Fourth of July, Kittens and Missionaries

 Last Monday, we were on our way home from the Brown's house (testing speakers and enjoying friend time) when I saw a little furry body on the road.  Living in the country, this isn't that uncommon. However, when I saw another one a little further up, recognition set in and I realized it was a little kitten body, apparently unmutilated by traffic as of yet, but obviously not moving. 

We turned around and Maia helped lift it out of the road to give it a better resting place.  Continuing further in search of a place to turn our "little" van around, we passed the first little furry calico body and Maia jumped out to do the same service...only to find that the little heart was still beating!

We found our place to turn around, Maia holding the tiny limp body in her arms.  About halfway home from there, I saw another little black and white body, much like the second one we found...but this one was staggering off of the road.  The kitten sought the cover of a nearby tree but Elijah was able to get it and hold it carefully.

Miracle and Lucky are still alive, at first not even able to drink on their own. Nestled in our arms that first traumatic day, their tiny bodies started a miraculous journey of recovery!  They will be going to live at my parent's house, as future mousers, now that they are consistently scampering all around our basement.

It is so sweet to see the tenderness kittens bring out in my little ones.  Maia has been incredible with them, maintaining their areas to good cleaning standards and not being the dictator over the kittens that so often happens with responsible older siblings. 

*******

Piper and Havala have gone to Youth Conference and the house feels so empty!  Maia is really stepping up into the older sister role. Last night, she said that she was being mean with Liesl while babysittting and then realized what she was doing and stopped!  I was so happy for her! (And Liesl ;)...)  Piper and Havala drove the van into town to meet up with everyone else and we've received a couple fun pictures of them to show they made it alright. They are supposed to be visiting Kirtland Temple and running the river and I am happy for them to be able to be together. Maia is SUPER thrilled to be joining all the almost 14 and older things next year....can my little girl truly be growing up so fast?

My mom and I spent most of the day shopping, stocking up for the kids while I am gone with all sorts of frozen foods, easy-make stuff and cereal.  I also was blessed to be led to some great speakers that weren't that expensive for our choir and acting projects! I am super excited.  They were huge and we couldn't fit more than two at a time. Even with that, I bought so much food that my mom had to load groceries in around me after I sat down in the front seat.  Penelope and Liesl came with us, bribed with two suckers each and a slushie to be quiet and good.  It worked until the sugar kicked in on the way home, lol!

*******

The Fourth of July was truly memorable.  We went to the Meyer's house after cutting up wood and stacking it most of the drippy, humid morning. Quinn and I were literally soaked to the skin!  Oh, and naps.  We all (except for book-reading Havala) had beautiful, deep naps.  And good thing too!    At the Meyer's we met up with a few families from the ward and the missionaries.  Piper and Elder Lanier were on the same corn-hole tossing team.  I was on a team with Sister Meyer, Dad with Xai, Eli with Elder Archibald, Maia and Isabella, and Havala and Sister Balli.  Piper and Lanier ended up winning the tournament, solidly.  He is REALLY good at corn hole and our Corn Cob was no mean shot herself. My game went on for a ridiculous amount of time, as neither team could seem to get any points, lol!

Our wood stack...one layer down, seven more to go!

I asked the girls to smile...hahaha!

Corn Hole Champions!

The evening ended with a literal BANG when we combined our purchased fireworks with the Meyers', and one of their tipped over and started shooting all over!!!  It shot into at least the four cardinal directions, if not more, and actually hitting one young man, although I think he will only have bragging rights to show for it.  Everyone hurried back to stay safe from the shooting fireworks.  Crazy!  Our ending "shark" fountain was awesome, but definitely not as heart-racing as the other!

******

We've been really enjoying our pool. Liesl cajoles regular lessons out of her older sisters and is doing well.  Penelope is part fish. I was going to say "dolphin" but in our family....Anywho, she LOVES to get her floatie on and jump in.  I had to teach her the carefully monitored lesson of how important a life jacket is :S.  That was not fun, but she has a healthy appreciation of it now.

