Hi Family!
I just saw Soeur Searle a few minutes ago doing emails! It's so fun to have a friend from home here too.
Let's see, this will probably be a shorter one but:
The miracle of the week is two girls named Siliane and Frederick. Last week when we were at church (when Alejandra didnt show up and we were devastated) we went to amis class and this girl was there who I thought was the elders ami because she was sitting next to the elders. Afterwards this girl (Siliane) was talking to Frere Ya and Frere Ya said, "well, I think the missionaries can answer this better." So he brings the girl over to me and walks away. So I start talking to the girl and realize that she has never met a missionary before. So she says, "I have heard a lot of crazy things about your church. I've heard you're a cult, Ive heard lot of things, but I dont believe it and I want to find out for myself. Is there someone who can tell me the difference between your church and other churches?" So ultimately we set up a lesson for later that week. When she came she brought her twin sister. It was Soeur Horn's favorte lesson she has taught on her mission. I know the gift of tongues is real! Soeur Horn did so well in that lesson. The spirit was so strong and they both committed to start reading the BOM, pray and come to church. I swear there is so much opposition against people coming to church. We have the hardest time getting people to church. Ultimately a half hour before church started Siliane texted us to say their boss had just called them in to work so unfortunately neither could come to church. But,they are great and we are seeing them again on Tuesday.
Alejandra, no one knows what happened to her. It is so so sad. But, I also know we have done everything we can do as missionaries, now we are just praying really hard for her and are turning it over to Heavenly Father's hands. But I know everything is going to work out, because she genuinely wants to do what is right and follow God's plan for her. Please pray for her specifically and that our investigators can start coming to church!
I just want to share something about faith because it's something I have been learning a lot about lately on my mission. What does it mean when it talks about missionaries strengthening their faith and what are we supposed to have faith in? So, do you have faith in people keeping commitments, faith people accept the gospel, faith in numbers, or what exactly. And I've been learning more and more that faith is not having faith in other people or in things but faith needs to be rooted in Christ. If we have faith in Christ we know that all things are possible in Christ, we have complete trust and confidence in Him even if we dont understand everything at a time. And then, how do you show your faith? It's by diligently seeking and working. I dont know if that makes any sense there, but it has been something I have been coming to understand more and it changes everything.
I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
It's my Birthday tomorrow!
Where to start:
Alejandra: bad for the moment. We had a RDV with her on Saturday. We were waiting for her by the bus stop and the bus passed and no one got off. So I called her and she answered and said, "I am so sorry, I was reading over again all those scriptures you gave me in the Book of Mormon and I didnt eve'n realize that I missed the stop, im on my way back." So it started off well. Then the RDV started and we had planned to talk about priesthood authority, and the sacrament to prepare her to come to church the next day and to help her understand more why getting baptized in this church is different from any other. So, we started talking, explained priesthood and she said, "yes, I get it. I believe Joseph Smith was a prophet and I believe the Book of Mormon is true." Then she explained how she feels so confused because she feels so much joy when she comes to our lessons, but then she goes to her other church and she feels good too and her church has given her so much, etc. She asked if we could just cancel the baptismal date for now because she feels so confused and everything has happened so fast. She says she has been praying so so much and reading everything in the Book of Mormon and she just feels confused. The entire time she was saying this the thought to me was to be quiet and let Soeur Horn talk. So I was quiet. And Soeur Horn answered, "Alejandra, I am going to make you a promise. When you come to church tomorrow and you pray to know if this is the church of God that you need to join, you will receive an answer and you won't be confused anymore." At the end of the lesson we kneeled down the three of us and prayed she would receive an answer by going to church the next day. After the lesson, Soeur Horn and I immediately started fasting because we had just promised something really big and we needed all the help we could get. That night we literally called about ten or fifteen ward members to ask them to welcome her when she came to church the next day. We found spanish translators for every meeting. Never in my entire mission have I made so much effort for someone to come to church. The next mormning we wake up and have a text from Alejandra from 2:30 in the morning. She said how stressed she had felt about everything after the lesson and how she had been praying the entire day to know what to do. She said she felt she had got her answer, she felt peaceful about going to her other church and so she was going to follow her heart because she felt that was an answer to prayer. We were so devastated. Yep, we straight up cried. We sent her a text back and told her we respected her decision but we asked her to remember the promise we had given her the day before that God would answer her prayer by coming to church and she would no longer be confused. We told her that was still a promise. She never answered back and we havent heard from her since. It was so sad because we went to church and so so so many people all came up to meet our investigator that we had brought and we had to tell them she hadnt come. It was so sad. Then I look in the foyer and TJ Barden is walking into the hall. I do a double-take and suddenly the whole Barden Family is walking into the church! I just ran and gave Robin a big big hug. She asked me how I was doing and how our morning had been. ha I just got teary-eyed and told her not good. Anyways, it was a huge blessing to have the Barden's at church yesterday. I was able to talk to Robin for a while after Sacrament Meeting, ha we just cried together, it was so good. Im sure she will call you when she gets home to talk to you mom. :) And, please pray for Alejandra. We are gonig to try calling her tomorrow. It's to a point we have done all we can, and we need a lot of divine intervention because I dont know what else to do!
Maria: good. We saw her one last time before she left for the South of France now until September. We went in and her eight and nine-year-old boy came in to the lesson. The lesson before we had taught Maria the Plan of Salvation. So we pulled out the Plan of Salvation again and with Maria, we taught the Plan of Salvation to her kids. It was the most beautiful thing to watch a mom teach her kids the Plan of Salvation for the first time. At the end we committed the nine-year-old Clyde to baptism and the eight-year-old said he will think about it. We asked Clyde if he would like to start reading the BOM and he said yes. So we gave him Enos and then we asked him if he's ever prayed before. He said no. So we along with his mom taught him how to pray for the first time. It was the sweetest thing. Maria is now gone until September, she said she knows this is what she wants for her family and wants to get baptized when she gets back. We are trying to keep in touch with her every week by phone so we can give her scriptures to read with her kids while she is gone. Because, if I have learned one thing, Satan does not sleep! Ah so much can happen in-between everything.
