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