A Week in Paris and feelin Bleu!

Coucou à tous !

Comment vous allez ? Holy cow, what a week it has been! This week went by so fast and I came out of it a little tanner, a little more tired (which only means I worked hard), and with a new companion! I KNOW! SO EXCITING ! I'm so excited about it all and I am already questioning how I'm going to fit it all in one decent sized update. 😅

Monday Soeur Chapman and I avons profité bien because it was her last P-day in France! So of course we hit up all the classic French things to do, including hiking to the very top of a cathedral and eating at a boulangerie.

Tuesday night we had dinner with our Branch President and his wife because we got 24 lessons again! It was so so fun! I know I've probably said it before, but Les Claus are probably some of my favorite people ever. They really make us missionaries feel like we are one of their own. They are so kind and generous, and absolutely hilarious! I have learned so much from them and am so thankful for the opportunity to be in Toul for another transfer. I love all the members here so incredibly much and am so excited for what these next 6 weeks will bring! 🥰

Wednesday Soeur Chapman and I had to catch an early train to Paris. Normalement the transfers take place on Thursday, but because Soeur Chapman was going home on Thursday we had to be there a day early Wednesday. Plus, we couldn't have her miss all the departing missionary festivities! The train rides were so fun! It honestly didn't feel like she was going home, (for me at least 😉) just like a normal transfer, but this time I was staying - normalement I'm the one leaving! We got to Saint- Merri (the missionary meet up hotspot in Paris) in perfect timing and thankfully no suitcases were broken. Sadly, Saint- Merri is known for claiming the lives of many a suitcase! We then had to say our goodbyes. It was so sad, but it's just part of being a missionary. We say so many goodbyes and it doesn't get any easier, no matter who it is, but I know Soeur Chapman is going to do amazing things! After Soeur Chapman left, I became part of a trio with the Paris STLs for the day. It was so fun! We had district council, a few rendez-vous, we talked to a lot of people on the street and in public transport, and pretty much just went all over Paris!

Thursday morning we decided to enjoy a run to the Panthéon (just a short 2 kilometer run, which we were dying by the end of 😰). Because it was the actual transfer day, we went back over to Saint-Merri later that morning. It is always so much fun going to Saint-Merri on transfer day because you get to catch up with all the other missionaries serving in all the different areas. It's kind of funny, on transfer days all the missionaries swarm Paris for a few hours, and then leave, taking the chaos with them! 😂 It's pretty cool, Saint-Merri is actually what we would call a hotel, but not in the way that you think. A hôtel particulier - a very old building that use to be the home of an aristocratic Lord or noble way back when. Today it is used as the LDS chapel in Paris, but also as an apartment building. So par hasard people will Park their cars in the courtyard. However, that can make things a bit crazy difficult when there are tons of missionaries with about 3 suitcases each within the little gâté and courtyard. As we were all standing there, trying to get organized with all the luggage, a person pulls up in their car trying to get into the courtyard, so we all immediately started moving all the suitcases to the side to try and make a path for the car to pass. Then, because we didn't have anywhere else to go and had no more room, we all just lined the sides of the courtyard and watched the car go by. Everyone, including the driver, was laughing by the end. 😂  

After all the drivers and luggage made it to their destinations safely, I was able to meet up with the other Sœurs who would be trainers like me, and we became each other's companions until we met our trainees. Soeur Leech and I were companions for a few days and worked out of Paris, and boy did we enjoy as much as we could! We spent all of Thursday working along the Seine! I know it sounds so luxurious, but I promise you, it is not always as picture perfect as it seems. 😉 We enjoyed watching the tour ferries pass by as we worked at different spots along the Seine, talking to a lot of different people. I will say, we did see some crazy things too, but hey... that's Paris! At the end of the day we headed back to Saint-Merri to have dinner with our Mission President and his wife, the Munns. This dinner was for all the trainers and included a discussion about how to train and why we are training. It was amazing! We all just sat around the table and chatted. It was one of those unique moments where I wish I could have just stayed there forever. The spirit was so so strong and I felt an enormous amount of love from the Munns. They truly are incredible! We had pizza and salad, and Sœur Munns made brownies for us! Not just any brownies, but American brownies made from the Ghirardelli mix from Costco! All I can is that it's been a looooooong time since I've had an American desert, or food for that matter, and I felt like I was in a York Peppermint Patty commercial when I ate that brownie.... 😉 

After savoring our desert, we chatted for a bit and I enjoyed catching up with the missionaries I was in the MTC with, as well as those I have worked with these past 10 months. 

