Hey gang,
How ya doin'?! Sounds like these are going well and are as crazy as usual. Poor Joshy man--gosh he sounds really sick. That's so sad. I hope he's doin' better soon. (and seriously!!!! did noone get flu shots this fall????) But totally awesome about johnny!! wow those are some good wins. I'm excited to be able to see how well they are playing next summer. Good thing im already in my retirement....hehe. I definitely love hearing details about what's going on at the homefront and the recent stories. They are a nice boost! You guys are so great. I love you!!
Things here are rollin right along. Well, I will admit that throughout the course of the last few weeks, I've had to employ Dad's Grinch advice and just try to "keep my cool" a couple times. As of last week, I have now been pooped on by pigeons THREE times since i have been in France. the only single redeeming quality about the most recent experience is that it was slightly amusing seeing Sister Smart like in hysterics about it. Of course, she has never been pooped on by one of those lovely rats of the sky, so i have seriously never, ever, seen her laugh so hard!!! Eventually, she was able to pull it together enough to wipe the doodoo out of my hair, but yeah.....sure appreciated that comp support moment.
And I'm not trying to be a drag, but there are a couple other things that have been a little less than cool. Things are getting better, but, I think i would almost go as far as to say that i really disliked the transportation in this city for a bit there. It was impossible!! Mostly what i actually felt so disgruntled about is being late to places and feeling lost. But we just could not figure this place out. Not so much that we were lost, because we were usually found.....we just couldn't get anywhere. K like, Paris--i can do. Paris, I know like my pocket! Give me an address in Paris or the banlieu, and I will get you there one way or another. So you'd think, "oh small town caen charm--this'll be a walk in the park." K well, it started out more like a sprint around centreville being sent back and forth by different "supposedly helpful" people until you ended up on the right bus in the wrong direction and 45 minutes late to your rendezvous! haha, seriously this place felt like a foreign country!! :)
Probably didn't help that we didn't really have any helpful maps and when we got here there wasn't even a ward list in the apartment or area book, so we really were starting from scratch. But, so far, at least, we have always managed to find ourselves after losing ourselves, so I haven't totally lost my cool yet. Just been pretty dang close a few times! hehe. But, the good news, we are now becoming more efficient...or at least less deficient!
You know what else is really not super cool? A cell phone that has been changed to voice command.....in French. Let's just say nightmare!!! Somehow they don't compensate for the whole american accent thing too well and calling back the crazy who hears voices and we have been discouraged from contacting, is not usually on my top list of cool things to do! Or, if you prefer, going into a rendezvous as a normal smelling person (huh, that's a phrase i never anticipated using) and coming out reeking like you've been a chain smoker for like 20 years is not one of the cooler experiences I have ever had. Seriously that stuff is potent, i was impressed how many layers could be contaminated in under 45 minutes! But the good thing about the fact that Caen has it's fair share of funny people is that hilarious stories are never too far away! And there have also been a lot of TOTALLY cool things that have happened lately.
Starting with the Marie Noelle and Bernadette miracles. We have a rendezvous with this less active family somewhere on the outskirts of Caen, so knowing our track history, and hoping to avoid any "near losing our cool" moments :), we started in the direction of their place like an hour early. Just to be sure. Meaning, that of course, we were able to find their place in like 20 minutes!! So, we decided we would just start at the top and port (franglais for like knocking doors) the building. Got a few not interested, and then this woman opens the door and is kinda staying half way hidden and doesn't seem overly enthused to see us, but doesn't shut the door. So we just kept talking and asking her questions that she wasn't super excited to answer, but was answering quand meme. And then all of a sudden, she comes out into the hall and just starts crying. Turns out her Dad had died about three months ago and she was really hurting and didn't have the answers and said she was mostly just shocked that we would show up at her door right now, because they have never had anyone like us. She said she felt like her Dad had sent us to her. Oh, i just can't tell you how grateful i was at that moment for the knowledge the restored gospel gives us!! And how grateful I was that Heavenly Father helped us find their place in enough time to go knock a few extra doors. It was definitely one of those moments when you are grateful to have been where you were supposed to. And you realize; more tangibly I guess, how much heavenly father loves his children and how good he is at looking after them. Totally cool.
K so that was Marie Noelle. Bernadatte is someone who was taught years ago and we read her fiche tried to get in touch with way back at the beginning of the transfer. She answered the first time and asked us to call back later because she was at work. But then her phone never worked again. We tried for a long time, but never got anything. So then weeks go by and one afternoon we step onto a tram and this lady glanced at our plaques. So i went up and asked if she knew the church or the missionaries and she said, "yeah i think there were some sisters that called a while ago." And I have no idea where it came from, but the next thing out of my mouth was, "oh you're Bernadette." And she goes, "yeah!!! When can you come by?" So, anyway we exchanged info and set up a rendexvous. Then, of course, we show up for the rendezvous--keep in mind it was for the very next day--and call her and she's all, "oh! i completely forgot!" hahahahaha....yup.....African much?! So we re-fixed and were eventually able to see her and so far things are going well!
So, I can't decide if this is cool or not. But, it was certainly one for the books, so we'll see if i can do it justice. This last Saturday we had a good chunk of time in the afternoon after our rendezvous, and when we planned we felt good about going out porting in this place called Lion-sur-Mer, which is a pretty good distance outside of Caen. Well, it was a very charming oceanside area, except that "oceanside" is not the best place to be situated in a huge rainstorm without umbrellas. So we knock a ton of doors, don't really get much, and by the end of a couple hours it is pitch black and we are soaking wet and can no longer feel our toes. (Like i went home and blow dryed my hair--we were that wet!) So, we go and catch the last bus back to Caen and the driver, jean-jacques (mom will probably love that name haha), is like a total chit chatter. But, he apparently also likes music and keeps trying to get us to sing him a song. Eventually this gospel singer couple (what are the chances?!) gets on the bus and sits next to us and when jean jacques asked him, he goes, "okay. the one we're gonna do is called.....(some african name or soemthing)." So, then his lady friend starts layin down the beat and he starts singing and clapping and being very very expressive with his arms and face.
In case you haven't caught on--they were very into it! This is a very much white and French couple i might add! It was one of the greatest things i have ever seen on a public bus! So THEN, jean jacques decides that he won't let us get off until we sing a song for him. Not joking! And, of course, im totally having a brain cramp moment and cannot think of a single song that i know except "My Favorite Things" from Sound of music. So, guess what? Soeur Smart and I sang My Favorite Things for this bus driver and this gospel singer couple on a bus to Caen on Saturday night. Like I said--one for the books! Then the gospel singer woman, bethanie, gave us chocolate muffins, because apparently we were friends, and jean jacques let us talk to him about the book of mormon and took one home saying he would give it a try. I'm just not going to even try to give commentary on this one, because whenever i remember it, i am always at a loss!! So, i guess you can decide whether it was cool or not!
Okay, and i also mentioned that we did exchanges with Versailles last week. I worked with Sister Larsen, who is in her first transfer, and sister smart worked with sister gappmeier. I'll spare you all the details, but it turned out to be a totally cool exchange! Sister Larsen and I were able to give out 4 or 5 book of mormons, get invited to summer with a muslim family in morocco, and set a baptismal date on a first rendezvous! We went and visited this woman named Zeinabe, whose number they had found in the phone, but knew nothing about. And things were going okay, but ill be honest that i was actually kinda stressed during most of the first part of the rendezvous cuz i wasn't really feeling it and was just thinking, "oh dang, im already failing at this senior comp business" and was certainly a little disconcerted about being on the receiving end of the "what the heck do we say to that?" looks! I remember being the one giving those back in the day, but goodness it's a little different on the other side!
But then, once I forgot about me, got out of the way of the spirit and forgot the"first lesson routine"--that's when it worked. And the next words out of my mouth were, "Do you want to be baptized?" And she said, "Yes. yes i do." It was totally cool and there was a really sweet spirit! (Her dad is a member in the St. Ouen ward and she had been to church a few times with him a while ago. It's super weird how things fit together sometimes, but the random part is that her fiche is in the St Ouen area book and she was the very first phone call i ever made by myself as a blue in st. ouen! She didn't show up for that rendezvous way back in march or whatever, but now she is ready and it was time!)
But, probably the best and cutest part was walking out of the building in silence and then turning around to smile at Sister Larsen and seeing her with tears streaming down her face because she was so happy. It was absolutely adorable and a good lesson, or reminder, for me. Not that you forget why we're here or the importance of what we're doing. Those things I probably understand a lot better now than at the beginning. But things have a tendency to become "normal" (and i know that sounds horrible and isn't expressing it exactly right), so it was a good reminder of how NOT normal this is and how truly neat and unique and wonderful of an experience being a missionary is! So, like I said, all in all it turned out to be a cool exchange. The only slightly not cool aspect may have been the 1.5 hour dirt trail trek through the "park of wolves".....but let's be real--totally worth it!
Anyway, en fin de compte, the cool things totally beat out the not cool ones and things are rollin' right along here in Caen. I love you guys and miss you. I hope you have a great week and can't wait to hear from you!
love, jordo xoxo
ps i found out that Santalingam, the buddhist guy soeur clark and i started teaching in paris lilas, is progressing and doing really really well!!!
Totally crazy about michael!!!! talk about standing out....blonde haired white michael in romania!!! hehe that's awesome. so, is romanian a 9 week mtc stay or 12? Tell him I am soooo excited for him, but not super excited I won’t see him for 3 ½ years!
Tara--please throw those boots out!!! you're killin' me with all this talk about washing them over and over. Enough is really enough with boots that have been in manure!!!! seriously are you becoming dirty harriett or something??!!!! and side note, i thought the poem was awesome. i re-read it this week for a good little pep talk! and fyi, i opened your last later the other day on the tram, and there was this little girl around who had been staring at me for a while, so i gave her the snowflake and she was super excited! So thanks for helping with the contacting sister!! k and what is this centennial teaching business you are up to?
Johnny- are you going to valentines this year? i liked the recent tennis letter you sent me, but i dont remember exactly what it said, just that i thought it was funny.
Matthew-was glad to hear your undie supply is nice and stocked! and pretty good star wars meets RISK strategery. Very quick of you, if i do say so myself. although, you remember me--the rule nazi--(exhibit A:lord of the rings watching marathon 2009) all that business would probably not have flown in my book! Still, impressive.
Joshy--im sorry you're not super pleased about school these days dude. are there any cute girls in your class? valentines is coming up.....have you decided who you are going to ask to be your valentine?! im willing to bet your the cutest boy in your class!
Halle—I’m glad you loved the movie A Little Princess! i thought it was asome too!!!! who is your new church teacher? what are you studying in french class?
Siblings--love you lots and think you're pretty dang cool.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
A Happy & Grateful New Year!
Happy 2011 family dearest!!!!!!
Sounds like you all celebrated in style! I'm so glad it all turned out and you were able to take it easy. And tara--way to represent in the world domination scene!! But, i just have to clarify that i read correctly, Dad really used doilies to put out his party spread?! So, would it be safe to say that i should continue to direct questions regarding the power tools to Mom, but that any interior design or party planning accent questions should now be directed to Dad? Just checking! But, seriously, I can't believe it is 2011 already. (Though since it always takes me forever to get used to writing the new date, in my journal it will still be 2010 for another month or so, so i have a good slow transition ahead of me.)
Do you remember celebrating Y2K and the end of the world? It seems like yesterday!!! (Though, i think it was also a little more memorable of a new year's eve considering that may, or may not, have been the year we toilet papered our own house with nana and lisa......thanks for the clean up job though dad!) Crazy how time flies. Should you have asked me at the beginning of 2000 if i saw myself in france january 2011, i probably would have said, "heck no!" But, asking me now if i would rather be anyway else, i would still say,"heck no!!" I am so happy and grateful to be here and starting out a new year of work and miracles and, what im sure will be, memories for a lifetime! So, today i thought i would catch you up on some of the last couple weeks of current events, by way of a quick list of the some of the little things i am grateful for. We'll see how it turns out......
1. I am grateful for a kitchen sink that still zaps us when we do the dishes.....it keeps you on your toes.
2. I am grateful for new sheets and comforters......I try not to be spoiled, but sleeping in grime is just not something i am okay with.
3. I am grateful for mailmen who ride around town on their little bikes with a basket of mail in front...you just can't beat small town charm!
