River oh river flow gently for me, such precious cargo you bear...

I have a fat list and close to no time, so am going to try to do this in an orderly manner.

The louvre didn't happen because we had to wait for elder weed and elder draleau to come pay for my tansport pass thingy, and so I spent the entire p day in a Paris metro station.  Not joking.  But we're going today.  There are no elders to wait for today.

Soeur Lee and I are at war.  She doesn't really know it yet, but we are.  You see, she tells every story she can about the stupid things I've done or the mean things she does to me to EVERYONE, including the young adults we work with and my district.  So, I told a story about her sleep talking is a really flirty way to the JA (jeunes adultes-- young adults) and they LOVED it.  So this morning she recorded my singing in the shower.  This is WAR.

There are a TON of Africans here in Melun.  Some of them only "speak english".  Let me tell you how much of a load of crap that is.  We had a RDV with a guy named Innocent who "speaks english".  Dude, this guy was saying SOMETHING, but it was NOT english.  I tried to keep a straight face the whole time.  I only broke twice.  I turned my laugh into a cough.  It totally worked.

Last week our elevator was possesed.  it took nearly 5 minutes for it to get to our floor, and then as we got on we saw someone had pressed all the buttons.  Jerk.  But as we ascended, each time the light went off, it would turn back on, meaning thazt NO ONE was pressing the buttons.  Th elevator just kept "pressing the buttons".  Freaked me out.

We had a lady slam the door on us.  Actually, she passed out and fell onto her door.  We saved her life by walking her into her living room and laying her on her couch.  As she woke up a little she groaned "see you saturday" (we had just fixed a RDV for saturday).  It was amazing.  We felt like the Grim Reaper Sisters.  Teehee.  Life is good down here.

Both of us and our ward mission leader had to give talks yesterday.  Our leader said 5 minute talks.  But the day before, while doing some service, he told us that our other speaker bailed on us, so we were now all giving 10 minute talks.  WHAT??!!!!  Je peut pas le faire.  But he told me to do it.  So Soeur lee and I stayed up late writing talks.  I woke up extra early the next morning to translate it.  I felt like my legs had turned to jello while I was giving my talk.  And after sacrament meeting, Paul, one of the JA (who I am convinced thinks I have self esteem issues because h's frequently telling me how good of a missionary i am, but not in a creepy way), came up to me and said "Wow!  That was amazing§  You speak really good french!  I don't want to hear you apologizing for your french any more!"  I told him it took me an hour and a half to trnaslate a ten minute talk.  he kind of frowned and said "don't tell anyone else that."  he also said he wanted to give me referrals the whole time I spoke.  Excellent.  That was the goal.  In fact, he practically gave me one right there.

Life is good, God is great, I want to eat a piece of cake.

Teehee.

Off to the louvre (for reals this time, I hope).

Love love love love

Just because I'm loosing doesn't mean I'm lost, doesn't mean I'll stop...

First off...  I have a NEW ADRESS.  Yes, praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of creation.  I am going to the PARIS area, to a town called MELUN.  This is my new address (which I will probably have for three months, so keep it safe)

Soeur Kacey Barros

Les Missionnaires

Melun

FRANCE



So yeah.  Totally transferred, which is what I was praying for, for a variety of unpublished reasons, so I'm happy.  Also a little sad.  There are a few people here that I will miss, and I will tell you why.



First off: My District Leader and his companion.  Elder Clawson and Elder Ingram have been serious Godsends in my life here à Caen.  Elder Clawson is super duper thoughtful and puts effort and prayer into everything about being a District Leader.  Elder Ingram is HILARIOUS and we know a lot of the same people from the MTC, so we always have some kind of inside joke together.  His laugh lights up the room, and I can't count how many times I've cried at a District meeting because of him... and I mean the laughing till you cry kind of crying.  There is a supreme example of why I love these Elders from this week.

You know How I said they were power rangers?  I asked Elder Clawson to show us some of his blackbelt skills before the end of the transfer.  Well, he took it to heart, and knowing that I call him and Elder Ingram Powerrangers, he coordinated this HUGE District meeting for me.  He has been focusing the DM's around the Christlike attributes you find in Preach My gospel.  This past DM, we discussed who Christ really is, and used Scriptures to define different characteristics of Christ.  Near the end, he told us he planned an activity (which he always does) to show us how all the attributes work together, and that you can't really have one withouth the others.  He then hands me a small photo of the Pink Ranger (whom I always want to be), and a Pink Power Ranger wristband that he made, and a script.  He gave EVERYONE a wristband and a photo of the ranger they were, along with a script.  He ran out with Elder Ingram (who didn't get to be a power ranger because he had to be the bad guy) and they came back in 5 minutes later in a completely blue outfit (E. Clawson was the blue ranger) and the UGLIEST African outfit ever.  They said a few lines and then did a SEVEN MINUTE FIGHT that they had CHOREOGRAPHED THEMSELVES.  Elder freaking Clawson and Elder freaking Ingram rock my socks.  It was amazing.  It was amazing.  It was amazing.

