Sœur Goold : Off to Bordeaux (update #42)

Helloooo!!!

Exciting news this week: THE PARIS TEMPLE WAS DEDICATED THIS PAST WEEKEND!!!

On Sunday, May 21, 2017, France was changed forever when this temple was dedicated. A house of the Lord has finally come to this beautiful nation and the people are rejoicing. I don't really have words to describe what it feels like to be able to be here and celebrate this moment with these people. Something that I loved from one of the dedication sessions (we watched all 3) was from Frère Gerald Caussé, he said (speaking to the missionaries) "merci d'être venus dans notre pays qui

était inconnu, mais que vous avez appris à aimer." (Thank you for coming to our country that was unknown to you, but that you have learned to love)

It's true that I don't have any French blood. Before 2016, I had never set foot in this country. I didn't speak their language. But from the moment I set foot on French soil, I've loved this place. And over the last 9 months with every french word I learn, with every person I get to know, with every day I spend here, I fall further in love with France (and Switzerland). And words can't express what it feels like to be here in this historic moment. To not only see the people of French speaking Europe celebrate, but to celebrate right along side them.

I'M GOING TO TALENCE (Bordeaux) to be companions with SOEUR WADSWORTH!! I'm literally so excited. I've spent my whole mission either in Lyon or pretty close (Lausanne isn't far) and now I'm going clear to the other side of the mission! All I've heard about my new ville is that it's beautiful and hot :) Bordeaux is on the west coast of France (the word Bordeaux means bordering waters) and is 760km from Lausanne (can't get much farther than that and stay in the mission).

I heard we might even take a plane to get back to Lyon for MLC (Mission Leadership Conference) next week so that would be fun. I'm writing this email while looking out our train window at the most beautiful french fields and blue skies. I love that my mission includes traveling and new adventures as icing on the cake for everything else.

I've never before taken a train to my new sector with all my suitcases (I started in Lyon then drove a car to Switzerland). Today that changed. Here's what my travels look like:

Lausanne- Geneva (with Soeur Goreeba)
Geneva- Lyon
Lyon-Montpellier (where I'm writing this email from)
Montpellier- Toulouse
Toulouse- Bordeaux

I'm so pumped... but even more exciting than where I'm going is WHO I'm going to serve with: Soeur Camille WADSWORTH!!! Yes we have the same first name. :) She was MTC companions with Soeur Kelley (my trainer) and is literally so cool. She just has one transfer left in her mission which means I'll send her home at the end of this transfer. I've never served around her but I feel like I know her through Soeur Kelley and I'm sooo excited to be her companion!!! I've literally been so blessed in my mission to have the most wonderful companions.

Speaking of which, leaving Soeur Goreeba was so hard. We really had the best time of our lives in Lausanne. We saw so many miracles, had so many laughs and really became so close these last 12 weeks. Soeur Goreeba is one of the most HAPPY, loving, grateful, spiritual people I know and I feel so lucky to be friends with her.

I've really been blessed to see in all of my companionships that when you love each other and have a good relationship, every aspect of the work is better. Relationships with members, Amis, everything. And it makes the mission so much more fun! I know that that's not always the case/ possible, but I'm counting my blessings every day that I've been so blessed to serve with 5 of the most amazing missionaries/ human beings in the whole world these last 9 months. Maybe that means I was a hard companion because all of my companions have been so great ;)

Well, the mission is great. God is real and living and good. I love you all so much. Thank you so much for your prayers, especially the ones for Mary. Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Soeur Camille Goold

Here are a few more pictures from her last week in Lausanne:

Super cool story!!!!

40 some odd years ago, our good friend, Mark Harrison, baptized Frere Breitenhuber while on his mission to Austria. Frere and Soeur Breitenhuber now live in Lausanne and Cami was able to meet them this past week. Cami and the Harrisons' daughter are best friends and were roommates at BYU. What a small world!