4. I am grateful for Caen's unique charm, of which a perfect example, was the light show they had set up at the Mairie (like town hall). The presentation consisted of loud music and a perfectly coordinated light projection show that told the story on the outside of the building (ie, the mairie, itself, was the screen). It started out simply enough and we settled in for a cute little bedtime story type thing, when all of a sudden the town is on fire, sirens and lights and flames everywhere. But, apparently no need for alarm, because enter this giant kid (you only see his legs because he is huge) comes storming into the city dragging a ginormous teddy bear and starts urinating on the town (im sorry, i really just don't know how to put that delicately in a way that gives you the right idea of how this scene actually went down in front of us), which heroically, saves the town from the fire, but then somehow turns into an underwater scene. Pleasant, I know. K, so that's when the eyebrows raise, but as this thing continues through acrobatic monkeys and who knows what else, the chin drop did not follow too shortly after. By the end, I glanced at sister smart and we both totally looked like shrek and donkey right after they see that little music box show in Duroc (or whatever the name is). Like, "What the heck did we just see?!" All I know, is I am grateful for that memorable one-of-a-kind welcome to Caen!
5. I am grateful for a companion who is very chill and reassuring. Ie, when I am stressed about how church is going to go down the first week and how thing will work out with the members, she hears me take a deep breath while walking to the chapel and responds with a loving arm pat, "Hey, don't worry....at least they can't stone us." Oh, gosh, yeah, that is reassuring!
6. I am grateful that Suzy and Valerie's baptism went well!!! Did I ever mention that? Well, actually i heard it was a little stressful, but hey! They were baptized!!!! AND, i guess the rendezvous the day before, they had invited a couple of their friends over to talk with the missionaries and get book of mormons and have the sisters explain how we weren't a cult (thats a pretty standard introductory course these days) and stuff. Anyway, they are pretty much amazing and have already set a goal to start saving money for their missions. My heart was so happy when i heard that!!! They are so great, aren't they?! (Side note--i also heard that marguerite is also doing really well.)
7. I am grateful for a city that is, maybe what you would call, a little slow at the moment. (Just so we're on the same page, when i say slow, i mean we came in with not a single investigator.) One, because, it ya know--kinda lessens the pressure, like at least I can't make things any worse! hehe. But also because it is really fulfilling and exciting to see and really appreciate all the little miracles. Even the little contacting ones are exciting! Plus, it provides many more opportunities for encounters with interesting and unique people that we may have missed otherwise.
For example, one of this week's highlights was the Russian Mafia couple. Long story short, we go back for our follow up rendezvous and the wife (the only one who speaks english....at least allegedly, of course :)) has prepared this little speach about why they decided they weren't interested in learning anymore. It went down something like this: "ve is Vussian!! Ve neverrr chenge. Ve belief Hesu and ve know novone who vill chenge.....etc,." I think I may also have heard a, "Ve put Ze vodka in ze coffee!" (haha classic pearce sacrament meeting that one.) I wish you could hear Sister Smart's impersonation of this conversation, because it is just too good!
8. I am also grateful for how far a couple of plates of snickerdoodles can get you with the elders at the first district meeting. I know, I know. totally cheap, totally dirty move that I have not resorted to thus far in my time out here, but desperate times, right? I mean we opened back up a ville to sisters under what would definitely not be considered the best circumstances, so i guess i might have been machavellian it a little--maybe the end does justify the means?!! No harm, no foul. And the Elders are very nice. We were sure grateful (and got a good chuckle) for the stocking of little odds and ends that they dropped off for Christmas. Not to worry --it did include some army men toys wrapped up in this decades-old box that looked like had once held a little nativity set!
9. I am grateful that even though we have now transitioned from a metro to a tram and city bus, some things about public transportation are still universal. Between us both having our behinds grabbed and being told we were playing right into satan's plot (I offered someone a Christmas DVD, but that was apparently the wrong move, because "that's exactly what Satan wants"), we are still makin' some new memorable transport moments.
10. I am grateful for people who are understanding of my blondeness, because my "needed an edit button moment of the week" was definitely going up to an elder and saying, "i love how you spin her umbrella to turn her on." I promise that it had contextual meaning!!! But, the elder's face quickly made me realize what had just actually come out of my mouth. But, I have to add to grampa, that we got a good laugh out of his blonde joke this week, especially in light of the fact that the branch has now, apparently, nicknamed us "the blondes." (for example, during choir practice, the director tells one of the little girls, "oh go stand by the blondes.")
11. I am grateful for cities with "nice to pedestrian people." People actually stop for you to cross the street at crosswalks. And this is a new experience, let me tell you! Especially cuz soemtimes they will stop for you just at other random corners or places if they see you standing there. It's true--kinda takes away the excitement of the "dash for your life and hope your companion makes it" element, but it is still very nice. (of course, i guess we could have exercised a little patience in paris and walked to and waited for lights to change, but let's be real--just because i came on a mission does not mean i all of a sudden sprouted a patience tree or something.)
12. I am grateful for the hilarious video you guys sent!! That was seriously so sweet and i love, love, loved it!!
13. I am grateful for a bathroom door that doesn't shut (or at least all the way).....it provides many more comp bonding activities. And companionship unity is very important after all. A fact we learned even more poignantly on New Year's Eve. We were invited, with the elders, to the Branch President's house. He and his wife are in their early thirties probably and have this super cute, young family. They had prepared an awesome meal, all these little fun table games, there was arm wrestling with the little kids, and then there was this "game" that apparently they like to "play" with all the new missionaries. Basically they asked us to take turns introducing our companions and then used what we did, or did not say or know about our companions, to illustrate the importance of companionship communication and listening in being able to work together as a team. Some kind of game, right?! It was pretty funny though, because at the end the wife was like, "and voila the difference between men and women communicating!"
14. I am grateful for the weird mannerism things you pick up in France that make you look and sound like an idiot when you're speaking English. (i dont really know why i am grateful for that, except that it provides entertainment.) Prime examples that i happened to notice from the last 24 hours: "you have reason" to tell someone they are right, "that tells me something" to tell someone that something sounds familiar, and certainly not to be forgotten--the horse lip puffing sigh thing (you'd know it if you saw it).
Seriously, I laughed hysterically watching nelson do his little french mannerisms segment of the video. I don't know if he remembers this, but he taught that to me in like 7th or 8th grade and said that in learning French that's all i would really need to know. I have remembered and practiced it ever since then, and he was so right! A few times I've been haing casual conversations with people about learning French and i have said "well ya know, really it's not all that hard, all you need to know is"..and then i would do the nelson thing (boh, bah, disant que, bof, tiens, chez pas moi, etc) and they have all thought it was hilarious! They are like, "yup you've got it all down!"
15. And I am grateful for the awesome trainings from president staheli and the assistants last week at interviews. (especially grateful since i wasn't one of the ones called up to practice hehe) But, it's always nice to get like a little extra boost to your spiritual battery and another arrow to add to your quiver. This time the practice teaching part was about learning how to get a solid return appointment fixed after the first street contact. Something I definitely have to work on! So, very grateful for direction from inspired leaders.
16. And last, but not least, I am grateful for you!!!! Thanks for being so wonderful. I sure love you guys!!!
Hope you have a great week and start out the new year with a bang!!
love, jordan xoxo
Sounds like you all celebrated in style! I'm so glad it all turned out and you were able to take it easy. And tara--way to represent in the world domination scene!! But, i just have to clarify that i read correctly, Dad really used doilies to put out his party spread?! So, would it be safe to say that i should continue to direct questions regarding the power tools to Mom, but that any interior design or party planning accent questions should now be directed to Dad? Just checking! But, seriously, I can't believe it is 2011 already. (Though since it always takes me forever to get used to writing the new date, in my journal it will still be 2010 for another month or so, so i have a good slow transition ahead of me.)
Do you remember celebrating Y2K and the end of the world? It seems like yesterday!!! (Though, i think it was also a little more memorable of a new year's eve considering that may, or may not, have been the year we toilet papered our own house with nana and lisa......thanks for the clean up job though dad!) Crazy how time flies. Should you have asked me at the beginning of 2000 if i saw myself in france january 2011, i probably would have said, "heck no!" But, asking me now if i would rather be anyway else, i would still say,"heck no!!" I am so happy and grateful to be here and starting out a new year of work and miracles and, what im sure will be, memories for a lifetime! So, today i thought i would catch you up on some of the last couple weeks of current events, by way of a quick list of the some of the little things i am grateful for. We'll see how it turns out......
1. I am grateful for a kitchen sink that still zaps us when we do the dishes.....it keeps you on your toes.
2. I am grateful for new sheets and comforters......I try not to be spoiled, but sleeping in grime is just not something i am okay with.
3. I am grateful for mailmen who ride around town on their little bikes with a basket of mail in front...you just can't beat small town charm!
4. I am grateful for Caen's unique charm, of which a perfect example, was the light show they had set up at the Mairie (like town hall). The presentation consisted of loud music and a perfectly coordinated light projection show that told the story on the outside of the building (ie, the mairie, itself, was the screen). It started out simply enough and we settled in for a cute little bedtime story type thing, when all of a sudden the town is on fire, sirens and lights and flames everywhere. But, apparently no need for alarm, because enter this giant kid (you only see his legs because he is huge) comes storming into the city dragging a ginormous teddy bear and starts urinating on the town (im sorry, i really just don't know how to put that delicately in a way that gives you the right idea of how this scene actually went down in front of us), which heroically, saves the town from the fire, but then somehow turns into an underwater scene. Pleasant, I know. K, so that's when the eyebrows raise, but as this thing continues through acrobatic monkeys and who knows what else, the chin drop did not follow too shortly after. By the end, I glanced at sister smart and we both totally looked like shrek and donkey right after they see that little music box show in Duroc (or whatever the name is). Like, "What the heck did we just see?!" All I know, is I am grateful for that memorable one-of-a-kind welcome to Caen!
5. I am grateful for a companion who is very chill and reassuring. Ie, when I am stressed about how church is going to go down the first week and how thing will work out with the members, she hears me take a deep breath while walking to the chapel and responds with a loving arm pat, "Hey, don't worry....at least they can't stone us." Oh, gosh, yeah, that is reassuring!
6. I am grateful that Suzy and Valerie's baptism went well!!! Did I ever mention that? Well, actually i heard it was a little stressful, but hey! They were baptized!!!! AND, i guess the rendezvous the day before, they had invited a couple of their friends over to talk with the missionaries and get book of mormons and have the sisters explain how we weren't a cult (thats a pretty standard introductory course these days) and stuff. Anyway, they are pretty much amazing and have already set a goal to start saving money for their missions. My heart was so happy when i heard that!!! They are so great, aren't they?! (Side note--i also heard that marguerite is also doing really well.)
7. I am grateful for a city that is, maybe what you would call, a little slow at the moment. (Just so we're on the same page, when i say slow, i mean we came in with not a single investigator.) One, because, it ya know--kinda lessens the pressure, like at least I can't make things any worse! hehe. But also because it is really fulfilling and exciting to see and really appreciate all the little miracles. Even the little contacting ones are exciting! Plus, it provides many more opportunities for encounters with interesting and unique people that we may have missed otherwise.
For example, one of this week's highlights was the Russian Mafia couple. Long story short, we go back for our follow up rendezvous and the wife (the only one who speaks english....at least allegedly, of course :)) has prepared this little speach about why they decided they weren't interested in learning anymore. It went down something like this: "ve is Vussian!! Ve neverrr chenge. Ve belief Hesu and ve know novone who vill chenge.....etc,." I think I may also have heard a, "Ve put Ze vodka in ze coffee!" (haha classic pearce sacrament meeting that one.) I wish you could hear Sister Smart's impersonation of this conversation, because it is just too good!
8. I am also grateful for how far a couple of plates of snickerdoodles can get you with the elders at the first district meeting. I know, I know. totally cheap, totally dirty move that I have not resorted to thus far in my time out here, but desperate times, right? I mean we opened back up a ville to sisters under what would definitely not be considered the best circumstances, so i guess i might have been machavellian it a little--maybe the end does justify the means?!! No harm, no foul. And the Elders are very nice. We were sure grateful (and got a good chuckle) for the stocking of little odds and ends that they dropped off for Christmas. Not to worry --it did include some army men toys wrapped up in this decades-old box that looked like had once held a little nativity set!
9. I am grateful that even though we have now transitioned from a metro to a tram and city bus, some things about public transportation are still universal. Between us both having our behinds grabbed and being told we were playing right into satan's plot (I offered someone a Christmas DVD, but that was apparently the wrong move, because "that's exactly what Satan wants"), we are still makin' some new memorable transport moments.
