Week # 29

Phillipe's baptism

Hello everybody,

 This week was pretty cool! Tuesday was super sweet. We had our last district meeting, so we all took a picture and held up our transfer numbers. On the way to District Meeting a "famous" artist stopped us in front of the super nice art museum (I forget how to spell it) and asked if he could video tape us.  We were like yeah sure. haha. So he just filmed us walking away. Not really anything important, just weird.  After District Meeting we had enough time to go to the Eiffel Tower! We went to the very top is was soooo amazing. When we got up there, there were a bunch of monks.. so we had to get a picture with them. They didn't speak English or French so we just asked some random person to take a photo for us and Voila there is a photo of us and a bunch of monks at the top of the Eiffel haha. Classic. Wednesday was bittersweet. We made this document for Philippe so his "caretaker" could sign it.  We just dropped it off. He was supposed to have it signed by the time we came back. Then we went to go teach this guy, but he was a no show. So we went went to teach Phil and he didn't have the paper signed and he can't get baptized with out it. He said he would do it tomorrow. Then we taught this awesome lady named Tsiry and her two cute little boys. Next time I teach her I will try and score a photo. He taught the Plan of Salvation. It was really good. Then after we bought kabobs they were the best I have ever had. Thursday was strange. It was supposed to be Philippe's baptismal interview, but we heard him wrong and he actually wasn't open that day so our DL just came to our house for like 4 hours then left haha. Phil still didn't have his paper signed and said again he'll for sure have it done by tomorrow. Friday was crazy. I had no idea the adversity he would face to be baptized! We picked up our DL again at the train station for Phils interview for baptism.  Elder Watts called his "caretaker" and asked if she will sign a paper saying he can get baptized. She didn't want to.  She said she wasn't even his caretaker and we would have to ask a higher authority so we had to call a judge and ask. He also said he didn't have the authority and gave us a number of another judge. Pretty much no one knows what's going on at this point. Phil passed the baptismal interview with flying colors so that's good! We got a Kabob after  from the same store haha. We called president after and we're like what the heck do we do?  He said just do it. But we wanted to be 100 percent sure he knew ALL of the situation so we did more digging during weekly planning. Also our shower broke so we had to fix that. And our Apartment doesnt have AC or a Fan. So we bought a fan and it feels like heaven. Saturday comes along. Still don't have the document signed. So we go over to Phils house again, start calling people to sign this paper and everyone is telling us no and we're terrible people for trying to get him baptized into our church. So it wasn't very effective.  Phil is just like just baptize me already! So we have no clue what to do. So we just called president again and we're like just talk to Phil. So they talked on the phone for like 5 minutes, then president talks to us and is like ya for sure do it and throw away the document! IT WAS THE BEST FEELING EVER! Not having to worry about that anymore! Phil was so happy! He gave us high fives and knuckles! And we got permission to drive to Troyes by the APs! It's like 2 hours away. So we called the branch pres. and told him that the baptism is for sure going to happen. Then that night we just went porting. It was a pretty cool place and the people were really nice! Sunday was awesome! We went to church and the less active family came to church again! Not the parents, just the kids! They are so awesome! After that we all drove to Troyes to baptize Phil because that's the closet baptismal font. When we got the church in Troyes it was super stressful because the other Elders were suppose to have everything ready, but they didn't do anything! So we had to set up everything in like 10 minutes! When the meeting started I just felt so good! Then Brother President Judas baptized Phillipe Quille it was great! The water was freezing cold so I felt really bad for them haha. After I gave a talk about the Holy Ghost. I kind of winged it because I didn't write anything because I wasn't sure that he was going to get baptized until the day before haha. But yeah that was the last day of my 4th transfer! Pretty epic. Today was transfer day. I'm staying with Elder Bayer. Same ol, same ol. They split up our district though. Super sad because they made it so Elder Alexander isn't even in my same zone anymore! So yeah that's my life! Love you guys thanks for the emails. 

