20 and the Designated Driver

Bonjour à tous !

  This week was wild!  Monday night we had the awesome experience to attend a "Lamb of God" concert in Paris...IF we brought an ami with us...so we brought three! 🤣 Any missionary in the Navigo Zone could go, with their friends, and it was free admission! Funny enough, we actually met one of the actors at the Louvre earlier that day! Totally random! Unfortunately we had to leave the show early because missionaries have a curfew. We didn't realize that the Lamb of God portion of the concert was after intermission, so we didn't get to see that part, but we were able to enjoy the "King of Kings" concert, which I had never seen before and focused on the birth of Christ. It was absolutely amazing, and our amis absolutely loved it! The spirit was so incredibly strong and I loved being there with the other missionaries, as well as with President Hansen! It was such a good, spirit filled night - and it made me realize how much I miss attending concerts! 😂

We were able to enjoy Zone Conference and interviews with President Hansen this week.  Sadly, this was our last interview and Conference with the Hansens, as they will finish their mission this coming Friday. It has been amazing being able to serve with the Hansens, I just love and adore them and am going to miss them so much! They have become very important to me. I know I will see them again at reunions and different events when I get home, but dang, goodbyes stink! These past 8 months I have met some of the most amazing people, and many I have come to look up to as role models. Beginning with President and Sister Ostler at the Preston MTC, to President and Sœur Hansen here in France, and all the many missionaries in between, including my companions. I am so grateful for all these incredible people who have entered my life and the influence they have had on me and my mission so far. As I've said before, it is so sad when your mission friends leave, but it is ok, change is good and allows for growth!  I am excited to meet the new President and his wife, and I know things will be great!  

Even though this was a week of many lasts, it was also a week of awesome firsts! I had my first (and only) mission birthday! That's right! I'm officially 20! 🤯 Gosh, I already feel old saying that! My birthday happened to fall on the day of our Zone Conference, so I was able to celebrate with the Hansens and all my mission friends! It was seriously, honestly, one of the 

Best Birthdays Ever 🥳 

I was able to spend the day in Paris, they gave me a unicorn ballon (I cannot tell you how excited I was about that), and I got to spend it with so many friends that I love! It was great!  And a huge thank you to all of you who sent me birthday wishes! It made me so happy! 

And the Big Transfer News: 

So... Yes!  I have been transferred again, and transfer day was crazy! Turns out both Soeur Thurgood and I were transferred, but we weren't both going to the main transfer point and we had to make a Soeur exchange at the gare of Montparnasse - every missionary's transfer day nightmare! There are no escalators in this gare, but there are lots and lots of stairs! Imagine being a 20 year old, with three suitcases full of basically your entire life, and trying to haul them up and down many many stairs... TALK ABOUT A WORKOUT!!! 

Long story short, I had to go to Paris and back 3 times before I got to my new secteur with all my suitcases! 💪 In truth, the crazy was actually kind of fun and soooo many kind people helped all of us with our luggage up and down the stairs. It was so awesome to be blessed with our transfer day angels!! 

This will be my fourth area in 8 months, which is super rare for a Sœur. I've never surpassed two transfers in one area, so who knows, maybe this transfer will be different. I am now out of Paris and in a small town named Toul! It is right next to Nancy, over by Strasbourg, Germany, and the French town of Épinal. For some of you these may just be town names, but for me, this transfer and these places are very special.  As I've mentioned in previous updates, my dad and I have kind-of the same mission! A lot of our areas are the same. My dad spent most of his mission in the northern areas of France, a lot of time in Epinal and the Strasbourg area, and Nancy.  My current zone encompasses many of his areas, and even in my few short days here, I have already seen him in the work here... 

You Won't Believe This!!

At church my first Sunday here I met a member, Ulrich, who remembers my dad from when he was serving here over 20 years ago! Ulrich was 14 at the time and told me that my dad was one of his favorite missionaries!  As we were talking he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out one of my dad's old missionary tags!!  Turns out my dad gave Ulrich one of his tags and Ulrich has kept it all these years and brought it to church Sunday to show it to me! He let me borrow it just until Tuesday when we go to their house for dinner so I could show my mom and dad. Unfortunately, his family is moving next week so I won't be able to spend more time with him and talk with him about some good stories and memories about my dad when he was a young missionary... BUT WOW!! Could the timing have been any more perfect?!? Not gonna lie, when I received my mission call, I always hoped to be able to serve close to where my dad served, and maybe one day even possibly meet someone he knew, but I knew that would be a long shot.  Well... that dream was more than fulfilled!!  I can't even believe that it happened!!  Tuesday we go over to his house for dinner and family home evening with his family so I am really looking forward to that.  And yes, I will return the tag. 😉 

I moved out of ward life and am now living and loving branch life! My branch President's name is Claus (pronounced like Clowse) so I kind-of have Santa as my branch President! 😂 He seems cool and super fun.  He has a deal with the missionaries where if we get 24 lessons a week he and his wife take us out to dinner! So, this past week I was able to profit from the hard work of the Soeur I replaced and we went to Buffalo Grill - it was super yummy and I definitely enjoyed it! While at dinner I got to know the Branch President and his wife and they are the funnest couple! Even though I've been here for only a few days, I've been able to meet a lot of members from the branch and I already love them so much! And, of course, I also have a new companion, Soeur Chapman, from Ottawa, Canada! This is actually her last transfer before she heads home so we are already planning on making it a good one! 

Oh!! And I'm also driving now! Yuuuup, I am the designated driver in France! It's lowkey actually kind of scary... but we and the car are still in one piece... for now. 🤣 

Toul is beautiful! It reminds me of a cute little mountain town because there are tons of giant hills (almost mountains), lots and lots of trees, and houses tucked into the trees! It is such a cute, small "mountain town" that even has a small port where we often go to do our studies! I'm sad to have left Torcy and Paris, but I already love Toul and the people here! 

Spiritual Thought:

At Zone Conference we talked a lot about a "change of heart" and how who we are is a reflection of what is in our heart. Our heart is composed of our intentions, attitudes, desires, affections, and motives. That is our heart! So, my question is... What is written on your heart? What are all of these attributes to you?  

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."  (1 Samuel 16:7) 

The Lord looks upon your heart, He looks at what is inside each of us rather than what is on the outside. He knows your heart, and that is what actually counts. 

Je vous aime ! Bonne semaine ! 

À bientôt ! - Soeur Hansen 🥰😘