Week #57

Noel Marches

Hello everybody! 

Tuesday it was a good day. We met a lady on the road in the morning, first person we contacted we taught. We also taught some other people that day. After I talked to Elder Johnson's mom on the phone because the other Elders had to rescue her at the airport because all their stuff got stolen. Make sure if you ever come to France to WATCH YOUR STUFF. Other wise you can just kiss it goodbye. Then we went to the Guerros family house and they fed us and it was super fun.

Wednesday was sweet. We ate lunch at La Defance and then we went and looked around at the Noël Marches. We talked to this really cool American family. Then we taught this really cool guy named Louis in a Starbucks at la Defance again. He is AWESOME he paid for our stuff. And speaks perfect english and prefers we speak in English. He is going on vacation to visit his family for the holidays. So it will be a while until we see him again. But still he was awesome. Then we had COP meeting. There is a new sister in my district, she is from New Zealand.

Thursday we did some contacting in the morning then we weekly planned. It took forever. We went contacting again and found this really cool family of 6. Also I schooled a Jehovas Witness missionary on the road LOL!

 

Friday contacted and taught like 2 people. Then we went to Paris for a while for RDVs. We visited a family at their home in the ward - the Mongas they are the BEST. I love them so much. They invited me over for Christmas so I am super happy about that. 

Saturday in the morning we went to our ami Evlyn's house with a member named Ovoh. She is awesome. Evlynn has a family of 5. We taught the restoration, it was super good. Then we went and sang hymns at an old folks home, it was super funny. Every time we would finish a song this lady that would say "why am I here I don't understand anything" we sang like 10 songs and she said the same thing every time! We then went contacting on the way home. 

Sunday was super good. We found this guy named Victor on Friday. He came to church and we fixed a date with him for the 28th of December! Because he wants to get baptized before the year is over. He is super awesome. Only english speaking as well. We had  a really good lesson with him. We then  went to Aristides house. We were suppose to go to a church concert in Versailles but we didn't.. because our ami bailed. Then we tried singing for people. But yep that's pretty much my week love you guys! 

-Elder Beck

Week #56
He is the Gift

Hey guys! 

Tuesday we had district meeting. I gave my formation on Christmas contacting and using Room in the Inn. Then we did some Christmas finding. 

Wednesday was super cold and long we literally went out finding all day and no one wanted to talk to us. Then we practiced for the musical number that we planned out for the Baptism this week. We had ward meeting. Then some guy from St. George Utah gave me a referral (that I had to pass because he called the wrong équipe) but ya I got to talk to someone from Utah this week so that was cool.  

Thursday we had to do some stuff at St. Merri in Paris then we had to go to La Defence to give the Sisters the Conference magazines. In the afternoon we had an rdv at a members house with someone they wanted us to teach.  On the way over the RER C wasn't working and we had to wait 40 mins for the next one and when it came it was SOOO PACKED. When I got on my feet were not even touching the ground it was crazy! And I thought I lost my companion haha. Almost lost my plaque too, but some guy gave it to me so that was lucky. Later we ate with a member and taught their friend it was great.

Friday it was a busy day. First we did weekly planning. We had to do a lot of stuff for the mission. We were in centre Paris the whole day. I got to see a parade at the L’arc de Triumph it was super cool. The guy who owns our appt. came and inspected it. 

Saturday we had another appt inspection, but this time by the mission. They said it was really clean. But a lot of things need to be fixed. Hopefully they get on that soon. It was transfers and I will be staying here in Paris for Christmas! Actually for 2 months longer because this is an 8 week transfer! Pretty rad. Then I did a baptismal interview for Evlynn she passed and she was so excited she was crying, it was awesome. We had to help the sisters make the program.  Saturday evening we just went and did some finding but my comp was sick so it wasn't for that long.

