Ok, so...week 1 of transfer 2! It has been great!! So, I know you're all wondering what happened with our amazing miracle man from last week. He is getting baptized!!! ....I wish. Haha sorry, bad joke. Well, we taught him 3 nights in a row, because he was always so eager to learn more. He would come into each lesson with questions prepared, so, we really had to do our homework. I have never met someone with so much knowledge of the Bible! It was inspirational to me to see how much faith he already had in God and in His word. He ended up teaching me a lot about the Bible in fact. But, the only problem was that he couldn't accept that there was any other scripture other than the Bible. We showed him many scriptures of the Bible prophesying of the Book of Mormon, and we showed him many scriptures of the BOM talking about how it and the Bible work together and together, create the fullness of the gospel. But, although we were giving him proof, there can be no testimony built on knowledge alone. There has to be faith. Faith to believe that it's true, and faith to follow its teachings. He didn't want to try out the faith part. He wouldn't read the BOM, and therefore couldn't pray to know if it was true or not. You can not know the truthfullness of anything in this gospel if you don't pray and ask! It's as simple as that. I also went to Lyon this week for my bleus Conference! That was a conference of everyone who was in the MTC with me and who came in with me. That was so great to see them all again and see the progression everyone had made! It felt like a family reunion. The people here really become your home away from home. We went out into Lyon and did a trainers vs. bleus contacting game. So I was paired with an awesome sister I was in the MTC with. You got a certain amount of points for each thing you did, for example, 50 points if you place a Book of Mormon, 100 points if you fixed a RDV, etc. Well, competition just sparks something in me. We had about 2 hours...and we went to WORK! I placed a Book of Mormon on my first contact, we got several people's numbers, I even taught a lesson on the street because I got the guy to pray at the end. All in all, we ended up with 337 points...not to toot my own horn, but we won :) Beating out our trainers even. By a long shot too. I know I probably shouldn't be so competitive and cocky, but I promise there's a moral to this story! So, while contacting I realized when I didn't have a trainer to rely upon, and when it was a competition, it forced me to step up my game big time. I shocked myself because I realized I could actually speak and understand French... not only that, but I actually had a personality again on my French side. Before then I had felt like a drone just saying the few French lines I knew how to say over and over. It's personality handicap as Pres Roney calls it. But, I was able to actually add stuff that sounded like Kristen again! It felt so good! But, let me tell ya, nothing would have come out of my mouth if it had not been for the gift of tongues given so lovingly by our Father in Heaven. I am so grateful for that gift because it allows us to say the things through the Holy Ghost that will touch the heart's of people here. So, I can take no credit for our score. I did my part by studying and trying my best to learn this language, and the Lord kept His side of the promise and used my mouth as His instrument in the moment where it was needed. I am so grateful for all the many blessings the Lord has given me. Seeing the progression of all my friends and myself has just made me feel so much gratitude towards the Lord for helping us do His work. He never sets us up to fail, and as long as we try our best, He will make up the rest. He is with us every step of the way. He is real, He lives, and He loves us. I know this without a doubt. There's no way I could do any of this without His help, and He is ever so willing to help us, because this is HIS work. My new companion and I have already become best friends. She is literally one of the most Christ like people I have ever met. I am learning so much from her. It's been fun being her tour guide around Chambéry...I sure do love this place and the people here! I don't ever want to leave! I love you all! Have a fantastic week and keep in touch! Merci for your prayers! Love always,Soeur Shields
This is roughing it in France! When the power goes out washing our clothes in the tub!!
The entrance of an old cottage!!
The entrance of an old cottage!!