10. I am grateful for people who are understanding of my blondeness, because my "needed an edit button moment of the week" was definitely going up to an elder and saying, "i love how you spin her umbrella to turn her on." I promise that it had contextual meaning!!! But, the elder's face quickly made me realize what had just actually come out of my mouth. But, I have to add to grampa, that we got a good laugh out of his blonde joke this week, especially in light of the fact that the branch has now, apparently, nicknamed us "the blondes." (for example, during choir practice, the director tells one of the little girls, "oh go stand by the blondes.")
11. I am grateful for cities with "nice to pedestrian people." People actually stop for you to cross the street at crosswalks. And this is a new experience, let me tell you! Especially cuz soemtimes they will stop for you just at other random corners or places if they see you standing there. It's true--kinda takes away the excitement of the "dash for your life and hope your companion makes it" element, but it is still very nice. (of course, i guess we could have exercised a little patience in paris and walked to and waited for lights to change, but let's be real--just because i came on a mission does not mean i all of a sudden sprouted a patience tree or something.)
12. I am grateful for the hilarious video you guys sent!! That was seriously so sweet and i love, love, loved it!!
13. I am grateful for a bathroom door that doesn't shut (or at least all the way).....it provides many more comp bonding activities. And companionship unity is very important after all. A fact we learned even more poignantly on New Year's Eve. We were invited, with the elders, to the Branch President's house. He and his wife are in their early thirties probably and have this super cute, young family. They had prepared an awesome meal, all these little fun table games, there was arm wrestling with the little kids, and then there was this "game" that apparently they like to "play" with all the new missionaries. Basically they asked us to take turns introducing our companions and then used what we did, or did not say or know about our companions, to illustrate the importance of companionship communication and listening in being able to work together as a team. Some kind of game, right?! It was pretty funny though, because at the end the wife was like, "and voila the difference between men and women communicating!"
14. I am grateful for the weird mannerism things you pick up in France that make you look and sound like an idiot when you're speaking English. (i dont really know why i am grateful for that, except that it provides entertainment.) Prime examples that i happened to notice from the last 24 hours: "you have reason" to tell someone they are right, "that tells me something" to tell someone that something sounds familiar, and certainly not to be forgotten--the horse lip puffing sigh thing (you'd know it if you saw it).
Seriously, I laughed hysterically watching nelson do his little french mannerisms segment of the video. I don't know if he remembers this, but he taught that to me in like 7th or 8th grade and said that in learning French that's all i would really need to know. I have remembered and practiced it ever since then, and he was so right! A few times I've been haing casual conversations with people about learning French and i have said "well ya know, really it's not all that hard, all you need to know is"..and then i would do the nelson thing (boh, bah, disant que, bof, tiens, chez pas moi, etc) and they have all thought it was hilarious! They are like, "yup you've got it all down!"
15. And I am grateful for the awesome trainings from president staheli and the assistants last week at interviews. (especially grateful since i wasn't one of the ones called up to practice hehe) But, it's always nice to get like a little extra boost to your spiritual battery and another arrow to add to your quiver. This time the practice teaching part was about learning how to get a solid return appointment fixed after the first street contact. Something I definitely have to work on! So, very grateful for direction from inspired leaders.
16. And last, but not least, I am grateful for you!!!! Thanks for being so wonderful. I sure love you guys!!!
Hope you have a great week and start out the new year with a bang!!
love, jordan xoxo
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Updates & Inside Peeks
Family Dearest!!!!!
How are you?! K but first off, I have to thank everyone for all the fun goodies you have sent. I feel like I must be the most spoiled missionary in the world, and i think you guys must single-handedly be keeping the US postal service in business. Holy cow!!! I am so excited to start the 12 days of christmas, I absolutely loved the calendar (we all pored over it multiple times), the purse was awesome (the other sisters thought it was pretty chic), so grateful for the cd from the cusicks, the boots are super super cozy, and i loved the necklace!!! And the Paris sisters were so cute and surprised me with an ice cream cake (im sorry mom, i used the cake mix you sent me for elder jaquier's birthday!)!! It was definitely a memorable 22nd birthday in Paris, even if we were super super sick and even if I’m still in denial about my old age. haha. So thank you. I love you. You are wonderful.
Things here are going well. I guess the biggest update as far as news is concerned is that my days in Paris are numbered. As soon as my companion gets back (supposedly sometime this week), they are shipping us out to Caen (Normandy). I am so excited about that. Neither of us has ever served there so bring on the whole whitewashing and re-opening a ville the week before Christmas adventure!!!! I figure at least with the Book of Mormon christmas contacting challenge we got at mission conference (which was AWESOME!!!), at least we'll know where to start--ie giving out 22 book of mormons before christmas with follow up. haha, it'll be one heck of an adventure that is for sure. I think the luggage plus christmas packages plus christmas tree moving on a train will, alone, be quite the memorable experience. Mom, don't worry, I will for sure picturize it! I am super sad that I will miss Suzie and Valerie's baptisms next Sunday, but we'll make sure and get everything good and ready this week, so it can go down flawlessly. And on the memory card I sent there is video of the musical number me and Elder Holcombe did for the mission Christmas conference.
Speaking of Suzie and Valerie, can i just say how much I love them?????!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously they are amazing. It is such a pleasure teaching them. They really want to understand and make sure they are doing everything right. K small example, but normally when you teach the 10 commandments, people are like "well yeah, duh," but they are like, "so what does that mean exactly?" And they have really been supported well by the Paris Young Adults. They went to a party a few weeks ago at the young adult center and met a ton of members, and more than once now we have showed up to teach them and they are hanging out with other member young adults and are so well integrated already! Anyway, I love them and I am so excited for them to be baptized, whether or not I am here. And did I ever mention that we set a baptismal date with Marguerite too? I don't know if i did.....oops, sorry about that. hehe. But she was supposed to be baptised the 19th as well, but her mom is still really not happy about her meeting with us, so even though she is 18, we are going to wait a few more weeks. But she is awesome. So, basically I am sad to leave our investigators, but I feel good about what we've seen happen in Paris Lilas and I am excited for a new adventure!
K, you know how i normally get sick like once a year around finals time? Well, it seems that whether or not I am actually taking finals, i am still cursed. Except that I have never been sick like this before. But, we learned very quickly that France doesn't mess around with their OTC meds. When you can buy lidocaine cough drops, you know you don't need to worry!!! (I have pretty much lost everything i once learned in pharmacology, but if i do recall correctly, lidocaine is like a sodium channel blocker used for local anesthesia. like when the dentist is going to drill into your mouth. haha.) Needless to say, it had a nice numbing effect for sore throats and coughing!! And the pharmacists here are hilarious. They like have such pride in fulfilling their pharmaceutical duties well and obviously enjoy doctoring people up. So, you walk in and tell them what's wrong and they are like, "ooohhh.....yeah, you need THIS. this will make it all better." So we get a good kick out of the pharmacists.
We also got a good kick out of the doctors as well, though for a different reason. Our first experience with French healthcare this morning was certainly one i won't forget for a while! First of all, the waiting room, i don't have time to detail, so let's just leave it at--SKETCHY. Then the doctor comes out and has us come back to her office/exam room. The whole place reeks of cigarette smoke, there are cigarettes on her desk, and like shoe boxes containing patient records. More sketchy. So, we chit chat for a bit and she asks us what is wrong with some details for a bit. She looks in our ears. And then asks us for our first and last names and our birthdays, gives us each a prescription for amoxicillin, and says that it will be 22 euros. Seriously, that was it. No questions about allergies (and HULLO!!! that's a penicillin antibiotic), no medical history, no documents, no insurance, no legality (certainly not complainign about that considering my current status (ya, I am still illegal) hehe), not even a single signature. It was like the most hilarious thing. I walked out of there like, "well huh.....that's how healthcare works in France, whaddayaknow." But hey--quick, cheap and got the job done, so we'll go with it!!! And honestly, as long as it helps me not feel this horrible than i am totally down with it!
So other updates--Faman (whose name is really Saman; a fact you will learn in the letter i am sending home today) has started praying out loud. and the right way!!!!! yay!!! seriously, you don't know what a feat that is!
And we also have a new contacting tactic, that seems to be working out pretty well. Basically the plan goes like this--talk to every Indian person you pass. I love Indian culture! Like when they say they will do something, they will do it. When they say they will be somewhere, they are there. Sometimes it's a bit surprising actually!!! Anyway, tactical plan is goin great!!!
okay, well ill get that other letter finsihed up and sent out today, but we gotta run. We did go to the Eiffel Tower today earlier and hiked up all the stairs!!!
Love you guys! Miss you. Hope you know how grateful i am for you!!!!!
love,
jordo
did I mention we played our turkey bowl on the fields in front of hotel des invalides? (ie napoleon's tomb place and also the place where we (dad, mom, me & tara) took a nap that one time) I didn't contribute a whole lot, except that I stuck my man well and freaked elder helvey out a little, and stayed out of elder holcombe's way enough that he basically single handedly won the game for us. hehe. but, we were all covered in mud from head to toe afterwards and the next day we were so sore!!
so, side note I have loved the Christmas cds and every time I get weird looks about the bugs bunny ones or whatev, I just say "artistic license!!!!" Thanks Tara!
tell the congers their Christmas card and school pictures were awesome!!!! of course ali has her Christmas cards sent out (even to the people in france) by like december 4th. oh and OMG those letters from grandpa were hilarious!!!!! and he made every single one like tie in somehow to that specific person----so funny! the sisters were impressed with how clever and quick he was, I laughed SO HARD.
did I mention enough times that I absolutely loved loved loved josh's primary talk?????!!! I cried, of course. and made all the sisters listen to it!! (bahaha--it took my dad a lot of courage to go and tell my mom what happened.....hahahaha) also, josh and Halle’s letters this week were even more hilarious than normal. so tender that he donated 1.00 to the "mishonary fund"
Matthew--I am getting too old, because I do not even remember the name of my biology teacher's name......oh wait....it's coming....W......Wh....whitaker?????? maybe. and since when did you have an ipod touch?
josh--thanks for donating, that's so nice!!! Can’t wait to hear about your birthday!
halle--of course you're still my favorite little 7-yr-old diva princess!!
How are you?! K but first off, I have to thank everyone for all the fun goodies you have sent. I feel like I must be the most spoiled missionary in the world, and i think you guys must single-handedly be keeping the US postal service in business. Holy cow!!! I am so excited to start the 12 days of christmas, I absolutely loved the calendar (we all pored over it multiple times), the purse was awesome (the other sisters thought it was pretty chic), so grateful for the cd from the cusicks, the boots are super super cozy, and i loved the necklace!!! And the Paris sisters were so cute and surprised me with an ice cream cake (im sorry mom, i used the cake mix you sent me for elder jaquier's birthday!)!! It was definitely a memorable 22nd birthday in Paris, even if we were super super sick and even if I’m still in denial about my old age. haha. So thank you. I love you. You are wonderful.
Things here are going well. I guess the biggest update as far as news is concerned is that my days in Paris are numbered. As soon as my companion gets back (supposedly sometime this week), they are shipping us out to Caen (Normandy). I am so excited about that. Neither of us has ever served there so bring on the whole whitewashing and re-opening a ville the week before Christmas adventure!!!! I figure at least with the Book of Mormon christmas contacting challenge we got at mission conference (which was AWESOME!!!), at least we'll know where to start--ie giving out 22 book of mormons before christmas with follow up. haha, it'll be one heck of an adventure that is for sure. I think the luggage plus christmas packages plus christmas tree moving on a train will, alone, be quite the memorable experience. Mom, don't worry, I will for sure picturize it! I am super sad that I will miss Suzie and Valerie's baptisms next Sunday, but we'll make sure and get everything good and ready this week, so it can go down flawlessly. And on the memory card I sent there is video of the musical number me and Elder Holcombe did for the mission Christmas conference.
Speaking of Suzie and Valerie, can i just say how much I love them?????!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously they are amazing. It is such a pleasure teaching them. They really want to understand and make sure they are doing everything right. K small example, but normally when you teach the 10 commandments, people are like "well yeah, duh," but they are like, "so what does that mean exactly?" And they have really been supported well by the Paris Young Adults. They went to a party a few weeks ago at the young adult center and met a ton of members, and more than once now we have showed up to teach them and they are hanging out with other member young adults and are so well integrated already! Anyway, I love them and I am so excited for them to be baptized, whether or not I am here. And did I ever mention that we set a baptismal date with Marguerite too? I don't know if i did.....oops, sorry about that. hehe. But she was supposed to be baptised the 19th as well, but her mom is still really not happy about her meeting with us, so even though she is 18, we are going to wait a few more weeks. But she is awesome. So, basically I am sad to leave our investigators, but I feel good about what we've seen happen in Paris Lilas and I am excited for a new adventure!
