Christmas in France

December 15, 2014

That sounds like you are all getting more busy than me! this week was a slow missionary week but it was good cause we got our new companions and mine is just as weird and funny as me! haha He is in his last transfer and he is a good missionary! My companion is Elder Crawley and he is from Palmdale, California. We aren't the zone leaders so don't get the wrong idea... haha pretty sure he got demoted to me cause we aren't even district leaders or anything! But I am learning from him so that is good! We have a place to Skype and everything we just need to fix a time to do that with you and the people said we can do it whenever we wanted!  We are still looking for lasting amis who we can see more than 1 time a week last week we had 0 lecons so that was rough, but whatever! I am probably gonna be here in Lyon for a few more months so you can just send stuff to my house address and that should be fine! I hope Utah Wins! its great to hear they finally made it to a bowl!

I will try to do Skype at like 4 or 5 here so that should be in the morning for you! Love you all and I will miss you guys during this Christmas season even though it is 50 degrees here haha it doesn't feel like December at all! Tell Mary happy late birthday too!

Last picture with Elder Olsen before transfers.

Me and Elder TJ Haws. We will be living in same apartment again until next transfer.

Elder Crawley is my new companion. He is just as weird and funny as me!

Night Lights of Lyon

A little shopping for a new watch. 

December 21, 2014

This week wasn't much faster. It seems like people are less willing to talk the closer it gets to Christmas! It is weird but true! 

Here is a picture of David for ya. He sings like an angel!!

 Zone Conference and Christmas Party with David Archuleta!!

Christmas Eve at Bishop Lepore's home. What great members to take care of the missionaries!

December 29, 2014

Yeah it was really fun to see you guys! But I think you guys think that our members have us over all the time haha and it is not really like that at all. The Lamoth family got assigned to have us all over so yeah.. the only people that invite us over are the bishop and Frère Girard haha so yeah. But keep inviting the other missionaries over cause it really is so great to be able to go to members houses and just relax! We have been doing a lot of contacting and stuff lately! We have literally had 0 lessons the past 3 weeks so nothing new to report...

Clothes are really expensive here so $300 will have to last me a little while, that will get me a jacket or maybe two pairs of pants but solds is coming up so things will be on sale! It was fun to see everyone on Christmas and you all got some cool gifts! But I will just be saving all my material gifts for when I get back! Right now I'm receiving all the other gifts I need to be a better father, brother, son and all that stuff that shouldn't really seem that important to a lot of 18year old kids. But I am glad I have the opportunity to be out here and gain those experiences and live in a place like france for a few years! 

Either a 16 or 32 SD card will do! and yeah you can let Katie pick out the jacket cause she has style! Tell her that I just need it to look cool with my black pants, it can be sorta windbreaker haha. But thank you for all you do! I need thermal pants, not a top haha, my legs are always cold cause I have no hair! I will make a list of all the big things that have happened and I will send it to you next time! I am almost entering my black year haha, my full year away from home! Anyway, I am glad I got to see you and Ella looks like family already! Thanks for making her feel so welcome! I can tell she actually really likes all of you! 

Everyday sights I take for granted.

SUNSET on DEC. 29, 2014

Elder Schettler's current address:

2, rue de Longchamp

69100 Villeurbanne, France

Email: benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Center

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon, France

La Fete des Lumiere

France is getting really busy! we are just being missionaries meeting crazy people all the time who either yell at us on the metro or just really cool people that you want to baptize on the street then they aren't interested or a whole mix of things but yeah! I will be staying in Lyon! I stayed for the Fete de Lumiere and so that was super cool! I did however find out the hard way that I will need a new coat because it is not like dry utah heat it is that new york type bone chilling cold here! It is about 1 to 6 degrees here everyday so it is starting to get pretty cold! but it never snows here! 

The Porte Des Alpes Eldres Ami Pong went with us to the Fete De Lumiere he is super awesome! haha 

I would love to hear all about your new cars when you finally decide! Just get an Audi they are super popular here in france and i really think they look classy but that is just me... Elder Olsen in Getting Tranfered to Aix en Provence to be Zone Leader and i am geting Elder Crawley today who was jsut zone leader in Montpellier so i am just a magnet for zone leaders i guess! he is in his last transfer thoèugh! THis next transfer David Archuleta is coming to our mission so that will be really cool! We are inviting everyone to come to that so if you are here you are welcome to come haha I am glad to hear everyone is doing good though! 