Last Pday I saw the Crockett's.... dad's old mission president's daughter. The one he dated. haha She was freaking out when she realized I was Dan's daughter. And went on and on about Boppy and Grandma BB and everything and how much she loves mom etc. so funny.
Have a great week everyone!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Alejandra: bad for the moment. We had a RDV with her on Saturday. We were waiting for her by the bus stop and the bus passed and no one got off. So I called her and she answered and said, "I am so sorry, I was reading over again all those scriptures you gave me in the Book of Mormon and I didnt eve'n realize that I missed the stop, im on my way back." So it started off well. Then the RDV started and we had planned to talk about priesthood authority, and the sacrament to prepare her to come to church the next day and to help her understand more why getting baptized in this church is different from any other. So, we started talking, explained priesthood and she said, "yes, I get it. I believe Joseph Smith was a prophet and I believe the Book of Mormon is true." Then she explained how she feels so confused because she feels so much joy when she comes to our lessons, but then she goes to her other church and she feels good too and her church has given her so much, etc. She asked if we could just cancel the baptismal date for now because she feels so confused and everything has happened so fast. She says she has been praying so so much and reading everything in the Book of Mormon and she just feels confused. The entire time she was saying this the thought to me was to be quiet and let Soeur Horn talk. So I was quiet. And Soeur Horn answered, "Alejandra, I am going to make you a promise. When you come to church tomorrow and you pray to know if this is the church of God that you need to join, you will receive an answer and you won't be confused anymore." At the end of the lesson we kneeled down the three of us and prayed she would receive an answer by going to church the next day. After the lesson, Soeur Horn and I immediately started fasting because we had just promised something really big and we needed all the help we could get. That night we literally called about ten or fifteen ward members to ask them to welcome her when she came to church the next day. We found spanish translators for every meeting. Never in my entire mission have I made so much effort for someone to come to church. The next mormning we wake up and have a text from Alejandra from 2:30 in the morning. She said how stressed she had felt about everything after the lesson and how she had been praying the entire day to know what to do. She said she felt she had got her answer, she felt peaceful about going to her other church and so she was going to follow her heart because she felt that was an answer to prayer. We were so devastated. Yep, we straight up cried. We sent her a text back and told her we respected her decision but we asked her to remember the promise we had given her the day before that God would answer her prayer by coming to church and she would no longer be confused. We told her that was still a promise. She never answered back and we havent heard from her since. It was so sad because we went to church and so so so many people all came up to meet our investigator that we had brought and we had to tell them she hadnt come. It was so sad. Then I look in the foyer and TJ Barden is walking into the hall. I do a double-take and suddenly the whole Barden Family is walking into the church! I just ran and gave Robin a big big hug. She asked me how I was doing and how our morning had been. ha I just got teary-eyed and told her not good. Anyways, it was a huge blessing to have the Barden's at church yesterday. I was able to talk to Robin for a while after Sacrament Meeting, ha we just cried together, it was so good. Im sure she will call you when she gets home to talk to you mom. :) And, please pray for Alejandra. We are gonig to try calling her tomorrow. It's to a point we have done all we can, and we need a lot of divine intervention because I dont know what else to do!
Maria: good. We saw her one last time before she left for the South of France now until September. We went in and her eight and nine-year-old boy came in to the lesson. The lesson before we had taught Maria the Plan of Salvation. So we pulled out the Plan of Salvation again and with Maria, we taught the Plan of Salvation to her kids. It was the most beautiful thing to watch a mom teach her kids the Plan of Salvation for the first time. At the end we committed the nine-year-old Clyde to baptism and the eight-year-old said he will think about it. We asked Clyde if he would like to start reading the BOM and he said yes. So we gave him Enos and then we asked him if he's ever prayed before. He said no. So we along with his mom taught him how to pray for the first time. It was the sweetest thing. Maria is now gone until September, she said she knows this is what she wants for her family and wants to get baptized when she gets back. We are trying to keep in touch with her every week by phone so we can give her scriptures to read with her kids while she is gone. Because, if I have learned one thing, Satan does not sleep! Ah so much can happen in-between everything.
Last Pday I saw the Crockett's.... dad's old mission president's daughter. The one he dated. haha She was freaking out when she realized I was Dan's daughter. And went on and on about Boppy and Grandma BB and everything and how much she loves mom etc. so funny.
Have a great week everyone!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Monday, August 6, 2012
I"m a Mom!!!
Hi everyone!
Im so sorry this is going to be short because we are going to meet Soeur Ingraham and Soeur Searle in a minute to go to the Eiffel Tower! (Soeur Ingraham was my companion my third transfer remember?)
It was so funny because the few days before Soeur Horn (my blue) came in and I knew I had the training call I just started cleaning EVERYTHING and organizing everything while Soeur Dawson was packing and everything. Soeur Dawson said, "Soeur Chard, you are nesting!" It's so true, I guess it's motherly instincts of something. It's the most strange thing, because you seriously do feel mother instincts. You feel an instinct of wanting to protect them from bad things (people saying rude things, etc) or you feel so proud of them when you watch them succeed at something, it's so fun.
Soeur Horn is my new companion and I love her. She's from Las Vegas and is so sweet and very creative, something I am doing well learning from her. It was so fun seeing Soeur Searle too, I talked to her when we first got to St. Merri and she said, "Whoa, Alyssa you have grown up a lot since your mission." First, weird to hear your first name and weird because it's weird seeing someone who knew you from before the mission then meeting you again at this point in the mission. It sounds like she is doing well, she was actually Soeur Horn's MTC companion!
our first night after I picked up Soeur Horn I told her we were going to go teach a new ami for the first time and so we would be teaching a first lesson. I had called Nicole (she's in the Versailles ward and preparing to serve a mission in temple square) and asked if she would pretend to be an ami and kind of a not very interested one. She agreed, we got there, and Nicole had taken down all signs she was mormon. Pictures of the Temple, gone. Scriptures, out of sight. She answered the door and usually she is so happy and smiley, it was so funny to see her playing as an ami not very interested. Anyway, we went in, taught a first, Soeur Horn did so well, and we committed NIcole to start reading the BOM and pray about it. After we left her house, we talked about how Soeur Horn thought the whole thing had gone, etc. and then I said, "well, she's actually a member!" I think the stress of everything being new was a little much but ultimately I think Soeur Horn was relieved and we went back and had dinner at Nicole's house.
