And a Happy New Year!!! (week #3 Transfer #13)

Salut les Amis!

This week was really awesome! I would say the highlight was getting to see so many of you on the family Skype, I am so grateful to have such an awesome family, and I can't wait to see the rest of you real soon,but until then, the work goes on :)

Christmas morning Skype session!

Lots of holiday goodies!

This week we were able to see some really cool miracles, notably one was the Consales Family, a week and a half ago Elder Thorne called this family who was referred to our area a bit ago, the mom picked up and said she was having a hard time, but instead of saying that because of such it was not the right moment she responded saying maybe our call was a sign. Anyway, we've been trying to see them since then, and finally got a chance during our exchange, turns out her husband had a Book of Mormon already and reads from time to time. The whole family is really cool and open, I'll let you know how things go with them. Also during this exchange on my side with Elder Connell (who's a boss) we found this really cool member who hasn't been to church for a while and I'm excited to get to know her, she was super pumped to meet us. 

Christmas with the Manoa family

Anyways lots of little miracles like that, Dominique is doing well and working on smoking and Didier should be back in about a week. Some of our other Amis haven't been progressing, so that's always hard but I know when they are ready and have a real desire God will either lead them back to us or us back to them again. Til then we will search for those who are ready. It's sad since we haven't seen Abraham in over a month, no idea where he went, we are starting to teach other members of his family which is really a blessing and we will see how he is doing from there.

Early morning hike above Toulon

En tout cas, a good week with a lot of blessings, especially Christmas, and thanks for all you guys do and for your prayers. Be happy and have a good week, we can in all situations and life is fun :) Happy New Year! Make some good New Years resolutions!!!!!!! I'm going to too :)

Lot of love,
Elder Laney

Sunset at Toulon Harbor

Merry Christmas!!! (week #2 Transfer #13)

Hey !!!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!!  In a week anyway but well, I'll just tell you in advance :) We had a really good week! We got to head to Lyon for 2 days for a few conferences and it was really fun to run into and meet a lot of missionaries I love dearly who I have not seen in some time, including Elder Kelsey, Elder Carlson, Elder zhu and many more.  We actually had all the gang from the MTC back together :)  Super fun.  We were really taught by the Spirit as Elder Sabin from the Area Presidency of Europe met and spoke with us, along with his wife and President and Sister Brown. It was a really great experience, and I learned a lot, especially as I prepared for Conference and gained some answers to questions I have had for a while now. I know the Spirit really does teach us.  

French-y Christmas tree!

Anyways I got my Christmas package from home (thank you family!!) and we got a Christmas tree from a  member and decorated that well, and we are all planned for Christmas so it should be a fun experience, especially getting to see some of you on Skype! So pumped. 

Christmas goodies!

Well it will be a great week again and we have a lot to do this week, we have many of our Amis who can see us and it will be great to pay them all a visit to share the wonderful spirit of the season. I wish you all a Merry Christmas!  Have fun and live up this occasion for family to come together.  That has to be one of my favorite parts of Christmas, and I'll do my best to fit in :) 

Lighthouse in Toulon harbor

I hope the memory of the Savior and his birth and all that means brings you all some joy, I know He lives, and He loves us all and is so happy and glad to have done what He did, and it means that we can all be happier because of it.  Love you all and have a great week :)

Season's greetings,
Elder Laney

Week 1 miracles (week #1 Transfer #13)

Hey everyone!  Our week went well, My new companion Elder Thorne is a standup guy and we're doing well working together. Elder Golightly is also a stud and I'm excited for all of us to work together. 

Elder Thorne and Elder Laney

The week was a bit long, nothing  but of the ordinary but we did have some cool experiences and some cool miracles too!  e got to see Azam who is doing really well, we had a great rendezvous where we just got to know each other better and I feel like he's getting to know people better and is more open which is really cool. Didier is doing well too, just super positive now and looking towards baptism.  His mom even got interested in the lesson last time and asked for the brochure to the Plan of Salvation which was really cool.  We also saw a friend of Frere Sassi and were able to bless her home and give her a blessing as well as she's been having a hard time, she really felt the Spirit and was so grateful telling us how she got way more of a spiritual boost than she was asking for haha.  It's cool how the Spirit works. We also taught Bernardino again yesterday, he's super cool and accepted a Book of Mormon, once again the rendezvous upped his spirits and he was super receptive. 