K, you know how i normally get sick like once a year around finals time? Well, it seems that whether or not I am actually taking finals, i am still cursed. Except that I have never been sick like this before. But, we learned very quickly that France doesn't mess around with their OTC meds. When you can buy lidocaine cough drops, you know you don't need to worry!!! (I have pretty much lost everything i once learned in pharmacology, but if i do recall correctly, lidocaine is like a sodium channel blocker used for local anesthesia. like when the dentist is going to drill into your mouth. haha.) Needless to say, it had a nice numbing effect for sore throats and coughing!! And the pharmacists here are hilarious. They like have such pride in fulfilling their pharmaceutical duties well and obviously enjoy doctoring people up. So, you walk in and tell them what's wrong and they are like, "ooohhh.....yeah, you need THIS. this will make it all better." So we get a good kick out of the pharmacists.
We also got a good kick out of the doctors as well, though for a different reason. Our first experience with French healthcare this morning was certainly one i won't forget for a while! First of all, the waiting room, i don't have time to detail, so let's just leave it at--SKETCHY. Then the doctor comes out and has us come back to her office/exam room. The whole place reeks of cigarette smoke, there are cigarettes on her desk, and like shoe boxes containing patient records. More sketchy. So, we chit chat for a bit and she asks us what is wrong with some details for a bit. She looks in our ears. And then asks us for our first and last names and our birthdays, gives us each a prescription for amoxicillin, and says that it will be 22 euros. Seriously, that was it. No questions about allergies (and HULLO!!! that's a penicillin antibiotic), no medical history, no documents, no insurance, no legality (certainly not complainign about that considering my current status (ya, I am still illegal) hehe), not even a single signature. It was like the most hilarious thing. I walked out of there like, "well huh.....that's how healthcare works in France, whaddayaknow." But hey--quick, cheap and got the job done, so we'll go with it!!! And honestly, as long as it helps me not feel this horrible than i am totally down with it!
So other updates--Faman (whose name is really Saman; a fact you will learn in the letter i am sending home today) has started praying out loud. and the right way!!!!! yay!!! seriously, you don't know what a feat that is!
And we also have a new contacting tactic, that seems to be working out pretty well. Basically the plan goes like this--talk to every Indian person you pass. I love Indian culture! Like when they say they will do something, they will do it. When they say they will be somewhere, they are there. Sometimes it's a bit surprising actually!!! Anyway, tactical plan is goin great!!!
okay, well ill get that other letter finsihed up and sent out today, but we gotta run. We did go to the Eiffel Tower today earlier and hiked up all the stairs!!!
Love you guys! Miss you. Hope you know how grateful i am for you!!!!!
love,
jordo
did I mention we played our turkey bowl on the fields in front of hotel des invalides? (ie napoleon's tomb place and also the place where we (dad, mom, me & tara) took a nap that one time) I didn't contribute a whole lot, except that I stuck my man well and freaked elder helvey out a little, and stayed out of elder holcombe's way enough that he basically single handedly won the game for us. hehe. but, we were all covered in mud from head to toe afterwards and the next day we were so sore!!
so, side note I have loved the Christmas cds and every time I get weird looks about the bugs bunny ones or whatev, I just say "artistic license!!!!" Thanks Tara!
tell the congers their Christmas card and school pictures were awesome!!!! of course ali has her Christmas cards sent out (even to the people in france) by like december 4th. oh and OMG those letters from grandpa were hilarious!!!!! and he made every single one like tie in somehow to that specific person----so funny! the sisters were impressed with how clever and quick he was, I laughed SO HARD.
did I mention enough times that I absolutely loved loved loved josh's primary talk?????!!! I cried, of course. and made all the sisters listen to it!! (bahaha--it took my dad a lot of courage to go and tell my mom what happened.....hahahaha) also, josh and Halle’s letters this week were even more hilarious than normal. so tender that he donated 1.00 to the "mishonary fund"
Matthew--I am getting too old, because I do not even remember the name of my biology teacher's name......oh wait....it's coming....W......Wh....whitaker?????? maybe. and since when did you have an ipod touch?
josh--thanks for donating, that's so nice!!! Can’t wait to hear about your birthday!
halle--of course you're still my favorite little 7-yr-old diva princess!!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Learnings, Laughings, Lovings
Hey gang!!!
How are you doing?! Sounds like things are keepin on at the homefront! I got your package on Saturday and I can't believe how much stuff you sent. That was like the best package ever, but you need to stop! The whole TAco Soup for dummies (aka jordan) was pretty funny. And FYI, even though "Heavenly Father is watching," you are just lucky i am not a mischievous kid, because it was really tempting to peek and "try to figure out" what the gift was I wasn't supposed to open until Christmas Eve.....hmmm...... Speaking of Christmas Eve, whose room is everyone going to sleep in? Oh and FYI, I won't lie I think i much preferred Tara's response to Harry Potter than Dad's. Talk about Bahumbug (hmm never realized that was so hard to spell)!! Speaking of bahumbugs, it sounds like we're gonna have more of an All american thanksgiving in France (go figure) than you guys. So, I guess the bonus to being like the orphan missionary is that I have been kinda temporarily adopted into the paris zone and ward and we are doing a legit Turkey Bowl (an announcement of dividing the teams has already been sent out, but i think elder ellsworth should be fired from the naming of teams job cuz i'm pretty sure we are Tuna Fish and our colors are black and blue) and having dinner all together at an American member's house.
But, before then we have a whole lot to do because there are so many great, great things happening in our areas! And the adventures of these last couple weeks have been great, but I thought I would break up just a few of them into some of our recent learnings, laughings, and lovings. Oh man, I so wish I was better at writing, because bein' on a mission is just so great and I just don't do it justice!!! (Side note: we just had a p-day raclette party for elder jaquier's birthday and it was so fun! Super funny when President and Sister Staheli walked in and it was suddenly absolutely silent! haha. Of course all I can think about is, "ah no, I haven't written my president's letter yet...." President was like "how come I always feel like a wet blanket? Oh, they are just great.)
Learnings:
1. I have a new favorite French idiom--"entre chien et loup." Which directly translated would mean: between dog and wolf. But, idiomatically translated? hehe means: twilight. At first glance, it is totally another one of those really lame french things (like instead of knowing something like "the back of your hand," apparently, here we know things like "your pocket." enough said.), but is actually genius and sheds a whole new light on the term twilight and its use as the title of that book!
2. The typical stranger stopping you to say, "franchement, il faut que je vous dise que vous etes si belle," doesn't always have to end in a horribly awkward way. And this dude actually came to church and gave the elders his number. Definitely a new one for me!
3. So last night, we learned how incredibly awkward it can be to find ourselves in the living room of a Muslim family while you are fasting. To back up a little, I started talking to this man a week or so ago on the metro, turned out he was way nice, had 3 little boys and invited us to come over to his house and meet his wife and stuff. So, we set up to come over Sunday night. We walk in and see the adorable little kids running around and are like "suweet!!!!!", gonna baptize this whole family!!!......and then we see that he is wearing a booboo.
Suspicions begin. Wife is also wearing a booboo. Oh man, definitely from Senegal. THEN, we walk into the living room and there are like pictures of mosques and they tell us the oldest boy's name is mohammed. Well, certainly cleared up any clarification we may have needed. Needless to say, the father wasn't very keen on the idea of starting "the lesson" with a hymn about Jesus Christ. But, somehow the shut down to the gospel was much easier to take than the African guilt trip that came our way for not being able to eat their food because we were fasting.... Awkward. Love it!
4. Ok so this one has been haunting me all week. I learned that French people are very particular about very specific manners. Let me explain this by way of example. We are sitting on the metro one night heading home and I am a little slow at covering my mouth when I yawn, so I only got it covered like half way through. And the man sitting across from me like kicks my foot and freaks out about how I should not show my mouth so in public and was super huffy about it. My first reaction is, of course, to respond by sticking my tongue out at him, but i somehow mustered enough self-control to refrain. Not easy!!
So, now I am like freaked out and edgy every time that I yawn for fear that I will show too much mouth. Apparently they don't have a problem with things like public urination, but be on guard because inappropriate display of the mouth is definitely a faux-pas! Good to know.
When i told the paris sisters about it, Sister Thompson told me that she has also gotten in trouble for folding her arms on the metro because it made her look unladylike. hahahah. And then the MAN proceeded to demonstrate for her, placing his hands and feet in what were, evidently, more feminine positions. So basically you must make sure that all appendages and mucosal membranes are placed and covered and maneuvered appropriately and that you don't look unladylike and that you don't look defensive! And while, of course, it would completely not be appropriate missionary behavior to purposely invoke furor in the harmless passers-by, I do have to add the side note that it is pretty amusing to see them go all "French huffy." Just sayin.
5. Also learned that there is actually an elevator that goes up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, and that if you are really really nice to the young security guard and tell him that you just came down and forgot to buy the gifts you needed to, he will use his cool walkie talkie and inform the other super secret guard that you are coming over and move the metal gates for you and give you directions to the elevator entrance, and then you can stand comfortably in the 15 second elevator ride and feel all cool thinking about the other people who were currently hiking up the 284 steps on the other side! (granted, we had been those "other people" like an hour before....hehe.)
6. Also learned that you don't give the kids the armor of God visuals until AFTER the lesson. That is, if you intend to actually teach a lesson. Note to self!
7. Okay and I also had more of an eye-opener to how much missionaries really are blessed to learn the language. I told you I was getting a mini missionary right? And that I was praying she spoke French? Everyone is like "oh no, she'll for sure speak French. "Yeah, well, when we met her it turns out she is a 19 yr old American who has been staying in France for a couple months. And we're talking like Joey in our favorite friends episode, hehe! But it was great to have my own companion for the week!
OKAY Im sorry. My companions are done and we need to go, I will finish next week, Im sorry that I didn’t even have time to get to the laughing and lovings!!!!!!!! Love you guys so much!! have a good week!!!!
Love,
Jordan
How are you doing?! Sounds like things are keepin on at the homefront! I got your package on Saturday and I can't believe how much stuff you sent. That was like the best package ever, but you need to stop! The whole TAco Soup for dummies (aka jordan) was pretty funny. And FYI, even though "Heavenly Father is watching," you are just lucky i am not a mischievous kid, because it was really tempting to peek and "try to figure out" what the gift was I wasn't supposed to open until Christmas Eve.....hmmm...... Speaking of Christmas Eve, whose room is everyone going to sleep in? Oh and FYI, I won't lie I think i much preferred Tara's response to Harry Potter than Dad's. Talk about Bahumbug (hmm never realized that was so hard to spell)!! Speaking of bahumbugs, it sounds like we're gonna have more of an All american thanksgiving in France (go figure) than you guys. So, I guess the bonus to being like the orphan missionary is that I have been kinda temporarily adopted into the paris zone and ward and we are doing a legit Turkey Bowl (an announcement of dividing the teams has already been sent out, but i think elder ellsworth should be fired from the naming of teams job cuz i'm pretty sure we are Tuna Fish and our colors are black and blue) and having dinner all together at an American member's house.
But, before then we have a whole lot to do because there are so many great, great things happening in our areas! And the adventures of these last couple weeks have been great, but I thought I would break up just a few of them into some of our recent learnings, laughings, and lovings. Oh man, I so wish I was better at writing, because bein' on a mission is just so great and I just don't do it justice!!! (Side note: we just had a p-day raclette party for elder jaquier's birthday and it was so fun! Super funny when President and Sister Staheli walked in and it was suddenly absolutely silent! haha. Of course all I can think about is, "ah no, I haven't written my president's letter yet...." President was like "how come I always feel like a wet blanket? Oh, they are just great.)
Learnings:
1. I have a new favorite French idiom--"entre chien et loup." Which directly translated would mean: between dog and wolf. But, idiomatically translated? hehe means: twilight. At first glance, it is totally another one of those really lame french things (like instead of knowing something like "the back of your hand," apparently, here we know things like "your pocket." enough said.), but is actually genius and sheds a whole new light on the term twilight and its use as the title of that book!
