Bordeaux and Back

The 7 hr train ride to Bordeaux

This week has been a blur! Holy Freak... this week went by so fast! Mostly because we had to travel so much - but still. Goodness. 

VOYAGE A BORDEAUX

So, this week we went to Bordeaux for a multi-zone conference. Montpellier, Bordeaux, Talence, Toulouse, and Aix Zone all came. There were so many missionaries! It was insane. I thought I knew most of the missionaries in the mission but apparently not. 

Anyway, after the short seven hours on the train from Marseille to Bordeaux, we all went to one of the apartments in Bordeaux. The entire zone stayed in one apartment, so it was pretty darn squishy but it was fun. I really got to know everyone in the zone. Who knew being in confined spaces with people over an extended period of time permitted you to get to know them?

The special thing about this conference was that Elder Kearon (Quorum of the 70) came and spoke to us with his wife. They both spoke at the Nice Conference with Elder Andersen. So we were really excited to hear from them again. Our mission has been really blessed with so many general authorities! Holy cow!

We woke up at about 5ish on Wednesday to get ready and head off to the Talence chapel. It was kind of bizarre to be in Bordeaux again. I feel like I have already been in Marseille forever but really it is just been a month and a half.

We got in and practiced some songs and then Elder Kearon and his wife came in. I've decided that general authorities are like the coolest people in the whole world. They are so inspired and always talented. 

The content of the conference was really very different from other conferences that we have had. President Roney challenged us to think of the blessings our future families will receive, thanks to our diligence and sacrifice now. It is interesting that if someone tells us to do something because it is good for us we may or may not do it, but if someone tells us something that will be good for our family we are way more likely to do it. haha

We have been super blessed to have had so many general authorities come. I wish you could experience the conferences like we do because you can't just write about them and it be the same. There is a spirit about the conferences like this, that is just incredible. 

NOS AMIS

So! We were in Bordeaux for three days this week (if you count travel) so we haven't been able to see all of our amis as much as we would have liked to. With that said, we were really blessed with how many lessons we were able to teach despite being gone for so long. 

Hinaiti- She is so ready to be baptized. We were going to do it this Saturday but then the bishop told us we needed to move the baptism date to NEXT Saturday because there is a priesthood meeting this Saturday. I really hope that both Elder LaPointe and I stay here because that will be sad if Hinaiti gets baptized right after one of us leaves. I mean, it is the same but it is kind of sad for the missionary. So not this Saturday but the next for sure.

Samuel- Samuel is doing good. We wish we could see him more but his schooling is pretty demanding. But he makes it to church every Sunday, which is awesome. Hope to get him a baptismal date soon. 

Salette and Auria- They are Brazilian. Elder Lapointe met them two transfers ago and we are just now starting to teach them. They are sick though. They are Catholic and practicing but they really like us and we have some pretty good discussions. 

ONE YEAR

This last week, I hit the big year mark. It is crazy bizarre to me. I don't understand it. haha. I just feel like I'm going to be a missionary forever and I'm perfectly okay with that! Hahaha. Being a missionary is awesome! I feel like missionaries are so happy and I was thinking why are we so happy all of the time, because sometimes it is really hard and the circumstances aren't so fun. But we are happy all of the time because we live the gospel to the fullest. The more that we give our will to the Lord's, the happier and safer we will be. 

One year. It just passes so fast. But hey, I still have another year and plenty of work to do :) 

I love you all. I wish everyone could taste of the lasting happiness the gospel of Jesus Christ so freely gives. 

Que Dieu soit avec Vous!

Je vous aime!

Elder Johnson