Enormous avocado tree

Also we saw the Consales Family who are new, husband is not a member, so we taught them and he accepted a Book of Mormon and told us he would read it.  We also on Thursday night were making some calls to clean up some unupdated referrels to be sure in case they weren't able to contact them, and Elder Thorne calls this one lady.  She picks up and after finding out her husband is having a hard time, she tells him that maybe his call is a sign. She goes on to tell us how her husband even had a Book of Mormon and reads it from time to time and loves it.  So we fix a rendezvous and see them on Saturday, he had been back to the hospital but she was there and at the door we were able to refix the rendezvous and give her a restoration brochure.  She actually took it and with a huge look of gratitude gave the brochure a kiss and told us thank you.  I'm excited to meet with this family, they are really nice and so cool.  Then we met a lady from Ireland doing groceries and traded numbers, she's "big on Jesus" as she put it haha.

Gotta love a bowl of fresh free avocados!

 We've  been super blessed this week which is just awesome, God knows when His children are ready and for what step. It's cool to be His hands in small occasions as these. I know He watches over us and will do what He can, including promoting us to do our part, to help others progress and return to Him. That's my testimony. Love you guys and have a great week!!!! Also Joyeux Noël and can't wait to see you all soon :)

Lots of love,
Elder Laney

Light the World (week #6 Transfer #13)

Salut! Comment ca va? 

Well it's official, I am now an old missionary. I lived out my youth to its best, but now as I approach the next 6 months I am going head first, I'm excited and really looking forward to the experiences and miracles to come. Today Elder Tehahe and I sent off Elder Richmond and Elder Steadman, who will be heading home soon as their missions finish today! So crazy, I'm pumped for them and to hear how the normal life is going. Here I am receiving Elder Thorne and Elder Tehahe is receiving Elder Golightly, who was in the zone just up in Avignon, so I'm excited to have him down here. Elder Golightly is a boss and I've only heard good things about Elder Thorne so I'm super excited :) it's going to be the best transfer yet!!! 

 "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." from Invictus

This week was really well spent, first off I'll start with yesterday, so we'll just recount this week backwards. Yesterday I met Soeur Manoa who came to church for the first time in a while, turns out she's from California, and for the first time someone from California told me they were from San Francisco!  (Most ppl end up from LA haha) and en plus she's from Concord!!!  What the heck! When they found out I was from Danville they flipped, talked about how they passed Danville all the time to go to In-N-Out. We had a good time, her husband is on the rugby team here in Toulon and they invited us for dinner so we all had a good time, so cool!  Anyways I love America :) it's super cool to meet someone from the hometown, 1st time I've met someone from right at home. So cool. And he gave us all free USA rugby jerseys too. Basically just like the best night of my mission so far.

The Family Monoa and free rugby jerseys for the Elders!

Soeur Manoa and Elders 

Anyway, the week went well, got to see Azam and play some ping pong with him, he wrecked us!  Turns out he trained in ping pong as a kid haha.  He's doing good, came to church and we'll hopefully be able to start seeing him more often now.  Got to see one of our members and her husband who are both really cool, he's open and might be interested in the lessons so we'll see where that goes. Trying to get into contact with some of our Amis, including Abraham. We were sad to have to push his baptism a bit further, we haven't had contact.  Anyway, I know he wants to and had faith in God, and he's ready, so well just help him jump on a bit more and he'll make the decision. We do what we can but in the end it's up to each of us to make our decisions, and this one is his, as it is for all of our Amis. We will do our absolute best to help this happen.   

Wonderful Family Home Evening dinner with elders, members and amis

Well I hope you all have a great week. Sorry about last weeks message; apparently part of it got cut off, so I'll just repeat it this week!  So my little thought today is to #LighttheWorld :) This December the Church has a program inviting us to go and serve someone every day. Each day before Christmas we have an activity or 2 we can do to help others, and a small video to watch that goes along with it to make Christmas a greater experience as we turn outwards to others. It's at www.Mormon.org where you will kick off for the season starting December 1. 

