Week #68 - Christmas in Avignon

Breakfast sausage

I have no idea

Christmas shark socks

Mom and the rest!

I love you all!

It was super great to see you, and it was the best.  to see you.  It was cool, because instead of being kinda homesick afterwards, I just felt happy and uplifted and ready to go again.  that was nice.

But I forgot.  I was gonna play the nose whistle for you, because I've been getting preeeeettttty dang good at it, but, eh, I forgot to.  Sorry.  Maybe next time.

The day after, though, all that was going through my head was "whoa.  Zach is getting married." Like, not all day, but when we had some down time like lunch n dinner and right before bed, I was like "whoa.  Zach is getting married."

They went to san fran for the honeymoon, eh?  Fuuuuuuuuuun.  I went there with my family once.

Since I just talked to you, I thought I'd just send you the highlights from the week:

Christmas.

And that's it.  Love you!

Kiddin'.

Christmas.  Christmas was reeaaallly really fun.  I was kinda bummed we didn't have rdvs fixed with members all day, but I think this ended up being one of the best Christmases of my life, and definitely the best one of my mission.  Probably of my life, yeah.  We found a place in centre ville to go play the guitar and sing for people, and it was pretty good, and we met some cool guys, but it was going kind of slow.  Then we walked around to find a new place, and found this sweeeet place right in the middle of the Christmas market where people were flowing in and out like a river, and there were no open shops around so we weren't breaking any rules :)  we played there for an hour or so, probably closer to two, and we got some real cool contacts.  this lady from Salt Lake was there, too, and she tried to give us money, so I don't know if she was a member :)  We had a sign up that said "Ne pas donner, mais prenez un cadeau!"  So people wouldn't give us money, but we filled the guitar case up with booklets and pass along cards, and we gave all of them away :)  Then I skyped my famille.  also I got a bunch of shark shirts for christmas, and that was sick.  It was buns freezing out, but the spirit of christmas kept us warm as we tried to make people happy all day.  fun times

the next couple days we were occupied with the assistants because we had to exchange a washing machine, but now we have a better washing machine, so that's nice.

We had some delicious meals with members, and also a really cool rdv with our ami Etienne.  He told us that his work problem should be resolved around 5 juillet because that's when his boss is making hour changes, so we're praying real hard for that.  We had also planned on inviting him to learn how to read with some members or something, because while he speaks fine, he never learned to read.  But he brought it up before we even could, so that was real cool.  It was a really spiritual rdv where we all learned a lot, and Etienne is getting super pumped.  We're praying really hard that everything works out.

We also saw Jean-Personne after church on sunday, and he was doing alright.  We found out though that he thinks the BoM is boring and that he can't learn much from it, and that the commandments aren't too important.  It was kind of frustrating and scary when he said that, because we really want him to progress, and we know he can.  But we talked for a good while about his concerns, and we were able to respond to most of his problems, and invited him to figure out a few of them himself by trying them out.  Testimony is what saved that rdv.  So that was a cool day.

And that's just about the week.  Well, at least the coolest parts of the week.  Well, also we got to see our friend André, played some christmas music with him, and that was nice.

Overall it was a really good week, mostly cuz of Christmas :)

Here's our Christmas photos, and also the Christmas breakfast.

Love you!  See you again on Mother's Day!

Love,

Elder Max Liechty

Week #67 - Avignon

Bob Dylan Tree

Moooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom

Alright, here's the brief answers before I give you the fun snappy ones:

The cockroach problem is...solved :)

I've been with 4 before, when I started in Gex and for a couple weeks in Bordeaux we were 4.  I prefer 2, but, eh, that's how it is.  We see them sometimes when we visit members, but mostly we just see each other in the morning and when we come in at night.

I saw David Archuleta :)  I shook his hand, too

Elder Beck is awesome.  He's pretty shy, so I pretty often have to tell him to talk to someone, but once he gets past that beginning, he's real good.  He's hilarious, too.  I've probs had some of the most fun these last couple weeks with him than I've had on my mission, and I've had lotso fun!  This is his second transfer, and since last transfer was only 4 weeks, he's basically just finished his first transfer this week!  A young'n.  The other two, one of them is Canadian and he was also trained by Elder Beyer (I was trained by Elder Beyer in case you forgot) and the other is Utahan and has been out for 4 transfers and has spent all of them in Avignon.

