December 6, 2010

It's a Girl!

Cher tout le monde,
Interesting/fantastic week! I'm loving my mission more and more each day, I'm loving our investigators more every day, I'm loving the ward more every day, and I'm loving the people more every day (even when they yell at me that we're a sect :)). It's amazing how mad some people can get just when you say hi to them on the street! Haha but anyways, this week went really well. Edvin is still on track to be baptized this Saturday!!! (the 11th) He's going to be such a strong member. He's already doing missionary work haha. He talks to all his friends and neighbors about the Church and invites them to church, his baptism, and to meet with us. So all is going well with Edvin still, but I think the highlight of this week goes to our investigator named Marcelline. She is about 35 years old and is from Madagascar. She lives with her little boy named Livio and isn't married. She's super sweet, super humble, and super pregnant. We knew she was going to have a baby sometime soon, but she said it would be near the end of December. Then on Friday night we get a call from her saying that she's in the hospital and that she's having the baby that night! I think she was even having contractions when she called! We had no idea what to say to her haha. We were just shocked (and a little terrified haha) that she called us. Here we are, two 19 year old boys, with no experience at all as far as childbirth goes, and we're the first people she calls. She wanted us to come in that night to visit her before she had the baby, but we had some rendez-vous. Haha I have no idea what we would have done! But anyways, she calls us again the next day to tell us that she had the baby at 11 o'clock Friday night and that it's a girl! Woo hoo! Haha after we talked to her on the phone, we started wondering what we should have said. Elder Blosil kept saying, "I didn't even ask how much it weighed!" Haha, we don't know what to say. But she told us she'd like for us to come visit, so Sunday night we stop by the hospital to visit her. On the way to her room we saw a lady sitting in a chair having contractions. ça m'a fait peur! Haha I never thought I'd be in the maternity section of the hospital on my mission. But we got to her room finally and she was so happy to see us. It was really cool. I felt bad that she had no one else, but I was glad that we were there and I could tell how happy it made her. We took pictures, chatted, shared a spiritual thought, and then we offered to give her a blessing. She said she'd love one, and then when we asked who she would like to give it, she asked me if I would. I was really touched, and probably just as much nervous. I'd only ever given one blessing before this, and it was in English. I prayed so hard that I could express what Heavenly Father wanted me to say in French, and that my lack of ability to speak the language wouldn't impede the blessing. But as soon as I laid my hands on her head and started speaking, my fear left. I felt so natural and at ease. It was really bizarre because I was so anxious before. There wasn't one moment during the blessing when I wanted to express something but I couldn't. To me, it was a miracle. The Spirit was strong, and even if Marcelline hadn't understood anything I said, I know she would have felt the love of her Heavenly Father and heard the things she needed to hear through the Spirit. It's in moments like that one when I realize just how much Heavenly Father loves us. I'm so thankful for the Priesthood that He has given us so he can bless His children through those that hold it. I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father answered my prayers and sent His Spirit to comfort me and make up for my weaknesses in that moment. I have a strong testimony of the Power of the Priesthood and of the hand of the Lord in His work. I see it every day, and it's such a blessing. The hand of the Lord is in all of our lives, and if we look for it, we will see it, and we will see just how blessed we are. I love you all and I'm so thankful for your support. You're amazing!

Bonne semaine!
Elder Tudor