The Spirit Doesn't Sleep In

The Spirit doesn't sleep in: So I mustn't either.

Something about me being A stranger in a foreign land automatically makes me the Missionaries best friend. The sisters, bless their souls, have been trying to get me to go to discussions with them. I want to go, in fact, now that I think about it, I think it was me who suggested the idea in the first place. But, every time they call I am working or way to far away to make it in time. After a week of not hearing from them, I figured they've given up on me. But yesterday I got a call. They invited me to come along to give a Book of Mormon to a new "ami" (friend), at 11am. I was available since it was Wednesday, but 11am? Does the world exist before noon? I will confess that I almost said no so I could use that time to sleep in before I had to go to work at 13:00 but something told me not to. I'm sure looking back now, I know what that feeling was that I felt.

So 10am came and I was up. Okay just kidding, 10:45 came and I was up. After a little walking, four bus stops, ten metro stops and a little more walking later, I arrived at the institute building.

     *Can I talk a moment to add a side note here? In order for me to get to church I have to walk half a mile, hop a bus to the subway station, wait for the next train, sit for 15 minutes and then walk a little more to the building. Total travelling time equals out to be between 30 and 40 minutes depending on how well the buses and metro is timed. I have never realized how lucky I was to grow up in a town where churches are as common as cows. Growing up, I could wake up 15 minutes before and still make it before Sacrament starts. Here, If I'm late, I'm really late. I really took that for granted and now that I'm here I can see that I have had it good. It makes me think of all the faithful saints who choose to spend so much more time travelling than I because of what they believe. I know that the Lord blesses them for that because, if they are anything like me, it's not easy.

So there I was, not the last one to arrive thank goodness but, yes, a little bit late. The Sisters greeted me with a hug and a kiss and shortly after the "ami" arrived. (That's what investigators are called here, I like it so much better because we literally call them 'friends'. It just feels so much more welcoming). In the door comes Michael Jordan. No, not really but he looked like him, so for this blog, we are going to call this ami, Michael. Michael was a man that the sisters met on the Metro on the way to church on Sunday. They invited him along to church with them and he came! Out of interest maybe, or maybe he just had nothing better to do, I don't know. But he stayed the whole time and even asked what this "Book of Mormon" was all about. The sisters set up a time to meet with him again to give him one. This is where I come in.

I don't know why I was there, really. Maybe it was more for me than it was for him. I am not fluent in French, and until a few weeks ago, I didn't know a single religious word in French, not even "Christ" (which is "Christ" by the way, its the same just pronounced differently). I wasn't sure what I had to contribute to this conversation.

And I was right. I just sat there and listened. The sisters asked about his religious background and what he believed. They asked why he thought there were so many churches on this Earth instead of just one. They shared what they were doing in France and that they were there to teach His word. They explained how we pray to 'Notre Pere Celeste" (Our Heavenly Father), and that it's not anything that we recite or memorize, but a conversation.

Then they asked Michael what he was looking for in life. Now, his accent was heavy and he slurred a lot of his words, I'm not sure even the sisters understood everything he said. But, from what  could gather he was looking for somewhere safe. Being from Algeria, he came here for refuge and work. But for some reason or another, he ended up in jail for a time. He talked a lot about prison. I don't know what, but he said the word "prison" a lot. Now that he is out, he has no direction he feels.

Full of the Spirit, Sister Carter, (who hails from Eagle, Idaho by the way), shared with him that he has already demonstrated a large amount of Faith in our Father. He was very familiar already with the bible, and just the fact that he was willing to meet again with the missionaries today was a great leap of faith on his part. She explained that our Heavenly Father has always been with him and is proud of him. Then she said something profound. Maybe not for you, but I could tell it meant something to this man because his eyes welled up with tears. She said that the Lord will help him restart his life after prison. That with his help, Michael can start over and learn his path in life.

What a thing to say. Just watching him made me a little emotional too. I don't know how the sisters can have experiences like this and not cry their eyes out every time. He was touched, I could tell that her words had struck a cord.