When I called to talk about the next district meeting, Elder Clawson "threw a fit".  He is pretty bummed that I'm leaving.  I'm sad to be leaving him too.  I mean, how many sisters are you going to find that still love the Power rangers and Weird Al?  There are not too many of us.



Second: Yvonne Gayet.  she is my French grandmother.  I love her to pieces.  She's the ami who is catholic and will never be anything else... well that's what she says.  She gives us gross bisous (gross means really big in french) everytime she sees us.  When Jean had his health problems, only the soeur checked in on them, and I lean us.  We had no idea.  We just started stopping by because I don't care who you are, two heart attacks in two weeks earns missionaries coming over to try and help.  It turns out, she really just needed someone to come by and talk, because she can't leave Jean home alone, so she's practically homebound.  But her daughter, Nichole (whom I will also miss dearly) comes over when she can to help out and let Yvonne out of the house.  Their other daughter, Marie-Yvonne, dealt with it by saying "I already have plans to go on vacation; I'll send you a postcard from Bretegne."  So we had no idea, but we were the only people calling to check up on them and coming over to visit with them.  Jean, who has never opened up to the missionaries, is now really chummy with us.  he teases us about being Californian's without tans;  and he teases Soeur Woyak and grabbing her fist when she goes in to "pound it".  Oh it's too cool to see him open up to us, and pray with us after our spiritual thoughts.  Yvonne nearly cried when she found out I was transferred.  And she told me that I have been Nichole's favorit, so I should try to see her before I go (which I will).  Nichole likes me because I LOVE geneology (she's a historian and does Genology all the time) and because I have strong opinions without forcing them on others. I told Nichole once that I might study law after my mission and she asked me if I agreed with the death penalty.  Holy crap.  I didn't know how to explain my opinion in French, and I didn't know what I was allowed to say as a missionary.  But I handled it well enough, and with some ease.  Later she told her Mom that I would be a good lawyer because I said what I thought without offending her.  I don't know what she means.  But I love her.  We're seeing them tomorrow before I leave.

Third: My branch president.  He is so motivated when it comes to missionary work.  He is getting the ward moving on helping with their fair share of missionary work (which hasn't happened yet, but he"s only been president for 2 months).  I have such empathy for him because the last president was super loved, but is moving, so they got a new one (sound familiar?).  A lot of people are fighting him on stuff, especially that he relased the Relief Society president who has been president for SEVEN YEARS.  I'm not exaggerating.  It's true.  But he is so kind, has such amazing respect for sister missionaries and includes us in everything.  I love his family and I will miss them all.

We had another baptism this weekend.  His name is Rachkaël.  he is practically a child of record, but he's 9, so we had to teach him.  We invited Yvonne to come, so Nichole moved her schedule around so Yvonne could see a "Latter-day saints" baptism.  She really really wanted to come and she got to!  yay!! An ami at a baptism!!!  She loved it, and was very touched by the ceremony, which was just as simple as they come, so I know it was the spirit.  This woman comes to church ONCE IN A WHILE (she goes to mass all the time), but everytime she does, she cries because she "feels jesus here."  She tells us that she can tell we are truly Christ's church... but she's catholic, and always will be.  Gee.
Yvonne also talked the ear off of the old branch president, who preformed the baptism, for seriously, 30 minutes straight.  It ried to save him when she started talking about the pedophiliac Catholic priests, but it was Soeur Woyak who finally pried him out of her grasp.  It was pretty funny.  I love Yvonne.

I know this church is true.  I'm sorr my emails haven't been as spiritually uplifting as they used to be.  The title of my email gives you a little taste of how my transfer has been.  I'll have much more spiritually filled emails this next transfer, I promise.  But know that the Church is true.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God.  The Priesthood is on the earth.  Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God.  And if all ov that means nothing to you... know that God is there.  He's always there for you.  No matter what you haven done, or how you feel.  KNow that an amazing and perfect being loves you.  And He loves you perfectly.  Know that.  I do.

okay.  I'm going to send a picture email.  LOVE YOU!!

Soeur Barros

Quand au ciel l'orage grande, viens et calme mon esprit...

Hello.  It's been a wonderful week here in France.

