compliments of Andrew Bird.
This last week I have started to get a fresh and more potent wave of "man I am going to miss so many people and things about Austin" feeling. I think having an increasingly bare apartment opened the flood gates to this realization a bit. Whatever it is, I have been trying to find ways to channel it so that I don't burst into tears everytime I get out of my pool on Amherst Drive, watch Matt rowing on Town Lake, or talk with "mes amies" in the "French Corner" during Relief Society.
I haven't posted about my French Congo friends yet but one of them got baptised yesterday and I spoke at the event. It was such an incredible experience that I had to write a few lines about it since I more diligent online than in the ol' journal. This family moved to Austin in the late fall of last year. I'm not sure how exactly but they ended up in the Shoal Creek ward one Sunday when I was conducting in Relief Society. The ward clerk came up to me right before I was supposed to get opening excercises rolling and said "I heard a little rumor that you speak French". I told him honestly that I spoke French about as well as I play the piano - in a pinch I can make a few things happen but I certainly don't think anyone should try and count on me for something consequential.
Well, turned out we were desperate enough to use my "skills" and I ended up tete a tete with this family in Relief Society the following Sunday. There was a whole lot of staring blankly at each other and frantically turning to any scriptures in "Livre de Mormon" that remotely related to the lesson being given. I kept thinking, surely there is someone who could be more useful to these people than me! As horrible as this sounds, I just kept thinking that they probably would lose interest in the church (especially with any help from me during the 3rd hour).
I am happy to say though that I was wrong. Gladys, one of the daughters, decided to be baptised this last January and the whole family continued to come to all 3 hours. I became Gladys's Visiting Teacher with a liberian companion that spoke some crazy patois French. We were a good team though. Decontee, my companion, would work as a liason between me and Gladys when I lost the words for our conversation topic. I would follow along as best I could to make sure that nothing was being said that wasn't quite right (there were a few false doctrine moments we had to sort out since Decontee is a new member herself and doesn't have some of the details on the pre-mortal life quite down). I think everything got worked out though in the end.
Over time, I got super diligent with my French study and in my prayers*; there have been some pretty intense answers I have received along the way. I learned how to talk French with this family. In some ways I feel like I have learned a new French language with them. Suffice it to say, I now have a very real testimony of the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues. If you ever want to hear about it, I will be glad to tell you some cool stories.
Speaking of cool stories, we have had some great times up in our "French Corner" of the RS room. One time this included a writhing bat that was inexplicably dying in a garbage can at the corner of the room. Gladys and Odile kept talking about a "chauve souris" which made no sense to me until they showed me the depths of that plastic can and I suddenly learned a new vocab word for bat. That word has stuck with me too. Vivid memory I guess.
One of the coolest experience yet came yesterday when I had the chance to give a talk in French for Odile, the matriarch of the family, who got baptised. Seriously, this was such a super great experience. I honestly don't know what to say about it except include my talk at the end of this post. C'etait incroyable.
How does this relate to figuring out about the sad time I have had in letting go of this great place and era of my life? Well, if you have even gotten this far in the post, then I will tell you. I have realized that I had this same feeling when I left my fam, friends, mountains, great job and lots else when Matt and I moved to Austin. Had I not come to this hot hot, mountainless, nobody but strangers for miles town 2 years ago then I would not have: found my year round outdoor pool on Amherst, eaten the best gingerbread pancakes there are around, taken deep wiffs of the "forest primeval" smell that pervades the mornings here, or met my dear friends from the Congo. Of course the list goes on. Perhaps it would even go on further if I stayed here another year but it looks like there are some things to be done, people to meet, places to be, things to learn in a brand new place. It's a bit scary but I've got a reference point now that helps remind me what it takes to have some noteworthy adventures.
*I would think quickly, in franglais, dans mon tete. S'il vous plait Dieu, how can I circonlocute une facon de descrire how personal revelation marche? M'aide spit out the right pronunciation of "temoingage". It is a great thing indeed that God can understand all languages - including my version of French.
ENGLISH VERSION
This is a very happy day Odil. Everyone in this room is happy for you. I am happy for you. I know that you are happy. Most importantly, the Lord is happy for you. Everyone is happy that you decided to be baptized.
In some ways this event reminds me a bit of my college graduation day and I will tell you why. At my graduation, someone spoke about what a significant day it was for us graduates. How we had worked hard to be ready for this day and that it wasn’t always easy getting there. The speaker went on to say that we should celebrate our efforts that day but that what we had achieved was also a privilege that not everyone had. As a result, we needed to look forward soon to see what we could now do with the knowledge and blessing of our education. I was impressed with this message. That is a lot like what our Heavenly Father councils us on the day of our baptism. He begins by celebrating with us and then he expects us to do great things with our new gifts.
