Lyon II 7

Ok, hello family friends, "amis potentielles" *clignement* how are you doing?  I am fine, *Brian is in the kitchen and all is well

Ok, questions:  

The weight is coming off.  Elder Gruber is really really buff, he gets up a six to do an hour of workouts... I have not done that yet, but I am thinking about it.  I am thinning out for a french suit.  I found a store called Misty Griff that sells stuff real cheap, it is apparently the khols of France, or so that was how it was described to me.  Anyway I am excited to check it out.

I have not done running yet, I will this week, I have been doing pull ups and weights and stuff.  Elder Gruber is just an inch or two shorter than me.  The new branches are going to happen, this week we were super chargés, but we'll get back working with that.  For Pday last week?  well, I'll give you the weekly rundown tout à l'heure.

thank you for the pictures, they stayed small for some reason, but it was still fun.

Well, this transfer will be really intense with lots of stuff to do, some cool surprises, that I am only going to reveal to you as they happen.  it looks like I'll get to do a little traveling again this transfer.

Lundi:  I was at the gare all day pretty much.  Elder Frandsen left at 9h00 du matin, du coup, I was at the gare from 8h40 to 3h00 in the afternoon.  Then we got a little brake where I could eat and ... what did I do?  I got a new bag, the other one was old and smelly and falling apart.  I like the new bag, you'll see it soon enough, yes it is a shoulder strap bag.  Then I was at the gare again from 5h30 until 7h00 and we took one of the trainers with us (elder Uluave from the MTC).  Normally he should have come in Wednesday to pick up his blue, but for some reason, they scheduled him for a train on Monday, so he hung with us for the week.

Mardi:  studies, emails, lunch, saw Fabien, then Carolina, a less active from Venezuela or somewhere, Elder Uluave got us a rdv, because he taught her when he was here a year ago.  then we talked to another woman who he taught, who has become a new ami again.  Then we ate with Mario a member who had invited a less active, what a great guy!

Mercredi:  Saw Sr. Gabriel and taught her nice who is a cool social worker from Toronto Canada, we gave her a Book of Mormon, hopefully that will lead to something , some cool miracle. then we did some planning because we were assigned to take care of a group of new missionaries to keep them occupied and showing them missionary life etc.  Then we saw Jonah, an ami, and then we spent the rest of the night taking care of the trainers coming in to receive their blues the next morning, We picked them up at the gare and dropped off their luggage at the hotel, and got them dinner at the finest restaurant in town.. McDonald's!  It was a lot of fun.  Then there were some missionaries who didn't have a hotel room, so we stayed with them and worked it out... then yeah, other complications will luggage, we ended up getting home around 11h40... 6h30 came early that next morning ha ha.

Jeudi:  Spent the day with the new missionaries, we set up a mock mtc thing in the institute building, where we had five or six different members posing as investiators, and they taught them.  They they did some mother daughter, father son contacting, and we ended it with a street boarding choir... there were 28 new missionaries the mutiation, alors, 56 missionaries total in Lyon... in addition to the 16 that were already assigned to Lyon, and we got a few members to join us, it was quite the sight.  So many of the Elders and Sisters were 18 and 19...  Or so they said, I don't know, but it looks like they are sending some children on a mission these days.  They are soooo young.  It is interesting

Vendredi:  Weekly planning, taught a less active, then took the blues again after the meeting with president and ran around Lyon with them.  There were only a few this time, because most had already left on their trains.

*

Samedi:  Saw Elisabeth again and this girl Michelle, then Kate a less active, helped a member lift a 30000 pound wardrobe up four flights of stairs and thin saw Marie France and Haeven who are doing well.  good busy day.

Dimanche:  Fun day at church, had a meeting ofter, eat lunch, Then we did some contacting and stuff

Good week, lots of success, Elder Gruber is a great collegue, we get along well.  He and elder gandolf talk a lot about baseball.  He is really motivated as well.

Well;I  thing that is about all the time I have. I love you all.  Have a great week, and we'll see you again soon. . . Hopefully on Monday next time.