******

Quinn is off to Hungary as of this morning. I am grateful that I can visit them soon, also. I am also super grateful that I will get to see Tova, her puppies and Ben for a little. But I am missing my missionaries excruciatingly right now, but am trying to accept this pain of them growing.  I told Quinn this morning that I am 0 for 6 kids staying near to home after leaving, but he pointed out that the missionaries weren't so permanent. I know, my logical mind tells me, but the emotional part that sees they are all so far away isn't buying it. 

Letter to/from Lily September 13, 2022

 I love to be lazy and just reply in the letter, if that's okay with you, Aussie lady :D.

On Tue, Sep 13, 2022 at 11:03 PM Lily Biesinger <lily.biesinger@missionary.org> wrote:

I just finished talking to my family and found out that the cougs dominated again!!! Man, I think that's what I miss most on my mission, the BYU football games :). 

Right?  That and SAGCIFoG!  You should get that going in your area! 

Anyway, this week has been beautiful and full of miracles, both big and small and it has been really cool seeing God's hand throughout the work, because like President Nelson said "He is hastening His work" and I am so glad I am part of that hastening :). 

I love how you listed these.  They really are remarkable. 

1. We have online workshops for training missionaries and I always know when I'm going to be called on because there's always a hesitation before they try to pronounce my awesome German last name. So I just wait for them and smile as they try to say it without making it sound too weird :).

That's hilarious!!! I love your awesome German last name!  That is legendary.  And I love that you just wait and let them struggle.  SO fun! 

2. We talked to a very nice Christian lady who had a very firm testimony of the Bible. We read the Introduction from the Book of Mormon together and talked about some things from it, but at the end of the interaction she put the Book of Mormon between two Bibles very discreetly, and we pretended not to notice. Hopefully the next time we get back to her she has read it the whole way through :).

Maia wants to share her Book of Mormon with a friend from acting/choir.  I am hesitant to let her, since my position as mentor shouldn't be abused.  I think I will prayerfully speak with her parents about it. 

3. I tried to make my Mom's brownies and found out that they don't taste as delicious without vanilla, so we decided to drop them off at member's houses and hopefully none of the members die or are offended by my delicious non-vanillad brownies.

I think that's hilarious that you would give the non-vanillad brownies to other people!  So funny!!!  Too bad you don't have chickens to give them too...

4. We went around heart-attacking different people's houses and some of their motion sensored lights scared the bajebbies out of us as we ran away :). We went to this one house that had a big family and their lights were still on, so my awesome companion starts army-crawling to the door (and this whole time I'm laughing really hard because it's that time of night that I lose it:)...) and when she gets there she hears a voice from inside yell "Mom, the sister missionaries are here!". We ran and hid, but they caught us(because someone was laughing), so we went to their door and heart-attacked it in front of the whole family.

That is one of the funniest things I have read/heard in a long time.  That is so funny!!!!! I love that you two laugh together!! 

5. I drove!!! I drove for 1 day and then the next day I accidently drove to the wrong side of the road on a non-busy street, but my commp drove for the rest of the day after that :).

Any more driving?  Piper is almost done with her driver's ed stuff.  We just need to schedule her time with a driver, do some more driving hours and then she can take the test on her birthday, I hope!  It will be perfect timing for us having another driver before Hyrum leaves on his mission.  Dad sure likes having his "comp" driver and, of course, I find it super handy!  They will be able to drive each other to seminary, too.  Not going to complain that Piper wants to drive! Of course, it is also a little nicer for her not having to learn on the van.  She definitely prefers the car, or at least seems to. I never really know enough about my kiddos and their changing opinions to feel like I know anything that someone prefers from one moment to the next.  Xai is even trying more food all the time, which is a pleasant surprise.