This week was pretty silly, so just listen:

So on lundi we went to pass a less active brother that we'd never seen before, and so we took this bus we'd never taken before.  We went waaaaaaaaay past our stop, but luckily we were talking to this real neat guy the whole time, so that was really cool.  Got his phone number and everything.  So anyway, we got off at some random stop hoping maybe there would be another bus going back into centre ville so we could catch one back home.  But it was too late, no more buses, so we walked.  We started following a bus line, kind of blindly, and also it was dark and raining.  We started walking down this long road for a while, and after a good little bit we thought "nah, it's not this one" so we turned around.  We went back to this corner a pulled out the map.  The whole way home, every time a car was coming by, we'd pull out the map and look confused and hope that someone would stop to help, but it never worked :) but we were just outside this guy's house, and he was coming in, so we approached him and asked his help, and he pointed us down this other road, without much direction.  So we walked on in faith.  After walking a real long while and continuing to pull that map-and-look-lost trick with no success, we saw lights in the distance.  So we cut across this field in hopes it was a town, and it was!  And it was our town!  And we were right next to the apartment!  That was a real neat miracle, and I felt kind of like that Jeffrey R. Holland story when you have to go from point A to point B before finding your way to point C.  That's a good story.  Anyway, when we arrived, there were many hugs and much rejoicing.

The next day we went out to this city called Orange to pass some less actives and members, but, eh, none of them were home...so that was kind of a bummer, but, not too much of a bummer, because Orange is a really cool city.  We met some cool guys on the road, too, so we'll see where that goes.  Afterwards we came on in to town and went to eat dinner with this sister and her adult son, and that was really tasty.  It's their house we're going to to SKYPE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mercredi was supposed to be really cool (and it still was), and we had three lessons ligned up!  Wowwwwwiiiie!  Unfortunately, two fell through, but another went really well, and we also saw a miracle and taught another lesson to this really cool lady on the bus!  Also for dinner, we found the coolest kebab shop every.  And by coolest, I mean the tastiest.  Mmmmmmmm.  When the other lessons fell through, we talked to strangers and stuff like usual, and met some cool guys, especially this guy who travels around europe and plays guitar.  He was kind of aloof for the first part of the conversation, but since my companion is in a band and is really cool he sparked the guy up and there was nothing he could do but talk to us.  Alright.

Then comes jeudi, and all we got to do that day was GO TO BORDEAUX!!!!!  I really like Bordeaux, still.  But it's forever away.  But it's also where I saw David Archuleta :)  This day was kind of neat, we had a train cancelled, so we had to catch a bus, and we were all stressed we were gonna miss the corresponding train, and we were all real upset n stuff, but it all worked out in the end.  In the end, we made it to Bordeaux without any big problems.  this happened a lot this week, I found.  Big ol problems with the public transportation.  But as we tried our hardest to be patient and did all we can, leaving the rest in Heavenly Father's hands, it all worked out.  Nice.

ZONE CONFERENCE.  It was sweet.  Got ma Christmas package.  Got to see all my old friends from Toulouse, they were there, too.  David sang.  He's got the voice of an angel.  I shook his hand.  The Spirit was felt at this conference, too.  We talked about really sacrificing this time as a missionary to Jesus Christ, because He sacrificed more than we could ever sacrifice, and we kind of owe Him a bunch.  Very cool.  Right after that we had zone training, and that was cool.  Conferences are nice.  I say this every time, but they're much needed boosts that really help you keep going after a few tough days.

The next day we took the train on home, and then there was BUS GREVE.  Or strike.  The bus drivers went on strike, so there were only a few buses running, so it took forever to get home.  By the time we got home, dropped stuff off and ate lunch after not eating for a millllliiiiiion hours, we headed over to a really great christmas activity at the church.  They did a nativity, and the missionaries were the shephards, and everyone loooved our outfits.  Some members brought their friends, some less actives were there, and it was a huuuge success.  And then we scored getting a member to drive us home because there were no buses cuz o strike.

then sunday!  this was a real good day.  Church was fun, I played the piano in sacrament because the normal pianist wasn't there, so that was real fun.  And another member brought another friend to church!  She was really, and she's probably gonna get taught, but the other missionaries totes hopped on that faster than us, so, eh, she'll get taught probs by them.  After that we went to a members home, their from Chile, and ate a bunch.  We all sang songs from our countries, because they had some neighbors over, too, from Mexico and Argentina.  I woulda filmed it, but my camera was out of batteries.  Also I was wearing a sumbrero at one point, and that was cool.  Then we walked back to the train station with one of the neighbors and the famille's less active son, and made real good friends with both of them.  Then when we got back into town, we talked to a few people, passed by our friend Jean-¨Personne's work because we hadn't seen him in a good while, and we was real content to see us again, and that was nice.  We were pretty content to see him, too.  And that was our day.