-Elder Beck

Week # 28

Elder Snow

What is up everyone?! I had a pretty good week! On Monday it was just normal P day jazz.  It rained like CRAZY, like dumping buckets status. Tuesday was fun, we had exchanges in Troyes it's a super pretty ville right above Auxerre. I was with my District Leader his name is Elder Watts, he is a cool dude. We taught and found a new ami right off that bat, it was really cool. Then we got bailed on twice but we landed on our feet and just taught a recent convert and she fed us so it was a win win situation. We stayed up all night and told ghost stories haha. Wednesday we fished up exchanges! But I got to teach Claire in the morning. She is so tight, she rolled up to the scene with roller blades on haha! It was so funny. She has a lot of interesting views on things. Then after we went around Troyes and she showed us all the cool stuff to do and took our pics in front of stuff haha. Then we went home and we taught Philippe. We taught him stuff then watched the restoration it was pretty powerful and I feel like he has a lot better understanding now. Then we taught a recent convert and she made us food. African food is interesting. Thursday we had apartment inspections. We passed with flying colors haha. They were so impressed about how clean our apartment was and they gave us poppyseed bread and it was really good. Oh btw the people who do apartment inspections are senior couples. They are so nice! And then we remembered that we needed to do weekly planning because we will be in Paris on Friday, so we did that. Then after we went contacting and taught the first guy we saw he was super cool. Then made stuffed peppers for dinner and they were super good. Friday we went to Versailles to hear Elder Snow of the 70 speak just to the Paris Zones! He did a super good job, I was really impressed! We had to run to our train to get there too! We got on as the doors were closing, it was like Indiana Jones status. Me and Elder Alexander found out that we are BFF's that day too. After the conference we got dinner at a really good restaurant right by a tourist attraction called the Grande Arch, it was super cool. It's in a place called Modern Paris. Then after that it stunk, we had to ride all the way back to Paris on a train with no seats.... just sweating to death!  Saturday... DRUM ROLL... 200th day of the mission! Pretty wild! It was a pretty busy day too! We taught Philippe first thing in the morning. Then we taught some lessons contacting. And taught a new ami that me and Elder Lloyd found on exchanges her name is Darena. She is pretty chill, just really quiet so lessons are kinda awk. After that we had a lesson with a old ami named Joseph. He told us he dropped us because he watched a Mormon Documentary. There is a Documentary here that's on the FLDS church, but they just say it's the Mormon so it destroys missionary work. So we had to answer his millions of questions. Sunday was awesome! The Branch President and his wife came home from their vacation! And also a family that we are trying to reactivate came to church! So we were in the double digits woot woot! And we had a good church meeting even though sacrament ended 35 mins early haha. Taught Philippe again. Then after that we went porting all day! So there is my week in a nut shell! Hope you all are doing well! Love you guys!!!!

