Miracles and a missionary mascot

Soeur Williams in Valenciennes

I love Valenciennes and the people here more and more each day I'm here... I'm excited to tell all y'alls about my week!

Monday, April 21 -
We went to pass by some less active members on Monday, and that wasn't really successful, but as we were waiting for the tram, Soeur Cameron had a strong impression to talk to a woman who was waiting by us. The woman's name was Leila and she was really nice and was very interested in why we are here. She was Muslim, but very respectful of our religion and said she was glad she met us and learned a lot of things she didn't know before. This just shows me that I shouldn't be afraid to talk to anyone about the gospel, because even if they aren't interested in learning more, I've done my best and I have helped them have a little more light in their life.

Tuesday, April 22 -
Soeur Cameron had to do her legality on Tuesday morning so that she could stay in France for the rest of her mission. She was really worried about it so we did a lot of praying. Once we started talking to the legality lady, we found out Soeur Cameron didn't have all of the papers that she needed. We prayed in our hearts, though, and the lady was nice and printed out the papers so that Soeur Cameron could fill them out. It ended up being really easy and Soeur Cameron passed and is now legal to stay in France! :D
Then we went and taught Selena (she's 11) and Joanna (she's 9), two sisters whose parents are less active members. They're really great girls. They're the ones who encourage their parents to go to church, they're the reason that their mom is going to church now. They're good examples and it was fun teaching them, because they were so willing to read the Book of Mormon every night when we asked them to, and they already have such great testimonies.

Wednesday, April 23 -
We had a really awesome District Meeting that took up pretty much half of our day because we had to take a train to Lille. I got to see Elder Nez (one of the elders from my MTC district) because he's in my district. We combined the districts and had a lesson where the Zone Leaders taught. I was really inspired by what they taught. They did an object lesson where they hit their hand with a giant can of peaches and it hurt, but then when they slammed it down on their hand with all their strength, it didn't hurt at all. They likened that to missionary work, how we need to give our all and do all we can to let God's children know about the gospel. They said it's a lot more painful to debate contacting someone and not do it than to just do it. I know that's true, because I always feel much better when I just talk to someone, even if they say they're not interested, than when I don't talk to someone and feel like I should.
Soeur Cameron and I were inspired by this, and since we didn't have anything planned after District Meeting, we decided to do some contacting. We got on a bus, and Soeur Cameron told me to get off when I felt like we should. I wasn't sure I'd be able to know when to get off, but I decided to get off at one stop and we went down a street near the bus stop and into a neighborhood. In that neighborhood, we saw a woman walking her dogs and she said she was interested in learning more. Then we knocked on a woman's door and she said she was having a hard time and that she would like us to pray for her and to come back and teach her more. Then we knocked on some doors and walked longer and I felt like we should go down a certain street and we found this hidden little neighborhood and decided to find people there. There were a bunch of adorable little kids at the first house we went to, and their mom said that we could come back later and talk to her and her family. Then at the very next house an older woman answered the door. Her name is Marie-Christine and she said she didn't really believe in God anymore, but we talked to her a little bit and asked if we could come back and teach her more and she said she love for us to do so. Soeur Cameron said afterwards that she felt like she knew Marie-Christine, that Marie-Christine was the reason she'd stayed in Valenciennes.
Finding all of those people was a huge miracle, especially in France. I know Heavenly Father helped us because we were giving him everything and following the guidance of the Spirit. Because we exercised faith in him, he gave us miracles.

Thursday, April 24 -
We taught Magalie in the morning on Thursday. Soeur Cameron told me that when she'd first started teaching Magalie, she was a woman without hope and without faith in God. She was depressed and angry. When we taught her on Wednesday, I saw none of that. She had a light in her eyes and she was happy and kept saying how we need to have faith and how we need to act on our faith, and how grateful she was that the missionaries came. Soeur Cameron bore her testimony and testified of the Savior's love for her. Magalie started crying and I could feel the Spirit so strongly. This lesson showed me how much the gospel can change peoples' lives if they open their hearts.

