Sunday, August 8, 2010

"Living and Dying in 3/4 Time"


We have had a super great week this last week. Finishing with an incredible fast and testimony on Sunday, where despite some crazy events, the spirit filled our hearts.

Cayenne is now starting to flourish. I was grateful for the president's decision not to send me to zone leader council, because I was able to have a solid week of wonderful work in our area! There is nothing better than that, too. Our goal for the week was to give out many baptismal dates! And we were turned down many times by many of our investigators that filled our teaching pool...but that did not discourage us. We were still able to weed out those that are not ready for the restored gospel and fine the amis (friends) like Nelson who are prepared and ready to receive the fullness of Gods gospel! Nelson is a young man of 17 years old. He is much more mature than his years however, he understands the divine significance of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith...after receiving an answer to his prayer to know if the Book of Mormon was true(which took some time to teach him how to recognize his answer) he tried to teach his mother about this wonderful book! After church Sunday he called us wondering about which verses it is that Jesus teaches his disciples that there are other sheep not of this fold! We have another investigator John Robert who was intrigued and touched by our message....at first we were not sure how much he understood, but the next day we went by he had already talked to his cousin about how great it was and gave us a referral. We fixed 2 baptismal dates with them. Me and Elder Lunt are trying to adapt our teachings based on the needs on our investigators. We are trying to listen to their needs, and then make it more personal. Elder Butler is doing a great job at implementing what he learned at zone leader council and turning us into the teachers the first presidency wants us to be.

Unfortunately, our only investigator in church this week was Nelson, but he is a stud!!!! I'm almost sure he is going to be baptized to and go on a mission soon. The crazy thing is we just met him 10 days ago, but already he is in love with the Book of Mormon. He has read a lot of First Nephi and has already received an answer to his prayer. It was actually interesting because we came by for the second lesson and we asked him if he had received an answer when he prayed about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith...he sort of disappointingly said not yet. He then said he wasn't sure if he had even had an answer to a prayer. We had planned to teach him the plan of salvation and to fix a baptismal date with him. But as we listened to the Holy Ghost, Elder Lunt and I felt to teach about the Holy Ghost and the way he answers prayers. We taught Nelson how to recognize the spirit in his life. As we taught him and he began to understand that the answers from God do not always come in visions, or big dreams, but more normally through a still small voice and through feelings that we might have in our heart, the light of understanding came across his face and he told us that not only had he felt those feelings in answer to prayers in his life, but that was how he felt as he read from and prayed about the Book of Mormon! He is just great, and the only prevention might be his parents...they are actually very supportive but his mom wants his dad to be there when he chooses a church to be baptised in and for now he is in Haiti...we don't know when he will be back...so I hope soon.

Wouldn't that be so wonderful to see a baptism! How wonderful it is to be part of that sacred covenant or promise in which we have so graciously been given. I pray with all my heart that one of our investigators may be baptized before I leave. At this moment Nelson looks to be the closest. We actually dropped Jose Ca this last week because he was no longer progressing....I think if it was a language barrier we would have overcame it, but I think it just wasn't the right time for him. I don't know if I told you but a family me and Elder Cottam taught in Lamentin was finally baptized. It was George that actually gave them as a referral and for the longest time the mom would not get baptised because she had a boyfriend. She knew the church was true but she couldn't bring herself to let go of the father of her 3 kids. Well I guess the missionaries there finally got a hold of the boyfriend who loved the gospel. They have now been living separately for a few months and just got baptised!

Elder Lunt is motivated, and he is one that has an uncanny ability to achieve when he is motivated. Its funny he doesn't do it in the normal ways that I have been used to, so its been hard getting used to that. I love my companion and he teaches me so much. It's sad to see that while he is just starting this wonderful adventure that will surely be filled with trials, obstacles, success, and achievements, mine is coming to a close. I hope to be the best example for him so that he can continue to convert others and himself more fully to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

"Where's the Party"

HOLY SHMOKES! What a week what a week. I have to thank everyone for the birthday cake and wishes! Better not have had my favorite popyseed cake or I might just lose it. haha...naw...even if you did it's ok because I ended up having a SAWEET birthday!
Andy and Elder Drolet (Senior missionary/new Branch President)


When I got my flights to go to Trinidad I was pretty disappointed because it had me gone about 7 days from Cayenne! I was pretty mad because I did not want to be away from my area that long! And so I talked with Elder Colling who talked to president for me. I told him I'd go if he'd like, but I proposed that Elder Butler, my district leader, go instead of me, since he is younger. Turns out that president had not realized I was going home after this transfer and so it worked out for the best! But shoot! They had me going to Guadeloupe for a one day layover, after to Trinidad for a day and a half, and then on the way back I would have had a one day layover in St. Lucia and another day in Guadeloupe! That was not gonna fly! Shoot with only so many days left I cannot afford to lose that many days of work!

