Jakes Journey to France

CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE!

Hey everyone! This week was super sick. 'Nough said.

Me majestically riding a lion (LYON)

LA CONFERENCE AVEC TOUTE LA MISSION
So on Tuesday we had a Christmas conference with the entire mission.
It was super! We went to it early; we went on Monday afternoon so
we could just go hang out in Lyon for a bit. So that was chill! 

Ecully and Lyon Zones at Confluence Museum! (The museum is that
spaceship looking thing in the back)

My comp and I stayed at the AP's apartment; we got really lucky cause
there was the APs, the secretary, and us two. Most of the other elders
apartments in Lyon had like 10 people in them haha! And they have a
car, so we didn't have to worry about any public transportation, so
that was also nice.

Our MTC group!

Tuesday at the conference was fun! We started out at the park next to
the museum of the confluence.  We got to wear Pday clothes cause we
were playing games and stuff! I really enjoyed the whole day because
they gave us plenty of time to hang out and catch up with our old
mission buddies. We went to the aquarium also; they have an auditorium
and it's close to where we were. Sister brown hosted a bunch of minute
to win it games for the mission. We got to watch the Lion King and
master tacos (the favorite restaurant in Lyon of every missionary) was
delivered to us. There was over 200! They're all the size of a cafe
rio burrito.

MTC district reunited!

Wednesday we had a more spiritual meeting! We had a bunch of musical
numbers and the presidency of our mission spoke! The first counselor
of the presidency is from Bordeaux. The second counselor is from St.
Raphael, down on the coast. So it was cool to meet them!

Companionship ornaments!

NOUS AVONS PERDU NOS BLEUS
So we had a funny experience this week.. Haha when we got on the train
on Wednesday to go back to valence, Elder Burri and I sat next to
each other, and the two bleus (greenies) went to a different car
because there were no seats. When we arrived in valence we got off the
train, and didn't see them. We looked on the train a bit before it
left, but we didn't see them anywhere. We both realized that they
didn't have a phone cause we had both of them. We were worried they
had fallen asleep and not gotten off at their stop! So we start
freaking out haha. We called the Zone leaders, which lead the APs to
call us. After praying, we felt the impression to just walk home.

Sure enough, we show up at home and they're there! They didn't know
where we were so they just decided to go home..... Haha so I called
the APs back and said we found them. President was with them, so he
talked to me for a second and kind of chastised me for letting them go
off without a phone, but also said good job for following the spirit.

LES FÊTES DE NOËL
Christmas Eve was very interesting.. To say it briefly, I was eating
oysters and snails while  translating for a Nigerian Prince with a
bunch of children climbing all over me.

But it was pretty good! We spent the night with a family that has lots
of children. I don't know how their family tree works, but there's a
lot of them hahah. We Brought Prince with us. He doesn't speak French
so we translated for him. Oh and we also found out that Prince is
technically the king because his parents have passed away. No joke.

I tried oysters that night.. I really just don't like seafood. 
We also had snails. Not bad.

Christmas Day was sick! We woke up in the morning and opened gifts. We
dragged our mattresses to the chapel (we live a block away) and we all
watched the minions in there. For lunch we went to Romans; we got to
have a feast at the rugby stadium with some players and their
families. There was sooooo much meat! They did an underground oven and
roasted a pig. It was super good though! I love the islanders. We got
to meet a lot of people!

Christmas Feast

Roasted Pig

After we spent the evening at the Thias. Our entire day was in English
so that was pretty nice! But the Thia mom wanted to keep Christmas
really chill. So she just put out food and said eat what you want! 

All four of us were in and out cause we were skyping our families. It was
super fun to skype the fam again!

Skyping with the family

All in all, it was a super memorable Christmas and it was well spent.
(A little better spent than the MTC last year ;) haha

LE SAMEDI SPORTIF
So every Saturday we do sports, and we invite people. For the last
month, no one has come. But this lady Saturday, the two rugby bros
invited their friends to come play some basketball and volleyball. And
so we ended up having about 30 people there!! Honestly it was one of
the best Saturday sports I've ever had. We were super stoked and super
tired after it.

We ate at sister Giberts for that evening. It was pretty calm as well.
She gave us Foie Gras (cooked duck liver after the duck was force
fed.) I tried it again. Guess what?! I still didn't like it hahah.

The Confluence

L'ANNIVERSAIRE D'ODILE
Odile, our now 18 ami, had her birthday yesterday. Her mom invited us
to come over to celebrate! Unfortunately I don't have any of the
photos they took... But it was super fun! We got to meet her
grandparents and her aunt and uncle. They were all very French people!
They were talking about how if they had met us on the street they
would never talk to us. But because they met us through a member, they
see us as really nice people! Haha member work is essential. But it
was fun to be there for her birthday!

Other than that, we have a lot of stuff planned for this week. It
should be pretty fun! We get transfer calls on Friday, so we'll see
what happens.

I love you all! Have a great week!!

Notes/Pictures from the editor:

We had the honor of having a member (Sophie and Davie) of the ward Jake is serving in currently come and have dinner with us this last week, and then got to take them on a tour of the fire station (she used to be a firefighter). Great experience having her and her fiance in our home and feeling some of the French culture and stories of Jake and realizing how the Gospel is just one big extended family.  (see below pictures)