I have had my ups and my downs out here in Caen.  This week started kind of funny.  Monday night we got a call from our Mission President's wife asking us if we would like to go to a creperie for dinner with her and President.  Uh, yes.  I personally knew they would call, but Soeur Woyak doubted me.  Ha.  Doubt no more.  It was a little bizarre because I know my mission president reads my letter to him every week and gets reports from my leaders and such, but I don't ever talk to him.  So I talked to Soeur Staheli instead.  She's very nice and sociable.  We got home late that night after eating yummy gallettes and crêpes (oh, my comp can eat galettes! they use a different kind of flour!) and did a little planning.  The next day was interviews, my first ever.  It was nerve wracking.  I went into the office right after Soeur Woyak, and did a little prayer in my head.  The interview went just fine.  President asked me how everything was going.  I said fine.  He asked if I wanted to do another transfer with Soeur Woyak.  I hesitated.  Well, a more accurate way to put it is "it took me 30 seconds to respond."  I eventually said "yeah.  I could."  President raised his eyebrows and said "really?  are you sure?"  I thought again, for the other half of a minute, and said "yeah.  But I would really love to get out of Caen."  NOW LET ME EXPLAIN.  I love Caen.  It's beautiful out here.  There are lots of people and tons of farms and countryside areas to go tracting in.  I really do.  But I might kill myself if I have to stay in this branch.  This is my "bleue-ville", which means I started here.  So everyone continues to treat me like I speak no French, like I don't know what I'm doing, and like I'm not a missionary.  I thought it was all in my head, but Soeur Woyak said she has noticed it too, and that it's a common problem in Bleuevilles.  I didn't tell president ALL of that, but I did mention some.  Soeur Woyak says I need to call my president and tell him what I told her, because it may not make him transfer me (I'm convinced that the only person President listens to when it comes to transfers is the Lord), but it will be good for him to know when thinking about transfers.  Which is what he's doing this week.  By this Wednesday he knows who's going where.  So, who knows... maybe I'll get transferred.  Before I talked to Soeur Woyak about it, we were both convinced that we were gettinga nother transfer here together in caen.  But she has this worry that Heavenly Father is going to throw her a curveball, while giving me a break and getting me into a ville where the branch and investigators will treat me like a missionary and not a novice.

Did exchanges this week.  I got to go to PARIS.  I was super fun, and I got to see Notre Dame.  I took pictures, but I haven't gotten them from my temporary companion yet (my camera died before I had a chance to take any).  I bought some birthday pressies, (well, just one) and got to spend a few nights in a fourman apartment.  I saw soeur smart (the sister that did my first in-field contacting activity with me) and we had a lovely chat.  She's a very nice, very upperclass woman.  So, if anyone has anything mean to say about Elizabeth Smart, they can take it up with me.  She was very kind and interested in my life, especially the men in my life (of which i have none), which makes me think she's got a man in her life too.  I meahn, I always want to hear about my girlfriends' guys when I want to talk about my own. I didn't talk to her companion a lot- mostly because she fell asleep and wasn't really interested in talking to me.  My temporary companion was AWESOME.  She's going to BYUI and so we know a TON of the same people.  It was super nice having her around for a day.

It was Soeur woyaks birthday this friday.  I love birthadays!  I already know, however, that I do NOT want to have a birthday like hers. I mean, it was great.  We went out to our Branch President's home and weeded in his garden and pruned his apple tree for service, then ate a gluten free lunch (his wife has the same disease as Soeur Woyak) and played with adorable french children.  Then, that afternoon/evening, we drove out into the countryside to drop off a WWII thing for an american and had a lovely, however unproductive, RDV.  it was very nice.  I wanted to bang my head against a wall several times.  So, here's how I am going to spedn my birthday: I am going to schedule many many RDV's, and if no one wants to have RDV's, I'm going to knock on doors all day and tell no one it is my birthday.  I'm not going to talk about the expensive things my mother sent me (or didn't), and I'm not going to let myself forget why I'm here.  As my family knows, my brithday is never ever celebrated on my brithday.  It is usually spread out over several days, because, for some unknown reason, October 6 is a very busy and alwys overscheduled day.  It really doesn't bother me.  I hate doing big things for my birthday.  They always blow up in my face.  And this way, I get to have little pieces of birthday for like a week.  Less pressure on one day.  So yes, that is how I am doing my birthday.  I'm working hard.

Sorry this is such a lame email.  It's been a long hard week.  



Blessings from the week:
-Paris was crazy hard, but I'm not scared of it anymore.  If I ever serve there, I'll know that I can do it.
-My final legality visit went without a hiccup.  I am now a completely legal resident of france
-Jean, the husband of one of our amis, survived his second heart attack (kind of) in two weeks.

