So when I said I was going straight from summer to winter, I thought I was kidding. Nope ! I literally went from summery dresses to tights and coats and scarves in one week. Which was definitely a shock to my body (I'm just finally adjusting to the cold), but by some lovely miracle I avoided getting sick ! Annecy is incredible. I'm living in the middle of the Rhône Alpes, which means the mountains are as tall or taller than the ones in Utah, but covered in trees like the ones in Virginia. Which is a pretty spectacular result, particularly in autumn ! Though the sun goes down pretty fast, which meant we only had like, twenty minutes of daylight left when I thought we had an hour... oops. 😂 We have canals all throughout the city (sadly unused), which all drain into the lovely lake that Anncey is built on. Which has swans. This led to Soeur Grindstaff's comment that we live on a hallmark movie set. She ain't wrong ! We went and visited a member (who is the aunt of a French girl who lived in the foreign language housing with me- the world is so small within the church sometimes !!!), and she lives in this wildly aesthetic little cabin in the mountains. The ride over in the bus was absolutely amazing, it's almost surreal how pretty it is. I thought of the quote "What are men to rocks and mountains ?" from Pride and Prejudice and had to laugh.
Sunday was super fun, the branch is a really inspiring group of people and I feel honored to get to work with them. I have a lot to learn from their selfless examples, I can't wait to get to know them better ! One family even invited us over for Sunday dinner, and it was such a wonderful tender mercy. I used to have Sunday dinners with my family, so it just felt right. And their home is such a spiritual powerhouse, it felt like a privilege to visit them !
I hope you all have had great weeks. I'm not gonna say mine was easy- moving is usually disorienting- but it's been incredible to see in a few small ways that I'm supposed to be here. I don't know all the reasons, but I know a few. And I have faith that over time, God will help me find the rest. I know that the same is true for each of you, so if you have challenges or circumstances that you don't understand, I'd invite you to look for God's hand in it, and if you don't see it, ask Him. I know He's there, and I know He answers.
Have a great week, and don't forget to smile 😁
Love,
Soeur Cate
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