Week two in Rodez

Subject: Bonjour tout le monde

Week two in Rodez was Sic! Mainly because I wasn't in Rodez for half the week but in Toulouse!(yes Hunter, Toulouse is a city not a music artist; there are plenty of masks though) I was doing a special exchange with the Chinese elders! Yes, I got to teach 8 chinese people! Chinese people are literally the coolest thing of my life! All the Chinese people we taught are from hong kong and took 8 years of english. They are here in France going to business schools. They are literally just smiling ALL the TIME! Josh is going to love it(For everyone who doesn't know Josh, Josh is one of my friends back home who got called to Hong Kong! he is a lucky man)! To open each lesson, to break the ice, we would play a few games of ping pong (I am sure josh is just freaking out right about now(Josh loves ping pong)) We had to teach super simply for most of the chinese investigators because they really don't have any christian base. The chinese missionaries teach the three main lessons in Preach my Gospel just way differently. For instance, our first lesson with Zhao(the kid who is in the picture with me) we explained the Bible. Where it came from. What it talks about. The next lesson we explained who Jesus was. His atonement, why that is important. How to use it. Zhao was super receptive! He loved talking to us! Like I already said, Josh is a lucky guy!

The rest of the week can be summed up with district meeting and continuing to teach madam Gil! She is getting really integrated into the branch now! Almost the entire branch of 25 people have had her at their house! She just invited everyone(like the whole branch) to go and eat at her house for a saturday session of conference! 

Norrick, our other progressing investigator has been good and keeping commitments. But a little flaky on coming to church and with meeting times. But I guess that's the life of a missionary.

I love you all! 

Elder Keller

6 months serving the Lord in France

Subject: OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY

So, Rodez. Rodez has been super exciting for a couple different reasons. First being, we engaged someone to baptism!! Her name is Madame Gill (pronounced jill) she is about forty years old and has looked into like every church. This however is the first church she has fixed a baptismal date for! So that is super exciting! She has almost finished the book of mormon and Doctrine and covenents as well. She is a reader. There is a fixed date, but the ward wants her to move it two weeks so that all the other baptisms in the ward happen on the same day. I'll write back next week with what her finalized date is.

Our next super duper awesome investigator is Norrick, Norrick is black, from Gabon (I dont know where this is) He loves basketball and Thanks to Ben Clifford I know all about current basket ball! hahaha I befriended him super quick when I told him I went to a Jazz game! haha, He has been baptized twice already, but is really open to new information. We have taught him all the lessons twice, but he just doesn't grasp some concepts. So we had him teach us the Plan of Salvation and that really clicked for him! So hopefully we can continue to progress super well with him!

Rodez is also cool because of my new colleague! Elder Gossel! Elder Gossel is German and loves rice and ketchup. With sausage. He loves soccer, surprise. I have learned a lot about how to be a good missionary from Elder Gossel. In fact I started taking notes! hahaha, He just thinks differently than my last two companions and honestly it has really helped! He has this rule wherethat we never do something for more than an hour. (unless its a lesson) so if we have three open hours we might contact for an hour, port for an hour, and then pass by some less actives. We have seen lots of success from this and it helps you stay Focused for the whole three hours.

Also, the way he teaches is good and different. For instance the idea to "have the investigator teach you" was all his idea and it Really helped Norrick out a lot! He also carries UNO cards in his bag so before or after a lesson we play ten minuets of UNO with our investigator. I noticed that when we play UNO it helps our investigator relax and feel comfortable. Especially for Norrick, he can be a little shy sometimes. 

Elder Gossel is also very straight forward. one of my last companions would dance around the Idea that we want to talk about the gospel whereas Elder Gossel is, straight forward. It has actually led to some pretty cool discussions on the road and has actually gotten us to fix of following rendezvous. I think it helps that Elder Gossel has a lot of confidence. He just acts like they are going to say yes to a gospel discussion or he says "what day works for you" instead of "can we come to your house and talk about the gospel" and we just fix so many more appointments than we did in Chalon! I love it! I feel like we are working harder and accomplishing more each day!