We ended up having a really good birthday dinner Saturday night though...we hit up a steak restaurant. First steak in 2 years! I got medium rare and the dang thing looked like they just killed the cow in the back and then slapped it on the plate! Haha about as rare as they come...I got about 2/3 done and then was finished. Nephi probably would have been able to finish but not me. Last night we had 2 awesome cakes at the Colombians. I actually paid for one of them before I knew the Colombians had all pooled their money together to buy one. Any time you can share your birthday with people you love it's great. It was nothing big...just cake...but it was unforgettable.

The area is going pretty well. We had a huge disappointment at church yesterday. We had over 6 investigators who I was sure would come. Isabelle, Willy, Chile, Fernanda, Alberto, Colin, Nelson, and Josef Ca had been coming too. These are all people that have been keeping commitments as well. Elder Lunt and I were really disappointed before church. I have concluded that it's because these people needed firmer/harder dates. We need them to be coming to church not to fulfill commitments, but because they want to be baptized. We will adjust our teaching, and work on never leaving a lesson without extending/reinforcing a baptismal commitment. Elder Lunt has not yet got to a point where he is teaching 5O percent. That is one thing we need to do better. Consecrating more time to role play in our studies will help him feel more confortable at taking the parole (word). We are currently working with Yvens Timol and were disappointed because he missed church last week after what happened, but he had a legitimate excuse and we were able to teach him 3 times this week which is 3 more than I have ever had in the 6 months I have been here. We have him committed to restart the Book of Mormon, and to search a greater knowledge in it....because he already knows it really well. He has taught so much with the missionaries itHs natural. he knows Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. We are also working with Sr Cledi, and we are teaching her friend Fernanda. We teach her in Portuguese so it goes a little slower, but she loves the Book of Mormon, and this last week we taught her the gospel and the reason for which we must be baptized. She half excepted the baptismal date...but she wants to come to church first. She said she would come, but we haven't been able to find out why she didn't. Colin is from Guyane Francais. Elder Lunt is doing a great job when we teach him. He has the spiritual tools to teach so great, he just needs the French. But Colin recounted to us the entire experience of Joseph smith translating the plates. He love reading, and he finds the story about Joseph Smith incredibly interesting. We have him reading, and if he hadn't come down with sore tonsils he would have come to church. Chile is another friend of ours who speaks only Spanish and Haitian Creole...he has been studying the book of Mormon in Spanish. We really wanted to fix a solid baptismal date with him this last week, and so we took Mario, one of the native Spanish speakers. We taught him the restoration, and we offered the baptismal date. I feel we didn't firm the date up as solid as we should have though, and for this he didn't come to church. We have a great many investigators at the moment who should very realistically be baptized. We needed to keep finding, and also be more effective in sifting the good investigators from those who are not yet ready....I know that baptismal dates will help do that. If we extend a baptismal date when the spirit is there and they say NO....they are not yet ready...I will study, practice, and commit more people to baptism this week.
I have studied the gospel very indepthly this week in the Book of Mormon, and I have been touched at the simplicity and depth in which the Book of Mormon shows us what we must do to gain salvation. It is not hidden, and we are not obligated to search in the most difficult places to find it, but the doctrines of salvation are as clear in the Book of Mormon as the sun in a cloudless sky. I am infinitely grateful to Jesus Christ who constantly supports and uplifts me. Never does a moment go by when I am not constantly supported by his infinite sacrifice. There is truly only one name under heaven by which man may be saved, and it is Jesus Christ. I treasure these last few days I have to proclaim his name and his Gospel.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

"Anything, Anytime, Anywhere"

