E-mail 12-2-12

Bonjourrrrr! I can’t believe it it is already Decembre! So crazy. I love this time of year! Chartres is way into Christmas too, so it makes it that much better. They have so many sweet displays of lights and what not. I have taken some pretty sweet pics. (I’ll send them to you one day if you’re lucky :) Thanks for the package! It was pretty clever of you to put "thanksgiving in a box." That Turkey Jerky was way good. And of course the potatoes.  But of course my favorite part was the letters & and pictures of my cute sister and her family. Mostly just Raegen and Greyson haha. They are a couple of studs. Raegen looks so BIG! Pretty crazy. Its only been like 6 months. I can’t imagine what they will look like after two years. And yes I do have some sweet photos of last weeks football game under the Eiffel Tower. I’ll be sure to send them for Christmas, don’t you worry.

I have been eating pretty well. I can’t complain. The main reason I am loosing weight is because of all the walking we do here in Chartres. They used to have a car here, but right before I arrived but President took it away. There are some days where we have no time to eat but usually we find  time to have a couple of meals each day. My favorite is anything with potatoes in it. I have kinda mastered how to cook potatoes, not gonna lie. I can’t get enough of them :) I got skills in the kitchen haha. And to answer your question... there are fast food restaurants here in France. We have 3 McDonalds and a KFC here in Chartres. Not sure if they are any good because I have never eaten at any of them but I suppose they are the same except for the portion size. Everything is SMALL here. Like ridiculously small. Like it makes me crazy to know that people eat things so small haha. I don’t know how people do it. That part about France kinda makes me love America a little bit more haha. But i still LOVE France.  A lot.

I almost forgot to mention transfers! haha. I will be staying here in Chartres of course but my comp is leaving :(   He’s gonna be a stud ly zone leader in Nancy. My new comp is Elder Harris. Should be a good time. I keep telling myself that change is good, even though it is hard and I wish it didn’t have to happen so often haha. Things are going so good right now here in Chartres! I hope and pray it will continue!! I am excited for this next transfer. We have a few amis who are progressing like crazy. I know if they continue to keep there commitments/engagements they will be ready for baptism this transfer! Our newest ami Bairing is so awesome! He is from Chad, Africa. We have recently just finished teaching him the plan of salvation. He loved it! He is still in the process of praying and finding out if it’s the true plan that God made for him. I already know it is but I hope and pray he can know for himself that he’s a Child of God with a purpose in life! At the end of our lesson last night he gave an awesome prayer. He told Heavenly Father that he loves the plan of salvation and he wants to know it is true! Such a powerful prayer, especially for someone who never prayed up until two weeks ago! Its so awesome being  a missionary. I learn so much each day. Sometimes I think I learn more from my investigators then they learn from me and my comp. I thought I was supposed to be the other way around? haha. I have really learned that when I forget about myself and all of the things I have left behind to be here in France... the Lord blesses me with an increase of knowledge! Sometimes more knowledge than my big dome can process. I’m pretty sure when I started my mission I was the dumbest missionary alive hahaha. In the MTC I was shocked EACH minute of EACH day by the amount of knowledge that EACH person had. Not just some, but EACH and EVERY person knew so much more then me. I was the kid in class that had to cheat and look at the person to my side when the teacher said, "turn to Ether" because I had no idea where it was! haha. I still know very little about the gospel but I know so much more than I did six months ago. In ways I am very grateful for my lack of knowledge because it gives me so much motivation each and every day to work and study hard. Sorry mom and dad if this hurts your feelings hahaha. It’s not that you didn’t teach me lots before the mish, its just that I chose not to listen and remember all of the things that you taught me! You’re the best parents ever :)

Thanks for being awesome! Keep on keepin on. Thanks for all of your prayers in my behalf! (especially for my French). I need all the help I can get! Que Dieu Vous bénisses. (God Bless You). 

Bises,

Elder Adams

P.S. - Brother. I had Foo-Foo this week with my African friend. Stuff is pretty dang good. Tastes like play dough. Not sure I could eat it every day like you did but I can’t say that I hated it. I got some sweet pics of it. And lots of pictures!! I love pictures(hint hint). I’ll send you a ton if you do the same :) hahha jk.