This week has taken FOREVER to get through. It was nuts we were in Aix en Provence on Monday and Aix en Provence again on Friday for Zone Conference. Président and Soeur Carter visited our ward this week. Where to begin... on to the AWESOME!!!
Soeur Arezzi is awesome! Soeur Arezzi was lost for about 15 years-- meaning for some reason her name wasn't on any of the records of the ward in Vitrolles. She is and always has been on the records of the church though. It's a miracle that we was found her. Five years ago she was found in potential friends of the church-- meaning street contacts and door to door contacts, etc but nothing happened. So a couple weeks ago when Elder Herring was sick, we tried to pass all the people that hadn't been seen for years. She lives literally 4 football fields away from the church. SO we went by knocked and she said, "Please come back in a few days." So we did! We came with a brother in the ward and she said that she had been a member for a very, very long time! We spoke to all the members in the ward to know if any of them remember her, we found a handful that did.
In any case, Soeur Arezzi reads every day and prays all the time. She even walked to church yesterday in 31 degree weather! It was and still is cold. What a miracle she is. Everyone in Vitrolles hates where the church building is located and everyone believes it was and is a mistake to have the building where it is located. But that building was built for Soeur Arezzi to come back. I share the same sentiments that the building's location is horrible. But I now see, perhaps why it is where it is, for Soeur Arrezzi.
Soeur Arrezzi will be thrilled to receive the letter from her old missionary, Elder Sharp! Thank you for finding him and getting them connected again!
We went back to the Romanian camp this week. They were in the process of building an evangelist church with no foundation-- out of just wood on gravel it was crazy. They told us that they are building it for their prophet, Robert, who baptized them. He said they needed to start building it before we came back so they did.... bummer because they had potential.
At zone conference, I pulled president a side and we discussed the ville of Vitrolles. For 2 years there hasn't been a baptism or reactivation. President said, Elder, you need to change the members before you change Vitrolles. So I have need of really simple cookie recipes and other baked goods that I can make, that are simple. So that the members will respond to us and help us. Please send me your suggestions and recipes.
Please send me suggestions on how to become better friends with the members or anything that you have seen that worked through your experiences. I am open to try anything. I am determined to make this ville better. Til next week....ciao!
Love to all!
Elder Garlock
P.S.
O yes, I have wanted to tell you a little bit more about french culture. There is a cake called the Kings cake and they make it specifically during the period of Christmas. It is soooooo good! Inside the cake there is always a little porcelain person or caricature-- something super small and it's baked into the cake. The youngest person in the group gets to choose who gets each piece of cake. Everyone eats the cake and the person with the prize in their piece of cake is the king or queen for the day! They get crowned with the burger king crown it's pretty fun.
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