Oh yeah, this Monday  We did our shopping, and lunch, and then we went to that big park with animals in it, saw exotic plants, ostriges and gazells, and then played football... american football.  It was a blast, because again we had a bunch of people with us because today is blues conference for the 2nd transfer elders.    We lost track of time a bit, and so we just had to start working.  They also stayed in out apartment that night. 

*Brian is in the kitchen is a common phrase French people use to learn English, like See spot run and things like that.

Lyon II 6

So I do not have lots of time, so here we go,

Yes there are still Chinese elders.  Elder Gandolf's comp is elder Yang, he grew up in Las Vegas, but he has Chinese parents, and speaks fluently, though he doesn't know how to read it. He is a good guy, I don't really know him well.  Elder Uluave told us he needs a little bit of a push to get out of the apartment, but yeah, he also said he is a good guy and a great teacher.

For lunch we have a variety of things.  We made tacos the last time, oh real quick before I forget, here are some requests for the pack; actually it is just add taco seasoning into the mix, that stuff makes everything better.

The amis are doing well.  We have lots of potential here, but not many actual amis for the moment.

Yah Braiden and I got along, we didn't really do much together though. I am not sure why, we just would talk every now and again, and watch this one tv show I got him into.

Yeah, I miss the cows and working at the farm... not enough to become a farmer.

So the thing I was going to tell you about travis, is that he has a friend, well it is a common friend, but I don't know the actual guy super well.  Anyway, this friend's family has a house in provo that apparently they are willing to rent to us.  I don't have much more information than that, but I told him I was interested if it is actually happening.  I know what you are thinking mother, but don't worry so much, Travis has really changed a lot on his mission.  That is the greatest thing about the gospel is that none of us has to stay the same person that we are today, we are always changing, and hopefully always improving.  From what Travis has sent me, he is really converted to the gospel and has calmed down a lot.  Not saying that he wasn't converted before, or anything, but he really has improved.  So have I by the way.  I am much more self motivated now.  I am really eager to learn and get good grades to do that older person stuff like having a job and getting married and all that. SO yeah, nothing is in stone, but that is what I am thinking about as far as housing for BYU.  I think I have already told you about my goals of being ... I don't like the word independent, but at least taking care of myself (ie paying for my own things, and all that) by two years after the mission.  I'd like to try and do that sooner if possible.  anyway these are just goals to work towards.

So yeah, Elder Gruber is a good man, I think we are going to have a good transfer together.  I didn't know him in high school at all, but I already really like him. I bought a new bag.  A 20 euro thing ad fnac which is like best buy of France, it is really not bad for an cheapl thing.  Lots better than some other bags I was looking at for 120 euros.

Well that is my time.  This week will be a little particular because we are taking care of the new missionaries a couple days.  I'll tell you about it next week.

It was really great to see you!  That hour just flew by, I feel like we really didn't talk about much, but when I get back we'll have lots of good conversations I am sure.  Sorry if I seemed a little inpatient or anything.  I didn't mean to come off that way if I did.  I love you more than anything, be good and do good.  Get the Cherninko family baptized, as well as Dave and Darla and Carol and Carl, so many potential amis for the missionaries there!  though they probably live in a whole different mission than we do.  Sharing the gospel gives us so much joy, it is crazy, and it can't be legal, but it is.

Have a wonderful week, and happy mothers day  love you!

Lyon II 5

Hello everyone.  So I am doing this in a reply because I do not like the new google email thing.  It is when you go to compose a new email, it pops up in the corner like a chat box on facebook (parents, jj can explain to you what that is ha ha).  Anyway, it is really ... I don't know, Elder Frandsen says 'junky' and that seems to be a good word for it.  so let us get to the questions shall we?

Yes Travis wrote me a letter last week.  He also sent me a cool russian orthodox church prayer card.  I wrote him back to discover that I had no stamps, so I'll get some today and send that out to him.  We sometimes write emails to each other, but they are short because almost all my time goes into this one.

Yes I got the cards you sent.  Merci beaucoup, c'est gentil de votre part!

The health is doing great.  I am at 100% again, E frandsen is at 90% he still coughs a little, and is kinda tired, but the pneumonia is all gone.