Nichole, Jean, Yvonne, Sr Woyak

-I got to garden and have a 4 year old teach me some french
-Two of my favorite people in the world still thank Heavenly Father for all their blessings while one of them, Jean, is in and out of the hospital.
-We made some goals!!
- Sandrine is reading her book of Mormon again!
-My family loves me.
-My companion wants me to stay so badly she's scared that I'll get transferred (htat whole if you want it really bad it's bound to not happen.  But she's always telling me she usually gets what she wants and that she's spoiled.  Maybe that principle still applies in transfers?)
-France is beautiful
-I ate Kraft Mac and Cheese in Paris
-I screamed in frustration for the first time in nearly 5 months (my family knows that's a miracle).
-Heavenly Father loves us all individually, and does all he can to help us
-We have a Savior, whom we could not progress without
-Mail systems suck, but it means every day I get to have more hope
-I still want to be a missionary


I love you all.  I miss you terribly.  It sometimes breaks my heart to have such good experiences here and know that you can't have them with me.  I'll take more pictures.

Love

Soeur Kacey Barros

ô vaillants guerriers d'Israël, espoir de notre salut

Poo.  I get here and can think of nothing to say.  I guess I can start with some pictures.

Number one is le cathedral Saint-Pierre.  It's the BIG one here in Caen.  It's funny because it's getting "restored" (I have been watching this thing for 2 months had have NEVER seen anyone working on it.  EVER) and making the outside stones a white color.  It's going to be beautiful... if people actually work on it.  I mean it, zero progress.  BUT, the other reason I took the photo was because it looked fake.  I walk through he castle to get home from church, and I always get this view of Saint Pierre, and it looks amazing every night.  Especially with the evening clouds behind it.


Next is Elder Clason and his birthday present from the soeurs.  We asked him what he wanted us to make for food tache at District meeting (it was our turn).  He said he loved cookie dough--NOT COOKIES, but cookie dough.  So Soeur Woyak made him cookie dough.  It was his 21st birthday the day after district meeting, and so we HAD to do something for it.  He, unfortunately, couldn't wait until after lunch to eat it.  He ate half of it before, and later, while holding his stomach, loaned and said "after 21 years you think I'd learn to listen to my mom and not spoil my lunch."  Teehee.  he's such a good guy.  He's ALSO a PowerRanger.  He's 6'3" (I asked.  Short people like me are allowed to do that), has a stinking BLACKBELT in karate, and plays piano.  Sounds like a power ranger to me. (he also met TOMMY the old White Ranger , whom I used to be in love with.  I nearly died when Elder CLawson told me that Tommy came to his Karate Studio to do a demonstration back in the 90's).  THEN, I was telling Elder Ingram, his companion, while Elder Clawson was giving Patricia her baptismal interview, that he has a powerranger for a senior companion. I told him it's because he has a black belt.  Then elder ingram, who is still very much a short teenaged kid, tells me "so do I.  Do I get to be a powerranger?"  I laughed.  Then realized he was serious.  I almost died again.  So now I know that there are two Power Rangers in my district.  It's amazing.

Next is more Normandie clouds.  THey look painted into the sky most of the time.

Next is Patricia at her BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh man, it was awesome.  She was super nervous about her interview, but Elder Clawson apparently did a wonderful job.  She kept raving about him.  Both of them were nervous, in fact, because this was Elder Clawson's first baptismal interview.  But he got her to say the opening prayer, which is phenomenal because she'll never pray in front of anyone.  But we told her this might happen.  So she was ready and said her prayer.  Elder Clawson told us later that it was the prayer that has brought him closest to tears, it was so full of faith and hope.  We finally got to experience that at our next RDV with her, and I know I felt the same way.  I did cry.  But I cry a lot, so it's no big.  But that day, right after her interview, we asked her to try on some jumpsuits to see which one would fit.  She came out of the bathroom in her white jumpsuit and Soeur Woyak and I nearly cried.  We knew right then that she was getting baptized.  She was ready.  There was no more room for doubts because the Spirit just filled our hearts.  Patricia was so happy all week.  We got to see her nearly every day, which was really good for her morale and for ours.  When the day actually came, wow.  It sucked.  The day, I mean. Samedei sports got cancelled, but no one told the soeurs (uggggggggg), the ami we wanted to come to church was out of town, the programs hadn't gotten printed, and my companion had a panic attack over stressing about it.  I was really chill (i'm not lying), and knew things would work out.  I mean, I spent four hours writing a talk in French about the Gift of the Holy Ghost, so I knew my part would be fine.  And guess what?  It was.  She got to the church early, got dressed, and and we started recieving everyone.  A huge group came, which was great because Patricia never goes to all 3 hours of church.  She has serious social anxiety issues, so Relief Society scares her.  But she smiled and talked to everyone who came to congratulate her.  Sam, our Branch President's 6 year old son, RAAAAAANNNNNN up to Patricia, grabbed her hand and said "It's my Dad that's baptizing you."  She looked at me, having no idea who this small loud and incredibly adorable child was, and I nodded, so she said "Oui."  Sam nodded and said "Je sais!" (I know!) and ran off.  I think that's when she started relaxing.  But I still had to stay by her side, she said.  The first talk went just fine, but it was really weird.  Okay, not fine, but okay.  SO I got super nervous.  But I don't remember my talk at all.  I just know that SOeur Woyak said it was really good, which is great because she's not a shallow e compliment giver, and the Branch Pres told me he was suprised that that was my first talk in France.  "Now, I'll ask my counselors to have you give another one".  Great.

