Halfwayyyy

Tuesday, July 30, 2019 7:59 am MST

Bonjour tout le monde! (Hello everyone!)

This has been a much better week for me!  I'm definitely settled into this mission thing and I'm rarely feeling homesick now, which is really good.  The days also seem to go by a lot faster now which is really nice, because I'm just counting down the days that I can get out of here and go serve the people in Benin!

The rest of my stay here shouldn't be stale though because we got thrown a big curveball today.  They called us all in and switched companionships and rooms all around.  We weren't expecting that because they didn't do that with the last group of French-learning missionaries, but they're doing it to us.  Luckily, I got to keep my same companion!  So it's nice to not have to start over, but we did have to switch rooms and leave some fun roommates.  However, we're going to be getting French roommates on Thursday!  It'll be different and probably somewhat of a challenge but I'm sure that it will help our French so much and we'll be even more prepared for the mission field, so it's really a blessing.

This Sunday was my last Sunday in English for 2 years, and it was a good one.  Sunday last week was my most homesick day I've had so I was worried to have another one, but it was probably my best day here this week.  Every devotional or lesson we had just seemed to answer a question or concern that I had.  A devotional we watched from Elder Holland really gave me strength.  He just said that so many missionaries have done this thing before, and that 2 years will really feel short to you at the end of the day.  It's good to hear that because I stress out about thinking about 2 years sometimes, but that devotional really helped me.  I'm glad to have received an answer to my prayers.

I had an experience happen this week.  I almost always have a bowl of corn flakes for breakfast every morning, but one day I went to put the milk in and remembered that someone told me the day before that milk reduces the effect of our doxy (malaria pill), so I had just had a bowl of corn flakes without milk.  I got made fun of a little bit.  But that night, I got bit by a mosquito.  I hadn't even seen a mosquito the whole time I'd been here, but I got bit somehow.  Who knows what would have happened if I got bit and my doxy didn't work as well because I drank milk that morning.  I believe that Heavenly Father put that thought in my mind to keep me safe.  It was pretty cool.

Well this next week should be fun so I should have a lot to write about next week.  We go out into the city tomorrow to go proselyting, so that will be amazing!  Thanks for all the prayers this week, they have been felt for sure.  I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week!

Elder Goddard

Elder and Sister Martinez with other MTC staff after the Area Devotional held on July 23, 2019.
Jordan is in the middle section 2nd row from the back in a red tie. :)

Jordan's first district in the MTC before changes made on July 28, 2019

His French speaking native Elder's he had to say goodbye to in the MTC today. (July 30, 2019)
Their 3 weeks were up and Jordan has 3 more weeks to go.