Week 55 - A Farewell to Dunkerque (bonus photos) (Dec 5th)

Like a poorly made trailer spoils the movie,  the title of this week's message gives most of this one away.......

Hello my friends and family! (Those groups aren't mutually exclusive by the way) How have everyone's weeks been?

There is relatively exciting news from this end of the plastic cup attached to the string! I'm moving. The most recent and a literal 1/42nd of my life have been spent in this city in the company of my dear friends who reside therein. Saying goodbye is definitely not easy! Much more difficult than leaving my first city for some reason. I'm moving across the country to Vannes, It's a seaside city on the west coast of France about 600km away from Dunkerque. 600km for those stubborn Americans who think they are better than the globally accepted metric system, is equal to a lot of miles. I don't know the conversion. Mr. Krysl--my high school science teacher-- just felt a blossom of shame for me. It will be a pretty large change I think. I'm also moving from a small group of 6 missionaries to a much larger group of 13. Big adventures inbound! I might even remember to send a picture or two!

My new address will be: 6 Rue Honore Daumier, 56000 Vannes, France.

I'm moving into a much larger district than before! The Rennes district, in the Rennes zone. (Rennes is a large city in the zone) 11 missionaries and a different senior couple. I'm going to be district leader of said much larger district as well. Which is a humbling, slightly scary, but very much exciting call.

Photo courtesy of another missionary's mom who posted this on Facebook.

There is a spirited young child named Evan that I get to see every Sunday. Perhaps it was his way of saying goodbye to me but he had latched on to my leg as children sometimes do. We were both having a lovely time until I felt his small little fangs biting into my leg. Very hard. And at this point the French decided to all leave my mind and I find myself floundering to ask his parents to remove him. He has drawn blood before I finally sort of pry him off of my leg and his parents come to the rescue. How greatly I will miss this place... :(

This Tuesday we spent the entire day trying to find new people to talk with. Around 6:20 we find ourselves exhausted before the appartement of the senior missionaries who in Dunkerque. It's dark, and we a large and kind of intimidating looking man on the other side of the street. And myself and my companion at the time Elder Schulthess feel like we should go talk to him. So we hop across the dark wet street kicking societal convention in the face and awkwardly surrounding this guy. Turns out the mild intimidation was caused by a very very large 15 year-old from Portugal. We ask if he has two minutes to spare to watch a sweet Jesus-themed Christmas video. Who doesn't have enough of either of those two things? He refuses to watch it there on the street, but insists we go show him and his family in their humble abode just down the street. The walk is rife with light small talk. He loves basketball and would like to play in the US one day. He was very sick when he was younger and barely lived. It's been 4 years since he's been here in France. The. We entered a very empty house and met his mom and sister who greeted us with enthusiasm. They eagerly watched the video. And then we told them about the things we loved. We told them why we came to France. We shared the message that God is anxiously engaged in taking care of them and still talks to the world. That they were really special. And it was a very pretty moment for me and for them too I think.

I've finished training my "son", Elder Arnell He's staying here in Dunkerque! I've got many feelings about his! I will miss him. I'm proud of how much progress he's made! He will be fine taking new steps that come with the change, but I still can't help but worry a tiny bit....I think this is a minute portion of what my Pops felt when he shipped me off to college/France. I love that little guy!

I imagine next week will be full of exciting news and insights. Everyone have a great week! We'll talk more then!

Love,
Elder Hacker

I leave you with pictures from my time in Dunkerque