Dougy Week at Roc Cafe

Some things will never change!

     French Fact: I realized last week that I forgot to even write one of these things. So today I have two. Which is significant, because I really am running out of these things. Okay first, on a lot of smaller streets there are these cylinders in the middle of the street to block cars from coming down the wrong way. They are weight-sensored, so when a car comes on the right side of it, it will go down into the ground. That's when you have to run into the middle of the street after the car and stand on it as it comes back up. It's about two and a half feet high and super fun.
     Second: French people love to give directions. Sometimes I take advantage of this and change up my approach a little just to get them to stop and talk for a second. If I look like a lost, scared American they usually stop. And then they realize I'm not of those things, sauf the latter, and they tell me they're pressed. But seriously, people in a hurry, will stop and talk for like 15 minutes if you need directions.

     Monday night we had the goal to give out three BOMs. That was a good idea. There was close to no one on the streets at eight when we finished our FHE. Luckily, I can give out BOMs like I can make a layup. It doesn't take very many tries. This one guy was walking across the street, so I yelled. HEY! We have this book for you! And so he ran across the street to take it. He had a nice dog. We gave him the book and our card and both parties skipped off, much happier for it. Another kid invited us to go to his concerts every Thursday at a bar. Sweet. This week was Frere Dougy week-he is the best. He is an old man with connections, despite his autism or something. Anyways, I love him. He is always trying to get more people at english class for us. He showed us to his friend Madame Mai's house. She is the mother of an ancien ami who moved to Paris. Anyways, she is golden. She said she wasn't believing and listed all of these reasons why. And I was like WE CAN HELP WITH ALL OF THOSE THINGS. Haha. I love the gospel. It solves all problems. Then, we were walking home (and contacting with Frere Dougy obviously) and met a guy named Pie. Also, Frere Dougy already knew about 1/3 of the people we contacted. He's like me, except older and he's lived here longer. Then I thought he was going to take us to meet his mom, but we came into a political convention of sorts. It was funny because we reach the sidewalk and this guy runs out and ushers us all in and says, "I've been waiting for you! Hurry up it's starting! Come on, follow me! I'll show you in and I'll join you in a minute!" That was weird. Oh, Frere Dougy. He knows everyone. We're pretty sure he's secretly a millionaire with a yacht and a mansion somewhere. We left after about five minutes, but it was fun while it lasted. We also saw a German couple we met earlier in there. That was weird. Wednesday, our RDV with Ludwig, our engage, was cancelled. We did meet with Cloe, our other engagee. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ over a hot chocolate. She calls us her mommies and says we're saving her. She's cute. 

AAAhhhwwww!

     Thursday, we went on exchanges with the other soeurs of Chalon. Soeur Christensen and I partied all day. We started out with an arms only dance party to some Christmas music. That is a work out. Have you heard Carol of the Bells/seen me dance ever? Yikes. Later, we finish contacting this lady and this guy is standing there looking like he's waiting for us. So we say hi. Turns out he wanted to sign us up for some card to get a discount on books. We traded him a BOM and a Retab film for Jungle Book, Tangled, and a recipe book. I thought it was a good deal. He kept trying to sell his book store and I kept trying to sell the gospel. He was really intrigued when I pulled out this stuff for him and seemed really interested in getting some BOMs for the store. Hehe. It's a best seller. A Muslim named Yahya pulled over his car and scheduled a RDV with us. I had never met him before and turns out he only really wants to date us, but it's all good. Then we tried to find some new less-actives added to the list. We went to the sketchiest apartments I have seen. Half of the apartments were bricked up, random metal plates were drilled over doorways. The building they were supposedly in had all the mail boxes broken, windows shattered, and doors broken open. There was a cage welded onto the stairwell so you couldn't go all the way up. Floor boards were broken up and wires were sticking out of the wall. Also a leg of a pair of pants was sticking out of these little windows. Anyways, they don't live there. Which is probably a good thing. We saw a really touchy healer with a tiny dog. Soeur Hemy-who hates the missionaries-gave us half a pastry each after we talked to her about her genealogy work. We had THE BEST first lesson ever with Dolait, whose number one priority it is to get baptized (we can help with that). And we met Ibrahim, who speaks ten languages, including the language of Sinegal, which we know a bit. Nangadesh? Mangafille!

Roc Cafe

     Friday we went streetboarding again, this time for genealogy. We were looking for all the people with black coats and jeans. When we saw one, we'd say James Dean! And then attack. Also anyone else that walked by. We met with our ami Beatrice, with who else but Frere Dougy. She is frustrating because she wants all the blessings of being a member of the church, but she is loyal to the Catholic church. Not sure what to do there. Soeur De Oliveira snored really loud one night so I kicked her bed really hard and woke her up. Then I felt bad and decided Jesus wouldn't kick people's beds. I didn't sleep very well that night. The Millers went up to Beaune the next day to bring a new less active some pants that fit him, so we went too and surprised Ludwic with a great lesson. He was really excited. Then we went to Frere Landre's brother's house and saw Michelle Landre. Elder Miller started squawking at her parrot and we all started cracking up. She gave us lots of jam and apples. That night, Frere Dougy met us again to take us to a "Christian Bar". He told us about it at Beatrice's house and she said, What, do you need a baptismal certificate ID to get in? Haha. I love France. Turns out it's really just a cafe with a assembly room in the back. There was a group of Evangelists meeting to sing some songs and whatnot. I felt like Dan Jones or someone, being interrogated by Evangelist ministers. (If you don't know Dan Jones, it's ok, he's only the greatest missionary of this dispensation, according to Preach My Gospel. On second thought, you might want to do some research. He's a great guy.) That was fun. Evangelists are really defensive. The minister's wife was like, I'm not arguing, we respect all religions, now let me tell you, heatedly, why you're wrong. And I was like, Lady, listen for a second and you'll get it. All the people were just staring and shaking their heads at us. The minister, however, he asked a few sincere questions about our beliefs and said, "You believe the same things as us. I just don't get why there's another book!" So I left him with a copy.Sunday, Cloe broght Mahrys, her best friend to church, Soeur Vidal said she thought I'd been in Chalon for 4 transfers (joke's on her, I'm only four transfers in my mission), and I finished my first journal started on my mission. Yikes. On to chapter two.