Bricoleuses

with blind Sr Rouby

Frenchie Factie: I don't actually know if this is a French thing, but I've never seen it anywhere else. It could just be a world fad or something. But anyhow, here in France all of the rebellious and angsty teenage boys, especially those of the Muslim variety, have started trending this new haircut. You shave the sides and back of your head and keep a strip on the top really long. Then you slick it back and put it in a bun. Wow, thank you, hair cutters everywhere! Says no woman anywhere. Maybe I should be less biased, but I've never been a fan of political correctness. I prefer sincerity and everyone sucking it up when they're offended. 

Well, last Monday, we got to go to Carcassonne on an exchange. We spent P day at the castle and that night Soeur Wiseman and I headed out together. Hey, it's Soeur Wiseman, as in the niece of Delia Christensen. So that was fun. Congrats, Kelly on your engagement. 

Anyhow, Soeur Wiseman hates being in charge and normally I like to be in charge, so you'd think it would work out well. Unfortunately for her, I made her make all the executive decisions AND lead us around the city. As Calvin's dad would say, it builds character. 

We picked up some candy to drop by a less active family's house for an FHE. We did not have the house number and after knocking on all the doors on the street, we came up empty. Tant pis, more candy for us. 

That night our district leader called Soeur Schreiber and I to congratulate us on contacting a ton of people last week. He said, Wow, what did you do, contact people on the street? Yes, yes we did. 

Tuesday the exchange continued and Soeur Wiseman and I planned to go shoot some hoops at the local church. The balls were flat, but I still liked touching them. Shooting felt good too, although it wasn't quite the same...We had  a long day full of miracles and we ended up teaching the lesson we practiced three times that morning! 

apricot cobbler

Wednesday morning, our train was bright and early and we arrived at the platform just as the train was pulling out of the station. It was like a movie. We had to wait for a few minutes and take a couple extra trains and didn't get home until 4pm. (Versus the 2pm if we had made our train). We were able to pick up a cord for our oven that's supposed to be installed soon. Yay. 

I thought the Bricolage was over. As Elder Kennard says, I am now certified to work at Home Depot by virtue of experience alone. Our A/C is fixed, the oven remains unattached. We got a new electric oven/stove top and the attached the necessary plug in the back. The problem now is that we don't have a plug with a ground line and enough voltage. Our options are either to switch back to the gas powered over (which the mission wanted to avoid) or to install a 32V ground line plug into our apt. The latter would cost about 400euro, but hopefully be payed for by the apt. Voici, apartment woes. Not banana bread for me. 

weird flower

We also never went shopping this week and barely survived on food we had leftover and a certain amount of creativity. We also had rdvs with our two solid amis, Colette and Joao. They're both awesome and promised to read the BOM. Joao has a family of four that we want to meet. En plus, we saw the Borgognos, a couple that is well-known in these realms for their charity. A lot of less actives we talk to say, That's ok, I don't want to hear any more about the church. It's enough with the Borgogno's visiting already. He's incredible, speaks flawless English, spends countless hours a week visiting these people and loving them, and houses and feeds foreign students in his house and teaches them the gospel of Jesus Christ while he's at it. He's the man.

 

Soeur Schreiber had an inspiring goal setting and weekly planning session. We have a good time. And we know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. How great is it that we have two infinite Beings-Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ- whose goal it is to provide for our eternal happiness? Pretty darn great.