Week 51: You are His Valentin

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Fun Fact of the week: If you are a girl, then i hope that your valentine is a boy. Ha therefore you would use the masculine form of the word and he would be "your valentin" instead of valentinE. So will you please be my valentine/valentin?(: Merci!

Heavenly Father's love was ever so felt this week.

Well of course we had to do SOMETHING for Valentine's day :) I was super blessed to have received some cute letters from family and friends to make it super wonderful. Thanks! But we decided to heart attack our neighbor's door. Genious idea of Soeur Vance ha. We could hear Logan's reaction as he found it and he was HILARIOUS. Ha he like screamed and ran upstairs to grab his mom and they took like 1000 pictures. They said thank you in a beautiful text and we invited them to the ward Valentine's Day activity (which was sooo fun by the way. There were so many people that they had to set up another table!) They were unable to come but it was a great way to show them how much we truly do care for them.

Alexandra and Logan's Door

Oh update... the Niamké mom decided that she doesn't want the kids to be baptized or come to church :( sad day. The boys were so sad, but we still have hope and we know that the Lord has a plan that we just simply can't see!

Zone Conference in Paris

My First Croque Monsieur

This week we were able to go to Paris for interviews, conference, and legality. It was a blast and for our dinner break we were able to stop by an old church and we stayed with some sisters who live right next to the Grand Arch. Pretty cool and way too fun. While we were waiting in line at the Préfecture, we were able to talk to two BEAUTIFUL families and hand their info over to the Versaille missionaries. Heavenly Father really does love us and it was definitely a blessing but I JUST WANT TO GO SERVE IN VERSAILLE NOW! Ha!

More Friends at Zone Conference

More Friends at Zone Conference

So I had a first this week. I have talked with a many french athiest people, but I have NEVER been able to fix a return lesson.. ever. WELL I CAN'T SAY THAT ANYMORE! Classic Soeur Kohlert story, we started talking to this athiest dad and through a series of questions we were able to be bold and testify with the spirit. And at the end when we asked him if we could come back and teach him and his family.. he said YES! WHAA?? Ha I was just blown away. I know that I always just have to accept Heavenly Father's will, but I REALLY enjoyed His will at that moment in time!

Cool Picture

Saturday afternoon we were called and asked to teach the Relief Socitey lesson. We debated on whether or not to take some time to prepare for it instead of porting. Soeur Vance and I thought that we should. So we did and we were able to find some quotes to accompany the lesson of "Strengthening and Preserving the Family" from the Joseph Fielding Smith manual. We were also able to relate the family to the mission and our brains started turning a bit. Well on Sunday we taught the lesson and because of the discussion we had previously had, I asked a question that I would have not otherwise thought of. And an incredible discussion was sparked. The spirit was strong as the mothers were sharing their worries and their joys about being a mother. May of these women have children who have decided to not follow the gospel and their thoughts and emotions were moving. But then a disagreement arrived. Sister Vance nor I knew what to say, but we both knew without communicating exactly which quote to share and who should read it. I thought I'd share it with you:

“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.”^{8 Orson F Whitney}

What a blessing that is. Heavenly Father loves us. He is working on us and will ever continue working even after we have chosen to not follow. I'm grateful for the temple and for the fact that I am sealed to my parents. I hope that we can all work hard now so that Heavenly Father HAS to keep his promise and that we WILL all live together again. Its up to us! Are you in?

You are His Valentin/Valentine! Is He yours?

Sister Kohlert