This week has been an incredibly fulfilling week. Elder Lunt and I have worked harder than we ever have before, and even though Elder Lunt has been a tiny bit upset because we have had to skip two lunches, he has been ecstatic about the work. He has become the person who constantly reminds of us to reach goals and has been a great example. I am impressed with the awesome changes that I have seen in his attitude and faith! We see that we are now only missing 0, 1, or 2 goals a day instead of 3 or 4. We are seeing miracles almost every day! And I'm disappointed with myself because this transfer I have not been a good journal writer. But, this week we had a great experience with a young man named Timolus. He is a 20 year old young man that was baptized over 2 years ago. The church changed his life, and he was truly born again through his baptism. He started working often with the missionaries. Even to go as far as to be the main reason missionaries here in Cayenne broke the world record for member lessons with 60 member lessons(or so rumor has it haha, but over the last year he started to fall slowly back into some of his old ways. We tried and tried to reactivate him, but he has truly fallen. Until yesterday we had only been able to catch him a few moments at a time, never having a moment to sit and teach. He is either with his friends or working. The guy works probably 50 hours a week at a boulangerie. Well, last night we felt to go by and see him. When we went by, his home was aflurry with worried parents as he has fallen terribly ill. He was trembling and shaking with heat, and had lost sight in his eyes. They had already called a Taxi to rush him to urgence (emergency), and it was outside waiting. We assumed that he may have been sleeping and woke up with these symptoms. Even though everyone was in a hurry to get him to the hospital, we insisted on giving him a blessing. The spirit was strong, there was no great miracle or so we thought. He left, and was rushed to the hospital. Well, this morning he called and with great gratitude he related how he felt. He said, "you know Elder Neff, when I was in so much pain, all I was wishing was that I could somehow receive a blessing, and no sooner did I ask God than you to showed up". He testified to me that he knew that God lived and that he was blessed by his power last night. He is bed ridden for 1 week or so...but he made sure to let us know he wanted us to come by.

Sometimes it's amazing how God works. He waits until his children are in super need of him, and then if they turn to him he embraces them in his arms of security. I know he is conscious of each of his children. Timol is someone that will be a great missionary for this church! And there is no doubt in my mind he is now back to stay.

Along with the inactive work, we have been praying, working, and sweating our tails off to find the two families for whom the district presidency fixed their goals. We feel we may have found one of them, but at the last minute they were not able to get to church! It was very discouraging as I thought for sure it was THE family. We did have Willy and Chile come to church. It was our first time to get them to church and we hope to fix a hard baptismal date with them this next week. Chile is from Haiti but he speaks creole and Spanish. He does not speak french. We made plans to have members teach with us. We are working with many members and their friends in Portuguese. Fernanda is the friend of Sister Cledi. We taught her again Thursday night, and she told us her husband who is in prison is now reading constantly from the Book of Mormon. He never lets it down(maybe he just has no where to put it) We gave her a Book of Mormon as well and she was so grateful! She said she was going to ask her father in law to take her to church, however when Sunday came around her newborn baby fell sick! Jose Ca has been difficult to see this past week, too. We had a member lesson set up with him but he didn't end up coming. It is so hard to see it happen, and I just cant help feeling it's just because of the language barrier. He has been to church 4 times...and needs to be baptized. Elder Lunt and I are working for our goal of 2 baptisms this month, and we have faith that our works and the hand of God WILL realise these righteous goals.

I guess I'm heading to Trinidad on Sunday, and I'll be back to Cayenne on Wednesday. At first I didn't know why I was going...I mean what could that profit our zone if I'm leaving in 3 weeks? But I'm committed to seek the inspiration of the spirit of the Lord as to be able to help French Guyana as best I can. I always have loved Zone leader council, because they are always so spiritually enriching.

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes and money...I'll probably just buy something for you all...I honestly don't know what I want haha! Elder Lunt already got me an early birthday present....well sorta...he is making me a BUCKET LIST haaha. So, I guess I'm speaking the 22nd? Do we know what the subject will be? Kelly Astle is the best! What an honor to speak with her...let me know if you hear about my subject though.

Well. This week I guess I'm turning 21. It feels weird. I still feel like I should be 18 or something. But the biggest plans we have this week is to KICK BUTT....after all kicking butt is the key to happiness!

I love you all,

Andy

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

"Brother I Can't Explain"

WHATTTTT!!!!!?????? TUCKER!!! That dog! NO WAY!!!!....that is where I wanted to go so bad! This is incredible. Actually when I was reading your email the first thing I saw was Carson City, Nevada and it actually got me pretty good too! Looks like me and Tuck are backpacking through Europe in 3 years! SPAIN, FRANCE, and ITALY!!!! I'm so proud of him...he is such a stud! I was not expecting it to come so soon...well I'm definitely gonna have to learn Italian now...I wanted to anyway actually.