About the city itself, Rodez is definitely wealthier than Chalon. All the cars here are nicer and there are a lot more "fashion/clothing" stores. Plus it just feels nicer, the roads are better kept, the gardens look well tended. and the people act much differently here than in Chalon. Contacting people on the road has been fun! Sometimes when you try and stop someone on the road they just turn their head and give you this "who are you" glare and walk off without even saying anything! That never happened in Chalon so the first few times I was a little off set. Sorta spun you could say. But, thanks to Elder Gossel ive learned a few tricks in getting people to stop. :)

Elder Gossel plays Spanish Guitar, I didn't know that was a thing but OH my GOODNESS it is soo cool! he treats the guitar like a different instrument! IT sounds sooo cool hahaha!

This week we are doing a weird exchange and so I will spend today until wednesday in Touloose. (yes like the artist) with a chinese speaking companion. YES I AM FREAKING OUT SO HARD RIGHT NOW! I am super excited! 

Also I am picking up a little German from Elder Gossel!

ich liber dich - I love you :D

Elder kELLER

First transfer for Grant

Elder Keller had his first transfer Monday.  We were happy to hear from him yesterday, even though he does seem a bit tired in his letter and it gets worse in my letter!  But I wanted to add a little bit of my letter that he sent to me.  (it's at the end)  I thought I'd share it because I have loved seeing him grow, not only in the Gospel, but within himself.  Its been a  wonderful blessing to have him in our lives as a missionary.  : )

Subject: Rodez!!!!!!

So, yesterday I spent 12 hours on a train and two hours on a bus. wow. Hence the late email. I have been sent to the city of Rodez! Its presidents favorite city. Apparently, he baptized the very first person in this branch after having 20 investigators at church. I mean not at church, his appartment.

There isn't a branch here yet, we share with the branch in alby. but they are getting a building here this summer! Super sweet! I hope I can stay for a while. 

My new companion. Boy, when I found out he was German I immediately threw a happy fit! He KNOWS HOW TO COOK SAUSAGE!? wow! His name is elder Gossel! and do you know who is last companion was? Elder Smith from the MTC! so thats been fun! although, elder gossel does not eat lots of food. For dinner, a half a bowl of pasta; for breakfast, one packet of oatmeal; for lunch today, couscous. I might starve to death, or get that european bodAYY! hahaha He does make really good food though! 

So when getting off of the train here the first person I met was this man named Mark. Elder Gossel said "we have an ami here who wants to see you" and before I could brace myself this 5'8 big ol iraqian man came up and hugged the life out of me. Mark is literally the happiest person I have ever met! He just loves everyone! He wanted to see elder Smith off and greet the new missionary here so he spent 25 euros to take the train to Toulouse to come and pick me up.... 

Anyways, thats like all I can think of for now. I am a bit tired and the guy next to me at this internet cafe is blasting metal music out of his headphones and it makes it kinda hard to think. good thing that wasn't a run on.

Love you all! 

Elder Keller

Hunter wrote me, yey! I am super excited that hunter is going to Honduras! haha he is going to love it! I feel that for a mission to be successful, or, for you to stay out on a mission you really have to be 100 percent committed and he sounds excited and ready. I remember the first couple days, maybe even the first week thinking " what am I even doing here" and then I found something to fuel my desire, or I found my desire somewhere. I found love for that investigator at the mtc. I LOVED zach. More than elder Brill. and all the sudden it made sense. I am on a mission to give these people the gospel and since then I haven't doubted or asked "why am I here". 

You would love Rodez. Its the prettiest place in the WORLd! it reminds me of that house on the hill scripture! 

Prayer, it really works. It is like a sand timer thing. the ones that you turn upside down and the sand begins to fall. every time you pray about this thing it is like a grain or two of sand. It takes lots of prayers to build up a worthy little pile. Its easier when two or three people are praying for the same thing. Chose something specific. and Pray. :) I know this is true because everytime I have done this it has worked. 

24 weeks out, 18 weeks in France

Subject: I still can't believe it.

So since I have been companions with Elder Duckworth he has always said "work hard during the week and people just show up at church asking to be baptized". Obviously  I didn't believe him. Yet, clearly I am wrong. This week was a hard working week since we have had less lessons with our investigators; so that means more time out contacting and going door to door. We want to start this thing called "Getting Jerseys" basically its when you get someones name and number! We got six Jerseys this week! That is like six potential investigators! Anywho, we worked hard and got some Jerseys but didn't really commit anyone to coming to church. But, a young couple, in their twenties, just showed up to church yesterday with one of the less actives in the ward. The less active brought them because the young couple wanted to find a church in which they could raise their kids in. They want their children to have "faith" and hope in something. Well, I am no expert but boy do we have a message for you! So that was pretty sweet!

