Called to Serve. Paris, France: A Big Hug Around the Knees

Hey guys!

Sounds like you had a super fun and busy week back home in good old AF! Lots of school spirit going on, with all the graduation and stuff. Tyler, I expect a full explanation of how it all was and what it feels like to be graduated and stuff! I don't want to completely miss it all.

As far as my week goes, I don't think I could say it was quite as eventful as yours! A little bit of a slower week for all of us missionaries here in Rennes, probably just due to school being out for the two colleges, and the weather not being the prettiest.

I don't really have much time, so I'll just share this little experience I had quick:

So, as you guys know, it's getting harder and harder for me to keep my drive going and to stay focused as I try to plan for home life while still worrying about the work here. It's a really tricky balance to maintain, and I wouldn't say that I'm very good at it. But I'm working on it. This last Tuesday, we had a lesson set up with this lady named Milan, who had just accepted a baptismal date the week before. She's from Ethiopia, so she speaks English more than French, so we invited this American guy from the ward, Andy, to come teach her with us. As we were getting close to the time for the lesson, she called us and said that she actually wouldn't be able to come and she wouldn't really set another time for us to meet, which almost invariably means that we won't see that person again, and so far, we haven't. So, I was pretty down about that, and then as we proceeded to passby some other amis with Andy, we started to talk a lot about BYU and all that, since he's a student there, and THAT got me even more distracted and unfocused.

So, following this, we had a rendez-vous, and I was not at all in a state of mind to be able to teach or really do anything. I didn't really have many other options than to pray in my heart for God to help me. As I was doing that and as we approached the building in which our ami lives, a mother and her little daughter, maybe about 2 years old, were going in just in front of us. As her mom opened the door, this sweet little girl turned around, looked at us, and started running the 20 feet in between us and her mom, right up to me and just gave me a big hug right around my knees! I was shocked, and a bit uncomfortable, so I just kind of stood there until her mom called her over and they just went inside like nothing had happened. But for me, I knew that God had answered my prayer, that He let me feel His love at a moment where I really needed it. Our Heavenly Father watches over us and answers our prayers.

Adam at the Castle in Fougeres, France

Other than that, I should probably explain those pictures at the castle quickly. We had helped a member move that morning out in the city of Fougeres, and the member driving us home insisted that we stop at the castle there for 15 minutes or so because the missionaries almost never get to see it. So we snapped a few pictures with him and then headed back off to Rennes.

So, I'm out of time, so I'll have to end there! I love you guys so much and hope you have a great first week of Summer break (from school, not from life). Remember, if you've got anything in my room, you've got about 7 weeks to get it out of there, so you better get started! ;)

A bientôt,

Elder Bigler

P.S. Yeah, the lock bridge thing was pretty big news in our mission about six months back, so I've known for a while. :)

Pont des Arts Bridge in Paris
Couples Attach a Lock as a Sign of Their Love
Sections of the Fence are Falling Down
Paris Officials are Removing All Sections for Safety