6. Here is the series of miracles :). My comp and I fasted for some of our friends to come to church, so the big day arrived and at first none of them showed up, but I remembered that it was all in the Lord's timing. Later on one of the families walked in!!!! I was so excited and just filled with this amazing love for them, but then we remembered that we promised to have something for them when they got there. We ran out to our car to drive to our Flat (apartment), but found one of our other friends sitting in his car, so we invited him to come in and sit next to us (we ended up giving the family some jewelry we had :)...) and he came in!!! One of our other friends joined in when I wasn't looking, but we found her there afterward and were able to talk :). 

But this experience really reaffirmed my testimony in Fasting and Faith, because Heavenly is still a God of miracles and that miracles will be shown after the act of faith and only according to our faith. Heavenly Father loves all of His children and wants to bring them all the happiness and joy that comes from knowing that they are Children of God and that there's a Father in Heaven that loves them. 

What a beautiful testimony. I can hear your voice throughout this email, and I love it!

Hope y'all have a great week and please continue looking for those acts of love that God has in store for you .

Thanks for the reminder. I see them every day!  I just need to make them the priority of my focus.

LOVE YOU SO STINKIN' MUCH MY FAVORITE BIESINGER........NAMED "LILY" ;D 

Sincerely, 

   your favorite Biesinger :)

Love,

your favorite mom (?) 

Letter from/to Drew 9/12/22

 Howdy, y'all!! What's happening?

Well, right now I am sitting next to Liesl who just exclaimed, "I am playing against something that isn't real??" She is using our old little green LeapFrog computer....Then I talked to Tova on video chat, changed Penelope's poopy bum and am now getting ready for our little family choir!  This week I backed the trailer like a boss (WITH a riding lawn mower on it); subjected Xai, Liesl and Elijah to unsolicited immunizations (I told them we were going for slushies, which we technically did afterward); and did a crazy deep session with my therapist.  

And tried not to fix anything.

 You wouldn't believe how hard it is not try and fix things.  Oh well!  God's got my back.

This week (and last week) has been pretty chill.  We officially moved in with the Zone Leaders, and the whole process went pretty smoothLy.  I have seized all the winter supplies that I needed to buy, which is actually a bit of a miracle.  And now I have everything I need except for boots, which I definitely need before it snows ( However, it is so blimin' HOT!!!!!!  Also, humid as a sauna, all the time!).   

I like the way you said "seized."  Sounds pretty warlike.

Blimin' eh?  your language is pretty sketch. ;) 

    It was pretty gnarly to help the senior missionaries move into their new apartment, because directly afterwards, they took me and my comp to Resto L'Intuition!!!  This restaurant has officially passed the size test.  I ordered a medium, and it was easily at least a pound of poutine!!!!!!  and it had mushrooms!.  When I finally waddled out of the building, I was full for the first time since coming out!!

Yay for senior missionaries!  I hope that someday I get to be the senior  couple that gets to treat young missionaries to a fantastic feast! And I LOVE how you describe things! "Officially passed the size test," indeed. A pound??  Crazy.  It made me happy to hear that you were full

 

   Also, transfers happened this last week.  I have a new comp and he is absolutely legendary!!!!  Him and I quickly bonded over our combined love for fantasy, and the great book series called "Ranger's Apprentice".   

I am so happy for you lovin' your new companion!  Way to get all nerdy over something so fantastic.  I love finding book buddies around.  This week we are starting the new year for our ward book group and I have a list disproportionately long but can't wait!!    

  This last sunday, we had a sweet member start wingmanning for my comp to the Harmanas Sisters.  It got pretty awkward pretty fast, but thankfully, due to me being almost perfect, I had timed a seriously pressing issue involving ceramics, waterworks, and La Salle de Bain!!  Sometimes, I surprise myself with my planning skills.

Wait..."wingmanning"?  Is that kind of romantic set-up?  And what?  Ceramics, water works and what?  Oh.  Thank you Google Translate!  Never knew you could have that weakness be used as a strength, eh?  Huzzah!

Ahhhh...Veggie Tales.  Gotta love it.

Looking forward to chatting today!!

Lily arrived in Australia!

 Hello from Melbourne Australia Quinn & Mary!