And that was our week.  Here we are, CHRISTMAS WEEK.  To answer your question, we just talk about Jesus to everyone, kind of like we do the rest of the year :)  of course we always start convos with christmas and presents n stuff, and then we pull a fast one on them and share He is the Gift with them and their minds are always blown.

But I really love this season, and this opportunity to share this message with everyone, because everyone's heart is softened when Christmas is in the air!

I love you, and I'll see you THURSDAY.  Elder Beck will probably go at 18h and I'll go 19h, so, I think that makes around 11h back home.

I'M STOKED

I love you, and MERRY CHRISTMAS

DECK THE HARRS WITH BARRS OF HORRY

Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra

love,

Elder Max Liechty

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Week #66 - Avignon

Max's new address:
Les Missionnaires

Elder Max Liechty

L'Orée des Remparts

1171 rue de l'Aérodrome

84140 Montfavet

FRANCE

Mom!

Avignon is great

1.  I love Elder Beck.  I told you he was an indie band singer, right?  Well we've been getting along pretty dang well.  His sense of humor is top notch, he's handsome, talented, kind of reminds me a lot of myself :)  But serious.  It's a real good time.  This is just his second transfer, and less than that really because last transfer was only 4 weeks!

2.  The new apartment.  It was infested with cockroaches, but now it's a little better.  There are four of us, and it was pretty gross when i arrived......but it's starting to get better with some nightly cleaning.

3.  Drive?  Come on mom.  This isn't some US mission.  We walk and take buses everywhere here.  there are a few cities to go to by train, but it's mostly accesible by city bus

4.  Haven't had the big conference yet!  That's next week!  I'll let you know

5.  You're probably gonna have a boring time and not even have fun for Christmas, am I right?

6.  This new area is difficult because there are SO MANY PEOPLE I don't know what to do.  I want to try to stop 'em all, because we could try to do that in Muret no problem.  You stop everyone there and you've talked to like 15 people.  But here the streets are pretty full sometimes, and so I don't really know what to do, and I feel weird just walkin' by people.  Eh.  It was like that in Bordeaux, too.  I'll get used to it

7.  I do miss Muret.  I knew it like the back of my hand, and here I'm LOST

8.  We do have more (people to teach), it is bigger (the town), we don't have to be in at 6 (like they do in Marseille).  It's not dangerous like Marseille, don't worry :)

9.  It's a branche, but pretty good size, about 60 people.  They're good people, too. I met most of 'em on sunday and one or two during the week, and I like 'em.

You never told me where Sierra is going !

Check out this week.

I told you about most of mardi already, but after emails we went to go have a lesson with our ami, but, uh, we got lost because neither of us really knew where to go.  So we didn't end up seeing him....(we saw him later) and that was kind of the end of the day.  But it was a good day, cuz o the two lessons earlier on!  Yeah

Then mercredi we hit the streets hard.  Talked to a bunch o people, and that was kind of when I realized this is gonna be different.  Too many people.  Not as many people as Bordeaux, but WAY more people than Muret.  I got to see a little bit of the outer cities that day, too, we knocked some of them doors.  And that evening I met the DMB, Fr. Lacombe and his wife and we had our RCM meeting.  So that was fun.  Good people

The next day we were able to fix a rdv with our ami we were supposed to see a few days ago :) and it was SWEET.  We found out where he lives, so that's already sick, and then the lesson went very well.  We engaged him to baptism on the 10 of january, ALRIGHT.  His only problem right now is that he works the graveyard shift, including sunday mornings, so he can't make it to church.  He's supposed to be talking to his boss about that right about now, so if you could pray that his boss's heart will be softened and that they might figure out a good schedule that can help him get to church, too, that would be awes.  Thanks.  After that rdv, we went straight on up to Lyon for our bleu's conference.  A good long train ride.  Not as long as this coming week's, though.  All the way to Bordeaux, a good 8 hours or so :)

Then vendredi was bleu's conference, got to see some of my old pals who were also training again.  We watched this sweet video of Elder Eyring and Elder Holland going hard in the paint about consecration and missionary work.  About how we can't give up when it's hard, because Jesus didn't give up when He accomplished the HARDEST task ever.  We show our appreciation to Him by not giving up, and seeking His help that He's already offering us.  That was cool.  After that, before we got on the train ride home, we went caroling in this big place in Lyon.  Met this people giving free hugs, and it was a little awkward, because it was a woman, and that's not alllowed!  Luckily there was guy, too, so we gave him a big ol hug.  They were doing those fun social projects like Caity did in psychology.

