Ha, Zach's a BABY. I haven't even cried once here. I'm so strong and manly.
But really, I haven't cried since I got set apart. The spirit (l'Esprit) is so strong here among all the missionaries that I can't help but be happy and smile and keep working hard and keeping an eye and a mind single to the work.
Day one. I met my companion, Elder Higham, and he's the best. There's not much more to say about that. The MTC president told us to turn to our new companions and say "I think I'm gonna like you." So we did. Then he said to tell them "I know I'm gonna love you." And boy do I. In the straightest way possible, I love Elder Higham. He's from California, and he's the youngest of 13 kids. Wha-ha-ha-ha-what?!!?? his oldest sibiling is 39 and he has 34 nieces/nephews with 7 on the way. Mormon family. But he's so awesome. He was voted "most innocent" for his senoir superlative. Most innocent and class clown paired up together? Power companions.
So far we've learned how to pray, testify, and introduce ourselves en français. Testify is temoigner and pray is prier. that's just some French I know by now, no big deal, yo. We always speak French with each other, we being my district, during lunch and dinner. I was even saying a personal prayer last night en anglais and without even thinking I ended it with au nom de Jésus-Christ, amen. I love the French language.
something super interesting I learned/was confirmed by studying the French language. Do you remember when I was talking to you about how when you say thee and thy and Thou how that used to be super informal and that's why you say "Your Majesty"? Well in French when we pray, we use "tu" which is the informal form of "you." When you pray with this mindset, like you're just talking to your dad and thanking Him and telling Him what's up, it's so much easier to pray. I get so much more out of it this way. It's a two way deal, where you communicate with each other. Just as you're listening for an answer, He's listening for the questions. I just realized that like right now while I'm typing this. this is awesome. So much revelation all the time when you're in the missionary mindset.
Like this morning, in the temple (it just opened up again, SWEET), I realized why the tree of good/evil is so ugly and the fruit looks like nasty tomatoes. Because the tree isn't what tempted Eve, it was Satan. SATAN!!! It was his use of beautiful words and his lies and his tempting power that drove Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit. It just goes to show how Satan can tempt and deceive even the most innocent people.
Yesterday for the Sunday devotional, we sang a boat load of hymns (cantiques). It was the coolest stinkin' thing hearing all the elders and sisters in one room just singing out. We also sang "When I Am Baptized", the children's hymn, and I almost cried. But I stayed strong, momma, I stayed strong. It was so beautiful. Then after the devotional it was MOVIE TIME. Our district decided to watch The Character of Christ, by Elder Bednar. Watch it. I'm telling you. Everyone says it's so great and that you should watch it, and you might not believe them, but honestly. Watch the crud out of that.
As far as teaching and learning goes, we've taught an investigator twice. En français. pas d'anglais. The first time we had notes and all that, and the second time we could also have notes, but I forgot mine in the classroom so I just winged that bébé. and it went just alright. When we pray before teaching, l'Esprit is there so strong and there's just no worries. I can understand so much of what our investigator, Sophie, is saying and then I can even talk back to here, even with my limited knowledge of French. It's not perfect, but it's schweet.
I've also memorized the Missionary Purpose and Joseph's Smith's account of the First Vision. Check this out:
"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which decended gradually until it fell upon me...when the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spoke unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other "This is my beloved Son. Here him!"
Impressed? No notes, ladies. How'd I do? parfait? Je le sais, je le sais.
Impressed? No notes, ladies. How'd I do? parfait? Je le sais, je le sais.
Well I think that covers most of it. I love my companion, I really love my district, too, they're all the best guys (and this elder from Lone Peak, Elder Dayley, who I didn't know like at all when we went to school together, is in my district, and now we're just about the greatest of friends). I feel like I've known these elders since before I came to the MTC. I can't wait to get out to France yet, but I really love the MTC and I know I have much much to learn.\
Love,
Elder Liechty
P.S. Mom, was that good paragraph form, or what?
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