Busy Week, Lots of Exchanges & Birthday Week!

Salut!

This week was pretty cool. It was super busy with lots of exchanges.

Last Monday, after emailing we drove to Toulouse to go do some
shopping with the ZLs. We did some shopping. I didn't buy anything.
But I'll buy some stuff today for my birthday!
After doing some stuff for Pday in Toulouse, we started our exchange.
Elder Sorenson and I went to Albi, while Elder Johnson stayed with
Elder Duckworth in Toulouse.

For those that don't know, Elder Sorenson graduated from Alta in 2012.
We know a lot of the same people so that's awesome. I don't think we ever
knew each other in high school. So Tuesday we had our
exchange; we did some contacting and passed this member. After we were
supposed to have a rdv with our ami, Bridgitte, but she was sick.
She's been going through a lot of opposition lately. We felt bad and
wanted to help, but there wasn't much we could do. So we decided just
to drop some cookies off to her and pray with her. So we did! And she
seemed to enjoy that. After, Elder Sorenson and I took a quick picture
or two on the side of the road. And with cows. 

And then we drove back to Toulouse to switch back!

Wednesday Elder Johnson and I met with some members. We went to Eda's
house with Frere Millet. We taught her the plan of salvation. She really
likes the plan of salvation. She has lost some members in her family,
and she was saying she wants to do everything she can to get them to
the Celestial kingdom! She really wants to go to the temple, so that's
cool! That night we had dinner with the Allal family. They're a super
cool family here in Albi; we played uno. They're super nice!

Thursday we drove to Toulouse to do splits with the DL. Elder Einerson
and I came back to Albi. Elder Einerson is from Blanding, Utah! We had
a lunch meeting with Eda. We took Frere millet with us. It was super
good! She gave us imitation alcohol. It's like some alcoholic drink,
just without alcohol! Haha so don't worry mom, the bottle in the
picture isn't alcohol :)

Friday we drove to Toulouse again to switch back, Toulouse is like the
central point for our zone so it's easier that way. So that makes 4
times that I drove to Toulouse this week. Haha it's so much! But
having the car is nice. We'll probably drive to Toulouse again this
Friday; Elder Duckworths bday is the 2nd and mine is the 3rd, so we're
going to do a splits in Toulouse then go eat at a nice French
restaurant. It'll be fun!

But Friday we were in a place called Castres; it's a ville almost the
same size of Albi. They used to have a branch there but then it got
moved to Albi. We visited a lot of members that can't get to church
because it's too far. It went really well though!

Saturday we went to Rodez; there are two elders in rodez, but it's the
Albi branch. They live about 1 hour away from Albi. But we went there
and had dinner with the new branch president and his family!

But it's been a super sick week. Tomorrows high of temperature is like
42C degrees. That's somewhere around 108F. Oh la. That'll be hot. But
it's alright! My mission is great! My companion is great. My ville is
great!. I couldn't ask for a better mission! President Brown starts on Wednesday.
 Big change! But it'll be great. And dope.

God lives and loves you. I love you too. :)

Have a good week!

Just a note from mom the editor: This week on July 3rd is Jakes birthday,  feel free to drop him an email and wish him a happy birthday! He would love to hear from you! His email is jsteadman@myldsmail.net

______________________________________________

But for real....My Mission is Awesome!

Salut!

This week has been great. First off, I became an uncle this week.
Congrats to my brother Brett and his wife Kathleen on their baby girl!
Super exciting!!

Last Monday Elder Johnson and I went and took some pictures of Albi.
This place is superrrr pretty!

Monday night we got on a train in 
Toulouse to go to Bordeaux. Bordeaux is
super sweet! I didn't get to see a lot, and I didn't take any
pictures, but it's still a super cool place!

Tuesday was our goodbye conference for President and Sister Roney. It
was a great Conference and it's super weird to see them leaving! July
1 is when they switch the presidents. To be honest I'm a little
nervous. President Roney is super awesome and we all love him! But it
has to happen. I'm sure President Brown will be amazing! I'm super
excited to get to know him and to see his style of everything.