2. The typical stranger stopping you to say, "franchement, il faut que je vous dise que vous etes si belle," doesn't always have to end in a horribly awkward way. And this dude actually came to church and gave the elders his number. Definitely a new one for me!
3. So last night, we learned how incredibly awkward it can be to find ourselves in the living room of a Muslim family while you are fasting. To back up a little, I started talking to this man a week or so ago on the metro, turned out he was way nice, had 3 little boys and invited us to come over to his house and meet his wife and stuff. So, we set up to come over Sunday night. We walk in and see the adorable little kids running around and are like "suweet!!!!!", gonna baptize this whole family!!!......and then we see that he is wearing a booboo.
Suspicions begin. Wife is also wearing a booboo. Oh man, definitely from Senegal. THEN, we walk into the living room and there are like pictures of mosques and they tell us the oldest boy's name is mohammed. Well, certainly cleared up any clarification we may have needed. Needless to say, the father wasn't very keen on the idea of starting "the lesson" with a hymn about Jesus Christ. But, somehow the shut down to the gospel was much easier to take than the African guilt trip that came our way for not being able to eat their food because we were fasting.... Awkward. Love it!
4. Ok so this one has been haunting me all week. I learned that French people are very particular about very specific manners. Let me explain this by way of example. We are sitting on the metro one night heading home and I am a little slow at covering my mouth when I yawn, so I only got it covered like half way through. And the man sitting across from me like kicks my foot and freaks out about how I should not show my mouth so in public and was super huffy about it. My first reaction is, of course, to respond by sticking my tongue out at him, but i somehow mustered enough self-control to refrain. Not easy!!
So, now I am like freaked out and edgy every time that I yawn for fear that I will show too much mouth. Apparently they don't have a problem with things like public urination, but be on guard because inappropriate display of the mouth is definitely a faux-pas! Good to know.
When i told the paris sisters about it, Sister Thompson told me that she has also gotten in trouble for folding her arms on the metro because it made her look unladylike. hahahah. And then the MAN proceeded to demonstrate for her, placing his hands and feet in what were, evidently, more feminine positions. So basically you must make sure that all appendages and mucosal membranes are placed and covered and maneuvered appropriately and that you don't look unladylike and that you don't look defensive! And while, of course, it would completely not be appropriate missionary behavior to purposely invoke furor in the harmless passers-by, I do have to add the side note that it is pretty amusing to see them go all "French huffy." Just sayin.
5. Also learned that there is actually an elevator that goes up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, and that if you are really really nice to the young security guard and tell him that you just came down and forgot to buy the gifts you needed to, he will use his cool walkie talkie and inform the other super secret guard that you are coming over and move the metal gates for you and give you directions to the elevator entrance, and then you can stand comfortably in the 15 second elevator ride and feel all cool thinking about the other people who were currently hiking up the 284 steps on the other side! (granted, we had been those "other people" like an hour before....hehe.)
6. Also learned that you don't give the kids the armor of God visuals until AFTER the lesson. That is, if you intend to actually teach a lesson. Note to self!
7. Okay and I also had more of an eye-opener to how much missionaries really are blessed to learn the language. I told you I was getting a mini missionary right? And that I was praying she spoke French? Everyone is like "oh no, she'll for sure speak French. "Yeah, well, when we met her it turns out she is a 19 yr old American who has been staying in France for a couple months. And we're talking like Joey in our favorite friends episode, hehe! But it was great to have my own companion for the week!
OKAY Im sorry. My companions are done and we need to go, I will finish next week, Im sorry that I didn’t even have time to get to the laughing and lovings!!!!!!!! Love you guys so much!! have a good week!!!!
Love,
Jordan
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Empty & Full
Hey family!!!!!
Can I just say i love you?! Cuz I do. So much. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm definitely not complaining about having such great family and friends!
So, the Paris Lilas side of the apartment is totally empty, cuz it's just me. The other desk is bare, the closet looks so sad, and it's just weird crawling into bed and not having someone to say goodnight to on the bottom bunk. I mean sure, you'd think the whole 24/7 together thing would get a little old, but really it is surprisingly lonely without my companion here by my side at all times! So, since I am alone, I have been working with Sister Gifford and Sister Thompson and I love working with them, but our schedule is absolutely crazy full since we're working both areas. And Paris isn't exactly what you would call a small city! It has been one adventure after another this week. But President called last night and asked if I could take a mini missionary from Tuesday to Sunday, so I'll have somewhat of a companion until Sunday. Cross your fingers she speaks French! hehe.
Somehow we have been like surrounded by men lately. Good thing is that since we're in a threesome it's easy to teach them, but also leads to some interesting experiences. Like on sunday, this muslim guy, named Mody, (contacted him on the metro a few weeks ago and has come to church the last couple weeks)(and to clarify, he has muslim origins, but doesn't "participate" with them) came to church again. And afterwards i was talking with the other sisters and was like, "yeah, im pretty sure he winked at me; we are definitely passing him to the elders AGAIN." And they both said that he winked at them too, so voilà, easy decision. But then, later on, i realized he has an eye twitch. maybe the fact that he is coming to a christian, mormon on top of that, church on sundays and he might be found out and burned at the stake or whatever by his "people" is a little stressful, hence the eye twitch. Just throwin that out there!! (fyi i wouldn't actually joke about that if i thought it was an actual concern. we are very cautious about muslims.)
The chinese elders had a baptism yesterday and it was great and we had lots of investigators there!! kind of felt like we were herding cattle for most of it trying to run around making sure everyone is being taken care of, but it is such a blessing to have people see a baptism! the spirit is always strong, and then they can see that you know as much as we talk about baptism being like this big important thing, it really is very simple and very NOT scary. And can i just say how grateful i am for members who like "get it." k we'll ask people if they can help with some of our specific investigators or something and they'll be like, "yeah, of course, i'll come say hi at the end of church!" I mean that's nice, and it does help. It'll make them feel welcome. But at the same time it's like, no i meant like can you come take care of this person? like have them come sit with you and allow us to worry about the other thousand things that have to be done. For example, Fabienne (a young adult who got back from her mission like a year ago) came up after church yesterday and just took suzie and valerie into this meeting for the young adults (i think they were planning a party or something), which was so nice! We were then able to take care of the other investigators and didn't have to worry about keeping them entertained until the baptism started, and they felt like they were actually part of the ward, instead of just the tag-alongs of the missionaries.
So we taught the law of chastity to suzie and valerie this week, and the member who came with us, may or may not have kinda given the impression that we think you can never, ever, be alone with a boy. So, we might have to do some clarifying. haha. And after church on sunday, they came up to sister thompson and said, "so, wait, there is a living prophet today?" See!!! poignant example of why church is so important! Makes up for our mistakes and when we forget to mention like only one of the more important and unique aspects of our doctrine--like that we have a prophet! Big time stone. There is this story that sister staheli sometimes shares about a recent convert (like had been baptized for a few months or even more) who went to watch general conference and came out and the missionaries asked what she learned and she said, "well, i learned that God has a body and that we have a prophet today." hahaha. Oops. Slight oversight. There are interesting statistics that talk about how the average missionary, who was born and raised in the church, has accumulated over 6000 hours of gospel learning and instruction (or some very big number, but im pretty sure i just pulled that one out) by the time they are 19, but so many converts are baptized after like 12 hours! Kinda interesting perspective.
Seriously love you guys. I miss you lots (i actually got a little teary the other night lying in bed thinking of the next time i will get to hug my parents and how great that will be. probably like the best day of my life!), but I'm so very grateful to be here!
love, jordan xoxo
tell josh and halle good job on the primary program!!! and even though i wasn't there to cry during it, you can rest assured that ill probably get all teary reading his talk when i get it in the mail!!! so all is well!
and holy cow.....exploding fingers? What? i had no idea that could happen either! that's pretty gnarly. i hope you got good pics to log that away!!!
oh and guess what we heard? Elder collins was the new group of missionaries' teacher in the MTC. they said he was hilarious!
oh and tell tara i met elder hales! actually, we're becoming buds because im kinda like a guest member of their district these days.....and i am pretty impressed with his musical talent and french. and it's so funny because the first thing that all of her friends say is, "you are just like tara."
and yes, tell susan thank you for the letter and the handkerchief…… I was very grateful!!
did i also mention that we now have an exercise bike in our apartment? Elder Ellsworth bought like this 200 euro stationary bike a while ago, but it won't fit in his new apartment and he knows it'll get thrashed if it is in an elder apartment, so he had elder jensen and elder volpe deliver it to ours. and yes, they did come by way of metro, so the videos of elder jensen riding the bike while waiting on the metro quai or riding it while in the metro are seriously hilarious!! (they said this one lady was super annoyed with them, but it was funny to see how many people just didn't even bother paying attention. so french.
Can I just say i love you?! Cuz I do. So much. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm definitely not complaining about having such great family and friends!
So, the Paris Lilas side of the apartment is totally empty, cuz it's just me. The other desk is bare, the closet looks so sad, and it's just weird crawling into bed and not having someone to say goodnight to on the bottom bunk. I mean sure, you'd think the whole 24/7 together thing would get a little old, but really it is surprisingly lonely without my companion here by my side at all times! So, since I am alone, I have been working with Sister Gifford and Sister Thompson and I love working with them, but our schedule is absolutely crazy full since we're working both areas. And Paris isn't exactly what you would call a small city! It has been one adventure after another this week. But President called last night and asked if I could take a mini missionary from Tuesday to Sunday, so I'll have somewhat of a companion until Sunday. Cross your fingers she speaks French! hehe.
Somehow we have been like surrounded by men lately. Good thing is that since we're in a threesome it's easy to teach them, but also leads to some interesting experiences. Like on sunday, this muslim guy, named Mody, (contacted him on the metro a few weeks ago and has come to church the last couple weeks)(and to clarify, he has muslim origins, but doesn't "participate" with them) came to church again. And afterwards i was talking with the other sisters and was like, "yeah, im pretty sure he winked at me; we are definitely passing him to the elders AGAIN." And they both said that he winked at them too, so voilà, easy decision. But then, later on, i realized he has an eye twitch. maybe the fact that he is coming to a christian, mormon on top of that, church on sundays and he might be found out and burned at the stake or whatever by his "people" is a little stressful, hence the eye twitch. Just throwin that out there!! (fyi i wouldn't actually joke about that if i thought it was an actual concern. we are very cautious about muslims.)
The chinese elders had a baptism yesterday and it was great and we had lots of investigators there!! kind of felt like we were herding cattle for most of it trying to run around making sure everyone is being taken care of, but it is such a blessing to have people see a baptism! the spirit is always strong, and then they can see that you know as much as we talk about baptism being like this big important thing, it really is very simple and very NOT scary. And can i just say how grateful i am for members who like "get it." k we'll ask people if they can help with some of our specific investigators or something and they'll be like, "yeah, of course, i'll come say hi at the end of church!" I mean that's nice, and it does help. It'll make them feel welcome. But at the same time it's like, no i meant like can you come take care of this person? like have them come sit with you and allow us to worry about the other thousand things that have to be done. For example, Fabienne (a young adult who got back from her mission like a year ago) came up after church yesterday and just took suzie and valerie into this meeting for the young adults (i think they were planning a party or something), which was so nice! We were then able to take care of the other investigators and didn't have to worry about keeping them entertained until the baptism started, and they felt like they were actually part of the ward, instead of just the tag-alongs of the missionaries.
So we taught the law of chastity to suzie and valerie this week, and the member who came with us, may or may not have kinda given the impression that we think you can never, ever, be alone with a boy. So, we might have to do some clarifying. haha. And after church on sunday, they came up to sister thompson and said, "so, wait, there is a living prophet today?" See!!! poignant example of why church is so important! Makes up for our mistakes and when we forget to mention like only one of the more important and unique aspects of our doctrine--like that we have a prophet! Big time stone. There is this story that sister staheli sometimes shares about a recent convert (like had been baptized for a few months or even more) who went to watch general conference and came out and the missionaries asked what she learned and she said, "well, i learned that God has a body and that we have a prophet today." hahaha. Oops. Slight oversight. There are interesting statistics that talk about how the average missionary, who was born and raised in the church, has accumulated over 6000 hours of gospel learning and instruction (or some very big number, but im pretty sure i just pulled that one out) by the time they are 19, but so many converts are baptized after like 12 hours! Kinda interesting perspective.
