I'm Grateful for you all

Bonjour Tout le monde!

Je vous aime beaucoup et je suis vraiment reconnaissant pour tout ce que vous m'apportez! Je ne sais pas pourquoi, mais je me suis senti comme si c'etait nécessaire de vous dire ça en francais.

(TRANSLATION: Hello everybody! I love you very much and I am really recognizing for all that you bring me! I do not know why, but I felt as if it was necessary to you say that in french)

I realized this week that I don't know how to speak english anymore. I have spoken only in french for almost 1 month. Before when I was with Elder Magnan I spoke english for at least 2 hours out of the day, and once a week I spoke english with the Kersey Family. I still speak english with the Kerseys once a week for an hour and a half (ps pictures included are Thanksgiving with the Kersey Family). But aside from that I don't speak english. This week we were in the road and we stopped to talk to someone and he didn't speak french. He was german, and Elder Sautron asked him if he spoke english, the man said yes and then Elder Sautron said, "my companion speaks english" he then turned to me, I tried to speak, but I've never been a missionary in english, the words for a contact and the restoration and the gospel were not in my brain, I know them but I haven't put them into a sentence for 5 months!! I tried to talk to the man and he understood but he looked at me like I didn't know what I was doing. It was a short contact, but I struggled for 30 seconds and then he told us he had to catch a train, It was really funny. Elder Sautron and I laughed for about 5 minutes about how awkward the contact was. I'm going to practice and I hope that I'll be able to communicate with you at Christmas.

This week I ate Thanksgiving with the Kerseys, It was great! Straight up fantastic! The ward was really nice too. I had about 5 families talk to me during the week and last sunday asking me if I was going to eat with the members for Thanksgiving, the holiday doesn't exist at all in France but all the members knew that the Elders needed to be fed on the 4th Thursday of November, It was really kind of the Kerseys to prepare so much for us. We ate Turkey, Chicken, Stuffing, Pie, Brussel sprouts, Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, non-alcholic champange, Gravy, Turn-ups and Repeat. They just kept putting food on our plates! I had prepared myself and I didn't have a big lunch, just Bread and Cheese...and the cheese was cold :)..loft. Needless to say, I was stuffed and completely dilighted, I think that I was eating just as you were starting the cheese ball and all the Thanksgiving traditions.

As far as missionary work goes, this week was a little rough. No worries, when I say a little rough, it is never depressing. We laugh for most of the day, and just walk and talk amongest ourselves and with people on the road. It was just a little tough because our amis' aren't all progressing and we had planned to have 6 people at church, and we had 1. Sunday makes it or breaks it, we prepare all weak to get people to church and to follow our commitments and sometimes it is awesome, like the week with Carlos, and sometimes it just falls through.

Little Story. This week we were on the same street as the church and I saw a lady do a double take at the church and look at the sign. Busted! I knew she was somewhat interested, I started the contact. "Hi! Do you want a tour of the church!?" she said ok and we showed her around, she asked "Where are the statues and the crosses?" I told her that there wasn't any, and then shared a 2 minutes explination of Joe-sef Smis (Joesph Smith with a french accent), she told us that we could pass by her house, but the adress seem fake. We passed by her house last night and sure enough it was a fake address and in fact it was a jewish family that told me that the messiah was coming and that I was going to suffer, I told them that he already came :) Needless to say they weren't super interested and in a last effort to make us leave the man said "the lady accross the street is interested talk with her. He wasn't serious at all and he closed the door. Elder Sautron turned to walk away and I turned around to the door across the street. Elder Sautron asked me what I was doing, and I told him that were were going to follow this path, of people until there was really no body. We then rang the bell of the other house, it was a old german lady, she told us that she loved Jesus and the truth wasn't on the earth anymore, we then told her that it was restored, We have an appointment tonight with her, we are going to follow it and I feel good about it, even if she is not interested, we are on the path of somebody.

I hope that is finds you well and that everyone had a great Turkey Day!

LLLLOVE Elder Smis

Joyeux Thanksgiving!