I love how much happier I am when I am focusing on others, and I think the program they have is super fun. Love you guys and I hope you all have a great start to winter :) again I am so grateful for the Christmas season, and also for this beautiful world God has given us, nature is always a testimony of Him to me, and I love this world's natural beauty. I'm grateful to have had a chance to see such beautiful sights today. 

Love you all and have an awesome week! 

Love,
Elder Laney

Light the World (week #5 Transfer #12)

Hey everyone! First, thanks for all you do and I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I'm really grateful for my family and friends, you all mean the world to me.  It's so amazing to know I have the chance to know you all.  I love you guys and hope your week was good :)   My last week went well, having some trouble seeing our Amis but Dominique has made insane progress, we saw him and he was saying how he'd quit smoking by January, then Elder Richmond bore testimony he could do it then and there. Then Dominque said "why not".  So we got him some gum and he's been doing great!  Not quite there but nearly!  I'm pumped for him and for when he quits and is baptized :)  Abraham should be baptized this Saturday finally, we are going to get everything planned tonight :) Anyway, things are going well here in Toulon. We got to climb a mountain today on the coast, super cool, here's a picture.

Climbing mountains in Toulon

Well, my little thought today is to #LighttheWorld :) This December the Church has a program inviting us to go and serve someone every day.  Each day before Christmas we have an activity or two we can do to help others, and a small video to watch that goes along with it to make Christmas a greater experience as we turn outwards to others. It's at www.Mormon.org where you will kick off for the season starting December 1.

I love how much happier I am when I am focusing on others, and I think the program they have is super fun. Love you guys and I hope you all have a great start to winter :) again I am so grateful for the Christmas season, and also for this beautiful world God has given us, nature is always a testimony of Him to me, and I love this worlds natural beauty. I'm grateful to have had a chance to see such beautiful sights today. Have a great week! 

Love,
Elder Laney

Hey! (week #4 Transfer #12)

Hey everyone! This week was great :) Literally so many blessings.  Abraham had his baptismal interview a week ago and should be baptized this Saturday!  Gotta confirm the date is good for his family, but normally it should be good.  I'm super excited.  He's so awesome. Also Dominique and Azam are both doing awesome and approaching their date in 2 weeks, and we're going to work really hard so that this works out, I know through God all things are possible.  Anyway, they are all doing great, Didier and his mom too, I believe he might be making plans for baptism soon too if all goes well, he's changed so much and is so much more positive now.  I'm really excited for all that's going on.

Ping Pong Tournament

This week was great though, Monday through Thursday included seeing Azam and some other people from the Ward, a lot of planning for our festive conference on Saturday, including a honey glazed ham which Elder Richmond and I were really proud of haha:)  Conference and interviews went really well, the rest of the zone made some really good food and it turned out great, we all did some skits too which was really funny.  I played David in our skit and Elder Tehahe played Goliath.

We played ping pong and I hit it at his head to win, that was the real story of David and Goliath.


Fun stuff. Good week though, the coolest part was after church on Sunday (Azam and Dominique came :) ) we went to see Abraham, turns out his sister who is having a really hard time is living with them now for the moment, but we went over to see him and met her, she stayed for the lesson, and it was so cool because during the lesson her mood changed and by the end she had changed from tears to a more positive mood and to follow God, and said she trusted Him. It seems that Abraham's family is coming unto Christ. 

Zone Conference

I know we can trust Him and he never lets us down.  Have a good week and happy thanksgiving!!!!!  Write down what you're thankful for and share it with someone, I'm really thankful for so much. 

Lots of love,
Elder Laney

Learning to make croissants with Christopher, a member here in Toulon

The fruits of our labors.  They may not look professional but they tasted spectacular!

Positivity (week #3 Transfer #12)

Hey everybody!

This was a good week once again, a lot of cool things happened.  Highlight of the week, Abraha passed his baptismal interview!!!  He's so prepared and really excited to be baptized soon, we'll be doing the baptism as soon as his sister and brother-in-law are back in town to come to it.  Besides that we got to see Dominique again who is doing great, he's made so much progress and has so much faith, he's willing to do what he needs to be baptized and it's really cool.  He even came to church yesterday for the first time!!  He has been telling us for a long time he would come and our rendez-vous on  Saturday he said he had been saying and saying he would, so he had to.  Then he did!  And he liked it too. We should be seeing Azam this week and hopefully Jean Yves, but it seems things are going forward with their progress which is really cool.  I believe Dominique will really make his baptismal date.  Didier is doing really well too and his mom came to church for the first time too!! So cool.

