Another transfer gone by...

Bonjour ma famille!

Another week and another transfer gone by, only six more transfers!  I
only know that because President Mehr reminded me.  Thats crazy!  Its
going too fast!  I'm going to be staying in Basse-Terre with Elder
Drennan again.

First off I did get that letter and package thank you very much!
Everyone got a kick out of the letter and we had a good round of
telling stories! haha  I wrote some stories down in my letter that I
am going to send, I am determined to get it off today!

This week went by really quickly for me.  I had a lot of exchanges.  One
with both the zone leaders, one on Tuesday/Wednesday and another
Thursday/Friday.  They were really good, but it takes forever to get
them going.  We have to drive an hour up to Lamentin and another hour
back plus more with traffic.

During the week we saw Ferdinand pretty frequently, we try to see him
everyday if we can just to keep following up and reading the Book of
Mormon with him.  We saw him last on Saturday, he worked the entire day
with Fr. Abenzoar, the group leader in Basse-Terre . Its so cool that
he is mingling well with the members!  He didn't smoke at all on
Saturday!  I was so happy, but sadly he didn't make it up to Capesterre
for church.  When Elder Peterson and I went to see him, his neighbor,
who is completly Rastafarian and listens to Bob Marley all day every
day (its the same stuff on repeat everyday, its not even music, its mostly
just Bob Marley talking to an interviewer), anyway the guy was outside
checking on his pots of Marijuana that he planted outside his door.
Elder Peterson got a good laugh out of that. haha

While I was with Elder Christensen on Tuesday we were knocking doors
and found one of the Ladies that came to our English class that we
have every Wednesday.  She is really nice and has 3 kids, the oldest
daughter is about 9 and comes to the kids session of the English class
as well.  We gave her a BOM and she read the first couple introduction
pages by the time we came back. She is really nice and she seems
really interested in the church.  We plan on inviting her to be
baptised the next time we see her.

I'm not sure if I told you about our English classes before.  But we
have an hour for kids and an hour for adults every Wednesday.  We hold
it at a residence assosiation building in the middle of an apartment
complex that Fr. Abenzoar works for.  The kids class is insane, they
are so crazy.  Once we learned colors so Elder Drennan and I pumped up
ballons and passed them around to name the colors. That lesson didn't
actually get TOO out of hand haha!

Well I am out of time again, I love you all so much and I can't wait to
hear from you again!  I am doing great and love being here!  Have a
great week!

avec amour,
Elder Call

Pictures from our waterfall hike last week

Goats in the river

Chocolate milkshakes for district meeting

Not much of a tropical storm

Bonjour ma famille!

This week was really good actually!  But I am exhausted!  Saturday
morning we played basketball with our new investigator, our most progressing
investigator at this time. We are trying to play sports with him to
keep him from breaking the word of wisdom.  It was so much fun. Haha
But I was so dead afterwords.  He is my favorite.  I love that
guy.  He is an old gang member that is turning a new leaf and wants to
be baptised. We see him everyday when we can.  So far he has received
all the lessons and comes to church every week, he came to conference
and he even introduceed us to his friends. (very interesting guys) We
are planning on a baptismal date for the 1st of November.

On Monday we hiked up to the 3rd Chute de Carbet, a waterfall,in the
middle of a rain storm, well it wasn't really a rainstorm, but it was
raining at the time.  It was really cool. Because of the rain the fall
was huge and we got soaked from the spray. Sorry I would have loved to
have sent pictures but they are really taking a long time to load on
the computer.
Carbet Falls is a series of waterfalls on the Carbet River in Guadeloupe.  Its three cascades are set amid the tropical rainforests on the lower slopes of the volcano La Soufrière. The falls are one of the most popular visitor sites in Guadeloupe, with approximately 400,000 visitors annually. In 1493, Christopher Columbus noted Carbet Falls in his log.