Dear everyone,

Thank you for the letters, I loved hearing about Taylor, Jake and Trent. Did Charlie make it to chile? Is Ren in the same country as me? Where is Mark? Is he frozen?

I was SO SO excited to hear that David Parker got his mission call and that is going to join my in the vineyard, and I'm also super excited for Elder Jones 2 (Cameron), I'm super excited for them. Does anyone know what Paul Wuthrich is doing? Hope all is well.

I'm not gonna lie, hearing about the Christmas Picnic tugged at my heart stringles a little, and also I'm a little bummed that I won't be joining in the Turkey Bowl this year. But I am also very glad to be hear in Carcassonne even if Thanksgiving doesn't exist, (that is such a sad phrase "Thanksgiving doesn't exist"). You all need to eat double portions for me. I heard that there was 2 feet of snow at the Winter Picnic, that sounds like antartica. I am cold, but I think that it has tappered off, It is kind of like end of september climate hear, and I think that it will stay like that, till about March. Appartently the most it snows here is about 3 inches. Not terrible. The cold thing in Carcassonne is the wind. It seems like it is always breezy or windy here, I need to buy a scarf, cause its a little bit chilly.

This week was.......ok I'll just tell you like it is.....hard. (There have been complaining that the missionary work here is too peachy, and I've been asked to be more negative) I'm not going to complain because its probably one of my biggest pet peaves after the MTC. I think that I was a whiny child, and I'm sorry cause I hated listening to missionaries complain at the MTC. This week was hard, but it is not the fault of France or someone else, besides Satan. Oh geez Satan is a jerk. Our Amie Vanessa.....She has been engaged for 7 months to be baptised on the 4th of December, she has prayed and recieved a testimony and she as felt the spirit and she told us that she knew that she need to be baptised. She is getting married this weekend, and orginally she decided to get married so that she could get baptised. Well last week she got ready and she headed off to church with her fiance and her son. They were running late and they were a little embarrassed to come into sacarment meeting late, just then, this is why I've got a grudge against Satan, they heard the bells ring from the great and abominable church, they stopped and thought "well we haven't been to mass in a long time, maybe we can go this week to see a difference." To make a very long story short, they went to the catholic church for sunday and there the fiance felt better because, it was not the mormon church, she was happy that he was happy and she felt the feelings of her childhood. After 7 months of missionaries teaching them, countless prayers, fasts, and they have decided that the catholic church is the church for them. Needless to same, my heart is broken, I have never felt so happy, than the moment that she told us that she KNEW that she need to be baptised and just 7 days later, she doesn't want to be a part of the church and I don't know if I've ever been more sad. Don't worry we're not going to let her off the hook that easy, but for this week with their marriage, we'll have to wait.

Also this week as been a little rough with Elder Sautron, we get along great, but we have really different ideas about missionary work. He is the senior companion, but I like my ideas. and in my opinion they work better. I know that I'm just being prideful but it has been a little frustrating as we teach, we laugh a lot together and we really do get along, but we have different personalities, I think that I'm going to let him lead, because after all we was called by our mission president to be my leader. BUT, if it crashes and burns this week, we are going to go back to my ideas.

Q&A
1. Where do your French companions go to the MTC at? Madrid, Spain

2. Do you do service every week? Yes, we helped someone move. helped someone sand a door and stuff for painting. gathered firewood in the forest. Organized and prepared a cabin for winter, Cleaned. Just random stuff.

3. Shelley told me that the French celebrate Christmas on the 9th of December is that right? I don't think so, if she is right then they have missed planned the Christmas program in Carcassonne

4. Does the mission have special things planned for Christmas? Talent Show and Zone Conference at the end of the transfer, we are working on a doozey of a sketch "Missionary Celebrity Jeopary" we'll see how it goes

Even if this we was hard. I'm still happy and loving the mission field. I feel like I've seen ALOT of Carcassonne, and I've contacted lots of people more that once. But I'm sure that there are still some elects that are hiding from me. I'll get them this week.

