Pictures!

Hello World!!!!!

i'm in france. and it's pretty wild. so pretty much i cant type on a french keyboard, but that's all good. it's been unbelievable. so pretty much i'll try and get everything said that i need to, but a lot has happened. but i'll just go for it.

Like half the time, I can understand what people say, and the other half I can't. The true french people talk so fast, and I feel like a noob when I try and talk, but that's okay. I'm already starting to understand a lot more, and it's going super great.

The day leaving the airplane was #2CHAINZ. I was so happy to get out of the MTC at that point. We woke up at 4:30 , then drove to the TRAX place to get to the airport. I sat next to Soeur Wallace on the flight to CHicago. Everybody looked at the army of missionaries funny, just walking through Chicago. My first meal outside of the MTC was stinking McDonald's. Haha. On the ride to London, I sat next to Soeur Baggs, and some German dude, I really wanted to talk to him, but I couldn't. Language barrier. Haha. When we landed in London, we literally had to sprint to catch our flight to Lyon. Everybody in the Heathro airport laughed at all the missionaries running. I was talking in an English accent the whole time. We sat next to this French dude on the flight to Lyon. We had to wait in the Lyon Airport for like 2 hours because our bags were left in LONDON!!!!! Not a single missionary had their bags! Some people were pretty mad haha. We then met President Roney. We got a sack lunch, then went to the mission office. It was weird being in France. We all just chilled for a while there, and got interviewed by president. He polished my shoes, what a nice president. Then we went "contacting". It was SO SCARY. I dind't know what to say the whole time. It was pretty much just for getting the courage to say bonjour. I sat next to this guy on the metro, said bonjour, then another guy came and pointed to my plaque, then they both laughed. What a way to start, right? :) So that night we had dinner at President Roneys, then finally went to a hotel where we were staying for the night. It was like 11 at this time. It had been 35 hours since sleeping.

That next morning, I went to do legality. I had to take my shirt off so they could do some xray things. Wethen went tot hte chapel, and got taught by Pres. Roney and his wife. That's when all the trainers came in, and we found out who our new companions were. My new companion was ELDER BRAD NYE!!!!

BRAD NYE!!!!!

I new him before my mission. How crazy is that? He was a runner for Davis, and was fast. So it's cool we're companions. Our zone is called Val de Saone. It's like half an hour from Lyon. I will put up the pictures.

So we've already taught some lessons and gone contacting and stuff. It's kind of scary to go contacting, but it's nice to have Elder Nye next to me when somebody saays something that I don't know how to respond to.

The Lord loves all of you!

Elder Walker

Because I'm so close to the mission office, It'd be cool to just send letters to the mission office. I don't know what the address is..... so find it. haha. Lyon business centre 59 Rue de l'abondance. in lyon. something like that, look it up haha\

The Last Week!

Bonjour. Hello. Bonjour.

So I'm finally on the last week in the MTC. In exactly one week, I will be in FRANCE. I leave Monday morning. I go to Chicago, then to London, then to Lyon. Yes (high five).

So this past week was basically just another week in the MTC. Lots of studying, and my french is really coming along. I'm sad that I gotta leave my killer companion, Elder Lythgoe, but that's fine. He's a lil' rat. This week is supposed to be super good, starting tomorrow. Our teachers are finally going to tell us about their missions, we have in field orientation, and we have the departure devotional thingy.

The other day, we gave Soeur Erickson a blessing. The spirit was so thick in there, I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. It was wild. Lately, I've really been getting into Jesus the Christ. I've learned a whole truckload already. It's just like I'm making loads of connections and stuff. Pretty cool.

So Elder Lloyd from my stake is in my building thingy. He is just across the hall from me. He is going to Canada. He is also in the same residence halls place, so that's pretty cool. I also got to see some of my friends this week. Elder McQuivey and Elder Burnett. That was so crazy seeing them. I almost started crying it was so awesome.

