Hello Everyone!
Of course I have to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, even if I am a day late. I hope that you all had a wonderful time and that you were able to really spend time together and be in this spirit of Christmas. This was a great week and we were able to see some great Christmas miracles in finding some new awesome investigators!
On Monday evening, I must include this because it was pretty awesome, we went to a little hole in the wall Mexican food restaurant where I ate a burrito and, hold your breath, a root beer!!! The Root Beer was 3 euros, ouch, but it was totally worth it, since I hadn't had one in about a year, when I was in Marseille. It was so good and the burrito wasn't quite like Mexican food in Arizona, but it was probably the best to be found here in France!
Tuesday was supposed to start out with a rende-vous but it ended up getting cancelled so we did some contacting and such until the afternoon when we went with the other missionaries and drove to a little village about 40 minutes away where a member from Marseille moved in. That ended up taking a good amount of time and then we went to see Frère Philibeaux and we had a good lesson with him. We then went and did some Street Meeting and then saw Irma and her daughters and had a quick little lesson with them.
Wednesday we had a lesson with Jinane in the morning and tried to help her understand the importance of Christ. We even had a member that was Muslam before but converted. She shared her testimony but the idea of seeing Jesus as the Christ and Redeemer is a huge block for her and she has a very hard time understanding or seeing why his role is important. After we quickly ate lunch, we went and did a "Brochure Flood", in trying to win a competition for the zone. We ended up giving out 75 brochures in one hour and getting several numbers and such. It was really cool and very fun to do, to kind of spice things up a bit. We then hurried to see Becca one last time before she left to go back to the US because she finished her semester here in France. We had a nice message about Noel and then we stayed for English Class. Unfortunately, all of the students have left so no one showed up. We did some contacting and then headed back home.
Thursday was our big Christmas Zone Conference and it was great. We were able to share the Christmas spirit and really enjoy the company of each other and get to be spiritually edified, it was really great. After, we headed to see Eva, a new investigator. We had a great lesson with her. She had so many awesome questions and was really interested by the message. Unfortunately she was leaving the next day for a week and a half on vacation but she has the Book of Mormon to read and she said that she would take the time during vacation to read and pray about it. We then hurried to our meeting with the Ward Mission Leader and then went and saw Irma. We weren't able to share much because there were some members in her apartment from the Ward fixing a broken window. It was great to see the real charity that is in the church.
Friday morning we had a whole bunch of rendez-vous at the institute building so we spent the morning and the beginning of the afternoon there. It started with a lesson with Jinane. She is doing well but seeming to get a little discouraged that she hasn't received any answer yet from God. We tried to explain how that works and that it comes little by little and that he has already shown little things but that maybe she isn't seeing that. We engaged her to read and pray every single day while she is on vacation for the next week and a half so I hope that she will see the impact in her life. Afterwards we had a lesson with a girl named Anna that actually thought we were the Jehovah's Witnesses. We cleared that confusion up and then presented our message. She was very open and willing to do her efforts to find out for herself see everything is true. We then ate a bit, we fixed lunch for the member that helped us with all of these lessons, and then we had a lesson with Wan Qing. It had been awhile since we had been able to see her but we had a good lesson with her about Christmas and the real meaning and importance. We then hurried to make some truffles really fast for the next day before meeting with the other missionary to go to The Kool family's house for dinner and to practice the songs that we were going to sing on Sunday for Sacrament Meeting.
Saturday we did our weekly planning and then passed by Irma to give her some Truffles and then went to meet some other members to sing christmas songs in the center of town. We did that for a few hours and then headed to a lesson that didn't work out but then met the other missionaries to go to the Gerard's house for dinner. We were with a bunch of the young adults that don't have their family here and so it was really nice. The food was delicious and there was SO much. We had snails and foie gras and mussels and lamb and salad and fruit and dessert. It was very much a traditional French meal and it was delicious!
Sunday we woke up and of course opened up our presents. We then went to church and Irma and her daughters were able to come as well. Church was great and the songs that we had to sing ended up turning out well. We then went to the Myulderman's house to eat lunch and afterwards I was stuffed. We then went to the Kool's house to skype our families and then we had dinner after that. Needless to say, I was ridiculously full after all of that!! It was a great day and it was great to be able to talk and "see" some of my family.
I hope that all of you have had a great Christmas and are looking forward 2012 and all the wonderful blessings that that will bring. I love you all and appreciate all of the love and support that I receive from you. Have a great week!
