Week 21 - Weddings and Battle Hymns

Bonjour mes amis!! I hope you're all doing well and that you have a spooky Halloween! :)

This week honestly dragged a bit for me but we still had some awesome moments! Annie is still doing great! We had to push her baptismal date back a little just so we could be sure she's really prepared, but we're super excited for her to be baptized in November! 

Other exciting things...

-On Wednesday we worked with an adorable member who recently moved here from Brazil, Aline! She speaks very little French so it was funny communicating with her, but we made lunch and ate together then taught lessons all that afternoon! She is SO sweet and we had a blast with her. :)

-On Friday TWO MEMBERS MARRIED EACH OTHER!!! And we got to go to their wedding! It was such a beautiful thing to see. I looove weddings in general, but seeing two people you love so much marry each other is just a special feeling. They're preparing to be sealed someday in the temple and I'm so happy for them! 

-On Saturday the branch had two baptisms! One really cool Haitian man named Louis Jean, and a 12 year old girl, who is the daughter of another woman who was just baptized about a month ago! Her name is Kymia. It was a blast and baptisms always make my day!

-We had a lesson with Anne-Gaelle this week (the amazing woman who was baptized in August!!!), and SHE taught US the Plan of Salvation! She explained the points in a way that honestly helped me understand them better, and she shared a really cool example about why we have trials. (I'll do my best to translate, although I probably didnt get the exact details right haha). She said that when you make a sword, you have to get the metal super hot to mold and shape the blade. Then, once the blade has the shape you want, you suddenly thrust it into freezing cold water to shock it and seal the metal, which makes it super hard and durable, almost indestructible!! Sometimes this is what our trials feel like-- like we're being dunked in freezing ice water. But these trials end up becoming priceless experiences necessary for growth. We learn to trust God and come out even stronger than before. Soeur Krucher taught me to pray for trials, which sounds crazy haha. But really what you're praying for is an opportunity to progress. Things never change when we stay in our comfort zones. I know that as we push ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, spritually, and in our relationships, we improve.

-This week Soeur Morrell and I also wrote a pretty funny parody to Battle Hymn of the Republic, we call it Battle Hymn of the Soeurs!! Here are the lyrics, and I'm going to try to send a video as well of us singing it for you! 

(PS. Some things have been slightly dramatized for comedic effect but are based on truths haha)

Note: "white bible" refers to the Missionary handbook

Mine eyes have seen the glory of missionary work!

I have knocked on doors all day and I am ready to convert.

Not a single man we met today didn't try to flirt;

As sisters we march on!! 

Glory, Glory Hallelujah! (x3)

As sisters we march on!

There's an interested Haitain man we really want to see,

But we've called so many members; not a single one is free!

Ohh, exactly obedient is all we want to be!

As sisters we march on!

Glory, Glory Hallelujah! (x3)

As sisters we march on!

This morning I stayed in my bed til 6:38,

And the white bible says that that makes me an apostate

But thanks to Jesus Christ I can always change my fate,

With Christ we will march on!

Glory, Glory Hallelujah! (x3)

With Christ we will march on!!

I think that's about all the exciting things for this week! My mom asked how we do laundry here so I guess I'll just include that here haha. We have a little washing machine in our appartment and then use drying racks to dry the clothes on the balcony. Funny side story, a few months ago one of my garment bottoms mysteriously went missing and I had no clue what happened. A few weeks later our neighbor who lives under us shows up holding them up in his hand asking if they're ours haha! They mustve blown off the drying rack and landed on his balcony below. So that was a little embarassing but all's well now hahaha :)

Have a great week and Happy Halloween!

Love,

Soeur Gardner

(Mom Note: I tried to upload the video, but Blogger says it is too big. If anyone knows a way to compress them let me know, otherwise you will have to just picture it in your mind!)