Dearest Family,

I am very happily living another day of my mission. Things have been going very well lately. Know that I am happy and just as in love with everything as always. Ok... actually I am like WAY happy. We have had some rockin' stuff happening:

We did end up going to see Berthe, her daughter Josée, and her three little boys. It was a very very nice rendez-vous. There was a very sweet spirit there the entire time (the kind that you get when a family is all together). At the beginning, the boys (baby, 3 yrs, and 5 yrs) were all very shy and wouldn't talk at all, but as the lesson went on little Matthieu (5 yrs) crawled over and snuggled right underneath Elder Bjerga's arm. Josée was especially touched by that. I think she recognized that her children could feel and respond to the Spirit. Josée said that after coming to church and reading the Book of Mormon, she will be baptized if she feels that it is true. It was also very cool to see Berthe testify to her daughter and grandkids about the happiness she has found in the church.

We also had another miracle... like the kind where you set a baptismal date 20 minutes after meeting someone and you really didn't have to do anything but be in the right place at the right time. We were in the tram when we heard a voice in front of us say "ça-va elder?" We looked up to see Patrick, a 19 year old boy from Congo. As we talked with him we found out that a few months ago he had been seeing the missionaries in Grenoble, and that he has now lived in Reims for about two months without any missionary contact. After he said that he feels like the missionaries are following him, we told him that maybe it was because God was trying to tell him something. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" we said (didn't translate to french very well). Then Patrick said that God was trying to tell him that he needs to be baptized. Annnd, we confirmed that. So we found a little spot and had a quick rendez-vous with him. He told us his his heartfelt story and we committed him to be baptized. He said in a resolute voice "Oui, j'accepte." So Patrick will be getting baptized on July 30th. We had a great rdv with him today and have another one set for tomorrow. He is so prepared. He feels and recognizes the Spirit and has told us so many times that he is ready to follow Christ for the rest of his life.

The miracle for me is how the Lord accomplishes His work in His way, and that we are so blessed to have even the smallest parts in that. We just happened to be about 30 minutes early to our other rendez-vous and we didn't know why, but it was the right place at the right time, and the Lord took care of the rest. The question posed in the scriptures is "what power can stay the hand of God?"

Humm... what else. Elder Bjerga has an ingrown toenail. We went to the doctor about it like two weeks ago, but it's just been getting worse and now it's like all inflamed and there is puss and blood and junk. I pretty much pass out just looking at it. So we're going back to the doc's office tonight. Yuck.

The transfer ends in about a week and a half. It went by so fast. Every transfer goes by way faster than the last one. Normally I will be leaving Reims this transfer, but we're not sure what is going to happen. I asked to stay in Reims to be a trainer next transfer so we'll see. We find out this weekend. It would be especially sad to leave though right before Patrick's baptism.

Well, peace and blessings. Also, Elder Bjerga says to say that he really loves our family even though he's never met you. I love you too. Lots.

Admiral Coburn