Just letting you know that Sister Biesinger has arrived in the mission safely.  We have spent two wonderful days helping our Missionaries feel welcomed, loved and excited to be part of gathering Israel in Melbourne!   If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Sister Thomas

Letter To/From Lily August 11, 2022

 On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 11:05 AM Lily Biesinger <lily.biesinger@missionary.org> wrote:

Hello, Hello, Hello!

Howdy, Howdy, Howdy! 

This week has been going great and it has only gotten better because I found out yesterday that I will be leaving for Australia on Monday! It's going to be a 20+ flight, so my comp and I decided we were going to try to read the whole Book of Mormon on that flight :).

EPIC! 

My mom got me four two pound bags of Jelly Belly's and the sister's in my district and I already almost finished 2 of them off in the one week we have been here, so thanks mom for the Jellybeans! 

No prob, love-kins :D! 

Just so you know my emails are going to be all over the place, so just a heads up!

Love it so much!

 

So far, every time I've been to the gym I've got hit in the face with a ball of some sort, but it's been really fun playing volleyball with my comp and I feel like I've been getting better at actually setting the ball for some people.

I hope you get some chances to play in the mission field!  We want to set up a volleyball tournament for our Stake and just have people show up, be put on teams, and play.  Could be fun! 

 

After a Helping Others lesson that went really well, my comp and I talked about it and felt so happy and just so immersed in God's love for us and for the joy that comes from living the gospel. We also were able to connect "The Lorax'' to the Restoration and it's all laid out in some pictures down there.

I would love to hear how you did that, ;)

 

Fast Sundays at the MTC probably have the best testimony meetings ever, it was really beautiful hearing people that have decided to serve God, bear testimony about the beauty and peace that has come into their life.

That is so cool that you had that kind of spiritual experience!  What do you think made it so different for you?  Xai has born testimony about the Big Bang theory for two fast Sundays in a row.  What a cutie!  He is sure a deep thinker, though.

 

My comp and I went to choir (for anyone going to the MTC, choir is so much fun and would 100% recommend go even if you can't sing) and the director likened the Urak-hai that was lighting the bomb in Helm's Deep to Joseph Smith and how the people that were trying to shot him down were like Satan trying to stop the work. So like I said, choir is the best :).

Choir directors are the BEST kind of people. Super cool! What songs did you sing?  I remember Dad singing in the MTC, and he sang, "Here I Am."  He told me how cool it was so I went out and bought a copy and learned it, lol. (I was a little in love, wouldn't you say?

 

For the devotional on Tuesday, Gerrit W. Gong came and talked to us about perfectionism and afterwards he came and shook a lot of people's hands. 

Was it like a long line of people wanting to shake his hand?  Did you or anyone in your district do it? 

Yesterday, 620+ new missionaries came to the MTC and I was a part of the welcoming crew and it was lots of fun getting them hyped up about it and telling them all about the awesome things. It was also interesting the different ways families said goodbye to their missionaries.

Oh yeah?  Like what kind of ways did they say goodbye?  Like weepy people, hi-five people, congo line kind of people?

 

There was an elder from another district that pretended that he didn't know english or know how to tie a tie, so he asked the elders in our district to help him and after a couple days after one of our elders finished tying the elder's tie he was like "Thanks man" and proceeded to exit the room :).

Weird. 

How was your flight?  Did you get through the Book of Mormon?  Did it go uneventfully?  I need to get my passport so I can go to Australia, Montreal, Hungary and any other cool places all over the world I might be going.  You never know when you might need a passport, right? ;)

Penelope is running around in circles right now because it is crazy late, but I miss you and writing to you feels like you are right there on the other side of the computer.  How was the food? The people?  Were all you missionaries in one big group on the plane or were you spread out? I loved the picture you sent from the airport. It looked like y'all were having a fun time. 

Here y'all go! Next time you hear from me, I'll be in the Land Down Under :).

