May 13, 2013

Okay so this last week had its ups and downs. Monday after emails we went to the apartment and I wrote Jared and Rachel back. Then we took a nap a much needed nap. I love P-days! Then at 6:00 we went out to go porting and nobody wanted to do anything with us. We got to thinking that we need to have rendezvous in the nights because we schedule them in the middle of the day and we should also try to get a F.H.E at a member’s home. So the next day we had a district meeting, last one for my first transfer!  It was awesome. My district leader Elder A. is super cool and super funny. We got this funny farewell because of transfers. After the district meeting we left the soeurs because they were getting the car. Yes we have a car and no I do not drive it yet. I don’t have a license here in France and it is stick shift which is really hard to even watch somebody drive let alone drive it oh la la. So we left the soeurs and we came back to Vannes and we had a rendezvous set up but we went to the wrong house. Then we could not find it so we called D. up and he said no problem just come by next week. We said okay and then this lady stopped us on the road and started talking and she agreed to meet with us. Because she was single we gave her to the soeurs but it was cool that she was totally prepared by the Lord. Then Wednesday we went porting and we ported this house with an old guy who name was Monisuer Allen but he told me I pronounce my name wrong and his was right. I was like okay. He was a very nice old man and he let us in. We found out he was Lutheran and he knew of the Mormons and he said it’s great that you are here to confront the Catholics. We said we are not here just for Catholics.  We are here for everybody and we went into the first lesson just like that about the restoration and authority and the true church. He did not seem believing but we are planning on going back to see how he takes the Book of Mormon. Then that night we had a meeting with our branch mission leader. We call him a DMB and that was super fun. Thursday we went to Peaule to visit our favorite English family and we taught L. about faith. We talked about burying his weapons of rebellion like the Anti Nephi Lehis buried their weapons of war. L.needs to bury his cigarettes and he said he would it just needs more time. He does not think he can take that step of faith. Brother G. pulled out Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie and turned to the part where he has to take the leap of faith to save his dad and get the cup. It really helped L. out. It is amazing when members are helping the missionaries. The work moves and members are so important to missionary work. Then we did service for the G. family. We cut this huge bush so it looks good now. The G.s have this cat named Belle and Elder W. loves Belle but I am okay if she stays away from me. So after we did service the G. family fed us and while we where waiting for diner Belle came inside. Elder W. started calling her and he got on the floor so he could hold her and I was sitting on the couch. Belle came up and jumped on my lap, laid down, and I started petting her and she purred. Elder W. came up and said come here Belle come to me but she would not move. Belle does not like Elder W.. It is super funny. Friday we had weekly planning and it was fun I guess as planning can be. But it was much needed. We discussed ways to find more people and help our investigators into white. Then we went porting and nobody wanted to even say a word to us. I am getting used to doors slamming in my face. I just wish people would hear what I have to say. Saturday was fun. We had a rendezvous scheduled with this less active member but he canceled on us. We did not get the chance to meet him so we are trying to get another time with him. This elder couple came to our place to inspect our apartment and we passed and they said it looked so clean. Yes!! We then went porting and this one house we ported a girl answered and she said her parents were not home so we were like ummm what do we do. But then she said do you have a message for me about your church and we said yes. She said give it to me. So cool!  We gave her a card with our number on it and hopefully something happens with that. Then Sunday I got to go to church and did not lead the music this week. After church we got a ride with the G.s and then I Skyped you. Elder W. had to wait a couple of hours because of the time difference. After he Skyped, we ate tea, it’s what the G.s call dinner. Then we left and got back to Vannes at 8:58. Perfect timing because we made back in the apartment by 9. And that was my week.