When Friday came, we basically had the whole day to work in Paris! We started the day with our studies in the family history center, then enjoyed eating lunch in front of the Olympic rings. Afterward we walked to the Eiffel Tower to work a bit, and ended our day at the Park of Luxembourg. I promise we do actually work and talk to people. 🤣  In between all these fun stops, we talked to some really cool people! On one occasion while waiting for the metro to come, Sœur Leech just turned to a lady and we started talking to her! When she realized we were Christian too she got sooooooo excited and just started raving about how much Christ means to her! The metro arrived and she told us that we could still talk to her on the metro, in fact she was even making sure there was room for all of us to fit and continue talking. We ended up giving her a Book of Mormon which she was so so excited about, and she showed us that she carries her Bible wherever she goes! She was adorable and the conversation was pretty amazing! Unfortunately, we had to get off first, but as the train went by she was holding the Book of Mormon close to her chest and waving as she went by! Our day came to a close at the Garden of Luxembourg where we got caught in the rain as we walked home, but honestly, after such a wonderful day with so many incredible people I didn't even care and enjoyed it! 

Saturday was THE DAY! Saturday I met my new companion! That morning Soeur Leech and I had to get to the mission home, so we took a train to the other side of Paris and from there we walked from the gare to the mission home. It was kind-of a difficult trip as we hauled our suitcases across rocks and dirt and even in a bit of rain, BUT we finally made it, so let the fun 

begin! We got there as all the new missionaries were finishing up their personal study. We sat down and President and Sœur Munns gave a little devotional and then we did the secteur reveal! My companion is Soeur Letourneau and she is from Plano/Murphy Texas! How crazy is that! She is also a dancer and she is so much fun! After a few other presentations and lunch, it was time for the trek back home! We all (17 équipes) went to the gare together, took the metro back to one of the main gares in Paris, then all split to the various gares that would take us to the trains heading to our own secteurs. Crazy, I know! 4 and half hours later of pure travel, we finally got back to Toul in one piece, and with all our luggage in tact! 

We actually had a cool experience while waiting at the gare for our train to Toul. We were sitting with two other Elders just talking about the mission and shooting the breeze. There was a guy sitting right next to me who kept looking at his train ticket. I had a feeling I needed to talk to him, so I turned and started asking him where he was going in French. He then looked kind of confused so I asked if he spoke English! He did! We started to have a casual conversation and I found out he is from Nigeri, heading to Metz to visit a friend for three month. He then asked why I am here and I told him that I am a missionary for my church. He too was so excited that I am Christian because he is a Christian too. I just love how excited people get when they find other Christians here! I happened to have some English Books of Mormon with me...which I never really carry them around...only French! #Miracle I took one out and started explaining it to him. He was so interested and physically turned towards me to learn more. He accepted it so excitedly, then turned to my new companion and told her to start testifying of the Book of Mormon as well, and it was so incredible! It felt like deja vu with our friend from the day before, as we left and said goodbye, watching him wave to us with the Book of Mormon still in hand. Heading towards home, Soeur Letourneau kept talking about how cool that experience was! Yep! I guess it's pretty cool talking to everyone about Jesus Christ. 😉 I love being a missionary!
Phew! We've made it to the end of the week! But it is now official! I am a "mother" and I have a bleu! My companion is so cute and I am so excited about this next transfer! Toul needs some new fire and I am so excited to see what we do together! 

Spiritual Thought

This week I was reading in chapter 46 of Alma in the Book of Mormon when it talks about the Title of Liberty. I just love this chapter so much because it shares Captain Moroni declaring to everyone why they are fighting and what they are fighting for. At this point in Alma there are a lot of battles happening in the Book of Mormon as a result of pride and gain. Captain Moroni decided to create the Title of Liberty to declare and remind the people what is truly important and what he and his army are fighting for, as well as the blessings of being called a Christian:

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. 

And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—

For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church." ( Alma 46:12-14) 

They fought for their families, their liberties, and for their God. Because they valued these above that of worldly things, and because they decided to put their faith in God, they where blessed. What are you fighting for in your daily and worldy battles? What matters the most to you? Create your own Title of Liberty! In French it is called the "Standard of Liberty" and personally I like that more. What is your Standard of Liberty, the standard you life by and fight for everyday?
I am so thankful for each and everyone of you! I appreciate all your emails! I promise I read them all, I am just not good at responding. 😅 Know how much I love you!

À Bientôt ! - Soeur Hansen💕

In case you didn't know, my Grandpa Don is a HUGE John Wayne fan - so Grandpa, this one is just for you!!