Elder Bollard apparently has no time to write this week, as he is being transferred to serve as the District Leader in Pau on the west coast of France, along the border with Spain. His new companion is Elder Andrews from Huntington Beach - small world.  In fact, Elder Andrew's cousin played football with Charlie's older brother Joe.  Congratulations Elder Bollard.  Stay strong!

With Elders and good looking French kids

Pau, France

Hey everybody! So we had another crazy week in Lyon this week. I had a ton of gnarly experiences. We taught some pretty crazy people, but had some other really cool rendezvous. We went over to the famille Chupin's house and we had a barbeque at their apartment. 

We are starting the last week of the transfer! Coming up on big number 6. It is going by so fast!  I dont know if I will leave or stay in Lyon but all I know is next week is going to be crazy because of transfer day.  I have made a ton of really good friends here in Lyon. I even got a Manchester United soccer jersey for my birthday from an ami! Love it!

We taught our ami Lionel this week and gave him a baptismal date for the 31st! I hope he sticks with it because he is a little flaking when it comes to showing up for rendezvous.  Also we taught some really cool people in the South of Lyon. We took a train to an apartment where there was a huge picture of Bob Marley and a man with massive dreadlocks welcomed us in. He was a straight homie. 

We went to President Roney's house today! It was so much fun. I played President at ping pong and he wrecked me. We are pretty tight now. We played Werewolf with his family and it might've been the funnest thing ever, haha. 

No time to write.

LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Bollard

Hey everyone!  So this week was a great one! I am 19 years now! 

I celebrated my birthday with the missionaries in Lyon. We ate at a sweet French restaurant and I partied in the mission office with Elder and Sister Clark.

 

I really loved talking to my family yesterday!  It was so great to see all of my brothers and their families :) 

So this week started off with an exchange with the Zone Leaders and it was a ton of fun!  We taught some really cool lessons and I am homies with even more Nigerians now.  We helped an ami named Alexi schedule his baptism and showed him how he can recognize the Spirit. Then we taught some other Nigerians, Tracy and Gina.  Tracy doesn't feel quite ready to be baptized because she has some things she needs to get worked out first. I showed them the "Bollard Boyz" video on Youtube haha. They loved it.

Om my birthday, I woke up to my companion singing happy birthday to me in Tahitian and then he made me breakfast. It was like Tahitian eggs or something, hahaha. Then we went on a sick espionage mission to find where some less active members live.  Then we taught a lesson to a man named Henry and he said that he had told a member a while ago that he wanted to be baptized! It was so dope! 

THEN the coolest recent convert from Guadalupe brought me a cake (see photo).

 

 

We had a sick Zone Interview and our mission is doing a mission-wide world cup!

Also I went on an exchange with non other than the notorious Elder Kunz - my trainer!   Haha, it was so much fun. 

I love you all so much and I am so thankful for all of the birthday wishes! I felt some sweet love coming from back home!!  Also, thanks for all of the packages! 

One Love 

Elder Bollard

We video-chatted with Elder Bollard on Mother's Day.  Charlie and his brothers shared favorite memories of their Mother.  She is very proud of each of them.

HEY everyone! So I want to thank everyone who wished me an early happy birthday! I am stoked for it.  le 8 Mai.  It is a National French Holiday. 

We had some pretty cool experiences this week and it all began with an unreal metro accordian duel. I wanted to video tape the whole thing but I was in proselyting clothes. Anyways it was like one of those guitar hero battles and it was sick. This Metro ride was on the way to the Old City Lyon. We received a coordinee (referral) from other Elders and it was a hospital at the top of a mountain that looks over Lyon. 

It is next to a huge Catholic church called Fourviere and it was so dope! 

We taught some cool people and had a new ami named Eric at church yesterday. 

We also received another coordinee from the bishop for someone who live in the richest part of the city. So miracle after miracle, we were led to this man's apartment. It was like Jay Gatsby's mansion. We found him and he loved that I was Californian. We talked to him and he is thinking about coming back to church!

I was also attacked by a man on acid with a half-eaten bamboo stick. He was nuts... I had to restrain him from wrecking me.

Also I taught Priesthood yesterday!  It was on service and the members loved it!  I remember in the MTC when I received a letter from my dad saying that French would be the language of my own conversion.  I truly tesitfy that that is true.  I have felt so much comfort and clarity while reading and praying in French. 

I got my haircut today and the "modern" has been redefined. For those of you who don't understand, I can't explain...

 

Also, I was contacting someone this week and saw a poster for 24 in the background and almost screamed when I saw Jack Bauer. Best series ever. 

Anyways, I am so thankful for all of your love and support and I have almost made it to 19 years! Whew! 

 

One Love

Charlie