Wednesday we went to our Amis house to teach a lesson. Her name is
Bridgitte and she's super cool! She has a lot of faith. Her friend
Eric was there. He looks and dresses like a rockstar haha but he
really likes listening in to our lessons. And he contributes some good
stuff too! We've tried to teach him but he's always like "no this is
just for my friend Bridgitte!" Haha but he enjoys joining in the
lessons. So that's cool.

Thursday we visited a less active member, Ambre. She has 3 super cute
kids! We usually eat with her when we go over. This time we played uno
together (I won). but Ambre is super sarcastic and super funny! It's
always fun to go over there.

Friday we went to this place called Mazmet. It's kind of a small older
French ville, but we met up with a less active guy for the first time
for both of us! He's a super cool guy. He likes the gospel and church,
but he can't come to church because he doesn't have a car and he lives
about 1.5 hours outside of Albi. And no members live close to him. But
he said he's working on getting his driving permit and stuff! So
that'd be sweet! He said buying a car wouldn't be a problem, it's just
getting his test done.

Saturday we did service at Eda's. Eda spoils us, she is always
willing to feed us! But we did some yard work (yes family, I did do
some yard work) and then had lunch. Haha Eda put some sausage on the
table for us to eat. There were two kinds and I liked both. I was the
only one eating it, Elder Johnson had a piece but I had like 4.
When we got home that day, I said, "what kind of sausage was
that?" And he was said the French word "Boudin" and I didn't know what
it was.. Then he said "Blood Sausage" hahaha I probably wouldn't have
eaten it if he told me what it was..

Sunday! It was the first sacrament meeting in Albi. The Branch here is
pretty small but there are some pretty awesome members! They also changed
the Branch Presidency which I guess is pretty big! Elder Johnson will
still probably be the second counselor, but who knows.
Thought of the week: People don't break the commandments because they
are bad people. They must simply lack understanding and an eternal
perspective.

But for real.. My mission is awesome. I couldn't ask for a better place
in the world to be. These people need the gospel. I'm enjoying it more
and more every day. God lives and loves you. Don't forget it.

Bonne semaine!

Voilà des photos d'Albi. C'est vraiment super!

 

Busy Albi, Duck Liver &

 Designated driver

Hé fam and friends!

So! I'm in my new ville Albi. Unfortunately I haven't taken a lot of
pictures yet, but this ville is super pretty! My comp Elder Johnson
said its one of the prettiest that he has served in.

But this sector is really interesting. We have the biggest sector in
the mission and a pretty small branch! We are one of the few sectors
with a car. I'm the designated driver because I haven't been in France
for more than a year and there are some weird laws and stuff. But
basically elder Johnson can't drive cause he's been here for more than
a year, so I'm the only one. Elder Johnson is from Arkansas, and he's
been out for about 20ish months. We get along really well! It's super
fun.

Another weird thing is that Elder Johnson is the 2nd counselor I'm the
bishopric. And so because he's that, we do a lot of non missionary work
in the branch such as tithing. And because he's the 2nd counselor and
our branch has a major lack of priesthood holders or even men, we have
special permission to visit single women in their homes. It's super
weird haha but it makes things a lot easier in that aspect! Most
members or less actives don't even live in Albi the ville. We drive a
lot to outer areas. The country side of France is super pretty! Again,
I don't have any pictures at this moment, but I'll get some today and
in this next week.

But this last week we've been really busy. We have this recent convert
named Eda, she lives out in the country side and we visited her twice
this week. One for dinner and a lesson, the other for service and
lunch. She's super awesome! She fed us veal this last week, and
neither I nor elder Johnson have had it. But it was really good! The
second time she gave us some beef and some foie gras. Foie gras is
interesting... It's duck liver that has been "specially fattened."
Basically they force feed the duck until it's pretty much exploded,
and then decide that it's eatable. Haha I don't really like it. Elder
Johnson loves it so he ate a lot. But it was interesting.. Eda is
awesome though! Shes a great cook! She also calls me Steve cause she
can't say my name.. I don't know where Steve came from hahah

There's a lady in the ward named Mimi, and she can't come to church
because of her health conditions. But we take her the sacrament every
Sunday and she's super funny! She's from Canada but has lived here for
over 30 years. She has a lot of faith and she really misses church!
She wants us to come by at least once during the week and just share a
spiritual though.