May 6, 2013

Monday when I left the email place the elders that we were staying with for the night took us to their apartment where we ate and dropped our stuff. Then me and Elder W. high tailed it to the "The Steps of Notre Dame". That’s from Hunchback of Notre Dame in case you were wondering. Mom, this building is simply amazing! It takes my breath away every time I see it. Then Elder W said lets go inside and see inside. So we went and ohh my gosh it is gorgeous! After Notre Dame we went tie shopping for our father son ties. It is where we get matching ties. So cute right haha! Then we ran to the Eiffel tower and it is amazing and so big! Like really big! We did not get to climb it because the lines were really long but we did meet sister missionaries who were serving in the Paris area got say hi. They asked why we were here and then we met a ton of members from BYU Idaho and we got to talking with them.  Then sadly p day was over and we headed back to meet the elders we were staying with. We did some contacting and then they asked us to help clean the baptismal font because they had a baptism the next day. So that was fun and this font was huge. We then went back to the apartment and that was our day. Then on Tuesday we went to the church and met everybody I came into the field with. I got to see Elder K. and everybody else from my MTC district. It was so cool then we did our legality and I am now legal in France. Yea!! Then we got trained by the APs and then we went back to Vannes. Three hours on the train. Then on Wednesday we did some contacting in Vannes but it was so hard because it was May first and it’s a holiday here called MAY DAY. I guess it is like our veterans’ day and all because May Day sounds like what the air pilots say when they are going down. They have this white flower that they give to people who served and they wear them the entire day so we ended up porting and we talked to this lady who explained it to us. Really cool. Thursday we had our district meeting and also we met with L. and had a really good lesson with him. I think he might stop smoking. Then the G. family, they are friends of L’s they introduced us, had us over for tea, it is what they call diner, which was really good and really funny. They are the family we are going to be with when I Skype. Then Friday we did weekly planning and then met the soeurs to get our bus passes renewed. Let me tell you this story. Soeur J. is from Texas as well and she was on sister exchanges. So her original companion was not here. She had a different one and her name is Soeur M. and she is from Texas as well. Galveston to be exact. Any ways she was at this rendezvous and the lady’s dog was so excited to see the missionaries that he started to pee. They saw it on the ground and avoided that area. Then the dog came up to Soeur M. and hiked his leg up and peed on her. She felt this warm feeling and she had to keep her cool because they were still in this lady’s house. It was the funniest thing I have ever heard. The rest of the night we visited this less active and we got him to come back to church. That was exciting. Then on Saturday we did a lot of porting (door knocking) up in Sene and it was hard. Not one person let us in but they all talked to us. But not one lesson and I broke down and started crying and Elder W. came up to me and said this is hard but you are doing your best. We finished up the street we were at and then prayed to know where to go. We felt we were needed in Vannes so we caught the bus back. Then our phone rang it was E. and P. E. is one of our investigators and P. is a new convert and they said they did not have a ride to church so we tried to find a ride but nobody was back from the temple trip yet. We called them back and said we could not find a ride so they said okay and thanked us for trying, Then Sunday we totally forgot to find a ride for us so we walked to church and it took a good hour and it was super hot. Not fun let me tell ya! But church was really good. We got to listen to some awesome testimonies and had a great lesson. After church we ate dinner and did our studies. Then we went to visit E. and P. and told them what they missed and just talked about church and what we felt and we shared our testimonies. It was a very good lesson and I was so happy we went over there. Well that is all for my week!

Paris Pics

Eiffel Tower

The Largest Church in France, Notre Dame, means "Our Lady"

Some pics

Some homes in Vannes

The port

What Elder W. and I call the outer wall.

Outer Wall

Hmmm I wonder who would enjoy this store here. It is a perfume and cologne store, super cool also

I love being on the coast. It is humid here so it feels like home, but the wind is killer. It makes it feel cold but not freezing. Here is an old mansion they turned into a museum and garden.

