Monday, October 30, 2017

Pure Joy (update #65)


Hellooo :)

I don't even know where to start this week... it's been so incredible!! I'm definitely a home body and I think Toulouse is finally starting to feel a little more like home. I guess I'll just start with the hugest miracles: Lucille!!

She is honestly just one of the most open, loving, believing people I've ever met. She just has this burning desire to know absolutely everything about the gospel. She loves the Book of Mormon and is always reading more than we asked. She loves coming to church. She showed up to our rendezvous this week out of breath and so excited to share something with us. She proceeded to tell us about how the whole week she had been praying constantly, asking Heavenly Father "où dois-je aller?" (Where do I need to go?) well, after many prayers she relieved her answer in a way that was 100% clear to her. She needs to be baptized in our church on the exact date that we fixed before. We proceeded to talk more about baptism and then the temple. Oh my. When we mentioned that she could go to the temple she was just bouncing up and down with joy. I have never met someone so enthusiastic about the gospel... what a lesson for me. That is how I should go around to people talking about the gospel because that's exactly what it is: pure joy. And I LOVE that she didn't just pray once and then give up. She was begging God to know where to go and what to do for weeks before she felt her answer. When we ask in faith, we receive. I could go on all day about Lucille's incredible faith but I'll just end by saying that she is just one more confirmation that Heavenly Father takes care of His children and brings them back to Him. We really aren't doing much, but it's humbling to just sit back and see what Heavenly Father can do when we're willing to put our trust in Him and love those around us. That's exactly what Kristen did when she invited Lucille to a baptism 3 weeks ago and that's all we can do every single day. "This is a work of love and not statistics."

On to the other COOLEST thing this week. Remember our amie Marie who lived in America for 6 months?? Well, every single time we talked to her I kept thinking about a friend named Maddie from America who has already lived basically all of Marie's thoughts and concerns about the church. So this week we were able to skype Maddie in America while we were with Marie!!!

It was literally perfect. I swear Marie and Maddie are like twins from different countries, but Maddie's testimony and experience was a direct answer to so many of Marie's questions and worries. I love how the gospel unites so many people from so many different places and allows us to all learn and grow together. I don't even have words to describe how I feel but it was sooo cool.

Other highlights of the week include district meeting, 

making delicious poisson cru with our beautiful Tahitians,

hanging out with our favorite American in Toulouse, Carolynne (also a professional ballet dancer), 



and a Halloween party we're going to tonight (it's already a highlight haha).

...and... FIONA!!! She had to come through Toulouse for some reason and she stayed an extra day so we could go to lunch together today. I love her so much! It's so crazy to think that I had to fly across the ocean to meet some of my best friends.

Well I will let you run. Je vous aime beaucoup beaucoup!!! Have an incredible week and don't forget the incredible impact you have on all the people around you. I can't even express how incredible it is to see how one person sharing their light and love can do so much good.  (Kristen and Lucille, Maddie and Marie, Fiona, everyone).


Happy Halloween!!

Love,

Soeur Cami Goold
















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