Say This Without Sounding Angry: Haut rein, Freunde!

Sœur Green to Internet:

Found some new allies in combat. Stop.

One of them has a baptismal date for the 24th of May. Stop.

We were able to secure two member families that have been off the radar for years. Stop.

We are teaching their two oldest children of ages eleven and ten. Stop.

Our men are approaching victory with only a few bogies on our tail. Over and out.

FACTS I LEARNED: 

• This is our Stake President and he is awesome. I know a celebrity now. http://www.mormon.org/fra/matthieu 

• German is a silly language. Finnish is easier, I find.

• Teaching a ten year old the Ten Commandments is like telling a cat to sleep all day and tear up furniture.

So...this was a week of success, obviously. I need to thank you for your prayers and support that have made my mission one of the most enjoyable, productive experiences I've ever had. I'll stop talking now though and give you pictures to enjoy.

Here's a higher view of Clermont. Notre Dame Cathedral is just chilling in the middle of the city. Kind of reminds me of Mordor a little bit.

We had a crazy storm that turned the street in front of our house into a river.
Made daily planning a lot more exciting.

Some French dude at church jamming on the piano.
I thought a picture of this would be appropriate to share.

Look at the baby Tahitian.
I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind me moving to Tahiti if I gave them grandchildren that looked like this.

Joyeuses Paques!

To celebrate such a wonderful day, I want to bear my testimony of the Savior. I won't repeat myself or others over and over and again, because we all know we love Him. I want to talk about the power and significance in knowing about the Resurrection. 

On Sunday, we were invited to eat at a family's home and share a thought or two with them over a lamb and potatoes. I was feeling rather tired and incapable of speaking any word of French for this entire rendez-vous. When my companion finished talking and turned to me, my brain that was obviously shut off got zapped and suddenly mushed together French words that were coming out of nowhere. It didn't even have anything to do with what my companion said, but I started to talk about the Resurrection and how our mortal frailties will be perfected. I spoke of dear family members that suffer from serious ailments. I spoke of important people to me that have finished their time here in this life. I felt God giving me reassurance about many things that I haven't thought deeply about before. I want to give each of you a personal invitation to think about how incredible it is to know our Savior lives and what that means to every human that has ever existed in history.

Our investigator had her baby :) I just love babies, don't you?

Greatest picture of a toddler you'll ever see.
Look how he is rejoicing for the restored gospel.

We got this wonderful lady to rejoin us and now she's preparing to go to the temple in July. She's fun :)

P.S. Just so everyone knows, Grün and Green mean the same thing.....WE'RE BOTH GREENIES!!!

For All You Mormies Out There...

Transfer day was long, but awesome; I left my camera, but I will show you proof of it's awesomeness next week. It involves Spaniards on a train ride to Lyon. I'm going for my third round in Clermont-Ferrand, except my Fin was replaced by a Germ. Die Legende geht weiter!!  My companion's name is Sœur Grünke and she's from Frankfurt. She's been in France for six months but her French is incredible, so I'm planning on being fluent by the end of these next six weeks haha. This past week was really crazy: We had so many miracles coming out our ears! We hope to see a baptism this transfer amongst our Congolian friends or Dominican Republican friends. We will teach an actual French person as well....I have a feeling it's coming.....

FACTS I LEARNED:

• German fact of the week: The German flag is SYMBOLIC: It goes from black to red to gold to represent moving from the dark times, the blood of war, and into the golden times. Mind blown.

• Sweden...AH! I'm moving there!

• There is a disease in Australia called "dangy fever" and holy moses, I think I had it for a week. I must have contacted an Australian. Still alive, however. God bless modern medicine.

I'm so excited for life. I get to start yet another transfer in the beautiful country of France. Because I have this temporal sense of invincibility and confidence, I want to be a little bold with the world today, especially with our members. (Brace yourself.) 