Samedi when we were back, we weekly planned and tried to figure out this city, because both of us are pretty new.  We dug through the area book and organized it and now we're gonna hit it HARD this week.  That evening we went out and chatted with some real neat people in the street that like Christmas, and some that don't like it so much.  People who like Christmas are normally nicer :)

Dimanche was real fun.  We had church, and the guy we had seen on tuesday, we had invited to church.  AND HE CAME.  He and his girlfriend (he's, like, 70 with a girlfriend, it's kinda silly).  the members loved it, too.  Everyone was surprised!  We were not expecting it at all.  We had invited him, and he had said probably, and he did.  He's a real cool guy.  Hopefully we can see him again!  After church, we went over to the branch president's home, and he has one of the COOLEST homes I've seen.  And he collects antiques and insects, because he's really, really rich.  So he showed us all that, we had an amazing dinner, and then afterwards they took us out to this thing that is kind of like the Festival of Trees, but it's with nativities.  Some of the neatest little sceneries you'd ever done seen, and some of the most random paraphanilia, too.  That was a good day.  Avignon is cool.

Now today.  We hard core cleaned the floor today, checked out Avignon a little, and that's it.

SO SKYPE.  We are going to a members home on Christmas evening time, she said whenever, so I say we do it same time as last year?  I think it was at 18h chez moi and 10h chez you guys.  If that works LET ME KNOW and I'll try to let you know if anything changes.  Thunks :)

Here's some of the nativity stuff (it's called a "crèche") and also the wall around Avignon.  Sweeeeet

LOVE YOU

Elder Max Liechty

Week #65 - AVIGNON!!

Max's new address:
Les Missionnaires

Elder Max Liechty

L'Orée des Remparts

1171 rue de l'Aérodrome

84140 Montfavet

FRANCE

MOM!

Big old surprise, huh?  Yeah.  I left Muret.  We thought about not writing until tomorrow just to scare you out of your pants, but then decided against it.

I'm in AVIGNON.

Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse.  Look it up.  You'll find it to be familiar :)

What the crap?  Sierra Mayes is going on a mission?  NO ONE TOLD ME THAT THAT'S SO COOL!!! Where is she going?

Jean-Claude never looks happy, but he's always very content.

I've heard a lot about Meet the Mormons, but not actually a lot.  Is it good?  Maybe we get to watch it, who knows!

That ornament is SICK.  Yes.  Yes yes yes yes yes.

I'm mediums.  I think that's how they do it.  That's how they did it when I was there.  If it's changed, I'm around a 31 or 32 or something waist.  I think.  I'm french now.  Things are metric here.

DL was fun.  Really fun.  Just because I had the easiest district with the least amount of worries, so that was nice.  And no, I don't have to stay when I move, so now I'm not. Pfew.  It wasn't actually that much work, and it was fun, but arranging exchanges and sending numbers in on sunday night are the WORST.

We go to a store called Lidl normally.  It's german, and it's like Aldi.  They have a bakery in it, because it's france.  Sometimes we go to real bakeries n stuff for fun, but their too expensive to go too often.

My motivation is good :)  After four in muret, it was getting tough, but it was still good.  New ville always pumps you up again, though.  We saw some sweet things happen today in Avignon, them first day miracles.  But yes.  My motivation is fine :)  I pray for it every day

No dentist.  En plus, the french hate the dentist.

My gut is fine.  If I eat too much lactose products, it's not.  But right now it's fine.

I could probably go for some face soap in the next package.  I'm fine right now, but, like, why not.

I was so close to breaking the Muret record.  BUT I DIDN'T EVEN TIE IT.  Two weeks short of tying it because of the short transfer.  Bums.  I'll just break the Avignon record instead :)

SO THIS WEEK

Please forgive me I did not bring my planner from last transfer...

After pday on mardi, our bus managed to take us TWO HOURS to get from toulouse to muret (normally takes 20 minutes), so we got home a lot later than normal, ran to frère déjeans home for our rdv, and that was about the night.  We knocked a few doors, but honestly only a few this time.  We got all bold with Jean Claude on the word of wisdom, so I hope they keep working with him now that I'm peaced out.

The next day...we had french class in the morning, then Jean-Marc and Séverine, then I'm pretty sure we saw Jérome, too.  I'm so sorry, this is a stinky mail.  

Jeudi was fun, I was on exchange in Muret, and we taught a boat load of lessons in thes tree I DID LEGALITY.  That's what I did.  Yesterday.  Elder Olsen came from Lyon and we did legality together in the morning.  That's it.  So back to jeudi, we had a boat load of lessons in the STREET not thes tree.  And we also got a lesson with an ancient ami, and that was really cool.  It was a day filled with christmas cheer, because we started using this christmas questionnaire Elder Olsen made up.  It was cool.

