Turns out a great way to contact people here in Versailles/Paris is to be down to take grammar corrections and occasionally learn some new words. Our new Ami, a guy we'll call N, is Lebanese and taught Arabic for years before he ended up here. Our lesson was already awesome due to some cool things, at the same time as it was kinda weird, but as soon as I mentioned I'd like to learn Arabic someday he got really involves in the lesson. "The Book" is "El Quitabe," now I've just got to get him to teach me the "of mormon" part. And "thank you" is "shakran."
I've had some good contacts by letting my American accent get through and just saying random stuff like "I really like the rain, I don't have much of that in my home city!" And then, because rh3 climate here is like Portland and it is raining ALL. THE. TIME, people talk to me to figure out 1. Where on earth I live that I enjoy this rain and 2. How long I've been here that I'm not sick of it yet and 3. Why I'd want to be here this long in the rain just talking about a religion. Alternatively, they want to speak in English with me because they're bored, or they think my French is funny and listen really closely so they can help me along with what I'm saying.
Our investigator A is doing really well recently, she's so cute and has a hard time sometimes with church or understanding why we're asking her to do things like go to church or not drink green tea, but she does it. That's the reverse of a lot of people, she has NO clue why she's doing it but she is going to try. This week in sacrament meeting she read her book of Mormon and made notes in the margins. It was so cool! And then we had a huge principals of the gospel class since we had our 4 amis there, 6 other missionaries and their amis/friends, our awesome DMP/teacher, and some helpful members and new converts, so A and I ended up on two chairs on the side instead of at the table since she doesn't do crowded we'll, which I get. She had to help me find the scriptures and point on the page in french and was trying to explain it to me, since Frere G speaks French to make an auctioneer proud, so she was super involved in the lesson and asked lots of questions and gave answers.
We took preach my gospel's advice and tried praying to find not just those who are searching or ready themselves, but those whose ancestors are waiting for somebody to do their work for them. I'm sure that's how we found N, and a few other people as well. Online and in person! We're not alone, we have a family that goes into eternity farther than we can comprehend and that is really cool.
Online has been a rodeo for a few days since the conference protesters are gearing up, but a few grumpy people have turned out to be good contacts and people end up with legit questions. The gospel essays are awesome! The DNA one explains so much about things I kept getting questions on and didn't know, and the book of Mormon translation questions are easy to answer now too. We also have younger members coming on asking why the protesters are there, or for advice preparing for a mission.
One of our mission goals is "have the courage and faith to see miracles." We see them all the time here! Today a security guard at the mall we buy groceries stopped us because he saw my nametag. Turns out he's passed the temple, somehow has a book of Mormon at home, and didn't realise the Mormons believed in Christ too. He wants to bring his daughter by the temple soon to see if she likes it. We've had multiple people stop us first on the bus, metro, mall, or stations, always when We're least expecting it. Another miracle, we have rockstar members who are ready to help each other, and they've been getting new converts to the temple and making sure our amis are included, and we wouldn't have been able to teach N without one of the young sisters in the ward who is awesome, an RM who served in tahiti. Another miracle, my notebook showed up in the Paris chapel! No idea how it got there but I have all my notes from the MTC now!
Challenge of the week: invite somebody to use the Mormon.org chat. Tour the website yourself, see how it works, watch the cute videos, maybe even make a family home evening out of it!
There was a training for us a few days ago about how important it is, and what they're going to be doing with it. Never thought I'd be on tech as much as I am on my mission, it is SO important! We found out it's almost completely sisters now, there's only about 10 elders still allowed to do it. (Apparently studies said sisters are calmer with spicy people, and people are just generally more willing to talk to us.) A lot of missions are going to be using online tools more, including Facebook and even some other social media depending on the mission. We teach lessons over Facebook calls at least weekly.
Just saw Elder Nelson again at the mall! That's three weeks in a row! The only comment he had was "How??"
Also, fun fact, we can see the Eiffel tower from the train right now and we can see it almost every time we take tragee to an appointment. Good times.