April 29, 2013

Well I am early today! Sorry I am in Paris RIGHT NOW!!!!!! Getting myself legal in France. I will be here until Tuesday then we leave back for Vannes. So I hope the family is all doing well. Still no package but there is sister who is serving in Vannes too,from Dallas Texas,  who just got a package so I know it will come.
So Monday after emails me and Elder W. went and did some contacting around Vannes and set up a rendezvous with a member for  FHE but it fell through. So we ended up going porting with no success. Then on Tuesday we had a regular morning but we did make this chicken curry for our district meeting we had today and it was good and a huge hit at the district meeting. We had a district meeting today which was really good and loved it. Then after the district meeting the district leader went on splits with Elder W in Vannes and I went with Elder Davis in St. Brieuc.  This time we had more time so when we arrived in the city this French girl came up to us and said hey you guys are speaking English what are you doing here? We told her and she wanted to meet with us and talk in English. Then the rest of the day we went porting and a couple of people asked for us to come back later.  Super excited about that. Wednesday still in St. Brieuc and we went contacting till lunch and got some phone numbers which was cool. Then we met our companions at the gare (train station) and me and Elder W took a bus back to Vannes. Which was cool because we got to see a lot of France.  It is so beautiful here.  I love it! We then got back to Vannes then we had to go to the church for a meeting with the branch missionary leader.  We discussed missionary activities which I am really excited to see how they pan out. Thursday we taught L. and E. and they are doing great. E. is taking our lessons and understanding them and he is ready for baptism and L. is cutting down on the smoking which is a huge miracle for us. Friday was a usual Friday. We weekly planned and ate and did studies but we did some more porting and visited N. and K. our new amis (friends) and had a great lesson with them. Hopefully they come to church this week. Saturday was fun. We were doing our morning studies when the sisters called and said this guy was scaring them and following them. So we go down there and told this French guy. Now we just walk by the sœurs (sisters) apartment to just check it out.  So the rest of the day was good we went porting some more and this guy opened up this one door and I said Bonjour Madame.  Then I stopped and said to myself dang it and then said Monseiur but he already closed the door .That was fun! Then I poured out my soul to this one guy who we met and was asking us questions about the church and I shared my testimony in French. It was so cool and he took a Book of Mormon. He said give him five days and then call him up. So super excited about that!  Sunday was great!  We taught Sunday school but N. and K. did not come. Then today we rode the train and arrived in Paris and can do emails so I will have some pictures to share next week.  I can’t wait to share them next week. so have a great week and next week I will be in Vannes so we will do emails at normal time again love you so much. 
BUSES (kiss kiss) it’s the way they say hi and bye with the kissing on the cheeks things yea they totally do it haha 

April 22, 2013

So this week has been a blast let’s start at the very beginning shall we. So after emails we went home and made dinner.  We had burgers which was kind of cool. We then left the house at 6pm and we made a goal to at least give away 2 copies of Book of Mormons. So off we went and we talked to everyone and nobody wanted to hear anything.  We got really discouraged because we were not going to make our goal so we said a little prayer that at least let’s give away 1 Book of Mormon. It was 8:30 and we headed back home and we came to a cross road to turn right or go straight. We turned right and went down this street and this guy hopped out of his car and ran up to us. He said I want to join your group and we got so excited his name is L. and we gave him 1 Book of Mormon. Tuesday was our zone finding day so we spent the whole day finding people.  Well at least trying to and we talked and tried but we did spotted this one door and we met N. and his cousin K.  They are two guys from a little island near Fiji called Wallis which was really cool. So we set up another rendezvous with them and that was Tuesday. Wednesday we had my first zone conference and got to do an interview with the president and his wife and they are awesome.  I love them so much okay so this how you say there last name P. The conference was amazing and a much needed boost for us. The next days Thursday and Friday were great we met with E., an investigator who has a date for May 11th for his baptism. We also met with L. our miracle man which was really cool. Then Friday we met with L. who is doing much better with the word of wisdom and now has a baptism date also for the 11th of May.  We also met with N. and K. and they are super chill. They love hearing about Christ and the idea of eternal families. Then on Saturday we bought some cake mix and made a cake for our branch missionary leader which was cool and his wife now wants are recipe which is kind of funny because we don’t have one and all. We had our first Branch Council that day which was nice getting to talk about the missionary work and getting a plan, then Sunday was just a usual day here in Vannes. Nothing big happened.