The amis are going well.  Fabien was baptized yesterday, it was a beautiful service.  I'll try to send pictures.  You know, there were two baptisms here the week before, then Fabien yesterday, and next week there should be two more baptisms... actually three. Not all of them are our amis of course, but they are all the Lyon equipes.  The members are getting really excited about all these baptisms.  During weekly planning E F and I talked a lot about getting new amis and the growth of the church here. We decided in the next few transfers, we are going to try to get a new branch in Bourg en Bresse, and another in Ambérieu en Bougey.  Pretty big goals, and We realize it probably won't happen until both of us are gone, but it is going to happen. 

Now I have to use the stupid compose thing... you can make it your own window, which gets it out of the bottom right corner... that is better, but I still feel like I am writing on the notepad program that comes on computers for free... it just is... junky.

Anyway, there are going to be new branches here. In Bourg there was a branch, but it got dissolved a few years ago.  We (all the elders here) are going to try and bring it back.  As well as starting a new one in Ambérieu.  Yeah, we are setting some pretty high expectations, but with god anything is possible right?

Yes the Corsica elders fly to Lyon, but they do that more than a couple times a year.  eight time a year to be exact.  And that doesn't include for when the assistants go there to do exchanges.  So lowest would be 16 round trip flights a year.

We get transferred on Mondays.  We will be getting called this friday, so by the time I talk to you, I should know what will be happening for our equipe the next transfer.  That is crazy the transfer is already on its last week.  I feel as though the last three transfers have just shot by... and I only have four of them left!  This isn't good.  I have got branches to start, I cant go home!  ... beh Qui saura sera right? exactly.

The interviews are generally pretty similar.  You can ask the president questions for advice etc.  he wants to know how you are doing and what he can do to help you.  How your college is doing.  As a zone leader he asks questions about the zone, but mostly it is about the person being interviewed.  They are usually pretty short.  I have not had any grave problems on my mission, so yeah..  They are longer than president Murdock's par contre.  With him it was "hi how are you elder crossman?" "good", "how is your colleague?" "good", Is there anything I can do for you or any questions?" "not really" "ok you are a great missionary, would you close this interview with a prayer please?"  

If I were going to a member's place... out of the choices you gave me, I would say mexican, but that is because it doesn't exist here.  Chinese would trump pizza.  I have had enough pizza on mission that i don't need members giving me any.  At least for us in France, we don't get a lot of time/money to eat fresh things like chicken breast, or salad.  So yeah, there is my input. But mangez-vous, or in english, eating with the members are great no matter what they serve.

So this week was kinda same ol same ol with the amis, no new ones this week, but we ae going to b able to work at 100% this week, so we'll find some... lots!  The highlight was the baptism for sure.  I made a tiramissou for it.  It was flippin good if I do say so myself.  I'll make it for you when I get back.. if we can find speculose cookies and mascarpa cream.  I have never heard of that in the US, of course I never shopped a ton in the US.

Well I love you lots.  Travis seems to be doing really well.  We don't really talk about numbers or anything, but he does not seem to have had loads of success, but I can tell he is and has changed a lot.  He has a really strong testimony and such

I am doing well. I am happy.  Last package you say?  Last? ok, well I have enough toothpaste. I stocked up on Swiss toothpaste, it is a lot like American, so i don't have to use the french garbage...er toothpaste.  I would like my line of authority, call letter, and an oil vile like I asked for the last time or time before that.  Then beef jerky... and beef jerky, salsa would be nice again as well.  I think I have had enough chewing um for my mission (I think I'll need to run to the dentist when I get back as well, no pain, but my crown thing has chipped a bit, so I am trying to take good care of it so it doesn't become a cavity.)  I will not go to a french dentist.  ant then what else could I use?... did I say beef jerky?  I could use some more pens as well. Those pilot liquid ones are good, but they run out fast, and everyone thinks that the crossmanpost pens are super cool, so I have given most of them away.  I ran out of journals, but I already bought a new one... I think I told you that.  