Since then, seriously everything has been working out perfectly. It's kind of bizarre. All the RDVs we have had have been with progressing amis who want to receive the lessons, who keep their commitments and who want to be baptized. My testimony has grown so much that people are already prepared to receive us, the spirit is what converts and their hearts will be opened to the message if they are prepared.
We set a baptismal date with Alejandra!!! (that was Soeur Horn's first real RDV). Dont tell Soeur Dawson, I sent her a letter in the mail telling her. :) We set is for the first of september, so pray that she can keep that date! But, every time Alejandra comes to our lessons, she's read the scriptures we have given her and has taken notes about what she has understood. Last lesson we used something from Doctrine and Covenants and she was like, "wait, I need to write down that scripture so I can read it again later." We told her she doesnt have it in the BOM.... she she downloaded the app on her iphone so she can read Doctrine and Covenants too. We taught the Restoration to Alejandra the night before Soeur Dawson left on her mission and it was the most powerful first I have ever experienced. The spirit was so strong and it was just incredible. Soeur Dawson testified of how this gospel changes lives and told Alejandra she knows it will change hers. After so many hundreds of first RDVs with Soeur Dawson it was amazing to experience what it's like for someone so prepared like Alejandra to receive that lesson. And every lesson we have with her she has been prepared to receive it. She will say, "that's funny, I was just talking about why there are so many churches on the earth last night with my boyfriend." or something, she's amazing.
Maria we had set a baptismal date for the endof the month but we have to refix it because she's out of town until the end of the month for work. She's so amazing though. When she told us she was gone the 25th when we fixed the date we talked about how important it is that she has the gift of the Holy Ghost as soon as possible and testified of the importance of baptism and that it was what God wants for her. She was silent and said, "I know I need to." She wants it and it's amazing as well teaching her the plan of salvation and the questions that she asks are so cool. Once again, it's amazing to teach people who genuinely are searching and who are prepared to receive the gospel in their lives.
Paola and Victoria are the girls we are teaching in spanish. Last week we taught where we come from and where we are going after, tonight we are talking about our life on earth. We also talked a little about baptism and how she can accept the Plan of Salvation by being baptized. Paola said she wants to be baptized eventually, Victoria and Paola are both reading the BOM and praying to know it's true.
It's at a point right now where the mission is so fulfilling because I literally get to witness people's lives changing, new hope coming into their life and watching them receive answers to questions they have been asking their entire lives and have never found answers. I just pray really hard because I have also gained a testimony that no matter what our abilites are, we can't do anything, it is so important to follow the spirit and to do everything in your power but then to turn everything over to the Lord. It is Heavenly Father who helps these people progress, it's not the missionaries, it's the spirit. But it's amazing to be a part of it.
I love you all so much and hope that you have a great week!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Im so sorry this is going to be short because we are going to meet Soeur Ingraham and Soeur Searle in a minute to go to the Eiffel Tower! (Soeur Ingraham was my companion my third transfer remember?)
It was so funny because the few days before Soeur Horn (my blue) came in and I knew I had the training call I just started cleaning EVERYTHING and organizing everything while Soeur Dawson was packing and everything. Soeur Dawson said, "Soeur Chard, you are nesting!" It's so true, I guess it's motherly instincts of something. It's the most strange thing, because you seriously do feel mother instincts. You feel an instinct of wanting to protect them from bad things (people saying rude things, etc) or you feel so proud of them when you watch them succeed at something, it's so fun.
Soeur Horn is my new companion and I love her. She's from Las Vegas and is so sweet and very creative, something I am doing well learning from her. It was so fun seeing Soeur Searle too, I talked to her when we first got to St. Merri and she said, "Whoa, Alyssa you have grown up a lot since your mission." First, weird to hear your first name and weird because it's weird seeing someone who knew you from before the mission then meeting you again at this point in the mission. It sounds like she is doing well, she was actually Soeur Horn's MTC companion!
our first night after I picked up Soeur Horn I told her we were going to go teach a new ami for the first time and so we would be teaching a first lesson. I had called Nicole (she's in the Versailles ward and preparing to serve a mission in temple square) and asked if she would pretend to be an ami and kind of a not very interested one. She agreed, we got there, and Nicole had taken down all signs she was mormon. Pictures of the Temple, gone. Scriptures, out of sight. She answered the door and usually she is so happy and smiley, it was so funny to see her playing as an ami not very interested. Anyway, we went in, taught a first, Soeur Horn did so well, and we committed NIcole to start reading the BOM and pray about it. After we left her house, we talked about how Soeur Horn thought the whole thing had gone, etc. and then I said, "well, she's actually a member!" I think the stress of everything being new was a little much but ultimately I think Soeur Horn was relieved and we went back and had dinner at Nicole's house.
Since then, seriously everything has been working out perfectly. It's kind of bizarre. All the RDVs we have had have been with progressing amis who want to receive the lessons, who keep their commitments and who want to be baptized. My testimony has grown so much that people are already prepared to receive us, the spirit is what converts and their hearts will be opened to the message if they are prepared.
