Week 39 - Hump Day

"We got soaked in the space of like 2 minutes. BRETAGNE!"

Hey fam!

This week was great! and also hard. Oppostion in all things! Only missionaries get excited about that!

Started this week with "L"- did a soirée familiale with her, she's been reading "Our Heritage" and we wanted to watch a Restoration movie with her. She picked Ephraim's Rescue. It's great. Favorite "L" line from the night (after Ephraim Hanks miraculously heals a bunch of pioneers) "He got there too late, so many people died." Yep "L". That's how the priesthood works. I love her. 

Tuesday night we went on an exchange to teach "C" (I don't remember if I've told you about her..?) anyway we wanted to take a member but not overwhelm her with four people so I went alone with Sr "A". She's such a character, kept having me take pictures of us and making me promise to send them to her. Don't worry Sr "A", I'm all over it. Well, I had to write it down in my planner, otherwise I would have totally forgotten. Missionary brain is a problème grave everyone. So just to summarize that night (and the picture I'm sending) it was me- 20 year old American, Sr "A", 50-something French woman, and "C", 40-something from Chad. And somehow I was supposed to be the one teaching that night. 

Wednesday we had our interviews with President Babin, I love him and Sr Babin is just a peach. That night was PPP (ping pong, pancakes and pensé spirituelle), and a girl that Sr Stevens and Sr Ellis met came! She's Chinese and doesn't speak French but MIRACLES Elder Chen, one of the like 5 Chinese elders in the mish was at the church finishing up his interview so he came and translated the spiritual thought for her! It was SO cool. L'eglise est vrai, toute le monde. [The church is true, everyone]

Thursday we had our zone conference, it was a party. After lunch we were bugging the APs about when we're getting our iPads because "they were shipped yesterday" has been the answer for the last month or so. Guys, mission secret, the APs don't know anything more than we do about what's going on in the mission. 

Friday we went out to Brécé to do some jardinage [gardening] for a member. SO fun. We went a while ago and planted flowers and then Friday we went back to pull the weeds (and mostly grass) that have grown up around them. We were super sore for like three days after that. But got some good pics in the countryside. There were daisies everywhere. I love daisies! 

Saturday we did some stuff, got some rendez-vous cancelled on us. Got fruged by our baptismal date, got persecuted on the bus by some stoners, BUT we also did a passby so that was good. Soyez forte day. [Be strong]

Sunday was great- did planning which in a trio takes exponentially longer than in a companionship. Ate some crazy good dinner- eternally grateful for Sr Walton inspiring us to actually cook meals and not eat sandwiches everyday. 

and TODAY

sorry for this beast of an email!

We went to Mt St Michel again to take Sr Walton! Super fun! Super good weather! Got lots of great pics, they're just all on Sr Walton's camera.... sorry fam, I'll try and get those sent to you at some point! 

Love you all have a great week!

 

Soeur Hansen

Week 38 - The vanishing citizens of Rennes

HEY FAM!

SO. Not going to lie -- don't have too anything exciting to share with you- some weeks are just less emailable.

Sorry about last week- we're all praying our ipads come soon (not really, that's a lame desire) because this internet cafe thing is starting to get a little old.

but. little story from last week- we've been doing a lot of member splits because the trio makes it really easy, we just need one, and we have a recent convert, "L", who is basically free 24/7 so we go out contacting with her. She's a very interesting person and we all love her. Anyway, it was my turn this one day to go on the split with "L" and we start and she REALLY wants to go into Republique, (center of town) and just talk to AS MANY PEOPLE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. Which is adorable. And also not a super effective way to do missionary work (at least the way that I do it, that works for other people) Anyway, contacting with "L". It's kind of like having a blue. Who is older than you. and didn't go to the MTC. and speaks fluent French. It's an interesting experience. So we start and there's like NO one out. So after the second or third "wow this street is really empty" comment I just go "it's okay, I was inspired to come here, there's going to be a reason" she was very impressed. and we ended up finding some people to talk to and had some really good contacts. Fake it til you make it everyone. It works. Besides, if you start with a prayer, have the Spirit, and do what you feel is right, that's inspiration. 