Well I love you lots, I can't say that enough.  We are going to play softball at the mission president's house.  That should be really fun.  I'll take pictures and tell you all about it during our chat.  Do you realize that the next time we see each other after Sunday will be in person?!?!?!?!  I miss you guys a lot.  I am excited for what the future holds, to see you again, to start my ... chemin in the world, but I honestly could be a missionary for the rest of my life..; or another couple years, this is really the good life.  To not worry about anything other than how you can help others.  You just feel good all the time.. false, you actually feel really bad a lot too, but having the spirit with you this consistently strong is something that i know I am going to miss, so it is my goal to keep it with me for as long as I can, my whole life if that is possible... though i don't think it is honestly.. not the same kind of spirit anyway.  I just have to profit the most of my mission time, and then profit the most of the rest of my time.  All summing this up, God is great, put him first, and life is great, even if by the "world's standards" you don't have a great life, it can be fulfilling and wonderful.  

Pop quiz, what is the greatest phrase ever stated in all the history of the world?

think about it.  Love you bye buy by bi

Lyon II 4

Hello everyone.  Good week, there is still goo coming out of my body, but I am feeling better.  I am taking vitamin C and other goodies that the doctor gave me, so it should be killed soon.  Elder Frandsen is still sick as well, but diong a lot better.

Also funny thing, I had a dream the other day that I was home, and that max was still alive, you think he has got another six months in him?  I thought for sure that I would not see him again until the milenium, but now he might pull through.

Ok, getting to the questions:  Our amis are doing well.  Fabien passed his interview, so he will be baptised this coming sunday.  Tho other ami who was supposed to get baptised isn't looking like that is going to happenh.  He is ready, but he is only 11 and his father thinks that next week is a little soon, so we have to wait on that.  The brazilian lady is not answering our calls.  we'll keep trying though for a while to get a hold of her; 

We have not gotten anything fixed for skype calls, sorry, but It should not be too difficult, the members here aere great, just plan on getting the call early in the morning again, I'll tell you for shure when the next monday.

I'll get you your perfume, but ... the money is kinda running low, and french perfume usn't the cheapest thing in the world... just letting you know/  Love you!

The weight is still coming off, I am waithing for the next soldes to buy a suit which will be just before or after my birthday.

I guess I wasn't clear, Michael Jackoson is already a member, he is just starting to come back again after some time of inactivity.

We make calles to our district leaders several times throughout the week.  We talk with the assistants once a week, and we call the members on four zone every now and again.

yes there are missionaries again in Avignon, they have a person engaged for baptism as well.  They are seeing some good success.

Elder Frandsen has been out not quite a year, he is five transfers behind me.

Tuesday:  zone conference.  President also did interviews.  It was really good, but it seemed a little routiene, of course it was about the seventh time they had done this presentation for the other zones, but still it was very spiritual.  Then we went on exchange witht the elders from corsica, because they were in Lyon for the conference, qnd they didn't leave until the next day.  Elder Iaoniddis and I did contacting for pretty much the whole night.  He is a good missionary and seems almost too happy sometimes.

Wednesday:  saw michael, then Haeven who is doing wello, then Wanda someone who we had seen before, she is pretty golden.  It has been one week sicnce she has had the book of mormon, and she is already in third nephi. She does not want to ... s'engager in one church yet though, so she has declined our multiple invitations to be baptised, but she will some day, she really knows it is true.  Then we saw Fabien had a good rdv about the priesthood.  Then had dinner with a member family who are some of the nicest people in the worlld.  I felt a little bad eathing their food though, because normally the members are pretty well off, but this family ... it is evident that they do not have a lot of money, and it might have been a little of a sacrifice to feed us.  They really are wonderful.

Thrusday:  Saw Kate another lessa ctive member.  We invited her to invite her friends to a big stake activity we will have this comming saturday.  That should be fun.  then saw another lessa ctive lady who is wanting to come back to church, but needs to change when her nurse comes and sees her, because the nurse comes sunday mornings.  this summer she said she will be able to start coming again.

Then Elder Frandsen and I went to the doctor and got some pills to cure the pain.  And we filled in for the sisters in teaching the english discussion thing.  though only one persone came, but still it was enjoyable.  We went home a little early to sleep and heal.

