"There is beauty all around when there's love at home"
It was so great to see/hear from all of you. I got to see sara for like a split second and I never got to see Elizabeth, Alicia, Aaron or Carter, but I heard them. Tim, Jens, Ellie, Tate and Drewy. I am sorry that I didn't get to see you or hear from you. But I love all and I hope that is well and that you had a great mothers day. Speaking of mothers aswell, I got to express my excitement for Alicia but not for Tanelle. But don't worry Tanelle I am just as excited for you. I didn't get the info slipped to me ahead of time, so for you the surprise actually worked! I think it is awesome that I get to be the favorite uncle 2 more times :)
But really it was so so so good to see you all, I was so overwelmed with excitedness and with happiness I think that I was just rambling and laughing for the entire hour. Yesterday I was honestly touched by the fact that we could all be together just for a little minute. It made me realize how our Heavenly Father must feel as we take steps down the path to his eternal kingdom. I can only imagine that the happiness of reaching his presence with all of our family at our sides, is like yesterday times about a billion.
I don't have a whole lot of updates to give this weeking seeing that yesterday I gave you all my updates, but if you want I will give you low down on a couple of our Amis
Antonio - he is from portugal, he is engaged to be baptised the 21st of may, he has 3 kids and a wife. it is an awesome family, for the moment it is just him that is getting ready to get baptised, because his wife is really set in the catholic tradition, she loves having us over and is very kind, but does not want her children or herself to be re-baptised. Antonio has never been baptised so she is all fine and dandy with him being baptised into the church, but she has already been baptised. it is something we see all the time, people that are baptised for tradtion, but they don't really understand that it is covenant that needs to be made by proper authority. so we will see if this week we can start to get the family on board as well
Jacques - he is cool he is about 25, he knows the bible really well and loves the book of mormon, he is engaged for the 21st aswell, but he needs to stop smoking so that is what we will be trying to do this week
James - he is kool and today offically he stopped smoking, he really wants to be baptised because he loves the idea of a forever family and he wants to have a family that is raised and based on the principles of our church. he is engaged aswell for the 21st, he is really really kool and I hope that we can get all 3 of them wet in the up coming weeks. We are still on the hunt for new amis so this week we are going to PUSH it, we decided that after talking to our families we want to be the best missionaries possible so that we can live up to all of you back at home that are so strong and valiate in the gospel.
I love you all and was so happy to see you!!
Have a great week!!
Elder smith
Monday, May 9, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Keepin in real in NICE
This week was good, it is a different kind of missionary work that I have ever done, I feel like a fish out of water. In Carcassonne and Périgueux we contacted every person that we saw because there wasn't alot of people just out on the roads. But here in Nice you have to tell the difference from the tourists, and it is not possible to contact ALL the people, because there is about a billion. It is harder for me, because I feel less effecient and less organized because there is SO many people, there are about 35 bus lines and there is a tram as well ( it is like traxs) in Carcassone there was 1 bus, and in Périgueux there was 2. I just need to get a hold on this big city work and dig in. I have lots to learn and we will see if I can hit the pavement like I like to. (just to give you a hint of the work, in carcassonne and perigueux we got the number of 2-14 people per week, in my first day in Nice we got 12 and in the week we got the information of 53 people!) I am sucking for air in the place because there are so many more people than I am used to. I am loving the ward and I am loving the city, but I still feel like I can wip myself into shape, and learn a new style of missionary work.
Also this week in Nice because it is some much bigger and it is summer time, I have met 4 english speaking member families, I spent most of sunday translating and we ran into an old mission president while we were out and about. I had no idea that there were cities like this, and I feel like brand new missionary all over again.
I will be calling this sunday at 10 to 11 Utah time, and we have aranged to use skype, so that would be totally kool if we did the big ole skpye party like last time.
How is the apartment? Much bigger, I think that the appartment in Périgueux is the smallest in the mission. So I feel like I am in a penthouse, except I am with 3 people so that does take down the size a little bit, nevertheless it is a good apartment, nice, clean, organized, up in the hills of Nice of the 5 floor.
How is your companion? They are great, I am almost positive that I met Elder Brough in the pre mortal life, he is from West Valley and he talks about Jazz basketball, and BYU basketball all day with me
What are the members like? Actual members, they are awesome, our bishop is from Monaco and his home is like a block away from the Monté Carlo Casino that is in James Bond, I feel very very very cheap when I am in that neighborhood (speaking about wealth, this week I walked out of our apartment and there was a Mazzarati just sitting there)
How big is the branch? The branch is a ward and it is the center of the stake, so our building is almost a Utah size chapel, it is up on the hill and over looks the mediteranian, there are about 120 active members
I heard from a friend who had a relative in the South of France that they looked a lot at their shoes because there were nude beaches all over. Is this true? Yes. We don't go down to the beaches because everybody is naked, and pretty much every pretty girl in europe comes to Nice in the summer, and most of them do not have the same standards of modesty of your average Miamaid, It makes missionary work a little awkard (Speaking of looking at your shoes, I have offically killed a suit and a half and my shoes are going to be dead soon, so today I bought a super fly, french suit, with european pointy shoes, I gotta stay fly) Also speaking of awkard missionary work, everybody in france does the bisous (the kiss on the cheek thing in the movies) and this week I said hello so one of these less than modesty european women and she kissed me on the cheeks in front of the second counselor, that was totally awkard
How does a threesome work? Just like a 2 some, except there is one other person.