Sunday was good because we had our baptism and it went really well. I was surprised normally they are really stressfull. We did the musical number, I played the ukulele, it went really well. Then after church we taught a lady named Evlyn and her family with this member named Ovoh. She is awesome, she served a mission in England. But the lesson went good we just talked about Christmas and watched the "He is the Gift" video. It's really good.

Today we saw Napoléon's Tomb (Les Invalides) it's really pretty. I took lots of pics. Thanks for all your emails! Love you guys!
Elder Beck 

-Napoleon's Tomb

-Arch of Triumph at Night

-Le Pont Neuf

Week #55

Happy Thanksgiving

Bonjour everyone! Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! 

Tuesday we had district meeting. I had to give a formation on working with members. It went pretty good. I was pretty sick so it was a little hard. Then I went on an exchange with my zone leaders in Paris it was super cool. They live about 5 minutes from the Eiffel Tower! We just did a lot of contacting it was pretty cool we taught a bunch of people and got like 10 phone numbers. Then we went over to St Ouen (my area) because a Peruvian family from our ward invited us over so we ate with them is was super fun. 

Wednesday we started off the day with morning exercises. We jogged to the Eiffel Tower it was soooo cool seeing the Eiffel Tower that early in the morning. We were the only ones there. Later we taught a lesson in front of the Louvre it was super cool. Then our exchange was over so we went back home and taught this Muslim dude named Loonis. I don't think he is actually interested he just wants to see what we believe, but hey you never know. Then we had DMP meeting.

Thursday was a cool day. I went on another exchange with the other Elders in St Ouen. I went with the new kid. We had to go to the doctors. Then we went to an American store and bought stuffing. After I had to do these call things for the mission it's hard to describe. Later we all went to the church. We bought rotisserie chicken it was super good and had a make shift Thanksgiving dinner it was a blast;)

Friday we had weekly planning. Plus I was pretty sick. Then we taught Betty at night she is super solid! We taught her all the commandments and she didn't have a problem with anything!

Saturday was a good day. We have to start doing "Christmas Contacting" we just talk to people about Christmas. Taught some peeps. Then I went on a little exchange with Elder Brockbank - we went to a less actives house and he had a break down...he just started balling. So we gave him a blessing and he came to church! He is a really nice guy!

Sunday everyone in the appt is sick at this point...and we had to go to church so that was miserable. Then we just went home and slept. That afternoon this guy asked for a blessing who lives close to us so we went over there and gave him a blessing. Then we watched the new "He is the Gift" video it's super good. And just talked about Christmas with him. 

Today so we get a call from the sisters that some homie is at their appt and has their phone number and is trying to get in. So we had to get in normal clothes (incase we had to drop some guy) and head over to their place. The guy had left. but the sisters are still freaked out. Then I just went Christmas shopping. Voila that's my week! Love you guys thank for all your prayers!

 

Elder Beck

-Pics are of the Eiffel Tower. Make shift Thanksgiving Dinner. Me this morning on our way to save the Sisters! 

Week #54

Elder Cook 

Hello everybody! 

Tuesday was a good day! So in the morning and afternoon it was pretty hard, we contacted for 5 hours and no one talked to us. Then at night time we did some porting and more contacting - we taught 3 people and met some really cool people on the road. We ported this building with all English speaking Africans (this building comes into play later in the week). 

Wednesday was EPIC. So we got this referral from the church named Iren Man (no lie, a legit referral and sounds like Iron Man) and we had an RDV with him at St. Denis. On our way there we met this guy named Caesar he was really cool. He said he would come to church (spoiler alert he didn't) but anyway there was a big accident on the trains and it took  Iren Man an hour to show up...so we waited outside the train station next to four Jehovas Witnesses for an hour and it was freezing! I wanted to peace out super bad. But then he shows up with his friend named Sam. We take them to the church in Paris on the Road St Merri and we teach them and it's all in English they don't speak French. We taught the Restoration and it went super good and the spirit was really strong. Then ...drum roll... we fixed 2 baptismal dates with them for the 28th of December! First RDV it was really cool. I felt like I was in Mexico for a second;) But I don't remember what else happened that day, other than 10 Elders stayed the night in our apartment because of what happened Thursday...

