Where My Treasure Lies

Bonjour bonjour!!

Hope you are all happy and well!

This week was full of lots of things, but I've forgotten most of them due to last Friday night.

This week celebrated the 3-year anniversary of the Stake in New Caledonia! The church here is still so young and tender, but continues to grow and strengthen. They had another wonderful celebration with all the members. Every ward presented a different country and put on a dance. And when the islanders dance, they DANCE. Oh it was delightful. My favorites, of course, were the Iles Loyaute (our own small islands) dances and the India dance. (Shout out to Hay you would have just died it was the same dance as in Bride and Prejudice).

So we had that wonderful evening and came home at 9:00.

And long story short, we were robbed.

Someone broke in through a window and stole some of our things. Hahah they were probably sorely disappointed because we have so few things of value. Temporal value that is. But they still got away with some of our things. Well, we called the gendarmes (police), and got our house all fingerprinted and got to try to explain the situation to these gendarmes in french the whole situation. And turns out I've learned a lot of new words in French. We filed a complaint at the gendarmerie (police station), talked to insurance and are now house hunting. Heavenly Father is teaching me all sorts of life skills.

Don't worry, we're totally fine. We were a little shaken up for a couple nights, but now it just feels like a funny joke that we keep telling people. Never expected that experience on my mission haha.

All in all, I learned some wonderful lessons about my priorities and where my treasure lies. The few things I had of temporal value were taken from me. And while for a few hours that was annoying and a little frustrating, now I hardly care any more. My true treasure is spiritual: my testimony, my faith, the sacred, spiritual experiences I have lived and continue to live. These things can never be taken from me, they can't be snatched or robbed or burglarized. I can protect those eternally in my heart and keep them sacred and strong and lasting.

I now hide the few things of temporal value that I have. But I also find myself keeping my scriptures constantly beside me. They are an infinite treasure. Sometimes I have to remind myself that to a robber they are just a book and that I can set them down sometimes and leave them on my desk, because to me they are full of precious truths and personal answers and words of eternal worth that everyone would want.

How grateful I am to be filling my life with GIVING. Each day I get to give and give and give. And the things I give and share cannot be stolen.

Soeur Giles and I have been incredibly blessed to have the Spirit FILL our lessons. It's incredible to look back on the week and remember powerful lesson after powerful lesson. As we sit together across from these dear amis I can almost feel the Spirit overflowing the room. As I bear testimony my heart just about explodes with warmth and peace. These truths are TRUE. They are precious.

I truly cherish these feelings and confirmations of the Spirit more than almost anything else. Lessons have become a recharge for my batteries because we walk out and can still the feel the Spirit lingering in their home and within our hearts.

I often feel quite overcome with emotion. But not in the way I used to be. Before my emotion was much more exterieur, but now it seems to fill me on the inside. Don't be fooled, I'm still a blank canvas of emotion when it comes to excitement and all that, but the sweet peaceful whisperings of the Spirit don't leak out of my tearducts as often.

Well, I love you all tremendously. I think of you often and rejoice in your happiness.

What do you truly value in your life? Is your treasure more spiritual or temporal? I'll certainly be asking myself those questions a lot more in my life :)

much loooove,

soeur evans