Week #5 Transfer #4: Toulouse, Lyon, Albi

I would like to start this email with my thoughts, love and prayers to Mimi Descamps, a member here in Albi who passed away Tuesday. We got the call and we weren't expecting this so soon, I've been seeing Mimi twice a week since I got here, it was always the highlight to have dinner at her home. Despite this sad news, I know she is now happy and at peace, able to walk again and smiling. We had the funeral service on Christmas eve morning, and it was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had in my entire life.  In the words of Elder Omohundro, "heaven and earth really did come together today", something our mission president had talked to us at the conference this week.  We all felt the spirit, and heaven and Mimi with us that day. This experience was really special and we will all remember Mimi and know she's with us.  After the funeral we had gotten out all our emotions and then made a decision to celebrate lots for Mimi and for Christmas in honor of her!  So that's what we did this week :)

Lyon Mission Conference

We started the week in Toulouse for P-Day, I parked the car and got out, then scrambled on my jacket to find my nametag which wasn't there!  So I wore Elder Duckworth's (my old zone leader) tag for a day and then wore Elder Zhu's full Chinese plaque for the rest of the week at the Mission Conference.  Haha!  Many people were confused.  We boarded next morning at 4 on the bus and all 4 buses in the mission rounded up all the missionaries and got us to Lyon! 

We had a blast there with an awesome devotional with games with President and Sister Brown in an aquarium, and then toured the aquarium, and then all got to watch Lion King in the ampitheatre there eating Master Taco's, a super good burrito place in Lyon.  

Lyon Musee de Confluences, where the Rhône meets the Saône

Best night, it was so fun!  On the mission we don't watch movies for these 2 years to stay focused, except on Christmas, and President surprised us with an extra movie then!  Next day we had a cool conference and I got to see all my friends then and the day before including Elder Kelsey.

Josh and Elder Kelsey (from early MTC days in the mission)

We got home from all this on Christmas eve, then had the funeral, and then went hard and had a lot of fun for Christmas, starting with exotic sea food and escargot at the Bernardi's home Christmas eve night. 

Eating escargot and oysters on Christmas

Christmas was so cool!  We spent the night with Rodez elders and opened presents in the morning, and then we visited Frere Mausse in his super cool french countryside home, then spent the rest of the day at the Allal's!  We watched How to Train Your Dragon 2 and it was amazing. We watched a few others too. And I got to Skype the fam which was so cool!  You all are growing up so fast!  And you adults are all looking great!  We do have a very youthful looking family don't we? 

Skyping with the fam!  Got to talk to Nick as well (on the phone from Salt Lake City)

The rest of the week we did service for Frere Mausse and moved a ton of wood, then spent dinner with Mimi's daughter and son-in-law and their adorable baby, as well as Mimi's caretaker for 13 years.  So cool, she was so touched by everything that had happened, and accepted a Book of Mormon when I explained what we believe.  Since Mimi's passing she's felt a difference, and she knows there's something more. So as Mimi tried to give her a Book of Mormon multiple times, she was finally able to accept it on Saturday night!  I know Mimi's spirit just touched her and helped her know she's still with us, she was with us that night at dinner it was so cool.

Christmas dinner with the Bernardi family

It was one week I will never forget. I love you all.

Elder Laney