Tha actual Baptism was so amazing.  When she started walking into the font I could feel the Spirit so strongly.  And when she came out of the water, I started to cry.  One of my favorite members, Elisabeth Desterbois (i love her because she is a lot like Michayla) gave me a big hug.  We went and met her at the top of the stairs of the font and she gave me and Soeur Woyak these giant, soaking wet hugs.  It was amazing.  She stood there and thanked us over and over, and all we could say was "it wasn't us.  It was you and the Lord."  It was amazing.  The church is true.  She got the Gift of the Holy Ghost the next day and it was amazing.


It's worth it, you know.  If she's the only baptism I got to help prepare, then I'm okay.  Because seeing her change, seeing her glow.  Wow wow woww;  It was worth it.

I love you all.  Write to me.  Pray for me and my companion.

Love
Soeur Barros

Who wants to live forever?

Hallllloooooooooo real world!! How are you??  I miss you all!!!!

I shall start this week's email with a funny story that happened not long after I wrote last weeks email.  My companion was looking for clear packing tape here, which is called "scotch" in french (you know, like scotch tape?).  Well, she had to hunt down an employee, and finally finds one in the alcoholic beverages corner of the store (yes, corner, an aisle would not suffice in france).  She tried to explain what she was looking for and said "it's like scotch, but thicker!"  The man looked at her and his face looked like he finally understood her question.  He said "oh!  You mean Whisky!"

Ha;  No.  But still funny!!!



I have the world's best district leader ever.  Every night we call him to tell him one of our miracles, and he alsways receives them with great enthusiasm and laughter (our miracles always have a funny part in them).  On tuesday we made him try a new patissery, and he loved it.  Then, we needed him to buy timbres for my medical visit the next day.  Usually, you can buy them at a Tabac, which is kind of like an american liquer store/ convenience store.  We hunted all over town to find these stupid timbres, but couldn't find them.  We had to go to a RDV and Elder Clawson, my DL, was going to catch a train back to Alençon, his ville.  But what does he do?  Without even thinking about it, he loks at his companion and says, "Elder Ingram, do you mind if we catch the 6 oclock train and stay here in caen to buy timbres?"  Elder Ingram apparently didn't mind, and they just missed the NEXT TWO TRAINS to help us, while we rushed off to a RDV.  And you know what?  That night when we called to see if he found some, all he could say were really positive things about the afternoon and told us a few small miracles that happened that evening in Caen.  God bless people like Elder Clawson; the world needs more of them.

My companion and I are doing well.  One thing we love is inside jokes, and it's always tricky around other people.  But one stoyr she loved that I told her was the "horses eat berries" story.  She loves the phrase so much she says she's going to start using it.  So, everyone hear this:  If you hear somone on the street, or on TV, or in a lovie, say "horses eat berries" in response to a non sequiter, know that I, Kacey Barros, started that when I was TEN.  I don't care if someone else claims that.  My whole family can back me up.
Gosh I really hiope it does spread all over the place and ends up in a movie or something.  I'll feel very cool.

I went to synagogue this week.  Yup, Jewish church.  One of the people the Elders teach English to here is a Rabbi.  He ninvited us all to syngagogue.  it was pretty much rockin.  Everyone else was totally bored and had headaches after all the hourse of hebrew singing, including my poor companion, but I loved it.  I could have sat there all morning.  And then, after that, we went to an African Christian activity that one of our amis had organized and had invited us to.  We thought if we went to her thing she would come to one of ours.  So we went, and it was crazy weird/ cool.  Very christian group.  Very loud.  And there were only 5 people there.  SOOO loud.  People wandered around the room shouting their prayers to the heavens.  Soeru Woyak and I just stood there (they made us stand up), and smiled blankely at NO ONE, because everyone was praying with their eyes closed and wandering around the room.  It's a wonder no one ran into anything.

Our amis are doing well.  The one that had the African Revival type deal was Scholar, and she is still, slowly but surely, reading the book of Mormon.  She still has concerns and questions, but she's not stopping, like she did every other time.  Patricia is getting BAPTIZED this saturday, and I have to give a talk (eek! i always forget about that thing!)  Yan has kind of plateaud.  But I blame that on the fact that her friend saw her book of mormon and told her to stay away from us, that we're a cult, and that we believe a whole bunch of crap that we don't believe.  She came to our RDV, told us what happened, and asked us if any of it was true.  She kept saying "And wghen she told me that, I thought ' the soeurs never told me that!'"  And we explained that it was because it's not true.  She's going to need time, space, and faith.  Ah Yan.  You have such potential.

