March 17, 2014 Angers!

Just a little note. The town that she is serving in (Angers) is pronounced ON-JZHAY not like the bad temperament it sounds like!

Get out those pens and write her a letter! I know she will love it!

Les Missionaires

Sœur Courtney Ridd

31, rue de la Roë

Angers, 49 49100

France

So this week was my first full week in France! But to be honest... I feel like I've been here forever! Except that I don't know the language that well and I still get so lost, but I love it!!

Last pday I tried kebab for the first time... apparently everyone here eats it and loves it but I think it's just super fatty mystery meat! It was surprisingly really good! I was kind of scared though...

My companion (as we are walking out looking all pregnant because of how huge our lunch was) points to this chunk of hanging meat and is like "oh, that is what we just ate - just so you know." I like freaked out! What is this meat? It was so good tho and I ate so much that I was pretty much in a food coma for the rest of the day!

So this week was fun for me too because I really got to meet some of our Amis! (Ami is the French word for friend. They call investigators Amis de l'eglise - friends of the church - because the word for investigator is more like a police investigator or something.) We have one ami (Danielle) who is this super sweet lady in her 60s I think. She actually has a baptismal date for the 30th so we're so excited! She's so cute. Then we are also teaching two ladies from Africa - one of them has the three cutest kids ever! They are both so prepared for the gospel. It's great!

We have lots of fun going in to the buildings to visit our amis and porting (going door to door)!

Okay, funny story. So, we do a lot of street contacting here because everyone walks everywhere! So on Wednesday we're just walking around centre Ville and my trainer and I are going every other person on who stops to teach and so it was my turn and we see this lady coming up on a bike and Sœur Denning is like "ok, you've got this next lady" and so I go up to her and say "pardon moi madame" and then my companion pulls me away and runs and just starts laughing - I was SO confused! And finally, she's like "that was a nun!!" ha ha I guess she thought I knew so I wouldn't really stop her - but let's be serious I've never seen a nun in real life before so I had no idea! I will probably never live that one down here!

On Thursday we did service at President's house again- that was so nice. They are so nice! And they said that part of their house was built in the 1500s! It's such a gorgeous house. France is so cool because they never tear anything down they just keep adding on! Here is a picture of the backyard shed and part of the yard. I wish I would have taken more pictures!

On Friday night we got to help with a spa night put on by the Relief Society - that was so fun! They were so cute and they loved being pampered! It was fun. I did facials and put masks on the ladies and just listened to them vent to me - I had no idea what they were saying so I just said "oui" (yes) and "c'est vrai?" (really?) and nodded. They loved me ;)

Sunday night we went over to a lady's house who had received a Livre de Mormon from someone years ago and had questions so we went over there and she was this super nice funny old lady. So she's talking to us - telling us about her life. I picked up on stuff here and there so I got a basic understanding of what she was saying but then all of a sudden she looks at me super funny and then turns to Sœur Denning and says "she can't understand anything I'm saying can she? She's just sitting there smiling and nodding." (in French of course) hahaha I just started laughing. But hey at least I know I'm smiling and they can understand that!

Yesterday the Relief Society lesson was about the temple and it is SO amazing to me the faith that the members here have. They are so excited and ready for the Paris temple and they absolutely love the temple. It really is like a treasure to them and it made me think how we take it for granted in the states how we can just jump in the car and be there in 20 minutes or less. The temple really is such a blessing in our lives and we should remember how merciful our Heavenly Father is to have given us that opportunity to enter in to the House of the Lord. 

Well I hope you all have a fantastic week and are enjoying the wonderful Spring time! Here is a little look at Spring in Angers!

 And mom, when you were telling me to get sturdy shoes because of the cobblestones - I didn't believe you. I was just humoring you - I kept thinking "it's been 25 years, I'm sure they have normal streets now". It's all cobblestone everywhere! You were right!

Avec amour,

Sœur Ridd