Analogy of the Cake (Update #15)

Bonjour bonjour!! Well this week officially marks 3 months en tant que missionnaire et tout va bien! I cannot believe how fast time is already going by.

#mishspiration  (The Analogy of the Cake)
"Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that amiracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men"

This week we've started to see a lot of the fruit of our labors...and by that I mean we've been working really hard the last 7 weeks to get the work going in Val de Saône and this week we've seen A TON of huge miracles. The funny thing is, that most of these miracles came totally independently of the work we've been doing. 

It's so obvious that God has His plan and His own timeline and we just have to do what we can in the moment to be His hands. It's almost like us and God are baking a cake together. He has the recipe and he's telling us what to do one step, one ingredient at a time. He has a picture of the final product, he's tasted it before. But all he gives us is one tiny little step at a time. we cannot even begin to comprehend how beautiful and delicious the cake will be at the end. We just have to trust him when he's telling us to add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, to talk to a random person on the side of the street, to make cookies for a neighbor. Because if we never did the little things, we would never get to taste the cake.

ANYWAY, long and potentially confusing analogy aside, what I'm trying to say is that God has a plan for us. He knows our faith and he knows our potential. He has greater things in mind for us than we can possibly imagine. If you don't believe that yet, keep doing the little things. Keep following the petit steps one by one, reading the scriptures, praying with faith, seeking the spirit, and one day you WILL taste the cake. 

Sorry, guess even as a missionary I can never truly leave behind the #cupcakesbycami mentality hahah.

Miracles: 
Here are a couple of the faith building, humbling miracles we've seen this week:

At the end of our rendezvous with the famille "B" (partial member family) and the "N"'s (new Tahitian couple in our ward) we sang the song "Love at Home". We had just testified and talked about how God blesses our families and can help us be together forever. The husband (catholic) never really participates and claims not to be interested, but throughout every rendezvous he inches closer and closer until finally he's joined us in the circle. As we were singing the closing song I watched his face light up as he looked around the circle at his wife and two daughters singing.   The gospel is changing his wife and daughter as they return to church and it's changing him to see that change. This is why I came on a mission. These celestial moments where I can literally see the light of the gospel changing people's lives.

Baby and 11-year-old sweethearts  from the "B" family.   She said that the baby is her "best friend" and the "cutest little thing alive"!   The 11-year-old likes for Soeur Goold to braid her hair. 

Rendezvous with "L" this week. She's preparing to go the temple. She testified of Christ and the truthfulness of our church. As we talked I could literally SEE the difference in her between now and when we first met her trapped in that little elevator. She was carrying her burden all alone, she was full of fear, she wasn't happy. As she gradually comes back to Christ her face is lighter, she is happier, she is remembering what it means to share her burdens with the Savior and turn to him. The gospel works. I don't know exactly how, but it works.

"C" This is the man who miraculously showed up at stake conference this week. After teaching him 2 more times it has become so clear that God has been preparing this man for the last 46 years, and now he is ready. He told us he was ready to become part of our church and he wants to stay in our church for the rest of his life. His baptismal date is November 26. As missionaries we cannot convince anyone with our teaching to join the church, they're either ready or they aren't. It's so humbling to see that this really is Gods work. He knows "C", he knew that Soeurs Long and Hendrickson would contact him on the bus, He helped him find his way to stake conference, and now He is helping us show "C" the path to the temple. This is His work, we are just trying to be His hands.

Message for all of you: 
Friends, family, loved ones: God is real. He loves you. He has a plan for you. Faith isn't easy, but it is so worth it. I am seeing little seeds of faith grow and change people's lives. I'm seeing the light and joy that only Christ can bring fill their eyes. I'm seeing that change in myself. If you find yourself not knowing where to turn in life, turn to God. He's always a safe place to place our bets.
"Ask and he shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you"

My personal goal this week:
Being motivated by faith and not fear.
Not fear of being a bad missionary, fear of not living up to my potential, fear of disappointing my family, fear of not following God. While these fears aren't necessarily bad things, I'd rather be motivated by faith.
Faith that God has a plan for me and the people here, and that he will show me the way. Faith that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that every single person I talk to can benefit from the message. Faith that if I do my best in every moment, God will make up for my weaknesses.
In the simple words of the savior: "fear not, only believe" (ne crainds pas, crois seulement)

I love you. Je vous aime beaucoup.
Soeur Cami Goold.

Other happenings:  

More pics with the "B" family

This picture was taken at an art museum in Lyon.   Her and Soeur Kelley taught two lessons to the workers there and Cami got asked out by both of them.   

Soeur Goold is the new driver for the companionship and was very proud of her parallel parking job.  Apparently her Virginia driver's license has some kind of reciprocity with France and she can get a French driver's license soon.   

Some kind of missionary meeting.  She didn't say what or where it was. 

I also have a video of her eating a chicken foot, but I can't figure out how to share it yet.   I'll keep working on that and potentially include it next week.  :)