Week 50 - A Week Full of Happy Things!!

Hello friends and family!!!

I had a really good week, it was full of lots of happy things!! :)

On Monday night, we had a family home evening with Soeur Opheltes! She's a reaallyy sweet member who was baptized about 11 years ago with her daughter. We had a really good time talking with her about how the stake here in Guadeloupe is ALREADY here-- meaning that the people who will be leaders and members of the future stake are here, just waiting to receive and accept the Gospel, and that some of these people could be people that she knows and interacts with. She was really touched by that idea, and it really gives a bigger version of why it's so important for the members to share the Gospel. Talk of a stake has been a huge focal point for the past few months here in the mission, and it's becoming SO exciting! We also had district conference this week, and many of the talks were about why a stake would be such a blessing for the people here and how we can get there. Before my mission I would have never really cared SO much about there being a stake on some random islands in the Caribbean, but it's now become one of my deepest desires, and almost everything I do every day has become geared towards achieving that goal-- because I know it truly would bless these people extremely. Many tears will be shed here once there is a finally a stake in the French Antilles!! :D

On Tuesday we had great lessons with two of our most progressing friends, Junie and Alex!! Both of them are accepting the gospel really profoundly into their hearts, and it's one of the most exciting things to witness! 

On Wednesday we had a wonderful, classic lesson for this mission. We were with two SUPER cute Haitian ladies (I mentioned them last week I think) and their adorable papi neighbor. We were sitting outside, under the shade of a mango tree, reading in Alma 34 about not procastinating your repentance and acting on the answers we receive from Heavenly Father. Haha oh boy, they just make me smile-- at the end we invited them to church and they said "Of course! We're staying with you all 'til the end!" (it was even cuter when they said it because it was creole hahaha). Anyways, that was just a happy moment that made me really feel how much I love my mission :)

Thursday was a fun day! That morning we went to visit a less-active member. She is the coolest-- she's making a couple skirts for me right now and she LOVES making her own jewelry and cool things to sale to the tourists when vacation season hits :) I ended up buying two funky pairs of earrings from her as well with African fabric, which was suprisingly really fun. I haven't explored my fashion sense a whole lot as a missionary, as I wear the same thing basically over and over haha. But even though I can't wear the earrings as a missionary it'll be fun to have something unique to wear when I get home :) 

We also had an AWESOME lesson with this man that we contacted last week. He invited his wife and his older brother to join us as well, and all three of them are sincerely interested in the Gospel and we think they have a lot of potential to keep progressing!

We also saw Alex again on Thursday-- we only had a couple minutes, but we talked about what he had read in the Book of Mormon. It turned into an absolutely incredible, spirit-filled discussion about Mosiah 27 and the story of Alma the Younger. The story really struck Alex. He talked about how, as a father, he worries about his kids and has a hard time finding peace knowing how dark the world is becoming. But what he read in the Book of Mormon taught him a lot about trusting in God, and that sometimes parents don't have complete control over their children's choices. The important thing is to place our trust in our Heavenly Father, provide a good foundation for our families, and then remember that all is in God's plan and hands. It was really wonderful though, seeing Alex starting to understand and learn from the Book of Mormon like that, in a way that genuinely will bless his life and answer his questions of the soul. :)

Friday was also an amazing day. We met with another less active woman-- she's SUPER cute and showed us tons of pictures of her family-- her kids and her grandkids. 

We also saw Albie with Soeur Desir!! One of my favorite things is reteaching the lessons to recent converts :) He's been doing super well!! He started doing some work with two other men in the branch, so he's being integrated and staying busy with good things, so we're really excited!! We watched the Joseph Smith Restoration movie with him and it was wonderful.

Saturday was SUPER happy. I almost cried quite a few times in the car as I was just pondering the Gospel and how incredibly wonderful and incredible it is. It is such an immense blessing, that I'm only beginning to wrap my mind around haha.

We had a really fun time as well driving with Soeur Victor, a member, down to
Bouillante (which is a bit of a drive away) to the hospital, so we could visit one of our recent converts, Luther, who's having a lot of shoulder pain. It was wonderful to visit him and see that he's doing pretty well! 

Then we drove with Soeur Victor to Abymes for district conference! As I said, we talked a lot about how to have a stake here one day. It really touched me and inspired me to work harder here to find those members of the stake who are searching for something more in their life! 

Alex came to the Sunday session of conference!! We were so happy! He had to drive a LONG way to get there but we are so thankful he made the effort to come  :D We also had a funny lesson that night with an older couple, they asked us some slightly tough questions, but the wife read a TON in the Book of Mormon and is trying to get her husband to do the same haha :) We're really excited about them as well!!

I'm so thankful for the blessing of the Gospel! I know it is true and I can not deny that. 

I love you all and wish you a good week!! :)