We set a baptismal date with Alejandra!!! (that was Soeur Horn's first real RDV). Dont tell Soeur Dawson, I sent her a letter in the mail telling her. :) We set is for the first of september, so pray that she can keep that date! But, every time Alejandra comes to our lessons, she's read the scriptures we have given her and has taken notes about what she has understood. Last lesson we used something from Doctrine and Covenants and she was like, "wait, I need to write down that scripture so I can read it again later." We told her she doesnt have it in the BOM.... she she downloaded the app on her iphone so she can read Doctrine and Covenants too. We taught the Restoration to Alejandra the night before Soeur Dawson left on her mission and it was the most powerful first I have ever experienced. The spirit was so strong and it was just incredible. Soeur Dawson testified of how this gospel changes lives and told Alejandra she knows it will change hers. After so many hundreds of first RDVs with Soeur Dawson it was amazing to experience what it's like for someone so prepared like Alejandra to receive that lesson. And every lesson we have with her she has been prepared to receive it. She will say, "that's funny, I was just talking about why there are so many churches on the earth last night with my boyfriend." or something, she's amazing.
Maria we had set a baptismal date for the endof the month but we have to refix it because she's out of town until the end of the month for work. She's so amazing though. When she told us she was gone the 25th when we fixed the date we talked about how important it is that she has the gift of the Holy Ghost as soon as possible and testified of the importance of baptism and that it was what God wants for her. She was silent and said, "I know I need to." She wants it and it's amazing as well teaching her the plan of salvation and the questions that she asks are so cool. Once again, it's amazing to teach people who genuinely are searching and who are prepared to receive the gospel in their lives.
Paola and Victoria are the girls we are teaching in spanish. Last week we taught where we come from and where we are going after, tonight we are talking about our life on earth. We also talked a little about baptism and how she can accept the Plan of Salvation by being baptized. Paola said she wants to be baptized eventually, Victoria and Paola are both reading the BOM and praying to know it's true.
It's at a point right now where the mission is so fulfilling because I literally get to witness people's lives changing, new hope coming into their life and watching them receive answers to questions they have been asking their entire lives and have never found answers. I just pray really hard because I have also gained a testimony that no matter what our abilites are, we can't do anything, it is so important to follow the spirit and to do everything in your power but then to turn everything over to the Lord. It is Heavenly Father who helps these people progress, it's not the missionaries, it's the spirit. But it's amazing to be a part of it.
I love you all so much and hope that you have a great week!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Best Week of My Mission!
Dear Familia and Friends,
1. We have been teaching Bettina for months now, since before I came and up until a few weeks ago she was progressing just very slowly. Then the last few weeks her progression has been incredible and we have literally been watching her countenance change, her entire life change and her confidence grow. It has been the most amazing experience to actually see someone compltely be changed by the gospel. Well, last week we had a very intense law of chastity lesson because her boyfriend is coming this week to visit from Guadelupe. Basically at the beginning of the lesson she said in no way was it going to be possible for her to keep it, and at the end of the lessson she had changed and said, "I dont know how it's going to be possible, but I know God can do miracles." Then that Sunday, we called her to go to church and she said she couldnt come because she had other things she needed to do. We were devastated because we thought that was her sign of not being really dedicated to wanting to do everything she could so God could help her keep this commandment. We had one more lesson with her on Thursday, the last before Denis came in town. The morning we were going to teach her we talked and talked about what we should do, what we should talk about, how we could help her and what to do if she said she couldnt keep the law of chastity again. So we prayed at the end and asked to know what to do, and we said we would ask Soeur Babin (a member who has been teaching Bettina with us) for advice. Right before the RDV Soeur Babin came and we asked her for her advice. She said awesome things and ultimately her counsel was, "when people feel restricted to keep and do certain things it will feel like a restriction. You already were really bold with her, now just show her a lot of love. When they choose to do things for themselves the commandment will become liberating." And then Bettina showed up. We had planned a whole other lesson on law of chastity and felt suddenly that we shouldnt even mention it this lesson. So we started the lesson, not knowing now what to teach her. So we started by saying how we notice a new light in her eyes and a new glow and that Denis will notice that when he comes. She said, "I know, I hope he notices it too." She then went on to say that when Denis comes she wants to tell him all about the Family Proclamation and about her new vision of an eternal family and a family rooted in gospel principles. She also just told us, "and Im going to fast to know how to present it to him Saturday to Sunday" and we asked if she wanted a priesthood blessing for extra strength and she said "yes and ill come early to church to get it." It was amazing, she has become a different person. She asked if she could have one last RDV with us before Soeur Dawson leaves, so we are seeing her for the last time tomorrow before she sees Denis. Bettina is planning to get baptized still in December because she had a spiritual experience she needs to wait until then.
2. We met Alejandra again! She's amazing as ever and now we should be seeing her three times a week. We started the lesson, it's been about 10 weeks since we were able to see her for the first time. Seriously, she is Soeur Dawson's clone, she has such a similar background, it's not normal. We started the lesson and asked if she had a chance to start the Book of Mormon since we saw her so long ago. She said, "yes, but it was really confusing for me and I didnt get it very well." She then went on to give a really good summary of Lehi and his family and nEPHI going back to get the plates, basically she had retained everything really well. We promised her in taking the lessons and keeping the commitments we gave her that her life would change and she would be able to receive personal direction for her life from Heavenly Father. We then talked about how in our lessons she would recognize Heavenly Father confirming the things we taught were true by the holy ghost. She said, "that's so crazy I was just asking my roommate about what the holy ghost is the other day." Basically, she is awesome. We are supposed to see her on Tuesday night, the very last lesson Soeur Dawson will teach as a missionary.
3. We passed by Paola and Victoria's house (the ones we found by a miracle that was a headquarter referral), we havent been able to get in contact with them for a few weeks so we tried passing by and they were home! We went i nand said, "we know that a lot has happpened recently for you and we havent been able to really teach you our beliefs yet and before Soeur Dawson left we wanted to tell what we really do as missionaries again." Paola only speaks spanish, her sister Victoria speaks english and translates for us. She said, "yeah, paola was asking the other day what's the difference between your church and the catholic church?" So we said that's a great question and that's lesson one. So, we started with the Joseph Smith story. At the end we testified we know these things are true. Then Soeur Dawson started testifying that this gospel would change her life forever, it was super powerful and it was so amazing because the entire lesson Victoria had been translating, Paola speaks zero english. I say "how are you?" and she looks at Victoria to translate. When Soeur Dawson was speaking in english testifying how much joy this would bring her, Paola looked at Victoria and said in spanish, "stop translating, I can understand everything she is saying in english." It was the gift of tongues, it was amazing. We are supposed to see them again tomorrow too.
