Cher Famille,
I'm leaving in 10 DAYS!
Devotional this week went 35 minutes over! David Evans spoke parts were straight out of chapter five of preach my gospel and the part that he came up with were really good!
We finally got a baptismal date set up for Bang-Feng. It came on Tuesday and on Wednesday we started teaching the commandments. he is going to church this Sunday and he is going to pay tithing. his name is weird because he is from china and he said that he hasn't told his parents that he is joining the church yet. Soeur Gifford and I keep encouraging him to tell his family. we are fasting with him on Saturday so that he can increase his faith and tell them.
so in French, we don't call investigators investigators. we call them "amis de l'eglise" which means "friends of the church." isn't that so much cooler?
The TRC this week was good. we taught the plan of salvation to someone who had lost her brother to cancer and since has turned to alcohol for comfort. There were 2 girls in there and afterwards we found out they were both native French speakers and that they could understand us! I felt good that I good mostly understand them. neither were the fast speakers of Paris, so here's to hoping I meet Malagacains and Swiss.
The RC yesterday was bien! We started chatting with someone named Robert. he is struggling with an addiction and so we talked to him a lot about the atonement and fasting and praying. Soeur Gifford and I are fasting with him on Saturday and going to chat again on Sunday. He is reading Alma 7, 36, and a talk by James E. Faust called the “Power to Change. It is sad that he has this addiction, but it's something I'll probably face a lot in France.
WE GOT OUR FLIGHT PLANS YESTERDAY! HOLLA! We are leaving the MTC at 1:30 P.M. and our flight is at 4:45 P.M.
Relief Society this last Sunday was awesome! Have I told you about Relief Society yet? All the sisters go to the gym and they arrange for someone to come and speak with us. The first time it was Elaine S. Dalton and this last week it was someone from the R.S. board, it was the best EVER! so good!
Last week there was an exchange with a companionship in the other district and one of them came into ours. I wasn't super thrilled at first just because I thought the reasoning was lame [which I have learned how to say in French]. Plus it didn't seem like the elder was enjoying our district very much and he kept comparing it to the other district. anyway, during planning on Thursday he said we should be more charitable and he started one of those "I'm going to say something I like about everyone things." At first it was kinda silly, but then it got really serious and people were starting to tear up, myself included. It made me really sad to leave. Everyone said I had great energy and enthusiasm and that I always try on my French even if it doesn't make sense, I always try. One of the elders said I'm going to be a great mother. Weird-ish, but whatevs, awesome at the same time. Just a great experience.
also, I would like to report that when I talk in my sleep I SPEAK FRENCH! pretty awesome huh? I love it!
Everyone- listen to Elder Andersen's latest conference talk in French. it's the bomb because he translates it himself!
love and miss you all! can't wait to chat in ten days!
soeur camille
Monday 19 October 2009
October 7
Cher Famille,
This week, we started our new planner! HOLLA! That was very strange to realize just how long I've been here and how little time we have left! 17 days! At the beginning of the week one of our teachers gave us a talk about "enduring to the end" and continuing to study and to learn and perfect our French and not get too excited about leaving that we can't focus. I definitely needed that talk because I just think that I am so ready to leave...even though I'm probably not.
We received 22 new missionaries to the zone on Wednesday. Only one is going to Paris and it's an elder, so whatevs. Tonight is a zone activity so hopefully we can get to know them a little bit better.
I may receive my flight plans tomorrow! If it is the same flight plan I gave to the French government, my flight is on OCTOBER 26 at 4:45 P.M. I heard it will be, so be expecting calls the hours before that.
This week my ankles have been hurting me when I run. The athletic trainer said it's a muscle in my calf and that I need to take a break and stretch it really good and ice it. hopefully this week I can return to running, as boring as it is. It is starting to get too cold for outside gym time. Saturday croquet is still possible, but most likely no outside volleyball :(
Mom- merci pour la package. Very grateful. I love the nylons! So much better than the ones in the bookstore! The pictures were awesome! I loved them! A lot of times our "investigators" ask about our families and so it is nice to have a picture to show them so they associate us as people, not just missionaries
Dad- I would tell you to have your young men learn French because it is so much cooler, but chances are they will all go Spanish speaking. everyone is speaking Spanish. however, in the last 30 baptism rates in Europe have risen 50% and Elder Uchtdorf said that there will be a great harvest in Europe in the future. I hope you got to watch it. I feel like Elder Andersen is my apostle, that all of his talks have something I need to hear. all of them.
