Where Are My Eyes?

Coucou family and friends! Weeks are just flying by on the mission! Can we just take a second and realize that it's the month of December! HOW CRAZY! In just a couple of weeks I get to talk to my family! Where did all the months go? Wasn't it just yesterday I was submitting my mission papers in to my bishop and anxiously waiting for my call in the mail? OH LA LA that happened 11 months ago! Ok let's get a move on with this email before I start freaking out even more about how time has gone by fast!

So you know how America has those phrases like "break a leg", "throw someone under the bus", "bust a move" things like that (I forgot what those phrases are called). Well, the French has some clever phrases of their own. One night we were at a mangez-vous with an amie and her husband. The dinner was good and we were able to share a small and simple thought with them because it was getting a little late for us and we had to head home. She offered to drive us back and we had to show her on her tablet where to drop us off. I didn't understand what was happening for the most part because all of a sudden she said, "Attendez, je vais chercher pour mes yeux." In English that translates to "I'm going to look for my eyes". I was super confused because she goes on to ask her husband "Chèri, ou sont mes yeux?" (Darling, where are my eyes?). I sat there not knowing how to respond to my comp about this and I had no idea what to think about it too. It was literally messing with my mind because the whole time I was thinking "Your eyes are on your head, where else can they be found?" Before I asked my companion about the whole "looking for my eyes" thing our amie comes back into the room saying "J'ai trouvé!" and she had her glasses on...ok so I found out what the phrase meant, she was looking for her glasses so that she could see better. So I decided to keep quiet about my discovery but failed at that because both the amie and my companion saw my reaction and realized how confused I was the whole time so we all started to laugh about it! I'm pretty sure the people of Tours will remember me by how literally I take their phrases hahaha!

Last week, we had a tri-zone conference with special guests Elder and Sister Sabin there. Elder Sabin's calling is having to do something with being in charge of the European missions. Everything in that conference was such a spiritual recharge for me. We heard from the mission president and his wife and both of their talks were incredible. Elder and Sister Sabin's talks were just mind blowing as well. Guys I really wish I could tell you what was said word for word because everything that I was listening to was exactly what I needed to hear. I took really good notes and was really into what was being said. I'll tell you guys one thing I learned from Elder Sabin. In the second half of the conference, Elder Sabin gave us the invitation to "Be the Message" to others. Three words literally gave me the drive to be a better missionary. For the rest of the week I was in full on missionary mode to get work done.

Since it is the lovely month of December and the holiday season, my personal studies have been on the birth of the Savior. I was reading the lovely Nativity chapter in Luke and something that really stood out to me in particular were the shepherds. It's pretty neat to see how an angel appeared to them, telling them the wonderful news about the birth of Jesus Christ, and they went on their way to meet Him. In the chapter of the Nativity, it said that the shepherds came with haste to see the baby in the manger. These normal shepherds came with haste to meet the greatest Shepherd of all, the one who lived the most perfect life, the one who died for our sins. Jesus Christ is our shepherd. He wants to keep us in His fold, we are His flock and He would do anything to find His lost sheep.

Well everyone, that's about it for this weekly email of Sœur Sami Mae Hopkinson. I love and miss you all! I encourage and invite all to do the #lighttheworld calendar! It's something that can change your holidays and it really brings the spirit of Christ to others! Have a great week!

Love,

Sœur Hopkinson

samantha.hopkinson@myldsmail.net