4. Maria is a woman Marie Poznanski and I found porting while she was doing her minis mission with me. We had our second lesson with her last week and after we did Joseph Smith story she said, "you know I havent been baptized yet and I know it's something really important. So we fixed a baptismal date with her for the aug. 25! Now her sister is an ami in progress too and she has two sons eight and nine who havent been baptized yet and her one son came and participated in the lesson we taught her last night. She's amazing and it's such a miracle because the first RDV we had with her we brought a member who lives in the building over, Maria opened the door and they embraced, Soeur Ya said, "Ma fille!" Apparently they were friends before but both had moved and didnt realize they now lived right next to each other. Soeur Ya said she had had an impression to give her a Book of Mormon but never had. We went in to teach the first lesson and Maria pulls out a Book of Mormon and said she already teaches her kids principles and stories from the Book of Mormon, but had never met with the missionaries or anything. Anyways, she is amazing. We just taught her part of the Plan of Salvation and it was so powerful. Everytime we go teach her she starts crying. It is amazing to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ literally blesses families now and for eternity.
So, all in all it was an amazing week. My testimony has grown immensely that missionary work has absolutely nothing to do with our abilities at all, it is literally the Lord's work and it is only the Holy Ghost that can convert, and the Holy Ghost works when people's hearts are prepared to receive the message. And when all those things work, it is absolutely incredible to watch people accept the gospel in their lives. If everyone could understand the incredible joy they can have as a family, I am one hundred percent sure that everyone and their dog would listen. but whether they listen or not, it doesn't change the fact that it is true, and I know it's true.
Soeur Dawson and I were talking because we have probably taught lesson number one, the restoration about one hundred and fifty times within the last two transfers. We have only taught very few of any other lesson together, and we know it's not by chance. We have testified so many times of the Restoration of Christ's church on the earth. Yesterday in church, Soeur Dawson gave her last testimony in the Versailles ward and said, "I can now say with conviction that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I couldnt say it with conviction before, but I can now. I know it's true."
I love you all and hope you have a great week! Please pray for me this week, the week goal for both Soeur Dawson and I is "make it out alive" haha. No, it will be good. :) And please pray for Soeur Dawson this week going home. Thank you! Love you!
Soeur Chard
1. We have been teaching Bettina for months now, since before I came and up until a few weeks ago she was progressing just very slowly. Then the last few weeks her progression has been incredible and we have literally been watching her countenance change, her entire life change and her confidence grow. It has been the most amazing experience to actually see someone compltely be changed by the gospel. Well, last week we had a very intense law of chastity lesson because her boyfriend is coming this week to visit from Guadelupe. Basically at the beginning of the lesson she said in no way was it going to be possible for her to keep it, and at the end of the lessson she had changed and said, "I dont know how it's going to be possible, but I know God can do miracles." Then that Sunday, we called her to go to church and she said she couldnt come because she had other things she needed to do. We were devastated because we thought that was her sign of not being really dedicated to wanting to do everything she could so God could help her keep this commandment. We had one more lesson with her on Thursday, the last before Denis came in town. The morning we were going to teach her we talked and talked about what we should do, what we should talk about, how we could help her and what to do if she said she couldnt keep the law of chastity again. So we prayed at the end and asked to know what to do, and we said we would ask Soeur Babin (a member who has been teaching Bettina with us) for advice. Right before the RDV Soeur Babin came and we asked her for her advice. She said awesome things and ultimately her counsel was, "when people feel restricted to keep and do certain things it will feel like a restriction. You already were really bold with her, now just show her a lot of love. When they choose to do things for themselves the commandment will become liberating." And then Bettina showed up. We had planned a whole other lesson on law of chastity and felt suddenly that we shouldnt even mention it this lesson. So we started the lesson, not knowing now what to teach her. So we started by saying how we notice a new light in her eyes and a new glow and that Denis will notice that when he comes. She said, "I know, I hope he notices it too." She then went on to say that when Denis comes she wants to tell him all about the Family Proclamation and about her new vision of an eternal family and a family rooted in gospel principles. She also just told us, "and Im going to fast to know how to present it to him Saturday to Sunday" and we asked if she wanted a priesthood blessing for extra strength and she said "yes and ill come early to church to get it." It was amazing, she has become a different person. She asked if she could have one last RDV with us before Soeur Dawson leaves, so we are seeing her for the last time tomorrow before she sees Denis. Bettina is planning to get baptized still in December because she had a spiritual experience she needs to wait until then.
2. We met Alejandra again! She's amazing as ever and now we should be seeing her three times a week. We started the lesson, it's been about 10 weeks since we were able to see her for the first time. Seriously, she is Soeur Dawson's clone, she has such a similar background, it's not normal. We started the lesson and asked if she had a chance to start the Book of Mormon since we saw her so long ago. She said, "yes, but it was really confusing for me and I didnt get it very well." She then went on to give a really good summary of Lehi and his family and nEPHI going back to get the plates, basically she had retained everything really well. We promised her in taking the lessons and keeping the commitments we gave her that her life would change and she would be able to receive personal direction for her life from Heavenly Father. We then talked about how in our lessons she would recognize Heavenly Father confirming the things we taught were true by the holy ghost. She said, "that's so crazy I was just asking my roommate about what the holy ghost is the other day." Basically, she is awesome. We are supposed to see her on Tuesday night, the very last lesson Soeur Dawson will teach as a missionary.
