12-26-16

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a great week, because we sure did! 

This week Soeur Piazza and I spent hours eating and chatting with members in true French fashion- meaning EVERYTHING took a really long time. One thing I've learned about French people this week with mangez-vous upon mangez-vous, is that it is indeed possible and in fact normal to have a meal that lasts 2 1/2 hours or more, including AT LEAST 3 or 4 courses, and to fill all the time in between with light conversation about everything and everything. Adults love it, kids expect it, and missionaries (including me) get astonished every time they look at their watch and see that an hour and a half has flown by! We sampled some awesome French food this week, including raclette, foie gras with little toast rounds, salmon, and tons of French pastries and chocolates! I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when I get back to the States!

With 7 long holiday season meals with members, and everyone else shut up at home for the holidays, we didn't have a lot of progress in our missionary work this week, but that doesn't mean we didn't see any Christmas miracles! While coming back to our apartment on Wednesday afternoon, we contacted a SUPER cool African couple, David and Deborah. We talked to them a little bit about who we are, shared the Christmas video with them, and asked them if we could leave them with a prayer. We joined hands in a circle for the prayer (SO much fun to do when contacting Africans) and were about 2 seconds away from starting when a CRAZY Muslim guy jumped in the middle of our circle and starting spouting nonsense! He told Deborah she was pregnant (she's not) or at least will be soon (no) but no he's sure it's coming, but now YOU, David, your grandfather is still alive (no he's dead) but somebody old who you love, surely, they are still alive (no sorry there are no old people in my home) and YOU PIAZZA someone in your family is dead! He then grabbed David's hand, muttered something in Arabic, spat on the ground, and said "You're healed!" So ultimately we said "OKAY we'd like to say a prayer now, goodbye!" and he finally left. 

We prayed with them and there was the sweetest, most wonderful feeling of the Spirit, and I'm sure they felt it. We asked them if we could meet with them again, and David said "Not today, but if we see each other again, I'll take it as a sign from God and you can come eat dinner at my house" Sooo we took it as a maybe and parted ways. I'm sure you can see where this is going. Friday morning we walk into Republique, not a care in the world, and who do we see walking towards us? David and Deborah, with big sheepish smiles on their faces! We exchanged numbers and promised to call so we can pass by for dinner this coming week! MERCI PÈRE CÉLESTE!

In all, we had a super awesome Christmas week in France. In following with the Rogers family tradition, I got my Christmas package late. At least for me it was only 1 day late, and not 2 months! I loved spending Christmas day at church, with members and skyping with my family. The French have got it figured out- Christmas day is a day to take it slow and to spend time with your family. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to spend Christmastime in this beautiful country with the members I have grown to love, to sing Christmas carols in French and to testify of my Savior over and over again. I love being a missionary! Have a great week!

Bisous,

Soeur Rogers 

PS Christmastime is a great time to write missionaries and send them pictures :)