I've been taught a few things from my mission experiences. Some verbally from my leaders, others from trial and error. I will preface this by saying NONE of us are perfect, and no one expects us to be. That said, I want to address to all Mormons everywhere the importance of your influence on others. For example, say I'm a French person going through a tour of America and I happen to stop by Salt Lake City to know more about those crazy Amish Mormons that I've seen credible documentaries about on night-time television. For members, what do you want that French person to notice about you? Are you kind? Are you charitable? Are you clean in your speech and actions? Are you RESPECTFUL and sensitive to others' backgrounds? Do you live by the standards that you covenanted with God to keep for as long as you live? If you have answered sometimes or no to any of the following, then what are you going to change starting now? Don't let your personal interview with God after this life be something that you dread. The world is your audience, even when you think no one is looking.

This week, I've had to deal with some drama among some of the members of our church that stopped coming eventually because of the judgments and behavior of others. Don't be the cause of that yourselves. This is Christ's church. Appreciate the opportunity you have to take upon His name.

Peace and love, my friends. I wanted to pretend I was Jeffery R. Holland this week because I get very few opportunities to do so. It's fun. I testify of that :) Even though it's hard sometimes to stay in line, let's all love each other and be happy. Take care of yourselves this week!!

Sœur Green

In Which I Share Something I Hope that All of You Will Internalize...

In Which I Share Something I Hope that All of You Will Internalize...

Quick update: Hit one year mark. What? Gross. Also, was approached by someone who immediately asked to be baptized. What? Seriously. Sri Lankans were sick this week :( They are still progressing, so thank you for your prayers! Also, quick shoutout to my sister, my dad, and my grandfather who are getting old. JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE!!!

FACTS I LEARNED:

• Our Albanian friend is moving back home for the summer. Clermont just lost cool points.....

• JEFFERY R. HOLLAND IS MY HERO. That sister missionary story he shared has been experienced by every French missionary. Last week in Lyon, a man did the same thing except replace the potatoes with a tuna sandwich and instead of trying to hit me, he tried to nudge me into the street. Getting persecuted for the Savior is awesome. Not sarcasm.

I'm going to share some verses from Luke in the New Testament that I find powerful. It takes place while Christ is being crucified. From chapter 23:

39 ¶And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

It's a small event that moves fairly quickly and is easy to look over in casual reading. Something that I've noticed for the past year is how cruel people can be to themselves. Surprisingly, it's the people that have already completed the ordinances of baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost, people that UNDERSTAND the significance of the Atonement, that have the hardest time with this. I've heard every excuse in the book that "God can't forgive me because I did this."or "God couldn't forgive someone like me." or "It's too late for me to change" etc, etc. 

LOOK AT THIS EXAMPLE. 

A malefactor, a seriously reviled criminal, received forgiveness WHILE HE WAS HANGING ON A CROSS. And you think it's too late for you to change? Of course, this is a concept that would be hard to grasp if one didn't understand that grace is a gift given to all mankind. Even disciples of Christ find themselves struggling to gain a testimony of this, even those who have been taught this their entire lives. This is one of the most beautiful teachings that Christ has shared. Forgive yourself so that God can do the same. There is no excuse that can justify the contrary.

I love you. Sorry I get preachy sometimes. I've slipped into habit after a year of doing it, haha. I pray for you, even those who don't share my beliefs or have any beliefs at all. You are all dear to me and your support has been a blessing to me for the last 365.4 days.

Sœur Green

PICTURE DAY ONCE MORE

Our Sri Lankan family is doing super well. We talked about temples and how they can live together forever through the ordinances that are done there. 

Their reaction verbatim: "So when can we go?"

Did an awesome exchange in Lyon with our beloved Sœur Benitez, an English girl who's parents are from Chile and Colombia. Having genetics like that can give people super powers such as those you see pictured here.

Got to catch up with my mission Dad (first district leader) in our Geneva mulit-zone conference. Kinda looks like my biological father if you squint.

THESE STILL EXIST?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Little thank you card I made for a less active member who can't come to church because she has "mushrooms" in her throat.
Translation: "Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

Shout out to Sister Vidal even though she's never going to see this. She changed my mission and is now going to go change the world in Mexico. iBUENA SUERTE!

May have made s'mores over our gas stove this week. Soul food.