I went to Toulouse this past week and it was really cool to see a different part of the mission and not just Lyon! i have some pictures from it we had to go for Elder Olsen's legality or something! BTW you should try and get my Swiss legality all figured out haha cause I wanna serve in Swiss! Like see if we can become citizens of Germany or something so we are part of the EU so I can just go to Swiss! haha If you can't figure that out it's fine though. 

   Pont Neuf in Toulouse it is really famous I guess or I hear it is famous!

I am excited to see you on Christmas and Elder Haws is staying with me for Christmas and he is getting a blue! I am no longer a blue! haha Love you all and I hope you love the chocolate! It wasn't the nicest stuff but it is French so yeah! 

 More Pictures!!

    Fete de Lumiere

   Cool stuff I see everyday that I probably take for granted.

I locked us out of our apartment last week so here we are waiting for the other Elders to come home.

Elder Schettler's current address:

2, rue de Longchamp

69100 Villeurbanne, France

Email: benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Center

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon, France

In the World but Not of It

Yeah it is already December! and I haven't even had use of Facebook,Twitter or Instagram for like 3 months and it is the weirdest feeling on earth! I see everyone using their phones all the time and I know now what it means to be in the world and not of it cause I don't really even miss it anymore! Sure, it would be fun to see what all my friends are doing and stuff but that would make things harder here! Elder Olsen and I talk about this all the time, haha... in between me singing him disney songs and stuff like that! 

But yeah it has been a pretty good week! We went to Chalon Sur Saone and spent our Thanksgiving together as a district and that was fun! But we only had 2 heures to eat and talk then we had to go out and be missionaries again because it isn't a holiday in France. We met a couple cool people when I was with Elder Perry on an exchange! Including Elder Perry, cause I didn't really know him before! But yeah, time goes fast here! I am entering my 3rd transfer which is crazy! I got to France and my roommate Elder Berry was in his third and I thought he was so old! Now I realize that it is nothing! I can maybe have a half conversation in French if they don't mumble like a lot of French people do! But yeah, we just keep contacting and trying to find more people to teach cause we haven't had any really solid progressing amis or anything. We continue to have baptisms! We have had 3 in the past 2 weeks here! None of them are for our equipe but they are for the other people here, so that is good! 

This next week I am going to Toulouse with Elder Olsen cause he has to do his legality and stuff down there so I am taking a 5 hour train ride down there. It should be fun or really boring. I'm not sure which it will be yet! It's funny how different people are here in France, just their mannerisms and stuff! There are a lot of Muslim people. They aren't really nice they just sorta yell at you on the metro, which makes me glad that I don't understand everything yet, haha! It makes for interesting stories and stuff. Anyway, it is just the life of a missionary, I guess! But yeah, we are working. Transfers are this coming week so we will see if I stay here in Lyon for Christmas or not! Have you heard about He is the Gift? If not, go look it up!

http://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HPFR112814529

http://www.mormon.org/christmas

Email: benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Center

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon, France

Diligence Brings Miracles!

Well we have taught 20 lessons again this week! We taught 9 lessons on Sunday which was awesome because all I have heard that a year ago getting twenty lessons was like something that was never, ever, ever heard of! The good missionaries were getting like 7 lessons a week and we are now starting to see that the numbers are sky rocketing and it has just been really cool to be a part of that! 

Here in this mission we focus a lot on diligence and that is how we have been able to turn around this mission. In the past it has been not a very obedient mission but President Roney has really cracked down and fixed up all the missionaries and has had them buy into the "diligence brings miracles" because when you are doing what you are supposed to, the Lord is going to give you miracles! So really the biggest Christlike attribute is diligence. I haven't been here for very long so thats about all I have really noticed so far it's only been about 8 weeks, so yeah! 