Sister Biesinger :)

Letter to/from Elder Drew: August 19, 2022

 Yo, Elder~

Yay for cooler weather!!! We are really appreciating Ohio's weather and beautiful green terrain here in Texas!  Tova's a/c in her apartment is not working, so we also really appreciate our hotel room 5 minutes away where the air conditioning DOES work as well as the pool at her complex.  Fortunately she said that the maintenance people at her apartment complex are quick to fix those.  Penelope especially loves the pool and apparently doesn't know the difference between swimming with a floatation device and not.  She catapults herself off the sides just like she does with the floatie on...and doesn't float.  Fortunately, we are all hyper-aware of her, so she was safe!

The grasshopper was not so lucky.  He forgot his floatation device and had no one to look out for him, poor chap.

On Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 3:13 PM Drew Biesinger <drew.biesinger@missionary.org> wrote:

Howdy Y'all!

It finally cooled down for a half a day this week, which was pretty gnarly! I was able to do street contacting, and studies, and meetings, and everything else in a missionary's day without dropping in sweat. It was pretty nice :).

Street contacting, study, meeting, repeat...does that about sum it up? :P I bet you're just soaking it all it!  This is sooooo like an intense Olympic training schedule!  Sure, you might get to invite a person or two to really feel the Spirit, really convert to Christ, but think of the training you are going through!  I can't remember which kid it was--Piper, I think--who noticed what a difference they are seeing in you.  So much more relaxed and happy.  (Probably main because you are out from under my hyper-jurisdiction, ROFL.)

    This week went by really fast, but it started with a groovy exchange with the Zone Leaders. I had a baguette and some meat paste (It had a cool name, and tasted really good) that made my breath absolutely lethal! I swear, I could exhale and you could hear sizzling as everything died!!!  After that we did a lot of contacting, and the elder I went with was already fluent in French because his dad was French. It was really cool to hear the French from the MTC for the first time since I got here... 

Yay for new foods!  Love it.  And I love the intense language training program you are immersed in!  What a fun experience to be living there and learning so much! I am sure your brain is on overload.

     ...But the Quebecois is becoming my favorite language!!  There was this awesome talk from a member on Sunday, and they were dropping so many québécois words like the "le" and the "fekah (It sounds like it looks. I don't know the proper spelling, but they fill every single pause with one of these). But the best part was hearing them say "Ronald Rasband" with two hard R's, which isn't something that seems to exist in the french language. It sounding like (T.W ) she was about to spit a fat one at the audience (My apologies for the graphic story, I did give a trigger warning). I love French!

I bet Xai would have had an absolute heifer sitting in that audience!!  Germ-a-phobe testing site, eh?  I would love to hear your version over the video chat in a couple days!

 

French of the Week

"Tu es une couverture mouillée"

Meaning: "You are a wet blanket".

 

 This is very applicable day to day.

So applicable. Thanks! 

It was a good week. We meet with this awesome family, and somehow, somehow? (you were in a trance and wandered into one of their rooms, grabbing the cards, and then you got back and woke up from the trance....problem solved!!!)  we obtained a few gnarly Pokémon cards. And I even got an extra french one, because I might find someone who really, really, really, really wants one... I'll have to keep an eye out. Who knows.

Way to dangle the bait... 

But that's everything for this week. Y'all get some pictures today. 

EPIC! (lol, had to...) Huzzah!

Missionary Letter, Sports and Death Threats

 Howdy missionaries!

I came across a scripture and thought of you:

Alma 30:39-41

39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a God, and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.

40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no ^aGod, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.

41 But, behold, I have all things as a ^atestimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true;

I was reading the Come Follow Me stuff for this week in Job and the prompt question was: What are my reasons for remaining faithful?  It made me think: what are Job's reasons?  He testifies about how the people around him--and even he, himself--can easily turn on their testimonies.  However, Nature and things around us are constant in their testifying of Christ. 

JOB 12:10 In whose hand is the soul of every ^aliving thing, and the ^bbreath of all mankind.

I paused in my study and looked out at the trees, saw evidence of the breeze, the light speckling through the canopy...and felt more steady.  Somehow, they do. Just in their existence.