Then we got our CALLS.  Learned I was going to Avignon, getting Elder Beck, from New York.  And he loves Bob Dylan.  He was in a couple indie bands in New York, and I'm pretty sure he's got some CDs out, I'll let you know.  You can listen and tell me if they're any good.

So that day was mostly just packing, because after being in Muret for a while, all my stuff was spread out throughout the apartment (neatly, and put away, but everywhere), so it took a looooooong time to pack up.

Then district meeting the next day.  Went on exchange with Elder Rellaford, where we went to a baptism of the chinese elders, Jérome came, cool.  Then, on our way back to Muret, we realized there weren't any trains (this whole week had been train strike...) so we went back to toulouse and did work there instead.  Yeah.  Neat.  We met some cool people because of the He is the Gift initiative.  SO COOL.

Then sunday, we came home.  The last song I heard in the Toulouse metro was "Brick House" by the Commodores, that was a tender mercy.  Then some members took us to church, because there weren't trains......then all the members cried their eyes out that I was leaving because I was the best missionary in the ward.  I have a bunch of pictures of all my friends, but I can't send you all of them, because I have too many.  But really, it was a good time, chatting with members, saying good bye.  Then we got to go to some members' home that evening, the Urbanis.  Turns out they lived in Avignon and they knew everythiing about it!  yeah!  so that was really, really fun.  I also got a sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet cake recipe I'll have to make for you some day.

The next day was transfer day.  We went out for these delicious kebabs with the coolest member from Toulouse, Frère Van Tonder.  So tasty.  That's the picture.  The other picture is Elder Rellaford and I in our pajamas after an exchange jumping on the bed. And also the urbanis is the other photo. Anyway, so I came to Avignon.  Voila.

Today was really cool.  We got around centre ville a little bit, taught a lesson with a random lady, we have a rdv tonight, and we were late to do emails BECAUSE; we had another cool rdv miracle.  We ran into this guy randomly who invited us in, gave us to drink, and then it turns out he plays all the instruments in the world and so we played together and talked about Jesus and that was really really fun.  That was really cool.  Super cool.  Yeah.

so I'm here.  I was sad to leave Muret, she cried when I left, just like Narbonne.  But here I am in Avignon, where the pope used to live.  It's also surrounded by a SWEET castle wall.  Yeah.  France.  I'm excited for this new start and yeah.  All that.  I had a good time in Muret, I'm gonna miss it.

AND I LOVE YOU.  I love you a lot

love,

Elder Max Liechty

Delicious kebabs

The Urbani's

Elder Rellaford and Max....jumping

Week #64 - Muret...will he stay or will he go?

Suuuuuuuuuuuuurprise!

How are you?  Were you scared that I wouldn't write you?  Yeah.  You were.

We had a service project most of yesterday and then a rdv in the evening, so, like, we got permission to move pday to today.  So.

A few things:

No need to vomit, got the package, opened all the presents already.  I'm kidding.  But I did get the package.  THANKS

I'm going to have to deny the wedding invitation, I don't think I can make it.  I'll try to skype with you guys the day before, but, no promises.

Do you remember Adam Packer?  Well now he is the assistant to the prez in his mission, and he's in the ward of one of the elders in my mission and he said to say hi!  Also, could you in any way maybe find his email?  I've tried it all, but I don't think his is one of the normal ones because it never goes through.  Well.  Anyway.

I was thinking.  It's really really cold.  Could I have some thermal garments, please?  I've become a weenie after this last hottest summer of my life.  Also, dryer sheets.  I know that's kind of silly, but they don't have them in france, and I was thinking they could help with how gosh dang wrinkly and stiff french clothes get when you dry them.

Also, did you know James Taylor sang with the MoTab?  It was a while ago, and well, I'm gonna bring it up with the big guy in Lyon and see if I can't listen to it.  I'll keep you updated.

No more bloody noses for the Hasker.

This last week we taught 2 lessons....I think my record in Muret is about 6.  This week we have a few lined up, so, we'll be seeing.  It's true it's not a huge lesson ville, but, eh, that can change!

THE WEEK

Lundi was kind of lame.  We had pday and all, a fine time, but that evening we were in the apartment doing weekly planning because somehow we didn't get around to it last week.....well....so that was the day.  That's also the day it started getting cold...

