Tontouta 8

I bought 12 nights, got 4 free... Spending most of the week at "Hotel Koutio" (the Sister Training Leader's house). We are always here... There is always something... This week I lost my wallet. I was the driver because my companion is in driving school. Here you can use your American driver's license for one year before having to do driving school... But I lucked out because Florida has some sort of agreement with France where I can just change to a French license and then change back before I come home (or something like that), but we haven't done that yet and I was still using my American license. So... lost wallet = no license = I can't drive. Companion in driving school = can't drive. Companionship that can't drive = lost our car and have to do some stuff in Nouméa. So voila... Also our sector is enormous so these last two and a half weeks of the transfer on foot will be quite interesting.

On a brighter note... Madeline had her baptismal interview yesterday and she is SO excited for her baptism! If you could just see the light in her eyes! Each times we see her and teach her the light just keeps getting brighter and brighter. That little girl has a piece of my heart. I love seeing her at church with her big smile, running to give us a hug. She is SO sweet, SO humble, and SO full of love.

This past weekend we had Stake Conference. A story was shared (not sure if it is true or not) that really touched me. A mother and father had a baby girl, but the dad was upset because he wanted a boy. It didn't take long for this little girl to win over her daddy's heart. When this girl was fifteen years old she had serious heart problems and need a heart transplant. Her dad stayed by her side ar the hospital each day. One day they found a heart to do the operation. When the operation was over, the little girl didn't see her dad for fourteen days. When she got home she went searching for her beloved daddy, but all that was to be found was a letter. That letter from her dad explained that he gave her the gift of his life and it was hers to use as she wanted. At the end she said "I learned the importance of saying "I love you"". 

Our Savior gave His life for each one of us and He did it as the ultimate expression of love. I don't want to say much else because I want you to meditate on His sacrifice and what it means to you personally. I will pose the question found in Matthew 22:42- "what think ye of Christ?"

This week I've also seen how powerful being a servant of Christ is. We had a couple experiences this week where people just really opened up to us. It has happen in the past as well, but it just really hit me this week. Here I am, 19 years old, watching adults with tears filling their eyes and barriers falling down. I realize that, that is the trust we should be putting into our Savior. I realize that, that is the softening power of the spirit.

Well.... with all of my scattered thoughts.. and for those who know me know that scattered thoughts are completely normal haha... I guess I will just end by saying I love you.

-Soeur Stahura

P.S. Fun story... forgot my camera at the house so no pictures this week... Sorry