Into the West - Letter 09/27/14

Hey!

So first off, the other Elders in that picture are (left to right) Elders Alfaro, Nelson, and Christiansen. We were all at the MTC together and ended up at the same Zone Conference together, so we took a pic together.

So yeah, it seems like you and Google Translate are hitting it off pretty well! Little rusty, but I understood ;) 

So rundown on this week... We made our way back to the west on Monday. We just made a twp day trip of dropping off stuff we need to get rid of. The first day we drove out to Nantes to give some mattresses to the Sisters and fix their lights, then went up to Angers to stay the night. The best part is, the Zone Leaders there are Elder Mattson and Elder Utahia, my old comps! So we got to spend the night with them, which was a blast!

Tuesday we dropped Mattson and Utahia off at their District Meeting then drove up to Le Mans to fix a bed for the Sisters and drop off their new fridge and kitchen table. Turns out, we had to replace one of the slats under the bed and had to search for two hours before finding a place that would just sell us a piece of wood to replace it. So ridiculous. But now we know exactly what every home store in France sells if we ever need it, because we visited about 12 of them. And the whole time, the sisters were in the back starving because no one had eaten lunch. Felt kinda bad about that one. So we finally said goodbye to them, dropped a dresser off for the Elders (and talked to Elder Rafanomezana for a couple minutes :) ) then made the drive home. Adventures!

Wednesday we had District Meeting in the morning, then office work for the rest of the day. We had a little freak out because President called and said we had to drive out to Lorient (5 hours away) and be back for OFII the next morning, but luckily that got changed last minute. I just went crazy on finding the new apartment for Braine l'Alleud (the place in Belgium). We're making some progress, for now they'll just live with the closest companionship. 

Thursday was OFII!!! It was definitely more of an adventure with such a big group of missionaries.  But, nobody got lost or anything, so that was a success. I gave my training in the morning to all the trainers and bleus, then we took them across Paris in the metro to the place for legality. The four of us (me, Platt, Bates, and Sughroue) just sat on the front steps for 4 hours waiting for them to trickle out one at a time and finalize all their paperwork. So that was not super fun. But, we did it! We got them all safely back to their trainers and went home to piles of office work. Fun, right? :)

Friday, Elder Sughroue and I drove out to Mantes-la-Jolie first thing in the morning. I had to do an État des Lieux, which is an inspection before we rent a new apartment, just to have a record of its condition for when we leave the apartment and put it back to its original condition. After, we came home and went crazy for transfer stuff. We got the transfer board, and it's crazy! First off, Elder Platt is going to Angers to open up a new companionship and train a bleu for his last two transfers! He'll be living with Elder Utahia. Also, they opened up a bunch of new companionships in different villes, so I have to equipe a bunch of two-man apartments with extra beds and desks... this week. So that bites. I don't know how we're doing it, but we'll figure it out. 

Today was not the most exciting P Day. This morning we had to come in and finish the repertoire and send it out to the whole mission, and I've had missionaries calling me ever since trying to figure out what to do to get their apartments ready for more missionaries all of a sudden. I also had to give a training this morning to all of the Couples about the new inspection reports for apartments. It was pretty cool, we have some really cool couples here. We also have 1 or 2 that don't like me and don't like the way I run the apartments, but that's kind of their problem haha. After it was just shopping and emails... nothing too crazy.

Q and A!

Everything should be good on the package, but I did find something on my want list haha. I was on Soeur Poznanski's new business web site, and found a watch that I'm dying for haha. It actually has one of Elder Mattson's drawings on it, and it says I CAN DO IT. It's funny, because one night with Elder Rafanomezana we were porting, and there was a huge steep stair case. I was joking around and yelled 'I CAN DO IT!' and started running up them, then tripped on my face. So that became a huge thing between the two of us. So, essentially it represents Le Mans for me haha. It's got a drawing from my first comp there and a quote that reminds me of my second comp there... So if it's at all possible, I would really love it ;) I'll send the picture and the link. She said it's limited stock, I'm not sure how limited she means. Anyway, there's my little begging session ;) 

Tell Tristan to have fun at the dance, it sounds like he'll have a blast! Also, if you see Steve South, give him a big hug for me! I can't believe he's home. And you better believe I'll be shedding some fat tears this week, I'm putting Ben (Anderson) on a plane Thursday morning! So that's gonna be hard. I'm kind of freaking out, especially because I'm the one who takes him all the way through the airport until security, when we put them through the 'veil'. I'll pass him a big hug :)

I have that form already I just haven't filled it out, I'll make sure to do that :) I'll also try and get on my BYU netID to see what I can figure out. Don't worry, I won't be getting trunky on you ;)

I love you so much, thanks for everything! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Martin

Singing at Stake Conference in Paris

I'm on the second row behind the Seour in the pink jacket

Spa Day in Angers with Elder Utahia, Elder Platt, and Elder Bates

Elder Utahia, Elder Bates, Elder Platt and I

Enjoying some spa time with Elder Sughroue

Elder Johnson

Elder Platt and Elder Bates

Elder Platt

Elder Bates

Elder Sughroue, me, Elder Platt, and Elder Johnson

Elder Platt and I

Ahhhh.......

