That's right, I am back in DIJON!!!!!!!

I am amazed at how perfectly the Lord directs His work. It is a delight to be here in the place I began for the last few weeks of this blessed mission: I don’t think I have ever been more motivated to take advantage of this precious time the Lord has given me!

If you remember back to the early emails, you will remember Sonya. She is lovely, but something happened right before we left for Montpellier and she just stopped talking to us. I remember being so heartbroken. So, the first thing I do upon arriving last night? Whip out the area book and find her teaching record....as well as all of our other old amis :) Sr. Madsen’s distinctive handwriting makes it easy to find our records haha. Sonya lives like right behind us, and today we have already gone over to ring the doorbell twice....(each time I feel super nervous like I am asking a boy to prom or something) but I believe she has school during the day. I remember joking with Sr Madsen about coming back here to end my mission and finding her again and here I am!!!! so much nervous excitement! It’s great!

It still hasn’t really occurred to me that I won’t be going back to Bordeaux....seven months is long enough to call a place home. My last week was wonderful, and it was kind of a weird tender mercy but I was really sick with a cold and that helped me not be so sad because I was just all congested and out of it haha so I just enjoyed my last precious moments with all those people I love and then spent many hours on trains. I SAW SR BICCHIERRI AT THE GARE!!!!!!!!!!!! She is all grown up and training now. I about died of joy when I saw her beautiful face...that sister changed my life. Missions are so great!!!

We also had that all day of finding::::thanks for your prayers!!! we enjoyed a special spirit that day. We are having so many miracles in this land!!! so last year the average number of ppl at Sacrament meeting was like 85 or 90 I would guess.....and last week we were 120!!!!!! our mission goal is to increase attendance by 1000 ppl by remotivating a less active person and finding a person who will be likely baptized one day per companionship per transfer. we can do it! I love this city because it forces you to create something out of nothing and really put your faith to the test. These next weeks are gonna be awesome

I know the gospel is true and that the Savior lives!

LOVE YOU!!!! Hooorrrah for Israel!!!!!

Soeur Waldron

How great shall be your joy

This last weeked was one of the greatest of my mission. We had interviews with President Roney and it was a joyful and wonderful day of instruction!

Carmelle, my dear friend, was baptized by Roger, who you met on Skype and who was baptized in November, by Kevin who was baptized in September! Roger and Carmelle both gave wonderful talks in church on Sunday and it was just a celestial sacrament meeting. Everyone was glowing!

Carmelle's story is such a miracle, and its all connected with the power of the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ. In his talk Roger humbly remarked how even though he didn't even know this book existed until last spetember, he knows it is true. He proceeded to testify of all of the other scriptures and bear solemn and fervent testimony.

This Wednesday the Paris and Lyon missions are consecrating the ENTIRE day to finding activities. We are really excited for all the miracles that will happen. We are all praying together every 1/2 hour and we are just going to sweep the house and find the little pieces of silver.

Luke 15:8-10

8 ¶Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

I know that as we increase our faith in the Savior and consecrate our lives to Him and His work that we can and will have eternal life, together as a family.

  

I love you. 

Sarah

Resolve

My dearest family,

I love you so much! I am so grateful for you.

Time is going quickly. This morning I read the talk by President Uchtdorf from the last General Conference. In it he spoke about the greatest regrets people had as they neared the end of their lives. I changed the following thought to fit my circumstance. 'Being so close to that final day of [your mission] often gives clarity to thought and provides insight and perspective.' As I look back at my mission, I am filled with all kinds of emotions. I sometimes think of things I would change, but I also I think of miraculous moments! I think of the great privilege it has been and how quickly it has gone by. I rejoice to know that I still have a little over a month of precious time here in France.

I know that the only way we can feel relief from guilt and shame, and the pain that comes from sin is through repentance. We talk a lot about this as missionaries. The other day I was on the tram, and a lovely French woman with a big smile explained, in response to our proposed invitation to learn more about the Savior, that she didn't need to adhere to a religion to be a good person, and talked a bit about the admirable things she does. This might remind you of other tram experiences I may have related. I congratulated her for her goodness. Then, I testified about the need of a Savior. Even though we all do good things we also make lots of mistakes, and we need repent. The ONLY way we can do that is by living Christ's gospel. Heavenly Father is happy when we do good things, but we have the potential to be so much more. Being a Christian is not just about becoming a good person, its about becoming perfect. He's the only one who did that in mortality, and we are certainly can't do it without Him. I know that what President Uchtdorf said is true, "It is my testimony that many of the deepest regrets of tomorrow can be prevented by following the Savior today. If we have sinned or made mistakes—if we have made choices that we now regret—there is the precious gift of Christ’s Atonement, through which we can be forgiven. We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and remove the burden of our sins. His Atonement allows us to leave the past behind and move forward with clean hands, a pure heart,and a determination to do better and especially to become better."

Its been a month or so sincewe set our new years resolutions. Lets all revisit them this week, and revise them if need be, and then lets resolve to do them! If there is something I know it is that this life is for us to have joy. I have seen a lot of people experience real joy by embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ during my mission. One of them is Carmelle. She fills with light and love when she shares her testimony. The promises she will make this week will allow her to maintain this joy forever if she keeps them. Isn't that great? Lets all pray that she may be able to overcome any obstacles that come her way this week and that her baptism may be a day of peace. :)

I do love the Lord and His gospel. I am thankful to be here and I am thankful for you!

Love Soeur Waldron