3. We passed by Paola and Victoria's house (the ones we found by a miracle that was a headquarter referral), we havent been able to get in contact with them for a few weeks so we tried passing by and they were home! We went i nand said, "we know that a lot has happpened recently for you and we havent been able to really teach you our beliefs yet and before Soeur Dawson left we wanted to tell what we really do as missionaries again." Paola only speaks spanish, her sister Victoria speaks english and translates for us. She said, "yeah, paola was asking the other day what's the difference between your church and the catholic church?" So we said that's a great question and that's lesson one. So, we started with the Joseph Smith story. At the end we testified we know these things are true. Then Soeur Dawson started testifying that this gospel would change her life forever, it was super powerful and it was so amazing because the entire lesson Victoria had been translating, Paola speaks zero english. I say "how are you?" and she looks at Victoria to translate. When Soeur Dawson was speaking in english testifying how much joy this would bring her, Paola looked at Victoria and said in spanish, "stop translating, I can understand everything she is saying in english." It was the gift of tongues, it was amazing. We are supposed to see them again tomorrow too.
4. Maria is a woman Marie Poznanski and I found porting while she was doing her minis mission with me. We had our second lesson with her last week and after we did Joseph Smith story she said, "you know I havent been baptized yet and I know it's something really important. So we fixed a baptismal date with her for the aug. 25! Now her sister is an ami in progress too and she has two sons eight and nine who havent been baptized yet and her one son came and participated in the lesson we taught her last night. She's amazing and it's such a miracle because the first RDV we had with her we brought a member who lives in the building over, Maria opened the door and they embraced, Soeur Ya said, "Ma fille!" Apparently they were friends before but both had moved and didnt realize they now lived right next to each other. Soeur Ya said she had had an impression to give her a Book of Mormon but never had. We went in to teach the first lesson and Maria pulls out a Book of Mormon and said she already teaches her kids principles and stories from the Book of Mormon, but had never met with the missionaries or anything. Anyways, she is amazing. We just taught her part of the Plan of Salvation and it was so powerful. Everytime we go teach her she starts crying. It is amazing to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ literally blesses families now and for eternity.
So, all in all it was an amazing week. My testimony has grown immensely that missionary work has absolutely nothing to do with our abilities at all, it is literally the Lord's work and it is only the Holy Ghost that can convert, and the Holy Ghost works when people's hearts are prepared to receive the message. And when all those things work, it is absolutely incredible to watch people accept the gospel in their lives. If everyone could understand the incredible joy they can have as a family, I am one hundred percent sure that everyone and their dog would listen. but whether they listen or not, it doesn't change the fact that it is true, and I know it's true.
Soeur Dawson and I were talking because we have probably taught lesson number one, the restoration about one hundred and fifty times within the last two transfers. We have only taught very few of any other lesson together, and we know it's not by chance. We have testified so many times of the Restoration of Christ's church on the earth. Yesterday in church, Soeur Dawson gave her last testimony in the Versailles ward and said, "I can now say with conviction that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I couldnt say it with conviction before, but I can now. I know it's true."
I love you all and hope you have a great week! Please pray for me this week, the week goal for both Soeur Dawson and I is "make it out alive" haha. No, it will be good. :) And please pray for Soeur Dawson this week going home. Thank you! Love you!
Soeur Chard
Monday, July 23, 2012
Look and Live
HI Everyone!
On Friday we actually went to the Palace of Versailles gardens to do a YSA activity. We have been trying to work more with the YSA. So, they planned a full-day activity at the Chateau and invited the missionaries to do an hour spiritual message thing with the theme as "Come Unto Christ." It ended up being really fun, we based it off of Moses and the brass serpent "Look and Live." I am so impressed with so many of the young adults here, they have such strong testimonies and so many are preparing to go on missions too!
That night we went to a baptism that the assistants had that they asked Soeur Dawson and I to do a special musical number for. We did Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and it was such a cool experience. The spirit was so strong and Soeur Dawson started crying partway through and had to stop singing for a really long time. That song has had a lot of meaning to both of us the last transfer.
Soeur Poznanski pulled me aside on Saturday and said, "Soeur Chard. You gave me the greatest gift. Nu Skin is amazing!" She had given us a ride home last week and asked me if Nu Skin had some good products... I ended up giving her an ageLOC pack to try for herself. President said she's addicted to it now and Soeur Poznanski said she went on the website and now she knows everything about the Nourish the Children Foundation and all about NuSkin products, etc. haha so funny!
I hope everyone has a fabulous week! Mom told me about the shooting.... that makes me so sad. It's so sad to see how dark so much of the world is today and to see how many people are affected because of it. it makes the light of the gospel even that much more precious. We are so blessed to have it in our lives!
The transfer email comes out on Saturday so we will see what happens! Good luck getting ready for the reunion, it sounds like it will be awesome!
Love,
Soeur Chard
On Friday we actually went to the Palace of Versailles gardens to do a YSA activity. We have been trying to work more with the YSA. So, they planned a full-day activity at the Chateau and invited the missionaries to do an hour spiritual message thing with the theme as "Come Unto Christ." It ended up being really fun, we based it off of Moses and the brass serpent "Look and Live." I am so impressed with so many of the young adults here, they have such strong testimonies and so many are preparing to go on missions too!
That night we went to a baptism that the assistants had that they asked Soeur Dawson and I to do a special musical number for. We did Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and it was such a cool experience. The spirit was so strong and Soeur Dawson started crying partway through and had to stop singing for a really long time. That song has had a lot of meaning to both of us the last transfer.
Soeur Poznanski pulled me aside on Saturday and said, "Soeur Chard. You gave me the greatest gift. Nu Skin is amazing!" She had given us a ride home last week and asked me if Nu Skin had some good products... I ended up giving her an ageLOC pack to try for herself. President said she's addicted to it now and Soeur Poznanski said she went on the website and now she knows everything about the Nourish the Children Foundation and all about NuSkin products, etc. haha so funny!