The week went well anyway, we got to go to Lyon for a meeting with all the zone leaders and it was really inspiring as any meeting with President and Sister Brown is.  Had zone training and got to meet the zone, all great guys and our sisters are really cool, had a ping pong tournament during lunch, looks like I need to step up my ping pong, really fun though.  We got to take our initiative from the missionary leadership conference and share it with everyone, we are focusing on part member families and working with members to help them receive and strengthen each other in the gospel.  Met with bishop Durant (my first bishop in the mission lol) on Sunday and he's on board, I'm really excited to work with him and all the awesome members we have here.

Good week, started the next one off with some hot chocolate and American sized croissants and pain au chocolat, I believe we found where our two cultures meet:

American sized pastries...

Love to you all and have a great week!!

Elder Josh Laney

The House of the Lord (week #2 Transfer #12)

Hey everybody! We had a fun week. We got to see Azam like 3 times and he came to church!  He's doing really well.  We didn't get to see Abraham like the whole week, he's from Africa and super cool; we should be having his baptism soon, but we got to see him yesterday which was great.  Turns out he's been reading a ton in the Book of Mormon, he's all the way to Mosiah!  So crazy.  We also have a new Ami/engage named Vikram who is also from India!  He's super cool too, haha but he speaks English and zero French (where Azam is a fluent French speaker and knows some English).  We've been really blessed to see  a lot of progress with our amis and to have so many people here to teach, they are all really prepared which is cool.  Got to make a quiche with Didier and his mom, he moved here from French Guinea a year or so ago and he's basically a member, he's so cool, came to church too! Also got to meet the district which was fun, great missionaries and we had a fun time.

Authentic quiche lessons.  

One highlight of the week was a rendezvous with our DMP (Ward mission leader in French) Frere Sassi at his friend's house.  His friend Rene has been an Ami for years but hasn't really made progress. 1st up Rene's friend was there and we got to teach her and set up a return appointment with them both.  She's really interested to find out more about what we teach as missionaries.  Then, after she left, we talked about genealogy and family history with Rene.  We ended up saying very little as the Spirit took over while Frere Sassi shared his testimony about temple work for the dead.  His experiences were powerful and we all felt the Spirit really strong.  I shared a bit how I know it will be joyeuse to do temple work for my ancestors later.  I know that works, I really felt so during the rendez-vous and invite you all do research, and to help out those we love to receive baptism.  It's really cool and I'm going to do my best to be more  involved, I've always had fond experiences and in this meeting I learned and felt so much of it's importance.  Rene afterwards agreed he wanted to know more and go to the temple, he felt the need to help in temple work for the dead as well, and he is going to be taking the lessons more seriously I believe. I know this church is true and the only one with temples where we can give our loved ones who have passed on the chance to be baptized and receive the same blessings we have when they cannot do so for themselves.  I testify of that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The daily commute, Toulon style!

Have a great week and love you all!

Elder Laney

Fun times (week #1 Transfer #12)

Hey! So this week was really fun and really awesome. I looove Toulon, it's super cool and such a beautiful town. A port city on the edge of the Côte d'Azur, actually the home of the French naval fleet which is pretty awesome. We take a lot of buses so a lot less walking than I'm used to :)

Toulon view from our apartment

Anyways it's been great weather, I'm still using a short sleeve dress shirt, and we've been having a great time here. My new companion is Elder Richmond, from Texas, and in his last transfer. We are also in a 4 man apartment with Elder Steadman and Elder Tehahe, it's a blast. Some highlights of the week were first finding our new Ami Azam. Elder Richmond sat next to him on a bus this week and met him, and we started teaching him the next day and have basically seen him like daily it's so  cool, he's super interested and learns sooo fast it's crazy. Besides that we got to see a lot of our other amis which was great, all progressing really well, we saw a lot of cool changes in all of them.  At one point during the week we were waiting for an ami and this man stops and tells us we are "sons of God" so he has a present for us. Turns out he's an actor and puts on shows with his cats, calls himself cat man. Haha such a weird guy but it was
super funny to meet. 