Sundays we usually stop by the Duflo familly and sing hymns with them.
I was reminded about that because you talked about The Walking Dead.
haha Soeur Duflo asked me if I knew what it was, and told me she was crazy
about it. haha She kept trying to spoil it for me but I wouldn't let
her.  And everybody else kept saying she was just making it up.  I told
her that I hooked you on it too.  Obviously you still are haha!

I had to go on an exchange this week in Basse-Terre with Elder Ehlert.
It was my first time leading the area and having to find my way around
on my own.  But I didn't even get lost once haha! Ok, I did once, but it
was only because all the roads were one way and I couldn't find a road
that was going the way I wanted it.  Then Elder Ehlert and I bought
bokits and 10 euros fell out of my pocket and a homeless guy got to it
before I did. ... I was a little upset about that, but I guess he needed it more
than I did.

I am in the middle of writting a letter to you, hopefully I can finish
it today to send it to you. I've been writting it for some time now.
Every other Monday or so for the last couple months.  I'll finish it
sometime... Hopefully it will make up for my lack of detail in my
emails.

That hole in dads head is lookin' pretty nasty.  I hope he's got some
canonball wound ointment for that.... :) (Hope you haven't fogotten
all the Brian Regan jokes since I've been gone) And I plan on getting
a wedding announcement for Jordan soon, I'd better be on the invite
list!  They look awesome together.

I'm glad you have been noticing so many miracles lately.  I have been keeping a
spiritual journal so that I notice these moments a lot more. I know
that God answeres prayers and that there is not many things or nothing
stronger than the prayers of rightious mothers.

I love you guys so much! You are in my prayers and I can feel the
power from yours!
je vous aime!
avec amour,
Elder Call

That's right...it's a baguette vending machine!  Only in France can one not get his baguette quick enough!

General Conference

Bonjour!

I am going to get right into your questions first:

Yes I did watch conference, I mean come on, its not like I would miss it! haha!  Saturday we were at the branch in Capesterre for all three sessions.  They were all in French for us because the internet was too slow to have more than stream going.  I actually took a ton of notes. The 70's were hard to understand because they talk really fast and the translators were dying to catch up to them haha, which meant I understood very little.  But I did love the ones I understood.  The Sister's talk about the sacrament was actually really, really good.  The Sunday session we went up to Abymes where everybody else on the island was for conference. We got to watch that in English, but we couldn't go anywhere to eat between sessions because it was Sunday and none of the missionary apartments near by had enough food for all the missionaries haha.  I loved conference.  Some themes I noticed were sustaining the prophet, revelation (I LOVED Elder Eyring's talks), and the Sacrament.  What did you notice?

I did enjoy Elder Bednar's talk to the non-members.  At this moment I am not sure who came to the Sunday session, they would have gone to the Capesterre building, so I don't know if we had any investigators there. Ferdinand would have been the only one to have made it I think.

Yes, I saw the missionary choir at the priesthood session.  I made a comment to the others that I bet there were some moms frantically searching the choir for their son to show up on TV.

I think I know what Noni fruit is, but it's probably called something else in French.   I have never eaten it, but if we find them, the missionaries throw them at each other sometimes haha!  In Guyane I stuffed one down Elder Fraley's shirt during our volleyball night.  He showered a lot that night.
Jordan and I were talking the other night about some of the foods he ate in Mexico.  He ate some pretty awful stuff!  But the only thing he refused to eat was a fruit called Noni.  He said it smelled and tasted like vomit.

I did get your letter, so I guess the mail system works!