My companion discovered that she might be allergic to gluton.  SO I told her that if she wanted to, I' support her in cutting out all gluton by participating with her in the diet change.  She's super greatful, and I'm like "whatev.  I've done it before."  Well, practially, anyway.  So I made us a calander to put stickers on when we make it a whole day without gluton.  I nemaed it our calendrier de nourriture.  I tried to put gluton first, but ended up putting glutton on accident.  Which is kind of funny because I've been eating everything I can like crazy to fill the whole that bread and crazckers and stuff like that left in my stomach.

The work is coming.  It's hard sometimes to want to be here for another 16 months, but I can do it.  Oh yeah, Saturday was my 4 month anniversary of being a missionary.  Coincidentally, Elder Draleau called us that day, asking Soeur Woyak where an old ami lives.  Luckily it was my day to be the phone master, so I got to talk to him for a bit.  I told him happy anniversary us, and he said i can't believe we're both still alive.  Moi non plus.  Me neither.  but we are.  And he said something like "only 14 more to go for you!" but that's not true.  I'm going home the late transfer, because sister mlissionaries hit the 18 month mark in the middle of transfers, and so I'm supposedly going home on the 11 of october next year, and so I actually have 15 months left.  Yeah.  I'm tired.

Okay.  Love you all.  Pray for me.  Pray for Michayla.  And write me.

Sister Kacey Barros

As tu besoin d'aide mon bras t'est offert

NEW TRANSFER.  This transfer, I decided to write a line from some of my favorite french hymns on each day of my planner.  The subject of this letter is today's line, and it's from how firm a foundation.  the literal translations is about "you need help, my arm is offered to you".  So, if you need help, know that His arm is offered to you.  I know He's waiting to help you.  He's been helping me, and I haven't even done anything.

What an odd way to start an email.

Let's start with goodbyes.  We had some sad goodbyes this week with soeur gappmaier.  She was in this ridiculous state of denial, and so told no one on Sunday that she was mutated.  SO I told some people that I knew would have their hearts broken if they didn't get to say goodbye.  She didn't mind.  Oh man, that girl. And I don't say mutated to be mean.  To say to transfer in french is "muter" and the noun transfer is "mutation".  So I stopped trying to keep them straight and just say mutated.  Everyone here knows what I mean.  So yes, Sr Gappmaier was mutated (gosh I feel like an Xman when I say that teehee) and we had to say goodbye to a certain family.  Yvonne and Nichole are some amis that got really attached to Sr Gappmaier and her previous compaion, and just about died when they had to say goodbye to Sr Houtz as I got transferred in.  In fact, they did not want to like me, and kept asking if they could call the mission home and ask for sr Houtz to stay.  Well, they met me and instantly fell in love.  I'm not saying that to boast; to the contrary in fact.  It's because of the spirit.  And when we found out SR gappmaier was mutated, we decided that this would be good for Yvonne (who is practicing catholic and loves us and the church) to see that it's not really us she loves, but the spirit.  We visited Yvonne and her husband was there, and of course nichole (who is her 56 year old daughter who is druid and really interesting to teach but really isn't interested in the gospel and is always at the house when we teach Yvonne), and we ate bretegne cake and cherries.  Nichole gave me her geneology and the history of Bretegne in a booklet thing she made because she knows I'm really into geneology and so is she.  Yvonne and Nichole gave Gapp a very old wooden bretegne box with a brass carving on top.  They said they loved her and wished her luck.  We bore our testimonies and gave them a card that Sr G wrote an indepth testimony of the gospel in, and asked if we could sing them a song.  They said yes.  We sang "each life that touches ours for good".  Yvonne and Nichole started crying.  I cried and I'm still in Caen!!!  They told us they loved us.  Yvonne and Nichole still want to be taught, even with "La Nouvelle".  It was sweet.  The spirit was strong. And I got excited for the work in Caen.

Soeur Gappmaier left early Wednesday morning, and Sr Woyak, ma nouvelle, called and said " i should get into caen around 2ish, but they haven't bought my tickets yet, so I'll call you when I switch trains in Paris." I was like "okay.  I'm sitting here home alone all day, I might as well clean the apatment (that the elders never cleaned before moving) while I"m waiting."  So I studied, deep cleaned the apartment, and took a nap.  But I never got a phone call.  Hmm.  That makes me nervous.  So I show up at 2 at the gare anyway, and there my new companion is with her luggage.  She made it alivee and well, no phone call necessary.  Yay me!!