But the next day was better!  We got to check out the He is the Gift website in the morning to really explore it and get ready to share it with members.  It's so good.  Such a good thing.  And like you, I tear up a little when I watch it, so I'm probably right up there next to you on the Celestial scale :)  Then we got to see Frère Déjean, had a good spiritual thought about gratitude with him.  That was good.  This is also the day that I found out Frank Sinatra is on our mission CD.  Yeah

Then mercredi.  This was a great day.  We had french class in the morning, and then Fr. Vantonder who teaches us agreed to help us teach Sylvie right after.  He also made us lunch :)  He's an angel.  Our rdv with Sylvie went really well, we talked about prophets and following them n whatnot.  I shared your story about the earrings, I hope you don't mind :)  Then we came on home, called some people, talked to some strangers, ladeeda.  And that evening we got to see some members!  We shared the restoration with them and also the He is the Gift.  Unfortunately, it wasn't working on their computer...but they were really excited for it, so that was cool.  They also gave us food to take home, so we had a totally free eating day.  Nice.  And also that famille will be blessed for their niceness.

Jeudi was district meeting and THANKSGIVING.  However, there was a train strike this whole week, so it was really hard to get around, so we showed up to district meeting an hour late.........but we got stuff in anyway, and also afterwards went out to eat kébabs with a member for tgvg lunch.  Mmmmmmmmm.  After that we came on home, talked to a few strangers on the way again, and prez asked us to take some time to really think about what we are grateful for, and how we can be more grateful.  So we took that time, and made some sweet goals.  And then that evening chez les Crouets.  Not a real tgvg meal, but instead it was amazing raclette.  Mmmmmmmmmmm lots of cheese n meat n pickles n french stuff.  that was awesome.  Then ward council over the phone right after.  Aw yeah.

Then vendredi.  It started out as a day with absolutely nothing.  However, we made a few calls, and were able to share the He is the Gift video with two members and also got a lesson in.  yeah.  that was a miracle day.  As soon as we fixed all those rdvs, we started our new made goal to be more grateful and just had a prayer of gratitude.  Cuz that would've been a really hard day with absolutely nothing planned...it was a really good time.  Very good day.  He is the Gift is still amazing.

Then we got samedi.  We got surprised called into service in the morning, and that was really fun.  It was like home, taking a bunch of leaves and branches and throwing them into the back of the truck.  There was no stompy the leaf monkey this time, but there was a member up in the truck stomping the sticks down.  So that was a good time.  Also saw a baby hedgehog that day.  Yeah.  After that we were supposed to have a rdv with a less active in Seysses, but she called to say she couldn't.  I'm just happy she called, otherwise we woulda gone out and probaly would have had to come straight back, because there weren't any busses.  Anyway, we afterwards went with Fr. Déj and Jean claude on a nature walk which they do several times a week for their hearts :)  it was really fun, and we also learned that Jean Claude doesn't smoke at all when they do the walks, the entire day no cigars. He normally smokes 10 a day!  So that was a miracle learned that day.  We congradulated him and invited him to do it again.  We'll see them soon, so we'll follow up on that.

Dimanche was dimanche, you know.  Travelling, church, more travelling.  some members were so kind as to give make us some salad and also bring some yule logs, and that was awesome.  It was also the primary program!  It was really really adorable.  good church time.

Then yesterday we had service helping Malika, a recent convert, and her husband move.  We started at 9 am and we finished around 4 pm because they had a bunch of really huge stuff that we had to put upstairs.  My arms still hurt, but it's not a huge problem.  After that we came home and changed and then got up n out to Seysses to see our less active for real this time, cuz she had refixed for today.  The rdv was awesome, Malika's husband helped us out, because he served his mission in Vegas and this less active sister speaks english cuz she's from Trinidad n Tobago.  The rdv was sweet.  We shared the He is the Gift video with her and her daughter, and they both commited to share it.  Yes.  good.  Then we came on home and ate a yummy dinner and that was the end.

Now we are here today.  And voila.

I'm excited to see you all in a few weeks, and also to find out this weekend if I'm being transferred or not!  aye!  Part of me would enjoy staying but the other part is kinding of saying ENOUGH.  We'll see :)

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Max Liechty

Elder Haskin, Frere DeJean. and Jean claude

Week #63 - Muret

zone training

driving the train

Pilgrims

Mom!

Yeah, the tummy was that bad...let's not talk about it... :)

The mustache was one of the other elders halloween candy that he gave us.  It was grape flavored, and a reeeeaaally weird texture, not actually sure I was supposed to eat it...

I didn't get the box yet, I'm still waiting!

Frère Déjean is doing great :)  We cleaned his house again, and he's very grateful for that.  But I think he needs more interaction with members during the week, but, eh, it's France :)

And there was Sylvie's baptism not too long ago, and Mary-Jane's, both doing very well.  They've both given talks already and have callings, and are very active.  So no worries there!

As for this week, it was really fun.  Lots of stuff got done.  Check it ooooouuuuutt.