Seriously love you guys. I miss you lots (i actually got a little teary the other night lying in bed thinking of the next time i will get to hug my parents and how great that will be. probably like the best day of my life!), but I'm so very grateful to be here!
love, jordan xoxo
tell josh and halle good job on the primary program!!! and even though i wasn't there to cry during it, you can rest assured that ill probably get all teary reading his talk when i get it in the mail!!! so all is well!
and holy cow.....exploding fingers? What? i had no idea that could happen either! that's pretty gnarly. i hope you got good pics to log that away!!!
oh and guess what we heard? Elder collins was the new group of missionaries' teacher in the MTC. they said he was hilarious!
oh and tell tara i met elder hales! actually, we're becoming buds because im kinda like a guest member of their district these days.....and i am pretty impressed with his musical talent and french. and it's so funny because the first thing that all of her friends say is, "you are just like tara."
and yes, tell susan thank you for the letter and the handkerchief…… I was very grateful!!
did i also mention that we now have an exercise bike in our apartment? Elder Ellsworth bought like this 200 euro stationary bike a while ago, but it won't fit in his new apartment and he knows it'll get thrashed if it is in an elder apartment, so he had elder jensen and elder volpe deliver it to ours. and yes, they did come by way of metro, so the videos of elder jensen riding the bike while waiting on the metro quai or riding it while in the metro are seriously hilarious!! (they said this one lady was super annoyed with them, but it was funny to see how many people just didn't even bother paying attention. so french.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Baptismal dates & Toothbrushes!
Hey gang,
How ya doin'?! Reading your emails today was so great. thank you so much!! I'm glad that Matthew Cunger's baptism was so good! Tell grandpa he should send me his talk! I'll admit that being out here gives me a little different perspective on baptisms of the kids in our family. It just seems so "easy!!" I mean sure it's like a lifetime of teaching and instructing, but just in comparison it's a whole different ballpark! So I have decided that the whole multiply and replenish the earth deal is really the best missionary tactic we could employ; we don't need more effective missionaries, we just need to be more effective reproducers!! Just sayin.
I don't really know where to start today, because so many things have happened. But I will start with transfer news (transfer is this Wednesday). Sister England is moving to Anderres, but we will still have 4 of us in the Paris Apartment. Sister Thompson & Sister Gifford will be companions and me & Sister Smart will be companions. But, just because I'm too excited about this, i am going to blurt out that our district now has 6 baptismal dates! Fasting and praying and working works I tell ya! haha. We have four and each set of elders has one (ok, so i guess not 6 in our district, but 6 in our area). So yeah, surprise!!! We set two more baptismal dates this week. December 11th was what we had planned, but we found out that that is stake conference weekend, so it looks like we'll have to do some juggling. Their names are Suzie and Valerie Roberts. They are 18 and 20 year old sisters from Madagascar. We were finally able to see them again this week and they are totally awesome! Their cousin is a member in the nogent ward, so that's how they were introduced to the church. And it's seriously interesting how the people who are elect and ready are so easy to teach and really we do nothing! I am way excited to keep working with them.
This experience, on the other hand, was rather less than amusing. I learned quickly that I don't really like talking to behavioral scientist/psychologist dudes. Long story short, this Algerian man and I are talking at a bus stop and he's telling me what he does and we are just casually conversing when all of a sudden, he interrupts me and says, "you see, by the way you are sitting, i can tell that you are open and willing to talk." and then he turns to my companion and goes, "and you aren't. You are very closed off." And then he sees a book in my bag and asks if i like to read. I say yes and pull out the book of mormon, and he asks if he can see it. I was more than happy to hand over a book of mormon to this muslim man! hehe. And then he asks me why i like the book, so i basically start bearing my testimony about it and answering, what i thought, was his question. But then he stops me abruptly again and says like, "no, no. That's the problem! In the world these days, people try to put themselves into it, and don't talk about what the book, itselt, actually talks about, etc, etc" and just goes on and on.
So, now I'm thinking, "wow i didn't realize my opinion could be wrong, combined with a wow, this dude is annoying." So I start trying to appease him by starting to relay the history of the book, and then he interrupts again and is like, "Now that's interesting. Look at your hands and how you are sitting now. Now you are getting defensive, where before you were very open." And that's about when i just wanted to yank that book back and give him a good thump with it. Defensive my butt!!! ha. I may have made some strides in the whole patience-is-a-virtue thing, but i was so done with the behavior dude!
Hiccups while making phone calls is not the best combination. Faman got a good kick out of this huge hiccup that came out of nowhere when i was talking to him this week. Initially I am like horrified, but then he's laughing, and Sister Gifford and Sister England won't stop laughing, so then I can't stop laughing, and it was a little hard to regain composure and the whole "dignity of my calling" deal during that call. But, we did manage to fix a rendezvous for the next day after english class. And that rendezvous was hilarious as well. He starts out by saying "k we're only going to talk a little, because I don't want a headache." okay, faman. And then we finish talking about God and prayer and he just blurts out, "okay. That's enough for tonight." Okay, faman! And really, it's refreshing to know exactly where he's at! No unnecessary guessing games with him, that is for sure.
So, sunday afternoon, Becky taught us how to make Thai food, and it was definitely an adventure. I am now practically a professional shrimp de-pooper. yup, that's right. I was definitely glad i didn't bother to ask what i was actually doing until i was almost done removing all the "poopings" (as she called them)! We also learned how to make and roll spring rolls and coconut rice. And we didn't burn anything down, so i figure it was a success! (just cuz it was too funny--when we told the paris soeurs about it, sister gifford was like, "man i bet that was a crappy job" and then just cuz she can't help herself, added a "I bet that stunk!" Felt slightly like kib had come for a visit! just saying.)
Ok, and yeah......this wednesday is November 10th. Do you realize what that means? That means that I get to open up my fourth missionary toothbrush!! (side note, i sure hope i am still up to date that the guideline is that you should change your toothbrush every 3 months.) Back when i was on my first toothbrush, I just never thought this day would come. I was talking to this neuroradiologist the other day and he explained what the term "telescoping" means. Basically the idea is that when you get into a new situation, your neurons start firing and creating new neuronal pathways with the new memories. But, then as things start getting more familiar, time starts appearing to speed up (or to seem less like molasses, whichever is more applicable), because you have already created those pathways. So that is why the longer you have been out on a mission, the quicker time seems to go. I thanked him for giving us a better term and sparing us from forever having to use the toilet paper analogy! After all, telescoping does much more sophisticated than toilet paper! But yeah, I am excited for my new pink toothbrush. (In case you didnt catch on, that was, in fact, my round about way of trying to acknowledge that yes, we have made it half way!)
Anyway, I love you guys lots and lots!!!! I'm glad things are going well and hope you know how wonderful I think you are.
Love,
Jordan
pS did i mention the blind couple brought us back rosaries from italy, so "that the virgin mary will protect us and guide our paths?" I think that nice little flare plays in well to your theory dad!
pSS I also did exchanges up in Valenciennes with Sister Pobst and it went really well (until our companions missed their train coming back up, of course, haha). That city is so charming (like mom you would be in heaven) and we talked to a lot of really cool people!
oh and BOYS!!! great job on your grades this semester!!! Im impressed! (and john--you must be completely devoid of any kind of human feeling or emotion if you didnt think the haunted forest was at least a little creepy! i mean really!)
How ya doin'?! Reading your emails today was so great. thank you so much!! I'm glad that Matthew Cunger's baptism was so good! Tell grandpa he should send me his talk! I'll admit that being out here gives me a little different perspective on baptisms of the kids in our family. It just seems so "easy!!" I mean sure it's like a lifetime of teaching and instructing, but just in comparison it's a whole different ballpark! So I have decided that the whole multiply and replenish the earth deal is really the best missionary tactic we could employ; we don't need more effective missionaries, we just need to be more effective reproducers!! Just sayin.
I don't really know where to start today, because so many things have happened. But I will start with transfer news (transfer is this Wednesday). Sister England is moving to Anderres, but we will still have 4 of us in the Paris Apartment. Sister Thompson & Sister Gifford will be companions and me & Sister Smart will be companions. But, just because I'm too excited about this, i am going to blurt out that our district now has 6 baptismal dates! Fasting and praying and working works I tell ya! haha. We have four and each set of elders has one (ok, so i guess not 6 in our district, but 6 in our area). So yeah, surprise!!! We set two more baptismal dates this week. December 11th was what we had planned, but we found out that that is stake conference weekend, so it looks like we'll have to do some juggling. Their names are Suzie and Valerie Roberts. They are 18 and 20 year old sisters from Madagascar. We were finally able to see them again this week and they are totally awesome! Their cousin is a member in the nogent ward, so that's how they were introduced to the church. And it's seriously interesting how the people who are elect and ready are so easy to teach and really we do nothing! I am way excited to keep working with them.
This experience, on the other hand, was rather less than amusing. I learned quickly that I don't really like talking to behavioral scientist/psychologist dudes. Long story short, this Algerian man and I are talking at a bus stop and he's telling me what he does and we are just casually conversing when all of a sudden, he interrupts me and says, "you see, by the way you are sitting, i can tell that you are open and willing to talk." and then he turns to my companion and goes, "and you aren't. You are very closed off." And then he sees a book in my bag and asks if i like to read. I say yes and pull out the book of mormon, and he asks if he can see it. I was more than happy to hand over a book of mormon to this muslim man! hehe. And then he asks me why i like the book, so i basically start bearing my testimony about it and answering, what i thought, was his question. But then he stops me abruptly again and says like, "no, no. That's the problem! In the world these days, people try to put themselves into it, and don't talk about what the book, itselt, actually talks about, etc, etc" and just goes on and on.
So, now I'm thinking, "wow i didn't realize my opinion could be wrong, combined with a wow, this dude is annoying." So I start trying to appease him by starting to relay the history of the book, and then he interrupts again and is like, "Now that's interesting. Look at your hands and how you are sitting now. Now you are getting defensive, where before you were very open." And that's about when i just wanted to yank that book back and give him a good thump with it. Defensive my butt!!! ha. I may have made some strides in the whole patience-is-a-virtue thing, but i was so done with the behavior dude!
Hiccups while making phone calls is not the best combination. Faman got a good kick out of this huge hiccup that came out of nowhere when i was talking to him this week. Initially I am like horrified, but then he's laughing, and Sister Gifford and Sister England won't stop laughing, so then I can't stop laughing, and it was a little hard to regain composure and the whole "dignity of my calling" deal during that call. But, we did manage to fix a rendezvous for the next day after english class. And that rendezvous was hilarious as well. He starts out by saying "k we're only going to talk a little, because I don't want a headache." okay, faman. And then we finish talking about God and prayer and he just blurts out, "okay. That's enough for tonight." Okay, faman! And really, it's refreshing to know exactly where he's at! No unnecessary guessing games with him, that is for sure.
So, sunday afternoon, Becky taught us how to make Thai food, and it was definitely an adventure. I am now practically a professional shrimp de-pooper. yup, that's right. I was definitely glad i didn't bother to ask what i was actually doing until i was almost done removing all the "poopings" (as she called them)! We also learned how to make and roll spring rolls and coconut rice. And we didn't burn anything down, so i figure it was a success! (just cuz it was too funny--when we told the paris soeurs about it, sister gifford was like, "man i bet that was a crappy job" and then just cuz she can't help herself, added a "I bet that stunk!" Felt slightly like kib had come for a visit! just saying.)
Ok, and yeah......this wednesday is November 10th. Do you realize what that means? That means that I get to open up my fourth missionary toothbrush!! (side note, i sure hope i am still up to date that the guideline is that you should change your toothbrush every 3 months.) Back when i was on my first toothbrush, I just never thought this day would come. I was talking to this neuroradiologist the other day and he explained what the term "telescoping" means. Basically the idea is that when you get into a new situation, your neurons start firing and creating new neuronal pathways with the new memories. But, then as things start getting more familiar, time starts appearing to speed up (or to seem less like molasses, whichever is more applicable), because you have already created those pathways. So that is why the longer you have been out on a mission, the quicker time seems to go. I thanked him for giving us a better term and sparing us from forever having to use the toilet paper analogy! After all, telescoping does much more sophisticated than toilet paper! But yeah, I am excited for my new pink toothbrush. (In case you didnt catch on, that was, in fact, my round about way of trying to acknowledge that yes, we have made it half way!)
Anyway, I love you guys lots and lots!!!! I'm glad things are going well and hope you know how wonderful I think you are.
