Soeur Ethington | Week 35

This week was full of a lot of hard work.

On Wednesday, we had District Council. Elder Daines asked me to do the training, so I had the amazing opportunity to teach our district about diligence in missionary work. Afterwards, we had a combined district meal (!!!!!!!!) with the Paris district. We've planned it for weeks, and we designed it to be a "quiche-off" competition to see which district could make the best quiches. There were breakfast quiches, bacon quiches, and vegetable quiches, but guess which one won? Mine and S. Ackroyd's incredible, inventive, phenomenally divine PIZZA QUICHE. Yes. 

On Thursday, Sister Sharon Eubanks (General Relief Society presidency) came to the temple! We greeted her as she walked in by singing "As Sisters in Zion," and she absolutely loved it. I love it so much every time we get to meet General Authorities! 

Sometimes, we get "regulars" on mormon.org. That means it's someone who sends chats to mormon.org every day, and basically all the sisters have already talked to them. One of our regulars is named Richard, and he's been coming to mormon.org for a few weeks now. Richard is earnestly trying to grow his faith that God exists, so we've been helping him find different ways to have spiritual experiences. On Saturday night, he came into mormon.org and started asking about temples. Sister Ackroyd and I had the idea to skype Richard, who lives in Scotland, and show him the temple model. It was a phenomenal lesson and I found that the Spirit was filling my mouth with words that I knew didn't come from me. It was a surreal experience and grew my testimony of what is taught in D&C 84:85, "neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man."

Yesterday marked 100 years since the end of World War 1. Since the armistice was signed in Paris, people came from all over the world to celebrate. Hearing everyone talk about how different the world is now compared to 100 years ago makes me realize how privileged I am to be here. One hundred years ago, soldiers the same age as me left their homes, not knowing if they would ever return. They came to unfamiliar lands and fought for their lives to protect the freedom of others. Many of them lost their lives. Many of those who survived were left with debilitating mental, emotional, and physical problems for the rest of their lives. One of them was my great-great grandfather, Claudius Joseph Gonin. He left his wife and 4 children to serve in the war, fighting for France, and although he returned to them after the war was finished, he suffered from uncontrollable shaking and poor health for the rest of his life due to a poison gas attack. As I reflect on this, I am humbled and deeply thankful for the sacrifices that my ancestor and countless others made in order to protect the homes and people they loved. Because of their sacrifices, I am able to be here in France, teaching people the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I know that God has a plan for all of us, and His plan is perfect. I am grateful for all the ways that He shows me that each day. Please never forget how much you are loved by your family, your friends, and most of all, by your Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

À bientôt,

Soeur Ethington

I love Him!!!

The soeurs at the quiche-off (featuring Elder Pickard's hand).
Check out our gnarly pizza quiche. 

Autumn!! In!! France!! Is!! The!! Best!! 

A member took this beautiful photo of the Christus statue with the fall leaves.