Do you know what gifts you will be receiving today, Odil? The first gift will come as you are baptized in the water. When you are baptized, you will be receiving forgiveness for your sins. Another gift you will receive today is the gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift will come as the priesthood holders lay their hands on your head and confirm you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What is also wonderful about what you receive today is that you will always have the opportunity to renew your commitment to your baptismal covenants by taking the sacrament each Sunday. The joy you feel today is something that you can feel every time that you take the sacrament. Because you have chosen to be baptized, you know that these are powerful gifts. These gifts are going to change your life Odil; in fact, they already have.
Now that you know the gifts you will be receiving today, do you know what the Lord expects you to do with them? We can find the answer to this question in the scriptures as we read in Mosiah 18:8-9:
v. 8 "...ye are desirious to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
v. 9 "Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—"
We know from this verse that there are great responsibilities that come with baptism. As you progress in your testimony of the gospel, you will have many opportunities to serve. You may be asked to serve as a Visiting Teacher or it may be helping to translate something into Congolese. Whatever it is the Lord asks you to do, you must commit today and each Sunday as you take the sacrament, that you will honor your baptismal covenants. I know that as you do Odil, you and those around you will be continually blessed. I know I have already been greatly blessed by your spirit. I have a testimony of this and the truth of the restored gospel. It is true Odil. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
FRENCH VERSION
C'est un jour très heureux Odil. Tout le monde dans cette salle est heureux pour toi. Je suis heureux pour toi. Je sais que vous êtes heureuse. Plus important encore, le Seigneur est heureux pour vous. Nous avons beaucoup de que tu as décidé d'être baptisé.
D'une certaine manière cet événement me rappelle un peu de mes journées d'études collégiales et je vais vous dire pourquoi. Quand j’ai reçu mon diplôme, quelqu'un a parlé du fait que c’était une journée importante pour nous qui recevait un diplômes. Comment nous avons travaillé dur pour être prêts pour ce jour et qu'il n'était pas toujours facile d'y parvenir. L'orateur ensuite nous a dit que nous devrions célébrer nos efforts, mais ce de ce jour-là que ce que nous avions atteint était aussi un privilège que pas tout le monde avait. Par conséquent, nous devions nous réjouir de voir bientôt ce que nous pourrions faire pour les autre moins beni que nous avec la connaissance et la bénédiction de notre éducation. Ce message m’a fait une grande impression.. C'est un peu comme sa que notre Père Céleste nous conseils sur le jour de notre baptême. Il commence par fêter avec nous la joie de notre baptême et puis il attend de nous de faire de grandes choses avec ce dons du baptême que nous avons reçu.
Savez-vous quelle bénédiction vous allez recevoir aujourd'hui, Odil? Le premier don viendra quand tu seras baptisé dans l'eau. Lorsque vous êtes baptisés, vous allez recevoir le pardon de vos péchés. La deuxième bénédiction que tu que tu recevras demain sera le don du Saint-Esprit. Ce don viendra de la prêtrise quand les mains seront posées sur ta tête et tu seras confirmer un membre de l'Eglise de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours. Ce qui est aussi merveilleux et ce que vous recevez aujourd'hui, et c'est que vous aurez toujours la possibilité sera de renouveler ta promesse au moment de ton baptême en prenant le Sainte- cène chaque dimanche. La joie que tu ressens aujourd'hui est quelque chose que tu pourras ressentir chaque fois que vous prenez le Saint-cène parce que tu as choisi d'être baptisé, tu sais que ce sont des dons puissants. Ces dons vont changer ta vie Odil, en fait, ils ont déjà changé ta vie.
Maintenant que tu reconnais les dons que tu va recevoire aujourd'hui et demain, est-ce-que tu comprends ce que le Seigneur attend de toi? Nous pouvons trouver la réponse à cette question dans les Écritures que nous lisons dans Mosiah 18:8-9:
v.8 « ….Et maintenant, puisque vous desirez entrer dans la bergerie de Dieu et etre appeles son peuple, et etes disposes a porter les fardeaux les uns des autres, afin qu’ils soient legers »
v.9 « Oui, et etes dispose a pleurer avec ceux qui pleurent, oui, et a consoler ceux qui ont besoin de consolation, et a etre les temoins de Dieu en tout temps et en toutes choses, et dans tous les lieux ou vois serez, jusqu'à la mort, afin d’etre comptes avec ceux de la premiere resurrection, afin que vois ayez la vie eternelle »
Nous savons, par ce verset qu'il ya de grandes responsabilités qui viennent avec le baptême. Comme tu progrès dans ton témoignage de l'Évangile, tu aura de nombreuses occasions de servir. Tu poura être invité à servir en tant que « Visiting Teacher » ou peut être aider à traduire quelque chose dans congolais. Quoi qu'il en soit le Seigneur te demande de faire, to dois t’engager aujourd'hui et tous les dimanches que tu prends la Sainte-cène, que tu va renouveler tes promesse baptismaux. Je sais Odil, toi et tous ceux qui t’entourent seront continuellement béni. Je sais que j'ai déjà été grandement bénie par ton esprit. J'ai un témoignage de ceci et la vérité de l'Évangile ré-établi. L’Évangile de Jésus Christ contient la vérité Odil. Au nom de Jésus-Christ, amen.
It says it all really. 
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