Well that's really all I can think of. I really love the MTC, it's a super spiritual place, and my testimony has grown so much here. I went to the temple for the last time in two years today, so that was weird thinking about that. But hey, I'm going away so other people can have that opportunity. Totes worth it. Haha. 

Well, wish me luck in France.

Little Rats

Hello!

So less then two weeks until I'm in France, so that's pretty exciting. I am ready to get out of here. It's a pretty cool place and all... but yeah. I've had enough of the brown walls everyday and the Pit of Despair. But still, I think this week was my favorite one of all. Basically lots of studying, but still.

Everyday I pretty much study until my brain is about to blow up from all the scriptures and French and..... Happiness. :) We've been teaching both our teachers as investigators, and it's really been starting to get so much better.  Elder Lythgoe has really been picking up French so much as well. In the lessons, we can actually speak french decently well, and I understand like ninety percent all the time. We do these things called TRC's where we just go and talk to people who speak french, and that really helps a lot too. But who knows. I bet once I get in France, I'll be in shock about how little I understand.... But that's okay.

My district is so dang cool. We are all best friends. Each week, we draw a paper with a persons name in our district and write them a letter. This week I got Soeur Erickson. I basically just let my brain go. I was just typing whatever came to my head, I didn't really say anything about her for two and a half pages. She was pretty mad about that. I said things like "The dragon of the West eats apple pie summer hummer... Fly the scorpion to the bottom river in the jungle book bear scratching his back... Avatar Aang." 

.......

So she wasn't very happy about that. But it was FUNNY! :) Haha.

This Sunday was the best day at the MTC so far. Since it was fast Sunday, we had a conference thing where all the missionaries in the Provo MTC listen to the MTC Presidency for two hours. I said the opening prayer. I sat up on the stand with them and felt so gnarly. I was so nervous to just say a prayer, but it was still a pretty cool experience. Way to represent the R-Town, eh? Afterwards, people I didn't know told me I said a good prayer, and I was like yeah. I'm famous. Well only like five people did, but still.

Afterwards, I saw..... COOPER CAMPBELL!!!!!!!! MY CHILDHOOD HOMIE FROM DRAPER!!!!!!! We literally shed some tears at that. Oh my gosh the tender mercies!!!! I walked out of the chapel after our Branch's sacrament, and he was just out in the hallway. He asked me what my first name was because he saw my name tag was, so then I told him, then he was like, "Dude. I'm Cooper Campbell!" I dropped my stuff and hugged the sweet living lights out of that boy. I was so happy to see him!!!! AHASKJDF:LSKDJF:OSI I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED! So sick.

I had breakfast in the temple this morning. I good break from the MTC. Haha.

"Don't let your life pass you by." -Andy Bernard

"Alright you little rats, shut your snouts." -Me

"Holy cats." -Elder Lythgoe

Talofa. Bonjour. France (From Tuesday, 7/29)

Bonjour everybody!!!!

So this past week was just basically a week of a lot of studying. But that's okay, because I like that! Each week gets better than the week before. But I also want to get out of here. No more MTC for me! Only 20 more days till France. (high five) 

So I really love learning about the life of Christ. It's my favorite thing to study. I bought Jesus the Christ, and I started reading it. It's bigger than a gorilla. But I love it. I also bought a little light thing. At night, I hide under the blanket and read it, even thought that's technically against the rules. But I LOVE IT AHHAHAHAHALSKDJ:LIEWPOFJVBSXOFHOEFcn   v  vfv 

I have really just been getting into the motion of things. Get up, study and die, eat, study and die, eat study and die, the RUN MY HEART OUT DURING GYM TIME. What a joy. Elder Otteson and I have been running again. Apparantly the mile here is super slow, so we're going to get it tomorrow. Well, that's the goal. 

I'll put up pictures next week because I forgot to bring my camera to the computer lab thingy room.

I still feel like I'm living in Lord of the Rings. Elder Lythgoes #SWAG levels are overloaded. I'm the king of the rock.

