Week 4: God our strength will be pressforward!

Bonjour ma famille et mes amies!

Commet ca va tout le monde? This has been a great/crazy/exciting/up&downs kind of week. I love the mission. Really. With my whole being. And I pray constantly (like every hour) that you are all doing well and that you all remember how much this little seester missionary loves you.

So, I decided for my posterity's sake I want to tell ya'll about my instructors here at the MTC. One of my instructors is named Fere (brother) Starita. He's a crazy kook! He got engaged last week so he's been really nuts lately, but we love the guy. He's really quirky, he does these crazy hand movements I'll have to show you when I get home. He also always falls alseep in class. It's the best (nacho voice). Also, he wanted us all to tell our families hello from him. So, "Hello!" from Fere Starita. Then we have Fere Corbett (who doubled as our investigator Stephan). Fere Corbett actually just got home from the Montreal mission! He was also called Spanish but served in French and English as well. I'm glad he told me that he served in all three because I was kind of banking on just speaking Spanish, so I've stepped up my game with the French. Frere Corbett plays for BYU soccer (Giles Family:). He told me yesterday that he talked with Sister Cannnon, President Cannon's wife, and she told him that they are so excited for Elder Leon and I to get there in a few weeks. It made me really happy:)

Last Tuesday Sister Julie B. Beck spoke at devotional. She is an incredible person! But she talked about how even though the church may seem small in some of the areas we serve in to remember the prophesy of the stone being cut out of the mountain without hands. In our district devotional discussion a member of our branch presidency Brother Harward was presiding and he told us that he too served in Montreal and that when he was there the members were scarce. I was filled with so much gratitude for the work Brother Harward and other missionaries before and after him have done in my mission, so that I can now serve there with 4 stakes and a temple instead of none.

Like I said I've been really trying to step up the French. I have a definate love hate relationship with French. It's different in a lot of ways than Spanish, but also tres similar. One thing is, in Spanish you speak with the front of your mouth, but in French you speak with your throat. Another thing is Spanish is very intentional you say every word distinctly, but French kind of all flows into one long word. It's getting better though. I realized that there is no need to fear in speaking, even though I'm pretty sure my French at this point sounds like a caveman. "You read Book of Mormon. You be happy. Jesus be happy. You read. Pray. Okay?" Frere Corbett told me he wasn't fluent until he had been out for over a year. And then he saw a look of horror on my face and he said "oh I guess I shouldn't have said that!" So this is the part where I petition for your prayers. S'il vout plais. Please pray pour moi:)

On Sunday one of our MTC district Presidents and his wife spoke at the fireside. His name was either James or Jimmy Hacking. He's from Blanding, Ut. Dad, I never thought I would be so excited to hear the name Blanding. But my heart was so full of joy when he metioned that little speck on the map. His talk was about families and heritage and it made me so proud of my own. He actually mentioned the Hole in the Rock expedition. I guess the thing that stood out to me the most that night was that I can't really love where I'm going if I don't love where I have come from. I felt so much gratitude for those lil' guys who came from Wales and for my own mama who came from the big metropolis of Buenos Aires to little Blanding, Utah.

I'm going to try to share something I learned from the BOM every week. This week I decided to tackle the book of Alma. I've read Alma before but I feel like I've never really put my whole heart into understanding it. This week I was studying Alma 9 and I came upon verse 6 where the people of Ammonihah say " Who is God that sendeth no more authority than one man among his people to declare unto them the truth of such great and marvelous things?" Here in the MTC they stress the importance of sending the Lords servants out "two by two", because their testimonies support each other. I really do believe that the missionary program is divine. But this scripture also made me think about the BOM and the Bible. Of course the Lord would send a second witness to bear testimony of the first and vice versa. The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever.

My family and friends, I am so blessed to be here. Really and truly. I love this gospel. I love my Savior. I know he love me even with all of my imperfections and flaws. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that God is our Eternal Father. I love you dearly. Don't forget that.

je t'aime toujour,

Soeur Perkins

p.s. If you sent me an email will you please Dearelder it? I didn't have time to read emails today:(

p.p.s. "So much depends on so little." -Elder Holland

Week 3

Bonjour ma famille et aussi mes amies!

Commet ca va? I am doing pretty well. This last week was really emotionally and physically draining, but the Lord always provided a way to get things done.

First of all I want to wish my first sista' Jaclyn Sue Perkins Rodet the hap hap happiest birthday! I love you Jaclyn! Thanks for being an example and for always making me laugh.

Yesterday my little brother Elder Oliver Wilgose returned to his home in England. He realized that there were some issues that he needed to repent of before he could dedicate himself to the Lord. My whole district cried so much. We are all so proud of him and his decision to return home to repent, but it doesn't change how much we all miss him and his silly comments. I'm so certain that our Father in Heaven is pleased with his decision to remain honorable. I had a lot of fears coming into the mission, but I did not realize that one of the things I should've been aware of was how quickly I would learn to love the other missionaries I've been working with. And not in a weird romantic way, but in a "you are my brother/sister and I love you so much for being here" kind of way.

Mom, you asked about my companion, her name is Lara Jane Ellsworth. Soeur E. is from East Lansing, MI and she is a crazy kook! She'll be serving in the France Lyon mission. In my zone there are only 2 of us going to Montreal, everyone else is either going to Paris, Lyon, or Fiji. And then the two lonely souls going to the tundra of Canada. Mom, you also asked when or if we leave the MTC. Well, the only time we go out into "the world" in on Tuesday's for the temple. Yeah. That's the first time I've referred to "go to the temple" as "going out in the world".

