3 July, 2008

La ville rose!

Well I assume that you have figured out that I was most likely transferred, considering the fact that I'm writing on a Thursday and I spent almost six months in Périgueux. Have you been able to guess where I am...that's right "la ville rose"! AKA Toulouse! I am in Toulouse the fifth largest city in France and the headquarters of our mission, and that's exactly where I am, the bureau. I am currently being trained to be the new Car, Bikes, Phones, and Referrals guy. I've found that the bureau is a lot of fun and it's nice to constantly be around multiple missionaries. I would say that the biggest draw back is feeling like I have a job on top of the mission. We live in the newest apartment in the mission in a very beautiful part of town called Colomiers and our street is "Arc-en-Ciel" cela veut dire Rainbow! So for the time being I have two companions, Elder Workman(whom I'm replacing) from Salt Lake City and Elder Knowles from West Jordan. I am in the shortest Elder in the trio and I know you'll all be shocked but I've only had one other companion taller than me(other than Elder Rees at the MTC)

I have had the wonderful privilege of meeting President Michel Carter, our new President as of this past Sunday. He and his wife are from Quebec, Canada and he is wonderful. As a matter of fact my companions and I are in his ward. Toulouse has two LARGE wards each with about 120 Members and I'm very excited about that. It has been a sad experience to lose President and Soeur Merrell they are amazing and have deeply touched my life and I will love them forever. I know that President and Soeur Carter will do a wonderful job taking over and it has been and I do expect it to be a smooth transition.

This last week I also made it to Brive, the blue ville of Nathan, and it was pretty. The Périgueux Elders had to go there to search out a baptismal dress because we BAPTIZED on Saturday! After a nearly six month stretch in Périgueux with what was starting to feel like fruitless labor, Hongora Sandag(14) and Purevsuren "Surène" Sharkhuu(79) both from Mongolia entered into the waters of baptism. I was honored and privileged to perform the baptism for Hongora, I was nervous as could be having never personally baptized someone before, but it went wonderfully. The service was absolutely fantastic. Surène bore her testimony in Mongolian while Hongora translated and it was strong! I was so happy!

I love all of you so much and I wish you all the best of weeks. I would also like to congratulate Soeur Jennifer Martin and her husband on the birth of their first child, Joseph Thatcher.

Love

Elder Miles Marsala