Elder Sughroue

Elder Rigsby and I

Elder Wickern and I

Elder Platt transfer #14 and Elder Martin transfer #10

 

Letter 09/20/14

Hey!

T'as raison, maman! Google translate gave you a pretty good translation this time haha. Don't worry, you didn't swear :) Really, I'm doing great, just a little stressed out right now. You guessed it right, I definitely did not catch up on any sleep this week, it's been a little bit of chaos in the bureau :)

So first off, we don't know where Elder Platt is headed yet. They haven't made transfer decisions yet, the only one that has already been made is Elder Bates. This week we had a pretty low key Monday, we just stayed in the office all day. Tuesday we went out to eat with the Bousseaus again, and this time they brought Manon Poznanski with us, because she stayed with them for the week while getting her driver's license. So that was fun! After that, we hopped in the van and had Elder Bates drive us to Charleroi, in Belgium! We had to close out the apartment for the Soeurs, because Président doesn't plan on putting Soeurs back in there. It's actually super ghetto, it was awesome. It's just straight up industrial everywhere, and it was nuts. We got the apartment all emptied out and stopped at the dump, so we only came home with a washer, a dryer, a fridge, and some bookshelves. It was probably the easiest apartment emptying we've done. 

Thursday we were in charge of OFII! That's the trip where all the bleus come into Paris for their legality. We're doing it in 2 groups, so this week we only had 5 bleus, but next week we have 24. So this one was just a practice run really. We both gave trainings then took the bleus across Paris to the préfecture where they did their medical checks and everything. We headed back then did office work all evening. 

Friday we had a meeting with Président to give him an update on what we did this month, and it didn't go super well. We gave him a lowdown on everything, and we brainstormed about things to do for transfers in a week and a half. But at the end he sprung the news on me that he expects to put missionaries in a little town in Belgium in 2 weeks, and I have to have an apartment ready and waiting for them. He kind of got mad at me about it because he wanted it done earlier, but he never told me he wanted that apartment. So now I'm super stressed trying to get an apartment checked out, rented, and stocked full of stuff in 2 weeks. So that's kind of rocking my world right now. But, it'll work out, we'll figure out a way to get them taken care of :)  

Last night we taught the Marques Family! It was so great, we talked about the Plan of Salvation and they just ate it up. 

Answers to questions :)

The sushi here is pretty similar, there's nothing too different about it. Don't worry about ACT stuff, I've finally come down to a decision... I'm gonna go to BYU. So I don't need to apply since I've already applied and everything, I'll just need to get in touch with a counselor :)

Tell Tristan I'm praying for him, it sounds like it was a pretty crappy week! 

Congrats to C-Mack, I'm glad his knee is better! Tears are no fun, so I'm glad he won't have to go through that. Tell him to take good care of himself! 

Tell the Lears that they're in my prayers! That's such a great family and Aidan made such a difference in my life. 

I think we're good on stuff for the package, thanks though! I love you so much, have a great week!

Love,

Elder Tyler Martin

 Elder Alfaro, Elder Nelson, and Elder Christiansen
We were all at the MTC together and ended up at the same Zone Conference together, so we took a picture

Letter 09/13/14

Hey!

So this week was pretty chill, I think your week was way more exciting than mine was! 

Earlier this week we had a trip into northern Paris to change out the washing machine for the Paris Lilas Zone Leaders, so we hopped in the van and drove through the sketchy parts of Paris to their apartment. It was on the top floor of a spiral staircase, so we got to haul the washer up there then haul the old one out. Afterwards, though, we took them out to eat at Indiana Café. It's basically just an American styled burger shop, it was so good! They gave us huge burgers with real grilled buns and stuff, it was definitely the best burger I've had in a VERY long time haha. 

