I never ever ever ever want to leave the moment I'm in right now. This has been the most MIND BLOWING WEEK. True or False: La vie est trop belle...... TRUUUUE!!!!!

I had a VERY happy birthday. Why? I didn't have a single second to think about myself. All the plans and fun stuff I wanted to do got completely pushed aside because we had SIX lessons in one day. We are pooped, sunburned, and smiling. I still haven't even had time go to a french restaurant for my birthday... maybe I'll have time next week.

Before I came to Reims I had only ever had 10 lessons in one week. I found this is one of my old emails: "I don't even know where to start. Let's get the big picture first: This whole transfer the zone of Bretagne has been trying to get all the companionships to have 10 lessons a week. Impossible right? We're in France and nobody believes in God, right? We had ten lessons last week! We are teaching more than I have been my whole mission."

Well that was a month ago in Brest. This past week we had... 22 Lessons. We don't have time to breath. Next week we are going for 30. We have two amis that are getting baptised in two weeks on April 23. First, Fred. He is the African student that speaks english. He has changed his life more than anyone I have ever personally seen. He has come so far. He signed a paper for us telling us that he is never going to smoke or drink again. Then there is Ivan. A 25 year old student from Russia. He has been an ami for a long time and we invited him to baptized a couple weeks ago. At first we weren't sure if he was serious, but after this week we see that he definitely is. So, in two weeks they will both be getting baptized at the same baptismal service. IF THAT DOESN'T MAKE ONE HAPPY, then I got another phone call from Michel in Brest this week, and he set his baptismal for May 8. I'm thinking about going out to Brest for that but I'm not sure if I want to spend that much of my personal money on train tickets. Then you remember Sony from Evry? He is apparently getting really close to baptism.

I LOVE IT. God has a direct hand in this work. I bore my testimony at church yesterday about that. I told the ward that I have never seen as many miracles as I have seen here. I said that NOW is the time that Heavenly Father invites us to take part in His work. NOW is the time to take hold of his mercy and stretch a hand out to others. I said "Behold, Reims is white, already to harvest..."

Otherwise, we had an fabulous first lesson with Yiping, a young Taiwanese single mother who knows a member. She gave me chocolate for my birthday. The better birthday present though was when she said she "wants the life the we have in the church." We gave our ami Sinclair a priesthood blessing in his little apartment because he was really sick. The next day he was completely better after being bed-ridden for a week. He know has a testimony of the Priesthood. We played basketball saturday morning with Ivan and Fred so they could meet each other and we could talk about their baptisms. We found a note in the church mailbox that said "My name is François, I'm interested in your church. How can I be taught?" So he is driving from his home in Epernay (30 minutes away) again to see us on thursday night. I really feel like he'll get baptized soon just from talking to him.

MIRACLES.

The sun is shining, and it's been GORGEOUS for two weeks straight. Reims is a beautiful city. I'm twenty years old. We made a pizza last night. The COOLEST PERSON is in this ward. His name is Adam. He is going to go on a mission soon. I assoshiate with him. We slept out on our balcony last night. We have more food than we know what to do with. Last week was touché week. The tram in Reims opens this week. The cathedral is celebrating its 800th birthday in a couple weeks. Elder Pieper is one of my best friends ever. The church is true. I'm in France.

I love you. I really really do.

Elder Ben