Yes, Sophie's baptism went ahead. Her dad was there, also her best friend and her best friend's boyfriend. We also had two investigators there, a young couple that we've just started teaching. They're incredible, and a decent member turnout! Everything went smoothly, we got there early to fill the font, then saw the state of the chapel and decided to clean and mop the floors vacuum etc etc etc because it was filthy, but it was nice and clean for the baptism, but hours of cleaning is not fun.
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| Elder Stephans, Sophie and Elder Bennallack |
But that was the only slip up, the rest went well. Her athiest friend was crying because she was touched. Sophie gave her a Book of Mormon and so we will see if anything comes from that, and our investigators were equally touched.
Transfers are next monday, so the email will be delayed if I move. I'm hoping I don't because I'm loving life here. Lots of good things are happening and I'm finally getting along with Elder Stevens. We have found a good equilibrium in the work and I'd love to pull another transfer with him.
I loved General Conference, listened to it all in French. I didn't watch Sunday arvo or Priesthood because Priesthood was in Marseille and it was too much for us, so hopefully this week we will find time to watch it.
11 October 2011 - Transferred!!
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| Dinner appointment with the Ungerer Family in Toulon. |
Dear Brother and Sister Bennallack,
Yesterday, we had a wonderful time with Elder Bennallack.
My daughter and I invited him before his transfer from Toulon (south of France) to Saint Etienne (center east France).
He showed us pictures from your family and was telling us how much he is missing his family…
You have a very special son. He is working a lot and is very focused on his duty. He really loves our Heavenly Father and we can feel it when we are with him.
I enclosed some pictures to this email for you (I am not in any) to see him and especially one, very funny, showing his face when he is teaching…
Thank you for your son.
Best regards,
Sister Barbara UNGERER
Yes, Saint-Etienne, it's south east of Lyon. Honestly, soooooo sad to leaveToulon. Well not sad, it was just paradise. I loved it there, loved everything about it.
My collegue is Elder Noyce, from Salt Lake City. In fact he has in my District when I first came into the mission so I know him pretty good. The sad thing is, he doesnt understand me when I speak English, yes hes American, but to him I speak a foreign language!! But that's good because it will force us to speak French to each other! haha
Yesterday Sophie recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost and was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. It was cool, she's super. Her friend was there with her, it as her first time at church so hopefully something goes there.
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| Sophie, the newest member of the Toulon Ward, with her mother. |
I went from Toulon, short sleeve white shirt, hot days to cold jackets and probably even another coat over the top. That I'm not too excited about, oh and just to top things off, the gas in the apartment here is out, ie cold showers. Pray for gas :p
The shoes arrived a little while ago, the Zone Leaders were in Geneva and picked them up as well as letters for me, and so they have had them for the past 2 weeks. Today they were supposed to come to Marseille to organise transferes, but got there just after I left. Luckily I will be back down in Aix in two weeks for a multi zone conferece with Elder Causee of the Seventy, so I'll get mail then.
So, seven days is the amount of time since I've had a proper shower!! The gas still isn't back on, but we're doing what we can with big bowls of boiled water to clean ourselves! haha
24 October 2011
This week was full of adventure.
A funny story: The train going to Geneva actually spilts, that's to say, that at a certain point the front few carriages and the back few carriages split and go to different places. We thought we were in the right one, well that's to say one of the Assistants who was with us, thought that. I actually had no idea as I didn't even know trains did that! So we get to a certain point, the train stops, and then a couple minutes of wondering why were still at the 'gare', someone asks the conducter and he tells us that we were in the wrong carriage!! Our carriage going to Geneva had already separated and we were not on it, so we got out!! We caught the next one coming in and ended up getting to the conference 30 minutes late. The whole zone of Lyon was late haha, woops!
31 October 2011
Also Sunday, Natijia, this is how her name is actually spelt, recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was a wonderful experience, and the ward is doing a great job already of intergrating her, which is lovely. (and yes I did get to teach her quite a bit since I've been here). This same Natijia had us over on Saturday night for dinner, and seeing as shes from Morocco she had a crazy nice Morocan Couscous dish with meat and vegies. Soo good. The entré was where she fed me the frog legs!! haha, I had a plate full of them, she cooked them in butter and garlic so I didn't really taste the meat, but it was nice! Definitely a highlight. She also invited a couple friends who we got along with well, they should be coming to church in a couple of weeks.
A funny story: On Saturday morning, we helped someone move, and as the average age of the bretheren had to be around 55 or 60, we did alot of the heavy stuff. It was a good workout. Funny thing is, halfway through, the France vs England game started up and the bretheren all went on strike and went to watch the game! So we took out scriptures and prepared to study for a couple hours as we were stranded there. Happily for us the TV didn't work, so everyone was forced to continue moving!! haha I do love how much they love their sport though!
