Bonjour Y'all!
This week went by pretty quick, but it was pretty gnarly! We did a lot of SYL (Speak Your Language), so it has been a blast working with my district. We have been working a lot on grammar, and teaching lessons effectively, so mon collegue missionaire and I have mastered teaching. I'm pretty sure we're professionals already.
We took a language assessment this week, and it was really cool! They evaluate what you sound like and the program gives you feedback on how you sound, by playing an audio clip of someone learning English speaking . I am totally understandable, almost!
I also got a free tie signed by my district for my birthday, it was pretty cool.
We sang a beautiful song called "Souviens-Toi"! It is in the french Hymn book, and it is beautiful!! I would recommended looking it up, listening to it, and translating it, you have to (laughs snobbishly, in barely intelligible french)
Also Covid-19 has been hitting the MTC, and one of our sisters got it. she was condemned to prison in isolation, and we would stop by occasionally to see if she was still alive. It was through the window and wasn't creepy at all, because the whole district did it....
Anyway, the word of the day is...
Chouette!!
Now, this word translates to "Owl", however, the elder generation would use this word as "Groovy". In a sentence, it would look like this "C'est chouette" ~"It's/That's groovy".
Now, I gave a few photos, and they are of the overall MTC experience. This is my district, and the one with the whiteboard is the best picture we have of the Quebec flag (which is also the only flag we have flying in the room, because it's the only flag necessary, and the french flag would give of the wrong impression [because the white flag implies surrender, and that's not what we're about as missionaries]).
(Quick side note, not at all related to the previous paragraph. My teachers have told me that those who go to Quebec, generally come back with an unreal loyalty to Quebec. "Because most missionaries come back, and will tell people that where they served is the best place ever. However, when Quebecois missionaries return, they won't stop talking about why Quebec is the best place in the world, until you are convinced". I am pretty sure I won't let it go to my head, because I don't really need to do much to convince others of the superiority of Quebec.)
Amour et Paix,
Elder Biesinger
***
Yo, Elder!
Love your confidence at being professional level already at teaching ;). How's that going in the field, lol!
How was your travel? I am excited to hear an update today. Thanks for the pictures, too! Both these and the one that you sent via messenger through your comp. Is he still your companion? I love all the French you use in your emails! It's so beautiful.
That is so cool that you got that great feedback, too!! And I LOVE that they signed a birthday tie for you! How cool is that? Who's was that idea?
I found a really cool video that included that song "Souviens-Toi". It was so beautiful! They recorded it on the beach of Normandy with a cool tribute to that day in history. I really loved it. And yes, I will definitely need the translation. Here it is in case someone else asks:
Remember, My Child
Remember, my child : not long ago,
your divine parents held you in their arms.
Today you are here, marvelously present.
Your gaze still shines with the reflection of heaven.
Talk to me, my child, about that blessed place,
because for you the veil is still thin.
Remember, my child, the forests, the cities.
Can we down here imagine them?
And the night sky, is it rosy or gray?
Is the sun waiting for snow or rain?
Describe to me, my child, the color of the meadows
and the birdsongs of a forgotten world.
Remember, my child: at the dawn of time,
we were friends playing in the wind.
Then one day in joy we chose to accept
the Lord’s grand plan of life.
That night, my child, we promised through love,
and through faith, to be reunited.
I am really trying to get your phone to you! It is Lily's one week in the online MTC so we have been finalizing stuff for her Chase account and doing all that last minute stuff, so kind of crazy!
Penelope is currently throwing an adorable, violent tantrum, throwing everything within range at me that she can. It is super sweet and super sad. Hopefully I will finish this email.
We are back now, with a binki and a blankie and a somewhat mollified child. She indicated through her "please" and "more" signals that there is apparently something else that she "needs." For a hot second, I thought, "When she is able to communicate it will be easier." And then my mind flashed to the moment yesterday or the day before when I got to listen to my very communicative one, Elijah, who has apparently mastered the English language to not only describe all the things I do NOT do for him, but also all the ways that he would orchestrate my death. At the top of his lungs. For over 20 minutes.