Fun part, cool members have given the VC sisters treats a few times. Had my first ever maccaron from an American sister who dropped off a box at the VC! It's silly but it makes our day every time, since We're volunteers we try not to spend money on that stuff often. Also, don't worry mom, it's once in a blue moon so not dying of sugar.
French flour is extremely different and cookies turned out super weird. Shortbread works great, using that for personal touches and challenges for the members, chocolate chip cookies are going to need some work. Our district elders seemed to like them, though, and so did our DMP who finished his whole Tupperware before he got out of the chapel. That was hillarious.
Gotta go, love you all, be safe and have fun! Sorry for quick messy emails!
- Soeur Alyssa Amott
March 12
The transfer sheet got here last night! I'm still with Soeur Oules training for another transfer, which is very nice. Don't need to change anything and we get the Anthony soeurs in our apartment! There are two new VC sisters arriving Wednesday so we're pretty excited.
Been an interesting week, trying to get to the Louvre now so another short email written while walking or being motion sick. Good times. Soeur Bossel contacted somebody and gave her a Book of Mormon while I was trying to find my ginger, so it was pretty successful!
Seeing more miracles with our amis and general mission stuff.
A is doing great and making so much progress! She's accepted a baptismal date! She even waved at a baby, we are so proud of her. A few of our amis like A are extremely shy but my complete clulessness has been a blessing in helping them open up. They're not embarrassed to ask basic questions or admit to not understanding when I still talk about my horses (hair) getting in my mouth when the wind blows, or ask a blessing for somebody's liver. (Love you, Soeur Marchant!) In the franglais of A, "we are both here, (about a foot from the floor,) and we learn together. Yes." They speak no church, I speak no French, it's perfect. The spirit still comes through.
My French is getting better, though. We're trying to only speak french outside our apartment except for when we're teaching in English at the VC (which is pretty often.)
Had a GREAT talk this last week at a fireside, all about family history work and how it's important for us too. There's a video from rootstech I'd add if I had service, it was amazing! If you can find it it's the "we matter" one. Quote of the night from a 12 year old: "I took my great great grandma to the temple, we had a great time."
First challenge of the week: find a family member who needs something done and have a little party for them. Get ice cream, make it fun. We celebrate our baptisms, we can do the same thing for our loved ones.
Challenge #2: Spend a family night on family tree and add some stories. Stories about grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles, anyone who has passed on. They get forgotten so easily and they're a great missionary tool too.
Out of time because talking to people on train but love you all!!!
March 19
World's fasted missionary email coming now, love you all.
Spiritual dynamite- Family history and temple work.
AWESOME VIDEO, share with everyone or on social media. We are matter, and we matter, and all of that matters (try translating that into french, I dare you)
Our ancestors and loved ones help us and help our work.
Okay got two rendez-vous and gotta catch a train, I love you all, be safe and have fun and thank you for the cat pictures! Also, say hi to Masa for me and tell my siblings to email me!
Bisous!
Home ward: #6289
alyssa.amott@myldsmail.net
La Mission Francaise de Paris
Soeur Alyssa Grace Amott
131 Boulevard Carnot
78110 Le Vesinet, France
France has huge customs fees that will be billed to the missionaries if they receive a package listed at a value of more than $15. Please do not send anything by mail with a value of more than this. A package can be upward of $65 EXTRA charged to the missionaries to pick it up from customs.
If you send items from Amazon.UK or Amazon.FR these fees for the missionaries do not apply for them to pick up. The mission home suggests if you would like to send something nice, that rather we can add money onto her personal account and you send a letter or email saying what to use it for or to use Amazon.UK or Amazon.FR with a gift note.
(I sent Alyssa a crockpot on Amazon.fr-Amazon's france page so there is no customs fee! Apparently crock pots aren't a thing in France and I can't imagine busy missionaries not having one)
(lots and lots of zuchinni)
(Grandma Petersen's song)
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