The cabin just sounded like a blast...ok not too much with all the rain, but pretty fun still. HAHA, great Seagle stories! What puts!

Well, transfers were last week and I guess I'll be dying as zone leader, with Elder Lunt as my comp. I'm stoked for that. There are a lot of things I can learn from Elder Lunt. He is a great chum. Elder Rodriguez is actually staying and Elder West is coming to be his comp in the same apartment. Elder West is a beast! He is a rugby player from England, and he and I have been buds for a while but have never seen too much of each other during the mission. Oh, I found out too there will be a Zone Leader Council in Trinidad, so I'm lucking out. I think that Elder Coleman of the 70 will be there! Anyways, Elder Lunt and I have fixed our goals for the transfer. We feel that we can have 2 baptisms this month as well as 5 reactivated. We feel it is a stretching goal that will push us to work our hardest. Elder Lunt and I are excited for this new transfer that is starting. I asked the the district presidency to fix a goal for the district for baptisms. They prayed and feel the Lord wants us to bring two families to the church this month. We feel we may need to up our goal to 3 to make a father, mother, and child. Then maybe the other two companionships here will get the other...but yeah.. Cayenne is doing so much better! This past Sunday was just great when the call was extended to Elder Drolet as Branch President. After only one Sunday with him as branch president the feelings in the branch are that of relief and peace. Church is starting to run so smoothly now. We only had 50 at church this last Sunday but there are a bunch of members that are on vacation. There are many less actives that are not very consistent at coming to church and we will use 40 days to bring them back to church and help them become strong members. Our work is progressing. This week we made a lot of finding efforts, and we will be consistent in those finding efforts all the way through the transfer. Although we had 63 contacts we could have done better...many of these contacts were not available until this next week either. We were able to meet some great families though that may be potential investigators. We will see this week. Most of the people we are teaching at the moment are Portuguese speakers. Our progressing investigator Jose Ca wants to be baptized ... but he needs to be better at keeping commitments. And it is frustrating because he doesn't have money for a phone, and he never knows when he will get a chance to work. So a couple times he has been at work when we should of had an appointment. We need to just have consistent member help with him. I can manage in Portuguese because i know a tiny bit of the base and with Spanish we can communicate. Even though he has been coming to church, he has missed a few appointments. At church we sat him down and had a good lesson with him afterwards, with Jose William(a new member who speaks Portuguese well) we were finally able to communicate well with him and help him understand some questions we didn't even know he had. We are seeing it is much easier to teach Brazilians here. They are so much more open to the gospel. In our area in which we work there is either rich Guyanese, Haitians, and Spanish/Portuguese speakers. Unfortunately the Haitians aren't too receptive. We are contacting all though and know that the family that god is preparing is there! We do not let a family walk by without contacting them.

We have also starting advertising our English class a lot better. We are putting up flyers in Chinese shops, and passing out pass along cards to inform people about the class. There are a lot of people interested in English and it will be a good way to get them into the church to feel the spirit and to make quite a few investigators. The other elders just started teaching one of the men that's coming to class.

I know that the Lord is preparing ways for Elder Lunt and I to accomplish all that he wants. He wants so many great and wonderful things for the people here in Cayenne. I just pray that I may be an instrument in His hands.

Thanks for sharing that experience dad. I have often asked myself the same questions. Actually very often...Almost every night i ask the lord to except my work...and I search for that reassuring feeling like you had. I know I am not even close to the most talented missionary...almost every night I can look back and see how many mistakes i make, whether its with the language or whatever it may be. And it's true that no matter what we do we will still be unprofitable servants...but if we work our hardest and try to be better then that's all the Lord really expects of us..


Andy with Elder and Sister Colling, the Senior Couple on Guadeloupe

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

"(Not) Lip Service"

This last week was really a great week for Elder Lunt and I. Even with zone conference taking up a good amount of work this week we feel we had a very productive week. We were able to find quite a few new investigators and some great contacts. We are applying what we learned in conference, and already we are seeing much better lessons thanks to good planning. I'm currently working on trying to master "search, analyze and apply" questions to be a better teacher. I feel that is so key to unlocking our investigators natural tendency to tune out the scriptures and to really read and apply them. This last week we were teaching a Sister Bienvenue and as we taught her and used those questions the spirit testified to her and she was touched. We then asked her for a referral and she was more than willing to give us one!

