December 26,2007

Ouh la la! What a Christmas! So as all of you know we get the opportunity to call our families on Christmas, and it was spectacular! I had such fun, it was definately the best part of Christmas. Even though we had been spoiled by members; we three very large and very traditional French meals the last two days. mmm...mmm...Well other than Christmas not too many large or spectacular things came to pass, but it was a good week none the less. I'm really enjoying this mission and I feel so lucky to be here. It's so fun talking to people and watching the Gospel work in people's lives.I want to wish a all a great New Year's for that is the next time I'll be speaking with you. I love you all and I thank you.

Elder Miles Marsala

December 18, 2007 -"One Week to Go"

Joyeaux Noel!
Wow, I can't believe Christmas is already here! Vitrolles is doing great and I'm really liking it here. We have a sweet ward as well.
Yesterday we had an amazing Christmas Zone Conference that was an incredible spiritual boost for Christmas. We have an awesome mission president and his wife is amazing as well. It was an incredible day that really got me excited for the work. It's amazing the love that God has for each of us, His children, it's unbeliveable to me. And the greatest manifestation of His love was through His Son Jesus Christ. What an incredible gift. The more and more I think about it the more in awe I become and the more gratitude I have. He was truly perfect in everyway and He loves us so much, He has a perfect love that we can't grasp. He loves us indvidually and that is so evident in His perfect Atonement. I hope that this year I can do better with how I treat Christmas, there are three levels and I hope to aspire to one day better recognize the top level. There is the Santa level, the Baby Jesus level-a great an amazing thing that must be celebrated, the birth of our Lord, and the level where at Christmas we recognize The Master, for that is what He truly is.
I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for all of you and for your faith in our Savior. I wish you all the most merry of Christmas' with lots of love and hopefully you'll be with loved ones.

With love,

Elder Miles Marsala

The beautiful view in Carcasssonne

Here are a few pictures Miles took of the Midi canal and Aude river before he left the city of Carcassonne.

December 11, 2007

Bonjour from Vitrolles!

It's pretty great here, it's so much bigger than Carcassonne it's weird. I never took a bus around town in Carcassonne, but here we're always on the bus, it's quite different. Vitrolles is fairly close to Aix en Provence and somewhat close to Marseilles. The people are great here, they seem a bit more willing to talk, not really listen too much or learn more, but definately more willing to talk, which is fun. The members here are pretty sweet as well, they're all super nice and are good member-missionaries.

So let me explain my living conditions, let's just say that they're not typical missionary conditions and it's a little different...I live in a house! A real full-size house like all of you. No it's not a basement apartment, we live upstairs where there are three bedrooms two baths a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room! It's so weird to live in a house! It's pretty exciting. We do live with members who actually live downstairs because it's easier for them with travel and health, they are sweet people! Soeur Bacci is the coolest elderly woman, she's 70 but has the energy of Alexis Wahlquist! It's a lot of fun.

So Sunday was really awesome! Of course it was great to meet all the members, but it was what happened after. So a member brought her boyfriend to church for the second time and afterwards the members father came up to us with the boyfriend and said, "We want you to teach him and he has some questions." so of course we agreed, then he said, "right now would be good;" Okay sure. We went into a room and began to teach him the Restoration, and the Spirit was super strong, probably the strongest that I've felt in a lesson. He was telling us that this has already touched him and he can't deny that it's true and that it was helping him when he didn't know he needed help. He already had a Book of Mormon of his own and said he just opens it up to anywhere after he prays and gets answers! Towards the end we opened up to Moroni's promise and he already had it marked, he looked at us and said, "oh I love this phrase" and then read it. It was an amazing lesson and at the end he was so happy. In fact we talked about it and he's planning to be baptized on January 12, 2008! It was a good Sunday.

On Saturday night we went to the Catholic Church to support some of our amis, their daughters were singing in some competition, and thay can sing! It was a lot of fun, especially whenever we were walking around everyone was looking at us and trying to read our badges, so we got to talk to a lot of people, it was sweet. At the end one of the groups sang a lot of songs in English including the one from "O, brother where art thou?" and it was done very well, even with their French accents.

So I'm loving it here and it's a great town! I'm very excited for Christmas, thanks again to everyone for all your love and support.

Love,

Miles

p.s. My companion is named Elder Osborne from Idaho Falls, he's a nice guy

Vitrolles, France

Vitrolles is located 25 km north-west of Marseilles, on the eastern shore of the pond of Berre.

Vitrolles is a commune in southern France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône département and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It is the largest suburb of the city of Aix-en-Provence, and is adjacent to its southwest side. In the 1999 census, Vitrolles had a population of 36,784. The commune has a land area of 36.58 km² (14.124 sq mi)
Vitrolles houses today one of the biggest commercial zones in the South-East of France.

