La vie est une montagne rousse

Bonjour tout le monde!

So this week was definitely one of the craziest I've ever had. So many missionaries and miracles and disappointments, I'll try to hit the biggest stuff.

Tuesday we had our big tri-zone conference (hence the lame email last week). The theme was the importance of members in missionary work and we learned a lot! For our presentation Elder Johnson and I took the story of the Ammonites seeking the protection of the Nephites, and related it to our amis needing the support of our members. Bref, it was awesome, as were the rest of the presentations. President Brown talked about being disciples forever - not dropping our standards after we get home, and it was way powerful. Hard to believe this was his last zone conference! Afterwards we ate tons of food and I had a great time catching up with all of my pals from the west side of the mission. 

Wednesday was our exchange with the assistants, which went really well. I had my last interview with President Brown in the morning... We did a ton of service for this cool lady we met the other day, and had an awesome rendezvous with our super-cool ami, Joe.

Thursday was tough. A bunch of our lessons fell through, then in the afternoon one of our really promising amis dropped us, which we were way sad about. Then we found out one of our coolest members is moving, so we helped with that for the rest of the evening.

Friday! We put together transfer recommendations for President in the morning, then did our groceries. When we got home we realized that, surprise, my key to the apartment door was broken, and Elder Johnson's was inside... So we called our proprietaire and a locksmith (I got to put to good use all of my office skills), and we finally got in after sitting in the hallway for a few hours. On the bright side, we're now pals with our proprietaire and the locksmith and got invited to eat with each of them next week. Fortunately/unfortunately all of our amis cancelled our scheduled lessons that day, so we didn't even miss anything! Friday evening we had RCM, which is always great - I love our ward!

Saturday we played football (soccer) in the morning (I'm slowly but surely getting less awful!), then attended the funeral of a lady in our ward. 

Sunday, my favorite day - We sang with the sisters and a few other people during sacrament meeting and it wasn't terrible, considering none of us have ever sang in our lives. It wasn't great, but it could have been worse (I'll definitely have "How Great Thou Art" stuck in my head for the rest of the week though).

Today for p-day we did some shopping and chilled, et voilà. Such a crazy week, but I can't stop thinking about how blessed I am! I have the most wonderful family who supports me, a healthy body that can run and at least attempt to play soccer, and I'm serving in one of the most beautiful places in the world! Life isn't easy, but it sure is beautiful if we have the eyes to see the hand of God.

Je vous aime!

Elder Suisse

Pictures:

Zone conference! 

Our samedi foot group

Me and Elder Romer attacking a forest in the name of service 

Me and Elder Johnson doing our best to SURVIVE while waiting for the locksmith 

Quick pday picture on the way to the chapel

Crazy weather and member work!

Bonjour!

Okay, this week's email is going to be pretty short (soorrryyy) - we've got a whole bunch of missionaries in Toulouse for a tri-zone conference tomorrow (which is going to be awesome), and we don't have a ton of time, so I'll stick to the basics!

This week we worked with tons of members and really got to know a lot of people. Toulouse Capitole ward!! We played lots of soccer on Saturday, found some cool amis and pretty much just enjoyed the work and all the blessings involved. Time is flying by and I'm so grateful to be here!

So sorry for the short email, I'll try to be better next week!

Elder Suisse

Pics:

Us eating dinner with some visiting missionaries and some of our awesome members

The beautiful japanese garden right next to our house!

Us eating dinner again with some different members (please note that there was real-life A&W ROOTBEER)

IKEA trip! Always fun.

Happy mothers day!

Bonjour !

This week was super busy and very rainy, but we had some great rendezvous. Maybe not the easiest of weeks, but I'm still loving life :)

Tuesday we had some cool rendez-vous with some of our amis, and a Tahitian family in the evening. It's crazy how many different people you meet when you step away from where you live - the diversity in this world just blows me away! 

Wednesday I had an exchange with Elder Wolfgramm, on of the missionaries in the Concord ward. He's been out for about three months and is already an awesome missionary. We had lots of rendez-vous and had a few fall through as well. 

Friday was district meeting! Elder Sweet gave a great lesson on finding and working with members, and we ate like six kilos of quiche.