This week- 

Sometimes you just have those weeks where you can't see anyone. It's really interesting how amis coordinate their schedules to all be unavailable the same week. It's really amazing. Someone should do a study on this phenomenon. but the great thing is it means we get to do lots of finding!

We had our STLs here this week, I went with Sr Lusty and it was SO nice to be in a companionship for a couple hours. The trio is great and hilarious and we have so much fun but there's just something nice about being two by two. and Sr Lusty is great. She was in my blue zone and came up to Tours way back in October to do our finding day! She's great.

Samedi we did some super good contacting- we got all inspired about where to go, go there and saw NO one. Please everybody pray that we will be able to find the citizens of Rennes, they have vanished this week. But it gave us some good time to practice different ways to contact (two sides of the street and doing this leap frogging thing) so when those people reappear we'll be ready for 'em. 

YEP. Thats about all I've got for you guys but just know how much I love you!! Have a great week!

Soeur Hansen

Week 37 - Mother's Day Skype

[Ed. note: We got a short note from Maren yesterday, and another short one today - apparently they are having internet issues.]

Yesterday:

HEY fam!

Long time no see!

Skype yesterday! So fun to see your cute faces! I've been saying prayers of gratitude for Skype. 

Today:

Hey. Got our internet cut yesterday..... but hey the elders brought us some chocolate:)

Week 36 - First week in a trio

"On a mission for the Lord"

Hey fam!

Hope you're all just doing so great on this May 4th. Que le quatre mai soit avec vous.  [May the fourth be with you] (I think I'm funny. Sorry you guys I'm realizing I've been a missionary for too long)

Alors. This week. 

Monday- mission conference. AWESOME

Tuesday- P day. you know already. Sr Stevens and I had a picnic in the middle of nowhere because we took the wrong bus after we bought groceries. 

WEDNESDAY. Ugh. Transfers. Such a sad day. And an amazing day. And just everything in between. Got up at 6:30, Sr Back tells me the bus to get to the gare is at 6:55... AHH. So we all threw clothes on and ran around like crazy people trying to get them out the door on time. Got to the gare, all is good. Got them on the train, a little heartbreaking watching that door close. Get on the bus to head home, because our apartment was a DISASTER after the crazy couple days we had. 

Said goodbye to Soeur Back

No keys. 

Yeah...

Sr Back accidentally took our set on the train with her and we'd left the other set inside the apartment. (Trust me, not my idea)

So thankfully everyone getting transfered goes through Paris so it was easy enough to get the keys to Sr Walton and we got in okay that afternoon. BUT we were locked out for like 7 hours waiting, with nothing. I had my bag and like 4 contacting cards and Sr Stevens had her bus pass. So we walked to the elders' apartment and stole their church key so we could go have a base camp and then we just slowly went crazy. Took a bus to the terminus to do some exploring (Sr Stevens refused to contact looking how she did (it was fine but whatever haha)) 

Felt SO bad taking Sr Walton home to that for her first day in Rennes. 

An old picture with Sr Walton - her friend from the MTC and new companion 

Thursday we did missionary work. I think we had rendez-vous. I honestly don't remember other than that it rained.

 

Friday. Still raining. Thousand-hour long weekly planning (condensing two equipes means we have a TON of random amies to plan for).

Saturday STILL raining. Other rendez vous and pass bys. Tried to do some stuff. RAIN

Sr Walton crossed the street without us.
Thought it was funny.

Sunday blessed break from the rain, and we went contacting with Leena! She and Sr Stevens went together and Sr Walton and I. It was SO nice to be just in two. I love these soeurs but it's a lot of mental work to be in a trio and just be aware of two other people. So it was a little bit of a relief to be two by two for a second. Leena was a total pro apparently too so that was cool.

And today we went shopping because its raining AGAIN. And also I hate all the clothes I own. So thats fun! Haha 

it's May and I'm wearing tights. So not down. But it's okay, we had like 3 weeks of beautiful weather in April so it was bound to come around again. Hopefully it won't last too long though! 

But anyway! i'm excited to see your beautiful faces next week and I love you all so dearly!

Have a great week

soeur hansen