An Optomisitc Vision

Dear Blog readers,

President Staheli said that the membership changes in Europe were progressively less and less. it got 'up' to -6% in 2007 finally, and in 2008 it finally broke even. + 6% membership! everybody was celebrating. and then in 2009 it became +20%!! can you imagine?
The first presidency asked the area authorites why this change had happened. and if they could say one thing that spurred this change. The Europe area authorities concluded it was because of "an optimistic vision shared between members and missionaries." or something like that. and it is true!
I finally got to call Eleonor yesterday. She was disappointed in her church and meets with about 10 other people who are all dissappointed in their various churches who meet together to pray and read the Bible. She started talking to the Elder's Quorom president in our ward on the train one day, and now she is excited to meet us.
A member from Geneva called saying that she had a friend who lived in our area who would like a book of Mormon. We talked to him on the phone and will set up a rendezvous for this next week. After another call from missionaries, we find out that he walked into the Exposition downtown Paris and had a first lesson with the Elders there.
A member from Troyes (about an hour from here) called and said that her boyfriend lived in Melun but came to church with her last Sunday. He might be interested in taking the lessons.
Elisabeth (still progressing baptismal date :)) told us that she was talking to a dear friend who prays with her often. She told her (Henriette) about the missionaries. How 2 sisters come to her place and get her on the 'road to Salvation.' Henriette said that she was looking for more spirituality in her life right now, and could really use a boost from us.
Alphonsine Gazawanza is a lady that was standing at a bus stop where we had to wait for 20 minutes last week (my companion HATES waiting for busses, hehe. i don't mind so much--maybe it's just that it was -2° C yesterday) I just talked and talked to her. I gave her about the first discussion, and she was wanting to come see our church if she wouldn't have had knee surgery this weekend. We'll go visit her tonight.
well there's more to say. That's what I think at every single rendez vous. More answers to your questions. Everysingle practice session, there's always more work to do. Every single prayer. There is more I'd like to say. Every single time I talk or don't talk to someone I wanted to--if only I'd said something about prophets! But life is about progression, and although opportunites leave, God creates new ones. always.
Love you all! Thanks for your prayers.
Soeur Wilson