I hope everyone has a fabulous week! Mom told me about the shooting.... that makes me so sad. It's so sad to see how dark so much of the world is today and to see how many people are affected because of it. it makes the light of the gospel even that much more precious. We are so blessed to have it in our lives!
The transfer email comes out on Saturday so we will see what happens! Good luck getting ready for the reunion, it sounds like it will be awesome!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Following the Spirit
Hi family!
This week was really good. We had interviews with the Poznanski's, and for sure it was my favorite interviews and so inspired. I honestly felt like President Poznanski was answering my prayers like it was Heavenly Father talking directly through him. I was so thankful for it. He said so many things that comforted me and helped me understand better my purpose. He said something to the effect of, "Soeur Chard, Heavenly Father is putting you through a refiner's fire on your mission because He's molding you for a purpose for work you need to do later." One thing that Soeur Poznanski and President Poznanski both said to me in my interviews that has really stuck with me: "you are relying too much on your own abilities, you need to rely on the Atonement more."
So the next day we had planned to go porte in Vaucresson. I am always a person who has to know exactly where we are going, when, and then we stick to the schedule. I kept remembering what the Poznanski's told me and made the decision that I was just going to try to follow the spirit and not be too concerned about what I thought we should be doing. (Soeur Dawson is very good at doing that, following the spirit.) So before we walked out the door I said, "wait, Soeur Dawson. Tell me who you think we are going to meet who will be interested." She stopped and then she said, "we are going to meet someone kind of like you. She kind of looks like you, she'll have a big smile and it will seem like she doesn't really belong." Then we prayed and left.
We headed over to Vaucresson and it takes about an hour and twenty minutes with trajet to get over there. We got over to the apartment building we were going to porte because a member lives there and we had felt the spirit strongly last time we had been there so we wanted to go back. We realized when we got there we only had twenty minutes before we had to head back home, unless we taught a lesson we could stay for forty minutes. So we prayed, and then walked in to start porting. We got inside and just felt weird. We went to knock the first door and didnt feel good so we walked down a level and went to go knock another door. I was about the knock on the door and I looked at Soeur Dawson and said, "how do you feel?" She said, "weird." So we walked out of the building. At this point we now had about ten minutes left before we had to head back home for the night. We felt like we should start walking back to the train station. We were walking and I looked across the street where there were a bunch of nice, gated houses. (usually dont target those ones. :) ). But I said, "Let's go knock those ones." At this point we now had zero minutes left before we had to leave to be home on time. We started walking down the street and Soeur Dawson stopped in front of a house and said, "let's do this one." So we sonneted and this girl who is about my age who kind of looks like me with a huge smile came outside. We started speaking in french and then she said, "Wait, do you go to Paris International School by chance?" This girl graduated in 2010 from Paris International School and her mom is Irish and her dad is British. I told her I went to FIS, etc. etc. We asked her if she was religious, she said she believed in God didn't really know about Christ and was open to learning more. So we got her number and are trying to fix something this week. She was the one person we talked to in Vaucresson that night but it was such an example to me that when I was finally willing to stop trying to control things so much, that's when we were able to be led by the spirit. It was awesome.
I am excited for Soeur Dawson to come home and meet all of you, she knows so much about our family, what we do, so much about each of you. She says she already feels like she'll be calling mom and dad mom and pops. So, basically you are possibly about to have a fourth Chard girl. :)
I know that the gospel blesses families and I know as we put our faith in the Atonement of Christ we can do anything the Lord asks us to do. And I know without the Atonement of Christ, we are so limited in our capacities. I know God loves us and He knows us and He knows already every choice we are going to make and He still always makes it possible for each of us to return back to Him. I know challenges are given to us to help us learn and grow and that they are all for a purpose. I love you all and hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Soeur Chard
Monday, July 9, 2012
Singing in the Rain
Hi!
So this week, wild. These two transfers have just been crazy. Crazy hard hard hard. Finally Soeur Dawson and I identified as we have from the last transfer or so that we felt like we had lost our personalities in a big way and we were taking ourselves so seriously. The last zone conference was all about how to start teaching 21 lessons a week (the mission average right now is about 7). The big push was to talk to EVERYONE. If you arent talking to someone, there is a problem. And it was good, there have been miracles in the mission thanks to this zone conference and it was definitely inspired. For Soeur Dawson and I though we started taking ourselves so seriously and were becoming missionaries where it just seems like you are trying to stay afloat. We got tons of phone numbers (we had 42 numbers we were trying to contact at one point) but not a lot happening as far as work went. The more focused we became on the physical, "talk to everyone" the less it became about the actual people and the more it came about just doing things to do it. The more keeping rules was just out of guilt and obligation. Everything was just getting worse and worse, studies we were only studying strictly for our amis and we have taught so many first lessons these last two transfers, so studies started becoming just really routine. In brief, we were both really struggling to make things work.
So, what happened is that a few days ago for language study Soeur Dawson turned on a movie about the Atonement in french to watch. I was studying something else but ended up going over and sitting next to her and watching with her. I just started crying so hard watching the Atonement and everything Christ went through and how even He was rejected by so many people. And how He atoned for the very people who rejected Him too. And I looked at how He reacted in the face of opposition and how calm and at peace He was. And I realized again how through the Atonement, all of us can be healed and I realized what that meant a little bit more for each of us. And my thought was, "I dont know how I could ever repay Christ for what He did for me." Then it was our lunch break, and I laid down on my bed for a few minutes. I was drifting into sleep and suddenly I heard someone in the apartment upstairs playing the piano and it was a song I have played before. Suddenly the thought just came into my mind, "you need to go play the piano and Soeur Dawson needs to sing and you need to bear your testimony of Jesus Christ through music." So, I woke up and told Soeur Dawson. (Soeur Dawson is an amazing singer). She said, "okay, let's go immediately." So we started walking. One woman we contacted a few weeks ago named Pamela came to my mind, because I remember she had a piano in her house. She had told us she was too busy to have another lesson after the first but had said if I ever wanted to play the piano we could come over. We went over and she happened to be home. We ended up singing/playing "Come thou Fount" and then "I know that my Redeemer Lives." The spirit was strong and the lady put everything away and just sat down and listened. She said she's been going through a difficult time and she felt so much peace when she heard the music. She asked for the address again of our church and said she's going to try to come in a few weeks when she's able to again.
