8/1/2016 0 Comments Packing Up Again!Happy August Everyone!!
Well everyone, transfer calls have officially been made. As certain as I was that I would be staying in V-D'Ascq... Looks like I will be spending my birthday in PARIS!! I'm pretty stoked. I will continue to serve as an STL over the Paris and Nancy zones. My companion is none other than the famous Soeur Weckesser!! I have had my fingers crossed tightly that I would have the chance to serve with her before she "died." I cut it close but I made it into her last two transfers! :) I am sad to leave Lille after only twelve weeks but I am excited to see what miracles are waiting in Paris :) I am also really, really stoked because the Paris STLS run the Churches visitors center in Paris!! But I have to admit, the best part of it all was when the ward planned a big "going home" dinner for me after my "farewell talk" in church and then realized I was only half way through my mission hahahaha. So cute, and too funny! I am sure going to miss this ward! Between exchanges in Liege, Zone activity, our zone formation, transfer calls, finding day, AND packing my suitcases, Sœur Corneta and I haven't even had a moment to sit down until today haha. With that, I don't have much time to write an elaborate group email because we still have tooonnnnsss to do. I will try to fit in as many miracles as I can, but I'm going to have to be a little less creative in my email organization this week. :) Laurence's Miracle: A little Flash to the past-- We found an ami named Laurence a couple weeks ago in our area book and decided to give her a call. She went CRAZY on us for about 35 minutes about how "NOT-interested" she was. A simple "No" would have sufficed, hah. After several times of trying to politely say goodbye, my thumb was getting closer and closer to the end button. Then, the spirit reminded me of the power of prayer... I tried one last time to interrupt, "Laurence, we understand you don't want to meet with us...But, we would like to leave you with one last prayer as a reminder of where you can always turn for peace." Confused, but touched by the offer, she said yes and listened closely to the prayer. When it was finished, she was silent for about 3 minutes. We kept checking the phone to see if she had hung up on us. Then, she says humbly... "I'm sorry. I won't be here this week, but how about you come over next Tuesday?" A goal I have made for this new transfer is to focus on being bold in inviting people to be baptized. Soeur Corneta and I were given this topic for our first Zone formation together. But, in order to effectively teach it, we needed to do it! As we were praying for inspiration, Laurence came to mind. We were going to see her for the first time the next day and as soon as we finished praying I looked at Soeur Corneta and said, "We are going to invite Laurence to be baptized tomorrow morning!!" I was so excited I could hardly sleep. The next day we had our first lesson with Laurence and the spirit there was outstanding! By the end of the lesson all three of us were in tears and hugging each other (and French people don't hug!)... We were bold! We were direct!...SHE SAID YES! A Follow up Miracle--Sammy! This weekend one of Sammy's friends came to visit from Iran and we all had the opportunity to go out for dinner and a missionary lesson, Woot woot! During dinner we were able to teach Sammy's friend our special message of the Restoration that we are here to share. As we taught, her eyes just lit up and she says..."That is absolutely the most beautiful thing I have ever heard." We now have THREE skype investigators in Iran!! There are SO many people who are ready to hear the gospel! A Change of Heart--Yahma Saturday we got together with the other missionaries here and several members to do a little finding together. We started by setting up our "Meet the Mormons" posters dead center of the "Grand Place" here in Lille. The goal is that the people see the posters and contact us. It usually works out pretty nicely because the ones who stop are usually people who are interested in what we have to say... Usually... Other times you have people like Yahma who just come up to yell at you and tell you that you're completely wrong and going to Hell. After listening to that for about 20 minutes, the "Wyson" in me had finally had enough... If only he knew what he had just unleashed... I threw my hand up, Palm facing him and said something along the lines of... “That's enough. For the past 20 minutes you have been launching questions at me. Questions to which I have the answers to, and yet, you refuse to give me even a moment to respond. If you're here to receive answers, be quiet and listen. If you're here simply to argue with me, I'm not interested. We have people waiting for us who would like their questions to be answered so please excuse us, we need to go. But, if you sincerely would like answers, you can come to our church tomorrow morning at 9:30 am. But if you come, you are coming because you have a sincere desire to learn and you are coming with an open heart ready to listen.” Then I wrote down the church address and handed it to him. He stared at me, shocked for a moment (I don't think he expected that to come out of the little Mormon girl in a pink dress standing in front of him)... Then, he says..."I will be there tomorrow." Without saying anything, I reached out my hand to him to "shake on it." He shook my hand and I said simply, "à demain" (at tomorrow). The next day, I stood up in church to give my farewell address. Then, to my surprise, Yahma walked in, waved discretely, and sat down on the back row. He stayed for the full three hours and was so incredibly touched by the spirit. The ward even presented him with his very first Book of Mormon during Sunday school and he could hardly catch his breath he was so so SOOO happy. He made a promise then and there that he was going to read it and pray about it to know if he needs to be baptized. I couldn't believe the change that was made it his heart. I just wanted to get up and dance I was so excited! Later on, everyone was asking him what is was that made him decide to come yesterday and all he could come up with was... "I don't actually know... I guess she convinced me. Have you ever tried to argue with her? It's impossible. She's too good. *looks at me* Have you ever thought about doing Sales? Or Law?" Hahaha. It made me laugh. Though hopefully he will soon realize that I'm not the convincing one but that it is only by the spirit that we are able to speak with such conviction. "And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.(1 Nephi 10:22)" "...then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men (D&C 11:21)." This past month of focusing on the Christlike attribute "Faith in Jesus Christ" has been absolutely incredible. The miracles that come flooding in when you act on the faith you have in Jesus Christ are outstanding. I can't believe it is already time to add in, "Hope!" This month I will be focusing on having Hope, the second Christlike attribute. :) "Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement. The scriptures often describe hope in Jesus Christ as the assurance that you will inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom.” (Preach my Gospel) With that, I HOPE you all have a wonderful week full of faith, hope, and miracles! :) Je vous aime beaucoup ! Bisous, Sœur Wyson
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Tracie WysonI feel very honored to have had the opportunity to serve as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the France, Paris Mission. Archives
April 2017
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