Sorry for the delay in my writing for all those avid readers out there….(basically just my dad!) I have been a little behind and a little busy!

The latest news in my life is that I have returned from an amazing and eventful holiday to Sweden and Germany and then I moved to a new place in Nantes.  It has been a long few days. I am now living with the Garon Family. They are really nice and I already feel at home with them.  It’s almost like being at home again with a mom and dad and little brother! Ha.

After I unpacked at my new place I was so tired.  We ate dinner and then I studied and did homework for a bit until I was so tired I couldn’t even keep my eyes open.  Then I just went to bed by 9:30.  I was sooo tired.  I have been on my knees a lot really pleading with Heavenly Father to help me understand and learn this language.  Remember when I asked for a humbling experience?  Well, it’s here. I feel so overwhelmed at the end of my days because there is just so many things to learn and so many things I still feel I am struggling to remember.   Because I am a perfectionist, I really just am expecting myself to wake up and speak well, but obviously that isn’t happening.  I hope that as I learn to rely on the Lord and practice and try in everyway I can, the language will slowly come and I will feel satisfied with my time here.  There have been a lot of moments where I just feel the tears welling up in my eyes from the frustration of it all... not understanding, and then not being able to say what I want to say.

The Garon Family can speak a little English, but we speak French always, unless I don’t know what do say and then I ask and we do both.  It has been really helpful to keep my mind thinking in French and not in English and its only been a few days here!! II cannot believe how quickly the French immersion gets you learning.  I only listened to French music today as well in hopes of training my mind to think in French. It was tempting today to listen to English music that I know and love because I was having a really hard day. I woke up early and arrived at the university only to find that the strike continues there.  The students are guarding the doors that they have boarded up with chairs and it is really silly. They ask you for a password and then I tell them my course and they let me in.  Only the students from my course are allowed in.

A lot of things have happened since the move, mainly just keeping busy with school, and finding new routes to and from the places I need to go.  I am learning a completely different side of the city and so it can be a little difficult.

I am having a lot of missionary opportunities lately as well! I have given 2 pass-along cards to kids in my class and one of them has asked to come to church with me!  I feel really blessed to be able to share the most important thing to me with others.  It really is one of the best feelings in the world when you can share the gospel with someone. 

The smells of summer bonfires and the beginnings of winter are officially mixing now confirming that autumn is here.  It is beautiful here. The leaves are bright reds, oranges and yellows and it is actually still warm out!  As I walk to the bus stops it just feels so nice to be in Europe experiencing all that I am during this time.  I still have moments where I stop, look around and realize just what I am doing…and it feels great.  This, like my mission, has been one of the hardest but one of the best things I have ever done.

Bisous! xx.