I loved that you closed your email with a scripture, Drew. It was a powerful one. I could feel your light.  It reminded me of the music video that Maia picked for the devotional the morning before Lily left:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2022-01-0002-trust-in-the-lord-music-video?lang=eng&alang=eng

Lily and I both thought this video really showed how missionary work is shining your light--like their dancing, living the Gospel joyfully--and others have agency to choose to come, choose to reject, choose to listen for a moment then turn away,...choose.  And we can keep on dancing.

I love you both so much and miss you. I know you will be happier moving forward with this stage of life than staying here at home, so it is a bittersweet missing. I am happy for you.  Happy for Canada and Australia and the light that you will shine there as your draw closer to God, shine your love of Him, shine your love of those around you.t

Penelope is currently trying out different markers on the calculator (not -er) across from me (had to try spelling that a couple times before I got it right, lol!). Eli is rocking the spiky hair still...and spiky personality.  Yikes.  I really hope we all survive until he transitions out of this phase!  I think I've listened to more death threats and exclamations of hatred towards me in the past week than I have for a few years put together :S.

Xai and Liesl built fairy houses in the yard.

We discovered this morning that the mini-kitten is still alive and present and currently living underneath the air conditioning unit.  We also found a rogue chicken who has been trying to live outside the coop...for over two weeks!  Apparently it has a favorite tree it roost in right next to the house. It's super skittish but brings our count up to 21, which we thought was down to 20 for quite some time now. Crazy.

The count for high schoolers at the Federal Hocking football team practice was down to three last night. Hyrum is hanging in there.  Piper was one of three girls on the high school cross track team.  He sent home a form of his policy...that there are minimum acceptable excuses and that he will kick people off the team if they don't abide by all the rules.  Hmmmm...with as heavily as he's been recruiting, we're not sure that's going to be the case.  Maia showed up for one practice but he pushed her a little hard and she decided not to do it anymore.

Dad is still working on fixing up his motorcycle using ingenious ways.  I think he could use some prayers.

God bless you both,

Mom

Liesl "speaks" Hungarian and Goodbye to Sister Lily Biesinger

 Today Piper and Havala were quizzing each other on Latin declensions for their upcoming scholastic group this fall.  Liesl watched them for a while and then asked what they were doing.  

After they explained that they were learning how to say "land" in Latin, Liesl said, "I know how to say that in Hungarian."

"Oh, really," replied Piper supportively.

"Yep, like this!" Liesl rubbed her tummy in the ASL sign for "please."

****

More significantly, perhaps, we took Lily to the airport this morning so she could fly to the Provo MTC.  Wow, I'm going to miss that girl. We all are.  Anyone who knows Lily knows of her ability to love without judgment.  To care. To persist. To persevere in behaving compassionately in the face of pretty crazy opposition.

She is strong.  She is determined.  She is love.  

Australia is super lucky to have her.

Last night we had a mini "farewell" for Lily to share a talk/testimony before she left since she didn't for church.  It ended up being a blessing in disguise because then we got to invite grandparents and out of town siblings to video chat in and hear it as well.  She picked "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" verses 1 and 3 for the opening song; shared her thoughts about missionary work, testimony, the role of members and the Holy Ghost in conversion and retention and quoted a bunch from Alma 26.  It was great: at the beginning she couldn't stop giggling. I just love that girl!

She chose "Have I Done Any Good" for the closing song.  Then after we said goodbye to the online group after chatting for a few minutes, Quinn gave Lily a super sweet blessing--about loving the people, trusting God, capturing the essence of missionary work, peace in her travels, that she would be able to get along with her companions and the Australian people and, of course, a reminder that her Father in Heaven loves her and that we love her.  He also asked Heavenly Father to bless her that her sense of homesickness would be alleviated.

By the end of the prayer and especially after the hugs, both hers and her daddy's eyes were moist,  a rare instance for these two sillies.

Quinn is sure going to miss her.  Every night she would rub his feet and after we finished our section of reading for the night he would ask, "Does anyone have any thoughts....Lily?" before even finishing the question, a mark of privilege :D.  Every night, she would have some thought drawn from our scripture section, even the harder to connect with ones.  