I love you all, Ben good luck with residency, Sara that your for the note. Tres, tell everyone at the Turkey Bowl hello. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Love Elder Matt

Joyeux Thanksgiving!

Dear everyone,

Thank you for the letters, I loved hearing about Taylor, Jake and Trent. Did Charlie make it to chile? Is Ren in the same country as me? Where is Mark? Is he frozen?
I was SO SO excited to hear that David Parker got his mission call and that is going to join my in the vineyard, and I'm also super excited for Elder Jones 2 (Cameron), I'm super excited for them. Does anyone know what Paul Wuthrich is doing? Hope all is well.

I'm not gonna lie, hearing about the Christmas Picnic tugged at my heart stringles a little, and also I'm a little bummed that I won't be joining in the Turkey Bowl this year. But I am also very glad to be hear in Carcassonne even if Thanksgiving doesn't exist, (that is such a sad phrase "Thanksgiving doesn't exist"). You all need to eat double portions for me. I heard that there was 2 feet of snow at the Winter Picnic, that sounds like antartica. I am cold, but I think that it has tappered off, It is kind of like end of september climate hear, and I think that it will stay like that, till about March. Appartently the most it snows here is about 3 inches. Not terrible. The cold thing in Carcassonne is the wind. It seems like it is always breezy or windy here, I need to buy a scarf, cause its a little bit chilly.

This week was.......ok I'll just tell you like it is.....hard. (There have been complaining that the missionary work here is too peachy, and I've been asked to be more negative) I'm not going to complain because its probably one of my biggest pet peaves after the MTC. I think that I was a whiny child, and I'm sorry cause I hated listening to missionaries complain at the MTC. This week was hard, but it is not the fault of France or someone else, besides Satan. Oh geez Satan is a jerk. Our Amie Vanessa.....She has been engaged for 7 months to be baptised on the 4th of December, she has prayed and recieved a testimony and she as felt the spirit and she told us that she knew that she need to be baptised. She is getting married this weekend, and orginally she decided to get married so that she could get baptised. Well last week she got ready and she headed off to church with her fiance and her son. They were running late and they were a little embarrassed to come into sacarment meeting late, just then, this is why I've got a grudge against Satan, they heard the bells ring from the great and abominable church, they stopped and thought "well we haven't been to mass in a long time, maybe we can go this week to see a difference." To make a very long story short, they went to the catholic church for sunday and there the fiance felt better because, it was not the mormon church, she was happy that he was happy and she felt the feelings of her childhood. After 7 months of missionaries teaching them, countless prayers, fasts, and they have decided that the catholic church is the church for them. Needless to same, my heart is broken, I have never felt so happy, than the moment that she told us that she KNEW that she need to be baptised and just 7 days later, she doesn't want to be a part of the church and I don't know if I've ever been more sad. Don't worry we're not going to let her off the hook that easy, but for this week with their marriage, we'll have to wait.
Also this week as been a little rough with Elder Sautron, we get along great, but we have really different ideas about missionary work. He is the senior companion, but I like my ideas. and in my opinion they work better. I know that I'm just being prideful but it has been a little frustrating as we teach, we laugh a lot together and we really do get along, but we have different personalities, I think that I'm going to let him lead, because after all we was called by our mission president to be my leader. BUT, if it crashes and burns this week, we are going to go back to my ideas.


Q&A
1. Where do your French companions go to the MTC at? Madrid, Spain
2. Do you do service every week? Yes, we helped someone move. helped someone sand a door and stuff for painting. gathered firewood in the forest. Organized and prepared a cabin for winter, Cleaned. Just random stuff.

3. Shelley told me that the French celebrate Christmas on the 9th of December is that right? I don't think so, if she is right then they have missed planned the Christmas program in Carcassonne

4. Does the mission have special things planned for Christmas? Talent Show and Zone Conference at the end of the transfer, we are working on a doozey of a sketch "Missionary Celebrity Jeopary" we'll see how it goes

Even if this we was hard. I'm still happy and loving the mission field. I feel like I've seen ALOT of Carcassonne, and I've contacted lots of people more that once. But I'm sure that there are still some elects that are hiding from me. I'll get them this week.

