Farewell Dimanche

My last church service in France was today! I wasn't as sad as I thought I might have been but I think I can attribute that to the fact that my closest friends in my ward are basically Americans who are going to be in Utah in the next year or so....Basically it was just a bunch of "see ya later"s. However, what surprised me the most was the outreach of love and good wishes from the French women today! Some were really enthusiastic in their hugs and "Bon retour!". I felt so special! They probably don't even know my name!

I intended to bear y testimony in church today as my last chance to do it in French but when I woke up to a text message at 9:04, I knew I wasn't going to make it. I made it to sacrament in time to heard Gerald Causse's (church's Bishop) testimony and then head off to class. As luck would have it, my French was awful. I didn't want to think in French, let alone try and understand it, so I should have seen the next part coming as inevitable fate! In Relief Society, Marie Chantal announced that it was my last Sunday and asked if I would give the closing prayer as a good farewell opportunity. My response was, "pas en francais!!" She gave me the option to do it in English or French and for some reason I chose French. Horrendous idea, Julia. Absolutely awful. Death wish for yourself? Yup.

I sat there during the lesson writing down whatever I could say in French and trying to memorize parts and running through conjugations and vocabulary and construction...The second I got up there, it flew right out the window. Basically, I just ended up saying a whole lot of "merci"s and not knowing how to finish them!! Oh my gosh, the number of pity remarks I got was hilarious. I'm so glad the women thought it was funny and commendable because I was mortified. But what can I do except laugh!?

Overall, it was a great Sunday of farewells and nearly every person who heard I was going to BYU projected my marriage in the next year and a return in the near future with my spouse....Ummm excusez-moi? No thank you!! Je suis trop jeune!

That evening, I was determined to try and find my rollerblading man, Tim, back at Notre-Dame. To my utter dismay, nobody was out skating since it decided to rain all afternoon. Seriosuly!? This close to a Paris fling and I get nothin'. Just my luck. But on the brighter side, a nougat vendor man totally flirted with me. As I walked by his booth, he called out after me, "Hey, want to try some?" I turned around and took a few steps back to his tent and said, "Sure". He went on to say that anyone who says "sure" is always from America unlike his people in London who say "ya". I admitted, he was right, I am American! His response was, "I think it's cute." Well, sir, you ain't so bad yourself. (Seriously. A british man with dark features? I'd agree that is super cute). If only I wasn't broker than broke, I would have bought some of that fabulous nougat. Dang it!

I wrote down my testimony in French (what I would have said). As I look back on it, there's a lot I would change or add but that's kind of what a testimony is to me; something always growing an changing and strengthening.

Bonjour a tous,

Je l’ai ecrie mon temoinage parce que c’est possible que je vais oublier tous les francais le moment j’ouvrir ma bouche. Alors…

Je suis reconnaissent pour ce dimanche. En fait, c’est mon dernier dimanche en France avant je retourne aux États-Unis. J’ai venu a France il y a dix moins pour travailler comme une fille au pair et aussi pour apprendre le francais. Je suis timide donc je ne parle pas beaucoup en francais mais quand meme, j’ai appris beaucoup- particulièrement quand je vous écoute partager vos témoignages chaque dimanche.

J’habite avec une famille francise qui, avant mon arrivee, ne sont jamais alles leur eglise catholique avec les trois enfants. Ils pensaient que j'étais fou quand je me suis réveillé tôt chaque dimanche pour aller à l'église . Je sais que mon exemple a entraîné le baptême des enfants de ma famille française cette année dans leur eglise catholique et je suis si heureux qu'ils savent qui est leur frere, Jesus, est leur père celeste.

Mon temonaige est tres simple mais c’est tres fort. Je sais que l’eglise est le meme dans chaque pays est que notre frere, jesus christ, est le sauveur et il nous aime et il nous connait. Et aussi notre père celeste. Il nous aime beaucoup. Il veut que nous soyons heureux et le bonheur vient d'être obéissant. Le premier nuit quand je suis arrivee en France, ma famille francaise avait une fete et m’a demandé si je voulais un peu de champagne. J’ai explique mes croyances et J’ai dit « non, merci » et depuis, j’ai dit « non » cent fois plus peut-etre. Toujours, j’essaye d’etre obeissant et je sais que je recois les bienfaits.

Les ecritures sont les paroles de dieu. Je le sais. On peut prier a notre père celeste et il vraiment nous ecoute. Je le sais !

Je voudrais dire merci a vous pour l’amour et l’aide cette annee. Vous allez me manquer. En nom de jesus christ, amen.