Later that night we were at home finishing our weekly planning. We were both just feeling so mellow and like I said like we have been taking ourselves so seriously, the joy has been lost from the work and it has made it so difficult. It was pouring rain outside and we looked outside and Soeur Dawson said, "that would be so fun to be out in the rain." I said, "Let's go." So we went running outside in the pouring rain for five minutes and we just got completely soaked and we really laughed for the first time in a long time and it was so good. We came back that night and we went over to Soeur Any, a member in the ward who's entire family is in the Cote d'Ivoire in the war and she is here alone in France. We went and sang for her and then ported some of her building. And we just took time to really talk to each other and we laughed and it was so good.
So what I have been learning is first of all, how to measure true success. Sometimes we can all get caught up on something that seems to be the "true measure of success." Maybe that's reaching 21 lessons. Which starts off as a good goal, but as you become so focused on the destination, you lost the joy in the journey. It was to the point we would have really good things and lots of miracles happening, and we were losing sight of them because we never felt like we were measuring up. And I'm learning to make what the Lord want what you want. Something interesting in stake conference taht was said about a month ago that stuck with me was something that Brother Jones said. He had just been called as a new bishop and he went and asked other Bishops for their advice. Their advice was to listen to the Holy Ghost. They said there will always be so many opinions and so much advice thrown at you from so many people and they are all important things to listen to, but in the end, the most important counsel and advice you will be able to receive is from direction from the Holy Ghost. Those promptings will never lead you astray. I am learning how important and how true that is.
Have a fabulous week!
Love,
Soeur Chard
So this week, wild. These two transfers have just been crazy. Crazy hard hard hard. Finally Soeur Dawson and I identified as we have from the last transfer or so that we felt like we had lost our personalities in a big way and we were taking ourselves so seriously. The last zone conference was all about how to start teaching 21 lessons a week (the mission average right now is about 7). The big push was to talk to EVERYONE. If you arent talking to someone, there is a problem. And it was good, there have been miracles in the mission thanks to this zone conference and it was definitely inspired. For Soeur Dawson and I though we started taking ourselves so seriously and were becoming missionaries where it just seems like you are trying to stay afloat. We got tons of phone numbers (we had 42 numbers we were trying to contact at one point) but not a lot happening as far as work went. The more focused we became on the physical, "talk to everyone" the less it became about the actual people and the more it came about just doing things to do it. The more keeping rules was just out of guilt and obligation. Everything was just getting worse and worse, studies we were only studying strictly for our amis and we have taught so many first lessons these last two transfers, so studies started becoming just really routine. In brief, we were both really struggling to make things work.
So, what happened is that a few days ago for language study Soeur Dawson turned on a movie about the Atonement in french to watch. I was studying something else but ended up going over and sitting next to her and watching with her. I just started crying so hard watching the Atonement and everything Christ went through and how even He was rejected by so many people. And how He atoned for the very people who rejected Him too. And I looked at how He reacted in the face of opposition and how calm and at peace He was. And I realized again how through the Atonement, all of us can be healed and I realized what that meant a little bit more for each of us. And my thought was, "I dont know how I could ever repay Christ for what He did for me." Then it was our lunch break, and I laid down on my bed for a few minutes. I was drifting into sleep and suddenly I heard someone in the apartment upstairs playing the piano and it was a song I have played before. Suddenly the thought just came into my mind, "you need to go play the piano and Soeur Dawson needs to sing and you need to bear your testimony of Jesus Christ through music." So, I woke up and told Soeur Dawson. (Soeur Dawson is an amazing singer). She said, "okay, let's go immediately." So we started walking. One woman we contacted a few weeks ago named Pamela came to my mind, because I remember she had a piano in her house. She had told us she was too busy to have another lesson after the first but had said if I ever wanted to play the piano we could come over. We went over and she happened to be home. We ended up singing/playing "Come thou Fount" and then "I know that my Redeemer Lives." The spirit was strong and the lady put everything away and just sat down and listened. She said she's been going through a difficult time and she felt so much peace when she heard the music. She asked for the address again of our church and said she's going to try to come in a few weeks when she's able to again.
Later that night we were at home finishing our weekly planning. We were both just feeling so mellow and like I said like we have been taking ourselves so seriously, the joy has been lost from the work and it has made it so difficult. It was pouring rain outside and we looked outside and Soeur Dawson said, "that would be so fun to be out in the rain." I said, "Let's go." So we went running outside in the pouring rain for five minutes and we just got completely soaked and we really laughed for the first time in a long time and it was so good. We came back that night and we went over to Soeur Any, a member in the ward who's entire family is in the Cote d'Ivoire in the war and she is here alone in France. We went and sang for her and then ported some of her building. And we just took time to really talk to each other and we laughed and it was so good.
So what I have been learning is first of all, how to measure true success. Sometimes we can all get caught up on something that seems to be the "true measure of success." Maybe that's reaching 21 lessons. Which starts off as a good goal, but as you become so focused on the destination, you lost the joy in the journey. It was to the point we would have really good things and lots of miracles happening, and we were losing sight of them because we never felt like we were measuring up. And I'm learning to make what the Lord want what you want. Something interesting in stake conference taht was said about a month ago that stuck with me was something that Brother Jones said. He had just been called as a new bishop and he went and asked other Bishops for their advice. Their advice was to listen to the Holy Ghost. They said there will always be so many opinions and so much advice thrown at you from so many people and they are all important things to listen to, but in the end, the most important counsel and advice you will be able to receive is from direction from the Holy Ghost. Those promptings will never lead you astray. I am learning how important and how true that is.
Have a fabulous week!
Love,
Soeur Chard
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