Angouleme 10

Hello everyone!  Did you realize that I'll be home next month?  That is a weird thought now isn't it?  sure it is the beginning of this month, and I come home right at the end of next, but still.  i had a bit of a freak out crisis this morning  ha ha.  Don"t worry, I am not getting trunky, but it is not a secret that I don't have too much time left.  So how are you doing?

questions:

The amis are doing well.  We got a new one!  more in the day to day.

I have not looked at classes yet, I was planning on doing that after I write you.  I have been thinking a lot about a major and such, and while I have not made a solid decision, I think yo uare right mother, and even if I want to get into video and such, majoring in that would not be the most critical thing.  You might be happy to know that I want to sign up for a computer science program to see what I think about that.  Ever since I talked to that member who said that you can get a well paying job litterally anywhere you want, it seems a little more attractive.

Day to day:

Monday:  We took a long time shopping for food and watching videos on the computer.  Then we slept and played guitar, ha ha, I know we are just a couple of crazy kids.  We've been looking for things to do, but there are not even places to go hiking or whatnot, the city of angouleme is just surrounded by endless flat farmland, so it is pretty in it's own way, but... it isn't hiking type landscape.  Then in the evening we talked to Fernando, his wife was there who was able to translate a bit.  She is really nice.  Hopefully things are going well between them.  That could be great to start teaching his wife, then she could translate for him at church and then they could have a happy eternal family together.

Tuesday:  Talked to Fr; Bordichoux and ported, Gave a little thank you card to Seiko and Audré (the people from new caledonia)  Then we ported the night away

Wed:  Saw Fr; Petit, it has been a while since we've seen him. He was a little embarrased to have a lesson with us because he had other family over, but we were sneaky and taught our lesson we had planned just in our conversation mu ha ha ha!  Then we saw Fernando again and taught him the rest of the plan of salvation.  He usually can figure out what we are saying, and with the brochures in spanish and my little knowledge of spanish, and for sure the spirit, we are able to have a good lesson with him.  But it is much slower than when Elder Sohou was here.

Then we got ratéd, and the member who came with us offered to buy us dinner. That was very nice of him.

Thursday:  had our meeting with the ward mission leader, then got ratéd again and made other thank you cards for other members and gave them out while contacting, and that evening.  we went to Bordeaux to pick up Elder fletcher for our exchange.  Elder Swenson went to Bordeaux and I was in Angouleme with Elder Fletcher, who is from texas, and has the most steriotypical texas accent that you have ever heard.  It was great!

Friday:  Got ratéd, then we helped this crazy woman get to the hospital (did I explane thta last time?  if not ;.. it is a long story)  So we took the bus with her to the psych hospital, and then we taught her.  Or rather we tried to teach her, and she kept talking over us telling us how much she was thankful and how she was nice.  Then when we were leaving she said "ok,on fait la bise?" which means she wanted to do the cheek kisses that french people do here.  We started to explain that we couldn't but then she grabbed me and Elder Fletcher and didn't Bise us but really smacked a kiss on both of us... oops ha ha.  I don't think we'll see her again.  Afterwards, we got into a conversation with a JW and saw a cross-dresser in the road, so I would say that it was a pretty successful exchange haha.  We switched back friday night.  I really need to piggyback our exchanges off the district meetings or something, because so much time is taken in travel.

Saturday:  We had no rdvs plannede so we had thought of going to a place called La Rochefaucauld.  there were no busses during vacation time.  So we thought we would go to cognac, but the next train wasn't until 7 in the evening, so that was a no go.  So we just took the city bus to this little farm village called Mornac.  There was absolutley nothing there and it took us a long time to get there.  But when we got on the bus to come home, Bruno (one of our first amis here) got on the bus.  he was visiting his mother who lived out here.  He isn't doing to well, but he still doesn't think that our message can help him.  It is too bad, but I still think that we were supposed to meet him there.

Sunday:  Church was fun.  I believe this was the first Sunday that I didn't do something for the sacrament.  Our ami was in Toulouse, so We didn't have a class, but it was fun to be taught instead of teach something.  then we saw this guy Paulin whom we had talked to sunday passé.  he is cool and comes from TOGO.  He doesn't seem golden like baptise me tomorrow, but he is humble and loves god, so we have hopes for him.

Unfortunatly the family canceled the rdv with us during the week.  Hopefully we'll be able to see them again this week.  I am sorry if my letters have been depressing.  I am not depressed, It would be fun to do our next exchange in Bordeaux, so that we could go Monday and see the city a bit.  I'll think about that. I don't hate Angouleme.  It isn't an easy city, but it has its up points.  Like it has lots of well preserved old stuff, like the Marie... what is that in English... where the leader of the city does his work.  anyway it is a big old castle, and the memebers here are really sympa. 

Elder Swenson is funny .  he comes from Pleasant Grove Utah, and has been on his mission for eight months.  he really likes to skateboard and play guitar and do misisonary work.  I love yo uall very much.  I pray for you daily.  Stay groovy and have a good life.  I don't know what is up, but the computer has not been recognizing my sd card recently, That is why <i have not been able to send pictures recently.  I tried again and it isn't working.  can you wait until... next month Oh, that is bizzarre.  Stay strong.  Elder fletcher as well served in Utah for three weeks because he had some visa trouble.  He worked in our mission, and worked in Sandy and Draper a lot.  If you continue west on 123rd south, until you get to like 900 west, that's where he lived.  So that was fun to hear.  He said people are a lot nicer here in France than they were in Utah.  That surprised me, but then again I guess everyone that isn't a member there knows the church and has already formed their opinion on it.  I personally dont' know why anyone wouldn't join or go inactive.  it is really the greatest thing.  I am very greatful for my mission.  I really feel 100% converted, and i am not oging to turn my back on God.  I probably will have hard times... rather I will have hard times, but I have just had too many experiences, many of them on my misison, that I cannot deny the divinity of this church and the reality of the restoration.  Then again anyone can loose thier testimony if they don't take care of it.  That's why you need to feed your spirit (2nephi 32)  So eat up!  Love you.  Talk to you next week and see you next month. HHAAAHHAHAHHA!