Elder Kirkpatrick
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Hello Everyone,
I hope that you all have had a great week this week and continue to feel the wonderful spirit of Christmas. I love you all and want you to know how much I appreciate all of you, honestly. During this Christmas period, I realize how important and how grateful I am for the friends and family that I have and for the love and the support that I receive from all of you.
It has been another good week here in Aix and wow is the temperature really starting to cool down. Things are going well and the work is moving along little by little.
This week we were invited quite a bit to eat with the members and it started Monday evening. It was good and I ate my very first escargot (snail) since I have been in France! It was actually not that bad at all. Yes, it was quite ugly to look at and kind of gross in that aspect, but the taste was actually not that bad. I would probably eat it again if the opportunity presents itself.
On Tuesday we did lots of contacting and talking to people. We met a lot of really nice people and were able to set up some rendez-vous for later. In the evening we had a quick lesson with Erica and Jennifer, and then hurried to go to the other side of the city to have dinner with a family from the ward. The Dad isn't a member but the rest of the family are members. We had a nice lesson and had a nice evening with them.
Wednesday, we had another lesson with Jinane and talked about how she could receive an answer for herself that all of these things are true. It was a great lesson. She still has some questions and confusions but she is progressing. After her, in the afternoon, we went and saw Madame Casale because her husband died last week and she has a lot of physical problems as well, she needed some help around her house so we helped do some things and she had quite a list, so it ended up taking a long time. After, we met the other missionaries to go out to another family's house for dinner. We had a nice time with them and it is always great to see the spirit of Christmas amongst families.
In the morning on Thursday, we had a District Meeting and then we all ate together. We headed to see Frère Philibeaux after and had a nice lesson with him. We then did some contacting and such until our meeting with the Ward Mission Leader and then hurried to see Irma and her daughters because Irma got back from Honduras! She had an awesome time and was so excited to show us pictures of her family and all of the things that she did. It was really great.
Friday started out with a lesson with Jinane. She had a lot of questions about pretty much everything and so we focused on what was more important to know. All of the tiny little details or that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true, and we found out that a big difficulty that she was having was seeing Jesus Christ as Savior and not just as a prophet. So we spent a lot of time talking about that and how she can know for herself. We went home and ate and then went and passed a few people, and passed an old investigator and she happened to be there. We gave her a spiritual thought and she was very nice but had some very interesting ideas.... like her ability to heal people, the fact that she thinks spirits enter into her body and she doesn't know if what she desires is always her spirit that is desiring it or someone else.... anyway, the things a little weird. After her, we went across the city to go to the church building for a meeting with the young adult counsel and then we stayed for the ward activity. They actually had us, the missionaries, participate in playing a little game show type of thing. Everyone seemed to have a really great time.
Saturday, we played Soccer in the morning with members and investigators and then went in to do our studies. We ended up doing a lot of contacting that day. In the evening, we went and saw Irma again and had a nice lesson with her and her daughters.
Sunday, we went to church and all of the lessons were really good. After church, we had a lesson with a new investigator named Nelson that has met the missionaries a few different times in different countries. He is very nice and open and has lot of questions. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and of course engaged him to read and pray about it. He said that he would but he is leaving for Paris for two weeks so we won't be able to see him for awhile. After that, we ended up going to the church to make some cookies really fast for some members that we were going to eat with, but it didn't end up working out so we went home and did our weekly planning.
Voilà, that was our week. Things are going well even when it is just the little things. I hope you all have a wonderful week and of course that you have a Merry Christmas. Don't forget the importance of the Savior in each one of your lives, in whichever place he may hold for you, don't forget his importance and let this season be about a lot more than just the presents and the food, but a spirit of love and giving towards all. I love you all and Joyeux Noël!
Elder Ethan Kirkpatrick
I hope that you all have had a great week this week and continue to feel the wonderful spirit of Christmas. I love you all and want you to know how much I appreciate all of you, honestly. During this Christmas period, I realize how important and how grateful I am for the friends and family that I have and for the love and the support that I receive from all of you.
It has been another good week here in Aix and wow is the temperature really starting to cool down. Things are going well and the work is moving along little by little.
This week we were invited quite a bit to eat with the members and it started Monday evening. It was good and I ate my very first escargot (snail) since I have been in France! It was actually not that bad at all. Yes, it was quite ugly to look at and kind of gross in that aspect, but the taste was actually not that bad. I would probably eat it again if the opportunity presents itself.
On Tuesday we did lots of contacting and talking to people. We met a lot of really nice people and were able to set up some rendez-vous for later. In the evening we had a quick lesson with Erica and Jennifer, and then hurried to go to the other side of the city to have dinner with a family from the ward. The Dad isn't a member but the rest of the family are members. We had a nice lesson and had a nice evening with them.
