Famille!

So many things to say! First of all before I forget, I am getting huge. It's not even real. Elder Burke and I have been working out hard core every morning with the bench press and other assorted equipment. I almost look like Caleb! ... not. But seriously.

This week was amazing. We met Jean. He is the best referral I've ever received. He is from Togo, and has a really good Togolais friend that referred him and told him that through the church he could find everything he is looking for in life. So Elder Murdock finally had a solid chance to test out those "first lesson teaching skills" that we've been so diligently practicing every morning. Even more exciting, is that Elder Murdock had a chance to try out that good old baptismal invitation that we have also been diligently practicing. In our first rendez-vous we fixed his baptismal date for the 24th of March. Then we had a second rdv and taught the Plan of Salvation, and then he got to church early on Sunday and stayed for all three hours (that is especially impressive because he lives an hour away on the tram). He is going through some difficulties with his family and it is so sad, but also so inspiring to see him fight for what is right. He has two kids (ages 5 and 7) and a wife. He is so so humble and only wants to follow Christ. We gave him a calendar that he is following until his baptism with scriptures to read everyday. He is 42. So that was a huge blessing and miracle this week. It is humbling to be the one that the Lord trusts with such a person. He has inspired both of us greatly.

Next subject: Elder Murdock. Such a winner. I LOVE being his companion. Last night we made crêpes for his first time. After I made him a ham, cheese, and egg crêpe, he said that he was pretty full with the dinner crêpes, and was probably ready to move on to the dessert crêpes. He then proceeded to fill his "already full stomach" with no less than 6 more crêpes oozing with jam, cream, nutella, and honey. He is amazing :) Another funny thing happened when he made his first phone call this week. It was a call from an english speaking african who was asking for us to pray for her so that her job interview would go well. Elder Murdock didn't understand and was like "hang on one second I need to talk to my companion." Then with the phone in his hand he says to me "i can't understand her!!!" So i picked up the phone and assured her that we would :) Elder Murdock is definitely one of my favorite companions. We have fun together :)

Remember how our district is "Welcome to the Jungle" this transfer? Well, the Nantes 2 equipe just earned themselves a pizza by finding 5 new amis this week! They chose the Crazy Carnivore pizza. For district meeting tomorrow I'm working on making a lesson using 7 or 8 little matchbox cars that I found this week. I haven't quite figured out how they can relate to the gospel yet though, and still give us a good excuse to play with them.

This week I traveled twice. Once to Angers for zone conference, and once to Cholet for exchanges. I brought Elder Blackham back to Nantes with me where we had a miracle filled day full of teaching and porte à porte. We met some really nice people. Zone conference was good too and I got to see all my favorite people. Elder Pieper, Elder Stephenson, Elder Barker... lots of Elder. (This also seems like a good time to throw in a little shout-out to my man Mark Stephenson. Your son is amazing).

Okay. I love you so much and am thankful for all your support and love. And emails.

Love,

Elder Ben