Hello Everyone,

Well, I know that this is coming in a bit late, sorry. I wasn't able to do emails yesterday because I was in trains all day. I have officially left Montauban and I have gone back to an area quite familiar to me. I am now in Aix-en-Provence. Being in Marseille and Toulon before I spent a lot of time in Aix for zone meetings and a bunch of exchanges but now I am actually here. It is a beautiful area with tons of students and people and it is a beautiful city. I am very happy to be here! Anyway, I kind of spilled the beans of my "big news" right at the beginning, oh well. My final week in Montauban was a good one, we had some new investigators, we were able to see some good progression and I am so grateful to be able to hear the testimony of Auguste and how much it has grown.On Monday of last week, actually before we did our emails and all of that, we had a lesson with a girl Auralee and her friend Michelle, who are both very practicing evangilical but open to learn more. We had a pretty good lesson with them. Auralee was definitely the one that was the most interested but in the end even her friend took a Book of Mormon and said that she would read it after we really testified of the importance and how much it has helped us in our lives. Unfortunately they weren't available again until the next week, so we fixed another rendez-vous for the next week and then we headed out to do our groceries and emails, and all of that preparation day stuff.

Tuesday was a bit of a long day. In the morning we did some contacting and met a really nice pregnant girl and fixed a rendez-vous with her for the next week. After lunch, we tried to go and see Frère Truscello but he wasn't home, but we actually ran into him on the street not too long after and we were able to fix a rendez-vous for the next day. We also tried to see Mirabelle but that didn't work out so we did some more pass backs and such. Until the evening when we went and taught Soeur Korpal and her kids. We used an example with play dough and they seemed to enjoy it. It was a nice little lesson and they understood well.

Wednesday was fairly busy, especailly in the afternoon and evening. In the morning we did some more contacting and passing people. In the afternoon we were supposed to have a rendez-vous with a lady but she cancelled it. We went and passed some people and fixed some rendez-vous with them for later. We then had a rendez-vous with Stephanie. We tried to start the third lesson but she was a little bit all over the place talking about work and her troubles with her boyfriend. We helped her understand that by really having a relationship with God, the other problems can work out and can be more manageable. As always, we talked about prayer and that if she wants a relationship with God, she needs to put forth her efforts. We then headed out to see Frère Truscello and he had a few struggles with things. So we discussed that and he just didn't want to listen. The poor guy doesn't have a strong enough testimony because he hasn't personally looked for one so he is easily pushed around by dumb little things. We encouraged him to really search for his own testimony. We then passed Soeur Hoxy and had a nice quick lesson with her, and she said that she would be at church on Sunday. We then hurried to go and see Simon, who lives on the other side of the city. We had a good lesson with him, and he was able to take some time and watch conference, thankfully.

We had District Meeting in Toulouse and so we headed out there and it was great. We really were so strengthened together as missionaries. Elder Fitch and I hurried back to Montauban so that we could get to the Red Cross, I wanted to go at least one last time to say bye to everyone, just in case I was leaving. After the Red Cross, we changed, did some contacting and passing people and then Frère Dieutre came and picked us up to go to their house for dinner. We had a very nice time with them and we were able to talk about the spritiual experiences that we had at conference the weekend before.

Friday morning at 7:30 we received a phone call from President that I was moving to Aix-en-Provence and that Elder Fitch was receiving a new companion in Montauban, I was a bit surprised to be going back to the same general area where I have served my whole mission but I was also super happy and excited. We did weekly planning in the morning, ate, and then went to help Lise do some more painting at her restaurant. After painting and such, she made us a pizza, so we hurried home and ate it and then we hurried to a meeting with the Branch Council. We even had paint all over our hands and I even had some on my face, we didn't have anytime to try and get it off, they all thought something had happened to us. Ha. It was then late so we headed back in.

Saturday we did some contacting and then went with the Corvisier Family to eat with the Haas', since it would be my last time, she invited me. It was very nice and we had a great time. It is nice to talk to members and see their testimonies in the choices that they make everyday. We headed back to town and went and saw Patrick and talked about General Conference, since he wasn't able to go and then I told him goodbye, of course. We then went and saw Stephanie and talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, mainly faith and repentance. She prayed at the end of the lesson again and she said that she would be at church the next day. We then hurried to go and see Soeur Korpal with Soeur Hoxy and we had a nice lesson with them and a bit of a "goodbye". Afterward, we headed home for the evening.

On Sunday it was a little bit sad to leave and tell everybody goodbye but Stephanie came and we had another person come that we contacted awhile ago, and he just showed up, so it was definitely a miracle. During our class for the investigators, we were talking about baptism, and the importance and Auguste bore such a strong testimony to Stephanie. He talked about how much his baptism has changed his life and that he has made a lot of choices and done a lot of things in his life but his decision to be baptized has been the most important decision he has ever made. To hear him say that was probably the most incredible end to my time in Montauban, to hear his testimony so strong about the church. It is like if I am not able to accomplish anything else on my mission, it will be sad and difficult, but that makes up for everything. Every hour of walking, talking, being rejected, days of having nothing to do, his testimony made it all worth it. It was indescribable. After church, Auguste and I said bye and he gave me his hat so that I have something to remember him by. It was very nice of him, but he had already given me so much already with his testimony. I will really miss him. After church we ate with a couple families who were eating after church together, so that was nice and then I hurried home to pack, because I had a lot to do. That evening, Frère Dieutre came and picked us up again and we went to their house for the last time for dinner. We had a wonderful time and then they took us home and we said goodbye.

My time in Montauban, was not easy but in retrospect, I am grateful for the experiences that I had there. There were definitely moments of trials and hardships but many blessings and miracles. My last weekend in Montauban was a good one and I am ready to put my faith and confidence in the Lord to see what he has in store for me here in Aix-en-Provence.

I love you all, take care, never lose your faith and hope.

Elder Kirkpatrick

ETHAN'S NEW ADDRESS IS LISTED TO THE RIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU TAKE NOTE SO HE GETS HIS MAIL!