Friday:  saw our JW friend who talked a lot about war and how governement is evil, and the name of God being Jehova... they didn't want to listen, so we dropped him.  They do believe that God and Jesus are different poeple, just that Jesus isn't a god, I am not sure what they think about the spirit.  They do not believe in modern revelation, which doesn't make sense since I showed them a scripture in the bible that says in the last days there will be lots of revelations and other things... really bluntly like that too.  Anywho they didn't want to listen like I said.  then we saw Fabien again and got his  baptismal progaram worked out.  Then Haeven who is still doing really well.

Sturday:  Did some pass backs, E Frandsen slept... no that ws sunday he slept.  Then we went to the Sister equipe's baptism, that was really well put on.  The cool thing is that they were the kids of a reactivated family, so two baptisms, but htere is a whole family of five or so that is coming to church again, really a good experience.  Then we saw sr. Cilpa an old handycapped less active whodoes lots of missionary work and is really just a joy to be around.

 Sunday:  Church good, Sw some members, went to some meetings, ate some foode, E Frandsen slept, Then went to a place called croix paquet to prt, it is a pretty part of lyon that really looks French.  the bigger part of Lyon just feels like any big city, but croix paquet you get the cobble stone roads and rolling hills and all that good stuff.  It is a fun place to work.

Ok, well I love you all more than eanything.  I m excited to see you again.  Do you realize that the next time we see each other after calls will be in person?  I'll probbly be home for halloween, so get my costume ready.  I'll telly ou what I want to be latter.  Today should be lots of fun since the tother elders aer doing shopping for food, it givesu s more time to play.  sadly the weather is poopy, but oh well,

By the way, Lyon seems to eitgher be in summer or winter weather.  It has been on and off cold or super hot this week.  It is almost mai geeze, I hope it warms up soon.  OK love you lots bye!

Lyon II 3

Hello... er hola, er Strasveil (russian), er Bonjour.  Hey all I am in Lyon again.  That is the city where I started my mission, though I am in another ward on the other side of town.  it is cool to be back.  Je vous aime tous!

Yeah, I am talking to a lot more people here that I was the first time around.  That was just me and Elder Frandsen that talked to 700 ppl; but he is feeling a little sick; so this week we only got 550 or so.  Our president has been pushing remembering to talk to at least 50 people a day.  We have been focusing a lot on member work, and I guess our contacting was slipping.  Elder Frandsen and I decided that in a city as big as Lyon, it would be easy to get 100 people a day, so that is what we did.  I it is neat, in one week, we got about 15 numbers, and fixed a total of five or so rdvs... which makes you think just how many people say no ha ha, but it makes it worth it when the person says yes.

We are walking a lot.  I have lost four more pounds since getting here.  We are entering the 235-240 weight area.  I feel great, It is crazy to think that I have lost the equivalent of a... Pig... I don't know, how much do those weigh?

The homeless people all have big smelly dogs.  It is all the old ladies that have the Bichons

I think that I would have enough time to write letters if I really put time in it.   You need to understand though.  It is hard to stay in your boring apartment when there are castles and chateaux and a huge park with giraffes and Elephants right next door.  I am falling behind on my letter writting.  I was planning on sending all of you ones individually and then some to the recent converts.  

 No wonder I never get any letters I haven't written anything in a few transfers now.  Who would of thought that I would have to make an effort to get letters ha ha.  Ok, next week I'll get to it.  Though, I'll probably need to take a few weeks to get all those out.

 Saw the Italian family in their store in the morning, and prayed with them.  We kinda dropped them for a while, because they said they cannot close their store on Sundays until September, so we are still dropping in every now and then pour prendre les nouvelles, but we will hold off teaching them until then.  They are totally going to be baptized, they just need to come to church.

  Then we saw Heaven, a cool kid of a less active who isn't baptized, who is going to be baptized the 11 mai,a so pray for him.  He is a cool dude, and is learning way fast/  Then lots of contacting.