The branch is actually going pretty well despite the absence of President Parades. Although there are no real capable men worthy to lead the branch at the time, there are some who are working on worthiness. Brother Narine who has recently been reactivated is a stud. He had had law of chastity problems when I was here last time with another member. Yesterday he shared with us his burning desire to be sealed in the temple. He has been on a mission, and would have the experience necessary to be branch president in the future. We are going to start him on 40 days.

We are teaching a ton of new investigators, in all sorts of fun languages: Creole and Spanish, but most of our good progressing investigators are Portuguese surprisingly ... who are progressing little by little. They are working towards baptism but it's slow because we teach them in Portuguese. These are important investigators however because they are referrals from members. Sister Cledi and Sister Darci are both working with us so much, we have received many referrals from them, and they are really becoming great member missionaries! Its great to see Sister Cledi especially who was just recently reactivated. It's hard for these two women who see the progression of their friends in the gospel and they love it, but their biggest desire is to see their husbands baptized! This week a miracle took place while teaching at Sister Cledi's. We were teaching one of her friends about the restoration and when we got to the Book of Mormon she started having some question that were a little defensive of the Bible. Well, Max who usually never listens too intently because he would much rather be watching his weird Portuguese TV heard that, and started explaining to her the Book of Mormon. I don't know if it was because I'm still about level zero in Portuguese or what but he sounded like a member of 10 years. As Max actually testified to this friend of the importance of the BOM as another testimony of Jesus Christ you could almost see a testimony cultivating in him at the same time. The spirit was so strong! I know this is Max's first step towards baptism.

Jose Ca did not come to church yesterday and that was sad. It's harder for him because he has not support at church other than the missionaries. He is not a referral but it was us that found him...so we have to teach him more regularly with members. Its great though I'm enjoying it because the Portuguese is such a cool language! It's really difficult to pronunciate!

My companion is doing really well. He's staying encouraged, and he told me about the President's proposition to send him to the English side, and I'm so glad he said no. He is going to come a long. We work hard together. He is working with all his force, and I just want to help him get his whole mind and heart there as well. He is working hard but he doesn't prioritize his studies very well.



I actually heard about Sophie Barton passing away a day after it happened. I was in zone conference and President Gamiette took me aside to tell me. He knew that we were good friends. I can't lie and say it wasn't a huge shock. My heart has been very heavy the last few days for Chas and his family. It's almost overwhelming to think of the pain that he and his family must be going through. I imagine Chas is handling it the best coming fresh off the mission, the veil of unbelief is thin for him, and I imagine his burning testimony of the Plan of Salvation he left here in the West Indies provides a warm comfort for him in his sorrow and pain. I wish so badly to be there and to comfort him. This week I read President Monson's words from this last conference when he pronounced that man once dead will live again. The message of last conference was that of a Living Christ. I have read and pondered the testimonies of prophets, dead and living, and I am convinced that it's true. We will live again. I pray that they may continue in faith know that they will see Sophie again.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

"Smart Women"

This week we had some pretty heavy events happen. Our search for a new branch president become a lot more urgent. President Parades left to France this past Monday because he had to show up for an appointment concerning him and his family's legality. He had had to raise 600 euros to go, and he even asked the missionaries for money. The whole idea seemed fishy because he knows sure well missionaries don't have the right to give money. He left giving us the assurance that he would be back Saturday before church. He has not yet returned. And we are not sure if he is coming back. His family didn't come to church on Sunday and although they are still in Cayenne I'm pretty sure they are leaving soon. But the Sunday meeting was not too bad. Nothing was mentioned about why President Parades was not there, but we carried on the reunion like usual. That's why I love the church. It doesn't matter if we only have 5 worthy Melchizedek priesthood holders...it doesn't matter if we are abandoned by our current sustained branch president...the doctrines and the principles of the gospel are what reigns! We as latter day saints do not have faith in any president, teacher, or missionary...but we have faith in Jesus Christ. We desire to repent and to renew regularly our covenants through the sacred ordinance of the sacrament. Sacrament meeting this week was just great! We had 65 people at church, many of those numbers consist of woman doing inspiring jobs of raising their children in the gospel by themselves. Woman are just so much greater than men! They are so full of love and of patience that it amazes me! The women such as Sister Cledi, Sister Bouchou, Sister Darci, Sister Anthony, Sister Litampha, Sister Pascal, and Sister Bienvenu are all sisters with noble and righteous hearts!

