Another Good week (Week #2 Transfer #10)

Hey Everyone!

This week was a fun one, went by pretty fast.  We got to do service for Jean-Louis twice at the beginning of the week which was fun, he needed help with putting away wood and then distributing some papers so we got to spend some time with him.  It's so cool to get to know members and how they are doing, the members here are so cool.  And each time we go, Dominique bakes us fresh home-made croissants which are the best things in the world, so that's always a bonus.  Elder Strong told me I'd love seeing them! 

Found a fancy car in Toulouse!

We got to go to zone training which was enlightening and inspiring.  I am grateful for a truly inspired mission president.  I know our mission will improve again and again as we all work hard.  Here in Mont-de-Marsan we have been working hard, we had an exchange and got to see a member (Claude) as well as an ami who sadly we had to drop.  I know we'll find those who are prepared soon. 

Toulouse Cathedral

We saw some cool miracles this week.  I got to go on an exchange with Elder Blackham here.  So in zone training we were invited to do this activity in Preach My Gospel where we choose a time of the day to teach someone a short lesson we practice in companion study.  So we did that, and we had about 20 minutes to do a little bit of finding.  So we are getting to the bus stop with our 20 minutes, and we see a man sitting on a bench and we go talk to him, teach him the Book of Mormon, and he was super happy and enjoyed it and took a copy, even if he isn't living in town he said he'd contact the missionaries up where he's going.  So that was super cool!  Me and Elder Thorley my zone leader did the same thing and it was so cool to see how we were able to teach 2 lessons in a specific place, one of which started because a man stopped us and wanted to know more about who we were.  So I know the Lord really does inspire our leaders to help us out, and us in the work!  I'm excited for more cool experiences like that.  So make some plans of something that you will do to help someone at a specific time today!  You may just have a miracle :)

Have a great week as always!

Love,
Elder Laney

Mont de Marsan District

Double Digits (Week #1 Transfer #10!!)

I'm in the double digits now! I'm in transfer #10 and man its flyin' by.  This week was actually a pretty slow one at first but BAM! now it's Monday.  Goes quick!

Tartas, France

We had a pretty slow first few days and then the rest of our week was pretty awesome.  We got to do some service for Jean-Pierre Bernier our member and it was pretty fun, had a great meal and such a spiritual discussion with him and Soeur Bernier after watching the French version of the "Strength Beyond My Own" video about temples, after we got to go see Anris and Arsene his brother (who we actually met on the street 2 days before we met Anris), came and joined us for the lesson on the Restoration.  The Spirit was really strong and they both accepted to read the Book of Mormon.  Sadly they are both leaving for Gabon until November, so if I'm still here I hope I'll get to see them again!  I'm sure God will take care of them though,  outstanding guys.

La Midouze River in Tartas

Friday was a bit of contacting, and in 2 short hours we taught 2 lessons on the street, gave out a Book of Mormon and found a member from Spain who's been living here recently!!  So cool, and the next day we were in a little town called Tartas out in the countryside, and we ended that day with a super spiritual rendez-vous with this man on the street, we had about 4 different people try to interrupt our conversation either to make fun of the missionaries or to talk to the man we were talking to, but he just told them that he'd talk to them later, being really interested in our story.  We finished and it was really cool to see how God will help us with straight opposition like that, and he accepted a Book of Mormon and I'm praying he reads it.  Then yesterday we taught another man who was really touched and accepted a Book of Mormon too.  I was really touched by the power of the spirit and love I felt for others this week, and the cool things we were able to see and experience and be a part of in helping others come unto Christ.  It was a fun week, and I know how when we work hard we will see miracles and we'll be so happy.  My thought at the end of this week is on the Book of Mormon.  I've seen how this  book has changed others lives, (like Jean-Luc in Manosque and others I've met on the mission) as well as how it has influenced my own.  I know if we really ask God with a sincere heart if it is true He will tell us. I wish any of you who have not yet had this witness or testimony, or who have found theirs to grow dim, to refresh yourself and to find the truth by reading the Book of Mormon and asking God if it is true, He answers us, and He can when we are sincere and really truly desire it for the right reason.  Love you all and have a great week! Let me know how you guys are all doing!

Love,
Elder Laney


Tartas!! I think it's funny how missionaries who served here always write this town's name with exclamation marks.  I think it's because it's like.. Spartas!  Pretty town :)

KILLER BEES!!!  Look at the size of these winged menaces!