This week was great with General Conference!  During the week we didn't get too much time to work, which was a little frustrating.  We had to drive up to Baie-Mahault on Tuesday to get our car fixed after our district meeting.  They said that they couldn't do it until Wednesday, so we had to drive all the way back down to Capesterre to go to CEP (PEC in English?) and that was the whole day other than studies.  So early Wednesday morning we got up and drove back up to have it fixed.  We had to  walk 30 min. to the Baie-Mahault apartment to study for most the day while we waited.  Then we walked back when they called us and they hadn't really fixed anything in that time. Friday was the only day we got of full working.  We did some service for a sister, we had to pull all the vines off her flowers.  There were a ton of vines.  Then we visited a recent convert lady, Sr. Agnes.  We talked about temple work with her because a family member died recently and soon she'll be able to go to the temple for herself.  The rest of the day was studies and contacting because the rest of the our appointments fell through.  It was the first real time that I went contacting, it felt strange.  But I felt like I was getting some work done.

The highlight of the week was easily General Conference.  My studies too.  I have been having some pretty good studies.  I bought a binder to put all my notes in, I get too OCD about my notes being out of order and I can't find them, but now I can write whatever, whenever, and move the pages around, its the best.  I love studying the gospel now!  Also there was that talk in General Conference from Elder Scott about family home evenings. I want to have some awesome family home evenings when I get back.  So I am pretty excited about that.

I keep trying to write handwritten letters to send to you that talk more in depth about what happens and whats going on with me.  I have started maybe 5 of them, but I can never finish them.  One of these times I'll get one to you!  They keep getting out of date by the time I can finish them.

Well I love you a lot!
Have a great week!
avec amour,
Elder Call

I only got lost once...

Bonjour!

Sorry my letter wasn't too long last week.  I went overtime, and I thought I told you all about what happened.  I'm not sure today's letter is going to be any longer...

Chez Bennion is the the senior couple's house.  The old senior couple used to live there so that's what the house is addressed under, it is now the house of the new senior couple the Richmond's. The Richmond's are from Tahiti, they only speak French, they cover the whole island, and I have only seen them twice since I have been here. I haven't received your letter yet, so I'll keep checking.

The work has been going well, its been tough because we have had a lot of district leader duties that we have had to take care of, like baptismal interviews in Lamentin, meetings, and bunch of stuff that has taken a lot of time for traveling which cuts down a lot of working time.  We haven't really done very much contacting because of that, most of our time is visiting our couple of investigators and the less active members.

Yes, I live in actual Basse-Terre, which is the actual capital of Guadeloupe. I live in "Petit Paris" specifically. The group building is just down the road from our house and it shares a parking lot with a boulangerie. bakery

Its a lot harder to get together with all the missionaries on Guadeloupe. We haven't had very many big activities.  Today we hiked La Grande Soufrière, not sure how to spell it but it means the sulfur maker.  Its the volcano in Basse-Terre.  It was really fun and really beautiful.
La Grande Soufrière, is an active stratovolcano on the French island of Basse-Terre, in Guadeloupe. It is the highest mountain peak in the Lesser Antilles, and rises 1,467 m high.

Well as for the rest of this week. I hardly got to work in my area at all. On Tuesday right after district meeting I went on an exchange with Elder Okano in Capesterre.  I had to figure out the bus systems because he is new and this is actually one of my first times ever actually using the buses.  I only got lost once. We had a great time and met some cool people.  One guy stopped us on the road asking about genealogy.  I never had that happen before.  Most of the time I was trying to help Elder Okano speak more, he is actually really good with French but I wanted to get him to help more in their lessons, he did really good.

When we were supposed to switch back I learned that the car wasn't working, so I couldn't be driven back to my area, so I had to stay another day in Capesterre.  Thursday I got picked up from Capesterre, only to get dropped off with Elder Broadbent in Baie-Mahault for another exchange.  We were on bikes and we got dumped on by the rain.  We had to stop on the side of the road under a canopy and wait it out.  While we were there we talked to a really cool kid that had to wait out the rain too.  They are going to try to re-contact him this week.