Brother Litampha is doing good. He came to church Sunday, but he slept through a lot, and didn't seem too happy to be there. We did have an inactive family come who has been inactive for years. It was only the mom and her daughter... but this sister is married to a high priest of the church who has been inactive for years. He served a mission and even been in a stake presidency, I believe, but ever since coming to Cayenne and seeing the state of the church here he doesn't feel it a need to go. We pray that this man may be the key! He obviously would have the experience...but we will see.

Well the work for Elder Lunt and I specifically has been difficult. I will say that Elder Lunt is having trouble with the language and that because of that he is having trouble getting really involved with the work...so if you could just pray for him and for me. I love the guy to death! He is definitely a guy I'll catch up with after the mission. He went to Orem High. It's weird to think he is Tuck's age!

Speaking of which that is just awesome to hear his papers are in! I'm holding my breath! I don't have much more to say this week.

Keep on keepin' on...it's the work that you do that creates the spirit of Zion in the hearts of those around you, especially at home! LOVE IS TRULY THE KEY, ISN'T IT! Thanks for your great example!

LOVE,

ANDY

Thursday, June 24, 2010

"Coming Around"

We worked extremely hard this week. It seemed almost every night we were pedaling our bikes as fast as we could to talk with as many people as possible in order to get our 10 contacts. On more than four occasions this week we didn't get the tenth contact until the last ten minutes of the day. Elder Lunt and I are grateful for the miracles we have seen this week. Our goal has been to be working with a sense of urgency but without impatience. As a result we have been able to better wait on the Lord and rest hopeful until the miracles happen. For example, this last Thursday we had a goal for 2 new referrals, a member lesson, and two new investigators. The whole day was not going as planned, and the only thing we had firmly set up was a member lesson with a recently reactivated sister from Brazil, Sister Cledi, but she does not speak too much French. When we called about a half hour before the appointment she said her friend had canceled on her for tonight. Our first thought were "DANG, WHAT WILL WE DO NOW?". Instead of fretting or worrying we went to the lesson anyway hoping that God would figure something out. AND HE DID! In only 30 minutes Sister Cledi had called and invited another family to come receive the missionaries, and they agreed. It was a miracle! And I know if we will wait on the Lord with patience and continual faith, we will see miracles. Now the first lesson with this family was not as we wanted. He is firmly based in another church and because of the language barrier(he speaks only Portuguese) we did not teach the restoration as I would have liked. In my little Portuguese I know we taught the Book of Mormon. He loved it! We will see them next week. Although in that lesson we did not give a baptismal date, that is our goal and plan each new lesson. We are teaching the doctrines of salvation, and every first lesson we are giving baptismal dates. However, we do find that sometimes we must break the restoration into two lessons in order to obey time constraints. Teaching in Creole and Spanish slows us down a bit. But we are finding most of our investigators among Haitians and Refugees. The branch is doing alright, however the priesthood is really lacking in leadership. And meanwhile we are still pursuing the branch president...no luck as yet...but patience and hard work will pay off! We do need to get all our contacts though or we are not doing our very best!

We are teaching many, many people, however, none are too close to baptism. This last week we took 60 numbers or addresses that we need to follow up on and we still have the 55 or more from the previous weeks, so it's hard to stay on top of that with a companion that doesn't speak much.Luckily Elder Lunt is a stud, and I love him to death...he keeps me happy even when I get in my real upset/stressed moods.

Elder Lunt is progressing. Honestly he will be a great missionary, but I'm trying to work with him with the french. HE hates it!!! And because he hates it, he won't study it like he needs to. He is very limited as far as what he can do in French.....I love that kid to death...but I don't know how to help him love the language though! We talked about it this last week, and since then he has been praying to love it. He is a great missionary with a great heart...as soon as he gets french he will be unstoppable.

Well, it sounds like everyone had a great week...good to hear. I can't wait to see the two Seagle munchkins haha...they are the best.

Your creole food sounded pretty legit...I'm disappointed to admit my cooking has been taking a break here in Cayenne...I don't know why...I think it's just a lack of time. As zone leader again it's harder. I'm also trying to learn some languages in any spare moment I have. I'm now able to teach in Spanish and Haitian creole, but right now the biggest need is Portuguese. So hopefully I can learn that one, however, the pronunciations in Portuguese are so different from the other languages I have learned.

PIONEER TREK IS RAD! I hope Hill remembers it well, but not for the same reasons that I do :)

Well, I've got to go...good LUCK ASHLEY! Hope you have a great recital.