Thursday was awesome as well Elder Cook the apostle came to our mission and spoke to us! We had to wake up at 5 am though so that kinda stunk. Elder Cook talked for about 5 minutes about the Spirit, then he just opened up the conference for question and answer session. Only one person got to ask a question because it was really hard question to answer, but he did a good job. He was a super nice guy. Also the WHOLE mission was together all 300 missionaries. That hasn't been done for like 10 years! So I got to see everyone that was cool. After we ate at a members house and taught one of the sister's amis.

Friday we did some good ole' weekly planning. We also found this cool lady named Patricia. Then we went to La Défence to teach this guy named Billy. It took us forever to find him but when we did we taught him the Restoration on the top of the stairs of the Grande Arch - it was pretty cool at night time. I would send a pic but I have no room. It was a good lesson as well!

 

Saturday we had samedi sports. Then we ate. Elder Karl was in Paris so we ate with him so that was cool. We met this cool family from Versailles that aren't members, but they asked if we could teach them.Then we taught Betty with our DMP. We had to move her date though because she hasn't been taught everything just yet. Its for 7th of December! So pray that it goes through. 

Sunday was pretty crazy. So 6 amis said they would come to church...one came (Betty) so she's my favorite. Then when the second hour rolled around they asked me to give the lesson with a 2 second heads up. So Elder Brockbank and I taught the lesson. We just did the Restoration. Then in sacrament this guy bore his testimony (because he was asked to share his testimony for a little bit because he was moving) for 45 minutes!! It was crazy. All the Amis fell asleep. haha. Then we did some work.  

Today! We went to the Sacre Cœur it's probably one of my favorite sights in Paris. We didn't get to go on top, but it was still cool. 

Love you guys thank for everything you do for me!

-Elder Beck 

Pics:

-MTC District 13 months later

-Elder Karl and Me

                                               

Week #53

New fridge 

Hey everyone! 

Tuesday was my last day with E. Rodo. Betty (our ami with a date) invited us over to eat with her. We ate with our DMP...and we ate soooo much food. Then we taught her the Plan of Salvation. She is such a boss she cant wait to be baptized! After we did some finding. Then went over and ate with this awesome Tahitian family in the ward and they made organic chicken it was the best meal ever! It was the ladies birthday, so there was birthday cake and it was just a blast!

Wednesday was transfer day! I got to see Jackson Carson. That was super cool! Got to see a lot of other good friends too! Met my new comp Elder Young. He's a good guy from Layton Utah. Also met the other new Elders Williams and Brockbank they are awesome as well. All really hard workers! After we had DMP meeting and it was really good.

Thursday we went contacting at Enghien Les Bains again. Taught some people. After we had a super good dinner with these awesome members, probably my favorite! They also had a bass guitar and they let me play it. We gave spiritual message on faith and it went really well. They bought us root beer which was great..and ate burritos with their family. We got home pretty late too haha.

Friday was a long day. Lots and lots of contacting. Like all day pretty much other than weekly planning. 

Saturday we got a new fridge and stove so that was awesome! They made me pay 55 euros outta no where though. But the church will reimburse me for that, but at first I was super scared. Then we had this district leader meeting with the ZLs - it's  a new thing they are trying to start doing. We make goals n stuff for the district. After that just lots of contacting!

Sunday was a good day. A  guy from the ward made us lunch. We at in the church with him. He is a nice guy. We had an ami at church so that was good. All the rest of the day we were just finding. We need new amis but just cant find any solid people. Paris is Paris. 

Today we actually got to do some fun stuff. I met up with Rodo and Perry and we went to a Boat Museum right next to the Eiffel Tower! It was actually really cool. Then we got to see the tower. But yeah that's pretty much it for this week! Thanks you guys are the best!!! Love you all.

