It's a Wonderful Life (Katie-Mulhouse)

Hi wonderful family!

I'm seriously in such a good mood. It was a hard week, but a such a GREAT week at the same time! We had a LOT happen this week, actually. Mirjana...oh Mirjana...she's had a baptismal date for 30 Novembre, but she told us a few days ago that she can't do it without the support of Nijas. She wants SO badly to have a normal family that goes to church and that does family night each Monday night and she wants SO badly to be baptized. But she doesn't feel like she can stop smoking without the support of Nijas who smokes and drinks a. lot. Ah I am SO grateful for a dad who supports our family. Who has a job. Who actually takes care of his kids. Who has a relationship with Jesus Christ. I know I need to be Christ-like and just love him, but he just makes me so frustrated. He does nothing. He's never home with his kids. And he makes Mirjana feel like she's a bad person because she just wants to yell at him all the time. Please PLEASE  pray that he will have a cœur adouci (soft heart) and have not just the desire to change, but the will to.

Some good news though, XHOANA AND ARDIAN CAN GET BAPTIZED!!! We called Pres, and he gave us the go ahead with their baptism. Apparently you don't have to be a legal citizen to be baptized :) Continue to pray that their demande d'asile (request for asylum) will go well, and that they will be able to stay in France. Their date is 6 decembre right now. Right before transfers. I just love them so much. We had a family night with them last night at a member's home, and they just GET it. You know?? Xhoana even told us, I'm so ready to be baptized! Yeah, they're so cool. I sent a picture of me, Sr. Hafen, and them and Marjan who is also getting baptized on the 6th last week I think. I love them so much.

We also met this new adorable family! The mom's name is Mimi, and she has two little boys, Victor and Ishmael. It was actually the Elders who met her originally, but they passed her to us because she isn't married. She's just so ready to receive the gospel!! Sr. Hafen and I decided that we love Africans. They're already so humble and ready for the gospel, it makes our job a lot easier ;) AND get this. Her native language is Takitaki (like literally, it's pronounced talkie-talkie). I laugh out loud everytime!! Yes, it's a real language. But yeah she's so cute :)

We also had EXCHANGES this week! And this week we got to go to Torcy, which is right outside of Paris! My second exchanges ever :) I was with Sœur Mataalii (Mat-ah-lee-ee). She's Samoan origin, but is from LA area and knows Simi Valley! She's like Tiana Clements, though, in that she's tiny! It was so fun. I learned so much. Sr. Mataalii only has a transfer and a half LEFT (the opposite of me) and it was so fun to go contacting with someone on the other end of a mission. Her French is beautiful, and we had a blast! We didn't have any lessons planned, but we met lots of awesome people. We also ate lunch at Hector's Chicken (kind of like Chick-Fil-A) and it was super yummy.

They have this sauce here called Samurai sauce and it's SO good with chicken. It's kind of like fry sauce, but spicy. :) Later, because it was officially Sr. Hafen's HALFWAY POIINT OF HER MISSION, we had to each get a religieuse for the train ride home.

It was super yummy! Kind of like a cream puff filled with chocolate except better. We also got to try choucrout (shoe-croot) this week! It was a mangezvous with a member. It's an alsacien specialty here, and everyone tells us we have to try it. And now we have!

It was pretty yummy, too! We got to try 5, yes FIVE, different types of meat. Plus the choucrout, which is like this noodley stuff that kind of has a sour taste to it. It was good though! I like Mulhouse. ;)

We did have a little experience I wanted to share with you all. We met this lady porting one time, and on Tuesday we had a little bit of time before out mangezvous with a member, so we decided to go and see her! Her name is Eva and she said she's been trying to "retrouve" (find) her faith for 7 years. At first she wouldn't even let us pray with her because she said she wasn't ready, but after talking for a while and learning all of the awful things that have happened to her (it's so strange--French people are so closed but just tell you everything about their life at the same time...), we HAD to leave her with a prayer. So we asked her again, and she let us in! And Sr. Hafen asked me to say the prayer, so I did. It was one of those times when the Spirit took over and the words just came. And when I finished, I looked up at Eva and tears were just pouring down her face. She told us thank you, and asked us to come back. She then proceeded to give us her phone number. What a MIRACLE. She's amazing.

Guys, the gospel is true. The Book of Mormon changes lives. It amazes me how incredibly wonderful being a missionary is because of all of the amazing experiences we get to see. I love French and I love Mulhouse and I love the food, but even more importantly, I LOVE this gospel with all my heart and with all my mind and with all my strength. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for teaching me the principles of the gospel. I'm so grateful to have been born in a family with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all so much!! Also, Christmas is coming soon and it also puts me in such a good mood, haha. The decorations are UP here! And Christmas market is open. :) The Alsace Region goes CRAZY for Christmas. And I love it!

Love you all!

Sœur Pettingill

We also had a big family home evening with our amis and some of the Elders amis, and Ardian played the guitar! Cause he's awesome. And we had lots of food. It was fun :)

We visited a less-active (due to health problems), Sr. Casy, this week and she MADE this!!! So obviously I needed a picture.