them to teach with. It is so exciting to see the ward get excited about the work!

We have a super awesome Ami named Regine... shes from Martinique and I think I already told you about her... but she is awesome. We had a lecon (with a member of course) with her last week in her cute little French home. We taught the first lesson. My French kept escaping me, but it went very well! She is reading the LdeM and is so interested in us. SHE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY! She is my first ami to ever come to church. She even answered questions and was involved with Sunday School. She loves when people talk about the light of Christ because she does meditation where she "transmits the light of god" I'm not really sure... but she loves it. We will be seeing here again this week. She is progressing nicely and Soeur Bayles and I are STOKED!

Another miracle this week; WE ARE HAVING A BAPTISM ON THE 15TH OF SEPTEMBRE!! There is this awesome family in our ward; the Mulandas. Soeur Mulanda has 7 kids. Her husband is from Africa. He is there right now, and they are in the middle of getting a divorce. Three of the kids are old enough  to get baptized, but aren't because they have been waiting for their day to come back... well, they decided they want to get baptized now. And because one of them is 9, she is considered a convert baptism... its a little weird, but that's how the church works, okay? We have been seeing them once or twice a week since I arrived in France, so we are super close with them. They are such a beautiful family. We committed them to be baptized the 15th and they gleefully accepted! I cried. Tears of beautiful joy. I didn't really know why we were focusing so much on this family, and now I know why. We were helping these little kids prepare for baptism. Ill take pictures. The daughters names are Chloé, Océan, and Marine. Marine will be my first convert baptism. SO EXCITING!!

There is this super sweet ferris wheel in Carcassonne right now... it has been there for a few weeks, but it is kinda expensive so we decided not to do it... well we rode it this week and it was so stinking worth it!! Beautiful scenes of Carcassonne... It revamped me. Im in France, this beautiful country. I cant waste my time while I'm here. I need to be consecrated and dedicated!! It was such a great experience for us.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other mission life long dream was fulfilled this week; Soeur Bayles and I finally ate Cassoulet (the famous French dish of the south) in its home ville of Castelnaudary!! It was so amazing. It has beans and duck and sausage and HOLY MOLY its just so yummy. We ate it at a nice restaurant too, so we split the meal because it was pricey, but worth it none the less!!

Yesterday was great. We went to a families house for dinner. The Terrien family is so adorable. He is French and she is from Thailand. There kids are too cute for words. We had so much fun with them. He is the only man in our ward who served a mission. They told us they have some friends they want to introduce us to, so that is exciting! Like I said, president Roney is so inspired! He knows how its done. We have seen so much progress because of member experiences.
We sadly had to drop Chan Tan this week because he isn't keeping his engagements, but all is well. He will notice a difference in his life without us and the constant spirit we bring to his life. He will come back. So don't worry :)

I am so happy to be here... I will be here as long as the Lord needs me. I find more joy in being his missionary than anything else I have ever done in my life. This is HIS work. He loves us and is preparing souls.

 

So yeah, it was a great week and there is another amazing week coming! I love you and miss you so much! Keep praying for my French! Next week we will be only speaking in French, so I need to be prepared. Pray for my FRENCH!! Okay, love you bye.

Avec tout mon amour,

Soeur Beeny