December 4, 2007

Bonjour tout le monde,
This last week has been another great week here in Carcassone, with lots of thrills, excitement, and some scares, but worry not all is well here. Carcassonne is going all out for Christmas decorations, there are real pine branch arches lining the rues, rows of lights in the skies, decorations all over the place! In the Place Carnot, they're turning it into a giant ice skating rink, it's crazy! Christmas is really getting into the air here and it's should be in full force Thursday when they finally light all the lights and open the rink! It's going to be absolutely chouette! But I Elder Marsala won't see it.
I'm heading to Vitrolles! The time has come for me to leave my blue ville. I'm excited, Vitrolles is right next to Marseille and it's bigger ville as well. I'm told there is less wind and more sun too, so the weather might be just a touch better. I'm pretty excited, my train leaves in two hours so I will be able to tell you about my new companion and Vitrolles next week.
I've really loved Carcassonne and I'm going to miss it, there are some amazing members in the ward here and I will miss them, and it was weird to tell the family Pondela goodbye, but it's all good. I'm really excited to meet lots of other people and to see another part of France, it's going to be a blast. I'm told my new companion is a good missionary as well.
As for all the amazing decorations and excitement here for Christmas, I should see it in a couple of weeks when I come back to Carcassonne to get my carte de séjour(visa stuff)
I'll miss Elder Dearing as well, he's a good missionary and we had lots of fun together.
Well everyone the time is short and I must be going, thank you so much for all your love and support. Merry Christmas!

Love,
Elder Marsala

November 27, 2007

Bonjour mes amis,

So France is still great, still beautiful, and still my home. The leaves are getting close to actually falling and Christmas is growing in the air. It's an incredible feeling, but I'm to believe that nobody in the world does Christmas better than Salt Lake.

This last week was pretty great. Saturday we had our once a transfer interviews with President Merrell and as always, that man is inspired, he was definitely called by the Lord for this position. But what was really great about Saturday was that we got to go teaching with President! It was so sweet! We went to Michel Pondela's and it was just awesome, President is fantastic, I learned so much. I was a tad nervous to teach with President at first, but it wasn't nerve wracking once we got there, we had lots of fun with that.

Our ward is doing fabulous in taking good care of us, we were given a delicious Lasagna by the bishop's wife, then we had a family home evening chez bishop in Cuxac(a ville that I love) and another member fed us last night and sent us home with crepes for breakfast! It's been wonderful, I will miss this ward when I go, which could be soon.

Yep, we're already to the end of another transfer! Calls come on Saturday and we'll see how it all goes, I get the feeling I'm staying one more, but I never really could know. It's amazing how fast time is flying by, Friday makes SIX months already, I'm loving every minute of it.

Well everyone, stay happy and keep the Christmas Spirit, I love you all.

Miles

Elder Miles Marsala

November 20, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't have Thanksgiving here and there is much that I am grateful for so please allow me to express those things.

I'm thankful for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for His love, compassion, and mercy, which is evident in His Atonement for all of us.

I'm thankful for our Father in Heaven who loves us beyond comprehension and who listens and answers our prayers.

The Holy Ghost, what an amazing gift that has been given to us completely for our help, safety, and comfort, He's completely self-less.

The Restoration of the Gospel, I'd be nothing without it.

My family, I have such an amazing family, the best support system in the world. They've always been there and always will be, how I love them.

And of course my friends, you're amazing.

This week was fabulous, my favorite miracle had to have been Serge again. If you remember Serge was an awesome find by elder Dearing, he told us he was baptized in 2000 but then moved from Colorado shortly there after not knowing how big the church was and he had been lost from the church for 7 years. Since the day he was found he's been super active and loving the gospel, we taught him everything all over again and he loves it, he keeps asking how he can serve the Lord. Well he has need of aid, he's alone with some problems and such, the bishop said he could help as soon as we found his records, well it had been more than two weeks since we sent out the request and at ward counsel the auxiliaries were doubting if he'd ever been baptized and elder Dearing and I were not happy with this attitude, well as it turns out on January 23, 1999 Serge was baptized in Colorado Springs and confirmed on January 24, 1999(happy b-day S.E.M.) So we are ecstatic about that news.

Christmas is in the air, there are all sorts of decorations and lights hung, but they won't be lit until December 6, so I hope I'm still in Carcassonne and get to see it, there's also a big carnival thing going on right now on one of the main roads.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! I love you and thank you for your support.