Love,
Jordan
pS did i mention the blind couple brought us back rosaries from italy, so "that the virgin mary will protect us and guide our paths?" I think that nice little flare plays in well to your theory dad!
pSS I also did exchanges up in Valenciennes with Sister Pobst and it went really well (until our companions missed their train coming back up, of course, haha). That city is so charming (like mom you would be in heaven) and we talked to a lot of really cool people!
oh and BOYS!!! great job on your grades this semester!!! Im impressed! (and john--you must be completely devoid of any kind of human feeling or emotion if you didnt think the haunted forest was at least a little creepy! i mean really!)
Monday, November 1, 2010
Highlights, Happenings, and & Halloween
Hey gang!!!!
How you doin?! (May or may not have just thought that with a joey tribbiani eyebrow raise.) I can't wait to get those cow pictures!!!! oh man, i think i would pay big money to see Dad, Kirk, John, Matthew and Keaton in cow costumes, and now I get to see it for free!! the simple pleasures. K, but you were a little remiss in that you didn't tell me what costumes Halle and Josh chose. Hullo!! important details here. I absolutely loved seeing some cute little kids out trick or treating last night, even though in general I think France hasn't quite caught on to the awesomeness of Halloween and commercial holidays. Granted, the Irish Pub across the street must have taken their Halloween Party pretty seriously, because they kept that thing going loud and strong the entire night! Somehow, though, adults dressed up as soddom and gomorrah invitees aren't quite as adorable as little neige blanches (snow whites). How did the Great Pumpkin go? And Dad did you survive last week? You sounded pretty spent. Ok this is totally a side note, but mom, please tell me you are planning on going to the Motab christmas concert with David Archuleta????!!!!!! I know, I know, one holiday at a time, but seriously, some things are just THAT important.
Ok, as far as happenings and highlights go, I'm gonna have to back up a little and tell you that Aurelie and Claude Marc set baptismal dates! We had an awesome rendezvous with her and claude marc (he is her 8 yr old son) two weeks ago and just asked her if she had a desire to be baptized. She said yes, set the date for Nov 28th, and when she prayed about it at the end of the rendezvous the spirit was wonderful! Well, actually at first Claude marc was like, "I think I'll wait a little while longer........I can't swim!" Oops that's an oversight--definitely remiss in our teaching if we had this poor kid thinking we were gonna drown him! But, we reassurred him that the water is only "this" high and you only go under for one second. He had us get up and show him exactly how high the water was, but then he was cool with it. So, it's a good thing we successfully fought against Satan right before. And when I say Satan, I am referring to the crabby babysitter who was watching Claude Marc before Aurelia got home. Man talk about enduring to the end!! She chewed us out for probably a good 10 or 15 minutes standing at the doorstep, and let me just say that one would have to applaud her knowledge and proficient use of a very vibrant vocabulary. But, we were victorious and later found out that she had a brain tumor, so I probably should get around to repenting for having called the poor little old lady satan in my mind! Live and learn right.
Ok, so another blind couple story. Helped her through the market last week and when we got back to unload everything, I asked what she was cooking on the stove (she loves giving us cooking tips), and she said something about 'langue.' Oh ok......then about two seconds later was like, "wwwhat? did she seriously just say what i think she said?" And then, of course, curious george got the best of me and I made the mistake of looking into the pot. Oh yup, there it is. She is definitely cooking an entire cow tongue. (Some nice large taste buds on those things i might add.) And so then, ever so generously, she invites us to come over and eat dinner with them later that night. I think that may have been a new record for speed in declining a dinner invitation with as many excuses as I could possibly muster. Oh how i love our blind couple.
So, we had a couple firsts. First time I was ever tempted to tell someone we were actually nunns and that's why we would not EVER be going to get coffee with them, "and that is also why my companion will NO, not marry you." Also experienced a first rendezvous where tax deductibles became part of the conversation and apparently a selling point for the restored gospel. (bless their hearts, can't do missionary work without members, they add everything, but sometimes it is kinda like an "okay, how do we bring this back" struggle! Especially when they start going off on comparisons between us and Islam.....give that one a go just for fun.....)
Also, had a first Brazilian model contacting experience. Didn't know that when we stopped him, but it also didn't take us very long AT ALL to figure out why that was his chosen profession.....enough said. But, the best part was the next day, these new H&M posters were put up and guess who the model is? That's right, our Brazilian friend. Also, did I mention my first haircut experience? The coiffeuse was just full of sage comments, my favorite being that the key to staying young is to "be zen." Well, I must have come a long ways, considering I didn't shed a single tear after I got one of the worst haircuts of my life (nothing quite compares to the Harlem Globetrotters incident 1999), but I'd venture to say that was pretty "zen" of me. So hey, at least me and my horrible hair will look young!
Ok, also was the first time I have ever actually seen an investigator run away from missionaries! Oh so funny. We were waiting at the church for elders Volpe and Jensen, because they had set up a rendezvous to teach this lady and pass her to us. So, she shows up, but won't come in because, long story short, the elders aren't there yet and she needs to go cook for her husband, etc..... I tell you, I used every bit of persuasion I possibly could, but that lady was not stepping inside the church, and then is like, "ok next week," and turns and like literally starts running down the street. K just so we all have the right image--this is a 60 year old lady running down the sidewalk in little heels with her dress billowing around her. So then I am standing there, looking after her and then back at sister england and then back at the runaway investigator, like well, I'm just not exactly sure what the precedent is in this situation!! So then we look up the street and see the elders mosying their way down, so I yell at them and point after her and then back at them, like "what the heck do we do?"
And then Elder Jensen just takes off running down the street after her. Well, of course, a little old-fashioned chase action would be the way to go. And I tell you what, that kid has got some wheels! So, he is like sprinting down the street, bag under arm, elder Volpe is trailing after him looking a little confused, and sister england and I are just laughing like "this is really happening." Luckily, the lady started laughing when they finally caught up, and apparently she's got somewhat of a running habit and it wasn't the first time she had turned and run away from them! (Don't worry, I already asked the "so how many times are you going to make this poor little old lady run away from you before you get the hint that she might not be interested?" question, hehe, but they assured me she was interested and just has this slight running tendency! haha) Also the first time the Bishop tried to fake me out by going into bisoux me. My thoughts: "aaahh, what do i do? what do i do? this is the Bishop!!!" He got a good chuckle out of the panic that was, apparently, evident on my face!
Ok, so I mentioned we had a mini missionary for a few days. Well, Sunday night, all the companionships who were taking a mini were gathered at St. Merri waiting for the meeting to start (where the mini missionaries would get their "calls" and a blessing, instead of a setting apart). We were waiting outside and probably made it incredibly awkward for these young men and young women to have to wind their way through us to come in with their parents. But, I guess embracing awkwardness is a great first missionary lesson! Anyway, so as the youth are coming in, the only thing I said was that I hoped we got the one who chose to wear high heeled boots for her mini mission. And low and behold!!! We got the one with the high heeled boots! She was awesome! 17 yr old from the Cergy ward. She speaks French and English perfectly (mom is swiss, dad is from new zealand; born in utah, moved to france when she was 5), AND she brought another pair of shoes, so we totally got lucky! (I had never heard of mini missions before I got to France, and they can really last any amount of time, but the Paris stake has decided they are going to do this mini mission activity with their youth every year. So basically anyone who wants to can sign up to work with the missionaries for 3 days. They stay with us, study with us, plan with us, and basically are just a third companion for those few days.) She said she had a good experience and bore a beautiful testimony at the "homecoming meeting," but I think she was a little surprised at some things. After the first time we went street contacting, I asked her what she thought and all she said was, "that was hard." haha. But bless her heart she was a trooper.
She was with us on our day to fast (i think i forgot to mention that our zone was doing a 7-day fast, one companionship each day) and we felt like we were starving the poor girl! (side note-we had forgotten how much teenagers can eat......cuz for sticks those two could put it down.) So, she might have gotten a little inside view of the reality of missionary work, but we also saw some awesome miracles! For instance, we had found an old envelope of uncontacted referrals tucked away in our area book and decided to pass by a couple of them one afternoon. Well, after we had successfully snuck into the building of the first one, (we're getting pretty good at the whole creeper business), we knocked on her door, told her we were looking for a Julie Gali. She said she was Julie, and then saw our nametags and goes, "oh! you're the LDS. I have been waiting for you for two years!" She ushered us in right away and I can honestly say I have never seen someone so excited to get a book of mormon! It was so cool and suh-weet rendezvous! After that, Soeur Pettitt (the mini missionary) was like "I don't want to leave! I want to find out what happens with her!" It's true that seeing people excited about learning about the gospel and experiences like that definitely diminish any "hardness" of contacting or other things--the people make it worth it! Julie is a film director and has a big deadline coming up, so unfortunately, she can't see us again until the middle of November, but we figure that will just give her enough time to have read the whole book of mormon! hehe.
You also asked about Sister Davillé. I know you're really not supposed to have favorites, but I'll be honest, I'm not to that level yet, so I'm free to say that I think she is my favorite member in this ward. I will mop her floor with dish soap any time she wants! I absolutely love this woman. You saw the pictures of her, so you can imagine some of the struggles that she has. But, she was baptized last year and has like the most stalwart testimony. Her husband is very against the church (it's sometimes amusing how flamboyant he can be in his distaste for us; especially when he is kicking us out of the house!), but he is nice enough to drive her to church every week. Which is a blessing, because she is so big, she really can't go anywhere unless he will take her. Anyway, so she gets dressed up every sunday and is horribly uncomfortable and has a hard time sitting for that long, but her smile just about lights up the whole chapel because she is so excited to be at church! And if you ever ask her a question about how to do something or whatever, she will answer like, "well, you go to church and pray and read the scriptures." And you can tell she truly believes those things will work! She has this sincerity and earnestness in the power of the "primary answers" that is remarkable. And ya know, I think she's got it right.
If I were pressed, one of the things that would be towards the top of the list of things I've learned on a mission, would probably be the power of the primary answers. I found it interesting how a good portion of the new simplified Preach My Gospel curriculum focuses on how to help people gain a testimony, and whaddayaknow--what are the things on there? Revelation through prayer, the Book of Mormon, and church attendance! et Voilà. I love the primary answers! Plus, let's be real, we all know that primary is much more my kind of level! (Side note--This week I was reading in 1 nephi and started singing the "murmur" song from scripture scouts and the other sisters got a good laugh in. I tried to tell them about the time dad dressed up as King Noah and sang the "i want want want what i want want want" song for one of your overachiever-refrigerator-box-time capsule sharing times, but just don't think i quite did it justice!)
Ok, well I had to type super fast to get this all down, so if any of it actually make sense, then we have all witnessed yet another modern day miracle! Sure love you guys. I miss you lots and pray for you lots. Thanks for being so absolutely wonderful!! Can't wait to hear about next week's adventures and mischief on the home front!
Love, Jordo
ps mom I seriously love, love, loved the family theme. And I had tears streaming down my face when I read the letter from you mommy dearest. All I can say is DITTO! i have no idea about boots still. im sorry! ill look around here a little and then get back to you. Oh and will you tell robbie that i was so grateful for his quick email. seriously meant a lot and i send my love!
Pss tell Allie & Justin CONGRATS for me!!!!! I loved the blog and they are so cute!
Halle—how was the cheer clinic?!! By the way, we loved the Arthur pictures. Me and sister Gifford were talking about how much we loved Arthur when we were your age too! (granted, I think I probably kept watching it after school up until I went to Timpview hehe.)
Johnny – laughed so hard when you were like, “I don’t know I wasn’t really paying attention” so funny!!!!!! Pretty cool about josh warner too, though I have not the faintest idea who z vanny is. OH wait…is that zach vanleeuwen? Man I suddenly feel like I should be carrying a cane cuz I am not keeping up with your slang very well these days, haha. Thanks for the update brother.
Josh –pretty sweet you’re becoming a master origamier. Have you engineered a better way to do the rain gutter curious George boats yet? and how was being water boy? And I miss you too!
Tara – I think dad and I watched that movie together the same weekend we watched big country. Doesn’t get much better!
Matthew – I’ll have to give some thought to your christmas present question, but im kind of thinking you’re gonna have to come up with that one on your own. that's kinda the thing about a 'hearts desire' is that it's gotta be YOURS. sorry!!! dont pick something lame though! and fyi i am going to expect a good harry potter review once you see it. i can't believe how tall you are now!! that is crazy. and holy cow, i just realized i think that means i am in the bottom half of the kids in height now. hey and cool about the messick sibling! i went to school with her brother and i was in the same district as elder messick in versailles!!
pps funniest metro moment this week was with this old man--me:hey so do you think it'll rain today? (yeah super original conversation starter, i know). Old man: Oh no! I brought my umbrella today. It never rains when I actually bring my umbrella. (I just think old men are such a hoot. The world is definitely a better place because of their special little old man flare!)
