Nicholas's first email on Christmas Day 2012

Hi everybody. So as I'm sure you've noticed my P-Day is on Tuesday and not Monday as Aaron's was. There are tons of people here and it's only going to get more and more busy.  Le langue est tres difficile mais j'ai comprends peu a peu. I'm am loving it here though.  There is a spirit here that is unlike any other I have felt in my entire life. So when I first got here they imediately grabbed me and my stuff and rushed me all over the place. My companion is more like me than I thought at first which is great. At this point in time it's really weird because I keep forgetting how to spell some words in english and some basic grammar stuff so I'm in this weird limbo between French and English. Before I came out here I couldn't comprehend that after a week or so my high school French would be used up and now after a week I speak it better than I ever had in high school. I can only God for le don de langue for that. I bought a French hymn book here and we sing from it and the songs are so much more beautiful in French. There are also a few songs only in the French one. My favorite is called Souvien-Toi. It is so beautiful. Look it up online or have Chris sing it for you. The message once it's translated is incredible as well. The other day I was told about something called the "Narnia Holes." They are the spaces behind the air vents and other things on the walls that people stash stuff. In my room I found a wrapped up jaw breaker. The room next to me found an old woman's jacket and then one of the other French missionaries who have been here for weeks found 40 cans of unopened soda. The room next to me also found that they have a mouse. At first they were going to capture it but now it's there "pet." His name is Claude. So something that came as a big surprise to me is that on the second or third day we were supposed to teach an "investigator" completely in French. The first lesson was absolutely terrible. We just read what we wrote down and didn't have a clue what she said so when we asked her if she'd pray for us what she actually said was that she didn't know how to start it but we thought she was saying no so we said ok and said the prayer ourselves. Yesterday was the second lesson and it went much better. I understood her and was able to figure out how to respond...however I have no clue how accurate it was. I would love to record my first lesson taught and then look back at it after my mission and just laugh at it. Oh so I don't remember if I said this but everyone, except me, is either from Utah or another country. One's from England and the other's from Germany while there are seven from Utah. And then me from Oregon. It's fun though. They are an excellent group of people. One thing I love here is that temptation has completely left me. At home it hit me every day about but here there's nothing. It is one of the greatest feelings I have ever been through. My time's about up so make sure to tell everyone that instead of emailing back then you should do it on Dear Elder so that I can spend my half hour writing instead of reading. Merry Christmas Everyone! I love you all.

Love,

Elder Davis. =)