 Thursday we had Zone Conference, which was a blast! We went into Paris and I got to hang out with a bunch of other missionaries. No news on the iPads so far, sorry about that haha. After Conference I went on exchange with Elder Rigsby, which was super tight. He was born in Poland then lived all over eastern Europe, mostly in Vladivostok Russia, where Tanner is serving right now! He lived in the States for a while and now he's my District Leader. We had a pretty fun exchange, just contacting and stuff. We closed it out by eating lunch at sushi buffet together, and we STUFFED ourselves... I've never eaten so much sushi in my life. So that was fun. 

Today was super laid back, we decided to spend our last P-Day with just the two of us relaxing and doing college stuff. The reason it's our last one just as two is because they've called  Elder Platt's replacement! I'm pretty sad, because I really wanted us to do two transfers together. But, the AP's told us that they had just made the decision and that he would be calling us. So then we got the call from.... ELDER BATES!!! So, he'll be coming in on Monday night, then we'll spend two weeks here together before Elder Platt heads out. So I get to serve with Elder Bates! So that will be pretty tight :) 

Sorry, this week wasn't super exciting, but next week will be better! Love you guys!

Elder Tyler Martin

Letter 09/06/2014

Hello!

This week has been a little different for sure, we didn't get nearly as much office work in as I would have liked, but it was pretty good all around. 

So jumping right it, last Sunday was an awesome miracle day! It's usually our only day for proselyting, so we worked our tails off. After our traditional Sunday afternoon curry we went out porting all afternoon and evening. We actually got let in a ton of times to pray, and a ton of people told us to come back around during the week (one of whom plays into the story later in the week...) We went and visited a potential ami named Frederic Précis, a young guy with a small family. We've been trying to see him for a couple weeks and he's been on vacation forever. So we passed by, and the first thing he said was "Guys, when's our next rendezvous?!" He had just gotten back from vacation about an hour earlier and was so pumped to see us! 

Monday we got to do some P Day shopping since we had to work on Saturday. We dropped our car off for it's service at the shop and walked to the mall. I got a new wallet since mine is trashed, and some new sunglasses because mine got scratched up. Afterwards we ended up making two separate, unplanned trips into Paris to drop things off to missionaries and pick other things up. We actually didn't get home until about 11... welcome to the office life. 

Tuesday was District Meeting in Versailles, then we drove to Reims to drop off their car. We planned on stopping at Burger King on the way in but didn't have time, and we ended up missing our train anyways. Burger King is like impossible to find and we knew there was one halfway to Reims, so we were bummed we missed out on it. But after missing our train we got tickets for the next one and walked around town and found a brand new Burger King! It was probably the best fast food I've had since coming to France. Once again... we got home at about 11. 

Wednesday was mostly office work, then in the evening we drove out to Mantes-la-Jolie to do an apartment check and to meet with the owner of the apartment so I could go over some stuff with him before we close down the apartment in a month, so it was kind of a fun night.

Thursday we did some bureau work then drove into Paris to drop off mail at one of the Zone Conferences. It was tons of fun, and I saw Ben! We kicked it for a little while before he had to catch his train, then we drove the Assistants home. We finished up the night with more bureau work. 

Yesterday was one of the coolest days of my mission. So we had planned out a finding day between our mission and the Lyon mission to find 1000 new people to teach in one day. This also happened to be the day that the Zone Leaders wanted to do their exchange with us! We kind of abandoned the bureau for a day and just went hard finding all day, and the miracles just rolled in! We found more people yesterday than the office has found in a couple transfers, it was insane! One of them was the family we found on Sunday who said to come back later. We went over, and it turns out they're Portuguese and totally into our message! So we'll teach them again on Tuesday :) Their last name is Marquez. 

Today was an awesome P Day! We went into Paris and went up the Arc de Triomphe. With my French legality it was free, so we got to take the spiral staircase all the way to the top! It was pretty tight, next time we'll try to do the Eiffel Tower. We walked along the Champs-Elysées for a while and I felt super poor after looking at how expensive everything is haha. Apparently Paris Design Week started today, so Champs-Elysées was exploding with people. We even saw some of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen in my life :) Overall, super good day!

As far as the package, I would say just no candy :) haha I'm still trying to feel healthy again, and Elder Platt and I are trying to be healthier right now since we have to eat out so much and never have time to really work out cuz we're always on trips. But, we're getting there! 

The college hunt continues, I've got so many people leaning me so many different ways, and all of my options are really good. Right now I have a really good idea of which school will have the best program and be the most reasonable for me, but I'm still looking and praying ;) haha. I'll keep you posted!

I love you guys, have a great week!

Love,

Elder Tyler Martin

Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe

Champs Elysees from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

Champs Elysees during Paris Design Week

Bugatti

Line of dream cars!

McLaren

Eiffel Tower from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

With Elder Ben Anderson