Note from Soeur Goold's Mom: Soeur Goold is flying to France this Monday, so we will likely not hear anything from her until the following Monday, September 19th. As far as I know, her P-day will be on Mondays for the remainder of her mission. Use her address in France (you can find it on the side bar of the blog) for letters. Her email address will remain the same (camille.goold@myldsmail.net). Thanks for your love, prayers, and support of Cami! ♡♡♡
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The quote from Les Mis: "One day more, another day another destiny on this never-ending road to calvary" (or something to that effect) keeps playing in my head. We actually have three days more... but ton pis...
#Mishspiration (what's currently inspiring me as a missionary)
My head is swimming with all the many lessons I've learned in the MTC and all the ways I've felt my heart change. I wish I had eloquent words (in English or French) to express that, but at the end of this crazy 6 week adventure all I have to say is that God is literally our Heavenly Father, that He knows me by name, and that He has a plan for each of His children that is so much grander than any ofus could ever comprehend.
It's funny because in our first lesson literally all I knew by heart in French was "Dieu vous aime" (God loves you). Soeur Jones and I repeated that phrase over and over again because we literally couldn't say anything else. Six weeks later I like to think I know a little more French and I know that my testimony of this gospel has grown so much, and yet that simple phrase is still my foundation. That is the reason I'm here. That is the message of every single lesson we teach.
This week I've been making a list of what my attitude goals are going to France to try and help me remember everything I've been learning at the MTC:
- TRUST that there WILL be miracles
- CHOOSE to be happy in whatever area I get assigned to from the very beginning
- LOVE the people with all my heart (especially the ones that will be rude to me)
- CHOOSE to love my companion (hopefully they'll be as easy to love as Soeur Jones...though I think that's just about impossible)
- Bring the fire!! Go at it with all my energy, all my might, mind and strength.
- Wear my testimony and heart on my sleeve and "let people take donkey punches at it all day long" (back to being vulnerable and being confident enough in Christ that it doesn't make a difference how people react to my testimony, it just matters that I get to share it.)
- Increase my faith and change for the better every single day
Updates this week are not nearly as eventful as last week, however Soeur Jones and I did do about 5 weeks worth of laundry today. I'd say that's definitely worth documenting. Please note the huge bag of dirty clothes and the 8 washing machines we used between the two of us.
We had our final French lessons with Frere Kellett.
Cami's MTC district (all going to Lyon, except two Elders going to Toronto and the instructor)
Back row: Elders Pistole, Amison, Perry, Frere Kellet (French instructor),
Jacobson, Thompson (Toronto), and Sorenson (Toronto)
Front row: Soeurs Jones, Goold, Allen, Huntsman
This week I've tried really hard to stop stressing about the language and just accept that I know what I know and that isn't going to be enough, but if I come to God with my very best, He will make the difference. It's going to be a fun adventure trying to talk to people in France (and by fun I mean terrifying and hard), but I'm excited to just get going and start messing up so I can get better. "to learn how to speak a language you must first make 30,000 mistakes. It's up to you how long that takes." I think I've already made 30,000 mistakes in the MTC alone but lets see how fast I can make 30,000 more...
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| A little pre-fasting snack |
Elder Christofferson came to speak to us on Tuesday!! So cool. He's such a calming spirit, just a wise old man who makes you feel better about yourself and want to be better all in the same breath.
The focus of his message was repentance and how it changes our lives and the lives of those we teach. My concept of the idea of repentance has changed so much in the last year. I used to think of repentance as in relation to sin. Now I like to think of it as changing your heart and turning towards the Savior. When we physically turn towards him through our actions our hearts our changes. It's something that's difficult to explain but so easy to see in my life and the lives of others. In the words of Elder Christofferson: "When you testify of repentance, you testify of the Savior" and when you testify of the Savior you testify of joy and hope and love.
I have loved the MTC but I am so ready to leave and get to France. I already love the people there so much... can't wait to actually meet them!!
Next time I write I will probably have a new companion so I just want to take a minute to express how much I love Soeur Jones!!! They say that companions are assigned randomly by computer, but that must have been one inspired computer. Soeur Abby Jones is the perfect combination of hard work, obedience, calm confidence, strong spirit and genuine love for everyone around her. Her perspective on life has taught me so much and I love that she chooses to be happy and hold to what she knows is true rather than focusing on the hard times and doubts that we all inevitably have. Soeur Jones has been an angel in my life at the MTC and she is going to change lives in France.
Merci pour toutes vos amour et lettres et prieres lorsque j'ai été au MTC. Je peux ressentir la puissance de votre soutien. Je vous aime beaucoup!!
Love,
Soeur Cami Goold
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| SG and SJ with Soeur Cochain, a missionary FROM France who is going to Temple Square on her mission |
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| A combination of some of the packages SG and SJ have received |
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| The Elders from Cami's district in matching ties (Pistole, Thompson, Sorenson, Amison, Jacobson, Perry) |
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| A P-day party courtesy of Elder Pistole's mom |
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