So pday was fun, afterwards we went on a passing route, passing old amis that we found in the area book, with a goal to pass them and then knock ten doors around each ami.  We were only able to pass one, because she ended up living real far away, but we passed by, she said come on back, and then the first door we knocked by her house also said come on back.  Not the door, but the lady behind the door.  So that was a really successful evening.  Nice.

The next day was succesful and miraculous.  We went out to Seysses to pass a less active sister who we had been trying to see for a very long time.  We had run into her at the grocery store forever ago, and tried to fix so many rdvs.  So we just laid it down and decided to pass her instead of calling her.  After taking forever to find her home, we found it, and she wasn't home.  So we called one more time, nothin'.  Then the elders in Toulouse called, and we talked about some plans over the phone for a little, and we were just standing there in her driveway while this was happening.  Then she pulled in.  Had we not gotten that call, we probably woulda missed her, and woulda been a real bummer.  But instead of being a real bummer, it was a real miracle!  Then because she lives so far away, there were no busses returning, so we walked home :)  Not the first time I've walked home from that ville, so not a huge deal

Then I went on exchange in Toulouse with Elder Andersen.  It was a good time.  WE got to teach some of his amis that are absolutely golden.  The wife met the church a very long time ago when she was a young woman, and is ready to be baptized.  The husband is really spiritually sensitive, too.  So that was sweet.  They'll probably be baptized pretty soon.  After that we had planned to pass this guy, and, well, it ended up being really late, and we were trapped in his ville really late, and he wasn't even there.  So it was kind of a bummer.  But the train back home had the conducter's cabin open on the back, so we pretended to drive, and it was fun :) don't worry, there wasn't anyone watching us thinking we were some kind of goof-off nonesense church :)

The next day was back in Muret, another exchange with Elder Mattinson.  But first, we had zone training.  Get this.  The church came out with this new initiative for the christmas season.  Get this.  It's called "He is the Gift."  and you need to go to heisthegift.org, I think it opens to the public this weekend.  It's awesome.  It's just as good, and then better than the Because of Him.  Yeah.  And there's all this stuff you can do, too, to be good missionaries at home!  Yay!  So anyway, we cleaned Fr. Déjean's home that day, it's almost kind of clean now!  Then that evening we knocked on some doors.  The first neighborhood we got to was just a bunch of really , really old people that got mad at us, so we moved on, and found a new neighborhood where everyone was eating at that time, but they were cool hip young families, and they said to come back!  Cool.

The next day some things went down, and elder Haskin had a bloody nose, and so the nurse said not to go out until it finished, and it lasted for, like, a million hours.  But I got to go out that morning a little bit with Elder Mattinson and teach this girl from Alabama.  It was in english, and it was hard, because I don't remember english anymore.  Then we got home, had a lesson fall through, and then started our weekly planning, and, well, elder haskin'ts nose starting bleeding again :)  He's fine now, though :)

Samedi was real cool.  We got to see Sr. Labernede, and that was sweet.  She loves the missionaries, and also wants her nonmember daughter to be baptized.  And en plus, the daughter WANTs to be baptized, too.  It's just that, well, they have a hard time coming to church, and also her exhusband is against the daughter being baptized. Well.  We'll say lots of prayers for that.  Then we had a thanksgiving activity that night in Toulouse, and it went really really well.  We were all dressed up like pilgrims and indians, but I don't have the photos. I'll try to get them from someone else.  Anyway, the evening was really really good, lots of people showed up, and we were dang hilarious.  We did a skit.  yeah.

Then sunday was classic.  Church.  Got lots done.  A member even invited us over for thanksgiving!  yay!  Not american or anything, there probably won't even be turkey, but still!  We'll teach those frenchies what it means to be grateful.

So anyway.  This was a good week, and we've got some good times lined up for next week.  Also, next week is the primary program!  yay!

So yeah.  Look up He is the Gift.

Love you.

LOVE

Elder Max Liechty

Week #62 - Muret

You didn't write me.

I'm gonna give you some time to think about what you've done, and I'll write you back soon.

:)

I LOVE YOU.

But seriously.  I'll let you write me first so in case you have any questions :)

So, you took too long, and I'm gonna write you first :) (He thinks I didn't write because I accidentally sent it to Kent. Luckily he was still online and got my email that Kent quickly forwarded to him)

I'ma just jump straight into the week.

Lundi we went out on the town knocking doors n whatnot.  We decided to walk down this road to another city and knock every door on the way, talked to some really neat people, and even found a lady who said come on back.  Also it was really dark and really cold, so we're gettin' all up in our winter clothes these days.  I, uh, purchased a new, uh, fancy french coat, too, uh, sorry I didn't warn you.  But it was at a place that is the equivilant of Ross or TJ Maxx, so, like, it's good quality for the price!  Yeah.  Nice.