Finally Friday afternoon I got to come back to Basse-Terre.  We visited an investigator and talked about prayer.  He is still waiting for his court appeal on Oct. 2 before we can start setting up for baptism, but he really wants to be baptized.  As we were walking back I realized we were in an area that I recognized (I don't know my area very well yet) and so I asked if we could stop and see an old contact that we missed during the week.  Turned out he was home and it was the only time during the day that he happened to be home.  He brought up a lot of good questions.  One about why bad things happen to people.  I was impressed to share the story of Brianna when she was born.  I told him that she had done nothing wrong to deserve heart problems at birth but that I myself was affected by it as well.  I told him that when she was born I remembered praying as a family for her and that it was one of the first spiritual experiences I ever had. I really like this guy that we taught.

Nothing too special happened other than that during the week. We had church at Capesterre group.  Then we climbed Soufrière this morning.

The email place is closing, I gotta go. I love you all.  I'll try to get back on if I can but if not, have a great week!

avec amour,
Elder Call

 

First week in Guadeloupe!

Bonjour!

Not much time to write today, so I'll just be quick and send a few pictures.  I'm really very happy right now in Guadeloupe.  I can't even compare it to Martinique, because they're so different.  Martinique is a lot more "French" than Guadeloupe, but I refuse to compare them. haha

Here is my new address:
Elder Braden Call
Chez Bennion
Le Residance "La Baletullerel"
Bat. A Apt. 17
Moudong Sud
97122 Baie-Mahault
Guadaloupe
France

We had zone conference last week and the missionaries from Martinique came over.  I had an interview with Pres. Mehr and his wife that was really great.  They are amazing people.

I had the chance to give some blessings this week and it was a very special experience.  I know for a fact the the priesthood is a power given to men to bless and save God's children.  I know that it is found in this church.  I know that I want to be able to help my family for the rest of my life by living worthily in order to bless them with this power that God has given to us.

I love this gospel and I love you guys.  You are very important to me and I can't wait to see you all again.  I feel your prayers and I am praying for you.

avec amour,
Elder Call

Elder Drennan was chopping some piment fort (hot peppers) and got some in his eyes.  His eyes were burning for a good ten minutes while we tried to find a remedy to help him.  This is Elder Ehlert trying to rub it out with a banana peel  

This is our car with Les Saintes in the background

Sunset from Saturday night!

This is our Group building

Pictures from Zone Conference

Guadeloupe!

Bonjour ma Famille!

Well I am just going to go as quick as I can over this crazy last week.

So Tuesday we had the big meal with the Lacambé family.  That was just about the whole day, I sent a picture of their house. Then on Wednesday I got all packed up and had to wait until 3:00 or so to fly out. We sat in traffic driving up to the airport to pick up Elder Simms who replaced me, coming from Basse-Terre, where I am replacing him, we did a little switcharoo.  He came in around 12 and then we went to eat kebabs with everyone.  Then Elder Fraley and I headed out.  I was really happy that he was on the same flight as me heading up to Guadeloupe, but it was really sad having to get off while he stayed on to go up to St. Martin.  We finally got separated, this time for more than 1 transfer I bet.

When I got in I was picked up by the zone leaders for the island of Basse-Terre, Elders Christiansen and Peterson. (Guadeloupe is actually 2 islands connected by a bridge, I'm on the very bottom of the left one) There are 2 zones to answer you question, Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre.  Then we made the long trip to my area, which is in the bottom left corner, more west than the actual tip.  We stopped to drop of the blue Elder Okano at Capesterre.  By the time we got home there was just enough time to do studies.  Elder Drennan met me at Capesterre.  I think we are going to have a great time.  We both have a big vision for the area.  He was on Martinique with me for 3 transfers so I know him pretty well.  We are going to have a lot of fun and we are going to get a lot of work done!  I'm excited.

So for Basse-Terre, the church is only a group and we have a family that is progressing very well towards baptism.  We had the first real lesson with them this week though, and the kids all want to be baptized but their mom is a little hesitant. We also have a guy that wants to be baptized who used to be a part of a gang but changed his whole life when he met the missionaries.  In our area there are a lot of less active members so we are going to try to focus a lot on visiting and helping them rather than knocking doors the whole time. Its nice having people to see.

