Let the Holy Spirit guide: ex. 2

Giuliano is always the one to bring up the topic of religion, always asking questions, telling me about his, comparing the two.

Well, he was telling me about his religion, and how this Sunday is the first major communion of the year. He was explaining it to me, and it is just like the sacrament. He tells me I should come sometime.  Then he asked me what gospel we read, if we read the holy bible. I said yes, and then I "let the Holy Spirit guide" me again, and went on explaining how we read another book also, called "the Book of Mormon". I explained how it's another testimony of Jesus Christ, and then I didn't even think about what I said next, which was, "I have a French copy, if you would like to read it and see for yourself what it is about?" He agreed, so I grabbed it, and left him in the dining room to read it, and I immediately went to my room and prayed earnestly for the spirit to touch his heart as he read it.

Twenty minutes later, he knocks on my door, hands me the book, and very unlike him, he says simply, "je compris." Which means I understand.

I say that was very unlike him, because he's the kind of person that can talk forever about anything, and I was expecting this whole long sentence to say that it was nice, but instead he just says I understand. 

I'm a little bit in shock, I've never even given a Book of Mormon out before..

All I can do now is pray that something from his twenty minutes of reading stuck out to him, and he felt the spirit.

Another first

I had my first day of school on Monday.

My class consists of about 12 others students. I am the youngest... 

We go Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11:15 to 1:15 (not counting travel time). And basically, we are taught French... In French, for two hours! The first day was completely overwhelming! Had a head ache the whole time, but now it's easier, I'm use to it. And plus I can catch most of what is being said in conversations now.

I chose a good spot to sit. Beside this girl named Rebecca (from Australia) and Marie (Denmark) they both are the best speakers in the class, and super nice! Yesterday I went with Rebecca after class to get a coffee/hot chocolate and practise my pronouciation. It was just what I needed.

Also they offer sport classes at an 80% discount for au pairs, so my friend Alandra and I are going to sign up for a Zumba class.

Some ketchup please?

Ok sorry about the lack of information... I am fine no worries! Just enjoying myself too much to find time to "ketchup" on my blog... Haha... D'accord!

First order of business: 

My travel buddy!

Her name is Alandra, and she is from Oregon. She lives literally five houses away from me. We really clicked! She is another au pair, she went through the same agency that I did. And we were emailing before, but when we finally got together we couldn't stop talking! Maybe it was because we hadn't talked to someone who could speak proper English since we got here. But none the less, we are making tons of plans for these next months!

Second serving of ketchup:

    

Need I say more?

My personal favorite!

There's a lot more... But I shan't bore you with the nude statues.

Final course:

Bucket list item #1: check! Très belle! Worth the 13 euros it took to get to the top. Such a perfect day too! Couldn't have asked for warmer weather in fall.

The seine! Yes it is dirty, and no it's not as cold as I thought it would be.

There are no "public washrooms", if you buy something at a restaurant you can use one, or a store. But other then that you have to pay. This is what 2€ got you in the middle of Paris. 2€ also got you a bottle of water... See the common denominator? A luxury toilet, that's what they said. (That's just wallpaper not toilet paper). 

Their decorations consisted of toilet seats on the wall. It was a very nice bathroom. But there are better ones for free in Canada...

Enjoy your ketchup! I will post again soon, but for now, a bientôt.

Be thou an example

Just the other day, Sonia and I were fixing up the kitchen after the girls were in bed. As we were talking, she told me that they were lucky to have found me for their au pair, because she told me, I'm different than most girls my age. She went on to explain that, she didn't know quite what it was, but I was more open to everyone, kinder, easier to talk to, polite. Etc. She explained that there is certain feeling I have about me. I smiled thanked her graciously.

You see, living in Cardston, and being among many LDS people, you never realize just quite how different you are from the world. I've heard many stories of other youth, being told in a way that they have the Lords countenance in their faces, but I didn't even know if I emitted that light myself. Until now.

Let the Holy Spirit Guide

The Marello's are always asking if I have a good sense of direction before they send me off somewhere. I always nod my head. But in my mind I'm thinking that it's not me that has the good sense of direction.

Multiple times, I have been lost, or I don't know where to turn, or when to get off the bus. And every time I start to worry, a hymn comes to mind, Let the Holy Spirit Guide, and I start humming it. As soon as I do, my worry no longer exists, and I'm turned around and faced in the right direction. This is where my faith comes in. I have to trust that He will not lead me a stray, and I need to rid all doubt from my mind as I just let the Holy Ghost guide me where I need to go. 

Voila!

Whenever I go out I have a couple phases on the tip of my tongue, ready for when I need to talk to people. Today Sonia had me go to the bakery to pick up some bread. I would like to let you know that everything went better then expected!

I knew what I needed to get, I had rehearsed the lines in my head on the walk over, so I was ready. When it came to be my turn at the counter, the normal bonjour was shared, and then she asked me what I needed, I told her. But on the spot, I did not see the corn bread I was to pick up also, I had to change my sentence right there. But it worked! Mind you she probably knew I wasn't French haha, but hey you can't get mad if I try eh? The next surprising thing was when she spoke to me again, and I didn't even have to think about translating it! I just knew what she said!

I'm getting really good at hearing French, and if its a yes or no question it's easy for me to answer. I still have to practise speaking back in French, but I'm getting more and more confident speaking to the girls. And they are getting better at speaking so I can understand them better.

My first Sunday

What an adventure I had at church! Though the familiar face I saw was well worth it. Getting there was umm ok... Haha we had a little mishap. Because Giuliano, the father, told the bus driver, who couldn't speak English, that I need to get off at such a such place make sure I know where that is. But he forgot!! So he went around to the place again, and dropped me off. But by then, church had started, and I still had a twenty minute walk. Finding my way to the building was no problemo. I just had to follow the cars with suited people haha. Plus, I think the Holy Ghost had a lot to do with everything today.

So, I arrive at church, and they are in the middle of the fifth Sunday meeting. I sneak in the back with a big smile on my face, because of the feeling I had of finally being in church, and I also recognized the back of someone's head! I had to keep myself from running to Elder Clarke, but luckily he turned around, and I offered a little wave.

Throughout the rest of the meeting I was constantly being introduced to people I can't even pronounce the name, let alone spell it. And during the talks and and prayers, although I couldn't really understand, I still felt like I knew what was being said. (Case study #2 of the Holy Ghost). After, Austin, this is what I get for being his cousin, asked me to stay later to play the piano at a baptism.

                Coming home was easier, in a way. I figured out how that you need to push the stop button so the driver knows someone is to get off at the next stop, or else he will keep going. Also I learnt the hard way, the system of the buses, which take me where and when. Though it would have been easier to just call my family and ask them, I really wanted to figure it out myself that way I could do it again.

So I did! I also got more confident with my French, because I had to ask people where to go, and how to get to a spot on the map. I also feel like I can understand it a lot more then before. If only the girls would speak slower. Tomorrow the parents go to work, but the girls don't start school until Tuesday. I get all day with them and their neighbourhood friends. Wish me luck!