Wednesday, we had another lesson with Jinane and talked about how she could receive an answer for herself that all of these things are true. It was a great lesson. She still has some questions and confusions but she is progressing. After her, in the afternoon, we went and saw Madame Casale because her husband died last week and she has a lot of physical problems as well, she needed some help around her house so we helped do some things and she had quite a list, so it ended up taking a long time. After, we met the other missionaries to go out to another family's house for dinner. We had a nice time with them and it is always great to see the spirit of Christmas amongst families.
In the morning on Thursday, we had a District Meeting and then we all ate together. We headed to see Frère Philibeaux after and had a nice lesson with him. We then did some contacting and such until our meeting with the Ward Mission Leader and then hurried to see Irma and her daughters because Irma got back from Honduras! She had an awesome time and was so excited to show us pictures of her family and all of the things that she did. It was really great.
Friday started out with a lesson with Jinane. She had a lot of questions about pretty much everything and so we focused on what was more important to know. All of the tiny little details or that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true, and we found out that a big difficulty that she was having was seeing Jesus Christ as Savior and not just as a prophet. So we spent a lot of time talking about that and how she can know for herself. We went home and ate and then went and passed a few people, and passed an old investigator and she happened to be there. We gave her a spiritual thought and she was very nice but had some very interesting ideas.... like her ability to heal people, the fact that she thinks spirits enter into her body and she doesn't know if what she desires is always her spirit that is desiring it or someone else.... anyway, the things a little weird. After her, we went across the city to go to the church building for a meeting with the young adult counsel and then we stayed for the ward activity. They actually had us, the missionaries, participate in playing a little game show type of thing. Everyone seemed to have a really great time.
Saturday, we played Soccer in the morning with members and investigators and then went in to do our studies. We ended up doing a lot of contacting that day. In the evening, we went and saw Irma again and had a nice lesson with her and her daughters.
Sunday, we went to church and all of the lessons were really good. After church, we had a lesson with a new investigator named Nelson that has met the missionaries a few different times in different countries. He is very nice and open and has lot of questions. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and of course engaged him to read and pray about it. He said that he would but he is leaving for Paris for two weeks so we won't be able to see him for awhile. After that, we ended up going to the church to make some cookies really fast for some members that we were going to eat with, but it didn't end up working out so we went home and did our weekly planning.
Voilà, that was our week. Things are going well even when it is just the little things. I hope you all have a wonderful week and of course that you have a Merry Christmas. Don't forget the importance of the Savior in each one of your lives, in whichever place he may hold for you, don't forget his importance and let this season be about a lot more than just the presents and the food, but a spirit of love and giving towards all. I love you all and Joyeux Noël!
Elder Ethan Kirkpatrick
Monday, December 12, 2011
Hello Everyone,
Well Christmas is definitely in the air, it is getting chilly, everyone is hurrying up to do their Christmas shopping and to decorate and everything. But it is also a wonderful opportunity that we have to be together as a family and remember the great gift that Christ gave for each and every one of us. We had another pretty good week here in Aix, and I spent a little bit of time in Avignon as well, which was nice too.
Tuesday we did some good contacting in the morning and then in the afternoon went to institute because Jinane was going to be there. It was a good lesson and she seemed to enjoy it. We then went to see Frère Phillibeaux and he told us that just somehow he knew that we would be coming that day. We had a great lesson with him and it is still so amazing to me to see this man who was inactive during thirty years of his life continue to cultivate his testimony and grow stronger and stronger, it is incredible. We then went and taught Kim, a recent convert who is super strong, and then we were supposed to eat with a family but it got cancelled so we did some pass backs for the evening.
Wednesday we had a lesson with Jinane in the morning and it was a little rough. We didn't exactly have the responses that she wanted and it was obvious that it wasn't the best lesson. Afterwards we were invited by a member to eat at Flunch, a restaurant, and it was very good and we had a nice time. Afterwards we did some porting and then we went and saw the Sinquin family for the last time before they move to Nice. We watched the Joseph Smith movie and it was really great. Unfortunately, we had to leave pretty quick because we met the other missionaries to go practice some songs we are singing for Christmas with a family in the ward and then we ate with them afterward. Lots of eating that day...
Thursday, we did some contacting and actually found someone to teach for that afternoon. We ate and then went and taught her and had a pretty good lesson but she was only going to be in Aix for a few more days before returning to Iran. So it couldn't be much more than a first lesson. We then did some contacting, had a rendez-vous fixed but he didn't show up and then we went and saw Jennifer and Erica and had a pretty good lesson with them as well.