Word.

The Pit of Despair - Week 2

Bonjour!!

I lived another week. Each day the MTC just gets better and better. I LOVE THIS PLACEEEEE AAAHAJSL:DKjdf;lkgnas;ldfknasd;lvjk!!!!

But at the same time... Get me in France. Haha. Days here feel like weeks, but weeks feel like days... It's so weird.

So basically, I blew up from spiritual overload. Haha.

Wednesday, it was kind of cool to see all the new people come in. It was also nice to not be wearing a dork dot. We call our classroom the Pit of Despair because once you're in there, you're never going out. Three sessions a day, four hours each lesson. I engulf my beautiful soul into beautiful french, beautiful doctrine, and beautiful scripture. I am a level 12349817234 Wizard. Spartan 117.

Thursday was just another day. With MAAARRRYYY. Me and Soeur Bell always sing Disney songs every single day. Our favorite is the one from Hercules where it's like "No chance, no way, I won't say it no, no." And we get up and dance (even though dancing is against mission rules). It's so fun! I can't wait to get my camera (mom and dad.......) so you guys can see what it's like in the Pit of Despair.

"Getting jiggy with it." -Will Smith

FUTBOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! That's my lyfe now. Me and Elder Lythgoe are the kings of the soccer field. Well actually, Elder Lythgoe is. He is a soccer fairy. So I haven't been running for the past week. I've just been killing hooligans at soccer.

Friday was A Day To Remember (lol). This was one of the highlights of my whole mission experience so far. I woke up, and had the distinct impression that I would need my oil that night. I made sure I had it. That now, Soeur Nelson was feeling super horrible. I was the only elder in my district who had oil on them. OOOOOH. That was the first blessing I ever gave. I was kind of nervous, but it was such a spiritual experience. I almost cried haha. I can't ever be the prophet because I cry too much.

Sunday is definitely my favorite day of the week. It's just a good day because we don't have classroom time, so my brain kind of gets a break. That night we had a devotional, and all the missionaries from the West Campus went to it too. I say MICHAEL BLUTH!!!! HOLLAAAA!!!!! It was so nice to see my home dawg skillet. I almost cried I was so happy to see him. Oh man, I love life. (fist bump)

Yesterday was Elder Lythgoe's birthday. That was so funny. When Souer Hill (our other french teacher) came in to teach us, we sang him happy birthday. I got him out of his chair and twirled him around. Also that day, I don't really know what happened, but after lunch I was walking to the classroom, and I was thinking about Christ (The MTC sorta has that effect on you). It was super humbling to thing about what He did for me. And I get to have His name on my chest? Like wow. That night in our room, there was much festivities. Elder Lythgoe got a birthday cake, chips and salsa, and some other stuff. It was so fun. I felt like I was in Lord of the Rings. Also, Soeur Bell got Lord of the Rings Legos and a magic 8 ball. So that was fun.

Basically, everybody in my district is awesome. We are all such good friends now. We all love each other.

Every Tuesday morning, we get to go to the temple. I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!! So that's kinda cool. I guess.

"You SHALL NOT PASS!!!" -Gandalf

"Mr Kraaaaaabs..... I have an IDEAAAAAAAAAA." -Spongebob

"I'm tired of diggin', Grandpa!!!" "Well that's just too dang bad!!!" -Holes

"I'm tired of studyin', Lythgoe!!!" "Well that's just too dang bad!!!" -Me and Elder Lythgoe

Peace out diggy dawgs

The Woman's Bathroom - First E-mail EVER

Talofa! Bonjour!

So hi! My P-Day is on tuesday, so get jiggy with it.

So I guess I'll start from the beginning. 

Wednesday was absolutely insane. I get all my stuff, then my host takes me to what will be my classroom for the next six weeks. Well, five now. I knock on the door, walk in, then BAM! Nothing but solid french for the next three and a half hours. I couldn't stop smiling the whole time because, as it turns out, my four years of french came in handy. I understood basically everything that Frere Pistorius, our awesome teacher, was saying. He kept looking at me when I had my big smile, and always just laughed. I love learning french. It's SO fun. I also wore the greenie sticker. I got "Welcome to the MTC" about 129384712093847 times.