Staying! (Week #6 Transfer #9)

Hey everyone! Got transfer calls this last Friday and Elder Nelson and I will be staying together!  I'm super pumped! He's such a cool missionary and person and is progressing so so so fast.  I'm super impressed; he'll be training me pretty soon (actually I think he already is haha.) This next transfer will be super fun.  And now I'm in transfer #10!!!!  Man things go by fast, it's been well over a year now, and I'm now 21 and I feel a lot of.. age?  Idk, it's interesting.
 

Just a couple of good looking guys working hard in France...

This week we had a good time just working hard, it was a little long but we managed to see some new amis and make some new amis, including Ingrid who is super awesome, and Anris who is super cool as well.  Ingrid is of Italian descent I think, but totally French and super awesome and friendly, wants to learn more and though she hasn't been able to get to church yet she still wants to go.  Anris is from Gabon and getting a PhD in chemical engineering, so cool and humble and such a cool guy. 

Tiny little birthday cake...

Started the week off seeing a member who is from the north who is sick in town and giving her a blessing. We later got to see our members Jean-Louis and Dominique with Frere Krokovski and Frere Bernier and it was super fun, had a great lunch after service and then a great lesson after with Jean-Louis and Ingrid. Then we got to visit the Krokovski's who are from Ukraine, and they are literally the best ever, they just keep giving us food while we are there until we are walking home with an armload of groceries. Their kids are adorable! We then got to go out to this town called Aire-sur-L'Adour which was fun, we ate at a nice French cafe and I got a really good pizza and pastry :) Overall a fulfilling and a fun week, I feel happy about it. 

Birthday Pizza!

Reflecting on the time that has come and gone, and being older now, and realizing I have less than a year left!  I wanted to share a thought our mission president shared with us this week:    

              " A wise and funny man once told me that life is like a roll of toilet paper-- the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes! Surely, the same is true for a mission...I encourage each of you to practice those time management principles and make the most of each day of your mission."

Haha I really like that analogy, so true. I know I'm going to review that, and I invite you guys to too!  It's important to manage our time and it goes by fast!  So have a good week and spend you time doing what matters most :)  And have fun while you're at it and treat yourself to something nice because we all need that pastry during the week!  Love you all and have an awesome week!
 
Elder Laney

Just desserts at the end of a hard week!

 

Small and simple things (Week #5 Transfer #9)

Hey everyone!

This week was a blast. There was a huge party in Mont de Marsan with 300,000 people and fireworks and bullfights and theme park rides and ... We left Mont de Marsan the whole week to purposefully miss it!  Haha, apparently according to members there's a little too much... certain types of drinks,  so we skipped town to be a little safer and more productive. Spent the whole week in Pau with the elders there, had a really fun time!  Favorite parts include visiting the Leungs who are from Cambodia, so funny, Frere Leung sang us a song in Cambodian on the way home, and they fed us such good food!  Oh man. Also got to see Pierre's baptism!  I'm really happy for him and the Pau elders, it was a really cool experience.

Finding Day in Toulouse with Elder McKenzie

Another fun part of the week was yesterday my birthday! I'm now 21!  Man I feel old haha, I'm one of the older missionaries in the mission now, when I was in Pau I was with two 18 year olds and a new 19 year old haha, everyone is such a little young chap.  Me and Elder Nelson celebrated with some Canadian cookies and some nutty bars, it was the perfect birthday treat, and we'll go buy a cake this week with the cake money I received! (thanks mom!!!)

Birthday cookies...from Canada...

So this next week is transfers so if I get to emails a bit late or the next day it just means someone got transfered!  Lol.  I hope we stay together, it's been an awesome transfer training Elder Nelson, he's picking up super fast and just killing it at the missionary work, he's not afraid of anything.

Locals headed to the Madeleine Festival in Mont de Marsan

Anyway, I liked the lesson I've learned on my mission and at church on Sunday about small and simple things. 1 Nephi 16:29 in the Book of Mormon says that by small things the Lord brings great things to pass.  I have seen that and in the small example of my daily sincere prayer and scripture reading, as well as going to church, the little things like that I've seen my testimony grow so much and a power come to choose the right.  I know how awesome the little efforts we do as missionaries can turn out and as a person everyday, I wish you all to keep that thought in your thoughts as you do little things each day that count for you and for others :)

Elder Laney

I can GUARANTEE that my local McDonald's beats your local McDonald's hands down!!  #McAroons

Prier (Week #4 Transfer #9)

Hey everyone,

First I want to acknowledge and wish courage to all those affected by the events in Nice this past week. Our prayers go out to you and I ask everyone to keep these people kept in their thoughts and prayers. It's horrible to see the things that keep happening nearby, but I know the French are stronger than such tragedy, and we are not disheartened. I know it will all be well.

