WHOOO!! Happy 2014 everyone! I hope this week is a good time for all yall to reflect on what you want to say you will have accomplished in 2014. I have a few things but the real goal setting will happen tomorrow morning! Anyways! CHRISTMASSSSS!!! BEST THING EVER!
So we got to spend Christmas Eve with our branch president and his family until 23h00and it was awesome! For a thought for the night we read the bible in Luke 1-2 and Matt 2. It was so fun to do that here because while it wasnt exactly like home, for the moment it felt like it. Also Elder Peters fell asleep fast so I couldnt help but put on my santa costume and fill up his christmas stocking! taking a picture was kinda hard but i suceeded!
Then the next morning was kinda funny because we were told we could sleep in...but not how long..so elder peters and i just looked at each other and wondered how long we would....Well we woke up at 9h00 and I made some cookies! We spent the day just passing less actives and amis and giving them cookies! Then we finished the night by going to another member's to do SKYPE!!!!! I loved talking to my family! It has definitely been a while.. but while my companion thought it was weird I didnt. It felt natural to just make this phone call home. I was so happy to do that. While I talked, my companion made a german dish called schnitzel!! YUM and it went so perfectly with the cheesecake I had made!
As far as presents go...GERMANY CAME TO TOWN!!!!! We have so much chocolate! Here is a picture..
The rest of the week was a bunch of other wonderful tombez-vous but we have had some fun as we try to find other things to do. Also this friday we got to go to Bordeaux for Zone training where we got to talk about finding and helping families be eternal! It was a wonderful meeting. On the way home we ended up taking a later train than planned but as we were sitting down I heard english..with an american accent! I never hear english on my mission. So of course I talked to find out who speaks english. Well it was a 17 year old girl that comes from TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!! WHOO! We talked to her for the 1.5 hour train ride to agen and she got off the stop before us but she is still in our secteur! She was very interested in us and what we do and really wanted to know more!!! Exchanged numbers and she told us she would let us know the next time she is coming to agen! That was cool because I had made a little committment to myself that the next time i heard english i would talk to them! Look what happened!
Sunday was by far one of the more interesting days. So church was wonderful. I really got to fortify my testimony that we get to be the mouthpeices of the Lord... I will share how. So our Branch President asked Elder Peters had a talk or if I did and Elder Peters just looked at me and said "uhhhhh Elder....." My heart sank. I didnt want to give a talk but I know neither of us had prepared or even knew we had to so I just said I would and it was kinda funny how immediately my mind began racing to find an idea of how i could talk for 20 minutes..Well the time arrived and I still had no clue and I got to the stand and just started talking. I talked about New Years Resolutions and how I want to take this year and become stronger and more mighty in my prayers to my Heavenly Father. 25 minutes later I closed a wonderful talk and honestly it was the probably the best talk I feel I have ever given but really because it wasnt me who taught. I loved it. We then spent the rest of the day visiting less actives that didnt come to church and it was funny because we got to teach them all! (that never happens) then a girl from toulouse called us and asked us to meet her at the gare. so we went and she told us that she wanted us to teach her mom that lives in a ville called aiguillon about 20 minutes away. Whoa! So we are going wednesday!!! Sweet!
Well I hope all yall have had a wonderful Christmas season and I wish you a happy new year! I encourage you to set some good goals and consider this:
Alma 37:37
37 aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day
Je vous aime! Bonne semaine! Et bonne nouvelle année! 2014!!!!
Elder Alec Stephen Dover
Pictures.
christmas present from mission
christmas activity last week
christmas eve chez Zambo
christmas eve santa came to town
and
doing groceries on a cold cloudy day..