Beyond that, she works hard, teased gently, never took offense that I can remember, and just enjoyed her dad.  And he could feel it.  They have a sweet relationship and I am glad for both of them.

Letter from Elder Drew: Week 1 (in the field)

 Howdy, Y'all!

    Today is officially Day 7/seven/sept, it is is gnarly! 

    We started in the airport at 4am, because wicked early times are the best times. And because everyone is either a husk of a being, or is absolutely wired!  But it was pretty gnarly.  The whole flight was chill and we got to the Canadian Airport on time.  Then we went through customs... 

...Alright, so it wasn't that bad. It only took a few hours of sitting in the same room, but it was still faster than waiting in line at Krispy Kreme during "Talk Like a Pirate" Day.  After that, we were welcomed by the two Assistants to the President (AP), who were absolute fire, and were the epitome of the scripture, Alma 38:12 "Use BOLDNESS, but not overbearance". It was a pretty gnarly experience. 

     So we got to Canada, and spent a day and a half at the Mission Home.  During the first day, we went contacting on The Metro, and it was hyper cool (French Accent) because we just got right to it! I met a lit of really cool people (even one who was reading Wind Breaker, a lit Webtoon/Comic about bike riding), but I think the absolute best was this one lady we met within a few minutes of getting on The Metro.

    So, we get on the car right before the death trap, supposedly called Doors, closes. We move to the center handhold, and situate ourselves.  We look over to the left and start talking with this nice gentleman who, we discover, is a strong Muslim and he isn't so interested in our message or us.  We politely say goodbye and wave as he leaves the car at his stop. We resettle ourselves and notice this excited lady to our right, looking at us. As I am trying to formulate the Franglish sentence, before I can even start, she makes eye contact. She doesn't blink. And she opens her mouth...

... "That was definitely not what she said," I think to myself, "My mind is just putting random sounds together"

    So I ask her to repeat herself "S'il vous plaît" 

   "Je suis Prophète! Je suis un prophète musulman!"...

Outside that, I understood very little, but my temporary missionary companion told me she wanted us to join her fold. It was an amazing way to start this mission!!!!

    So now I'm in my area, and I'm a part of a trio, with one of my trainers as District Leader (DL) . We got to Québec City, Québec few days ago, and it is so cool to see so many people and buildings!!! We have done a lot of street contacting and I've enjoyed it so much!  Granted, a vast majority of people will make eye contact, and then kinda block us out. but there are so many people! So we just try to leave a good impression on everyone, and talk with the people who are open to it!

    Also, I'm so stoked, because the majority of people in Québec only speak French! And so many of them have this heavy Quebecois accent! I really want this when I get back! It's literally a southern drawl, but while you're speaking French!! We met this super cute elderly couple, and they told me that I looked like Tin-Tin.  First, I looked like a mix of Jack-Jack and Mr. Incredible, and now I'm resembling Tin-Tin. I could nail a career as a Look-Alike Celebrity!

  As far as my mad skills go, my French is really coming along. Even though the French in this area barely sounds like what I heard from the MTC, it is really cool to see what I can hear/understand. My first Sunday was lit, and I understood 4% of the meetings, and the overall message of most of the talks/lessons. I was even able to give a short shpeel for Sacrament! It didn't sound great, but that will come with time and beaucoup/a lot of practice!!  

"French" of the day:

    Ciao-le

  So it's pronounced almost just like it looks. With the Italian "Ciao" and the French "Le". 

  This word essentially means "Goodbye", just very informally. (Also, it is super disorienting here, because everyone speaks French, but will randomly through in an English word. Just makes life a tad bit more interesting).

Alright, c'est tout pour le moment.  Just after I say goodbye, I will share a cool scripture.  So be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!!!

 Ciao Ciao-le

Elder Biesinger.

  Mosiah 4:19-20 

     19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

Letter from and to Elder Drew Biesinger I

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