Trains.. Lyon.. Trains.. Montpellier.. Trains.. Bordeaux.. Trains.. Toulouse.. Trains.. Montpellier (Jacob-Montpellier)

      Well this week was incredible! We did not have much time in our sector this week but we did spend a lot of time in the many beautiful and immense cities in France! It was especially wonderful to be edified so much!! In Lyon President taught us all about love! He used John 13-15 to help us better understand love and the importance of love as the foundation of the Gospel and of the commandments! Sister Roney talked to us about being positive and led us through a positivity activity that was very fun where we tried to respond to a negative sentence! It can be hard at times but it was great because now we can go out and get really good at it! It is amazing how much the spirit plays a role in teaching us. I have noticed throughout my mission times when I have been taught by the spirit. It often comes in a thought that is barely recognizeable as one coming from somewhere else. I have noticed that it is very difficult to express these feelings after the fact. It is so important that not only we are taught by the spirit but that the spirit teaches us. I love the gospel.

      After Lyon we were able to work for about half a day in Monpellier; That was awesome and we were able to see Rossil, who is progressing very well. He is reading in the Book of Mormon and praying. I liked something that President Roney said. He was talking about love and about how the Lord says that if we keep his commandments, He will abide in us. So essentially our job is to try and get them to do essentially anything that the Saviour said or taught them so Christ can come and dwell with them (in Love). I want to abide fully in the Saviour's love because it just feels so good.

      In Bordeaux we obviously got to see David Archuleta. It was a glorious experience. We all got there nice and early and they gave everyone mission aprons which we then all signed along with the mission cookbook. The Roneys also got everyone mission scarves and a new mission music cd with David's christmas music on it! Very cool! Then obviously it was great because we all got to shake his hand along with the couple other that had escorted him. When it was my turn, I quickly taught him how to do the Bisous because he had never done it before so it was new experience for him; I also quickly told him about Elder Hodson (David Archuleta was Zone Leader in Chile with one of Jacob's best friends) but because of the rapidity we didn't get to talk more than that. My thoughts of him changed enormously from the time he had walked in to the time that he walked out because I felt the spirit. When he sang, it was angelic; when he spoke it was full of humilty and recognition for others. He is so sincere and loving and that really made a difference because we could all see it. Voila my thoughts on David. 

Donc je vous aime tous! (So I love you all!) Joyeux Noël!! (Merry Christmas!!)

Elder Pettingill

PS Get ready for skype!

At conference with a member I knew on my mission

Montpellier Ward, December 21