17 October 2011
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| In Saint-Etienne, a bit colder here. This street is near the apartment. |
Besides that, this weeks has flown. The apartment here is alot bigger than those of Toulon and Perigueux, and when i arrived it was a lot dirtier.. So I've spent, and will spend all my free time cleaning. Never thought I'd see the day..
Also this week, maybe because of our cold and dreary situation, Elder Noyce has been sick. He soldiered on for a few days but was getting worse and worse until finally two nights ago we came in a little early so he can rest a bit. That same night I started getting the same symptoms, so these next few days should be fun :)
Actually these next few days will be fun, Lyon tomorrow for all the day, back to St-Etienne on Wednesday for a few rendez vous, and then Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday for a conference!! And possibly also, another place in our district for an exchange, probably also Clermont Ferron, which is a bit more inland from where I am. Thank you Mission for travelling me around. It should be good though, a way packed week, so I should learn a few things. At the same time,we were kinda spewing coz there are good things hapening here and we need the time in St-Etienne to help progress our investigators.
We are finding quite a bit of success here. There are a bunch of Arabs here, but also there are a bunch, no where near as many, but some nevertheless, AFRICANS. Yay! They currently make up a little bit of our teaching pool.
As for Saint-Etienne, I love the ward, it's young, a good number of young families, one recent RM and one 18 yr young man, so I'm pumped to get him coming out with us. Also this Friday I THINK, I could be mistaken, but someone from East France is going on a mini mission, to Saint-Etienne, so we will be in a trio for 2 weeks. I hope so, it will be cool to have a French speaker in the apartment.
24 October 2011
This week was full of adventure.
Firstly, thank you family for the shoes, they fit well, no problems, very comfortable. I hope they last, I will take good care of them. As this week passed, I will lay it out for you:
Monday: P-day, FHE at the chapel.
Tuesday: Spent the day in Lyon as my companion went to Geneva to sort out legality stuff. Spent the day working there, love the place. oh la, I would love to serve there one day.
Wednesday: Spent most the day in St-étienne then at 7pm took a train to Lyon and spent the night with 10 other missionaries at the Zone Leaders place.
Thursday: Got up early and took the train to Geneva in Switzerland for a multi zone, zone conference with Elder Caussé. Then took the train to Clarement, Farrent.
Friday: Spent the day in Clarement as part of an exchange, loved it, loved it to bits. 30 percent of the city are uni students!
Sat: Caught the morning train back to St-étienne (over 2 hours one way) ate, then took another train out to Fuers in our area to teach an African family. Later that night we recieved Elder King, on a mini mission. Unfortunately he waited 25 minutes for us at the station because we had a rendez-vous when his train got in.
Sunday: Train back to Lyon for Stake Conference where there was another Seventy there who was awesome. He's the Europe West Area President. Then back to St-étienne as we had a baptism of our 'ami' Najia at 4 pm. We prepped for that, filled the tank etc and everything worked out thankfully.
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| View from the train.. |
It was a great conference though. I never felt like such a bad missionary, as Elder Caussé layed the smack down on a few traditions we had going on, things that President was rolling with, but aren't found in 'Preach My Gospel'. Great conference!
We have Elder King. Well he's on a mini mission. He's French, and he will be with us for two weeks. That's cool, he speaks crazy fast! Like I live in France, well I've lived in the lazy south of Fance, where everyone is chilled and realaxed, but he speaks the fastest of anyone I've ever met. I get the gist of what he says but dont actually understand individual words. (I now feel a little bit sorry for how fast I spoke to Elina). It should be good for me though..
So this week was hectic, good though, with one more recent convert in the ward of Saint-Etienne. There's about 70 people at sacrament, yes that's a ward here in France..
31 October 2011
This week we ran a storm in Saint-Etienne. We taught quite a bit and found some new 'amis'. Three of them came to church on Sunday for the first time. All three of them are Africans. And then yesterday we scored two new 'amis', also African. Actually theres a whole neighbourhood here that we're working in. I love it, love it soo very much.
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| Eating 'Frogs Legs' for entree at Natijia's |
This week, we taught alot, and actually had to run between RDVs alot, which was hard for Elder King. (King is his first name but that's what we call him. He's asian, but born in France and a convert of 16 months, and good for us.) I like being three but it's true it has its advantages and disadvantages. One thing I love is being able to visit single sisters and do splits with only one member.
So things are going good, but there is still no hot water in the apartment, or heating, so that's cold sometimes but we soldier on.
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