Maybe it won't be easier once she communicates.
Right now, Dad is downstairs with aforementioned Elijah and Liesl "playing" ping pong. Which reminds me, for our anniversary date, I took Dad to play pickleball for the first time. His first time, not mine. That showed in the first game. I won. Then he won the succeeding four as his experience with racquetball and ping pong adapted itself to some pretty masterful strokes. I actually scored. I was happy.
We are already missing Lily. I think it is more real because we all feel you being gone. Now she is almost gone and the kids are kind of panicking underneath at the idea of Hyrum also joining the "goners." We know you will be back, but as an emotional Piper said the other day, it just isn't the same and maybe, like Kel and Tova, we won't even see you very often. It is a hard reality, one borne from genuine love and appreciation of the beautiful spirits that are in our home.
Speaking of my conversation with Piper, it brings to mind something I wanted to talk to you about. She has been getting more and more edgy. A few of us have thought, "kind of like Drew." Like you, she is warm, bouyant, fun loving, intense, intelligent and sensitive. She can also be acidic and spicy and condescending and vengeful when she wants to be :S. As Lily and I were noticing this, I decided to talk to her
I brought up the internal family system that I described to you: the core self, the exiles, the managers. I mentioned that I had seen her managers kicking in and wondered if there was something her exiles were experiencing that needed to be voiced. At first, she drew back and became harder, but as we spoke, she started to weep and voiced her sorrow that things were changing. People were leaving. It wouldn't be the same. I listened to her, we validated that sadness, that sorrow. That reality. We talked about how her managers can be good servants to the core self, but if the core self is not in charge--if the managers were trying to assert themselves to cover the pain--it could be harmful and unhealthy.
I thought about you and the years of rejection you felt from Kel. There was a lot of good, but there was a lot of ugly. It's SO important to recognize when you feel rejection and acknowledge the sorrow or sadness you feel when someone does it--now, later, in the past. Or any other sad or ashamed emotion. Just be mindful of when your managers (or your addictive behaviors/tendencies) are asserting themselves. It is an indicator that you have pain. Pain acknowledged is just pain. Pain unacknowledged is suffering.
Let yourselves cry and feel those sad emotions, my son. You have so much good.
Btw, the Church website has a marvelous new video: "Let God Guide You From Weakness To Strength." I can only seem to pull it up on YouTube, but I think you would absolutely LOVE IT.
Btw 2, I miss your hugs, brightness, thoughts, ah-hahs, expressions, laughter, presence. Just saying...Montreal is lucky.
I can't wait to hear where you are serving and what it is like!!
Way to turn the COVID into a chance to be creepy! Love it! And "owl" is groovy? Who knew?
Lol, Quebec is the best, eh? Hmmmmm....j/k!
Again, thanks for the pictures.
The previously mentioned verbose young man is now telling me that something is as stinky "as when you sweat!" Love it?
It is raining. The tomatoes and peppers still seem to be alive despite this unreal-ly wet summer (we already lost the cucumbers to rot). Maia is loving her new email address. Hyrum is trying to recruit enough so Federal Hocking has a football team--the odds are not in his favor. Piper is hoping to do silks--a welcome distraction from all the changes happening. Havala is super excited about starting classes in the fall and sings, sings, sings. The other night, I forgot that she was home and as I was walking back to the house, I heard the voice of an angel drifting on the breeze. It was Havala. She is also learning the guitar. Xai is thrilled that he is a science genius. Liesl just drove up with a huge creation built out of Duplos. Penelope is going through the "Meet it, Eat it, or Beat it" deck. (That's a lot of cards.)
I hope to get your phone picked up asap. Just send that phone number and I can move forward ;). Love you!!!!!
Mwa!
Mom