I hope you know chewing gum is against the mission rules ;) haha but yeah it is still really nice here in Lyon, but I need some sweaters and stuff cause it isn't cold enough for my big coat but it is still a little nippy outside! We had a lot of lessons on the street this week and we have made a questionnaire about Noel for the people here in France so they will stop and talk to us! I am thankful for everything that you have done for me and I would just like to share that with you! We have so much to be thankful for but we can't see it unless we step back! 

This week I went on a ton of exchanges so I wasn't with Elder Olsen a lot! I went with a kid who has been here for 2 weeks so I'm sure you can imagine what that was like for me... the big dog leading the pack, haha, it was scary! But we taught our lessons ok even though they were asking about heaven and what happens in the celestial kingdom and like when Jesus will come again and just other crazy questions, like why bad things happen! That's all people here talk about so it wasn't unusual to hear that! 

I also live with Elder Haws and so that is always interesting because he is funny and we just are bros!
We are celebrating Thanksgiving in Chalon with our District so I get to take a train one and a half hours north of Lyon!! haha :)

I miss Lake Powell and I can't even imagine having a whole week to do nothing and relax it is so different than the mission life where you are ALWAYS doing stuff! But I will just work hard now so Lake Powell will be that much more relaxing when I get back!

Elder Schettler's current address:

2, rue de Longchamp

69100 Villeurbanne, France

Email: benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Center

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon, France

Watching New Missionaries Arrive!

This week flew by! It was the first week of the transfer and so it was sorta crazy for the office and we saw all the missionaries passing through Lyon and there is a new group of Blues so I am no longer the youngest group in the mission! haha but we didn't have any changes in our house. We only had one person leave and he is going to Swiss because he is European and we got Elder Sorenson who went to Alta and he is pretty cool! I am glad to hear my Utah Utes are putting the hurt on Stanford and seem to be doing really good! I have been on two transfers with the Zone Leaders and with the office elders this week so I haven't been with Elder Olsen a lot which is sad but the other elders are super good missionaries so it is all ok! 

Elder Erickson got run over by me during Samedi Sportif this week and I felt super bad the soccer ball just was moving so fast and he came out of nowhere! haha He says he was fine but idk.. We also did body shots where is where we box but you cant hit them in the face and of course I got hit right in the jaw by Elder Berry (he isn't very coordinated) haha but its ok cause I was whooping him. haha 

Here in France you meet SOOOO many Muslims from Algeria that is seriously the majority of people that we meet here and they are usually really nice until we start talking about prophets and then they usually start talking really fast and tell us we can't know that and that Mohammed was the last prophet and a bunch of stuff like that! haha  I just started telling people I am from Allemane because everyone just assume I am from America when I start to talk so I get a laugh out of that! haha I only know three words of German so yeah, I have to make sure they also don't speak German! 

This week we had a lot of tombez vous which means they don't show up and we only had about 8 lessons but its ok! and Bishop Lepore got me my package! I am gonna send you my SD card soon! so I am gonna save pictures for a week or two so you have some surprises! 

I am very thankful for you and everything you do! Love you all!! 

Elder Schettler's current address:

2, rue de Longchamp

69100 Villeurbanne, France

Email: benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Center

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon, France

Week of Excellence!

This week was super super fast but it was super long at the same time! It was our Week of Excellence which means we were trying to achieve all the standards of excellence which means that we had to teach 20 lessons. If you know how many people we usually teach or have taught in the past few weeks than you know how big of a challenge that is, especially when we are a white washed brand new formed equipe in downtown France so we were just gonna try to over double our highest numbers of lessons taught in the past few weeks. By Wednesday morning we had taught 3 lessons which was pretty good and then by the end of Sunday night we had taught 21 lessons!!! 

It was so crazy cause it literally just snuck up on us! Not only did we teach that many lessons but we had 4 new people with baptismal dates and we even had to drop one guy who had set a baptismal date that wasn't progressing these past few weeks! So all said and done it was crazy! We had like 5 lessons with recent converts or less actives and we had like 45 conversations with people on the road or metro or anywhere we could! We found 5 new amis who we are teaching this week and it literally has just started to blow up this past week! 