Sr Woyak is very different from Sr gappmaier, but similar in some aspects.  We have been doing a lot of talking since she got here and made a list of things that we wanted to accomplish this next transfer.  Her last two transfers were miserable as she had major companionship issues.  Really major.  I know because I did exchanges in their ville.  And, as not miserable as this last transfer was for me, it was in no way easy.  The work suffered here in Caen last transfer for one reason or another, and Sr gappmaier and I didn't work all that efficiently because she was used to doing things a certain way, and when I suggested change she often felt like change meant she had inadequecies.  I got very emotionally exhausted with this, so I stop suggesting things and just went with the flow.  So my transfer wasn't miserable by any any means; but it was difficult.  So we mmade a list of things we wished we could have done these last few transfers (she's only on her fourth).  We made a great list and the transfer started out witha BANG.  Our number one thing that we missed and really wanted to do was work by the spirit.  Sure, we need to plan, but we also need to follow the spirit.  So we did that this week.  And it was phenomenal.  We had an ami with a baptismal date find the courage to have more faith and overcame a huge obstacle.  We invited Yan to baptism, and she accepted!!  We didn't plan either of those things, but they happened becasue we were both listening for the spirit.  I feel unity again.  I feel fire again!  We doubled last weeks numbers in four days!  We have worked hard, and just followed the spirit, even if it didn't make sense.  And there were such benedictions from that.  I don't have the time to explain it azll, but the Lord really is leading His work here in Caen.  I know it will get harder, but I also know that the Lord will support me in some way; He's done it before, He'll do it again.  But know that Yan has committed to baptism once she has a testimony, and that Patricia no longer has obstacles stopping her baptism, and that some of our non actives will be active once again.  And if the Lord tells you to walk instead of take the tram, don't think of it as a waste of time; just enjoy the walking, and He just might through an ami that needed a scripture into your path.

Funny story for the week.  it's been gettnig warmer here in Caen.  During the middle of the day it gets HOT here, but by 6h00 the ocean wind comes and everything cools down again.  but we just bought fans and have been keeping the windows open all day and night.  Well, after cleaning, I hung the mop up to dry on the balcony/ window sill.  We were studying when I heard flap flap flap at the window.  I knew pidgeons fly around all the time up there, so i didn't even notice.  But then it closer and stopped all of a sudden.  I leaned over and saw that a PIGEON had landed on the mop and was practically in the apartment. I stood up and yelled "get off of my MOP!", scaring Sr Woyak and the pigeon.  I put the mop away, but our apartment was too hot to close the window.  Haahaaahaaaaaa.  Later that night I was talking to ssr woyak during planning and we were sitting pretty close to each other.  All of a sudden I hear flap flap flap again and look over to see if the pigeon was back.  Yes, she was.  But she decided to invite herself in.  YES.  A PIGEON FLEW INTO MY APARTMENT.  I SCREAMED and scared poor sr woyak again and she screamed and the pigeon flipped out, continued flapping and flew right out again.  I flipped out, wondering how many times this must have happened while we were out, when sr woyak pointed out that probably never because even though the windows are often open, the curtains are always closed to decrease the flies.  So that qwas the FIRSt and LAST time I will have a pigeon in my apartment.  Oh man I flipped out.

We had three amis come to church this sunday.  Patricia came, Yan came (for the third time in a row) and YVONNE came.  She sat by me, TOOK NOTES on all the talks, and while we sang the closing hymn (teach me to walk in the light), she started crying.  She said she knows that this church really is CHrist's church.  She knows it.  But she cant leave the catholic church.  She's 78 and has been Catholic her whole life, there's no way she'll turn her back on it, she tells us.  But she feels the spirit at church, loves us, and has said several times that she wants to join our church.  But we know that she doesn't understand the committment that is, and she won't get baptized because she already was when she was a baby.  Yvonne may be an eternal ami, but I'm okay with that.  Because when she comes to church she feels the spirit.  She loves the spirit we have.  She once told us that she "found Jesus Christ" in our church.  It makes me smile and weep to think of her.  Yvonne, I love you.

Yan isn't ready to be baptiwed she tells us, but she really wants to raise her family in the church, when she has one.  Oh man.  Peopleare so funny sometimes.

Well, I love you all.  Keep writing.  DAD. STOP WRITING TO MY RUE DE LE HAVRE ADRESS.  You're SOOOOO lucky my old landlord let me have that letter.  SO STOP IT.
Pray for continued success in Caen.

love love love
Soeur Barros

PS the french postal service sucks, just in case you're wondering.

And the world keeps turning round and round

So, I decided to start with my mass email this week.  And I shall start with

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TORI AND DAD!!!!!! I told America happy birthday yesterday, and now it's your turn.  Besides, it was your birthday here like nine hours before your brithday even thought about starting in the USA.  Suckahs.

