May 30, 2011

Bonjour!

Well I would first like to say that I did see Uncle Allen. It was a fun experience, and I got to meet Traver and his wife for the first time! It is against the rules because it can make a missionary lose focus. I feel bad I didn't tell you that it wasn't against the rules the first time, but I just forgot by the end of the email...and like I said, I didn't think it was going to actually happen.

I just have to say, it is raining here, and I just heard THUNDER!!!! You never hear that here in the south of France unless you are by the Alps or some big mountain range! I miss that so much! I LOVE THUNDER!!!!!!! It has been pretty hot this last week, it's nice to have a cool down!
Dad, first of all, you are a stud! I'm glad that you are getting more hours at the Pie Dump! Heavenly Father just continues to bless our family so much! Have you heard about the government position yet? Mother, I can't believe you work like you do, you are a warrior Angel! ha ha. Continue to work hard and give what you can to the Lord so that He can bless us more! That's right I said US!
As you can tell from the mission news letter I sent you, we succeeded with our goal of 50 engaged investigaters with a date for baptism, 75 investigators at church, and 100 New Investigators! We had 50-82-134!!!! IT IS POSSIBLE! We are breaking mission records each week, and the Lord's work is progressing in France!

Speaking of this week.. There has been a lot that has happened! We had 3 new investigators this week, 2 of which are super sweet!!!! Madame Kinanche, and Madame Bordel. We have met with Madame Kinanche, and we will see her again Wednesday. I will keep you posted!!!! Claudine is still a ? We don't think she needs to be baptized for the moment. She isn't mentally quite there. We hope in the future, she can receive enough pschological and health care that she can be, but for right now we are at a stand still. A major factor is all of her family except her sister who is a member here in Carcassonne, is against the church. Claudine seems to be very easily influenced, and we don't want to baptise her just for her family to tell her to leave the church and break her convenants. It is a difficult situation.

Now for some interesting stories. First, I seen Uncle Allen and the family. Second..... On Thursday, something really scary happenend to my companion Elder Bowen. We were with Brother Vital for our weekly meal/meeting at the church. Lunch was GREAT!!! I enjoyed it, lots of meat! However, we didn't eat it all, and there was some leftovers. Elder Bowen wanted to feed Brother Vital's dog, Match, some scraps. I was putting away the table and chairs, while Elder Bowen headed over to the door to give Match the scraps. He stood in the door way of the church, so that I could see and hear him. As I was putting up the table, I had an impression that I needed to look up to the door. I could no longer see Elder Bowen, but could still hear him. Thoughts passed throught my mind that I needed to talk to him, but I just ignored them. I didn't see why I needed to. Only seconds later, I heard a monstrous, almost evil growl, and then I knew why.

"My ear, my ear, He bit off my hear!!!" Elder Bowen said. I thought he was kidding for a moment, and then he lifted his hand off his left ear and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw then. Half of his ear was mission. He was bleeding into a puddle on the ground. He gave me the phone and told me to call president, and yelled for a towel. The members (Br Vital and Bruno) joined me in a moment that I would explain as running around like a chicken with its head chopped off. As I searched for the number for President, I saw it. There layed my companion's ear on the ground. Instinctivley, I reached down to pick it up... but I hesitated as I realized I just touched his detached ear! That was freaky! As I made a second attempt, Match the dog, swept in and ATE THE EAR!!!!
Well to make the story shorter, we went to the Hospital with Bruno, while Fr Vital stayed back with Match at the Church. Elder Bowen got about 20 stitches, and they told him that he will be able to get a reconstruction after he goes home in a year. For now, he has received permission from higher authorities in the church to grow out his hair so it can cover his ear.... It is a bit to swallow isn't it? It felt so surreal, and I still can't believe it happened. The dog, in his 10 years of existence had never hurt a fly. He had all his tests, shots, and even a psycological test prooving that he was a domestic, nice dog. By the way he is a Rotwieller. We have played with him the last 12 weeks and he has never acted up. Apparantly we found out that, he was wounded and when dogs are wounded they do wierd things. Elder Bowen just had fed Match the meat, and after wards, Match acted like he wanted to be pet. Elder Bowen leaned down and pet him, but then Match must have felt vulnerable and in a hop skip and jump bit Elder Bowen's ear off.

We feel terrible, because Br Vital has to put Match down now, and he is Br Vital's best friends. However, Br Vital feels terrible too... It is all kind of a feel bad party. Elder Bowen received a call from his parents the other night as well. THey aren' mad either, they actually feel bad for Br Vital too. Although, His dad said he would have killed the dog with his bare hands if he would have been there! The insurance is going to take care of Elder Bowen's reconstruction when he get's home, and the church will help in any way possible too! What an experience! Keep Elder Bowen in your prayers! He is doing great, and his ear is healing well. He gets the stitches out Wednesday. He is really positive and cracks jokes. He does get a lot of wierd looks from people though! When his hair grows out, you won't even notice! He just will be the only missionary in the world with long hair ha ha! The mission doctor said he is the only missionary to have ever had his ear bitten off by a dog as well! BREAKING RECORDS ALL OVER THE PLACE
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EBRANLEZ L'ENFER
Alma 48:17

-Elder Dusty Petersen