Riley told me to edit spelling on his email. (He said there is no spell check and let's just say that spelling is not his strong point!). Spelling isn't my strong suit either, so I might have missed some! Otherwise this is what he wrote:
August 26, 2016
first week
Well, I don't know where to start. I am not so sure this is "spirit prison" like Elder Spencer Larson says because at least for the first two days nobody tells me what to do. So it's scary because every other thing any one says is to be obedient yet besides the white bible I'm not sure what to be obedient to. However it is super busy and it is quite fun.
My P-day is Friday so that's when I will get to email. And I have two good companions Elder Segal and Elder Linderman who are both from CA. Segal went to one year of school at Stanford and Lindeman went to a college in Santa Barbra.
I have seen a lot of people I know like Elders Allen, Murri, Rasmussen, Shawn Haymore and many others. We pack in so much during the day it feels like I've been here longer that two days but it's not like time drags on.
I absolutly love French class our teacher, Frere Ritiche, is funny and went to Benin on his mission. My District is 21-H and I really like the guys there. We are pretty close and spend a lot of time together in the classroom and were getting to know each other pretty well. As I'm brand new, trying to find my own footing, I was thrown for a little loop being called as our district president on my first full day. I didn't know my interview with the branch president went so well... but it's a lot of responsibility for me to now have to watch out for others. My training was a branch counselor spat out 15mins worth of things I had to do and I forgot all of them. However, my zone leaders told me to just chill out and after Sunday I should know how to do things so that's great. My district is very close to the district next door because they are also a Benin Mission district so there is about 22 of us. Elder Warr and I have to work together being district presidents, but he's a cool dude. And we have decided District Leader is just a fancy name for the mail man.
I'm super grateful for my zone leaders they are going to Tahiti and are the two most chill people I have ever met like total mormon hippies.
I did get to meet Elder Jenson, our uncles are friends, and he is super cool he seems a little home sick so I'm trying to make him feel more welcome.
This place is horrible for me trying to learn names. If I don't remember I can just call them Elder, or just look at their name tag. I don't even remember all the 10 guys in my district so that's one goal I have, to try and learn their names.
I'm really surprised at how much French I can understand. I understand Frere Ritchy really well and when I have to talk in french I get by, which is really exciting because some in my class are not that far yet, but it gives me a chance to help them which is now my duty. And I'm close to being able to say a prayer in French without my notes.
On P-days we get to go to the temple in the morning and today it was the best experience I've had in the temple so far. And the people were so helpful I'm not scared to go back anymore. And the food in their cafeteria was so so so so good.
I can't belive how badly I spell and how little I can actually do in just 60 mins of e-mail time.
I'm sorry if my thoughts seemed scatterd but it is a pretty acurate representation of my mind. I honestly don't feel as spritualy in tune as the other people in my district but I was told not to compare my self to them so I won't... anymore... out loud.
I'm glad they are keeping me so busy so I don't get home sick but I do miss you all.
I'm sure there is more to say and I might think of somthing else but I only have a few more minuets so I'm gunna try to figure out the pictures.
I miss you guys lots and I'm doing great. Please telll me if there is anything specific you want picutres of or what you want to know about because I don't know what you guys want to read.
August 26, 2016
first week
Well, I don't know where to start. I am not so sure this is "spirit prison" like Elder Spencer Larson says because at least for the first two days nobody tells me what to do. So it's scary because every other thing any one says is to be obedient yet besides the white bible I'm not sure what to be obedient to. However it is super busy and it is quite fun.
My P-day is Friday so that's when I will get to email. And I have two good companions Elder Segal and Elder Linderman who are both from CA. Segal went to one year of school at Stanford and Lindeman went to a college in Santa Barbra.
I have seen a lot of people I know like Elders Allen, Murri, Rasmussen, Shawn Haymore and many others. We pack in so much during the day it feels like I've been here longer that two days but it's not like time drags on.
I absolutly love French class our teacher, Frere Ritiche, is funny and went to Benin on his mission. My District is 21-H and I really like the guys there. We are pretty close and spend a lot of time together in the classroom and were getting to know each other pretty well. As I'm brand new, trying to find my own footing, I was thrown for a little loop being called as our district president on my first full day. I didn't know my interview with the branch president went so well... but it's a lot of responsibility for me to now have to watch out for others. My training was a branch counselor spat out 15mins worth of things I had to do and I forgot all of them. However, my zone leaders told me to just chill out and after Sunday I should know how to do things so that's great. My district is very close to the district next door because they are also a Benin Mission district so there is about 22 of us. Elder Warr and I have to work together being district presidents, but he's a cool dude. And we have decided District Leader is just a fancy name for the mail man.
I'm super grateful for my zone leaders they are going to Tahiti and are the two most chill people I have ever met like total mormon hippies.
I did get to meet Elder Jenson, our uncles are friends, and he is super cool he seems a little home sick so I'm trying to make him feel more welcome.
This place is horrible for me trying to learn names. If I don't remember I can just call them Elder, or just look at their name tag. I don't even remember all the 10 guys in my district so that's one goal I have, to try and learn their names.
I'm really surprised at how much French I can understand. I understand Frere Ritchy really well and when I have to talk in french I get by, which is really exciting because some in my class are not that far yet, but it gives me a chance to help them which is now my duty. And I'm close to being able to say a prayer in French without my notes.
On P-days we get to go to the temple in the morning and today it was the best experience I've had in the temple so far. And the people were so helpful I'm not scared to go back anymore. And the food in their cafeteria was so so so so good.
I can't belive how badly I spell and how little I can actually do in just 60 mins of e-mail time.
I'm sorry if my thoughts seemed scatterd but it is a pretty acurate representation of my mind. I honestly don't feel as spritualy in tune as the other people in my district but I was told not to compare my self to them so I won't... anymore... out loud.
I'm glad they are keeping me so busy so I don't get home sick but I do miss you all.
I'm sure there is more to say and I might think of somthing else but I only have a few more minuets so I'm gunna try to figure out the pictures.
I miss you guys lots and I'm doing great. Please telll me if there is anything specific you want picutres of or what you want to know about because I don't know what you guys want to read.
Me and my companions Segal(left) Linderman(right)
I guess I'm a district leader (aka mail man)
Me in the apartment