-Elder Beck

Week # 27
Mother's Day

Bonjour everyone! So let's get this thing started. Last Monday we taught this dude named Gwenal...the lesson started out super weird he like started begging for money...then we told him we're not allowed to do that. He never brought it up again and we taught him the Restoration haha. Tuesday was pretty cool we headed off to Paris first thing in the morning and had district meeting. Walked passed Notre Dame - no big deal ;) it's really not anymore its kinda sad haha. But then I went on an exchange with Elder Lloyd and we straight killed it together! We taught 4 other lessons and found 2 new amis! And one of them loved me because I play guitar so that made me happy:) Then there was this CRAZY DRUNK dude in the park with his fore head cut open. We had to help him. I tried taking a picture, but it was too intense. People called the Ambulance for him - if we didn't help him I guarantee he would be dead right now because he was right by the river! #SavingLives! Wednesday we finished up the exchange with Lloyd. We taught the COOLEST lady that contacted us because she heard us speaking English! Her name was Claire, and she lived in England for 2 years so she was fluent in English! It was so awesome I am teaching her again this Wednesday. She lives in the other Elders area and they are letting me teach her again because she really liked me! I will try and get a picture. Then we visited less active people for the rest of the day. Ok so miracle time - we taught Philippe the Word of Wisdom and then came back to check up on him the next day and he quit smoking and all that stuff 100 percent! It was epic, he had us throw away all of his bad stuff! It was also a French holiday. Then we taught this really old Ami and we actually had a good lesson with her so we will see how that goes! Friday we taught a super cool lady from Madagascar (props to Elder Payne!) She has a family too #Winning. Then we made orange rolls which were delectable, the we did Weekly Planning. Saturday was cool, we started off the day by teaching an American dude who is a missionary for his church and has been for like 25 years...he made us root beer floats! But he thinks he knows our church inside and out, but he doesn't. I liked him. Then we taught Philippe again the Law of Chastity. He doesn't have one problem with that. (phew) Sunday was MOTHERS DAY!! I got to talk to my family, it was the best day of the year haha! NO joke! They are so awesome I love them so much! Thanks to everyone that came! But also  on Sunday we taught Philippe tithing. He wanted to pay it right away. He is a cool dude. I gave the priesthood lesson. Then after that we had dinner and went contacting. People were wondering why we were so happy haha. But honestly super fun week! I hope all y'all had a dope week too! Love you guys! Thanks for all the emails! Stay cute;) 

Elder Your Favorite Beck

-Photos-

--First is Phil's garbage can with his coffee and cigs stuff in it! That's how you know I'm not lying haha

--Second. Cool cathedral we found. 

--Third. That's the kid from Ephrium's Rescue. I like him he is a cool dude-in my District.

Week #26

Phillipe

Bonjour every body! I had a super awesome week this week! On Tuesday we woke up bright and early and headed over to Paris! We had an awesome zone conference and interviews with president! After we had 3hours until our train came, so we just bummed around in Paris and went site seeing it was soooo cool! We saw Centre Pompidu, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame  and kinda saw Le Tour Eiffel all in one day! Then we came home and taught a recent convert,she is super nice. She gave us a referral and walked with us in the pouring rain to show us where she lives! Wednesday was my 6th month mark!!! I can't believe I have already been out here for 6 months. We started off the day SO right by fixing a baptismal date with Philippe - the 25 of May!  He is so excited! Went contacting, then visited a less active family that I have never met and they are really cool! My goal is to get them to come back. They were so amazed when I told them I snowboard. We showed them videos on youtube they thought it was so cool! Thursday nothing big happened just normal missionary stuff. Friday we taught Philippe again. We watched Finding Faith in Christ with him and taught the Plan of Salvation, he seemed really happy and was excited that he would see his wife again. Saturday they called and asked if we would teach Priesthood class. So we had to plan that out. Then we visited a less active guy named Marc who never comes to church. We did some service for a sick lady in the ward. Then we played soccer with Marc and his friends! It was so much fun and we found a new ami through it - his name is Laundry haha. He is 17 from Africa. Cool kid. I feel like doing stuff like that (playing soccer) is just as good of missionary work and porting or whatever else never works. It's good to show people you can still respect Jesus and be normal. And it works obviously. The Priesthood lesson turned out to be for the whole branch so we had to change that really quick. It was good though. It was on the Come and Rejoice with Us talk by Dieter F Uchtdorf. It's one of my favorites. It was testimony meeting and Marc came to church AND he bore his testimony which was really cool. In our branch everyone has to bear their testimony for it to go over 10 minutes...all 6 of them haha. Then after we all broke our fast as a branch, they made food for us which was nice. We all drove up on a hill and prayed for Auxerre. We then taught that Landry kid about the Book of Mormon. That's about it! Thanks everyone for all your emails. Please pray for Philippe so that he can be baptized! Love you guys!!! 

Elder Beck