There was a companionship exchange and one of the elders from the other district had to come to mine. Weak sauce and it totally threw off the dynamic of our district and he talks about how his other teachers are better and he likes the other class better. I want to say "well, then you should have learned how to get along with your comp," but I don't. I just think of how much I didn't like Soeur Lavaka when I met and for the first couple weeks, but that's the only thing that makes me sad about leaving, that I'll be leaving her behind. so grateful for the opportunity to get to know her and learn how to overcome differences. the song "for good" from wicked is a great one for missionary companionships.
Oh, I shared Alma22:18 with Bang-Feng. Read that, and figure out what he got from that verse.
peace & love fam,
soeur camille
This week, we started our new planner! HOLLA! That was very strange to realize just how long I've been here and how little time we have left! 17 days! At the beginning of the week one of our teachers gave us a talk about "enduring to the end" and continuing to study and to learn and perfect our French and not get too excited about leaving that we can't focus. I definitely needed that talk because I just think that I am so ready to leave...even though I'm probably not.
We received 22 new missionaries to the zone on Wednesday. Only one is going to Paris and it's an elder, so whatevs. Tonight is a zone activity so hopefully we can get to know them a little bit better.
I may receive my flight plans tomorrow! If it is the same flight plan I gave to the French government, my flight is on OCTOBER 26 at 4:45 P.M. I heard it will be, so be expecting calls the hours before that.
This week my ankles have been hurting me when I run. The athletic trainer said it's a muscle in my calf and that I need to take a break and stretch it really good and ice it. hopefully this week I can return to running, as boring as it is. It is starting to get too cold for outside gym time. Saturday croquet is still possible, but most likely no outside volleyball :(
Mom- merci pour la package. Very grateful. I love the nylons! So much better than the ones in the bookstore! The pictures were awesome! I loved them! A lot of times our "investigators" ask about our families and so it is nice to have a picture to show them so they associate us as people, not just missionaries
Dad- I would tell you to have your young men learn French because it is so much cooler, but chances are they will all go Spanish speaking. everyone is speaking Spanish. however, in the last 30 baptism rates in Europe have risen 50% and Elder Uchtdorf said that there will be a great harvest in Europe in the future. I hope you got to watch it. I feel like Elder Andersen is my apostle, that all of his talks have something I need to hear. all of them.
There was a companionship exchange and one of the elders from the other district had to come to mine. Weak sauce and it totally threw off the dynamic of our district and he talks about how his other teachers are better and he likes the other class better. I want to say "well, then you should have learned how to get along with your comp," but I don't. I just think of how much I didn't like Soeur Lavaka when I met and for the first couple weeks, but that's the only thing that makes me sad about leaving, that I'll be leaving her behind. so grateful for the opportunity to get to know her and learn how to overcome differences. the song "for good" from wicked is a great one for missionary companionships.
Oh, I shared Alma22:18 with Bang-Feng. Read that, and figure out what he got from that verse.
peace & love fam,
soeur camille
October 2
Dear Famille,
I would like to inform you all of my victory at croquet last Saturday. while it appeared Elder Millman would win since he finished first and had poisoned three people, I ended up winning and getting him and Soeur Lavaka out. that's right Pobst/Van Dusen Fam, I represent.
oh man I am so stoked pour conference this weekend! ah! almost everyday this week I would watch old conference talks...it was the best. we didn't watch the relief society broadcast last week because we watch it when the elders watch priesthood session.
this week...I guess we missed the boat on committing Bang-Feng to baptism. the teacher told us that we could have, so I guess we need to pay more attention to the spirit in the future. the TRC was good this week, we taught an elder that was on leave from his mission due to medical stuff so our French was about the same level. it is insane how much better my French is when I am teaching...maybe I should just teach all the time? we usually teach someone at least once a day in French. there's this one elder that grew up in Paris and he's kinda a tool and speaks really fast French. . his comp is from France and going to my mission and he is nice and always explains things really slow and is very helpful.
the RC this week was not fun. I chatted with the guy from last week that didn't believe the atonement and he believes it's his duty to get on mormon.org and harass missionaries. I found out that he has actually talked to a bunch of missionaries. very disheartening. however, a couple weeks ago I had a phone call with a lady and we just talked about the church and she said she wasn't interested now, but possibly later. I totally forgot about it until last night when my teacher had some spare time so he went and listened to our phone calls. he told me it was a good call so I'll probably call her tonight and invite her to conference.
this week my teacher said this about my French to the class. "you should all be like Soeur Pobst. she doesn't really plan what she's going to say before she says it and she doesn't really conjugate her verbs, but I can tell she's trying and that makes me think about what she's saying to try and figure it out. she's just throwing herself into the French." I'm pretty sure that's a compliment. I just get so wrapped up in it when I'm teaching I don't have time to conjugate and they usually all sound the same anyway...pretty sure I also always talk in present tense.
