What a fun week!
We actually spent all week in Clermont and made rather good use of our
time. We had some really cool potentials come into the game and are looking
forward to this coming week.
First, the weather is getting sunnier is just wonderful. Everybody's
happier!
A quick update on the amis:
Yao is doing great. He came to church again yesterday, and we taught him
after. (we saw him 4 times this week). As we reviewed the scripture we had left
with him he told us how he feels peace and joy when he reads it and is even
beginning to feel what we've been describing as the Holy Ghost, a warm
particular feeling within him. It was awesome! And he's excited to have a
calling. Really promising.
We saw Matthew once this week. He's super busy with work. However he read
in the Book of Mormon and liked it. He's had a rough past and is still trying to
shake some old habits, but tells us constantly that he's been thinking more and
more about having a family and how he wants to be a father. Really good, but he
has a long way to go to be ready.
We weren't able to see Jia this week, she doesn't seem to be progressing
too well. She struggles to pray.
Decahou is just awesome, comes to church for all 3 hours, participates, has
accepted all the commitments. Just still feels to overwhelmed by work and school
for baptism.
We got to teach a funny potential this week by the name of Sylvain. He is
from the Ivory Coast as well. We gave a tour of the church and he loved it and
then suggested that we go to his friends house to have a discussion (it was just
next to the church building). We go to this big apt. building and into this apt.
where there are two smiley african men watching tv and two woman, one of whom
was doing the weave in the other's hair. Elder Tomlinson was a bit thrown off.
haha we sat down with them and turned off the tv and taught them about the
Restoration of the Gospel. THey are all christian and it was really fun. They
weren't totally convinced, but they enjoyed our company and asked plenty of
questions. We left them two BOMs. They told us they'd come to church on Sunday
seeing as how it was next door, and they said we were always welcome to come
back. Haha its always fun to teach multiple people about the Restoration of
truth which is still happening on the earth.
Now. Buckle up. Thursday we had planned a rdv with a man by the name of
Alexandre, and we had planned to meet him in place Jaude, the big open square in
the middle of downtown. Well he was late and we were left standing for about 30
min. As we were standing ElT noticed a camera in an upstairs window of an apt
overlooking the place and it was pointing at us. AFter standing for a little bit
we decided to move, so just as moved about 15 ft. we saw a woman walk right by
us and two guys start harrassing her. We didn't know what was happening until
they had made it to the tram stop which was about 30 meters away from us. We
were on the tips of our toes ready to go stop it if something happened, but
other people around them soon broke it up and another camerman ran into the
scene. We thought it was a movie at first, but then one of the 'harrassers' ran
up to us and asked if we'd seen what had happened and if we'd be willing to
answer a few questions about it in front of the camera. Sooooooo we said yes.
Just then Alexandre shows up. Haha We figure out it was actually a psychology
experiment about how public reacts to others in danger. Well, a big burly
professor man comes over and stands by us, and the camera comes out and we get
asked a few questions about when did we feel teh danger, what stopped us from
acting, etc. Then they zoomed in on our nametags and asked us if our beliefs
influenced us in how we would've reacted. AND so we taught them about the love
of Christ and our responsability and blessing to love and serve others. (looking
back I wish I wouldve taken better advantage of the sitch but my blood was
pumping.) After the camera got put away the interviewer tells us this will be a
documentary aired on national french public television in 3 weeks.
Woahhhhh.
We said thanks and as we walked away I called president to tell what just
happened. We figured that there wasn't much we could do, he would later text us
saying "hope you didnt embarrass the church :)" hahaha Then we went and taught
Alexandre which went well.
Anyways Saturday we had another ping pong session with the young adults and
one of them brought a family to tour the church building and play ping pong with
us. (This family as well lived just next door to the church but had always
thought it was cult so they never entered, but were completely surprised when
they took the tour. It was a middle aged man named Christophe, his two sons and
his father. Christophe is absolutely hilarious and kept telling us how much he
loves American movies. HE is also a super competitive ping ponger. So my
reputation preceding me, I got nominated to play against him. It was fun, and I
won, and left him feeling excited to come back again next week. But it was a
super fun visit and we're excited for their potential to see if we can teach
them about the Gospel. What a blessing!
So things keep rolling here. Elder Tomlinson and I are doing well. His
french is picking up nicely, still working on teaching unity. The Lord keeps
opening up new avenues for us. He is so concious of us because this is His work.
Its so wonderful the blessings we receive everyday. Faith precedes the miracle.
Its so great to be a missionary.
I love you!
Elder Montgomery
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| We were happy to have the visit from the Assistants, and we got say goodbye to Elder Taylor |
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| Little lunch before our missionary meeting with Fr. Garon. |
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| Ping Pong with Christophe |
