It goes "bonjour, comment allez-vous?" But I got the gist of it :) And the norms we say "comment ça va?" and reply "ça va bien" or just "ça va." But the southern Frenchies pronounce "bien" as "bee-yan(g)" (a soft "g"). And by southern Frenchies I mean the country folk of southern France. And when they ask how you're going they say "bien ou bien?" (pronounced bee-yang eh bee-yang) which is saying "good or good?" assuming that we're good, you know. Stuff.
I LEAVE FOR FRANCE ON MONDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Monday. I leave in one week. One week and I'm outta the country for two years. Speaking French. Here's a quick break down of my travel itinerary:
Leave the MTC at 5:30 am to get the the Salt Lake airport. My flight leaves at 10 h 45 and arrives in Chicago around 14 h 40. Then I leave Chicago at 17 h 15 at arrive in LONDON at 6 h 50 the next day. Then from London at 8 h 30 and arrive in the place to be, Lyon, at 11 h 05. (Like how I made the times all French n stuff? Just goes to show how much I'm learning.)
This is so REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
TO THE CHRISTENSENS:
Thank you so so much for the probiotics you sent. I won't describe in exactness how they've been helping me....but they're really helping. And if what you say about the yogurt in France being très bien, then I am only more excited. Thanks for all the packages, and the notes, and Jacen. Thanks for Jacen, he's a good man
Zach and Caity went to Comic con?!? NEEEERRRDS. My family is a bunch of nerds. But of course I'd love to come in a couple years, be a nerd with my nerds.
And oh yeah do I get fish at the MTC. Not that often, but it's here. Fish n chips mostly. And every time we have it, Elder Eady says "That's not real chips! I'll show you English chips!" But he can't show us English chips, because we're in America.
Speaking of America, we saw a flock of deer after the temple today. Elder Eady was stunned. Not like I wasn't, cuz it was cool n all, but Elder Eady was all "Wot!? Wot! Ha ha WOT?!" So English.
Also speaking of America, I'm only here for another week. I don't know about the whole calling from the airport situation, but I imagine I could call from either Salt Lake or Chicago, cuz we have a nice load of time sitting around the terminal. Yeah, I really just have no idea about that. If you receive a surprise call, it's me!
But this is my last email until France, so....that's pretty cool
This week was pretty good, pretty good. The rain floods happened, yes. It was very wet and I LOVED it. Because it wasn't hot the whole day, it was nice and cool. It happened a couple times this week. I love the rain. And I hear it rains loads in France. It rains chats et chiens. I miss Monty. Will you send him in the next package please?
Every time our teacher talks about how much he loved his mission, it just makes me more and more excited to get out of hear. Sure, I could do with a little more knowledge of the French language, but I feel like I can get my point across and understand most of what the Frenchies say. We'll see when I get there, because that's when I'll find out, I guess.
I loved the quote about teaching by the Spirit you sent me. It's so true. Both of our MTC teachers have told us stories when they taught a Russian guy, and Spanish guy, or a Portugesian guy, each of them with limited French knowledge, but they were some of the most powerful teaching lessons they had. And that always makes me worry less about the language.
Elder Higham and I taught a lesson yesterday for District meeting about Enduring to the End. As soon as we were assigned that topic, I knew exactly what to teach about. The talks "Mountains to Climb" by Henry B. Eyring and "The Best is Yet to Be" by Jeffrey R. Holland (thanks Zacchio) came instantly to mind. Elder Higham was worried about the lesson because to him, none of us have endured to the end yet. After reading these talks with him, his eyes were opened and he and I both realized that right now we are enduring to the end. We've been enduring to the end since baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost. He bore such a powerful testimony during our lesson, and we explained the crud out of enduring to the end so well. Not to brag, but this was probably the best district lesson we've had. Whatever. We made a 24 year old ex-military Singaporian man cry. Like three times.
But here's what I learned about enduring to the end. It's the most challenging and long lasting part of our purpose, coming unto Christ. (Repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.) The thing about it, is that enduring to the end includes all of our purpose, over and over and over and over again. We have to keep repenting, and we renew our baptismal covenants every Sunday with the sacrament, and we strive to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion.
But sometimes it gets hard. To do it over and over and over again and feel like you're not getting anywhere. You feel like it's only getting worse. But here is what Elder Eyring said:
"The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up. And He always keeps His word."
Always keeps His word. That part gets me everytime. Because it's so true. Because no matter where we are now or where we are headed, if we keep the faith, we will always end up on higher ground. Always.
Love you all, and thanks for the prayers, I can really feel them. Honestly.
Love,
Elder Liechty
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