You know who else is a suckah?  Guess who moved three weeks ago and just got transferred?  HA!  Not me!  My pauvre colleguee did.  Teeheee.  I have not finished unpacking my clothing yet, and I've been waiting to hear about transfers.  Well, Soeur Gappmaier couldn't do it any longer and unpacked ALLLLLLLLL of her stuff last week.  I'm still smiling about it.  Teeheeeheee.  But I am sad thazt she's leaving Déja.  I love my mission Mom, and she's going all the way to Brussells on wednesday, which is good because that's the mission she got called to and she has never actually served in belgium.  I guess she gets to now.  She's really nervous.  Me too.  Why?  Because I'm not getting a new senior compaion.  I'm getting a co-companion, which means we're both senior companion.  I've also been informed that that means I will never be Junior companion again.  Yeah.  I got one whole transfer to be lead, and now I'm going to lead with someone, or even lead someone else later, far earlier than I ever wanted to.  I don't know if I should be pleased or quoi.  Mostly I'm just confused, a little scared, and Okay... I'm a bit excited.  I've met my new companion deja.  She is currently in ST Quentin.  Yup, the ville I did exchanges in.  We met at zone conference and then as we switched companions in Paris.  She came to Caen when I went up north, which is good because now some of our amis have met her and so that awkward "hi I'm new" phase is over with ... at least for some of our amis.  So Yeah.  Soeur Barros.  Transfer Deux.  Senior companion (ish).

What is the Lord thinking?????????

But on a less stressfull/ bizarre/ exciting note, I met a very nice american man on Saturday.  He was getting on the tram, saw our nametags, and started chatting it up with us in ENGLISH.  Well, okay, I knew he was american before he even stepped onto the tram-- we have a look about us, ya know?  He told us some of his best friend are Mormon, and he really admires what we're doing out here.  He admires the sacrifices we make for the Lord.  WHAT????!!!!  It was SOOOOOOO nice to hear someone say that!!!!  We both got off at the gare (train station), and we the sisters had the plan to go to a cyber cafe across the street to see the transfers email in case one of us got transferred. The nice American asked us if we could give him a hand buying his train ticket, and we're like, sure, why not.  We've done that before, so it shouldnt take all that long.  Well it's a good thing we did because there ended up being NO trains open because it's summer break here, and the summer vacation is SACRED to the French.  We found a way to get him where he needed to go, so he begged us to let him buy our lunch.  We finally relented (no really, he  begged), and he sat there and talked to us some more.  Him and I talked about US history (he's a high school histtory teacher/ track coach in Louisiana) and LA history. I told him that Someone is looking out for him, because we're never on that tram at that time on that day-- we were just going to see who got transferred.  He said he totally believed that, and that he was going to thank God that night for having met us.  He gave us his name and email adress and said that any time we came to Louisiana to email him and he'll take us for begnés (i think that's how you spell it) (ha, and I told him that i really wanted to eat begnés in New orleans some day, so I think that's why he said begnés).  He tried to hug me (why do people keep doing that???) but I had to explain that we don't hug men (or much else really) while on our missions.  So he gave us some high fives and handshakes (ah american hand shakes-- they are different you know), and caught his train.  We called him our tender mercy, because people have been exceptionally mean to us this week, telling us we are most definitely a cult.  Ha, did you know that the way to say religion in French is culte, and the way to say cult is secte?  Yup, the meanings are changed here.  So really, it's "secte" that I hear all the time.  Fun Fun.

Life isn't bad here in Caen.  One of our amis is having a really tought time, but suprise suprise, it started when she began working on sundays instead of going to church.  We're working really hard to help her see that connection, but she has her agency.  Curses.  And Yan is still progressing, but we're never sure how much she really understands.  She keeps most of the commandments, at least around us, but her reading of the Book of Mormon has slowed down.  But now she ha this friend that actually just finished reading the book of Mormon and told her he's going to start over soon and read it all again.  We're hoping that helps motivate her; she is sooo funny when she tells us these types of things.  We ask her for referrals, and she says stuff like "oh you know what?  I really should bring this person to our next RDV!" Wow.  We just wanted a name and phone number, but we'll take it.

The finding is sllooooowwwwiiiing down.  We have started "spiritual finding" like dustin told me about in one of his letters; during our porting, we only knock on the doors that we feel like knocking on.  It's like regular finding without all the rejection.  We talk to people for much longer now, and we even had someone set a RDV with us.  But he cancelled like two hours later.  Elder Oaks said something interesting in the last Priesthood session: our faith is in Jesus Christ, and not in outcomes.  So it makes me wonder-- is my faith in Jesus Christ or in outcomes?  Think about that...

Well, time is up.  I'll try to send photos in another email.  Je vous aime!!!

Soeur Barros