BONJOUR!

hellohellohello! What a wonderful monday it has been! we have approximately zero time to write these emails, so i am going to have to print yours off and read them later sorry! 

Where do I even start? Well, we are in Montpelier, France! Voila!

Our last week in Dijon was really quite great. We got to see many people and say many goodbyes, and I am thankful for all of the wonderful experiences, the beautiful people, and meaningful lessons I learned. Its weird that I only lived there for six weeks, it seems like we lived there much longer! It was hard to say goodbye to Soeurs (French for Sister) Tinorua and Harline...both of them played such a significant role in helping me adjust to mission life. I was very blessed to be with them, it is the only apartment of four sisters in the mission. They are both staying, but are getting new companions...one who it is her first transfer and one who it is her last. Fun! I feel so at peace that they are staying. Soeur Madsen and I 'passed' pretty much all of our amis (the people they have been teaching) to Soeur Harline, Souer Tinorua and her new companion will continue teaching most of the people she and Sr Harline had, and I am just SO infinitely happy that this is the case because I really believe she will be able to connect well with them. The two who we were hoping would be baptized yesterday had not progressed like we thought they would, but I know that all things will happen on the Lord's timing and I feel so thankful to have been a part of their lives and their journey toward Christ. What a priviledge! And, yesterday we had a lot of amis come to church, and all of us missionaries spoke in Sacrament meeting! Twas grand.

So, three trains and a half a day later, here we are in Montpelier! there were Elders  ready to help sr madsen and i with our bags, and lets just say they didn't know whether to be impressed or just appauled at the load. Ha. It probably sufficed for their exercises this week. too funny.

we are opening monteplier, which means we are the first sisters to be here in a really long time. Its a new apartment, and word has it that its the nicest in the mission! Its an old apartment, but in a beautiful way, Our key looks like its pretend because its really old fashioned, and we even have a balcony and two faux fireplaces...very homey. I think we shall buy a plant to hang outside. Its seriously beautiful, and we feel a little bit spoiled. I know I haven't hardly sent any pictures, but I promise that I will try to next week! (haha, promise to try...)

 ITS SO MUCH WARMER HERE! 

Also, something great we are in a TRIO! Soeur Lumire, she is from Quebec, which means SHE ONLY SPEAKS FRENCH! well, quebequois, haha, I love her cute accent! But really, it will be such a blessing to be with her because it will force soeur madsen and I not to speak in English all the time, exciting! She has lots of personality, and between the three of us I imagine there is lots of energy.

Well, Its a new year. Isn't that wonderful? And it started on a Sunday, which I happened to love. Im still kind of refining my resolutions, and kind of seeing what works and what doesnt. Here is a thought that we shared with several people about the new year. I dont know if you watch the movies called Mormon Messages onwww.lds.org very often, but, there is one called "New Year's: Look Not behind Thee" that we stole the idea from. we shared the story of Lot in the Bible, when he and his family are commanded to leave sodom andgomorrah, a very evil city, and to 'look not behind thee.' Those of you who know the story, know that Lots wife did not heed the second exhortation, and turned around and looked at the city, and then became a pillar of salt. What does this have to do with new years? I think that along with the excitement of new years, we sometimes also allow ourselves to experience regrets....and entertain thoughts of things we werent able to do and so on, and just dwell in the past a bit. It is a healthy thing to reflect on the past, and to ponder on the things we have learned and continue to apply them, but it becomes unhealthy when we can't let the negative things go. This is something I think we all have a hard time with, I know I do. The message we shared was that as we commence this new year, let us leave behind all the bad, and march forward looking resolutely towards the future. There is so much beauty to be had in the here and now, and we will miss out if we are looking behind us. We can't do anything to change what happened in the past, and that is one of the many reasons we have need of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Because of His Atonement, we can be cleansed from our sins, and find peace even amid affliction for 'His burden is easy, His yoke is light.' Yes, indeed, He has graven us upon His hands, and He has already suffered all that we have...He stands ready to help us if we will let Him. Thanks to the Savior, we truly can leave the troubles of the past behind, find pourpose in our lives right now, and have a hope for the future. I love Him, and it is my biggest resolution this year to learn how to apply His atonement in my life more and more each day, and be a more adequate representative of Him. I am so blessed! We all are! 

Well, I love you a lot. Keep smiling. Keep serving. Keep loving. I will just be over here in Montpelier doing the same. 

Merci infiniment pour tous!

Love, Soeur Waldron