Le Fin - Que Sous des Arcs deTriomphe

Oh la la...I don't even know where to start this email because there is so much I'd love to tell you and so little time.  This last week has been full of so many things that I'll just do a quick summary...

*PPP-Ping-Pong, Pancakes and Pensace (Spiritual Thought)

We had our first PPP this week in Amiens and it went great.  We had 17 people there and everyone loved it.  At the end they asked, "When are we doing this again?"  There were even some people who got to try pancakes for first time ever!

PPP - Ping Pong, Pancakes and Pensace

*Answers to prayer-Tuesday on an exchange with Elder Wilson we had plans to go and visit a less active member.  We ended up taking stuff to the church and so we were later than planned.  As we rang his doorbell and waited he finally came down and said he had just finished a prayer asking what he should do with his life and what direction to go.  Before he had even finished we were knocking on his door.  So cool!  I know with all my heart that the Lord listens to us.  Don't ever hesitate to "ask", no matter whether super small or large, he listens and answers.  In Matthew 7:7-8 it says "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

*Exchange and Baptismal Interview-I went on an exchange with Elder Jones in St. Quentin and man, was it great!  In the first few hours we were able to teach 4 groups of people - a couple, 3 college students, a man on a bench, and find an old ami through his brother that we were contacting.  After I got to do a baptismal interview with Thierry, who is so ready for baptism. His baptism was this weekend and went great!

*Trains on Strike, Paris and a Pickpocket - We got up early to take our train home from St. Quentin and found that the train was cancelled because of a strike.  The next one wouldn't get us home for 8 hours.  At the gare they said we could go to Paris and then to Amiens and be home by 11:00 a.m. (this was just an hour and a half later than planned) so we did that.  While we were in Paris someone pick-pocketed Elder Beck and took our phone.  More than anything it was an inconvenience but a good way to see how dependent we are upon technology.  (We have another phone now so all is well!)

St. Quentin

*French Food-Oh La La- We were able to eat with members this week and had such delicious food.  We also went to a creperie and got a salted crepe with ham, egg, cheese and mushrooms and then a sugar crepe with vanilla ice cream, pralines, vanilla cream and caramel in it.  To say the least it was awesome.  We also had a seafood pizza with scallops, lobster and shrimp and of course, multiple pastries.  I sure enjoy the food here!

iPad Mission Conference - Yesterday we meet with Elder Nelson and Elder Kearon from the seventies for training for the ipads.  Once again it was the whole mission in Versailles and it gave me a chance to see everyone and say "bye" to them.  So great!  Also, learned lots of great tips and advice for technology and missionary work!

Nancy and Epinol Crew at the conference

That's a short recap of my last week here and I just want everyone to know that I'm so grateful for every one of the weeks I've been in France as a missionary!  While our days might be the same in routine, the stories, miracles and people were not.  I'm so grateful for all the amazing experiences I've had and for everything I've learned here.  I know without a doubt this Church is true and the Gospel changes lives.  Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and our faith anything is possible.  In Philippians 4:13 it says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  Thank you all so much for your help and support over the last two years.  You've all been a part in making me who I am today.  It's a bitter sweet thing to say goodbye to the place I now call home but I can't wait to you see you all in two days.

Here is my last district photo!

To finish I want to end with a quote that President and Soeur Poznanski gave to us with a small "arc de triomphe" when we first started our missions.  "Vous ne rentrerez dans vos foyers que sous des aracs de triomphe" = You will not return home, except under triumphal arches (arc de triomphe)!  Tomorrow in Paris I'll get to do something I've waited to do for two years - walk underneath the Arc de Triomphe knowing, while I wasn't a perfect missionary, I did all I could and I'm going home with a "victory" of two great years working for the Lord!

Love you all...

Elder Player

This picture was my planner cover for my last transfer and then all my villes were

on the back as train tickets!