There are 2 zones on Gwada but we almost never see Grand-Terre zone.  We have 10 in our zone and I'm not sure yet how many missionaries are on the island total.  There is a couple here, they are the Richmond's from Tahiti.  We have a nice apartment, its smaller than my last one but it has a balcony that goes all around the building which is perfect for my hammock and it has a good view of the ocean.

Je suis bien installé à la Guadeloupe et je suis content être là:)
passez une bonne semaine!

avec amour,
Elder Call

The whole Martinique zone before Elder Fraley and I left

Elder Fraley and I are departing.  He's heading to St. Martin.  We've been together all but 6 weeks since the very beginning!

Packed up and ready to go

Exchanging ties with Elder Fraley at the airport

Photo bombed by Elder Russell

My new apartment

View from my apartment

Pruning some gardens for a lady

Lacambé family's home 

I'm heading to Guadaloupe!

Bonjour Ma famille,

Well, it took longer than I thought but you finally forgot about me... I didn't get a letter.... So I guess I'll just have to write one to you and hope you're still reading these.... ;)
Apparently my email sent but the letter wasn't included.  Strange...

I felt really good this week, despite the the fact that I am going to be leaving for Guadeloupe now.  First off, we had 131 people at Church!  It was probably the greatest Sunday to have ever been the last Sunday on Martinique, I am so grateful to have been here to see these wonderful people experience such success!  I had to say goodbye to everybody and break the news that I was leaving because they only announced that Elder Fraley was leaving (heading to St. Martin) during sacrament because I showed up late (not a bad missionary, we just had to help show Clavel, the Cuban family how to get to Church) After Church we all ate and I tried to tell everybody and take pictures, but my camera stopped working.  My first thought was "not again..." but finally I got it up and running, so no worries.

During the week I was able to get in contact with some good people. We saw Tania who lives in Trois Ilet. Her only problem is that she doesn't have a car.  She has been reading the Book of Mormon everyday, she says she knows its true, she has spiritual experiences every time we come over, and she called us last night to tell us "thank you" for having found her and taught her because she was praying and received a confirmation that it was true and just felt so grateful.  She wants to talk to her family, she is THE MOST prepared person I have ever met.  Just thinking about it blows my mind.  She has a date for the 27th and she is thinking and praying about it, I am sure sure she'll receive an answer that it is what she should do.

Dana on the other hand has plateaued.  We started her off on the book of Mormon, she has been reading on her own, but she doesn't remember that much of what she read.  She was supposed to come to Church but again she didn't make it.

The Clavel-Manuel family got home from Cuba and the mom actually came to Church!  It was the first time! It was only because I was leaving, but she really liked it and she said she was going to come back.  I told her that I was leaving Saturday night and she was really sad and I felt really awkward.  She kept explaining deep Spanish phrases to me about how she felt that I was leaving, I wasn't really sure what to think. haha, but I was happy to have made such an impression on her.

Then on Sunday afternoon after we finished cleaning up, we stopped by the Martials to give Arik and Samuel-Lee blessings for back to school.  I felt very honored to be asked to do it and it was very spiritual and I felt very happy.  It was the last goodbye for them because I am going to stop by to see them once more, but it was pretty sad.

So the next time you hear from me I will be in Guadeloupe.  I'm going to have to learn a whole other form of créole again, but I am excited.  I am going to Basse-Terre to be with Elder Drennan who left last transfer.  It should be good, we were good friends already.

Well I am out of time, its not a great letter, but hey, at least it is a letter,right? ;) hahaha

I love you all and I'm sorry the pictures were slow.
avec amour,
Elder Call

Photo bombing the Turner's at the botanical gardens

Here fishy, fishy...

 The Sillions

Record attendance at church.  131 people!  Amazing!