Friday we saw Jinane and cleared up some concerns she had and talked about how much perserverance and diligence is necessary in receiving an answer. The lesson went a lot better, thankfully. We then ate lunch and then I headed to Avignon to be with Elder Bonnett. We had to finish his studies, because he has extra, since he is new, and then we just did some door to door in the evening. It was a good thing because we stumbled into a less active member and was able to fix a rendez-vous with her.
Saturday we went and did some Street Meeting and it was freezing! We met some great people though and I had some really good conversations with people. I realized how much I do enjoy talking and conversing with people. We then came back and ate and did some studies and then stopped by to see one of their investigators before heading back to Aix. In the evening we did a little bit of contacting and then saw Erica and Jennifer and had a good lesson with them. It progresses, very slowly but always a bit.
On Sunday, I had the pleasure of going up to Manosque with Elder Smith. The Branch up there was very nice and church was great. We then taught an eternel investigator and then headed back down. We ate and then we went to the church for the Christmas Devotional by the first presidency. It was a really good meeting focused on the birth of our Savior, it was really great. We then headed in to do our weekly planning that we had missed earlier in the week.
Voilà, that was our week this week. It was pretty busy, which was good. I hope that you all of a great week. I love you all and hope you make this time of year particularly special. Have a great week!
Elder Kirkpatrick
Well Christmas is definitely in the air, it is getting chilly, everyone is hurrying up to do their Christmas shopping and to decorate and everything. But it is also a wonderful opportunity that we have to be together as a family and remember the great gift that Christ gave for each and every one of us. We had another pretty good week here in Aix, and I spent a little bit of time in Avignon as well, which was nice too.
Tuesday we did some good contacting in the morning and then in the afternoon went to institute because Jinane was going to be there. It was a good lesson and she seemed to enjoy it. We then went to see Frère Phillibeaux and he told us that just somehow he knew that we would be coming that day. We had a great lesson with him and it is still so amazing to me to see this man who was inactive during thirty years of his life continue to cultivate his testimony and grow stronger and stronger, it is incredible. We then went and taught Kim, a recent convert who is super strong, and then we were supposed to eat with a family but it got cancelled so we did some pass backs for the evening.
Wednesday we had a lesson with Jinane in the morning and it was a little rough. We didn't exactly have the responses that she wanted and it was obvious that it wasn't the best lesson. Afterwards we were invited by a member to eat at Flunch, a restaurant, and it was very good and we had a nice time. Afterwards we did some porting and then we went and saw the Sinquin family for the last time before they move to Nice. We watched the Joseph Smith movie and it was really great. Unfortunately, we had to leave pretty quick because we met the other missionaries to go practice some songs we are singing for Christmas with a family in the ward and then we ate with them afterward. Lots of eating that day...
Thursday, we did some contacting and actually found someone to teach for that afternoon. We ate and then went and taught her and had a pretty good lesson but she was only going to be in Aix for a few more days before returning to Iran. So it couldn't be much more than a first lesson. We then did some contacting, had a rendez-vous fixed but he didn't show up and then we went and saw Jennifer and Erica and had a pretty good lesson with them as well.
Friday we saw Jinane and cleared up some concerns she had and talked about how much perserverance and diligence is necessary in receiving an answer. The lesson went a lot better, thankfully. We then ate lunch and then I headed to Avignon to be with Elder Bonnett. We had to finish his studies, because he has extra, since he is new, and then we just did some door to door in the evening. It was a good thing because we stumbled into a less active member and was able to fix a rendez-vous with her.
Saturday we went and did some Street Meeting and it was freezing! We met some great people though and I had some really good conversations with people. I realized how much I do enjoy talking and conversing with people. We then came back and ate and did some studies and then stopped by to see one of their investigators before heading back to Aix. In the evening we did a little bit of contacting and then saw Erica and Jennifer and had a good lesson with them. It progresses, very slowly but always a bit.
On Sunday, I had the pleasure of going up to Manosque with Elder Smith. The Branch up there was very nice and church was great. We then taught an eternel investigator and then headed back down. We ate and then we went to the church for the Christmas Devotional by the first presidency. It was a really good meeting focused on the birth of our Savior, it was really great. We then headed in to do our weekly planning that we had missed earlier in the week.
Voilà, that was our week this week. It was pretty busy, which was good. I hope that you all of a great week. I love you all and hope you make this time of year particularly special. Have a great week!
Elder Kirkpatrick
Monday, December 5, 2011
Hello!
Well, it has been another wonderful week here in Aix-en-Provence. We have been able to see some good things happen and it is really starting to feel like the Christmas season, which I love! I hope that all of you are doing well and have had a great week as well.
