Cannes you guess where I'm at?

Bonjour! 

Yes, bad pun was necessary. I'm in Cannes! And it is just as
glamorous as you can imagine. Seriously I just feel like I'm on
vacation. Yesterday we were traveling all day so today we are having
P-day. Sorry for the email delay. I got my call and was so excited to
go because I knew Allison would be my stl! Wrong. I was so bummed when
I heard that they took out the sister equipe in Nice. We would have
been able to go on exchanges together and see each other often for
district meeting and zone conferences. But it's ok, I know she is
needed elsewhere!

My new companion is Sister Holmes from Kaysville, UT. She's the cutest
little girl and so so delightful! She's always happy and has a little
crazy side to her and I feel like Allison probably did when she was
put with sœur sopi. I'm so excited to work with her! We are pretty
much the same person and we already had have had so much fun together.
She came in one transfer before Allison so she's the oldest companion
I've had yet. I'm so excited!

Cannes is so beautiful!! We went to centre ville today to walk around
and it's just like you would imagine it. Beautiful buildings, ritzy
hotels, tourists (the good and the bad), film festival everything,
sun, beach, ahhhh I'm in love! I guess this is how Allison has felt
the whole last transfer. I'm bummed I just missed the film festival,
but at least one Hurd sister got to go. Also I was told I didn't
really miss much. I'm just happy to be here at all! Definitely one of
the places I always hoped to serve in.

I was of course very sad to leave Perpignan but I felt it coming. I
feel like it was time. Luckily I was able to say goodbye to everyone I
needed to, and we finished off the week accomplishing a lot of the
goals we had set and with the best numbers I've had my whole mission.
Cool. Best of all though, the last Sunday there was perfect! A few
less actives that I have been teaching for the last four months came
to church for the first time since I've been there! I was SO HAPPYYY.
Along with that! HUGUETTE CAME TO CHURCH! We had been trying to get
her to come back when I was in my first transfer with Allison and she
just never could. She came almost at the end of course but she came
nonetheless. I was ecstatic. It was also the fast Sunday so I had the
chance to bear my testimony during the meeting and then say goodbye to
all the members during the meal afterwards. Ah I love them so much!
Trop attachée. At the train station the next day we had some of our
favorite people come say goodbye to us. Frère boltor came in disguise
to surprise me like he did with Allison hahaha. He's hilarious. I have
cute picture of them waving goodbye to us from the platform and frère
boltor pretending to wipe away tears haha.

It was definitely sad to say goodbye to sisters Christensen and
bolanos. It's just been such a blast with the three of us!  We were
hoping to stay together but we pretty much knew it wasn't going to
happen. We have a lot of good memories together. Sister bolanos
actually left to go to Porte des Alpes in Lyon, so she'll be seeing
Allison a lot. We were surprised because we were sure she would stay
since she speaks Spanish. Sister Christensen is staying and getting a
sister who came in with Allison. I'm excited she'll get to stay with
the ward longer! They love her.

I have a ton of pictures of Perpignan goodbyes but unfortunately I
forgot my camera cord for the computer. I'll have to do it next week.
Also Perpignan was SO HOT. SO HOT this past week we were there and we
were all dying. It was mid to upper 90s. Unfortunately I didn't get my
wish to go to the alps but like.....I'm in Cannes, France. Tough life,
right? 😊

I've heard the ward here is amazing so I'm excited to meet everyone.
Although they do have pretty big shoes to fill. One day other Sœur
Hurd and I are going to come back together and visit our loves in
Perpignan.

Sister Holmes admitted that the work in Cannes is harder than any
other place she's served in the mission and that we only have one amie
right now. But it's ok! We're determined to find more people who are
ready to hear the gospel. This morning I was studying in Preach my
Gospel and the scriptures about finding people who are prepared. In
D&C 33:6 the Lord tells us that in the last dispensation he will
gather his elect from the four quarters of the earth, and that it will
be accomplished though us as missionaries and members! There are elect
people all over the world right now that don't have the gospel because
they don't yet know where to find it. They will recognize us (members
and missionaries) as servants of the Lord when we do all we can to
bear testimony and share the message of the restored Gospel. My motto
for this transfer will be "gathering the elect" and I invite you all
to work on the same goal with me for the next six weeks. Prayerfully
seek to find those people around you whose spirits are searching for
the truth. I'll be following up soon Juna, Christopher, Stephen, and
Lacey 😏

Je vous aime!

Sœur Melissa Hurd