I am staying in Lyon for the next 4 weeks because it is a short transfer so after that I might be onto another city for Christmas or something like that, but either way I am excited that I get to learn the city a little bit better and learn the ward here better because they are actually super cool here! Bishop Lepore is a good dude and I hope that you got to meet him! We did attend a Catholic Mass last night! There were probably about 350 college students there, haha, and we got there early and still barely got seats! We got invited and President said we could go if we were respectful and stuff! It was really interesting to see how other churches do things and it made me realize how people who come to our church feel! 

The thing I learned this week is in Alma 32 where he talks about how if we had seen God our punishments for sin would be way worse and I liked that because here I always hear people say they don't believe because they haven't seen God or haven't seen anything like that. I think God does that because He loves us and it is a time to walk in faith rather than by sight. 

 Elder Schettler's current address:

2, rue de Longchamp

69100 Villeurbanne, France

Email: benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Center

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon, France

Halloween and Family History Night

 It seems like everything is working out very well at home! We are just working hard here. I shaved my legs so that was about the biggest thing that changed with my non-mission life! haha but my mission life is busy. We had a family history night where we contacted people for 3 hours outside on the street in downtown about Family History and stuff, haha. The French people are so quiet and its hilarious cause they just know I am American. 

Family History Night

We went to our bishops house on Halloween they are American so we had a good time there with them and their family! He is going to be in SLC for 10 days so it would be awesome if you could go find him! He works for Family Search and is going to be at the Joseph Smith building. His last name is Lepore and his name is Ronald or something! He is super awesome though! 

HALLOWEEN in LYON with Bishop Lepore's family!

We are doing emails late today cause we went to the President's today. We played basketball and stuff. President Roney even laced up his shoes and balled with us in church clothes and Adidas, but Elder Haws proved he deserves his scholarship... he is super good and tall!!!

Frank is in Bezier this week so we teach him over the phone. We got dropped by a girl who we taught once and we have to pass our new contacts to other elders cause they don't live in our sector but they are sorta boring I think. The new people we met are super cool they are from Kosovo and it is a father and his 13 year old son.

The Master Taco Cinqo... 

 it was tough but I did it!! I wasn't smiling so much after. 

This is elder Erickson's Companion with me 

Moms' commentary:

Elder Erickson is an office assistant to President Roney and his mom is a good friend of mine from Logan, UT. I get extra information about Ben through Zac's letters and we love to share back and forth. I wanted to share this email from Elder Erickson about Ben and his missionary friends. It gives me a deeper understanding of how my son really is doing:) He also gives some great advice for current and returning missionaries that came in a zone conference this week with Elder and Sister Kearon of the Seventy. 

Elder Erickson: 

Elder Schettler was with me today:) I really like Elder Schettler, he's super funny and is really enjoyable to be around. He's in one of the coolest apartments in the mission, with three of my favorite missionaries: Elder Olsen (his trainer), Elder Haws (yes, THE Elder Haws whose brother is dominating the NCAA and who will be doing the same thing in two years), and Elder Berry (a fellow Aggie, who's super funny and is comps with Elder Haws). He's doing great. :) My favorite Elder Schettler line (said to Elder Haws during a round of basketball in morning exercises): "Hey, do you know who is really good at basketball? Tyler Haws!" ;)

Elder Kearon:

How can we be happy and work hard and have energy ? 

It's really simple: choose to be happy, attack the day, and do your morning exercises. Excepting the cases of clinical depression and other psychological and mental problems, the Lord has given us the power to choose to be happy, and to make our lives better. He told us something that really stuck with all of us, especially to all of us that don't have much time left on our missions: the reason that returned missionaries miss their missions so much is because they stop doing the things on their missions that gave them energy and joy and happiness. They stay up late with their friends, sleep in, don't do deep daily personal study of the scriptures, don't serve others, focus on themselves, and even slip into old negative things that drag them down spiritually. Then they wonder why they miss their missions so much. But, even now, as missionaries, we don't always do the things that give us the power to be energetic and happy. So, we need to get on the ball with things like that. :) President gave us an action plan today on how we can do that: Project Morning M.A.N.G.O.'S. 

Still the Same Old Goof!