 Zone training meeting.  If you have forgotten what that is, it is a district meeting, but with our zone, and me and elder Frandsen do that.  I t went well.  hopefully it was inspiring.  It was a little fun too, because Corsica is in our zone (we do NOT do exchanges with them, that is the assistants, who is NOT me and elder Frandsen)  So we had them on the big projector on skype in the mission office.  I felt like some sort of CEO at a business meeting, only spiritual.  We are in the big city now.  Then we did some talking to people, this is when Elder Frandsen really started getting sick.  We went home a little early, he went to bed and I made calls.

Weekly planning, then we had a few people who didn't show up to appointments, and then we went to this place called the croix rousse.  The place is crawling with JWs and everyone thought we were the witnesses.  yuck.

 saw Haevan (pronounced like Evan) again, then Fabien; a cool Black young adult who is going to be baptized the 5 of mai (side note Jonah another kid of a less active, like Haevan is also getting baptized the 5 mai)  Then we had a raté-vous (they didn't show up)  and then Elder Frandsen was just about dead, so I almost carried him home.  

  First Sunday in the Villeurbanne ward.  It was good, it was the ward conference, so there were lots of people from elsewhere.  All together, we were about 110. Not bad.  Then we ate, Elder Frandsen was puking, so I organized the apartment.  Then he wanted to get out of the apartment, so we ported the night out.

Today was fun.  We got the apartment all clean and shiny, I bought a new journal because I have filled all my other ones.  This is a big one which will definitely last me the rest of my mission.  it kinda looks like an old spell book... fun fun.  Later, we have two rdvs.

I am still enjoying life.  It is hot now.  like 70s.  We are not wearing our suit coats (glorious).  Elder frandsen is still pretty sick, better, but still we will call Sr Roney to fix something with a doctor.  We are sure it is a sinus infection.  It doesn't look or sound fun, I just hope I don't get it.  

Love you much.  The gospel is true.  Peace love and good will and all that ciao!

Lyon II 2

Ok, email time.  I am still getting used to the french keyboards, but it is starting to come back already.  You can change the keyboard to American, but it has been so long since I have used one of those. I have no idea where all the keys are.

Answers:

  Our Zone is the following:  Us (Elder Frandsen and I are both Zone leaders; it is always like that where both comps are ZLs)  The second Villerbanne equipe who live in our apartment and one is called Chinese speaking.  Two equipes in Gerland which is South Lyon,  The five office Elders, and Clermont Ferrand.  So a pretty small area, but the same number of equipes as before.
Our apartment isn't huge, big enough for four elders, but it is a little tight.  It is fun though irealy like everyone in the appartement.  It is in a big builing in a jewishs area.  There is a jewish store in the bottom of our building actually, they have lots of cool hats.   We live on the 3rd floor here, but the 4th floor if it was in america.

I only did baptisms in the Jordan River temple, nothing else.  I have only been to the draper and provo temple besides that. 

Conference is streamed on the internet, so people can see it at their house,  It is played in the chapel here though, actually in the Ecculy chapel (the other side of town where I started)  The three wards in Lyon all went to thqt one building, so there were a decent number, about the size of one small ward.  We see Saturday morning session Saturday evening, priesthood is Sunday morning, then Saturday evening; then Sunday morning we get to watch live.  Sunday afternoon starts at 10 at night here, so we don't get to see it, and the chapel is closed, so we have no way of seeing it anyway.

I do not know when mothers day is.  On a mission; you don't even realize that it is a holiday or not, the only difference for us is the stores are closed.  So paques ...er easter is a little annoying because you can't do your shopping.  The transfer goes until the 12 of may, so yes or no depending on when mothers day is... apparently that means calls are just before the transfer (according to the other missionaries here in the internet café)

OK; this week went really well. Monday I was just shell shocked the whole time.

Tuesday we saw Micheal who is a less active who just moved in to France two months ago.  HE  wasn't on the ward list; or anything, we just "randomly" contacted him on the metro.  He is sweet!  Originally from Nigeria, he lived in Spain for a long time/  then we saw two other less actives:

Wednesday we taught Jonah, a 9 or 1à year old child of a partial member family.  He wants to be baptized; and has a date for a few weeks; I honestly do not remember.  He is a good kid.  then we saw the family Spataro, a classic Italian family.  If you see the Italian store that is just next to our apartment, they own that.  They are really cool as well.  Only the father really speaks french though, So am I going to learn Italian now?  Probably not ha ha.

