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