Yeah well I don't even realize a lot of the cool stuff around me anymore just because I think I am becoming used to living here in France, like the apple juice cartons are normal and they only have like half and half milk here which is weird! haha 

We listened to General Conference in English but I was tired so it sorta sounded like a different language sometimes I guess!! We really just contact people all day trying to find more amis and stuff! We are teaching about 4 lessons a week. We have a new engage named Franck who is super awesome and he has a date of baptism but he can't be baptized because he is really addicted to smoking, so we have been trying to help him stop that and everything. Cassandra didn't come to church last week but we think she will come this next week! We had Stake Conference and it was super long. I only understood Soeur Roney because like me, she doesn't speak really fast or anything! haha. We have a conference with Elder Kearon of the Seventy this Thursday and then transfers are next week so I will find out next Friday!

I haven't met that many weirdos here in France yet though which is surprising I guess! There are a lot of Muslim people and so we have a lot of interesting discussions with them about Jesus and stuff but they are all super nice for most the time! When I talk to people they usually talk to me unless they see my plaque then they get all weird and sometimes just move to another spot on the metro! haha and half the people here think I am German, until I speak to them. My favorite place so far is the Stade de Gerland and the Fourvriere, they are super cool and we will need to come visit them sometime! I haven't done a lot of sight seeing here though but I do know how to get around very well on the metro and bus systems now so I could get us anywhere probably. 

My friends are all over the world and everyone is having different experiences but the thing we have in common is that we all see miracles everyday even though we are so far apart and they are all thanks to the gospel and the blessings we have from our families and this church. It is really cool to see how the same thing can effect so many people for the better! 

Elder Haws keeps my life interesting though we have become really tight and just love to rap battle at night and Elder Olsen films us so I hope you know I am not a total different person haha still the same old goof that left 2 months ago! Elder Berry is Haw's companion and everyone is like 6'2" or bigger, so yeah, I'm the little guy!  But yeah just same old France stuff! I am going shopping today cause I everyone looks at me funny in my American clothes! haha 

Villeurbanne, France

Elder Schettler's current address is:

 2, Rue de Longchamp  

69100 Villeurbanne, France
benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Home address:

France Lyon Mission

Business Centre

59 rue de l'Abondance

69003 Lyon

France

Beautiful Villeurbanne, France

I can't believe Nate is able to do my trick already! You guys are doing so many fun things without me, but that's ok because I am here in France eating baguettes and cheese! haha. 

We taught 4 lessons this past week and got one ami to church which is pretty good from starting from nothing to begin with! We work so hard here and Elder Haws kicks our butt in basketball and workouts in the morning but it's still all fun! We literally have the most beautiful mission in the world and I am so thankful that I am in a place where the people are all so nice and the food is good! The work hastens but, only after you give it your all and do everything you can, that is when you start to see miracles in your work. I have met really cool people who most the time aren't interested and thats fine but I also meet those really cool people who are willing to listen and that makes it all worth it! 

Me and Elder Olsen, the Canadian guy, have a great relationship and I am stoked that he isn't all apostate like some other Olympus kid's companions! All we really do it tract all day, so yeah, I just walk up to people and half the time they will just talk to me in English because they can tell I barely speak French, haha. 

We are teaching this guy Franck who after our first day wants to get baptized and he has been going to church and reading the LDM for the past few months so we just have to get him to stop smoking but he is the nicest most sincere guy I have ever met. I hope he can have the desire to stop smoking and get baptized. He has tickets to ALL the Olympique Lyonnai games but they all start at 20h so we can't go to any!!!! but there are a few that start at 17h but they are all on Sunday. I almost cried when we had to tell him we couldn't go. 

I love you all and miss you a ton! did you do anything fun besides this trip or what are you going to do fun in the future? 

Love you all!!! à le prochaine

Villeurbanne, France

I took these two pictures today.

Here is the picture of my name tag you asked for. 

Elder Schettler's current address is:

 2, Rue de Longchamp  

69100 Villeurbanne, France
benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Living My Mission Right Now!

I live with Elder Haws and he is like famous especially here where everyone is going to BYU after their missions. I am back on the computer now and you are all probably sleeping but that is ok. I just want to send my thanks to you guys for all your prayers and for everything you have had to sacrifice while I have been out here. I have almost been gone for 2 full months and it feels like I just barely left but it also feels like I have been here for sooo long its weird to think I am actually living my mission right now! I have taught two lessons I think which is tough because the goal for a week is 20 but we are literally starting from ground 0 here starting a new equipe and we are white washing the area as well so we are both brand new here. Elder Olsen is an awesome cook and a super good teacher so I got really lucky to be put with him and I got really lucky to stay here in the biggest ville in our entire mission. 