We are going to play basketball with Justinian today! This will be the first time in 5 weeks. Wow. We are really excited to see him though! and the less active who brought the young couple to church said he might come play some ball with us! 

Elder Duckworth was sick on Friday. That was my first experience taking care of a sick elder. We only got to go out side for an hour or two but when we did go outside it was like Heavenly father just put every single person we had ever talked to out with us! Okay, we hop on the bus at our stop. We went down one stop and an old potential investigator got on the bus! We ran up (okay not really ran up, I mean we are on a bus) and started asking how she was doing! Elder Duckworth doesn't know her since it was Elder Perry and I who contacted her, but we started talking to her and unfortunately she wasn't to interested in learning about church but she did say she would come to "Soir Famillial" or family night tonight! Go down another stop. Another old potential investigator got on the bus! Its like we are taking the magic school bus. We talked to him for a bit but until he, unfortunately, excused himself at the next stop. But the stop that he got off was the stop that a Less active got on! So we asked how she was doing and tried to fix a day that we could pass by her house.

I know the lord blesses those who work hard. I know the lord blesses us when we pray. I know that being a missionary is SUUUPER fun! I love you guys and hope that you all have wonderful weeks!

Elder Keller

Pictures! the pictures of the crown. There is this game where the baker of a cake puts a little baby jesus in side the cake. the cake cooks, you serve the cake. Whoever gets baby jesus is crowned "king" for the day. We played it at a members house. Joy.

Grant's letter March 2, 2015

I feel really fat. This week we ate dinner at members houses 4/7 nights and a really nice member dropped goose off for dinner on Sunday. This is like the best branch to have ever existed.

We spent a lot of time out contacting this week! We had Fifty seven conversations about the gospel. That is 8 more conversations than I have ever had! We fixed almost ten appointments with people but no one showed. Honestly it was kinda hard having so many meetings fall through and by the end of the week I felt like we had wasted a lot of time. But the lord blessed us! Our work did not go unnoticed.

 This entire transfer Elder Duckworth and I take two prayers aside just to ask Heavenly Father if he will give us people to teach to grow this branch. The branch hasn't seen any new members in over a year and you can feel the affects of that on the branch. But yesterday we had a super cool miracle happen! Half way through church an older couple, grand parent age, and their thirty five year old daughter walk into the building! They are moving here from another city in France! All three of them are investigators from a ward down in Axon-Provonce. The mother is scheduled to be baptized in our branch on the 7 of march! The Husband said he still has some things he wants to work on before he gets baptized and this was the daughters first experience with the church! HOLY GUACAMOLEY! If I have learned anything in this branch it is that the power of prayer is SOOO real and SOOO applicable in our lives! 

Jesus gave a parable about a man who goes to his neighbors house looking for bread in the middle of the night. The man continues to knock on his neighbors door until his neighbor opens and gives him bread. At the end of the parable Jesus explains that if we knock we will receive. Talmage clearly explains that if we continue in constant prayer eventually the lord will open his door and give us what we want. As long as it is good ;) This was made clear to me and Elder Duckworth as we asked the lord twice a day to give us people to grow this branch. And like the sleepy neighbor who eventually gives bread to the wanting man, the lord provided. I can not tell you how excited the entire branch was. One of the members, through tears, said (and this is directed at the new investigators) "After talking to you for five minuets I feel like I have known you forever". I am so grateful to be here in Chalon and to watch the lord unfold this miracle. I know that the lord has helped us every step of the way and we owe it all to him. He is blessing this young branch with wonderful new people who are already fostering strong testimonies. I know the power of prayer is real and that our God is a God of mercy; he loves his children and he loves us even more when we talk to him on our knees.  I love this Branch and I love the missionary work...oh, Missionary FUN! :D

So about the title... During our contacting this week we ran into Brandon Davies, his wife and her parents! WAHOO! we got to talk for a while and Brandon's mother in law offered to take pictures of us and send them to our parents! So hopefully mom has gotten that and can attach the photo to this email :) It was a fun little experience and really lightened our day! and even better, BRANDON DAVIES GAVE US CHURROS!!! yes, we got fed by a famous basketball player ;)

This week was hard, feet hurt, legs hurt, we were worn out, but it was sooooooo worth it! 

Elder Keller