Elder Miles Marsala

The Church IS true

November 13, 2007

French Fall

Bonjour encore! Another great week has come and gone here in Carcassonne. It's an amazing ville with fantastic people. There were't too many big events this week but we find miracles none the less. It's just a beautiful thing to see the Hand of God working daily and trying to help others see it. Sometimes it's sad, really sad, in fact it breaks my heart. Elder Richar G. Scott told us he just wishes he could put his arms around everyone and just squeeze them and in there ear say, "It's so true." I know how he feels, but of course I can't do such a thing. I'm in absolute marvel of the beauty of the Earth, I've before described these magnificant country sides with rolling hills, flowers, lakes, streams, and endless vinyards. Well my friends and family, the leaves in the vinyards change color too. Oh yes! It is breath taking to be on the train and just seeing a see of colors flowing, browns, golden yellows, burnt oranges, and firey reds! It's so gorgeous. Christmas is creeping in to the air as well, the public decorations are all up, but none of the lights are on yet, I'm very excited.I know I've said this many times before, but I just want to thank all of you for all your love, your love for God's children, His Gospel, and for our Lord and Savior. I've come to the conclusion, as the song states, "what the world needs now, is love, sweet love, it's the only thing that there's just too little of" It's something that really is lacking. If we could just love one another, this world would be amazing. Souls would be saved and happiness would blossom. Thank you all for your support, I love you

Elder Miles Marsala

The first pictures from France have arrived!

French word of the week and weather in carcassonne

"Boir" -pronounced "bwahr" -means to drink. (This is from the subject line of Miles' e-mail in reference to the events they had with the drunken man this week.)

This week's weather is expected to stay around the mid-fifties with 82% humidity. Brrr is right!

"The big castle"

This is the big castle Miles referred to in his e-mail that he sees on a daily basis and will take his new companion to visit. This grand chateau is the one used in the filiming of Robin Hood starring Kevin Costner. Awesome!

November 6, 2007

Brrr...birds and boivre!

Hello my cherished ones, Another great week has passed by already and time is flying. In Carcassonne things are fantastic! I'm taking Elder Dearing to the giant castle today, so I'm excited. Yesterday was a fantastic Zone Conference in Toulouse, President and Sister Merrell told about there experience climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and showed photos and talked about all sorts of great gospel stuff, it was quite uplifting and always fun, I've decided that there's nothing about this that I don't love, except for the times when I see pathetic lives that will not accept Christ, that will always hurt me and I'll never like that.Sunday we passed by a less-active and it was great. We turned the corner and saw a man, the drunkest man I have ever seen, he was completely gone and he was stuck on his back like an upside down turtle, and he had kind of busted his hand when he fell. We were about to call the Police when I recognized him as the brother of another less-active, so we decided to take him home, he lived over a half a mile away and we literally had to hold him up and walk him there almost dragging him as he spoke rubbish and tried to smoke. We got to his brother's and opened the door to a tiny appartment, greeted at the door by 15 dogs! It was insane and four of them ran away, so then we had to go chasing after uncollered dogs! But we got them back. On our return we discovered that the man we helped had left. On our return to Centre Ville we found him curled in a ball passed out, we actually thought he was gone, but he was breathing. Called the police this time, but his brother showed up to help and then we eventually left. How sad it is when people won't accept our Lord in there lives and just apply His Gospel, no doing that doesn't guarante perfection in all things every or any day, but it sure helps. I can't ever remember being more grateful for my mother raising me and for the Word of Wisdom.On a brighter note we saw flocks of literally thousands of birds, thousands flying overhead on route to Africa for the winter, which leads me to the weather. It is COLD! No it does not snow and I'd be willing to bet that if you compared thermometers(spelling)? Utah would be colder, but Utah doesn't have this humidity which leads to this peircing wind that cuts through all and goes to your bones, but it's okay, I get to wear a scarf and really cool gloves that I bought :)Well my family and friends, I love you and I'm grateful for you, you're amazing and I wish you all the best. I invite you to further bring yourselves closer to Christ, it's the most important thing you can do. I hope all is well.