I love you all, Ben good luck with residency, Sara that your for the note. Tres, tell everyone at the Turkey Bowl hello. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Love Elder Matt

Elder Smith's always exciting and much anticipated update

Dear Mom/Dad/Aaron/Lish/Carter/Tim/Sara/Jens/Ellie/Tate/Drew/Tres/Elizabeth/Garrett/Charlie/Morgan/Ben/Tanelle/Addie/Nathan/

Carson/Ky/Jeanell/Annaka/Porter/Skyler/Mia/Jodi/Grandma/Jen/Uncles/Aunts/Cousins/Friends

This week was good. We taught like normal and we have been going out into the countryside to teach our new ami , Joel, he lives in Capendu, it takes about 30 minutes by car to go teach him. As of sunday he had read all the way to Alma 32, and has only had the Book of Mormon for 9 days. We fixed a baptismal date with him for the 27th of November, His main problem right now is smoking, he smokes alot. I think that the word of wisdom is the biggest struggle that people have here. The Wine is a part of the culture and everybody smokes, when we pass infront of the Junior High Schools, there are big groups of 13 and 14 year olds who are out smoking infront of the School. When I first arrived in France it shocked me how much people smoke, I think it is nasty.

We also went out into the countryside to teach Carlos this week, and at Church I confirmed him a member of the church. It was a really cool experience, I had been really nervous during the week, because I wasn't confident with my French. I had been praying all week for the gift of tongues and right before the confirmation I said a quick prayer. As I started to talk, it wasn't a problem at all, I found all the words that I needed and I really felt the spirit guide me and as I said "recevrez Le Saint-Esprit" (recieve the Holy Ghost) it was like the words were falling out of my mouth. After we finished the blessing and I sat back down at the piano to play the sacrament hymn, I couldn't remember the words that I said, and I still can't remember exactly what I said during the blessing. The promise in the scriptures really rang true that I would be given the words that I needed and that I wouldn't be "confounded before men". It was Kool.

Elder Sautron and I get along well, it is a little difficult because, he really really doesn't speak english. It doesn't cause contention or anything, it is just streching my french a little bit. We are trying to work out the kinks for the moment as well, I had never changed companions before, and I didn't realize how in-sync Elder Magnan and I were. But nevertheless we are getting along great, and getting to know each and others habits and ways of teaching. It is good and I really am excited to work with him.

Q&A

1. Tell us more about your companion,how long has he been out? Elder Sautron has been out on his mission for 8 months, he has served in Beziers, Avignon, and Pau...and Carcassonne. He was Danny Allens trainer and he was trained by Elder Ian Thorley, and he is now the District Leader in Carcassonne.

How big of a family? He has 4 children in his family and he is the youngest, One brother and two sisters.

Is his whole family members of the church? - Actually just his brother and him are members of the church, his brother has been a member for about 10 years and he is a Branch President in a little city in the north of France. Elder Sautron himself was baptised two and a half years ago, so actually when he finishes his mission he will have been a missionary for the same amount of time that he has been just a normal member. He is cool, and I think it is super impressive that he left on his mission so fast.

2. Would you phonetically write out your companions name. Sautron (Sore-tron)

3. Does Elder Sautron like to cook like Elder Magnan did or are you cooking now? Yes he still cooks, but not as much as Elder Magnan, In the week that we have been together I have cooked once and he has cooked the rest. With Elder Magnan I think I cook only one time in 2 transfers. But he still cooks like a french person. Almost every meal we start with a salad, then the meal, after bread and cheese and after pudding/yogurt and chocolate/cake. I love it :)

4. Where did Elder Magnan get transferred to? Perigueux. Is that very far from where you are? yeah, it is about 4 or 5 hours away. It is next to Bordeaux in the countryside.

