Hey everyone!!!  Week like 13 or something here in Aix!! I am loving it. It is so cold here right now! I dont do weather like this! We had a super good week this week! 

We had some rendez-vous's with new investigators and it was sweet!  My French is coming along and I can understand almost everything and keep a normal conversation going for a long time!  I met someone from Augora Hills Today!!  It was so great!  His name is Daniel and he went to Augora High - go Chargers! haha It was really a testimony to me that the Lord will put the right people in my way! ahh it was awesome!

Also we said goodbye to Nicolas Pichon. He is going to Tahiti and he gave his farewell talk and used the exact same scripture that I used haha.  I love that family so much and they tracted us down on the street so that Nicolas could say bye. 

I love reading all of your letters!  They are so uplifting and I am so grateful for your examples!  Love you all 

Elder Bollard

Bonjour à tous!! How is eveyone?  I had an awesome week this week!  There were a few ups and downs but it was still sweet.  Also thank you so much mom and dad for the packages!! You are the best parents in the world :) 

So it is the start of a new transfer!!!  I just received my new companion today around noon!  His name is Elder Erramouspe and he is sweet!!  He is from Idaho and he is in his 5th transfer making us like one of the youngest equipes in the mission.  Saying bye to Elder Kunz was sad.  He is one of the funniest dudes I know haha.  We had kind of a tough week because we had to drop two of our Amis.... It was rough but I really think it was for the best.  Elder Kunz is an office elder now so he left earlier this week.  So for half the week I was with the zone Leaders! It was awesome.  We played soccer with a bunch of French people and Africans.  It was so FUN!

 I had some really cool experiences this week.  Last night we had dinner with a family whose son is going on a mission to Tahiti in 2 weeks.  We came over for a crepe night and shared our spiritual thought on families.  I shared D&C 31 which has always brought me comfort and I talked about my family and how much I loved them.  Then we asked every one of their kids to say why they loved their family.  By the end, when it was the mom's turn, she was in tears and she thanked me for talking about you guys.  She had never noticed the comfort that D&C 31 brings to missionary families and she was so touched by the spirit.  It was one of my favorite moments on the mission so far. 

Also I taught primary on Sunday to the cutest French kids ever haha.  It was so much fun and they speak such good French haha.

I love you all and I am loving the work!! 

Also I will send the package home soon with some cool French stuff and things I need to send home!

Love you all

BYE

Hey eveybody!! I hope everyone is doing well! Today we went and did some Soldes (souvenir purchases) and got some super cool stuff!! It has been a pretty good week and we met some cool families!!! 

On Tuesday I went on an exchange with one of the Zone Leaders and we went porting (searching) in a super elect neighborhood! When we got off the bus to start we prayed to be guided and right after we were done praying we looked up and saw a cat!  haha.  So we decided to follow the cat and it led us to this really cool girl who we talked to about the Plan of Salvation!  It was awesome and she really enjoyed talking with us.  So we kept porting and decided to pray again and after the pray guess what.... we saw a CAT! lol. So we followed it and it ran into the yard of an Asian French family!!!  They said we could come back and share a message with them!!! IT was the coolest thing ever, haha. French Spirit Cats!!! Also, last night we went to a really cool family's house who absolutely loves America! He was showing me all of his Elvis CDs and John Wayne movies - haha. 

We also were walking down Cours Mirabeau and heard someone yell "HEY ELDERS" and we looked up and it was these two Spanish guys who lived in the states. They aren't members but they LOVE the Church! We played basketball with one of them on Friday and it was sweet!! 

But there were also some bummers this week. Our investigator Mattieu, who had a baptismal date for Saturday, is haviong some doubts and has cancelled (hopefully postponed) his baptism. We were so close!!  It is frustrating but its a new week! 

I am truly grateful for all of your letters and messages. They help me out a ton!!!  I am so grateful for my friends and family and all of your support THANKS!! 

Hey Everyone! Happy New Year! I started my first full year of being a missionary this week! New Years Eve was crazy! The French love to party here in Aix. The streets were EMPTY New Years Day. I have been sick all week!!! I caught some nasty French sinus cold. But it was a good week! We taught Mattieu, our engage, and his testimony is growing so much!

I have been reading in second Nephi and I love chapters 2, 4, and 9. Nephi was an amazing dude and the love he had for his family was amazing. My companion and I now split up when we contact so I talk to French people all alone now and it is so fun, haha. I have met some awesome people here in France.

I can't explain how happy I am that some of my friends visited my parents last week.  I love all you guys so much and my parents were so happy to see all of you! The big French SOLDES starts on Wednesday when all of the stores have big sales so I hope to get some cool stuff to send home next week! 

I am so happy to be here talking about Christ to everyone I meet. I know that he loves us and I know that he knows us and he knows our hearts.  He is my Savior and my friend.  I love you all so much and I hope everyone has a safe and prosperous New Year!!!!

 

Adieu

Charlie