So the companionships in my district are my and Elder Joshua Lythgoe. He's from Heber and played soccer. He used to have long luscious hair, and we are basically best friends now. And the other ones are Elder Hynynen, Elder Boynton, and Elder Otteson. Elder Hynynen is from Toronto. Elder Boynton is from London. I have to try hard not to talk in an accent. Haha. And Elder Otteson is from Seattle. The sisters are Soeur Nelson with Soeur Bell, and Soeur Stevens with Soeur Erickson. Soeur Stevens is basically a replica of Kimmie.

So day two in the MTC was definitely the longest so far, but it was still good. Basically, the major highlight of that night was we met our branch presidency. We all got interviewed. I don't know what went through their heads in choosing this, but I'm the District Leader! And I'm the Senior Companion. Basically, being the DL means I'm the Super Senior Companion over everybody in the district.... And I grab their mail. Haha. I also have to attend meetings with the Branch Presidency on Sundays. But I like it. It's a good time.

So that Friday, we had a service project to start out the morning. Elder Lythgoe and I had to clean bathrooms. I can officially say I've been in the girls bathroom, so you can check that off my bucketlist. I also had to plunge the toilet in the handicap bathroom, so I guess it's a good thing I learned that one time. As it turns out, our district (everybody in my classroom) is like one of the most advanced french groups ever. Elder Lythgoe and Soeur Erickson are the only ones who really struggle, but they're already starting to get the hang of it. We also memorized our missionary objective, and now the First Vision. I'm going to try to memorize one scripture mastery in french every day. What else am I going to do with my eleven hours of study time? Also that night, we had our first gym time. I ran with Elder Otteson because he is also a runner! He walked on at BYU last year, he's pretty fast. And I can overview a quick missionary exchange like that super fast since I'm the DL. We saw Elder Sam Sorenson (A runner from Mountain View who signed to BYU) and his companion, Elder Tanner Driggs (A kid from RHS). It was honestly SO nice to be able to run with them. I won't have to worry about getting fat in the MTC, hallelujah. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've lost weight. Also that night, we taught our first lesson... in french. Elder Lythgoe kind of just sat there while I stumbled through the french I knew, but it was good.

Saturday was also awesome. Nothing really exciting happened that day. The only real highlights were when we taught Stephanie (our investigator), and all the study time. I was worried about whether or not I'd use the study time wisely before my mission, but I actually never want it to end! Everybody always gets way into it. We ran that night with the same group.

Sunday was a real toughie. Usually, it's supposed to be like the day that you get refueled, but I got a cold. I was miserable for the first part of the day. But by the end of the day, I was really starting to feel lots better. The blessings of heaven, yo wiggity wack. Basically, it was attend Sunday meetings. Soeur Erickson asked me if she could get a priesthood blessing, because she was struggling and stressed with the language. Me and Elder Lythgoe talked with her one on one (or two on one, whatever), and basically comforted her, telling her she shouldn't worry. Elder Lythgoe gave the blessing. That was honestly the most spiritual experience of the whole MTC experience so far. All the sisters were in tears. HAHAHA LOL SO FUNNY JK NOT REALLY. I told Elder Lythgoe he gave a super good blessing, but he said, "Thanks Elder Walker, but it wasn't me." OH MAN HE'S SO COOL

Monday was just another day. We taught our last lesson with Stephanie. We only taught three lessons with her because we all found out that she's married to Frere Pistorius, and they want us to take the lessons here as serious as possible. That night, we played soccer for gym. I scored the first goal. After I scored it, I and the rest of the Elders from my district yelled GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!! We should've said BUUUUUUUUUUUT, because that's goal in french, but whatevs.

"Gettin' jiggy with it." -Will Smith