Mon Amis

A Sunday spent with friends is a true delight!  I had a fantastic day, that I didn't want to end!  It was Stake Conference (Which was held in a conference hall at a hotel near the Geneva chapel) this particular Sunday.  The Stake has a few different languages, French being the main one.  So there was an English and Spanish (I think)section at the front of the hall for those using head phones to hear the translations.  The conference itself was given in a few different languages because of various speakers using their native language whilst giving their talk.  It was rather funny hearing the translators having to switch round quickly every time someone spoke a different language in the middle of their talk.

I had invited my friend Lejla (from French class) to come with me, which she did.  I thought that inviting her to Stake conference might have been a bit wearisome for her and intense, however the talks that were great for non-members to hear.  A few YSA gave talks of their experiences in the church and how Heavenly Father has helped them in their life.  The other talks stated simple what we believe and outlined main points about the Gospel.  The Lord really does make everything work out in the end!

At the end of Conference there was a big photo session, as everyone went around the room taking photos with each other.  I joined in too!  You can now put some names to faces and meet some new people.

I love the missionaries in this stake!  They work so hard and are great inspirations to me.  It's great bumping into them at various events besides church.  There are two sister missionaries that I see regularly who make me get that 'should I be a missionary' feeling!  One of them is from Hawaii,  she cracks me up!  She wears the most amazing dresses each week, and i tell fervently every time i see that i love what she's wearing.  We have been able to have a little bonding session over not being able to see the new 'twilight' film because we are both in Geneva!  At least I get to see it when I go home for Christmas!  Haha!

Sister Hawaii (there's no way I can say or pronounce her name!)...........

I caught Liz off guard.............

Wise Maggie!..........................

This was Maggie's last Sunday before going back home to the States.  She had been doing an internship at the U.N. and her time had unfortunately come to a close!

Elder Arnold...................

There is a story behind this one (not just Liz's head!).  I would have mentioned this sooner...but photographic evidence got wiped off my phone, I know this Elder from home!  When I first visited Geneva Ward one of the missionaries after learning hat I was from England asked if I knew an Elder Arnold.  I told him I knew a family of Arnold's from back home, but didn't know if the younger boy was on a mission.  the following week I'm talking in the hall after church and get a tap on the back....who could it be but Elder Arnold!!!  hahaha!!!  We were in the same ward when we were young, I was best bud's with his sister Rachel.  It was a hilarious flash back.  Apparently we used to watch Disney films together.  I see him pretty much every week now, we reminisce about England when we see each other.....the other missionaries say its like were speaking another language!

Carol et Moi......................

Another random link.  We are in the same Ward at Gex.  I was asked to give Carol a lift home after institute once and found out that she had only been back home a few moths after having served a mission in Temple Square.  I thought it's a long shot, but I asked her if she knew my cousin Becky, who served there too.  She did!!!  We both jumped up and down like over excited school girls when we released we had a little connection through Becky!

Elisabeth and Elisabeth............

From the left...Caitlin, Liz, Maggie, Laura, Elisabeth, Me, Lejla...............

After Conference a group of us had planned to go to a Monet exhibit, but after a lot of discussion on whether it was a good idea or not (as it was a two hour drive, toll roads and a fee to get in) we decided to have a more wholesome day.  A little walk around the lake in Divonne sounded great.  We got to the Lake, shared out what food I had brought with me (for the exhibit) then Elisabeth and I went on a little food mission to her house.  We had a great chat actually about a few things that we felt similar about, after having grown a bit whilst being away from home in another country.  When we got  back with more food, our group of Mormon Au Pair's (plus Lejla, but she's just one of us) started to meander around the lake.

Can you guess we were cold?................

From the left...Elisabeth, Lejla, Erica, liz, Andrea, Me, Caitlin, Laura...........

To get this photo of all of us we needed the help of a stranger passing by on their own walk around the lake.  Elisabeth was about to take the photo of the rest of us before this idea accord to us, there was a women near by with her son.  I called to Elisabeth telling her to use her French skills and ask the women is she would take the photo fro us.  Elisabeth looked over to the women and was about to ask when the women said 'yeah, sure I can' in an American accent (sorry Canadian!).  We cracked up laughing that of all the French people we could have asked walking by us, we picked the one person who's native language was English!

The afternoon sun was gorgeous on the Lake.......

Our little group.................

The rower........................

This man rowed past us about 8 times as we sat on some rocks eating our food and taking photos.  Eventually we felt the need to cheer him on, i think he was a little startled at first, but was soon rowing better than before!  Not sure if that was because we encouraged him, or just scared him.

My favorite photo of Liz, she was my model all afternoon..............

 Even the Fuzzy ones can be good................

Caitlin and Laura...................

Laura and I......................

Elisabeth and I needed a photo together to remember out chat from the car, it took many photos of squinting eyes, asleep faces and laughing to get a decent one in the end.

The best..............

The Lord's Beauty..............

My favorite photo from the whole day, of Laura.........

Balancing rocks................

A little Tangled moment, 'I have a dream'........

Reach............................

Caitlin and I still get asked if we are sisters..............

Having a strop..................

Freezing, so Liz ran off with my coat..........

To end a wonderful Sunday at Stake Conference and the Lake, after going our separate ways, the two Elisabeth's had another amazing chat in the car!  The three of us went to a members house to watch a film and chill out (the Stewart's, who are amazing!!!).   We cant all go around each others houses like you do at home, which is the one really weird thing that I cant get used to here.  We were gratefull for the Stewaats letting us use their home for the evening though (it's so nice to be in a member's home), they even fed us!

It was a fantastic day!!!!!!  Never to be forgotten!!!!

Bonheur!!!