Saturday morning we played foot (soccer) and had a great English class - Jean-Pierre, one of our "students" who's like 70 years old, taught me a bunch of French idioms, and now I'm just waiting for the perfect time to use them haha

Sunday was definitely the highlight of my week. Church was great, and then I got to Skype my family! Always the greatest :) 

Pday today was pretty chill. We played tennis and did yoga at the park, did some groceries, bought some Belgian waffles et voilà. Nice calm day.

I'm loving Toulouse and the work, and I feel great! This week I'd like to especially thank my mom! You're the greatest! You teach me every day and I wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for your awesome example! Je t'aime maman :)

Elder Suisse

Pics:

Our wonderful district 

Elder Wolfgramm and I taking a last minute exchange selfie

We were practicing a musical number and eating lunch after church, et il fallait prendre une photo ill

 

Toulouse capitole- actually perfect?

Bonjour à tous,

This week was awesome and so busy! The weather has been on and off, but the work has been steady and so much fun! We have a few really cool amis and I've been really enjoying "la ville rose". 

Tuesday was MLC, which was fantastic as usual. We talked all about better working with and teaching with members, and I got to see all of my old pals. Plus we got to ride an airplane there and back, which was super cool. 

Wednesday we finally took the time to sit down and clean our apartment - long story short, it was super gross but Elder Johnson and I survived the battle and now it's nice and clean :) that night we ate with la famille Sono, who are quickly becoming some of my favorite members ever! 

Thursday we had conseille de paroisse (Ward council) and holy cow this ward is a machine! Assignments flying left and right, everyone doing their jobs and loving those they serve, and they're all best friends! The bishop, Frère Janda, is hilarious, and I'm super excited to work with everyone. 

Friday was super busy! We had like four rendezvous with awesome people, and tried to have a member with us at everyone - it changed everything! I've never had such touching rendezvous! En plus, one of the members made a killer tartiflette for after the lesson - good stuff. 

Saturday was also crazy. We play soccer every Saturday morning and it's fun but exhausting, then we do an English class at the chapel, which also went great this week. 

Sundays are the best! Church was wonderful - it was testimony meeting and a bunch of people shared their conversion stories and it was really powerful. 

Today was a blast! We got permission to leave our secteur and go to Carcassonne for pday to see the castle. 10/10 would recommend - one of the greatest pdays ever! 

Anywho, this week was fantastic. I learned a lot about the power of members - our work is just not possible without the support of the members! Go talk to the missionaries! Ask them how their amis are doing and what you can do to help them! I promise it will make their day! 

Je vous aime et bonne semaine ! 

Elder Suisse 

Pics:

Carcassonne! They were doing some modern art thing, so the castle was covered in yellow tape that only made sense if you're standing in a particular spot. 

The MTC crew reunites! 

More Carcassonne :)

Post MLC pizza 

Toulouse life

Bonjour tout le monde !

We're in an airplane on the way back to Toulouse from a leadership conference right now - I'll send this when we land. Anywho, this week was awesome! I love Toulouse! Every day was so busy, and it's been awesome to start getting to know the ward and other missionaries!

Tuesday we did a ton of gardening for a bunch of people and I got sunburned for the first time in like a year and a half, so that was cool.

Thursday the Bayonne elders came in and I got to do an exchange with Elder Wetenkamp! We taught some amis and it was pretty great - he's pretty much my hero.

Friday we had some great rendezvous with our amis and then had our "soirée missionnaire" with the youth - we played some games and ate a ton of food, and I just love our ward so much!

Saturday was crazy! We helped some members move in the morning, swung by the chapel to help out with the Rodez elders' baptism, then ate dinner with a Tahitian family in the ward. That evening was stake conference, and I got to see people from all over the west side of France.

Sunday was stake conference part two! Awesome talks on lifelong service and love, and Elder Sweet and I translated.

Today was great! We played tennis in the morning, grabbed some cake at a café, then ate pizza at the church with all the missionaries coming in for MLC. Then we hopped on our plane! MLC was a blast but I'm tired and ready to be back in Toulouse :) 

This week was great and I'm loving life - seeing my friends learn and change as we teach is just about the coolest experience I could ask for. I love being out here and I'm grateful for the chance to serve!

Je vous aime !

Elder Suisse

Pics:

Jardinage 

Our soirée missionnaire

Plane ride