Friday, April 25 -
We knew we wanted to contact people in the morning on Friday, but we didn't know exactly where to go, so we decided to flip a coin -- one side meant we should go left, the other meant we should go right. And, strangely, it worked. We talked to a lot of young mothers who were walking with their children and a lot of other nice people. As we were going back to our apartment, I felt like I should contact a woman in our path. I talked to her and when I asked her how she felt about Christ, she said she was mad at him and told us about all the hard things that had happened and were happening in her life. As I listened to her, I felt such a great love for her. I testified of God's love for her, and how though I didn't know exactly how she was feeling, Christ knows perfectly. I was able to testify of that because of the hard times I'd had in the past. I felt the Spirit and I know that she did. She told us that it was a delight to meet us and that she was so grateful she did. I was so glad to meet her and I'm grateful Heavenly Father helped me know what to say.
After that we ate some Belgian frites (French fries) and sausage. After eating it, I felt a little bit nauseous. It was so delicious. And greasy. :D

Saturday, April 26 -
We had to get tickets at the gare in order to go to Paris this Tuesday, so we decided to walk there and talk to people on the way. There was a woman walking toward us that both Soeur Cameron and I felt like we should talk to. We talked to her and she started speaking English to us and told us her husband was British so she knows English. Her name is Eve and she was interested in learning more about our church because there's a lot of things the Catholic church does that she doesn't agree with.
After that, we spent the rest of the day with the ward. Soeur Cameron felt like when she came here that her reason for being in Valenciennes was to strengthen the ward. I think that's really important, especially since none of the recent converts here are active -- because they were offended and not welcomed by ward members. Now that Soeur Cameron has worked on strengthening the ward, I can see that the ward is so much more loving and welcoming, and I'm going to continue to work with the ward, even after she's gone.
So... we went to the park with a bunch of the little Primary kids and did some exercise - we ran around the paths and used the exercise machines that they had all around the park. Then as we walked back to the parking lot, the kids all sang church songs and it was so cute and I could feel the Spirit and I hope the other people at the park could as well.
Then we went to a dinner that the youth had prepared. There were four different groups and four different tables they'd assigned people to: the diet table, the mountain table (cheese), the Italian Ch'te (Ch'te is a special Northern France language, though I'm not sure I spelled it right) and the American table. Of course, as sisters we were assigned to the diet table. :P The food was pretty good, but the decorations were better (at our table, at least) -- there were flowers everywhere and our names were written on leaves to mark our places. Some of the members at our table (all adults, mind you, and one of them is in the Stake Presidency) started throwing the fruit and vegetables (strawberries and tomatoes and radishes) that decorated our table at other tables. Then when that ran out, we all started using our straws to spit paper at people. One of the members even suggested flipping the table over and using it for cover if things got too intense. :D I love our ward here. I don't think I can say that enough. :D

Sunday, April 27 -
I'd say the highlight of my Sunday was when we went back to talk to Marie-Christine. We stopped by her house and she said we could come in, and at first neither of us knew what to say, but then I said a little prayer in my heart and felt like I should just testify of Christ, and that brought the Spirit in, and we talked about a lot of good stuff after that. Marie-Christine had so many questions and she's been searching so hard for the truth, and that she's so tired of searching. She is an amazing lady and I really admire her. I know that as we follow the direction of the Spirit, we can guide her to the truth and help her know the truth of this gospel. It's such a miracle that we found her and I know the Lord guided us to her.
Another miracle that happened is that we passed by a less-active's house that we'd gone by a few times but she wasn't there, and this time she was there and said we could visit her this next week.
Also, I found a Power Ranger action figure on the sidewalk while we were walking to church. I'm not saying that's a miracle, exactly, but I am saying that he's my mission mascot dude and I'm going to keep him for the rest of my mission. :P

D&C 101:16 - "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God."
I know that we've seen so many miracles this week because we had such a trust in God. We let go our own fears and weaknesses and desires and let God lead us to where we needed to go, to people who were searching for the gospel. We did all we could and he blessed us and helped us.

Thanks for reading!
Soeur Williams