Yesterday was Stake Conference; most of the members of the branch went
to Toulouse for the conference. We had a live transmission at our
chapel here. On Sunday, there was one family that came. They have
three little boys. And then 4 visiting members! Haha one was a young
couple from Canada that is taking a vacation because the wife just
graduated. The husband served here many years ago. The other couple
was an older couple that works at the temple in Madrid. I guess Albi
is the very end of their temple district, so they decided to just
visit!

But we've been super busy out here and I've really enjoyed Albi so
far. I'll show you more photos next week! For now here is elder
Johnson and I, our chapel, and just a random spot in Albi.

Love you all! Have a great week!

DRIVING IN FRANCE AND EATING SNAILS!?

6/9/15
Hey I don't have a lot of time again today. My new ville Albi is cool
though; I get to drive a car. Cars in our mission aren't super common
but it's still cool. Albi is a super red place; I don't have any
pictures yet but I'll send some next week. It's not too far from
Toulouse; one of my new zone leaders in Toulouse went to Alta, Elder
Sorenson. He's a bro so I'm super excited to have him as my ZL! My
comp is Elder Johnson and he's a pretty cool guy! He has about 3
transfers left. But he goes hard in the paint.This transfer is going
to be super busy but it'll be great! Since Elder Johnson is the senior
comp, he's the second counselor in the bishopric. Our branch here is
pretty small.

I ate snails on Sunday. They were pretty good! If you just get over
the fact that they're snails then they aren't even that bad.

Again I don't have time again. I'll respond to your emails later. Love
you all! Here's some members from my last Sunday in Besançon!

TRANSFERRED TO ALBI!

6/2/15
Just wanted to send you a quick email. We got our transfer
calls today and I'm moving to Albi! Im still pretty shocked I'm moving
again, but that's how it is so ça va! Yesterday might have been my
last time ever seeing Switzerland so that's a weird thought! But for
Albi, It's the biggest sector in the mission. I heard it has an
average of 15 people a week at church, so a smaller branch than
Besançon. We'll have a car, and I'll be the designated driver hahah.
I'm not sure when I'll email, im assuming I'll take like 10 hours of
trains on Monday, so we'll see. But I'll try to fit it in sometime!
My new comp is elder Johnson; I met him when I first got here in
France cause he was another trainer

Besancon

6/8/15

Hi I'm alive! I left Besançon at 6:50, got to Lyon at 9:30, left
Lyon at 11:00, got to Toulouse at about 3, then I drove from Toulouse
to Albi, and that took about an hour! Driving is sooo weird again haha
and  people are aggressive drivers in France. But I don't have time
cause it's 8:55, so I'll email you later. I love you all!

My new address - feel free to email or write me:

jsteadman@myldsmail.net

Les Missionnaires
Elder Steadman
20 rue Dominique de Florence
Bat C Apt 14
81000 Albi

France

English Lessons

English Lessons?

INSTITUTE AND ENGLISH CLASS
I don't really have a whole lot to say today.. Its only been like 4 days since I emailed. but anyways..

Last Thursday we taught Institute. we teach institute here in our Besançon branch. There's usually only one student who's our branch President haha but we teach it at the Spackman's house. they feed us dinner and stuff so its super fun!

Friday we did a lot of planning! we were out of our sector for the first three days of the week, so we had a lot stuff to catch up on. But then in the evening we taught English class! we had 1 person and the Spackmans., but it still went well!

Saturday we went to a members house all day. we did a lot of yard work such as mowing the lawn, tilling the ground, weeding, and other stuff. They also fed us lunch! 

Sunday, Elder Price and I got to teach a combined Priesthood and Relief Society lesson on Missionary Work Online! It went pretty well though. Also it was Mothers Day in France yesterday! So in the afternoon we did some passes to some of the mothers and members in the ward!

Tonight we have a ward fireside. John Welch is coming; he's a professor at BYU and he's friends with the Spackmans. So that'll be really cool!

Well I love you all! Have a good week!