Je veux juste commencer en disant (I just want to start by saying)...I love everything about life as a missionary. That doesn't mean that everything about missionary life is fun, simple, easy, happy, or enjoyable. But that's just life! It's mostly just how much I've learned that the Lord's hand is in every tiny aspect of our lives, and seeing His hand or even just recognizing it, brings me so much happiness and hope.
There is a quote in Preach My Gospel that, the first time I read it (meaning as a bleue) I wrote it down and stuck it up by the other pictures and stuff I have hanging above my desk. I've been trying to apply in my life ever since. I haven't quite gotten it down to perfection, but I'm improving every single day. You know, the whole "two steps forward, one step backwards" deal. Still imperfect, yet still improving. Anyway, so this quote says, "Forget yourself, and get lost in this great cause...Live the gospel of Jesus Christ." This week, I have really been trying to (well, especially trying to) apply this. How can I think less about myself? How can I truly live the gospel? How do I apply the principles of the gospel, the ones that I teach people about every single day, to my own personal life?
Mimi, our adorable amie, has been receiving more than a little opposition to her baptism next week. I've been thinking about this a lot because I couldn't decide whether it was a sign that she should wait, or opposition from Satan. Okay, duh Soeur Pettingill, someone doesn't want her to be baptized. That's a normal thing. But anyway, me being my imperfect self, I was doubting. She understands the gospel. She is applying the process of repentance in her life. She is learning, growing, becoming better. And Satan really doesn't like that, and he's making it really hard for us to teach her everything she needs to know before next week. But I've noticed that as I focus on living the gospel, I'm fighting back.
It is an eternal truth that Satan will always be fighting against anything good in life, especially if it has anything to do with us making eternal covenants like baptism or an eternal marriage. We just have to FIGHT BACK. This entire week I've seen Satan fighting hard at me over and over and over...
Fernande's nephew committed suicide in the same way that her own son did.
Emma is on vacation for the next two weekends.
Mimi has a fever. Or a rdv that goes too long. Or the member family we're with doesn't let us teach our lesson.
Nadia is too busy.
So we've been try our hardest to fight back by throwing giant bricks at Satan's face. We serve. We bring them cookies. We buy their groceries. We send them notes to let them know that they're loved. And as I live the gospel, as I fight back with everything that I have, I'm forgetting myself. I'm finally thinking less about myself. And it brings me so much HAPPINESS. Satan will always be fighting, but so will I. Thank goodness Heavenly Father gave us everything we need to win :)
Also, tomorrow means I've been a missionary for 14 months...?
Love,
Soeur Katie Pettingill
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| we also had the opportunity to pick up my carte de sèjour (yay for being legal!) in Paris. Which of course meant a pain aux raisins (for you, Mom) |
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| cool new 10 euro bill |
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| last pday was sunny, so we decided to profiter and visited the castle :) |
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| the eiffel tower (including the people selling mini eiffel towers just under it) |
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| we also celebrated Halloween with our mini pumpkin and americanish pâtisseries |
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| These were put up the day of Halloween. Oh boy, it's starting! |
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