Things that matter most

Even in a place as exciting as Paris, there are days when all I want to do is put on some sweat pants and take a little nap. After church today, this is exactly what we did. Church today was an interesting experience. My roomates and I walked into church to be greeted by a huge group of so obviously BYU students that we both looked at each other with understanding eyes, another study abroad. Immediately defensive of our home turf, we rolled our eyes when they talked during sunday school and tried to set a good example of not getting in the way of the ward members. Our church experience here is an interesting thing, we are perpetual visitors, and in a ward where up to 50% of the church attendance on a regular sunday are visitors we are not exactly greeted with hungry anticipation and eager songs of, "Hello, Hello." (I am sure that the primary has this song on unending repeat this time of year). We allow the ward to function as it needs to, serve where we can, and generally stay out from under foot. This may seem a little different that one may expect, and i can honestly say I was quite surprised to not be welcomed with open arms and eager smiles, but we listen to the lessons, enjoy the community of a few believers in a city of millions, and are spiritually refreshed each week.
In a city where everything I see seems to astound me, the museums filled with Monet, the impossibly darling apartment buildings that line the streets, and the overwhelming history of such a place, last night it was a little thing that gave me a big thrill. After a long day of walking along the Seine, eating Kababs in the Latin Quarter, hanging out at the Eiffel Tower and watching it sparkle, Olivia and I returned home desiring nothing more than cold water. A thing very hard to come by, cold water is generally never accomplished at places other than vending machines and McDo. But somehow, divine inspiration or something, as we were lamenting the fact that we had no ice to chill our water, dear Olivia decided to look in the freezer and what did she find? An ice tray, (not sold in France, generally) it might as well have been manna from heaven we were so astounded. Not only was it an ice tray, but it was full and for the first time in 4 weeks I partook of one of my favorite things, ice water. Refreshing, cold and cleansing, happiness has never tasted so sweet. Dear ice, I am yours forever.