You know the feeling when you're playing a video game, and then the controls get reversed because you caught a disease or something? Maybe not, but that's how I feel trying to type on this euro keyboard. Please disregard any q's that are supposed to be a's, and apostrophes that are supposed to be m's. You could say I'm rather out of control. Frenzied really. Hah. It helps that the people next to me are getting in an argument in French about the crying baby behind me. Poor kid. He didn't do anything.

I LOVVVVVVVVVVVVE IT HERRRRRRE :) :) :) :)

My first area is in southern Paris in a city called Evry. My trainer is Elder Riley. He rocks. It is his last transfer before going home, but we don't talk about that. We live literally right next to the newest Cathedral in Western Europe. It is designed to look exactly like a 15 story tall Pope's hat. Hahhhhhhhh. I still chuckle every time I see it. It's nuts, look it up.

Elder Riley is basically Josh. Like, almost exactly Josh. The only difference is that he sacrificed a foot of height for the ability to play the piano and beat super computers at chess. He makes a good trainer. The kind that I can just follow on to trains and trust that he knows exactly where he is going.

When I got here the area didn't have anybody to teach, so this week we have been finding like it is our job. Fancy that, it is our job. I LOVE it. I love talking to people. I love finding out what people believe, where they're from, and what they're like. We usually go contacting in the streets in the morning, and tracting door to door in the evening. If there is one French phrase I've got down it's "ça, ne m'interesse pas du tout." It means that doesn't interest me at all.

On the bright side, this week is FULL of meetings we've scheduled with people that we've just found. Mmm, the fruits of the labors. I can't wait to do lots of teaching... and more finding of course. We've only taught one lesson since I've been here. It was a young black man who just let us in while we were tracting. That was a blessing. We taught him an AMAZING hour and a half long first lesson.

French. It's coming. I adore it. Of course it's not mtc French, but I can speak well, and understand the most part of conversations we have. I like to talk to people on my own because then it forces me to speak, listen, etc.. I can't wait to speak at Elder Riley level.

Oh. I sent you before and after pictures of the living room of our apartment. Disgusting right? You can bet I had something to say about that. Hence, the after picture when I had spent 3 hours throwing away the leftover junk of 10 years worth of missionaries. It's a big apartment, and it's just us two living there. The quality of the place is another question. I would give an arm for new carpet and to get rid of those atrocious blinds. Hah.

If you send things to the mission home address it takes until transfers for me to get it. Here is my address in Evry:

Elder Ben Q. Coburn
Les Missionnaires
17 Cours Monseigneur Romero
91000 Evry
FRANCE

I should be there for at least 12 weeks. 6 for sure.

However, anybody can send me emails, and I can just respond with mail. That seems ideal at the moment.

I love it here. I love you.

HAPPY HONEYMOON JOSH AND SHANNON :) I ate some cake for you on the 20th

Love,
Elder Coburn

Salut

Bonjour. bonjourbonjourbonjour. Here comes the baker with his tray like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell.

On the subject of music, my audition last week payed off! I get to sing for all the senior missionaries this Monday! So... I get to rememorize all the words to 'I Know that My Redeemer Lives.' Yay! I had decided that I wasn't going to be singing, so the invitation in the mail yesterday was a fab surprise.

Also on the subject of music, I got my cd yesterday! Thankyouthankyou. Mike is amazing. Ahh. It made me really miss writing music. I have gotten so many ideas for songs since I've been here. I talked to my teacher, Soeur Call, about it. We had a really good conversation about how following the Spirit when you're in the field is kind of the same as just following your talents and not being afraid to do things different. One time we were practicing contacting here, and when she opened the door we sang 'Aimez vos freres' to her and the Spirit was there so strong. Even though it was just a 'role play.' Aimez vos freres is love one a another.

On Wednesday I taught a really good lesson on the Plan of Salvation. We taught the former president of the Madagascar mission, a lady, and her 5 month old boy. He was ADORABLE. I don't see enough children here.

Also on Wednesday I was sitting outside when my friend Sister Watson walked by. She is the French lady whose house I ate at and such. She had her kids with her, and I talked with her for about ten minutes. She walked by at exactly the wrong time too. I was in the midst of a -can't wait to get to France- mood. Then she decides to show up, I LOVED it, and then I wanted to go to France twice as bad. Ten days. Ten days. We're supposed to get our travel plans today.

On that subject, we should be flying out on the 16th. I don't know where you'll be. But make sure to have a phone so I can call. But I'll give you the final deets next week.

This week I've studied a lot about humility/pride. I decided that pride is kind of the root of every bad thing. Stupid pride. On the other hand, humility is charity, diligence, patience, service, and everything else good.

Oh. I whole heartedly approve of moving to a town called Orange. It happens to be a favorite color of mine. Also, orange cream soda, oranges, orange sherbet, orange gelato, orange jello, peaches, apricots, and carrots. I looked at it on google maps and was thoroughly impressed with the greenness. I'll design the house if you decide to build. K deal.

Time is going so fast and so slow at the same time. It's a funny little thing, time.

We're going to the temple today.

Lovelovelove,

Elder Ben Coburn