I am thankful for the wonderful chance to write to you again after another week in Renens! It's hard to believe, but we are already halfway through the transfer! Lets talk about the week.
We finally had a teaching appontment with Efrem, who is from Ecuador and has been coming to church with his friend who is a member. We taught him with a recent convert named Cesar Alayo (he is from Lima!) and he translated for us. Ha, our attempts at Spanish are truly comic at times. But, we are excited to have begun teaching him. Did I tell you about Lucy last week? She is from Mexico, and is living here with her husband (he is Suisse) and little girl. She came to church for the first time in a long long time on Sunday, and its quite an amazing story how she decided to turn her life back around and come unto the Lord again, and it is a beautiful process to see how the Lord is immediately blessing her efforts. She is a true example to me, and we are excited to start teaching her and her family a bit...I know that the power of the Atonement of Christ is real, and it is never too late for someone to change. This week I read a talk entitled 'the Fourth Missionary.' It was written by a mission president to his missionaries, and it was something that I found truly powerful. It is by Lawrence E. Corbridge. It helped me identify some of the things I can improve upon as a missionary and as a person, I am so thankful for the opportunity I have had on my mission to learn how to repent and change, and I am thankful for this wonderful gift that we have each and every single day of our lives.
Yesterday was an incredible Sabbath day for me. I woke up and was truly filled with the spirit of peace, and it was a joy to go about the Lord's work in that attitude. We were invited to eat at the Vigliotti family's home after church, which is a very homey little place just outside of town. It overlooks a large field, surrounded by trees, sometimes Its beyond imagination how beautiful things are here. We had many beautiful moments, I enjoyed listening to their grandaughter Ashley play the harp, watching Sister Vigliotti carefully open the window to serve us the apple tart she had cooling just outside, and discussing the words of life as we sat around the kitchen table. She shared with us an anecdote that she had heard once at a stake conference I believe which went like this. there once was a lumberjack, who found work chopping down trees in the Canadian forest. He was a large, burley man, who was truly worthy of his hire. Every day, he was to chop down ten trees, and he met this quota with ease for the first several months. But, as time went on, he started to only accomplish nine, and then eight. Why did he stop meeting his potential? He was still just as strong, and there were still plenty of trees to chop.
He didn't sharpen his saw. That morning I had read in the Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 37, the counsel that we should 'not be slothful because of the easiness of the way' and after hearing that story, I feel that I finally understand what that means. I have been trying to apply this to myself, and identify in what ways I have been lazy in my efforts because things come easily to me, or are readily accessible. I know that for us, the way that we sharpen our axes is by continually feasting upon the words of Christ. It is by this that we can continually confront the adversarial forces that would bind us down. I love verse 45 of chapter 37 that reads 'the words of Christ, if we follow their course, (shall) carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.' I know that the words of life will help us as dynamic beings to consistently change in ways of righteousness. So much to ponder!
Here are a couple of funny stories from the week and then I had better get going. Every fourth Sunday of the month, we have a ward potluck. (so, this was last week) I decided that every time I am going to make something American for everyone to eat, and this time it was rice krispie treats. It was nothing short of hilarious to watch them timidly approach the foreign object, and dissect the large pieces of marshmallowey goodness, uncertain if they could muscle it all down. Well, in the end everyone was seriously amazed and wanted to know how to make it. Ha. Not to mention, the marshmallows were like 5 Francs!
Fun fact: Did you know that the Golden Gate bridge was designed by a Swiss architect?
Verb of the day: Vagabonder - to wander. I laughed when I saw this in my Preach my Gospel manual, and I also got Elton John song stuck in my head. (Kings and vangabonds believe the verrrrrrry best!) I'm not even sure if those are the words. Ha!
Alrighty, well, I am over an out! Love you! Have a blessed week.
love, Sarah
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