Set the Example (Week #2 Transfer #9)

Hey everybody, we had another good week here in Mont-de-Marsan. It was a bit of a slow one with plenty of travel once again, but not too much.  We had the chance to teach Felix in the beginning of the week, and he's making progress.  

Toulouse Zone Conference

We got to go to Toulouse later for zone training, and that was cool to see the new plans for members and missionaries to work together and other things President had us learn from our zone leaders.  And another change - from now on we will be having exchanges with missionaries in Mont-de-Marsan each time so that will be interesting since we won't be leaving the ville very much this transfer, just receiving lots of other missionaries which should be fun.  

I did get to see Tarbes for the first time since I left!  I've passed through a bunch of times, but picking Elder Nelson back up after our last exchange we got to get the Oasis kebab there -- felt just as crummy afterwards like it usually does, so worth it though :) and I even ran into this random guy we knew a little bit while I was there who was a little crazy,  we both recognized eachother.  It was cool, and the elders there are doing a great job, they are both really cool.  Everyone in the district is really awesome and good missionaries and really hard workers, so i'm happy to work alongside them and help them out where they need it.  

Kebabs from Oasis Kebab with the Tarbes Elders

The rest of the week we got to finally go back to church in our branch after having Stake Conference last weekend, and Elder Nelson met the whole branch minus a few who were absent.  And the Ecuadorians are back! Love that little couple, and now they are here with their son and daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law at least speaks some French and English, the rest only Spanish.  It was fun to see everyone Sunday! It feels like one big family at church :)

Cactus flower in bloom

A lesson this week I learned was on loving care.  As a trainer I've seen how important it is to raise someone right starting off in the mission field, and sometimes I realize I have already been negligent!  But as I keep working hard and try to really do my best to help him become the best missionary he can be, I know Elder Nelson will be trained well.  I feel like I need to make sure to be the very best example I can be to show the way, and as we do that for others in our life we really help them to see the right things to do and help them make the right decisions. Leading by example is so much better than just expecting people to listen to what we say. 

Anyway, I wish you all a great week, and happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!  My recommendation, don't celebrate it by eating pig tripe with a French man... just look up what tripe is..

lots of love,
Elder Laney

An interesting note:  This is an old French Book of Mormon where they use an asterisk * in the place of the phrase "and it came to pass"