Did Elder Bennallack stay in Perigueux? Yes and he is companions with Elder Carson, my companion from the MTC
So how different is the weather in Nice than in Periguex or Carcasonne? It is very temperate and NICE, it is about always 20-27 degrees, I am starting to have a very nice tan line from my watch and collar
What is your new address?
143 Boulevard Cessole
06000 Nice
France
**I am not positive about the 06000, so maybe you should look up some kind of hotel in nice on google**
(Alicia googled the address, it is correct and here is a street view of where his apt is)
How long have your other companions been out in the field? Elder Brough 6 transfers Elder Duncan 5 transfers
If Elder Brough was in your district in Perigueux then he must be new to the area too. Was Elder Duncan already in Nice? Yes it is his 3rd here in Nice, I really like Elder Duncan as well, he is funny and one of the nicest people that you will ever meet. He is a good worker and is also fun to work with.
I love ya kids and I am STOKED to talk to everybody this sunday. The Philipines sounded super legit and I am also very very jealous that you got to go the temple. Jeanell, you got me to laugh out loud several times with the pictures and the stories.
Allez, bisous, chao!!
Elder Smith
Donadiers in Périgueux (I love them)
Eating at McDonalds for Elder Broughs Birthday with my companions
The chapel in Nice
Me and my very large son
Also this week in Nice because it is some much bigger and it is summer time, I have met 4 english speaking member families, I spent most of sunday translating and we ran into an old mission president while we were out and about. I had no idea that there were cities like this, and I feel like brand new missionary all over again.
I will be calling this sunday at 10 to 11 Utah time, and we have aranged to use skype, so that would be totally kool if we did the big ole skpye party like last time.
How is the apartment? Much bigger, I think that the appartment in Périgueux is the smallest in the mission. So I feel like I am in a penthouse, except I am with 3 people so that does take down the size a little bit, nevertheless it is a good apartment, nice, clean, organized, up in the hills of Nice of the 5 floor.
How is your companion? They are great, I am almost positive that I met Elder Brough in the pre mortal life, he is from West Valley and he talks about Jazz basketball, and BYU basketball all day with me
What are the members like? Actual members, they are awesome, our bishop is from Monaco and his home is like a block away from the Monté Carlo Casino that is in James Bond, I feel very very very cheap when I am in that neighborhood (speaking about wealth, this week I walked out of our apartment and there was a Mazzarati just sitting there)
How big is the branch? The branch is a ward and it is the center of the stake, so our building is almost a Utah size chapel, it is up on the hill and over looks the mediteranian, there are about 120 active members
I heard from a friend who had a relative in the South of France that they looked a lot at their shoes because there were nude beaches all over. Is this true? Yes. We don't go down to the beaches because everybody is naked, and pretty much every pretty girl in europe comes to Nice in the summer, and most of them do not have the same standards of modesty of your average Miamaid, It makes missionary work a little awkard (Speaking of looking at your shoes, I have offically killed a suit and a half and my shoes are going to be dead soon, so today I bought a super fly, french suit, with european pointy shoes, I gotta stay fly) Also speaking of awkard missionary work, everybody in france does the bisous (the kiss on the cheek thing in the movies) and this week I said hello so one of these less than modesty european women and she kissed me on the cheeks in front of the second counselor, that was totally awkard
How does a threesome work? Just like a 2 some, except there is one other person.
Did Elder Bennallack stay in Perigueux? Yes and he is companions with Elder Carson, my companion from the MTC
So how different is the weather in Nice than in Periguex or Carcasonne? It is very temperate and NICE, it is about always 20-27 degrees, I am starting to have a very nice tan line from my watch and collar
What is your new address?
143 Boulevard Cessole
06000 Nice
France
**I am not positive about the 06000, so maybe you should look up some kind of hotel in nice on google**
(Alicia googled the address, it is correct and here is a street view of where his apt is)
How long have your other companions been out in the field? Elder Brough 6 transfers Elder Duncan 5 transfers
If Elder Brough was in your district in Perigueux then he must be new to the area too. Was Elder Duncan already in Nice? Yes it is his 3rd here in Nice, I really like Elder Duncan as well, he is funny and one of the nicest people that you will ever meet. He is a good worker and is also fun to work with.
I love ya kids and I am STOKED to talk to everybody this sunday. The Philipines sounded super legit and I am also very very jealous that you got to go the temple. Jeanell, you got me to laugh out loud several times with the pictures and the stories.
Allez, bisous, chao!!
Elder Smith
Donadiers in Périgueux (I love them)
Eating at McDonalds for Elder Broughs Birthday with my companions
The chapel in Nice
Me and my very large son
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