FORTY-FIVE

Bonjour à tous et à toute!

So it's that time of week again! Let's get to it!

Elder Bangerter and I are doing great! Rimouski is doing even better! This week was a mix of interesting happenings and eventful run-ins! 

Our zone leaders wanted us to come down to Québec City a little early so we could all get together and play ultimate frisbee for P-Day. So Monday morning we got in the truck to make my favorite three hour drive. I really do love it! Québec is a beautiful place! Ultimate frisbee was pretty fun. I had a nice wake up call from my out-of-shape-self but ended up scoring a few goals and proved to be a useful addition to the "Senior Companion" team. I love the missionary life! Later that night after regrouping we split up to knock an area on the east side of the city. We talked to a lot of really interesting, but not so interested, people. 

Tuesday we had our zone study and got to meet the Patricks (my new Mission President's family)! They are such a nice family! They have 7 kids (one is still in the States in school.) John, Emily, and Daniel will be in Montréal for the three years. Thomas leaves on his mission in a year, and Marie is going on hers (to France) in about a month. Katy lives in New York and will visit every now and then. We got to "informally" chat with all of them for a while and get to know them. Their kids love me. We already have a secret handshake and everything! After zone study we drove back to Rimouski and stopped at the St-Jacques for dinner and a lesson on the way home. Another family that I love! They are doing great! 

John, Sister Patrick, Emily (front), Marie (back), Me, Thomas, President Patrick, Daniel, Katy (I think...)

Wednesday we had to do a little bit of shopping because we left so early on Monday. So we filled the fridge and then passed by a bunch of people that we've been meaning to see. I had to return the violin which broke my heart! Ruud and Dora are leaving deep into the Gaspé for the summer and I probably won't see them when they get back so our time together came to an end. I rather liked that violin. I need to find a way to get my hands on another one.

Thursday we went to the Friperie and did our normal thing (which is: feel totally awesome hauling hundreds of bags of old clothes and building walls out of them in the back of a semi.) It was the 4th of July so naturally we sang all of the patriotic hymns in the hymn book and pledged allegiance to the flag. It felt so good to do that again. I really do love America. We had dinner with the Bujold family which was nice. Yvette is getting ready to go to the temple and so we started teaching Temple Prep to her. It was also like 105 degrees that day. It's been like that all week. Kidding--I don't know how hot it was. But it's been super hot lately. And humid... I'm not a fan of the humidity. Not at all. 

Friday we planned for the week and then went out to visit Shirley Woods in the woods. We finally met her chum (Québecois for boyfriend. I love Québecois.) We talked about pioneers and how we can be pioneers in our day without walking thousands of miles. They gave us an air conditioner which made our apartment somewhat survivable in the heat!

Also somewhere in the week I forgot to mention that we had dinner with Eric and Sheila again and... I'm now a member of Greenpeace! Yup! Someone came knocking on our door a few nights ago and I talked to her for almost 20 minutes. I finally surcame and subscribed. But all in good order. I used my card that expires before the payment will be made :) Of course I knew what I was doing and why were talking—before she left I told her that I had something for her. I held a copy of the Book of Mormon with our number inside and she reached out to take it. The second she touched it she started half laughing half crying. I asked what was so funny and she said, "I don't know, you tell me! It's your book!" We then went on to talk about the Spirit and she started telling me about her long search for the truth. I assured her that the search for truth is not an endless one and that she had just found it. Corine is meeting with us later this week and we plan on inviting her to be baptized.

I apologize for the lack of photos this week. I filled up my card and looked around for my other camera card and couldn't find it! Mom, will you check if you've sent it back to me? I'm sure you have but I don't want to admit to myself that I'm letting my desk get  a little cluttered and anywhere I can shift the blame... well, you get the idea. Thanks!

Bonne semaine!

Elder Ellis