"On voudrait que vous vous veniez chez nous la Dimanche prochaine (We would like for you to come over next Sunday)," Frère Bitanga said one Sunday.
"En fait, c'est la fête des mères chez nous, alors on va appeler nos familles (In fact, it's Mother's Day in America, so we will be calling our families)," Elder Ingram replied.
"Ah, Bon! Voulez-vous leurs appeler de chez nous? Vous pouvez utilizer le Skype (Do you want to call them at our house? You can use Skype)," Frère Bitanga said. "Et il faut que vouz mangiez des beignets pour une fête (And you have to eat some beignets for a party)."
"Oui, ça va être super (Yeah, that will be super)."
"So, now we have plans for Mother's Day," Elder Ingram said later that day. "It's always hard to figure out how to call home. Luckily, Frère Bitanga was willing to let us use his phone and Skype."
"I heard you guys talking. I understood most of it too. I think I'm starting to understand most of the people in the ward," I replied.
"Good."
-------------------------------------------------------
Finally, it was Mother's Day. It was another chance to call home. Elder Ingram and I went to church as usual and made sure everything was set up and ready to go for the meetings. Afterwards, we headed over to the Bitanga's home to call our parents.
Immediately upon arrival to their home, Frère Bitanga started to set Elder Ingram and I up for Skype. We struggled to get it all signed in and everything, but finally it was working and started to call.
"Jordan!" My mom said as her face appeared on the screen. That was a name I hadn't really been called in awhile.
"Hey!" I responded happily. It was a weird moment within the mission. These were the people that you weren't supposed to be seeing, but there they were on the screen in front of me.
"Hello." Frère Bitanga said with a toothy grin and a hand raised from behind me.
"Hello," my mom replied. "Thank you for having him in your home!"
"It's no problem," Frère Bitanga said in struggling English.
Frère Bitanga left the room and now I was left to myself and my family. We spoke about all kinds of things ranging from the missionary work in France to the food to sports back home. Before I knew it, and hour and a half had flown by. I could've stayed in that moment forever, but now it was coming to a close.
"Well, I better go," I said during a lull in the conversation. "It's already been about an hour and a half and I'm sure the Bitanga's don't want us here all day. We've already been here long enough and spoken probably too long."
"Ok, we love you!" my mom said speaking for everyone, but then they joined in and said it themselves anyway.
"I love you guys!" My eyes started to well up, but I was the non-cryer in the family, so I had to keep up that image. The call ended.
'Let's get back to work!' The thought came into mind with little provocation.
YOU ARE READING
LDS Missionary: France Paris Mission
SpiritualWhite collared shirt, dark suit, boring colored tie, and a black plaque with my last name. This was going to be the best experience of my life. I was headed to Paris France on my LDS mission. Missionaries seem odd to people that are not members of...
