On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 12:57 PM, Charles Bollard <charles.bollard@myldsmail.net<mailto:charles.bollard@myldsmail.net>> wrote:
Hello everybody! This week has been awesome! A week from now I will be on a 14 hour flight to Amsterdam! SWEET! I feel a lot more confident with speaking French! I am so excited and ready to get to the field and serve the people of France! I know that the Lord has prepared them and softened their hearts so that they can hear what I have to say! This is going to be my last email sent from American soil in TWO YEARS! I am so excited and I hope you all keep writing me.
So this week I received a letter with about 50 letters in it and let me just say that my family rocks! You guys are awesome! It was so special to hear from all of you and your advice. I am truly grateful for my upbringing into the Bollard clan. I am so glad to hear that Joe and Tori landed safely in AUSTRALIA! That is awesome! I hope that everything is well at home and that you are all doing well. Keep me posted!
I am so very excited to meet President Roney and his wife. I was assigned to be the Travel Leader for all of the missionaries going to Lyon. It is crazy! I assigned all of the travel companions and I am responsible for all of the missionaries while we are traveling. There are about 30 going to Lyon in this transfer alone! Some of them don't even know English that well so this will be interesting. I am loving this Gospel and loving the scriptures. I have grown so close to the Lord and when I look back 5 weeks ago I realize that I have changed so much. I imagine arriving in France under the banner of Christ with Angels on either side of me ready to preach the Gospel.
Je sais que l'eglise de Jesus-Christ des saintes des derniers jours est vrai. Je suis tres reconnaissant pour cette Evangile et pour tout les choses dans l'eglise. Merci beacoup pour tout les benedictions et pour votre amour. J'ai tres haite et je vais parler avec tout les monde quand je vais etre en FRANCE. Au revoir et passe un bon journee!
Je t'aime

Elder Bollard