Thursday  Saw another sweet old lady who just recently started coming back to church.

Friday Saw Micheal again and his two Nigerian friends, I went on exchange with the office elders; and we did some contacting in ville.

Saturday  got a new ami, a ç year old kid of yet another less active member  who is coming back to church.  We are going to try and set a baptismal date with him in the next couple days.  Then conference.

Sunday was conference all day.  We did talk to a cool slovakian guy in between sessions, but nothing big.

that is really all for this week;  No, there is more.  A really really cool miracle that made my week.  A less active family in Avignon, the family Ughetto.  When I was in Avignon; they were all inactive, then we got the mother and two of the four kids coming back, and one of their  kids was baptized.  I just recently heard that The father and the other two daughters are now active again, and their last unbaptized kid was just baptized, and they are going to the temple to be sealed in the next month!!!!  Ah it is so cool to hear things like that.  Especially when it is people that you know and care about and have been praying for often.  God really performs miracles even in France.  I LOVE THE LORD.  

Thank you so much mom and dad for providing the money needed so that I can be on a mission.  It has and is changing my life.  I have never done so much good in my life, I just feel so much love for these people, it is kind of weird.  Sometimes it is hard; and it feels like even though all you are trying to do is help, no one wants anything to do with you, but you just keep working with faith; and then really cool things like that happen.  Missions kick butt!

Love you so much;  Have a good week;  I love you emails, don't hesitate to make them longer and to throw in pictures as well.  I know how you are just taking pictures all day every day.  =D  Bye

Return to Lyon

Hello family, friends, future missionaries who are spying on my blog.  let us answer the questions

So I am sure you are all excited to know what is happening... or rather what happened,  so let me answer your other questions first, and then I'll get to that

I forgot to give advice to the person in our ward who is going to our mission.  Well, one be obedient, two write in your journal, three, take pictures, four, only bring an umbrella, the people will try to tell you you need q raincoat, but you will never use it.    Other than that, just be good, start reading preach my gospel, particularly chapter three.  Have faith

The luggage is still in one piece, they look like they have been through a lot though:  However I think they will hold for the rest of my mission.

Easter was great, I'll tell you more about it later

We have a rvd fixed with the guy who came to church, but we have not seen him yet.

Yes we saw castles, I'll see if I can send pics, I don't have a lot of time

I think I have all I need for the moment thanks =D

So, where am I?  Well, je vais casser la baraque, I was moved, in France; to Lyon again.  I am in the Villerban ward now however, it is the other side of the city.  My new collegue is Edler Frandsen from Highland Utah

I am zone leader btw.  Elder Frandsen is on his 8th transfer or something.  Anyway, I got to Lyon about 1 o'clock, We have had to do a bunch of things telling people where to go and directing at the train station, so That is why we do not have a lot of time to do emails.

I am also on the french keyboard, so I am typing really slowly.  I am excited to be in Lyon again and be with Eler Frandsen, He was my zone leader when I was in St Etienne, and he is still here in Lyon. 

I did miss France a little, I love Switzerland, and the ward in Yverdon was awesome.  It was probably the hardest ward to leave.  I did miss the Sense of Freedom in France though,  There is a joke in Suisse that everything that is not forbidden is required, and it really does feel like that sometimes  ha ha. 

Easter was really cool.  The stake president spoke and that was incredible.  Then we had Lunch at the presidents family's place Just a beef roast with rice, it was really good.  They also insisted that We could stay with them when I come back after the mission.
Then we had dinner at the bishop's house crèpes, they make them a lot smaller in suisse, or maybe that was just his family thing.   a good day to end on. 

I am sorry that this email is all over the place and not too detailed, I am just a little shell shocked I think.  I was really convinced that I was staying in Yverdon.  This internet café is also playing music really loud and that makes it difficult to concentrate. 

It is interesting.  There are so many people here; I got used to the nice quiet farm ville life, it is the big city again.

Well that is about it for today; I'll send pic s to make up for the lack of text.  Then I promise next week's email will be better. 

Love you all very much, have a wonderful week.