I had to give a talk in church yesterday and that sure was interesting! haha I did pretty well but I messed up and said some English words by accident, but guess what else I had to do.... they made us sing in church and they decided that we should try and do it acapella so we tried and I was so embarrassed for our whole group of 5 people. You all know how bad I am at singing so yeah! 

We had a lot of lessons fall through this week but we had many miracles! One day we realized we were already out of milk and stuff so we decided to go explore and find some stores because we are new we just wandered and we only met one person named Cassandra and Elder Olsen just walks up to her and is just like ' we are missionaries want to know more about God? ' and she said sure and gave us her number, which never happens here in France! She was like so excited and we fixed a lesson for latter so I will let you know how that goes. But I have seen a lot of cool stuff here already and am excited to see even bigger miracles to come! 

I love you all so much! Be safe and send letters and stuff! 

PS the Olympique Lyonnais Stadium is in my sector so I can go to it anytime I want! and I will need some euros to get a cool jersey or something!... haha 

Elder Schettler's current address is:

 2, Rue de Longchamp  

69100 Villeurbanne, France
benjamin.schettler@myldsmail.net

Mission Motto- DILIGENCE

France has been so crazy that is all I can really say haha§ We spent 12 hours in the London Airport cause we missed our flight due to previous delays. 

I am with Elder Olsen in Confluence which is in Lyon in sectors 3,7,8 of the city and we take the metro and everything. We also are opening a new equipe with my companion so that is fun! Elder Olson is pretty cool and I live with Elder TJ Haws so that is also cool. Maybe we will have to go to some BYU basketball games in a few years. Yeah, they mixed me and Elder Huntsman's name up on everything so I'm starting to wonder if maybe he should have stayed here and I should have gone to Annecy, haha JK. I love the city though we have the nicest apartment in the mission.

I got to go to 2 Ward Councils and an exchange in two days. We don't have any amis or anything cause we are both new here§  People here speak super fast but I am getting the hang of it! The weather is awesome but it is getting cold now and everyone smokes so if I come home smelling like cigarettes that is why! 

My first Sunday was just General Conference so it was easy but I will have to attend my ward this next week! Scary stuff! Pres. Roney is awesome! He is super nice and the motto of this mission is DILIGENCE which couldn't have fit me any better! It is hard to type on French keyboards so yeah, gtg. 

Elder Schettler's current address is:

 2, Rue de Longchamp  

69100 Villeurbanne, France

Elder Schettler looks pretty good after 35 hours of traveling from Provo, UT. Happy to finally arrive in Lyon, France and meet President and Sister Roney.

Group of 25 who all arrived together safe and sound after 12 hour layover in London.

Elder Schettler's first companion, Elder Olsen.

A picture after we ran to catch the bus. 

Here is my new house, JK, I wish. 

Just a cool house I saw by a bus stop. 

Week 5 at the MTC- Ready to get out of here!

September 23, 2014

I am super ready to get out of here! But I am super not ready to leave my district, teachers and everything else that comes along with the MTC. I have had way more fun, spiritual experiences and heart break here than I ever thought I would have. That talk you sent me, "The Fourth Missionary", was our lesson that we had on Sunday so it was nice to have it written down and not just have to recall it from my memory. We went to the Ogden Temple dedication and it was cool cause there were about 3,000 missionaries there and we sang "Spirit of God" and it was the loudest and coolest hymn I have ever heard in my life. It was super spiritual and I know that music can really invite the spirit like nothing else (besides bearing a testimony).

The French has been coming along I don't remember words in English sometimes so I just use the French word with an English accent and then other times I don't know the word in French so I say what it is in English but with a French accent and it seems to be working out for me so far. 