The next day was rough.  We were trapped inside our apartment, because, uh, tummy problems ;) so that was a long day.  Luckily we were able to get the other elders to come on down and help us out with some important rdvs we had that day, and were still able to get some work done in Muret.  Other than that, we rearranged the apartment, and now it's super clean and really spacey, and I'd probably live somewhere like this even if I wasn't a missionary.  Cool.

The next day we were able to leave again :)  We went out to pass some old amis, becuase they had asked for a cookie recipe, so, we went ahead and gave it to them.  They were really happy to see us again, and said the next activity we have, they want to come.  So that was really neat.  Then also that day the electricity in our apartment blew out.  And we didn't know where anything was, so we were without electricity.  Cold, dark, and sad.  But we got some lamps from the other elders, and so that's the photo of us writing in our journals that night.  Yeah.  AND.  On the way home that night, we talked to this fella on the train, and he was really really cool.  His name is Paul.  He works on restoring old watches and other antiques.  And it was really funny, because the only reason he sat next to us was so he could put his feet up on the chair across from him, and he actually stole this other lady's chair to do that.  Ha.  But, we got his number and learned he also lives right across the street from us!  So we're gonna probably work really hard with him this next little bit.

Then jeudi started out with cold showers and darkness again.  The rest of the day was fun though!  We went with the whole district to do some street boarding for a little bit in the afternoon just before we hopped on a train to Lyon for bleu's conference!  And that was the entire day.  Really long train.

The next day was the conference, and it was great.  I feel like training is a chance to start over your mission again, because you get to remember what prez says when you first come in, and this time you actually listen and think about how to apply it, instead of just being tired and not wanting to take notes :)  So this has been a real good time.  That evening we got to get out and talk to strangers in Lyon, and that was really fun.  Got the number of this fella who was interested in prophets and gave it to my good friend Elder Olsen serving in Lyon right now.  Yeah.

Then we woke up really really early in the morning, got on a train, and came on home.  When we got home, we saw one of our neighbors and asked if they knew anything about the breaker and where it was, and they showed us, and it was as simple as that.  We clicked the button and it was fixed.  Electricity, warm water, yeah.  We felt pretty dumb afterward, because the breaker was right above the fuse box.  It just didn't look anything like a breaker, okay?!  The rest of that day was weekly planning, and then we went to Toulouse to have a missionary meeting.  yeah. 

Then church!  It was pretty quick, nothing too special, but there were some cool less actives there that day, and also we hit it hard talking to members afterwards and fixing with them.  Some times it's really scary to talk to them and try to get to their homes, but we just did it because we realized we never go to their homes, so it was about time.  And it was that simple.  We talked to them, and they were like "yeah, of course! We haven't had the missionaries over forever!" Which is funny, because I've been here forever, so it's probably my fault :)

How's Caity doing?

I'm writing Poppa a letter today, but I'm not positive it will get to their place in time!  So I'll probably also write them an email.

How's wedding preparation going?

Love you!

Elder Max Liechty

Yes, I come across lots of africans :)  Southern france is really close to Africa, and also used to own a lot of africa, and has very similar climates to northern africa.  So yes.  France is very african friendly, if that's a politically correct way to say it.

Is sam gonna marry her?

I'll go ahead and take them invitations as soon as possible.  I like getting letters :)

So far they haven't done much for christmas.  The grocery store has lots of wrapping paper n stuff, and I remember in Bordeaux one time there was a big old Salvation Army type band playing some christmas jams.

Did you keep everything from the van?  Did you throw away my altoids?  Did you throw away my banana peel?  We still have the couch though, right?  RIGHT?

LOVE YOU AGAIN

Dad!

Mom didn't write me today, so I'm writing you first.  Changin' things up!  I gave her a warning, though, that she isn't my mom any more if she misses another week.  But I was kidding, because she will always be my mom :)

I love that we can pray to know what to pray for.  It's hilarious, but also really good.  Because Heavenly Father knows exactly what he wants to give us, and if He hints to us that we should ask Him for it, He's already ready to give it to you!  So neat. I've been really focusing on praying specifically this week, by name and for specific things, and my prayers have been a lot cooler, so that was neat.

There's no snow here, so ski season is still long off.  However, there is a little city down at the bottom of our area that gets a lot of snow apparantly, so I'm gonna go check that out one of these days.  Probably not ski, but maybe go touch the snow.

You should pick the music for the reception.  You're good at music.  And also you could maybe engineer some kind of something that would be really cool for the reception.  Like a mechanical dragon.

I love you dad, a lot!

Love Elder Max Liechty