Wow, this has been a FREEZING week. We had two days where we woke up to a "winter wonderland."We keep saying to ourselves, I thought I was in SOUTHERN France! The beach, the sun, the warm weather... well not this week. Of course, that has made things a little difficult with my companion's toes but we are trying to push along as much as possible.

On Tuesday, we woke up, opened the blinds and all I saw was white.... either I really screamed or I just screamed in my head, I am not sure.... All day long it was raining/snowing all day long. Seeing as my companion can't put on a shoe, we stayed in the apartment quite a bit. We had to leave once and he put a plastic sack over his foot and then his flip flop to keep it dry.

Wednesday it was cold, but no snow. We went to the hospital in the morning and Elder Hughes was hoping they were just going to cut off the nails but they were too swollen so after they, painfully, undid the bandages, and then painfully, put them back on, we got another appointment for the next week for a surgery to take the nails off. We headed back and then had lunch at a restaurant with a member, and then headed out to see Jinane. She is doing well but had lots of old testament questions. We answered as best as possible and then we left to go see Pilar. We talked about the Word of Wisdom with her and the only problem she has is with the coffee but she is willing to put her faith in to be able to stop, I know that she can do it. We then headed back for a rendez-vous right next to our apartment but he wasn't there, so we headed in to eat and let Elder Hughes rest his foot.

Thursday, it was again snowing, so once again we spent some time in the apartment until we headed to institute in the afternoon for a lesson. Our investigator didn't show up so we headed back up to the chapel for a meeting with the ward mission leader. We then headed back and again tried to see the guy that lives by us... we think he is avoiding us.

Friday morning we went to the church to make some phone calls and then headed back in for lunch. We then went to institute to watch The Testaments with Jinane. She seemed to enjoy it but still has some difficulties with accepting things. We then went and saw Frère Philibeaux. He has had some problems with his kids and other pressures so he was a little bit down but we tried to help boost him up. He was doing better by the end. We then went in and ate and then headed out to see Erica and Irma and Erica wasn't there so we shared a message with Irma and then headed back home.

Saturday we did weekly planning in the morning and we got an interesting call from President Murdock. He told me that I was going up to Manosque with Elder Baret on Sunday and that a film crew would be there filming a family and that we needed to be "briefed" to know what to say to the media. Is that not intimidating or what?? Later that afternoon, we went and saw Pilar and had a good lesson with her, trying to help her prepare more and more for her baptism. Then we went and saw Anna, who had a date for baptism but then we had lost contact with her because she lives partially here and in Avignon, which makes it hard. She wanted to see us to give us back the Book of Mormon and to say that she didn't have time. Of course, we didn't really take that as a solid reason, so we taught and then reengaged her to continue to study and to see us when it was possible she accepted and better understood why it was so important to know this message. We then headed home to eat and let Elder Hughes put his foot up.

Of course on Sunday, I had to "put on my best" and get ready just in case I was going to be on tv. On the way to church Elder Baret told me that normally we weren't being interviewed but just in case, some certain things to know depending on what they asked. That information was thanks to the couple who is called to handle all public relations for the church in France. It was very weird to be in church and have a camera crew wandering around filming everything. We didn't get interviewed but we will definitely be in some of the footage, on the sides and then in the background. It was definitely a new experience. After church, we stayed and ate with the family that was being filmed and then headed back down to Aix to rejoin our companions. Elder Hughes and I then went and saw Erica and Irma and shared the restoration video and ate with them. It was really a great evening and we got a lot of really good questions from Erica. It moves slow with her, but it will be worth it in the end.

It was quite a good week, evening with the weather, and the little challenges. How often can one say, "I will pass on French Television"....? Ha! I hope that you are all doing well and that you have had a great week. Know that I love you all and am grateful for each one of you. Have a wonderful week and "let your light so shine that you may be a banner unto the nations." Whether it is on TV or not. :p

Elder Kirkpatrick