5. Is it windy and rainy? It is starting to get there, we wear our jackets everyday, and sometimes a sweater and coat

Am I getting a cold? Not yet, I didn't tell you but I already had a cold, like a month after I got to France. I had it for about a week and it was slightly miserable, but no my health is fine.

6. What do you want for Christmas? - Rootbeer, Oreos, Peanut Butter, a nice Tie, Pictures, new portable iHome thing, [it broke :( ], New Plug, To talk to everyone, Peace and Tranquility, An eld to world hunger, More Jello,

7. Do you want to keep getting letters from Trent, Jake, Charlie and all your other homies? YES

Love, Love, Love Elder Matt

Ps. We eat with the family from Utah every wednesday, and this week they invited us to eat for Thanksgiving on thursday the 25th with them. Turkey, stuffing, pie, the whole shi-bang, I'm super excited to say the least

Elder Smith's always exciting, and much antisipated weekly update!

Dear Mom/Dad/Aaron/Lish/Carter/Tim/Sara/Jens/Ellie/Tate/Drew/Tres/Elizabeth/Garrett/Charlie/Morgan/Ben/Tanelle/Addie/Nathan/
Carson/Ky/Jeanell/Annaka/Porter/Skyler/Mia/Jodi/Grandma/Jen/Uncles/Aunts/Cousins/Friends

This week was good. We taught like normal and we have been going out into the countryside to teach our new ami , Joel, he lives in Capendu, it takes about 30 minutes by car to go teach him. As of sunday he had read all the way to Alma 32, and has only had the Book of Mormon for 9 days. We fixed a baptismal date with him for the 27th of November, His main problem right now is smoking, he smokes alot. I think that the word of wisdom is the biggest struggle that people have here. The Wine is a part of the culture and everybody smokes, when we pass infront of the Junior High Schools, there are big groups of 13 and 14 year olds who are out smoking infront of the School. When I first arrived in France it shocked me how much people smoke, I think it is nasty.

We also went out into the countryside to teach Carlos this week, and at Church I confirmed him a member of the church. It was a really cool experience, I had been really nervous during the week, because I wasn't confident with my French. I had been praying all week for the gift of tongues and right before the confirmation I said a quick prayer. As I started to talk, it wasn't a problem at all, I found all the words that I needed and I really felt the spirit guide me and as I said "recevrez Le Saint-Esprit" (recieve the Holy Ghost) it was like the words were falling out of my mouth. After we finished the blessing and I sat back down at the piano to play the sacrament hymn, I couldn't remember the words that I said, and I still can't remember exactly what I said during the blessing. The promise in the scriptures really rang true that I would be given the words that I needed and that I wouldn't be "confounded before men". It was Kool.

Elder Sautron and I get along well, it is a little difficult because, he really really doesn't speak english. It doesn't cause contention or anything, it is just streching my french a little bit. We are trying to work out the kinks for the moment as well, I had never changed companions before, and I didn't realize how in-sync Elder Magnan and I were. But nevertheless we are getting along great, and getting to know each and others habits and ways of teaching. It is good and I really am excited to work with him.

Q&A

1. Tell us more about your companion,how long has he been out? Elder Sautron has been out on his mission for 8 months, he has served in Beziers, Avignon, and Pau...and Carcassonne. He was Danny Allens trainer and he was trained by Elder Ian Thorley, and he is now the District Leader in Carcassonne.

How big of a family? He has 4 children in his family and he is the youngest, One brother and two sisters.

Is his whole family members of the church? - Actually just his brother and him are members of the church, his brother has been a member for about 10 years and he is a Branch President in a little city in the north of France. Elder Sautron himself was baptised two and a half years ago, so actually when he finishes his mission he will have been a missionary for the same amount of time that he has been just a normal member. He is cool, and I think it is super impressive that he left on his mission so fast.