Well fam! love ya! miss ya!
soeur camille
I would like to inform you all of my victory at croquet last Saturday. while it appeared Elder Millman would win since he finished first and had poisoned three people, I ended up winning and getting him and Soeur Lavaka out. that's right Pobst/Van Dusen Fam, I represent.
oh man I am so stoked pour conference this weekend! ah! almost everyday this week I would watch old conference talks...it was the best. we didn't watch the relief society broadcast last week because we watch it when the elders watch priesthood session.
this week...I guess we missed the boat on committing Bang-Feng to baptism. the teacher told us that we could have, so I guess we need to pay more attention to the spirit in the future. the TRC was good this week, we taught an elder that was on leave from his mission due to medical stuff so our French was about the same level. it is insane how much better my French is when I am teaching...maybe I should just teach all the time? we usually teach someone at least once a day in French. there's this one elder that grew up in Paris and he's kinda a tool and speaks really fast French. . his comp is from France and going to my mission and he is nice and always explains things really slow and is very helpful.
the RC this week was not fun. I chatted with the guy from last week that didn't believe the atonement and he believes it's his duty to get on mormon.org and harass missionaries. I found out that he has actually talked to a bunch of missionaries. very disheartening. however, a couple weeks ago I had a phone call with a lady and we just talked about the church and she said she wasn't interested now, but possibly later. I totally forgot about it until last night when my teacher had some spare time so he went and listened to our phone calls. he told me it was a good call so I'll probably call her tonight and invite her to conference.
this week my teacher said this about my French to the class. "you should all be like Soeur Pobst. she doesn't really plan what she's going to say before she says it and she doesn't really conjugate her verbs, but I can tell she's trying and that makes me think about what she's saying to try and figure it out. she's just throwing herself into the French." I'm pretty sure that's a compliment. I just get so wrapped up in it when I'm teaching I don't have time to conjugate and they usually all sound the same anyway...pretty sure I also always talk in present tense.
Well fam! love ya! miss ya!
soeur camille
Friday 2 October 2009
Letter From September 25, 2009
September 25, 2009
Famille,
I wish I could write to you on Monday because all the really cool stuff happens on Saturday and Sunday!
On Saturday in class our teacher had us write down what was important to us, what our worries, hopes and such were. I started tearing up because this mtc experience has made me really re-think what's important and evaluate things.
Obviously what was important to me is all of you and the gospel. My worries were the language and I had just finished writing that when the teacher told us to switch with our comps and teach them about what they wrote. It was just so awesome. Soeur Gifford taught me about the worry of the language. She said when we taught our lesson in French, that even though my sentences were so simple, they were filled with truth and she could feel the spirit very strong. Such a great experience.
Many of you have asked how the language is coming. My answer is that it is coming; I am speaking it more, probably mostly wrong since I don't conjugate my verbs. I can mostly understand in lessons the concerns of investigators, sometimes I understand wrong, but most the time I don't. I have taught four lessons in French. One of the progressing investigators is this teacher named Frere Garrett and he scares everyone, even other teachers. He just really tough on you and won't speak English EVER. We have taught him three times. I asked him to read 3 Nephi 11 & 17. When we went back on Thursday he said that he liked it and wanted to believe in Jesus. Score.
On Sunday, we always have a district meeting and a companionship is assigned to teach a lesson. It is hard when the counselor in the branch presidency doesn't pay attention to what anyone says or the lesson so no one ever says anything. However, this Sunday it was just us and it was insanely spiritual. This was also the day after we had that super spiritual experience, so to end it off we all bore our testimonies. It was awesome.
Oh, so back to the French coming along. Yesterday I asked my teacher a question in French and he was like "you have made great progress in this last week." the super scary teacher also said my French was getting better and so did Soeur Gifford. Good to hear, but still a lot that I need to do!