Last Monday, I didn't really include it in the email from last week but we saw Jinane and we taught the plan of salvation and it went really well. She continues to have amazing questions and it really is going well.
Well I am not really sure that I want to talk about every single day because honestly, not too much happened every single day and so I am just going to talk a little bit about the week in general. We are having a hard time getting new investigators. We can meet people and fix rendez-vous but the people don't always show up or this that and the other but we continue to push along and work towards those miracles. One of these miracles, actually, is Jinane. We saw her several times last week and everytime she comes full of questions and ready to learn and understand. She has such a hunger for what we teach, it is incredible. She came to church this Sunday and it was great. At first, she was a bit nervous because she doesn't like a lot of attention and her being an investigator, of course people are going to give her attention. Then in the Gospel Principles class, our ward mission leader would not stop teaching directly towards her and asking her questions and it really bothered her. After she said she just wanted to go home. I encouraged her to stay and that it would be ok during Sacrament Meeting. She stayed and the testimonies were really good and she even cried during one of the testimonies. I know that she could feel the spirit. Afterwards she was able to talk with members, we gave her a tour of the chapel, and then had a little lesson with her. She expressed some concerns of what her Mom would think if she joined the church and asked about opposition.
Well, it has been another wonderful week here in Aix-en-Provence. We have been able to see some good things happen and it is really starting to feel like the Christmas season, which I love! I hope that all of you are doing well and have had a great week as well.
Last Monday, I didn't really include it in the email from last week but we saw Jinane and we taught the plan of salvation and it went really well. She continues to have amazing questions and it really is going well.
Well I am not really sure that I want to talk about every single day because honestly, not too much happened every single day and so I am just going to talk a little bit about the week in general. We are having a hard time getting new investigators. We can meet people and fix rendez-vous but the people don't always show up or this that and the other but we continue to push along and work towards those miracles. One of these miracles, actually, is Jinane. We saw her several times last week and everytime she comes full of questions and ready to learn and understand. She has such a hunger for what we teach, it is incredible. She came to church this Sunday and it was great. At first, she was a bit nervous because she doesn't like a lot of attention and her being an investigator, of course people are going to give her attention. Then in the Gospel Principles class, our ward mission leader would not stop teaching directly towards her and asking her questions and it really bothered her. After she said she just wanted to go home. I encouraged her to stay and that it would be ok during Sacrament Meeting. She stayed and the testimonies were really good and she even cried during one of the testimonies. I know that she could feel the spirit. Afterwards she was able to talk with members, we gave her a tour of the chapel, and then had a little lesson with her. She expressed some concerns of what her Mom would think if she joined the church and asked about opposition.
Kim, a recent convert was with us, and she bore such a strong testimony about that. In the end I asked her how she has felt since we have been seeing her and she said that it all makes her feel really good. Like a new start, like a brand new year is just ahead of her. That really made me grateful to have been able to help her feel like that. The first lesson we had with her she cried in expressing how she had a lot of doubts because she knew a young girl that died from cancer and that caused her to really question everything. She had really come a long way since then. After church, we walked with her to the bus station, because she lives a ways from Aix, she explained that she had dumped her boyfriend because he wasn't ok that she was seeing us and that if he wasn't ok with that then he wasn't who she thought he was. That really surprised me and showed me how important it must be to her to continue to meet with us. We actually had another lesson with her today and she asked for two Book of Mormons to give to her Grandma and her Aunt when she goes back to Liban for Christmas in a couple weeks, and she is going to be coming to institute tomorrow afternoon. It is so incredible. She has truly been prepared by the Lord and I am simply grateful that I have been able to help him accomplish his work.
Of course there were other good things that happened in the week but that was definitely the most impacting. I love you all, sincerely and I am so grateful for each one of you. This is such a wonderful time of year to reach out to others, to express our love, express our gratitude and simply enjoy the company of our family and our friends. I hope you all have a great week and enjoy your week. We can have good weeks, but we don't always enjoy them and I encourage all of you to enjoy your week. No matter how it goes, there is always something to enjoy. Au revoir!
Elder Kirkpatrick
Of course there were other good things that happened in the week but that was definitely the most impacting. I love you all, sincerely and I am so grateful for each one of you. This is such a wonderful time of year to reach out to others, to express our love, express our gratitude and simply enjoy the company of our family and our friends. I hope you all have a great week and enjoy your week. We can have good weeks, but we don't always enjoy them and I encourage all of you to enjoy your week. No matter how it goes, there is always something to enjoy. Au revoir!
Elder Kirkpatrick
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