Dear Family,
It feels great to be back on the grind. We've had
a fun week getting to know the area and seeing members and talking to everyone!
Lyon is the capital of our mission and the 3rd largest city in France.
We live on the metros and trams. So thats where we make a lot of our living
finding when we aren't with members.
Of the 4 wards in the Lyon area,
we have the more ghetto side, but the sector is really large and there are just
so many people from all over that we meet everyday.
The district is doing well. I really love being a district
leader, its great to have such a personal involvement with each of the
missionaries. And has I strive to the end here all I want to do is pass on
everything I've learned to those around me. That's my mindset here, is to really
lift everyone around me up.
The ward is great. A bit odd, but hey
what ward isn't odd. We visited Fr. Girard an older recent convert from
Guadeloupe. Really loving and supportive of us and fed us coconuts.
On Tuesday, we got a call from the elders in another lyon
ward, telling us about a man that had come to church in their ward on Sunday but
who lives in our sector. His name is Larry and he is Nigerian. Apparently really
sincere and whats to join the right church. However this week he's been a bit
hard to reach seeing has how its his first week in france and he's living with
his sisters phone.
The big miracle this week was with a man named
Francis. We met him Friday. Friday was the first of may. In france its labor
day. And EVERYTHING IS SHUT DOWN (most importantly all the public transport).
Its almost like Christmas but without the Pere Noels. Anyways so the rdvs we had
intentionally set for that day had fallen through that morning. We spent the
afternoon going by Less actif members in our area. We had walked up to the
border of our sector in the heart of Lyon. It was raining and windy and rather
cold. There was a man that had been walking behind us for a while that had
awkwardly been trying to pass that finally did so but I said bonjour to him and
struck up convo in the middle of the rain. We talked to him for 35 min in the
cold rain. His brother is member of the church, and served a mission. He has met
missionaries a few times in the road but always felt to intimidated to go
further with them. But he has this great desire to change but doesnt have the
faith to do it. He wouldn't accept another time to see us which was sad. But I
felt like he really needed to hear from us. That this was another chance the
Lord was giving him. We left him with a card and the commitment to call us on
Sunday. Rarely do people call if given a card. Thats last resort in street
contacting. But sure enough we got a call from him halfway through sunday
school, and talked with him later last night, and he decided that he needs to
meet with us next Sunday, because he said he knows we have something that he
needs. Really neat! I was so grateful for such a huge miracle. Pray for
Francis!
We've yet to confirm skype plans. It'll be around 1pm East coast (what time
is your church?) I'll confirm tomorrow.
Elder William Montgomery