Then she handed him the Book of Mormon and shared with him the last chapter in Moroni that encourages all who read to pray to know if the book is true. She showed him the introduction and the testimony of the three witnesses and invited him to read it on his own time. He seamed eager, and I know that he will.

Then, Sister Carter turned to me. Uh-oh, she wanted me to speak?! In French? But, at that moment, I wasn't scared. Normally I get shakey and my voice trembles when I'm nervous, but that didn't happen because I wasn't nervous. The Spirit was with me and I knew just what to say, and how to say it.

This is what I said:

On faites, cet semaine, j'ai lu Le Livre De Mormon pour le sixeme fois. Je trouve que chaque foi je lis, je trouve quelquechose de nouveau. Je trouve un nouveau verset que je pense que je n'ai jamais lu avant, ou une nouvelle histoire ou un événement que je ne me souviens pas. Mais chaque fois que je lis, je ressens la même, qui ne change jamais. Je me sens la paix et la compréhension.

Then he asked if I had a passage that I liked the best. Wow, that blanked my mind out real quick. My actual favorite scripture is in the Doctrine and Covenants and doesn't pertain at all to what we were talking about and as much as I loved Seminary, I didn't really put much time into memorizing all the Scripture Mastery. (Yes, Brother Smith, I am kicking myself now). Thinking quickly, I pulled out my phone and opened my handy dandy....scripture app! "C'est pratique" I said as I was trying to figure out what to do. Let's go to Moroni, he always has something good to say. Luckily I had underlined a scripture in my previous reading. It was short and sweet so I choose it. Moroni 10: 18. The sweet sister looked it up in her French version and then slyly gave me a thumbs up indicating that I had chosen a good one. 

     "And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of         Christ"

Good one, no?

Something special happened today. I don't know quite what this man felt but I know things were changing inside him. I don't know if this will go anywhere, but he did agree to meet again.

But no, the miracle that happened today was in me. I have three years of French under my belt, which has helped a lot. But, until three weeks ago, I didn't even know how to say "Christ" in french. And yet, I understood every single word that the sisters spoke. Every. Word. I followed along easily never having to stop to translate it in my head. It was effortless, really. Me! And whats so wonderful about it is that now I, who heard all of this pass in a completely different language, can translate it and pass it along to all those who would otherwise never have known. I'm like the Urim and Thummium!

But see, that just goes to show how amazing the Lords church is. It's the same throughout all the Earth no matter what language it is in. And how great is His Spirit that allowed me to be able to understand everything that was spoken as well. I know it was the Spirit because right after I left, I stopped at a market and the cashier said something to me and I didn't understand a single thing he said. I just stared and he laughed.

Several things took place today that made me so humble to be a part of this Church. I got to be a missionary today and my heart is so full because of that. I admire the Missionaries so much who dedicated 18-24 months of their lives to experience things like this everyday. I admire them so much.

I realize that this was a very Mormon related post, and all my audience may not quite understand what I wrote about. "C'est pas grave" as the French would say. If you do not share my same faith, and have still managed to read the whole thing, thank you. I encourage you to visit our website to learn more, or even talk to some real Missionaries in a chat room if you have questions. They always have answers! Please go to the link to learn more about what I believe:

LDS.ORG to listen/watch/read talks given by some of the leaders of our church and also to access a digital copy of Book of Mormon. Among other things to do of course, it is a very vast website full of an immesurable amount of knowledge.

or

MORMON.ORG to watch videos and read snipits about other people just like me. Firefighters, Military Members, Former Drug addicts, Entreprenuers, Airline Pilots, Olympic Swimmers, Stay At Home Moms, Fashion Designers, they are all there waiting to share their story, and what they believe, with the world. It's really worth the time.

Or, comment in this box, I would be happy to talk with you too.

I hope that you have a wonderful day. Mine has truly been enriched already and its still early!

A Bientot!