Rollercoaster

Missions are a rollercoaster!

I don't know who said it but he was a wise man and if I ever meet him I will shake his hand and tip my hat to him.

The golden Jonathan Richard, the one that was the best thing since sliced bread and was so so ready for the gospel is now the infamous "less active Jonathan Richard". I don't know what happened or where satan got him but after talking to him, he has lost so much of the spirit that he had before, and has lost his testimony of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon. 180 degree turn. I still love him to death but we finally saw the opposition of satan in his conversion process. We don't know what happened, but he has changed. He says that it is nothing against the church and the members or the message that we carry, but simply he has taken a different path. I think that he is struggling with the Word of Wisdom and it has shaken his faith, it is so sad to see the difference in him. President Carter told me this week that 70% of the members in France are inactive, and it breaks my heart to hear that our recent convert has headed down that path. We are not going to give up on him and I hope that I will be able to still work with him to help him refind the spirit in his life. Transfers are in 2 weeks and if there is a change in the companionship it would most likely be me, so we will see what unfolds in the up coming weeks, but I hope and pray that I don't leave with this situation all in a mess.

We should have another baptism this week, Fabiola, we wanted to have Kevin as well but he is looking less and less ready, and he doesn't have a solid testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the Church. I hope to see Fabiola in the waters of baptism this Friday, she is so great, so kind and so happy. She is the exact copy of Lafonda from Napolean Dynamite, and I love her, she is african and she has.got.some.attitude.girl! She is honestly so funny and I love to teach her, we also have a mongolian family that has asked us several times if they can be baptised, but they are not married and they can't get married because they are not citizens, they will have to endure and let the lord sort things out for them, so they are super kool and they have simple yet powerful testimonies of Jesus Christ and they are going to have to wait. We also have Diane, she is 15 and from the congo, she loves YW and she is schedule to get baptised this transfer but because of parent problems I don't know what will happen in these last 2 weeks.

If I am headed out I think it will be interesting to see what happens, the work has changed SO much since I got here, and there are still many many lose strings that I don't know that I will be able to tie up in 2 weeks, we will see. Never the less I am grateful for Périgueux and for the chance that I have had to be here.

Now for answering questions and making comments.

I am so shocked that Ben is graduating in like 2 weeks, I don't know where I have been but for some reason I thought that he was graduating right before I got home (I must have been out of the country or something....oooohh punny) but either way CONGRATS!!!!! that is super rad!

I am sorry to hear that the Tahoe got a lickin, but I am much happier to hear that Aaron is still alive! I want to make this clear NONE OF YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DIE WHILE I AM ON MY MISSION, I repeat NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO DIE WHILE I AM ON MY MISSION.

Thank you so so so much for the package mom, I have wolfed down the oreas and am well into the peanut butter and I just want to tell you that I love you. and I also love peanut butter :)

my cold is all but cleared up and I am pretty much recovered, so there is no need to worry

This week with the little hiccup of Jonathan, I was really brought to my knees and to the scripitures and more and more my testimony of Jesus Christ is becoming a surety, knowledge and witness that he is the Christ, the only begotten of the Father in the flesh, and he died and he lives for us. I know, that he is my Savior and that it is through him and only him that I can return to be with my Father in Heaven. I love the Lord and I will never leave him. I love you all and I love the blessings that are offered to us all by a loving Father in Heaven, that we can be united as families forever and that death is not the end.

well that is all she wrote for this week!

Love you all

Matt