Bonjour!

So this transfer our zone is trying to really focus on tender mercies

that we see each day. It's been so amazing to see how many times we

can see the Lord's hand in our lives each day by just watching for the

little things. One of my favorite tender mercies happened on Friday.

So in the south of France it's getting pretty hot and we figured we'd

treat ourselves to some ice cream. We stopped by this little Italian

place by our apartment that sells gelato and we started talking to one

of the brothers who owns the place. He was super nice and was super

interested about what we did as missionaries! We had to get running

but we told him we'd come back next week to chat some more and before

we left he sent us home with a bunch of free Italian food!!!

We also were able to find an awesome ami this week, her name in

Gertrude. All the missionaries in the ward are trying to pass ALL the

less actives in our ward this transfer so that we can find those lost

sheep and update our records haha. Anyways, we passed this one less

active that lives pretty close to chez-nous. He wasn't home but his

wife was! So let us in right away and immediately got out her bible

and said ok, I'm ready to learn! So we explained who we were and what

we did and she's super interested! She told us that we could come by

whenever we wanted because we were her copines! That means girlfriends in

French haha. She's so wonderful so I'm excited to see what happens

with her.

There's another less active that we've been working with. His name is

Frère Roland. He's this cute little old man that got baptized about 30

years ago and then kinda fell through the cracks and no one has seen

him since. We've been teaching him the missionary lessons again since

its been so long since he's been taught. He listens so well and loves

everything we teach! And best thing of all, he came to church with us

this week for the first time in 25 years! It was the best! He loved

answers questions during gospel principles class and getting to know

the members.

So this week I was sitting in church and really realized how much I

love the members in this ward! I was thinking back to my first

transfer when I thought that everything was so different and how all

these French people were super weird. I have no clue what changed but

I truly love the members. The ward is far from perfect but each member

tries their best and they truly love us missionaries. I am so lucky to

get to serve in the Portes des Alples ward!

Je vous amie beaucoup!

Hi everyone! 

So.. it is HOT here in Lyon! This is the hottest summer they've had in over ten years, lucky us right. Haha its been crazy! Our mission president sent out a talk that he wants us all to read by President Packer. It's a talk that was given at a mission president conference and in part of it he says how it's always good weather where we are. Like if it's pouring raining out look at the fact that people might let us in when we knock on their door when usually they normally wouldn't and it's the same thing with this crazy heat! I was contacting the other day and one couple walked by and were super not interested but then they came back because they felt bad because its so hot and I was just trying to be nice. We ended up having a great conversation! And when we pass less actives usually most of them aren't interested but lately they've been feeling bad for us because we probably look like we want to die so they invite us in for a drink of water! So it's always good weather to do missionary work! 

A way that Sr. Bolanos have been keeping cool is before we go out for a day we put a damp towel in the freezer and then when we come home it's super cool and and frozen. We sleep with it at night and we've been having super good sleeps! #desperatetimes #keepingcoolonabudget

Also, President Brown arrived this week! I'm not supposed to meet him until the 14th buuuuut some little birdies named the office elders told me and Sister HUrd (one of my STLs) that him and Sister Brown would be dropping by the office at 1 the other day. We all of the sudden had to go to the office to get supplies and we just happened to go by at 1 haha. They both are very kind so I'm excited to see what happens. We were all kinda scared that he would come and crack the whip and be no fun but he's very nice so I think us missionaries will survive. 

Some cool miracles from this week. Do you all remember that guy I contacted a few months ago. No? Let me try to be more specific haha. So he's the one me and Soeur Benitez contacted and then we found out after that he had been planning on commiting suicide that day but changed his mind because he talked to us. So we had taught him a few times but totally lost contact with him. I was super sad and I would try to call him randomly but nothing. UNTIL the other day! HE CALLED US!!!!!!!! He told us how he ahd been in Belgium for a month so couldn't contact us BUT he's FINISHED reading the WHOLE book of mormon! That's right! I freaked out! I'm so excited! We're going to see him this week! He's so great! Ah I love him! 

Also, remember our ami Baptiste? So we've been continuing to teach him but this past week we've just been having some great lessons. Something we try to do as missioanries is not just be teachers but be friends with our amis. Sometimes it's hard to create that relationship but this week with Baptiste we've been having breakthroughs! We've been able to have way more fun in our lessons and now he sees us twice a week instead of just once! We're having an FHE with them this week so we get to play some games with them as well. It makes missionary work so much eaiser and way more fun when we have these friendhsips. I love it! 

Je vous aime beaucoup! 

Soyez sage

Soeur Kearney

So the bishop asked me to make a calendar for the members so they

would feed us more and I tried to help the members which missionaries

were which so I drew all of us! Haha I clearly was not blessed with

the talent of drawing. The members thought it was funny though

On the train going back to meet out companions! #trainsareourlife

#europemissions

Exchange with Soeur gerritsen!

So after our exchange Soeur gerritsen and I went to pick up my

companion and then Soeur Bolaños and I were going to take the train

back to Lyon. The sisters were late though so we had to take 2

different trains to get back to Lyon and we had a stop in the ghost

town! NO ONE was around! So Soeur Bolaños and I went exploring while

we waiting for the train.

Ghost town

Cute little street in ghost town

Selfie in ghost town

We tried to catch this train but it didn't work... Plus that little

dude was creepy

On our second train we ran into the elders who had also gotten

stranded in a little town! Lucky we were with them because we didn't

get home till 11! #brokecurfew #itsokwewerewiththezoneleaders

So when I first got to Europe everyone had these caddies and I was

like wow, this is so weird! Buuuut now I love them! They're so handy!

This is Frère Roland! I love him so much!

We went walking through a flower market before catching our train to

l'isle d'abeau

Mangez-vous with la famille Tron

Train selfie!

Soeur Bolaños and I have been trying to sparc ( sparc is a thing

president Roney started and it means like that cool feeling you get

when someone says something nice or does something special for you. It

just sparcs you up!)  of missionaries this week. So we heart attacked

the STLs!

This is the free Italian food we got! That one that looks like dog

food... Ya it tasted like dog food as well. The rest was super good

though!!!

So it was Canada Day this week! I was on exchange with my STL and so

we had a little celebration!

So did I mention it's hot? This is elder Taylor's back. The marks are

sweat stains from where his backpack was.

Family history contacting activity!

So I left my towel in a little too long and it was a solid ice cube. I

slept great though!

Also this week was the 4th of July. Since there are many more american

missionaries then Canadian the had a bbq with all the members in Lyon

to celebrate the 4th of July!

Elder Dupre on the grill!

Lyon sisters!

Me and Robert on the metro! Robert is one of our recent converts sons.

He's the cutest!