I don't think it
would be a very good idea to sing to newcomers in the ward... people
already think we're a secte (cult) ha ha. And don't you remember I am
not in Avignon anymore mother?
The amis are doing great, yes Lisa got baptized
yesterday. It was really a great ceremony very touching. She asked me
to give a talk on the Saint-Esprit, and I think that went well.
(there is some frustrated Moroccan yelling in Arabic right next to me, and it is rather unsettling ha ha.
Yes I am doing good with the weight mother T'inquiète!
Yes we'll be able to skype for christmas, The family Bernardi invited us
over for Christmas, I've already been to their house and they have a
webcam and everything. Also, don't worry about the cost, skype is
free... the version we will use.
Yes we take the train to Lyon. it is a little thing
that takes about 40 minutes, but if there wasn't so much traffic in
Lyon it would probably take 25 minutes. I was able to really go around
the ville again and talk to people because we had a lot of time for the
Anderson thing, and I realized that Lyon is a huge city! So many folies
of people.
The Arab seems to have calmed down, but he is still yelling into his telephone... no now he's worked up again.
Do
I think it would be better to go home then come back or just have you
come get me? Well what I would prefer would be to come home and then go
back. The France is beautiful during the fall, but the Christmas
lights are not up in any of the villes I have been in. I would really
like to be released if you come to get me, other than that, it wouldn't
bother me too much, just know that right at the beginning of November,
it is cold, and vacation has just ended, so there aren't a lot of
tourists, but lots of things are closed too. Still the thing I would
prefer is to just come home and be home for a little season ha ha. I'm
sure we'll talk more about that during the skype call. Plus, if you
come and get me, and Travis goes home, I won't be able to see his
homecoming!
Monday: We had haircuts, shined shoes, and
basically sat around the apartment. I am learning... angels we have
heard on high on the piano. I can get the top hand, but not quite the
bottom hand. FHE was fun, and everybody got along.
Tuesday: got to Lyon at 9 in the morning and then
got to the chapel where the zone conference would be by 9h30... the
conference started just after 2 o'clock, so we were a little early. We,
and other missionaries who were there, went to go get brunch. I had a
brioche au jambon, basically a ham and cheese sandwich which was really
good. Zone conference was incredible. Elder Anderson just has an
incredible spirit that just surrounds him. He didn't give a very high
energy "lets go get em boys" talk, it was very calm and quiet. About
the leadership of the church in France, and his time as a missionary and
mission president in Bordeaux. Then at the stake thing latter he gave
another powerful, but very calm talk about first marriage, then about
how he doesn't know why the church isn't growing as fast here than in
other parts of the world, he doesn't know why we have trials sometimes,
but he does know that the church is true, and that's all that really
matters. Lots about if you are discouraged, know the church is true,
and know that that is all that really matters. He gave the second talk
in French, he spoke really well.
Wednesday: We spent Tuesday night at one of the
equipe's apartments with six other missionaries in a sleeping bag on
the floor. not the greatest night's sleep, but not as bad as I thought
it would be. I was starting and exchange with Elder Smith, so I went
back to Clermont Ferrand instead of St Etienne. A couple missionary
equipe who are also at clermont drove us back. Elder and sister
Jeffries are wonderful incredibly nice people... who really... REALLY
love castles. Our originally 2 hour car ride turned into an over 4 hour road trip across the back country of Auvergne looking at a couple really
beautiful striking chateau and castles. I would have felt more guilty
about taking that much time, but if we had taken the train it would
have got us at clermont about a half hour later than we actually did get
there, so I guess it did save time;.. and I'll admit it, I had a lot of
fun. I'll send you some pictures later today when we are at the
church. (I can't send them in the internet café) Once we got to
Clermont, we did some contacting, and then Had a dinner/lesson with a
partial member family. The lesson was actually one of the most
spiritual I've ever been in. Elder Smith is a really good teacher for
only being in the field a couple months. The one daughter who isn't a
member is totally going to get baptised, it's only a matter of time.
For dinner we had pumpkin soup to start, followed by snails and
froglegs (both incredibly good!) Then a beef stew with rice for the
main course. Then we went home and slept... exhausted.
Thursday: Elder Brady and Elder Smith's companion
(Elder Turley... not tulley) got to clermont around 8h30ish. Elder
Smith and I went out contacting, and to get train tickets. There were
some crazy people setting off explosives in the road, nothing
destructive, but it was really loud. Tons and tons of people with flags
and banners blasting music;.. it was quite frightening, but the police
were there, so I guess it was something approved or surveillé. Anyway E
Brady and I hopped on a train at 11H30 for St Etienne, getting back
around 1H30. We ate, saw Childric who is progressing well. then cleaned
the baptismal font, did some calls, and went home to eat again ha ha;
Friday: Conti family, Louisette, Frere Samuel, Sr.
Gadrasse, then making cookies for the baptism, full day running around
the city
Saturday: Went to the Bernardi's
house, the people who invited us for Christmas. A cute family, the
parents are around 30 and they have three little boys who are really
cute, and do everything their parents tell them not to ha ha. Because
of awkward bus times, and the distance, we have to spend most of the day
there, but there is plenty of work to do. We chopped and organized
wood, made a chicken coop, found and caught the chickens to put into the
coop, build a fence and at the same time catch the chickens again
because they escaped, and other fun stuff like that. Really just like
any day on the farm ha ha; For dinner we had... I forget it's name, but
its a potato and carrot stew with a special kind of cheese. Really
good, then we had roast beef and potatoes and veggies... and more snails
score! Really really good. Then we taught Melanie and went home
Sunday: Good day at church, confirmed louisette,
then after the baptism of Lisa! Narcisse came to the baptism, but
people caught him before he even came into the building and escorted him
off... sigh but other than that everything went well. Lisa invited a
ton of people, and all the members were running around placing book of Mormons. really a good time.
So that's it. Fun week! I'm loving life here, the
mission I also just got word that Didier who I taught in Avignon got baptized! Le champ blanchit déjà pour la moisson (DandC 4) I AM SO
HAPPY. I love you to parents and brother, and Bruce and Robin, have fun
in Hawaii be safe, remember that this is the true church , and no
sacrifice is too great. Ne continuons nous donc pas dans une si grande
cause? Peace!!!!
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