I realize Max's letters are kind of long, and as a mom, I'm not complaining, but as a reader, I might get bored:) But if you skip the middle days of the week part, please read towards the end because he has a request for those of you who pray:)
Maman! (that's how the French say it)
Get THIS. So we were out doing some Soldes shopping today, and we ran into the Lormont Elders, and now get this. One of the Elders is Elder Gee. He's from Canada. He told me that he was just doing emails and he got one from someone named Ben Jones who he went to college with at BYU and who just got back from his mission in England. He asked me if I knew him. I said YES. Because he said he had eaten dinner at our house recently. Ha. Look at that. Ben had told Elder Gee that I'm in this mission, and we might not know each other because this mission is so huge, but, turns out we're serving in the same ville. Get that. Look at that. Wow. Quelle chance.
Tommy is gone....booooooooo. He's all the way up in Brest in Bretagne. But he managed to discover my first name from Facebook and is going to friend me for when I get back, so that's something to look forward to! And also he said he's coming back to Bordeaux in three or so months, so if I'm still here....it's possible, no one leaves BDX that fast.
Yeah we can find things like cream of chicken, and maybe stuffing stuff. Don't worry about all that, no biggies. But, the recipes, I do believe you can actually send them directly to the mission email, because Soeur Roney is putting together a book, and then you can send them to me. You just gotta put my name on em, n whatnot. The only problem with No back cookies is that it's difficult to find peanut butter, and when you do, it's not always a nice price. But anyway.
The did the Foreigner at Mountain Ridge once, but I never went cuz it wasn't a musical. Good times
So the week n what
Lundi we had that soirée familiale with la famille Alves, but....they kinda forgot about it (we might have been supposed to call them and confirm but....) but being the Alves famille they had made boat loads of food. But Tommy and Keziah didn't get there till about NINE when we were leaving, because they had to pick up Tommy's doggy because he was leaving the next morning. So we saw him for a little and said goodbye, but it was a fun soirée quand même. We sang in Tahitien.
Mardi we went out and DID WORK. We went out and contacted up and then passed some notes to some membres. We found a guy named Simon, he's a student, and he's really interested in religions, not really believing, but he said that could arrive, and we invited him to church. (HE CAME). Then the guy right after him we only had a couple seconds to contact him because he was catching a bus to Lacanau (two hours away), but we got his number and we were supposed to see him the next day while he was in BDX (that didn't work out, unfortunately). Then we had RCM, and our new Zone Leaders were there, and we had crêpes. Yum.
Mercredi I think it was raining really hard? It has rained a lot this week, every day (as it has since I've been in BDX) but also really hard. Luckily I have an umbrella. Yes. But we went and saw Frère Handy, and he was doing alright, but he's still really upset and concerned and scared that he is unpardonnable for his sins. Don't worry, we fixed him up real nice on dimanche, news on that to come. This day while we were out n about we contacted a girl who said she isn't really believing, but she thinks that everyone has a guardian angel of sorts (that's Heavenly Father, I do believe). We set up a RDV for this week to come, but she just texted us and said it's not gonna work, but maybe we can get another maybe...also she lives in Mont-de-Marsan, which is pretty far away, she's just in BDX the first few days of the week for school. Well anyway, still a good day.
Jeudi we taught a Spanish lady we had found in the Area Book. It said she was making really good progress, gaining a testimony, but then she left on vacation and they lost contact with her. So we called her, and found out she was baptized catholic since then, but she was willing to see us. So we saw her, it was alright, we might have to pass her to the elders in Talence thought because she doesn't live within our boundaries anymore. Then we went out and did work, found a guy that was really smiley and happy and pretty interested in the restored church, it seemed, and we're gonna call him when he gets back from Paris in a week or so, I believe. Then after that we found this lady from Mexico, who is super catholic, but her daughter is struggling, so we offered our help, and she accepted it. She's gonna try to get us in contact with her daughter. That'll be cool. She spoke to us in English and that was fun. Then we had a soirée with Frère Rebuffo, and we talked less actives and people that need help. Neat.
