1-9-17

Mulhouse Week 1

Bonjour toute la monde, and guten tag from Mulhouse!!

So you may have noticed that 5 weeks is not a normal amount of time for a transfer, and that I don't normally live anywhere close to Mulhouse. Let me tell you the story of this week:

So Monday night we were at the chapel, finishing our weekly emails, hanging out, when we suddenly get the news that both the sisters and the elders will be moving apartments on Wednesday!! We had requested to move to the Griffins' old apartment, and the elders wanted to take the vacated apartment, but it was really unclear if we would be able to do it for a long time. So on Monday night and Tuesday we spent several hours packing up our apartment in addition to all our normal missionary responsibilities, and then Wednesday was moving day! 

All the missionaries from our district came to help us move, and the elders from Vannes brought their car. It was a super fun day, if a little bit stressful. About 1pm I was standing in our new apartment surrounded by boxes and missionaries as we got ready to eat lunch... and the phone rings. President Babin is calling me. Soooo my adrenaline took a little spike and I answered the phone. He explained to me that Soeur Grace is sick and is going back home, so I'm getting emergency transferred, and can I take the train on Saturday morning? Well, what else can you say? "Oui, bien sûr, Président"

The next several days were SUPER crazy. The other soeurs were gone for 2 days on exchanges and then to Paris for legality, and we were in Rennes with an apartment that looked like a tornado went through it, an adorable mini-missionary (Nolwenn Basset from our ward), a half-packed missionary (me) who still wanted to write in everyone's soeur book, and several appointments for the next 2 days, including a service project, DMP (meeting with our ward mission leader), ward council, and several amis to see. Needless to say, it was a very tired missionary who left her apartment on Saturday morning and took a train (alone!!) to Paris.

SOO as of about 48 hours I have a new companion!! Everyone get excited to hear stories about SOEUR BOWMAN!! She's been in Mulhouse for almost 6 months now and has asked President if she can stay for a 5th transfer so I can meet all our amis. She is a history buff from Colorado with a big heart and a love for experimenting in the kitchen. She is in love with Mulhouse- the members, the amis, and the missionaries. We already get along really well and I'm super excited to serve with her for the next 7 weeks!!

So there it is, the story of a soeur serving in Bretagne who got transferred to Alsace. You can get to Germany/Switzerland in about a 30 min train ride, and this part of France is not really like the rest of France. Sigh. Maybe one day I'll serve in France. Until then, here's some fun facts about Alsace!!

1. People here bise left cheek to right cheek instead of right cheek to left cheek

2. It snows here frequently (a nice change- I thought I wouldn't get a real winter!)

3. There are several regional Alsace specialties that don't have anything to do with butter

4. You can buy spaetzle in the grocery store

5. I don't have many more. I've only been here 2 days, give me a break!!

This email was not very spiritual. Whatever. I'm really excited to be able to meet the members and amis here in Mulhouse. I've met several already and they seem really cool. We had an amazing member present lesson with one of our amis named Joel where we basically just explained why we used the Book of Mormon with the Bible, and how it helps to complete the Bible. The Spirit was really strong afterwards, and the ami committed to begin reading the Book of Mormon!! That lesson really helped to confirm my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it's a powerful book that really contains the word of God. It can help us to understand what God wants for us in this life, and how we can become better every day. I wouldn't presume to give you a New Years resolution, but I know that daily time in the Book of Mormon gives me spiritual power for the rest of the day. 

Thanks everyone for your love and support!! Have a great week!!

Bisous, 

Soeur Rogers

And photos!!

1. Melanie, a super cool JA in Rennes

2. Saying goodbye to Jacqueline 

3. It snows in Mulhouse!

4. Museum in the center of town
5. Soeur Bowman! (after-hours)