"Sheer Genius, Lloyd..."

Hey folks!

Another Utah win, eh? I'll be honest, it doesn't surprise me. Can you tell Coach Kyle to make the win margins a little larger for me though so that I don't have to put up with this crap I get from BYU fans? "Well, we won by 40". You know how they are. So, I'm thinking that I need to write Coach Smith about Tuck. Ahhh! That really bugs me.
So the house is coming along? I'm glad to hear that. I dibs the big room downstairs when I get back & for sure my machetes will be on the walls (apparently he's moved on from the Ninja sword collection phase). I'm definitely down for some hunting when I get back, dad. I'll be practiced at hunting, sort of. On the mission we hunt for the elect of God. hahah. Okay that's pushing the analogy, but I try.

Some news this week is that, I guess, the missionaries are singing in the priesthood session of conference. I was one of three hundred that get to go. So obviously it must have been a random selection cuz if they had heard me sing I would be shoot out of luck. So watch for me Dad and Tuck.

The French is coming along really well. I can basically say anything, but go about as slow as a four year old. I need to start thinking in french, but not cross the line of thinking like a Frenchman. Because as Harry Dunn says..... well, you know. I was teaching an instructor the other other day who happened to have served in the West Indies. He told me that the french missionaries usually have to learn french creole along with french. That scared the crap out of me. Two languages? It is alright, though. It will all work out; it always does if we rely on the Lord. And thanks for teaching me that.

So for gym I occasionally play basketball instead of working out. I tend to get a little too competitive when I play. Plus, there are a lot of chuckers or guys who just don't know how to play. So when I get a little frustrated, I quit and go play four square. All I can say is that game is "sheer genius, Lloyd". My companion's and my weekly goal is to have better four square teamwork. Well, you can tell that not much is going on this week, but I love everyone and keep on keeping on. Andy

PS Fun pictures of Elder and Sister Neff (who'll have the Caribbean covered!) & Andy and his buddy Pat enjoying the MTC

Sleep-Talking in French

Man! Time is flying by here in the MTC. And with every week I feel less and less prepared to speak French. This week Elder Brady (who is going to the same mission as Ashley Christensen-- Geneva) and I taught the first lesson all in French (35 minutes). It was tough, but I felt we did a good job! The great part about teaching is that most of the message is said eloquently through the spirit and the lack of eloquence in the language can be overcome through that (the Spirit). It's weird though, apparently I am getting the hang of the language because my companion says I talk French in my sleep. I still don't know if I believe him, but he swears by it. Sleep has never bothered me here. I always feel as though I get enough and never seem to be very tired. So, add another thing to the Lord's blessings.
I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day here...hahah... every day is the same. I love it for the most part. Studying is the best (who'd have thought!) and I love the feeling of finally understanding something in French. The only thing that sucks is that everyone is getting wise to my pranks. But, we have some new kids coming in on Wednesday. Mwahahahaha! (he's sounding like his Grandpa Taylor)
I've made it a goal to keep all the rules to a T, to set an example for the district (not that I wasn't already... but not perfectly). Getting to bed on time was a task!
My running has continued, and I'm jump roping a lot now. So, I've been able to stay in shape (at least I think). I'm sure you are making fun of me at home, but, no joke, elders that are here nine weeks put on an average of 17 pounds. Not me!
This week I have had my scripture study and discussed in class the saving grace of the Lord (Elder Bednar's first talk.... Money!) I have come to appreciate trials that our Father in Heaven gives me. No, I'm not drunk, but how are we to grow without the blessing of overcoming tribulation? How are we to overcome the truly difficult tirals without overcoming the small ones? See D& C 58:2,3.
I love and miss everyone. Let everyone else know how grateful I am for the letters and support. --- Elder Neff

E-Mail from September 12, 2008

Andy's e-mail ( not in its entirety) included:
Its good to hear the house is coming along! surely but slowly, but that has always been the case. So it sounds like the utes are tearing it up!!!! SWEET!!!! i'm so stoked hearing about them! and especially rubbing it in to the BYU fans. I admit i get a little "gym locker" trunky....alright thats a crappy way to put i miss the sports. I get an hour a day for gym but usually i try to run and jump rope if i'm outside(ps, is there anyway i can get a jump rope sent?) its been a good workout its so fun. I feel like rocky and sing eye of the tiger while a do it...no but i do play basketball on some days too, and D-Will (Elder Torres is a D-Will look-alike) sometimes makes an appearance. The french is coming along...we have had some setbacks with new instructors coming in, and have had to teach ourselves a lot, so i kind of suck...But i've been trying to use any spare time i have to work on it. We have to teach the first lesson in French on wednesday!!!! but i think i'll have it by then..I just speak about as slow as a 3 year old.
So we had as ashley would say "Uchtdorf" (ask us why Ashley calls President Uchtdorf that)come last tuesday! I think i've decided he is my favorite speaker! His wife started off things and she was so peppy and up beat. Her English was not very good and she admitted to it but said that she didn't care as long as she had the spirit with her. and although it was hard to understand her at times, her point was understoood. I know that that is how it will be for me in the west indies..i'll struggle with the language at first but those who are ready to hear The Word will hear it through the spirit!, and President Uchtdorf gave an incredible talk on Missionary work, it inspired me tons!!! i'm gonna send you a copy of my notes of that talk.. I have seen so many people here, i saw Harry the other day, and see Pat a lot. its wierd to see everyone though, it almost feels like highschool...minus all the cute girls unfornately. K well i'll send you a letter today as well with those notes.
Love everyone, Elder Neff

Week 3-- Excerpts from His Letter Home

What is up family? How are things going on the home front? I hope and pray everyone is doing well! Things are pretty decent here, we are into a nice groove and time has started to go by a little faster, so that's swell! Everyone has been getting sick. Even though I wash my hands thirty times a day (you're welcome Mom), I still woke up with a sore throat this morning.
Studying has been going well, I love being here and just being able to study. Although it's not the funnest here I realize that this is probably the only two years I'll be able to be so engulfed in the gospel. It's a true blessing. So I suck at French, but that's okay, it will come. We have to be able to teach lesson one in french in two weeks! (Good freakin' luck) I can barely contact people. But, the Holy Ghost will "quicken my learning", so no worries.
One of my favorite things here is the referral center. We get to call people and share a message with people and offer them a free Book of Mormon or DVD or something like that. I talked to this lady, Gloria, for about twenty minutes the other day. I was able to bear my testimony of the Book of Mormon to her. She is a grandma (which was good for me) and had eight grandchildren. I also bore testimony that families can be together forever. I told her that the missionaries in her area would like to share a message, and she accepted! Sweet, eh?! I can't wait to do this for real in the West Indies! I don't know how in the crap I'll do it in French.

Au Revoir



Andy at Jenn's Mission Departure