2. Would you phonetically write out your companions name. Sautron (Sore-tron)
3. Does Elder Sautron like to cook like Elder Magnan did or are you cooking now? Yes he still cooks, but not as much as Elder Magnan, In the week that we have been together I have cooked once and he has cooked the rest. With Elder Magnan I think I cook only one time in 2 transfers. But he still cooks like a french person. Almost every meal we start with a salad, then the meal, after bread and cheese and after pudding/yogurt and chocolate/cake. I love it :)

4. Where did Elder Magnan get transferred to? Perigueux. Is that very far from where you are? yeah, it is about 4 or 5 hours away. It is next to Bordeaux in the countryside.

5. Is it windy and rainy? It is starting to get there, we wear our jackets everyday, and sometimes a sweater and coat
Am I getting a cold? Not yet, I didn't tell you but I already had a cold, like a month after I got to France. I had it for about a week and it was slightly miserable, but no my health is fine.

6. What do you want for Christmas? - Rootbeer, Oreos, Peanut Butter, a nice Tie, Pictures, new portable iHome thing, [it broke :( ], New Plug, To talk to everyone, Peace and Tranquility, An eld to world hunger, More Jello,

7. Do you want to keep getting letters from Trent, Jake, Charlie and all your other homies? YES

Love, Love, Love Elder Matt

Ps. We eat with the family from Utah every wednesday, and this week they invited us to eat for Thanksgiving on thursday the 25th with them. Turkey, stuffing, pie, the whole shi-bang, I'm super excited to say the least

Miracles, Miracles and More Miracles!

This week was fantastic! Simply wonderful and simply a blast, sometimes missionary work is hard, obviously I don't enjoy when people get upset and such and call me a Jevovah's Witness or whatever. But if I could have weeks like this I think I could handle a 14 year mission like Ammon! ok, ok, ok maybe that is a little bit over the top, don't worry Mom and Jen, I won't stay for 14 years. Ok I will explain:

We have an Amie, Vanessa, she has been taking the missionary lessons since the End of May, when I was still in Utah! She has heard all the lessons several times and she had started to lose her desire, her babtismal date was set for December, because she lives with her fiance and she needed to be married in order to be babtised. She had started to have doubts about the Church and about herself, If she was ready to be babtised or if she wanted to push the date back even more. We could see that things were looking grim, her Fiance Benoit, was saying the same things, He is not committed to babtism, but his lack of faith was effecting Vanessa. Elder Magnan and I gave them a lesson about the Holy Ghost, we taught them about how we feel the Holy Ghost, What it means when we feel the Holy Ghost, When we feel the Holy Ghost and how to qualify for the presence of the Holy Ghost and then we PROMISED them that they would feel the Holy Ghost if the attended the Baptism of Carlos Bento. They agreed and they began to prepare themselves by praying for the Holy Ghost and really making the effort to be spiriually ready for Sunday. Then me and Elder Magnan fasted for them. They asked us "What if we don't feel the Holy Ghost, or what if we don't have good feelings at the Baptism?" We had confindence in the Holy Ghost and we told them that if they didn't feel the Holy Ghost and they had prepared themselves in prayer and reading, that it would be an answer, to postpone the baptism. We prayed Hard for them, and ready did our best to fast for them. Then the day of the Baptism.........bum bum bum........Carlos....(I'll talk about him in a minute), Vanessa and Benoit.......They came to church and it was fast and testimony meeting and then listened and waited for the Holy Ghost, Vanessa said she felt good but she didn't have her reponse, and Benoit said he didn't feel anything. Then the Baptism after Church, We were must more organized this time, we had started to fill up the font ahead of time, we had hymns picked and a sister playing the violin and the bishop and his consellor gave great talks, then the moment of the baptism. Elder Magnan went into the water and Carlos follow, I made sure that Vanessa and Benoit were right up close so they could see everything. As Elder Magnan raised his arm to the Square, and began to speak I felt the like a wind swept into the room, as he babtised Carlos. The Spirit was there and it was very calm. Later after the baptism we talked, Vanessa told us "I will begin to prepare myself more, and I have no doubts. I will be baptised on the 4th of December!" She had been touched and she was moved to tears. Benoit then told us that he felt a feeling that he had never before felt and that eventually he wanted to be baptised. I was so happy and so grateful for the blessings of the Lord, that we had received, it was incredible and I know without a doubt that it was because of their faith, our faith, our fast and the will of our Heavenly Father that they had such a great experience. It was awesome!