This week went really well. It was really cool, since Tuesday, every day this week we found someone with real potential who wants to see us again and learn more about the gospel. It was so cool, and we met them in a variety of ways in finding them, be it meeting them in the street, calling an old ami (who just showed up for church for the first time on Sunday! So cool!) or porting into them, Heavenly Father really lead us and put people in our path this week. That was so cool and I know it will lead to baptisms and the advancement of the Lord's work. We taught 12 lessons this week, which was a record for me.  One of those was on the street where we shared our testimony with this lady, Catia, who is so cool and we answered a lot of questions for her.  At the end I felt like I should ask her if she believed what we had taught her, she's pretty religious in her own faith, but I did and she said yes, that she felt what we said was true. She accepted the Book of Mormon we gave her and she gave us her #s so we can see her later.  Just one of the many cool miracles we had this week!!  So awesome, what a cool experience.

Happy Birthday Elder Laney!

You know last week felt like 2 weeks of work put into one, it was so successful, and good thing too since we'll be gone all the next week!  Off to Toulouse at the moment, and we'll be doing a zone finding day tomorrow and then we're off to Pau for the rest of the week due to the giant party going on in Mont-de-Marsan this week. Not the best circumstances for missionary work, and members have been helping
missionaries to avoid this for the last few years since it's not a very safe situation for misisonary work (these French people party pretty hard haha)!

Service activity 

Anyways I'm excited for another week and it'll be a fun one!!  Well then get in contact with all those we will see in a week and it will be cool to see so much progress and teach so many cool and prepared people. I really was so grateful for everything this week, and Elder Nelson reminded me of that.  Something I thought was so cool was how if we had an awesome experience, or weren't feeling good Elder Nelson would stop and say "we need to say a prayer". So if you really see God help you, take some time and thank Him, and if you aren't feeling good, just say a prayer and ask Him for some help.  He's always there to help us and you'll feel your love grow for Him in gratitude for all He does, and he'll even bless you with more peace afterwards.

I wish you all a good and fun and safe week!! Miss you all and bonne semaine!

Amicalement,

Elder Laney

Service and Love (Week #3 Transfer #9)

Hello everyone! How was your week? Summer has tried to hit us here in the south-western corner of France but it hasn't quite succeeded, a few hot days but honestly a lot of just cloud cover without rain and its felt great! Haha I feel lucky.  However next transfer is a year from when I came into France and I remember how hot it was then so... I'll just enjoy the cool weather while it lasts :)

On exchanges in Mont de Marsan centre ville

Besides we had a great week!  I love all the time we can spend with other missionaries, especially all the exchanges.  As District Leader we have an organization of the mission into zones which are split into districts, so our district includes Pau Elders, Bayonne Sisters, Agen Elders (where Elder Robards is now!) and Tarbes Elders. 

The District

All awesome missionaries and I feel really lucky to be able to help them in any little way I can.  I really enjoy just being able to help them - it's cool.  Leadership really is service, I don't do a whole lot of leading haha. Anyway, all exchanges are now in our area except when we do exchanges with Toulouse zone leaders in Toulouse. But we had 3 this week, one with Pau, one with Agen, and one in Toulouse (got to be driven there by them in their car!  Cars are the best..).  It was awesome to work other missionaries and help them out while they helped me out and our area a lot, and to see what I could learn from others.  

Dinner and exchanges with Cadeau family

And Elder Nelson is seriously just killing it, he would just be like alright new comp, lets go contact! And he'd be off already teaching his first solo lesson on the street and taking conversations all by himself.  Man he's learning fast!  So cool. 

Lunch with Elder Nelson

I got to give a district meeting too which was fun, had 12 missionaries there total which was fun and it went well! Also ended it early to give my first baptismal interview, a little new but the spirit really helped us find out where he was ready, and after he had his 2nd interview looks like he's all set for baptism in 2 weeks! So cool, and I think I'll be in Pau to see it, Pierre is a really stand-up guy from what I just learned from him in our short encounter. I notice how my love for people grows as I serve them. And that's my spiritual thought this message, A little scripture on true joy: 

" 12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly,to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. 

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;"

I know as we do good, especially as we serve others we start to love others more, and as our love grows we find a true joy, something not fake or temporary, but a real lasting joy and we are happier in our lives as we improve those of others.  I invite you all to serve somebody this week and I know you and they will be both happier :) 

Lots of love,
Elder Laney 

Requisite Pastry shot

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"