Elder Beck

-Pics

-At the Tower

-Jackson Carson and Me

-The other Elders and Me at the Museum

Week #52

Staying in Paris, new comp. Elder Young

Sup homies. 

Tuesday was a lot of fun. We had district meeting. I gave a formation (that just dawned on me that "formation" might be a french word...if it is let me know) on teaching skills. It was like a boot camp for teaching skills with just a bunch of games, it was pretty fun. The zone leaders came after we divided sectors because we got a new map. It was pretty fun. We went to an American store we found that sold root beer. So yeah, we spent a good amount of money there. Then a bunch of people were coming into Paris for legality stuff and we had 10 missionaries staying in our appt over night - it was a party! And we went to the l'arc de Triumph to pick them up.

Mercredi (Wednesday) we did some contacting. Then went and saw an ami named Alexis, a man who apparently was baptized in Cote Divore in 2003, but his family wasn't so we taught them the restoration. But they don't live in our sector so we had to pass him ;(.  After we went contacting again and found a dude who only speaks English... 

Thursday we went to a cool place in our sector called Enghien Les Bains and did like 8 hours of work there. It was hard, but it was pretty effective! After that we just worked in our sector...don't really remember too much!

Friday the whole day I was in Chartes doing a baptismal interview...for a 9 year old boy. He passed. His family was really nice. So pretty much the whole day I was in a car or on a train. It was long.

 

Saturday we were suppose to get a new fridge and oven because ours don't work. The homie never showed up... Also we had transfers that day. I am staying in Paris and getting a new comp named Elder Young. Everyone in the apartment besides me is leaving haha. They all got transferred to different areas...but they are all still in Paris, it was really weird.

 

Sunday - Betty, the lady with a baptismal date, came to church for the whole 3 hours. Which never happens in France. She is super awesome. We taught her after. Then we just went out and worked passed by Aristides house and taught him the restoration. Then did some more contacting.

Today we were suppose to get the fridge and oven again...but instead the guy shows up with a dryer... so we had to re-put everything back in the fridge again for the 2nd time...super annoying. Elder Perry (the Tahitian) and I are on an exchange right now so its been a fun P-day, did not get to see anything but we just walked around Paris it was a good break. Thanks for all your emails, I love you guys!

Elder Beck

-District Transfer Pic

-Arc of Triumph at Night

Week #51
My 1 year mark!

Hello people, let's jump right in.

     Tuesday. we had Zone Confrence. It  was really good. A lot of good formations. Then the mail came and I got a ton of mail and postcards! I just wanted to thank all you guys for your support! It really means a lot! Then I had to give a formation. I gave it on "spiritual finding" it went well. Then we had interviews and that was good too. Then I went on an exchange with the Elders in Chartes. We taught their really cool ami. After we went to KFC.

     Wednesday finished up my exchange. Then we taught a cool guy named David on the road.

 

     Thursday was my year mark. yipee!. It was weird to think that a year ago I was in the MTC because I feel like I just left. I had to confidentiality report calls because I'm DL. Then I interviewed this man for Baptism. He passed and he was super happy.  I went on an exchange with Elder Perry and we taught a less active family, they were nice.

     Friday was Halloween.  We didn't do anything. We were supposed to go see a member, but they cancelled.  We had to weekly plan. Then at night time we had to do missionary work so we tried contacting.... it was a fail. We also did phone calls, but no one was answering. That will be the last Halloween as a missionary.

     Saturday we had to help clean the church. Then we played Samedi Sports. It was fun. After we tried visiting a member, but they weren't home. We ate McDonalds. We had to go to the church and prepare for the baptism.

    

     Sunday we had church and a baptism.  We had an ami at church so that was rad. The baptism went well. It was a great week.

Today a member wants us to come over and hang out with him. So that's  why I'm on so early. Talk to you guys next week thank for the emails. Love ya!

Elder Beck