Carlos: We also were fasting for Carlos, and he was well prepared. Sister Bento was perfectly heathly, As he was baptised he had an enormous smile on his face, and sister bento was moved to tears, I was so happy for them! They were both so happy and they have already made plans to go to the temple. That is something that I will always be grateful to the lord for, the chance that I had to help in a Forever Family, I loved our other baptism with Sabrina, but there was a special spirit there as a family was united in the gospel. Carlos will be a powerful priesthood holder and they now will have the blessing of being together for time and all eternity, thanks to his choice to be baptisd. It is incredible to be that he just walked into church 6 weeks ago, he lives an hour away from an missionaries, and yet the Lord heard our prayers and led us to an elect, and actually he led an elect to us. 6 weeks ago, he walked into the church and yesterday he was baptised. We have been traveling to their house for 6 weeks, into the middle of no-where France, and it feels like a dream to have been a part of his conversion.

Joel: He is a new Ami, we met him last monday, we talked about the 12 apostles and the prophet and we gave him a brochure about Joesph Smith, he lives 25 minutes away from Carcassonne by car, and told us we could talk to him on the 20th November when he would be back in Carcassonne. He read the brochure and called us back that night, he doesn't have a phone so he walked to a payphone, he gave us his address and we taught him on wednesday, He talked about Joesph Smith, and then he invited us back on Friday he had read the introduction and testimonies of the witnesses and Joesph Smith like we asked. He re-read them because we didn't tell him to keep reading. We told him that he could read as much as he wanted and to start in 1 Nephi 1, we invited him to church and to the baptism of Carlos, he said that he really wanted to come, but there wasn't a bus on sunday and he doesn't have a car. We went and picked him up early on Sunday morning with a member and I asked him if he had had the chance to read a little, he told me "yeah, I read just to right here" He then showed me the page.....2 Nephi 21!!!!! In 2 days he read 110 pages! I asked him how long he read and he told me "all day", he acted like it was no big deal, and me and Elder Magnan were quite excited. He came to the baptism and he really liked it and he told us that he felt a "well-being" during the baptism. Wow! Blessings Blessings and more Blessings!

This week was great, but all of our blessings came at the end of the week, along with all the good news there is a little bit of sad news, Elder Magnan has been transfered as of today, and I have a new companion. I really like my new companion. I have already served with him on exchanges, he is from Versaille, the same ward as Elder Magnan, his name is Elder Sautron. He speaks alot less english than Elder Magnan, I am still in Carcassonne, and I'm super excited to work with Elder Sautron, but I was definitly sad to see Elder Magnan leave. But I think it is clear that the Lord really wants me to learn french. Just another blessing, it is incredible to be a part of this work and I love it. I miss you all, and it is hard, but I love it, and I love the people here. When I see our amie's making choices and coming unto Christ, I feel a joy sweeter that another earthy joy. I hope that I can continue to be blessed.

I sounds like Taylor was pretty sick, I hope he is doing better, Ca C'est pas cool Ca, I don't like it when my cousin tries to die! If some one can tell him, tell him I love him and that he is not allowed to be sick like that and that I'm praying for him.

Congratulations Ellie! and Carter! I was actually sitting in a different baptism during Ellie's baptism, we had some missionaries from Albi baptise a couple at our chapel on saturday because they don't have a font in Albi. I thought about you, and I am so proud of you and so happy that you have personally felt the same happiness that we have had in Carcassonne this week. I love you Ellie! and all the other grandkids too, but this week is special for Ellie!

I pray for you all, and I love you!
Bonne Semaine!