I saw Jimmy Cozza this week wheeling some laundry and we said hey. It’s interesting when I see people that I know. I also heard from like 3 people that E. Smart going to Paris and there is only like 16 sisters in the mission so we could be comps sometime. I could only imagine her testimony of God is aware of you.
Dad, you may be glad that I can hear about the BYU football games but I'm not! The elders in my district get so crazy! They could hardly concentrate last Saturday in class! Plus, a bunch of teachers take off when BYU plays and so that makes it tough sometimes.
The plan of salvation is the best. We’ve been studying that this week and teaching it like all the time! I also have been reading all the pre-earth mentioning’s in Jesus the Christ and my brain has been hurting.
Yesterday in the RC I was chatting with someone who just didn't understand the atonement at all. He was quoting all these scriptures to me and he even quoted miracle of forgiveness! I talked to him for 2 hours...he's born again and I think that he is trying to convert me? This reminds me, when I was on the plane coming back from San Fran some Jehovah witnesses tried to contact me. Silly people, I'm on a mission, you'd think they'd know that I am pretty sure in my beliefs.
We finally made it to the morning sister only work out classes and it was great! I felt so energized! Last week we started Saturday croquet. It was the best. I had the best outfit! Oh man! I hope I can come up with something good for this week...
Well everyone, keep living and loving! Check out the Mormon message by Thomas S. Monson!
Love ya all! Miss ya all!
soeur camille
Famille,
I wish I could write to you on Monday because all the really cool stuff happens on Saturday and Sunday!
On Saturday in class our teacher had us write down what was important to us, what our worries, hopes and such were. I started tearing up because this mtc experience has made me really re-think what's important and evaluate things.
Obviously what was important to me is all of you and the gospel. My worries were the language and I had just finished writing that when the teacher told us to switch with our comps and teach them about what they wrote. It was just so awesome. Soeur Gifford taught me about the worry of the language. She said when we taught our lesson in French, that even though my sentences were so simple, they were filled with truth and she could feel the spirit very strong. Such a great experience.
Many of you have asked how the language is coming. My answer is that it is coming; I am speaking it more, probably mostly wrong since I don't conjugate my verbs. I can mostly understand in lessons the concerns of investigators, sometimes I understand wrong, but most the time I don't. I have taught four lessons in French. One of the progressing investigators is this teacher named Frere Garrett and he scares everyone, even other teachers. He just really tough on you and won't speak English EVER. We have taught him three times. I asked him to read 3 Nephi 11 & 17. When we went back on Thursday he said that he liked it and wanted to believe in Jesus. Score.
On Sunday, we always have a district meeting and a companionship is assigned to teach a lesson. It is hard when the counselor in the branch presidency doesn't pay attention to what anyone says or the lesson so no one ever says anything. However, this Sunday it was just us and it was insanely spiritual. This was also the day after we had that super spiritual experience, so to end it off we all bore our testimonies. It was awesome.
Oh, so back to the French coming along. Yesterday I asked my teacher a question in French and he was like "you have made great progress in this last week." the super scary teacher also said my French was getting better and so did Soeur Gifford. Good to hear, but still a lot that I need to do!
I saw Jimmy Cozza this week wheeling some laundry and we said hey. It’s interesting when I see people that I know. I also heard from like 3 people that E. Smart going to Paris and there is only like 16 sisters in the mission so we could be comps sometime. I could only imagine her testimony of God is aware of you.
Dad, you may be glad that I can hear about the BYU football games but I'm not! The elders in my district get so crazy! They could hardly concentrate last Saturday in class! Plus, a bunch of teachers take off when BYU plays and so that makes it tough sometimes.
The plan of salvation is the best. We’ve been studying that this week and teaching it like all the time! I also have been reading all the pre-earth mentioning’s in Jesus the Christ and my brain has been hurting.
Yesterday in the RC I was chatting with someone who just didn't understand the atonement at all. He was quoting all these scriptures to me and he even quoted miracle of forgiveness! I talked to him for 2 hours...he's born again and I think that he is trying to convert me? This reminds me, when I was on the plane coming back from San Fran some Jehovah witnesses tried to contact me. Silly people, I'm on a mission, you'd think they'd know that I am pretty sure in my beliefs.
We finally made it to the morning sister only work out classes and it was great! I felt so energized! Last week we started Saturday croquet. It was the best. I had the best outfit! Oh man! I hope I can come up with something good for this week...
Well everyone, keep living and loving! Check out the Mormon message by Thomas S. Monson!
Love ya all! Miss ya all!
soeur camille
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