Josh with the Cat Man of Toulon

Another highlight was taking boats!! The boats here are like the buses, even use the same card. We use them every other day to go out to see an Ami or member. we also got to see a member cellist and her colleagues practice at the church for a concert, soo cool.

Commuting on the Côte d'Azur by water taxi

Anyways I hope you all have a great week! I learned once again this week how much God does for us. He helped us out so much this week. One rendez-vous we  went to help an Ami who is having a really really hard time. We prayed and did all we could and couldn't come up with a lesson, then right before the lesson Elder Richmond thought to pick a talk from the sessions we missed from General Conference. Then in the lesson he asked our Ami to pick it instead out of that session we all had missed (them too). He picked the same talk, and when we watched it it was exactly what he needed, and he told us that he believed he might be able to repent, which for him is the biggest step he has taken in soooo many years, he's never said that. It was such a great miracle, I can see how the Lord works through little things. Do your best and ask the Lord for help, He'll make up the difference, I know He has for me so many times.

Have a great week!

lots of love,
Elder Laney

Côte d'Azur by night

To the Côte d'Azur (week #6 Transfer #11)

Hey!  So we got transfer calls this week, and now I'm off again!  Headed to the Côte d'Azur, or at least the very tail end of it as others say haha, but such a beautiful place and I'm super excited.  I'm going to Toulon where Elder Richmond, my new companion, and I will be opening a new zone leader equipe for the new Toulon zone!  Woo!  Aix zone is shifting to be the Toulon zone now, so I'm so exited to be back with this zone!!  Super pumped.  Anyway, I've only heard good things, turns out to be where the French naval fleet is stationed including the Charles-de-Gaullist sometimes, their aircraft carrier.  Also lots of beaches and amazing hikes; I've been on a train with Elder Steadman who I knew at the beginning of the mission, we'll be in a 4 man with their equipe.  Also it's going to be in a ward!!!!!  My first Ward, soooo many changes and I'm super excited. 

Say hello to my little friends!

It was a great week anyway, best part was Monday night where we got to see Marie-Claude.  She's doing well, still hasn't cracked open the Book of Mormon, but she says she's going to get right into it and she loves seeing us.  Super awesome and I know Elder Skousen will take great care of The Mont with his new comp Elder Hoffman (from Belgium).  We got to also visit an outer ville mimizan and our bus driver on the way home turns out to be a member baptized in Pau in the 70s!  We also got to do some service for one of our members who is moving in town which is super cool since he'll be able to come to church now!  So many great things happened this week, after a fun exchange with the zone leaders and a lot of goodbyes and then a great bout of contacting and then packing on Sunday I've said goodbye to The Mont for now. But I will return someday...  Love those people all so much, I know Elder Skousen will do such a good job with all of them. 

Saying goodbye to wonderful members in The Mont

I learned so much in The Mont about diligent and hard work in the face of small results, and perseverance through it.  I know that as we do so, as we give our best, God does the rest. 

Yachts in Toulon Harbor

So here now with Elder Richmond my new companion and then Elder Steadman and Elder Tehahe our other equipe! :) gonna be fun.

Left to right: Elder Steadman, Elder Richmond, Elder Tehahe, Elder Laney

I really love The Mont and I will miss our district. However I'm also excited for new adventures!  Have a great week and love you all!

Love,
Elder Laney

Rolling forth (Week #5 Transfer #11)

Hello everyone! I can't believe it's week 6 already... This transfer just zipped by in about 2 seconds. Amazing how time flies!

Frenchman in progress...

This week flew by extremely fast since we were mostly just on trains for a good bit of it, but.. I finally got my legality!  We have to renew our visas after a year, and after a long arduous process it is finally in check and we went down to Aix to pick it up.  Great to be in that region again, got to stay in Nimes with Elder Aitcheson (who I did an exchange with when he was a blue in Gap) and Elder Little (who I also met when he was a blue).  Man, they grow so fast... 