Elder Smith

Pictures - Carlos baptism, the Martin Family (he is the bishop), and Vanessa, Benoit and Elvin

I'll send a picture of the electric thing next week, the one that i have is the right head, but it is not deep enough, I don't know how to explain it, I'll send a picture next week

November Already? Wow

Happy Halloween everyone, I'm sorry to hear that it was raining in Utah, but I'm glad that you endured, it was raining here as well. I saw 2 groups of trick-or-treaters and nobody was giving out candy. The French Halloween is totally not as cool as ours. Even worse, in 4 weeks, they don't celebrate thanksgiving at all (of course it is a holiday of american pilgrims) you all need to start preparing and eat till it hurts for me.

This week: Carlos is going to be babtised the next sunday and he is strong. We spoke about tithing this week and he said to us "Yes I'll pay my tithing 100%, if I'm going to be baptised and follow the commandments I need to follow at 100%". Amen!!! He is great, but Satan is doing his best to slow him down, his wife (a member) is SUPER SUPER sick, they couldn't come to church because they were at the hospital and if she stays sick they won't be able to come to the baptism, because they live 1 hour away from the church and they don't have enough gas in the car to go to the church and the hospital, just one or the other, so if they have to go back to the hospital, it will mess up the baptism. They are strong, and they both have great testimonies! and I'm excited to see him baptised.

Our Amis Didier is really struggling with cigarrettes, he has told that he wants be baptised and wants to stop smoking but that it is too hard. He has a testimony already of the Book of Mormon, at our 2nd lesson with him, I asked him to read the Introduction and the first 5 chapters of the Book of Mormon, he did and at the 3rd lesson he told me that it was true and that Joesph was a prophet. Amen!!! He smokes about 20 cigarettes per day and is really dependent on them, Satan is also working on him, because this week he has started to get busy and can't fix a moment to see us.

Over all this week was good, but it was rough. We had our lowest amount of work yet, but we had Stake Conference and a Zone Conference, it was really good. President Carter talked to us about having the spirit he then promised us all that if we were totally obedient until 2011, that the Lord would give the mission 40 babtisms before the end of the year. We are kicking it in to high gear, even if it is difficult we are going to work harder that we have yet, and we are going to qualify ourselves for the blessings of the Lord.

This is the last week of the Transfer and most likely I will have a new companion next week, nothing is for sure, but President usually only allows missionaries to be together for 2 transfers, we will see. I think that I'll probably stay in Carcassonne, but again nothing is sure.

Thank you so much for the mail this week, I got a great Package with Halloween Treats and some BEAU-tiful artwork from the Ben, Tanelle, Addie, Nathan and Carson, Thank you!! I also got an invitation to Ellie's baptism! Ellie I'm so proud of you and I know that Heavenly Father will bless you, you are starting down a path that only leads to happiness and blessings, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations and I love you! and Last but not least I got the invitaion to Grandma Sanders Birthday, unfortuately I won't be able to attend, but Happy Birthday Grandma!!! This is my squeeze from accross the Ocean!!!!

I love you all and I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here, I've been blessed to be in Carcassonne and with Elder Magnan, and if this is our last week together, we are going to explode the work and sprint to the finish!

Elder Matt Smith

Q & A

Questions:
1. Where do you type your emails?
-at a cybercafe in Centre Ville

2. Why is the English family in France and what was their name I can't find it in my mail?
- The Kersey's lived in Utah for 7 years and the father started a computer programming company in Carcassonne and so they moved here, they choose Carcassonne because it is pretty and they wanted their children to see the mission field and learn the culture. They are really nice and Sister Kersey cooks delicious American Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes, they feel us usually 1 time per week and it is A-mazing!

3. Why am I writing on a Tuesday?
- Yesterday was the French equivilant of Memorial Day and everything was closed, so we couldn't go grocery shopping or do the e-mails

I'm so happy that you talked to Sister Hatch! When she asked me what I wanted her to tell you I just said "I'm alive, I love you, I'm working hard, and I'm living a fairytale". So if nothing else that is the message of the week.

LOVE YOU ALL!!!