JE SUIS FOU!

I've been in France for a month! Isn't that incredible? I think so. The MTC felt like it took so long to get out of and now that I am here in France, the time has be flying by. A lot has happened this week!

LES MIRACLES

Elder Schneider and I have had a few miracles this week! This week has been difficult with our amis, so it has been nice to have some miracles :) DISCLAIMER: All y'all you ain't servin' as a missionary might not feel that these things are miracles, but trust me. They are heaven sent when you have been rejected the entire day and you feel like you are about to give up. 

Anyway, our first miracle happened when we were contacting on the way to an appointment. I attempted to contact this woman and she pretty much ran away from me and said no thank you. So I dont think much of it and continue to contact. THEN she comes back and contacts ME. She asks me if we could teach her son english and that she was pretty much free anytime of the week! WOOHOO! I honestly almost squeeled with delight. It is such an easy way to teach the gospel too. You just tell that we are mostly here to teach about Jesus but we can also teach english. After about 45 minutes of english "class", you give a spiritual thought and pray! Super! :) 

The other miracle happened on the tram. We were on our way back from St. Priest and we hadn't had much success. Right before we get off, a man approaches us and asks if we can help him find a church for him to attend. WHAT THE? OF COURSE WE CAN HELP YOU FIND A CHURCH. haha. Honestly, it was such a pick up. 

PORTING

Oh the joys of going from door to door. Honestly, I would hate it if we didn't get to look forward to seeing what is behind the next door. It is almost like a game. You never know what is going to be on the other side. A catholic priest, a half dressed man, a mean dog... who knows! haha

We were porting and right before we knocked on a door there was a little dog "woof". My companion is deathly afraid of dogs. Like almost a phobia. He asked if it was a dog and I said that it was just someone coughing (knowing it was a dog). He knocked again and the dog goes NUTS. It hits against the door, and barks like crazy. My companion, RUNS FRANTICALLY for the elevator to find that someone has called it downstairs. Looking like a trapped animal he searches for the stairs. Honestly, I have not laughed so hard in my life. He was SO scared. I thought he was joking but apparently not! 

GENEALOGY ACTIVITY  

This week we had an activity at the institute and it was amazing. I was in the front of the institute the whole time trying to get people to go inside and have a cookie and learn about their family. We also had cookies outside. You would be surprised at the amount of people who are willing to reject a cookie. I would ask "Do you want to learn about your geneology? No, okay, "Do you want a cookie?" haha. Super funny.

I ended up contacting 107 people that day! The most I have ever contacted. As a whole, we contacted around 2000 people and 70 people went inside and did research! Pretty awesome :)

LES AUTRE CHOSES 

This week is transfer week. I REALLY hope I stay in Lyon. If not though, thats cool too. But honestly, I love Lyon so much. Fingers crossed. 

Today we went to President Roney's house and had enchilladas! Oh man, I love the Roney family so much. President is probably one of the funniest people I know. Super clever. He thought it was so funny how about 30 percent of the missionaries were hispanic and we happened to be having enchilladas He said something like "You make mexican food and they all start coming out of the woodworks..." hahaha

I went on an exchange this week with Elder Davis, which is funny because he is only on his second transfer. Two bleus tall on their own. Pretty comical. Luckily, his french is SO good. Exchanges are fun because you can learn so much from other missionaries. 

AMIS

This week has been hard for teaching. We don't know why, but we really didn't have that many lessons at all with our amis. They were all busy or something like that. Sad. 

When an amis doesn't keep a commitment, it breaks your heart. You wait for them outside of the church and they never show up. That is the worst. You know that they know it is important to come but they don't. They have their darn free choice ;) 

But with that said, I feel like I know how Heavenly Father feels when I disobey him. I know it is important to obey him but sometimes don't. Having a better understanding of how it makes him feel has given me a greater desire to obey him. 

With all of those things said, we are going to have baptisms this next transfer. We have two amis that are progressing very rapidly and are being intergrated into the ward nicely. I am SO excited for them. Honestly, the joy you feel when they begin to understand is absolutely beautiful. 

That is it for this week!

Je vous aime! L’Évangile est vrai!  

Avec amour beaucoup,

Elder Johnson