How you doin?! (May or may not have just thought that with a joey tribbiani eyebrow raise.) I can't wait to get those cow pictures!!!! oh man, i think i would pay big money to see Dad, Kirk, John, Matthew and Keaton in cow costumes, and now I get to see it for free!! the simple pleasures. K, but you were a little remiss in that you didn't tell me what costumes Halle and Josh chose. Hullo!! important details here. I absolutely loved seeing some cute little kids out trick or treating last night, even though in general I think France hasn't quite caught on to the awesomeness of Halloween and commercial holidays. Granted, the Irish Pub across the street must have taken their Halloween Party pretty seriously, because they kept that thing going loud and strong the entire night! Somehow, though, adults dressed up as soddom and gomorrah invitees aren't quite as adorable as little neige blanches (snow whites). How did the Great Pumpkin go? And Dad did you survive last week? You sounded pretty spent. Ok this is totally a side note, but mom, please tell me you are planning on going to the Motab christmas concert with David Archuleta????!!!!!! I know, I know, one holiday at a time, but seriously, some things are just THAT important.
Ok, as far as happenings and highlights go, I'm gonna have to back up a little and tell you that Aurelie and Claude Marc set baptismal dates! We had an awesome rendezvous with her and claude marc (he is her 8 yr old son) two weeks ago and just asked her if she had a desire to be baptized. She said yes, set the date for Nov 28th, and when she prayed about it at the end of the rendezvous the spirit was wonderful! Well, actually at first Claude marc was like, "I think I'll wait a little while longer........I can't swim!" Oops that's an oversight--definitely remiss in our teaching if we had this poor kid thinking we were gonna drown him! But, we reassurred him that the water is only "this" high and you only go under for one second. He had us get up and show him exactly how high the water was, but then he was cool with it. So, it's a good thing we successfully fought against Satan right before. And when I say Satan, I am referring to the crabby babysitter who was watching Claude Marc before Aurelia got home. Man talk about enduring to the end!! She chewed us out for probably a good 10 or 15 minutes standing at the doorstep, and let me just say that one would have to applaud her knowledge and proficient use of a very vibrant vocabulary. But, we were victorious and later found out that she had a brain tumor, so I probably should get around to repenting for having called the poor little old lady satan in my mind! Live and learn right.
Ok, so another blind couple story. Helped her through the market last week and when we got back to unload everything, I asked what she was cooking on the stove (she loves giving us cooking tips), and she said something about 'langue.' Oh ok......then about two seconds later was like, "wwwhat? did she seriously just say what i think she said?" And then, of course, curious george got the best of me and I made the mistake of looking into the pot. Oh yup, there it is. She is definitely cooking an entire cow tongue. (Some nice large taste buds on those things i might add.) And so then, ever so generously, she invites us to come over and eat dinner with them later that night. I think that may have been a new record for speed in declining a dinner invitation with as many excuses as I could possibly muster. Oh how i love our blind couple.
So, we had a couple firsts. First time I was ever tempted to tell someone we were actually nunns and that's why we would not EVER be going to get coffee with them, "and that is also why my companion will NO, not marry you." Also experienced a first rendezvous where tax deductibles became part of the conversation and apparently a selling point for the restored gospel. (bless their hearts, can't do missionary work without members, they add everything, but sometimes it is kinda like an "okay, how do we bring this back" struggle! Especially when they start going off on comparisons between us and Islam.....give that one a go just for fun.....)
Also, had a first Brazilian model contacting experience. Didn't know that when we stopped him, but it also didn't take us very long AT ALL to figure out why that was his chosen profession.....enough said. But, the best part was the next day, these new H&M posters were put up and guess who the model is? That's right, our Brazilian friend. Also, did I mention my first haircut experience? The coiffeuse was just full of sage comments, my favorite being that the key to staying young is to "be zen." Well, I must have come a long ways, considering I didn't shed a single tear after I got one of the worst haircuts of my life (nothing quite compares to the Harlem Globetrotters incident 1999), but I'd venture to say that was pretty "zen" of me. So hey, at least me and my horrible hair will look young!
Ok, also was the first time I have ever actually seen an investigator run away from missionaries! Oh so funny. We were waiting at the church for elders Volpe and Jensen, because they had set up a rendezvous to teach this lady and pass her to us. So, she shows up, but won't come in because, long story short, the elders aren't there yet and she needs to go cook for her husband, etc..... I tell you, I used every bit of persuasion I possibly could, but that lady was not stepping inside the church, and then is like, "ok next week," and turns and like literally starts running down the street. K just so we all have the right image--this is a 60 year old lady running down the sidewalk in little heels with her dress billowing around her. So then I am standing there, looking after her and then back at sister england and then back at the runaway investigator, like well, I'm just not exactly sure what the precedent is in this situation!! So then we look up the street and see the elders mosying their way down, so I yell at them and point after her and then back at them, like "what the heck do we do?"
And then Elder Jensen just takes off running down the street after her. Well, of course, a little old-fashioned chase action would be the way to go. And I tell you what, that kid has got some wheels! So, he is like sprinting down the street, bag under arm, elder Volpe is trailing after him looking a little confused, and sister england and I are just laughing like "this is really happening." Luckily, the lady started laughing when they finally caught up, and apparently she's got somewhat of a running habit and it wasn't the first time she had turned and run away from them! (Don't worry, I already asked the "so how many times are you going to make this poor little old lady run away from you before you get the hint that she might not be interested?" question, hehe, but they assured me she was interested and just has this slight running tendency! haha) Also the first time the Bishop tried to fake me out by going into bisoux me. My thoughts: "aaahh, what do i do? what do i do? this is the Bishop!!!" He got a good chuckle out of the panic that was, apparently, evident on my face!
Ok, so I mentioned we had a mini missionary for a few days. Well, Sunday night, all the companionships who were taking a mini were gathered at St. Merri waiting for the meeting to start (where the mini missionaries would get their "calls" and a blessing, instead of a setting apart). We were waiting outside and probably made it incredibly awkward for these young men and young women to have to wind their way through us to come in with their parents. But, I guess embracing awkwardness is a great first missionary lesson! Anyway, so as the youth are coming in, the only thing I said was that I hoped we got the one who chose to wear high heeled boots for her mini mission. And low and behold!!! We got the one with the high heeled boots! She was awesome! 17 yr old from the Cergy ward. She speaks French and English perfectly (mom is swiss, dad is from new zealand; born in utah, moved to france when she was 5), AND she brought another pair of shoes, so we totally got lucky! (I had never heard of mini missions before I got to France, and they can really last any amount of time, but the Paris stake has decided they are going to do this mini mission activity with their youth every year. So basically anyone who wants to can sign up to work with the missionaries for 3 days. They stay with us, study with us, plan with us, and basically are just a third companion for those few days.) She said she had a good experience and bore a beautiful testimony at the "homecoming meeting," but I think she was a little surprised at some things. After the first time we went street contacting, I asked her what she thought and all she said was, "that was hard." haha. But bless her heart she was a trooper.
She was with us on our day to fast (i think i forgot to mention that our zone was doing a 7-day fast, one companionship each day) and we felt like we were starving the poor girl! (side note-we had forgotten how much teenagers can eat......cuz for sticks those two could put it down.) So, she might have gotten a little inside view of the reality of missionary work, but we also saw some awesome miracles! For instance, we had found an old envelope of uncontacted referrals tucked away in our area book and decided to pass by a couple of them one afternoon. Well, after we had successfully snuck into the building of the first one, (we're getting pretty good at the whole creeper business), we knocked on her door, told her we were looking for a Julie Gali. She said she was Julie, and then saw our nametags and goes, "oh! you're the LDS. I have been waiting for you for two years!" She ushered us in right away and I can honestly say I have never seen someone so excited to get a book of mormon! It was so cool and suh-weet rendezvous! After that, Soeur Pettitt (the mini missionary) was like "I don't want to leave! I want to find out what happens with her!" It's true that seeing people excited about learning about the gospel and experiences like that definitely diminish any "hardness" of contacting or other things--the people make it worth it! Julie is a film director and has a big deadline coming up, so unfortunately, she can't see us again until the middle of November, but we figure that will just give her enough time to have read the whole book of mormon! hehe.
You also asked about Sister Davillé. I know you're really not supposed to have favorites, but I'll be honest, I'm not to that level yet, so I'm free to say that I think she is my favorite member in this ward. I will mop her floor with dish soap any time she wants! I absolutely love this woman. You saw the pictures of her, so you can imagine some of the struggles that she has. But, she was baptized last year and has like the most stalwart testimony. Her husband is very against the church (it's sometimes amusing how flamboyant he can be in his distaste for us; especially when he is kicking us out of the house!), but he is nice enough to drive her to church every week. Which is a blessing, because she is so big, she really can't go anywhere unless he will take her. Anyway, so she gets dressed up every sunday and is horribly uncomfortable and has a hard time sitting for that long, but her smile just about lights up the whole chapel because she is so excited to be at church! And if you ever ask her a question about how to do something or whatever, she will answer like, "well, you go to church and pray and read the scriptures." And you can tell she truly believes those things will work! She has this sincerity and earnestness in the power of the "primary answers" that is remarkable. And ya know, I think she's got it right.
If I were pressed, one of the things that would be towards the top of the list of things I've learned on a mission, would probably be the power of the primary answers. I found it interesting how a good portion of the new simplified Preach My Gospel curriculum focuses on how to help people gain a testimony, and whaddayaknow--what are the things on there? Revelation through prayer, the Book of Mormon, and church attendance! et Voilà. I love the primary answers! Plus, let's be real, we all know that primary is much more my kind of level! (Side note--This week I was reading in 1 nephi and started singing the "murmur" song from scripture scouts and the other sisters got a good laugh in. I tried to tell them about the time dad dressed up as King Noah and sang the "i want want want what i want want want" song for one of your overachiever-refrigerator-box-time capsule sharing times, but just don't think i quite did it justice!)
Ok, well I had to type super fast to get this all down, so if any of it actually make sense, then we have all witnessed yet another modern day miracle! Sure love you guys. I miss you lots and pray for you lots. Thanks for being so absolutely wonderful!! Can't wait to hear about next week's adventures and mischief on the home front!
Love, Jordo
ps mom I seriously love, love, loved the family theme. And I had tears streaming down my face when I read the letter from you mommy dearest. All I can say is DITTO! i have no idea about boots still. im sorry! ill look around here a little and then get back to you. Oh and will you tell robbie that i was so grateful for his quick email. seriously meant a lot and i send my love!
Pss tell Allie & Justin CONGRATS for me!!!!! I loved the blog and they are so cute!
Halle—how was the cheer clinic?!! By the way, we loved the Arthur pictures. Me and sister Gifford were talking about how much we loved Arthur when we were your age too! (granted, I think I probably kept watching it after school up until I went to Timpview hehe.)
Johnny – laughed so hard when you were like, “I don’t know I wasn’t really paying attention” so funny!!!!!! Pretty cool about josh warner too, though I have not the faintest idea who z vanny is. OH wait…is that zach vanleeuwen? Man I suddenly feel like I should be carrying a cane cuz I am not keeping up with your slang very well these days, haha. Thanks for the update brother.
Josh –pretty sweet you’re becoming a master origamier. Have you engineered a better way to do the rain gutter curious George boats yet? and how was being water boy? And I miss you too!
Tara – I think dad and I watched that movie together the same weekend we watched big country. Doesn’t get much better!
Matthew – I’ll have to give some thought to your christmas present question, but im kind of thinking you’re gonna have to come up with that one on your own. that's kinda the thing about a 'hearts desire' is that it's gotta be YOURS. sorry!!! dont pick something lame though! and fyi i am going to expect a good harry potter review once you see it. i can't believe how tall you are now!! that is crazy. and holy cow, i just realized i think that means i am in the bottom half of the kids in height now. hey and cool about the messick sibling! i went to school with her brother and i was in the same district as elder messick in versailles!!
pps funniest metro moment this week was with this old man--me:hey so do you think it'll rain today? (yeah super original conversation starter, i know). Old man: Oh no! I brought my umbrella today. It never rains when I actually bring my umbrella. (I just think old men are such a hoot. The world is definitely a better place because of their special little old man flare!)
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