We got our travel plans and we leave the MTC monday morning at 6:00 am at we have two layovers, one in Chicago and one in London and then I am in France!! It is crazy to think that I am leaving the MTC all ready and probably never coming back. I have seen my friends come and go and finally it is my turn! But I need a few things I need my Nike camo shoes, some of my black jeans, my Quicksilver hat or any other hat, that 501 verb book, either a track phone, or a calling card so I can call you and other people from the airport, a new t-shirt (the black one with the pocket that is Nike) and any notes from people that want to send me some before I have to wait two weeks to get them! But I have enjoyed my time here and I will write you again on Saturday because I get like a mini P-day while I pack and get ready to partir this place. 

Love, 

Elder Schettler

My District is full of models

This is me and Elder Li he speaks 5 languages and he went to Canada speaking French, English and Mandarin. He is awesome!!!

I got a great picture with Elder Cannon (Davis). I had to say goodbye to some of my favorite Elders here at the MTC Elder Cannon, Elder Smith, Elder Li, and Elder Hattaway. It was sad to see them go because they were such good supports but they will do great out in the field. 

This morning we were at the temple and newly wed couple came in to do Sealings (we have to be the children) and she passed out and fell off the alter and it was scary, but I had to try so hard not to laugh. 

We speak French all day so that is cool! Everyday, all day, that is my life.

Week 4 at the MTC- read Alma 36

Sept. 16, 2014

The weeks go by so slow but  at the same time it also feels like I just wrote you guys! If you passed the field between the hours of 8:15-9:15 the chances are that I was out playing soccer under the lights, but Studio C sounded super fun! This week we taught at the TRC which is where we teach members and the guy we taught was from Toronto and went on his mission in the Congo and that was fun to hear about that a little bit (what i could understand at least).

This morning we were at the temple and newly wed couple came in to do Sealings (we have to be the children) and she passed out and fell off the alter and it was scary, but I had to try so hard not to laugh. Last night I had to say goodbye to some of my favorite elders here at the MTC: Elder Cannon, Elder Smith, Elder Li, and Elder Hattaway. It was sad to see them go because they were such good supports but they will do great out in the field. 

We teach lessons in French everyday and have to speak French for at least 4 hours a day so it is getting a little bit better for me but it is still so hard. There are two kids that are from France and Belgium in our building and they come in to talk to us sometimes and it is so hard to understand them. 

I am not putting on weight either I am 157 right now so that isn't an issue because I have stayed away from the food in the cafeteria. I have your credit card in my wallet and I forgot to give it back so what should I do with that? Tonight there should be an apostle giving the devotional so I am super excited to hear what he has to say! and if you guys will read Alma 36 this week with the family and explain what it means to the littler ones, because that chapter has been huge in my own personal conversion while I have been here and I am much more grateful for everything I have here now. I hope you are doing great in Lake Powell! Love you all!!

Au Prochain 

Elder Schettler

Week 3- We speak French all day

6:30- wake up

7:00- breakfast

7:30- class w/ teacher

11:30- Lunch

12:15- Class w/ teacher

4:30- 5:15 Dinner

5:15-8:15 Study time without teachers aka mess around time

8:15-9:15- PE

9:15-10:30 get ready and go to bed

 This week got super crazy like last wednesday we had a lesson with Francois and as we were preparing this dude comes in and is like "oh you have to teach at the TRC" which we had no idea about!!! So he told us what it was and it is like where you go into a room and meet with members and get filmed so your teacher can see how fluent you are. And so we had 7 minutes to prepare two twenty minute lessons and stuff so we did that and me and Elder Huntsman did a lot better than what I had expected! 

But on Sunday we just have devotionals and do church stuff and this past Sunday was super nice and I got a great picture with Elder Cannon (Davis) that I am gonna send you later when I get on a better computer! But how is school? like Humanities and everything? We are getting iPads once we get to France I think!! I am so excited for France! But the MTC is pretty fun actually, we just chill and make fun of each other and speak French all day so that is cool! Everyday, all day, that is my life. 

I receive travel plans in two weeks I think, and they do the San Fran trip for us now so we do not get to go. but yeah I just remembered that you went to Studio C this past weekend! How was that? It sounded super fun and I heard that you got pictures and some free shirts. That would have been so fun to be there with you guys! Being here and talking about you guys to my district has made me miss you guys more than I thought I would! but I also don't want to come home at all... haha sorry. The mission field has been hard but it is a new experience and it is getting better everyday! 