Love,Elder Marsala

October 30, 2007

Bonjour ma famille et mes amis

So it's been an awesome week with my new companion Elder Dearing, we've had great fun and a good start to the transfer. Our amis are doing great and it's so much fun. We had another baptism!(just kidding) the ward did but we didn't, one of the bishop's daughters was baptized on Friday night and it was so awesome. The Spirit was super strong and one of our amis that came looked at us and said, "that was strong, I've never felt anything like that or anything that strong in my life." We we're pretty excited to hear that. It's amazing how much the Spirit resides at things like Sacrament meeting, Baptisms, Temples, and thost manners of things, naturally I'd say, "it's churchy of course there's the Spirit" but I've come to realize that the Holy Ghost is there because at all those things, ordinances and covenants are being made with God, our Heavenly Father. The Holy Ghost must be present, and he testifies the truth of these ordinances and the truth of Jesus Christ directly to our hearts. This is why we must go to the Temple often, always go and be there for Sacrament, and attend the baptismal ceremonies in our wards and stakes, the Spirit is there wanting to testify to us, of course it can come at anytime-but in places like these, it's just so constant and clear.
Elder Dearing found us a miracle man the other day, we were quite pressed the first time he saw him so he didn't stop to talk. Then later in the day after someone had not held there appointment we had some time. Elder Dearing saw this man again and went to talk to him and set up a rendez-vous for the next morning. As it turns out this man was baptized in the Colorado Springs 2nd or 3rd ward in January of February of 2000, after 6 months he got transferred and has been astranged from the church ever since. He's been back in France for 5 years and in Carcassonne for 2, he said he's missed the Church but didn't know how to find it again and It found him.
We have a girl in our ward from Mexico that speaks Spanish-obviously-and French, a few weeks ago we met a couple from Mexico that speaks a bit of English and not French, well we put them in contact with the member and things are going great! It's amaazing how the Lord works, puts these three people from Mexico together in Carcassonne, they lived 1 and a half away from each other in Mexico, it's amazing.
The work is going great and it's such a blast, I love being here in the South of France with these beautiful souls. I'm so grateful for this work and for our Savior Jesus Christ for this truly is His Gospel and no one else's.
I love you all and I thank you all so much for your love and support. Have a great week!

Elder Miles Marsala

Ps: they don't really do Halloween here, they do it just a bit, it seems to be an excuse for young adults to party. I'm some kids go out for candy but it's really not all that popular here

PSS:Today is 5 months already, time flies

"Yes, a part"

I wonder just how much hair gel Miles has used trying to "train" his hair to lay flat...with a part.

Remembering the MTC

Château d,If and Notre Dame de la garde

Notre Dame de la garde

This church is the landmark of Marseille. It is one of the highest points of Marseille (162 m) and gives you the most breathtaking panorama of the city.

Chateau d'If was built in the early part of the 16th century. Originally intended to be a fortress, storing artillery, its true usage was as a prison, for both common and political prisoners. It was this usage that was immortalized in Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo".

October 22, 2007

Bonjour my loved ones,

This has been another awesome week in the Lord's Vineyard and in the wine capitol of the world. Speaking of wine apparantly Marsala is amazing! Every Italian or member who did drink before all say it's strong and delicious-like me ;) So in Carcassonne they hosted a wine festival literally in the square below our apartment for four nights and it was noisy and hard to sleep, it was cool though because the big fountain in the square was filled with WINE! Yes my loved ones, a fountain of wine, I have been commanded to come here and teach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ to a people that fill there fountains with wine and begin smoking at age 10, ça va.

We had a miracle on Saturday night after recieving transfer calls, it was hectic because we were told we would be parting less than an hour after church on sunday instead of the usual Tuesday transfers. So everything got messed up trying to teach, pack, buy tickets, passback people, it was crazy. There's an Australian woman that we know that always says hi, but we were on a different rue than planned and ran into her, and she had a lot to say. She needs the love of our Savior so much and can't even explain it, we tried to help her find it, but her life is kind of in a mess right now and she's just struggling, we found it a miracle that we saw her when we did and she was so grateful to have ran into us, appartantly she had been taught years ago, so will see what we can co. Please do me a favor everyone, always remember that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves us so much that He suffered and He died for us, He suffered not just our sins but our pains, afflictions, and sicknesses as well, He knows how to succor us. Please turn to Him in all things, He wants to help, that is His work and His glory, His love is perfect, call to Him.

So about transfers...

I'm currently writing this email sitting with seven other elders in there suits in this cafe, no we don't look like a cult, haha. But I'm writing this email in Marseille!

I am catching a train back to Carcassonne in like two hours though. On Sunday I brought elder Green to Marseille(home of the Count of Monte Cristo) Sunday I drove up to Aix to drop of another elder who was moving, then rode the bus back with elder Hitoto of Paris, so I really got to work on my French, I love the French missionaries. Then yesterday I had the privelage of working with Elder Del Bel of Paris all day just us to, I just asked questions all day about grammer and things I don't understand and I just kept trying to learn all I could from him. He's a great missionary and was very helpful to me, so it was a blessing. Marseille is so huge! I'm so glad I got to work here even if just for a day, big cities are awesome. While riding the train I saw, through the window, Chateau d'If and Notre Dame de la garde, two popular things of Marseille, so it was exciting.

My new companion in Carcassonne is Elder Sam Deering! Also of Bingham High School class of '05 so we already know each other, I'm very excited. Carcassonne is doing great, Mme Coupoux came to church for the first time in 7 months and said she wants to be baptised in November. One of M. Pondela's sons came to church as well. Well time is short and I have to get ready to go back home, it's nearly five hours by train! So it is a bit far from chez-moi.

I love you all so much and I can't thank you enough for your support and friendship.

Merci beaucoup!

Love,

Elder Miles Marsala(remember strong AND delicous)