So, we had a really interesting experience last Thursday. A news crew from France News 2 came to interview our class about life in MTC. I guess the reporter that came is kind of a big deal in France and since the church is building a temple there she decided she wanted to do a special on the Mormons. I was super nervous that I would say something stupid, but I was able to answer her questions (in English) without saying anything that could be taken wrong. I think what made me the most nervous was that this was the first opportunity I had to talk to real investigators, not just teachers acting like investigators.

Dad, thank you so much for your letter last week about ministering angels. On Tuesday nights we have devotional and this last week we heard from Brother Lionel Kendrick an emeritus 70. He talked a lot about why our missions are important for the rest of our lives. And before he closed he metioned that the Lord was sending His finest from the other side of the veil to help his missionaries. It realy made me think about your letter and D&C 84:88. That scripture is amazing! Anyways, we went back to our classroom to discuss devotional and I felt impressed to share how you were able to see the Lords angels ministering to me. My little brother, Elder Leon (who is serving in Montreal), started crying and then shared with all of us that he was told when he got set apart that he would be ministered to by the Lords angels and he had been praying to know if that was really true. Another Elder also shared that he felt that he was constantly among angels because of the love he felt within our district. I'm ashamed to admit when I arrived and found out I would be speaking French I was pretty put out, but after this last week with losing our dear Elder Wilgose and having such a tender spiritual moment with the rest of the district I understand that the Lord knew I needed to be with these particular Elders and Sisters at this particular time.

Another tender mercy this week happend while I was teaching my "investigator" David (he's one of my MTC teachers, Fere Starita). While we were teaching him about the restoration I pulled out the Retablissment pamphlet and was struck by the picture on the outside. It's a picture of the Savior holding a lamb. The lamb looks so cozy in the Savior's arms. I felt completely envoloped in the Savior's love in that moment realizing that I am very much like that little lamb. I love the Savior so much.

Thank you for your love and support. I could not do this without the prayers of so many. I know better today than ever that the Lord knows me. I know he loves me for the imperfect person I am. I know that he can make up the difference when I can't. I hope you all know that I think of you often. I miss your faces, voices, and spirits. My prayers are always with you.

Je t'amie toujour,

Soeur Sabrina Danielle Perkins

p.s. If you feel so inclined send me pictures!:)

p.p.s. J did you get the letters I sent for you, your mom, and Grandma Mary?

p.p.s. XOxoXXOxo My district speaks to each other in Nacho Libre quotes "it's the best!"

p.p.p.s. I love you!

Bonjour!

Chere Familie et mon amis!

Commet ca va? This week has gone by so fast! I can hardly believe how quickly the weeks go by...days are another story. Conference was amazing here at the MTC! The spirit was incredible. I felt like everyone was hanging on every word being spoken. It was unreal! I basically cried through the first two sessions. I lost it when they announced the SECOND temple in Provo! I'm so happy that building will not be torn down. That building was gorgeus in it's day and it served the people in Provo so well for years. I was only in it a couple of times but I felt like it had a soul. It was definately a worthy servant of the Lord. At times I think we're all kind of like that building. We work really hard and feel torn down and like are efforts are in vain. But the Lord always has a plan.I feel like that building will stand as a testimony that the Lord has great things in store for all of us. Now it will be a holy house of the Lord. The means by which many people will be sealed as families for the eternities. Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives! I also really loved President Uchtdorf's talks. I'm pretty sure the Lord knew what I needed to hear and when I needed to hear it. Conference is such a spectacular event and I hope you all loved it as much as I did.

Dad, thank you so much for your letter! The language is rough. I struggle through most of my lessons, but I feel certain that the Lord is on my right hand and on my left hand and his angels are constantly round about me. Especially when my body is exhausted and my brain is completely spent, He always provides more support. This week I've been thinking a lot about Alma 29:1-2 "Oh that I were an angel and could have the wish of mine heart! That I might speak witht the trump of God, and cry repentence unto every people!" The wish of my heart is to learn French. Especially to learn to love it. That is a work in progress:)

This week we finished teaching Stephan (the "investigator"). In our lesson we were teaching him about baptism and he asked us if he could be baptised in our church. Like i said my French is not so gurd. So in my little head i thought he was asking us if he could baptize himself, so I emphatically responded "Non,non, non!" and he said "Non?" "NON!" And then after I realized the look of confusion on his face I felt like a big fat goober. Then I said "Ohhh! OUI!" After this gem he asked where he would be baptized and my companion couldn't remember the word for water or font so she said "en une.....bath." At this point none of us could keep a straight face...buy hey we comitted him to baptism:)

Thank you for your letters! they are like prized gems here in the mish. I love hearing about everything you're doing and seeing pictures. Also, thank you for the package! I took the taffy to conference and the Elders in my district loved it. I felt like the mom, because they kept saying, "Soeur Perkins, can I have some taffy?" And I would say "this is the last one!" and it almost never was, because I am a push over.These Elders are great. They are the best little brothers ever. Sadly, this week one of our elders went home. My heart was broken, but I know the Lord has a path for all of us and I just keep praying his will lead him back to a mission.

I'm so happy to be here! This is the hardest, but most edifying thing I have ever done. Some days I feel like I've grown so much. And other days I feel like I still have so much to learn. I'm so grateful though. All through out conference I kept thinking how lucky we are to have the gospel in our lives. How lucky we are to know that our lives our not endless streams of chaos, but there is a path and there is a guide. I love the Savior. I love His gospel. I know that He loves me and I know that He loves each and every one of you. He knows your needs and the desires of your hearts. You are in my prayers. I love you so dearly. Remember "All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good."

The Savior loves you. I love you.

Soeur (pronounced sur NOT sewer!) Perkins

P.s. You should really write me letters!

P.p.s. Randy? RANDY! RANDIE! RANDIE! Randy?

P.p.s. Write me:)

P.p.p.s. J did you get your letter?