I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go: Marché de Nöel!

Hello!

I'm glad you liked the video :) We were sitting around with nothing to do and the idea just popped into my head! I'm almost 100% sure that it's all good, so no worries there. If anything comes out saying not to I'll let you know. I'm super excited to Skype too! After today I only email 5 more times before we Skype, and the last one is 2 days before! The time is moving crazy fast.

I really hope you can come back here with me too, it is so amazing! I really hope I am here for Christmas, but there's a really good chance that I'll leave. My branch president was super bummed when he heard that I may leave in a few weeks. He said he's planning something big for us for Christmas, and he hopes that it's still Elder Stucki and I that he gets to plan it for. President Gottscheck is one of the coolest guys I've met. He is pretty young, a Gendarme (military policeman), and he used to live in Martinique, which is super tropical and very different from Épinal haha.

I can't wait to get the Thanksgiving package! I will check for those other two as well. I just about cried when I read that story about Charlie! I love that little guy, tell him I miss him so much! I'll make sure to find his picture so that I can find my way back home :)

I really can't think of anything else for my Christmas list haha. Sorry! We don't need a whole lot out here. Definitely make sure the long john's are in there :) It's getting really cold right now. I borrow Elder Stucki's extra pair every day when we leave the apartment. I would say send it this week though. I just don't know what will happen with transfers, and even if I leave Épinal before it gets here (and it shouldn't take that long) I would still get it faster than if you send it after transfers. Plus, Elder Stucki and I want to take advantage of the Christmas cheer ;) I'm so excited for the Christmas music! Elder Stucki's mom sent us a bunch of CD's, so we've been drinking hot cocoa and listening to Christmas music every night before bed. It's a rough life ;)

So.... I have to be honest, this week may not have been the best week of my mission so far. Marian's baptismal date fell through, because he doesn't want to stop smoking. He got kind of ticked at us one night as we were talking about it, and he almost dropped us. But, we calmed him down and encouraged him. Now he is working on it, slowly but surely. The problem is, he doesn't read the Book of Mormon and doesn't come to church, so it's impossible for him to really gain a testimony and feel the Spirit strongly. Both of our lessons with him this week were the 2 roughest lessons so far on my mission. But, that's ok! Elder Stucki's trainer, who was an amazing missionary, used to say that God gives us these weeks to prepare us for the miracles. When I first got here, I had a whole transfer like that to prepare me for last transfer, which was full of miracles. We push forward! The Saitovics are doing well. They went to their daughter's baptism (she was taught in St. Dié, like 45 minutes away, by the Elders there) this weekend, and Bata said last week that he'll be more open to baptismal dates once he sees it for himself. So, hopefully we can (finally) set that date with them this week! We haven't gotten any new amis yet this transfer, which is kind of tough. Last transfer, we got at least one new ami every week, so this is a little bit of a change. But it is a normal part of the work!

So this week I starved a little bit haha. We couldn't go shopping on Monday because EVERYTHING was closed, so we didn't have much food until we could finally go shopping Thursday. Elder Stucki was in Nancy on exchanges Tuesday and Wednesday, so I got to try and feed two other Elders for two days with our tiny amount of food haha. Right now, my favorite thing about Épinal is Christmas! They have been working on setting up lights for 3 weeks already, and they won't finish till they light them up the beginning of Décembre. Also, today we saw that they are setting up a Christmas Market in town! They are the talk of the mission haha, everyone loves Christmas Markets. I don't really know how I've lost 30 pounds, because we eat a ton and I feel the same haha. But, the slacks that grandma bought me finally fit, so that is an awesome benefit.

Sounds like a crazy week! I will keep all of you in my prayers, especially Grandpa Martin. Have fun helping Kaitlin with the mission stuff, doesn't it feel like you just barely did this? ;) And just think, that was almost 6 months ago! The time is moving really quickly, and everyone says that after the first 6 months it jumps into hyperspeed. We're already halfway through this transfer, and it just started! I love you all so much, and I really appreciate your love and support! That is what keeps me going! I got Dad and Connor and Kaden's letters this week, that made my week! I love you, have a great week!

Love,

Elder Martin

Best. Buy. Ever. We found Kinder Eggs with princesses inside!

La Paix! Peace out!

Ghosty Hosties! We're ready for Halloween! Thanks again for the package!

Lookin' Good! I already used my only mustache joke this week... But sick mustaches!

Chinese Food! Elder Stucki gets Chinese food at the end of every transfer, so this was our meal 3 weeks ago! Yes!

Le Chat Botte! I think Puss in Boots was written in Épinal, because it is widely known as the Chat Botté region ha..ha.

Our District photo from last transfer with everyone holding the number of their transfer. (Except Elder Davis next to me, but he's in my group) We have a super young district!