I saw Tagg on his first day and I saw Laura Boud on Friday morning while we were in line for breakfast! Yeah thats about it this week, my French is getting ok, but i need to just keep speaking it to get better. Je suis reconnaisant pour vous! 

Love,

Elder Schettler

Week Two in the MTC

September 2, 2014

The weeks are starting to go by pretty quick now! It is so weird not being able to be in the "real world". Even seeing cars drive by the temple on Sundays and when we play soccer is like the favorite part of my day! We all get along still so that is sorta different than some of the other districts around here. 

Cafe Rio sounds so good!

We love any kind of food! We are 18-19 year old boys so we aren't too picky. The MTC life is a weird life, but a good one at the same time. I have made some good friends from all over the country and world! I have friends from Taiwan, Guatemala, and Canada. We have a lot of time to study/goof off so that is keeping me a little normal and not going crazy. It's really not that bad once you settle in here and Caleb left yesterday! I was so sad to see a familiar face leave but he will do great out there! 

But Cafe Rio for me and Elder Huntsman would be divine right now, or this week sometime.

There are huge spiritual experiences (like too many to even type). We pray at least 12 times a day, and one experience I want to share with you is that we were talking about Adam-ondi-Ahman because one of the missionaries in my district is a scripture wiz, and I just couldn't help but feel the spirit of Grandpa Doxey soo strong and as I told them about my experiences there. I was so grateful to have his example of service and no doubt in my mind he was there in that room with me bearing testimony that this is where I am supposed to be.

I know how it is to be busy! we have 16 hour days and it is FILLED with stuff i am tired all the time but I am used to it now. Yeah, I like getting letters from Dear Elders! and I just remembered today is Lacy's Birthday!!! Tell Katie to sing happy birthday to her for me. 

My MTC District

Left to right : Elder Beach, Elder Libby, Elder Wells, Elder Thompson, Elder Huntsman, Elder Schettler

Week One in the MTC

Le MTC est Tres Tres dificile.... but it is very fun at the same time. I have never been so bored, had so much fun, and been so hungry in one day. I got assigned Elder Huntsman as my companion which has been a huge blessing, besides the fact that we are the two worst french speakers in our district. I have seen Mitch multiple times a day and we are staying in the same building and have the same class building. But the rest of our district is pretty cool it is Elder Libby (Paris) Elder Wells (Paris) Elder Thompson (Lyon) Elder Beach (Paris) and then me and Elder Huntsman (Lyon). Elder Beach is from Hickville, Kentucky and has the funniest accent and the other guys are from Lone Peak, Davis, East and Elder Thompson went to BYU for a year. He is super smart... and basically fluent in french. 

I miss you guys, but not too much. A lot of the other Elders are very home sick, but i am just kinda sick from the dog food that they serve here. I cant wait to get to France and eat some quality food. I need a few things that i forgot. 1. Envelops and stamps 2. Food in packages (any healthy-ish food is ok) 3. Cafe Rio 4. i think i forgot my inverter so the sooner i get that the better. the days feel like weeks here and we never stop or have time to just chill but it is fun still. 

I would love to get letters from people or emails so tell them to talk to me! I only had like 3 Emails. and havent gotten any letters! The other elders in our zone are all really cool so i think this will be a really fun experience. Oh and i've already taught 3 lessons in only French!! So my French has been getting better but it has a long way to go! and we cant listen to ANY music in the MTC :(

August 20, 2014 Entering the MTC in Provo

This was the big day we had prepared for since April 9, 2014 when Ben opened his mission call. August 20 was finally here and Ben was ready to go!!

We met the Oswald family at Provo Temple to celebrate both Ben and his cousin Caleb both entering the MTC on the same day, 30 min apart. These two have grown up together, graduated from Olympus High together and now they are leaving on their missions on the same day. Elder Caleb Oswald will be serving in South Dakota, Rapid City Mission!!

Ben was ready to get started on his new adventure in the MTC for 6 weeks before heading off to the France, Lyon Mission.  Au revoir Elder Schettler....  Nous t'aimons!!