Joe's "MAIL FAST"

UPDATE:

I guess Joe hasn't been getting any mail since being in his new area of Vannes because his address has been incorrect.

But don't blame us - The Mission Home gave us his address when he got transferred - (They left out just one teeny tiny little number - the number 4)

If you want to send Joe mail and (PLEASE DO) here is his correct address:

Elder J. Ford
Les Missionaires
49 Rue des 4 Frères Créach
56000, Vannes
France

The reason I say please do is because he is "MAIL STARVED"

here is part of his email from today:

"Contrary to popular belief, I have not been recieving much mail, very little in-fact. My companion has suggested that I start a mail fast. I will be starting my mail fast Sunday June 20th, 2010 and it will last until Saturday June 26th, 2010. I will not look in the mailbox at my apartment for a week in hopes that after my sacrifice that Saturday, I will go to my mailbox and it will be overwhelmed with mail.

I know that with prayer this will become possible. I will be praying for all who can find time in their busy schedules that can bring happiness to me. I wish you all good luck and the best of success. Now might I remind you this is no contest who can send me the most amount of mail, but if a contest breaks out here, I don't want to be involved, I'm merely a middle man."

With Much Love ~
Elder Ford

VANNES FRANCE

Joe got transferred this week~

His new address is:

Elder Ford

Les Missionaires

49, Rue des 4 Frères Créach

56000, VANNES

France

(the picture above is Sister Rachel Kagwe - she was Baptized by Elder Maxfield - she is an African woman from Kenya~)

The area he had been in was great and he really loved being in NANTES ~

He has been with 3 other missionaries ~ and really had no complaints - he especially enjoyed and really loved his companion, Elder Maxfield. (Elder Maxfield went home this week).

But, like all good things - they do come to an end - and Joe was transferred.

TO VANNES - a city by the SEA!! (No temptation for Joe)

He just wrote and said "I will need some extra money for a wetsuit." hmmmmmm.......

I think he was kidding.....

So, a little about Vannes:

VANNES is a market town and linked to the ocean. It is right next to the Gulf of Morbihan, which boasts of getting more that 2,000 hours of sunshine per year.

You can get to Paris in 3 hours by high speed train.

Right before leaving NANTES they set another baptism date for June 26th and he won't be able to return for that. But he has high hopes for his new area.

We are so proud of Elder Ford -

Joe - in France

Joe is now in France!!
Joe left the MTC on Monday and got to Paris on Tuesday -
After the long flight to Paris - he was met by his Mission President - President Staheli.
We received a letter via email from his mission President and part of it said this, " He, (Joe) and his MTC companions were enthusiastic and all arrived in good health. He spent his first day eating some home cooked food, napping, visiting with me, contacting non-members in the heart of Paris, and sharing testimonies in our home. We enjoyed his spirit.

The next morning, after a mission orientation, Joe, left for his first assignment to work in the Nantes Area. The following is his address where you can write to him:

Elder J. Joshua Ford
Les Missionnaires
8, rue Lamoricière -Villa Lamoricière
44100 NANTES
FRANCE

Here are a few guidelines when sending things to France:

• Never send cash in the post. This is against French law.
• Shipping with UPS or FedEx will require your missionary to pay a tax upon reception. Shipping with these providers is strongly discouraged.
• Remember not to send anything that would distract your missionary from his work such as inappropriate music, literature, posters, etc..

• Always ensure that sufficient postage is attached to the article.

THANKS FOR YOUR LOVE & UNDERSTANDING -
THE FRANCE-PARIS MISSION

CIRCUS VARGAS

Last weekend CIRCUS VARGAS came to town. So, Mickey invited me and Bob to go along with her, Shawn, and Kiley. Bob asked if there were going to be animals at the circus (the answer was no) so he said "What kind of a circus doesn't have animals?" And then he decided not to go. I was very glad they didn't have any animals in the show. I went so I could watch the clowns, jugglers, trapeeze artists, balancing acts, and to be entertained!

Not to watch some animals do some tricks - knowing that behind the scenes they are beaten and tortured and who knows what else~

And I will say that I sure was entertained!
Kiley and I both got light up Swords - they were fun!
I think Kiley's favorite thing was the popcorn -

She ate a lot of it!!


I think Bob was sorry he missed it - after all!

Our Sports Day

One of our activities was to rent a bike (which I did) and Bob's was to run. I was his companion and water girl. We went on the Kapaa coastal bike path that stretches along the water for 4.1 miles each way. So, I rented the bike and Bob ran the whole 8.2 miles. That was a fun day (for me anyways).

Along the way, I saw this guy that had no shirt on - WOW!!!
What a HOTTIE!!! I know what you're thinking!! That's right - he's in such great shape!!
Well, what do you expect - running like that?

He'll be all ready for the 1/2 marathon in April!!
I just biked alongside him with my backpack - it had water in it for him - (I was the water girl)

It was such a beautiful day!

Those Funny Hawaiian's

So, if you know Bob, you know that he has many great qualities - poem writing, speaking in public, being friendly to people & dogs, (just to name a few). But, I can honestly say that being a speller is not his strong suit.

So, we are staying at the Marriott Kauai Beach Club and they are doing a lot of work in the front of their building - right as you come in - the valet area is all torn up.

Well, anyways, he did catch this faux pas - that I'm sure Marriott wasn't too pleased with!

He just had to take a picture of the sign because he knew that it wouldn't be up there too long. And sure enough - he was right - two days later we were walking past the same sign and we noticed it was changed.....

I think someone might have gotten into some trouble -

KAUAI

We're taking a little vacation right now - a little "R & R" on the beautiful island of Kauai.

It's one of our favorite places to travel to.
We've been here several times and hiked many trails.
We've hiked the famous Kalalau Trail along the Napali Coast, we've hiked the Nounou trail also known as "Sleeping Giant", we've come across many different waterfalls on these trails that have been beautiful. But on this trip we took a different hike and stumbled across a different type of waterfall altogether!
The hike was called: the Kilauea waterfall hike.

We also decided to go somewhere that we've never gone before - the Kilauea Lighthouse.
One thing is for sure - it is windy at the lighthouse!

All along the side of the cliffs, there are birds. Kilauea is not only a lighthouse but it is also a National wildlife refuge.