Plaza in Nimes

Besides that though I really enjoyed the beginning of the week where we got to have zone conference!  What an inspiring message, President Brown was really on fire and it was just a super cool experience. We all learned to better follow promptings of the Spirit and how we can be  more courageous as missionaries.  I really was impressed by Elder Skousen's example following this later that week; I felt like we should pass someone and I doubted as sure, and then Elder Skousen told me "Well, let's go!  No sense in doubting it, you know what Sister Brown said. Trust it and go for it!" So we went and on the way ran into a neighbor of a member, and they have had some disputes and it was cool to talk to him and we had a really good encounter. Elder Skousen has been a really good example to me of just following the Lord.

Nimes Colloseum

We were able to see Vincent and Kael this week, and though they are having a hard time I feel like they will come back later, that they just need some time.  It is sad to have those you care about decide not to see you anymore, but I really don't think it's the last time, they do want to see us later, just not right now. But while we wait we will focus on those who are ready right now. Which is a huge miracle as far as Sunday goes, we had 3 amis at church!  Mind you, they all came and went at different times haha, Jaqueline was at Sacrament meeting which was cool, Janine came for the meal after and Frere Bernier's friend Gladness came half way and stayed the whole time!  So it was really great to get to know all of them and we should be seeing some other member's friends this week and getting a family home evening activity for the branch going as well as English class next transfer.  So things are moving and though its a bit slow, its going forward :) I want you all to have a good week, and remember that sometimes things can be a little hard in life, or trials may seem slow and to last longer than usual, but as we persevere patiently with trust in the Lord, and in ourselves and our families, all is well. And after a time, great things happen and it is so cool. I've learned how much good there is in life even when at times the bad seems so present, and how we can always focus on the good. We had a good week, and it was really fun, and I hope you all have a happy and a fun week too! Make the most of it!

Love,
Elder Laney

ps: transfers are next week so i'll let you know what happens

Captain ..France? One of our new friends in town

A Great Week (Week #4 Transfer #11)

Bonjour tous et toutes! I hope you all had a good week. This week was a fun one, we got to go out to Pau and do 2 exchanges which is super fun, with Pau and Tarbes, and had district meeting with Agen and Bayonne there. Super fun to see all the missionaries, and we'll see even more tomorrow at Zone Conference! So cool! and apparently we'll be using this new app for missionary work which I am super pumped for to help us keep track of everything. 

The District

My favorite part this week (besides teaching Felix and his mom, which was super cool), was actually this self reliance program the Church is doing that we were introduced to which helps people search for and start their careers, aiming towards being independent and self-reliant temporally (money and stuff) and spiritually as well.  Such a cool program and we will be trying to help our amis get going to it, that will be really cool to be able to help them in their search for careers and such through these groups. I even got to look a little into a future job for me when we were all at the presentation. Sadly our amis didn't show up but we'll be able to take it to them to help them out. 

Kebabs with the old group

Got to do service for Jean-Louis' ami and Jean-Louis is awesome. His friends had some questions about the church, so Jean Louis just starts sharing the gospel and all about the start of the church with them, so they seemed interested and we'll try to teach them more soon. Our other member Frere Riviere taught some of the plan of salvation to a friend and we'll be helping introduce the Book of Mormon to her soon.  So our members are just doing so much cool missionary work and sharing the gospel to all their friends!

Kebabs with the new group!

One miracle this week was with Felix's mom. We dropped by to pay Felix a visit and he told us his mom was awake so we could say hi to her too. We did and after a bit we asked if she needed help with anything. As usual she said no, but then we kept talking and before we left I asked again. This time she said she needed some help with the yard, so we fixed a rdv to go rip some acacia's out of her yard with Felix. But something was telling me to ask if she wanted another blessing, so after a bit I brought up the blessing the last time, asking how her health was, then she said how when I was asking if she wanted something she actually was thinking about that blessing and really wanted another one. So I asked if she would like one there and she said yes. I then asked who, and she said "I don't understand him very well (pointing to Elder Skousen)... I want him to give me the blessing." So Elder Skousen got to give his first blessing in French!  It was really cool, and he talked a lot about opportunities with the gospel. So I thought about if she would want to learn more and asked, and she said she noticed that in the blessing and was curious, so she said yes!  We got to teach her 2 times that week; I think we were able to touch her and that she will want to learn more.  It was really cool and its important to follow our feelings, the Holy Ghost can know exactly what the desires of someone's heart really are :)

Love you guys and I hope your week is good! God bless.

Love,
Elder Laney

French freeways...