Vendredi we had a RDV set up, but....it didn't go through. We even had a membre to come with us, but he was cool with it, he's a returned missionary, he knows this kind of thing happens. Then it was raining. And we went out contacting because why not, and we got a number from someone, kind of a really quick contact again, don't really know if she knew what was going on, but, yeah. But then a guy later we stopped and talked a long time and he said he'll come to church maybe not this dimanche but the next. Hoping for that, he was pretty neat. Then that evening we went to la famille Caussé's house, the brother of the presiding bishopric man. Shared a message about the armor of God, and how the sword of the spirit of God is the only thing not used only for your protection (like the helmet, the breastplate, the shoes, the girded up loins (ha)), but also used to slice people up. So that means, I suppose, that we are supposed to use the Spirit of God not just for ourselves but for others, too. Hmmmmmmmmm. That reminds me, have you seen the Hastening the Work of Salvation? It's really really good, I like it.
Samedi we were supposed to have something with a less active named Pierre, but he kinda forgot about it...hmmm...but so we contacted instead. Then while we were out there, we passed by Frère Boisseau, genealogy EXPERT, and talked to him about genealogy. He loves genealogy. The story how he got started is sweet. He did some genealogy and some temple work, and thought he was good. Then his father came to him in a dream, and he was WAY mad at him because he was not even close to being done. Now he is actually a genealogy missionary, and he kicks face at it. His neighbor is interested, and he's gonna invite us to learn too, and then hopefully teach this neighbor or somethings. Then that evening, on the way to the familly Tate (they're 'merican, from Idaho), we saw this lady on the bus, from Bergerac I believe, and she asked us if we knew an Elder Truman (who yes, we do), because she totes knows him because her daughter is a MEMBER and invites the missionaries over all the time. Neat. Then the Tate's took us out to sushi. Yummmmmmmmmm
Dimanche went really well. Simon came to church, our first ami at church for a long time because everyone else is out of town either for a little bit longer or forever...BUT. He was very cool. He really likes our morals and how awesome the membres were to him. He's coming back, I can feel it. He's pretty busy because he has finals this week, but he said to call him towards the end and we can fix something. Also. He's studying mechanical engineering (like I'm thinking about). He plays the guitar. He loves folk music and classic rock. To me, he sounds like the perfect man. We have to teach him. And the Frère Handy. This was so beautiful. He was sitting alone, looking very very sad, so I went up to him and starting talking to him. He was still concerned about his salvation, very scared, so we talked. I told him I'm pretty dang sure you're forgivable, (because Frère Handy is the most lovable giant man and innocent and great), and Jésus-Christ atoned for all your sins, so you don't have to suffer for them like you are doing now. I said, but I I'm not the judge here. This is between you and bishop, because he has been called as a "judge in Israel" and he has the earthly say. Then it's between you and Heavenly Father. So right then, in the middle of priesthood, he got up and went searching for bishop. Then afterward, I saw him in the hallway, the happiest I've EVER seen him, and he said "l'évêque m'a dit que je suis pardonnable, je suis pardonnable!" I'm happy for that man. I love him. Then later he started telling everyone how great I am, but I was like "all I said was go talk to bishop..." but seeing people's lives change like that just reminds you that you are doing work. you are touching lives. Then later that day we helped the Tates move some things from their old appartement to their new. Then had tacos with them.
Also I gave a talk on dimanche. hmmmmmmmm. I prepared about all week for that baby, and it was alright. I feel a lot better though now that it's over (talks are STRESSFUL especially in French)
Today it has rained again. It rains so much. But sometimes it's perfectly sunny outside and then at the same time it's just coming down. I don't understand it. But it's fun. It makes contacting easier, because instead of trying to talk to everyone, you make a goal to focus on people with umbrellas or something (or my theory sometimes, focus on people without umbrellas because people without umbrellas out in a storm like this are probably the elect).
But it got me thinking. About that grey Sherpa rain coat and how much i miss it and how maybe if it were possible you could send it in the package with my face soap? If not, I guess I can buy a lame one here, but whatever.
This week was super neat. But I do have something I need you to pray for us about. Elder Foote is getting kind of unmotivated, because it's his last few transfers now. I've been praying to find ways to help him stay motivated, but maybe my fans back home could help out here? This last week we worked really hard and saw the fruits, and I need your help to keep us both working that hard. Thanks for your prayers already, too.
Love you buckets,
Elder Liechty
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