(Paul), France felt like home and still does. Mission President:President Paul J. Sorensen. Buy winter jackets there if youre going in the summer. *Learn about living in Utah. I understand what is important. They love fine food, good education, good music, small gatherings, they dress nicely and are generous. Crepes, raclette, burrito fete, pastries, Had a knife pulled on me and was jumped by a group of young Arabs. I loved having meals with the people. Later missionaries entered Quebec City where a branch was organized in 1969. Intermittent rain that youve got to be prepared for ;). Missionary Manuals. We were told that our street was pretty much on the line of the evacuation zone and that we could leave if we wanted but otherwise were advised to stay in our apartment until the demolition specialist from Belgium could arrive on the TGV later that afternoon. There are a lot of tourists in Paris, but also a lot of castles and country side outside of Paris. The people you find in areas really are unique in their own ways and I liked finding out the history on all the areas I was at, while also learning that each person has their own story. (Anonymous), I served in an ever changing mission with boundary changes, area closures and much adversity, but I still had a very successful mission serving in 8 different areas, living in 10 different apartments with 15 different companions. (Mariah), Pain au Chocolate. (Anonymous), Cherbourg, Nogent, Vannes, Sarcelles, St Brieuc, Evreux, Niort, Soissons. Some times to a fault for preaching the gospel as they only want to worry about themselves and dont need anything else . Great way to finish! How to get along with another annoying person. (Jeffrey), Depends on what part of the county youre in. Here are T-shirts for the France ParisMission! In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin prophesies, And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (Mosiah 3:20). We were having our district meeting that morning, so two companionships from out of town had arrived earlier by train and they were stopped and informed by police officers just outside our apartment of the situation. I was thinking, what are we doing?! We waited for the train going the other direction and it must have been 30-40 minutes later that we got off at her stop. We had a great appointment; he finally started to break his habits and read the scriptures himself afterwards. (Kale), Poubelles, crepes, couscous, steak-frites. The French-speaking members in Phoenix have a deep love for the Savior and strong testimonies that God knows each of His children. Im so excited to see how it grows and now the temple is being dedicated! Still, the work is a daily challenge. That was always a good spiritual experience. Later that night, my trainer asked me Elder, do you remember what you prayed for before we left our apartment? Check out YA Weekly, located in the Young Adults section under Audiences in the Gospel Library, for new, inspiring content for young adults each week. Scott M. Naatjes, 53, and Jodi T. Naatjes, five children, Lake Marion Ward, Lakeville Minnesota Stake: Alpine German-Speaking Mission, succeeding President Christopher S. Brown and Sister Laura G. Brown. Wescoured YouTubeto find the best quality videos aboutFrance, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity. This led me in Patience to realize that, Have a good attitude. There's also Cote d'Ivoire, and Belgium. (Drew), Soak up the Temple experience while at the Mission Training Center as much as possible. (Paul), Someone telling me they were literally the devil my first Christmas when we were porting in La Rochelle. I wish I wasnt so self-conscious about not speaking French. The first was humbling because he showed me that I was arrogant and inflexible. The sisters where Im from wear black all over! We tried to explain to him that we werent nuns, and he thought that we were sad about it, so he spent 20 minutes reassuring us that someday we could be nuns. The quicker you do the faster you will start to have one of the most cherished times of your life. Church-Service Missionaries. Just trust in the Lord. (Scott), In short, I was in Amiens, my comp and I were headed home for dinner, we ran into a young man who had been possessed by a bad spirit, he took off my plaque and broke it. Missionaries: Historical Antecedents and Foundations for Current Church Policies and Institutions Lynn Henrichsen In 1830, just one language --English --was used in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. (Nicholai), Finding Jean-Claude at a bus station and seeing his life change in just 3 weeks. She knew completely the truth and she whole-heartedly embraced the gospel from day one. Love the people and dont judge others :)(Jordan), Read the scriptures out loud in the language. It will be the hardest two years of your life but will be two years that will shape you in ways you could only imagine. It is possible to spend all day just speaking Chinese. Then he tried to get between us. (Drew), Most of the blessings come from the friendships I made with many members, friends of the church, and even neighbors. They also do their own laundry, exercise daily, eat nutritious meals provided by each MTC cafeteria and stay in touch with family and friends via weekly emails. (Chloe), People expect good manners and you learn good manners quickly when entering homes. I tapped him on the shoulder after we crossed the street and started talking to him. (Anonymous), My companion and I were beat up by three Arabs about a month after 9/11. (Zakarias), Buying three tickets for Trois from a kiosk in Le Havre. Fun night! Pack light. Moules frites. You WILL go through several pairs. Other franciphone missions are Tahiti, Quebec, Haiti, Switzerland, and temple square. (Chloe), I learned to communicate better. What was the worst thing that could happen? (Anonymous), Crepes, bread, cheese, pate, patisserie, grec, kabab, etc. Amazing member missionaries, amazing examples. Just an inch or two of snow, two months of cold, and only a few weeks of hot. (Merrilyn), Those who were members of the church and active were heroes. That was the last time I let him schedule dinner appointments. But all of the skills and leadership traits and work ethic I received from the mission is allowing me to excel after my mission. (Nicholai), Friends, family, French Every good thing that has happened to me ever since. (Dennis), One day we stopped a girl in the center of La Rochelle, we had a chat about the Gospel, she told us she had relatives who are Latter-day Saints. The people who remember you most are often the companions you serve with so be good to each other. Hangers take up a lot of space in your luggage. (Bryan), A strong testimony of the work and of the church. I wish I knew the doctrine better or even had a stronger testimony on certain things. We hiked up a mountain one weekend when everyone from Tarbes went to a Missionary Training Session in Bordeaux and there was only room for all missionaries but one so another had to stay behind so we could be a pair. My DNA be stolen or something? Its the Lords. :) Although most Missionaries are American, there are a good number of native french speaking Missionaries as well. We were trying to get away from him for like 30 minutes. (Roberto), My dad served in the Franco-Belge Mission 20 years earlier. (Elsa), It was very humid, with warm summers and cold winters. No spirit, no success. My scripture studies were so good, I was always learning new things, meeting amazing new people every day, in extraordinarily beautiful places, and feeling the love of the Lord every single day it was more fulfilling than I ever imagined. (Merrilyn), How to be humorous. Dont contend with them, but always be able to inform them where they can readily find accurate information and that youre always happy to teach them more about the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, Children and Youth: A Face to Face Event with Elder GerritW. Gong. Many of them understand English. Among the hardest things Id done. (Michael), In Meaux, a Sunday School instructor asked me to get a tableau. I hope I get to go back as a couple missionary. He knows exactly where to find those who are prepared for His message, and He knows how to touch their hearts. The beauty of the mission is going to teach you how to rely on the Spirit which will force you to learn talents as you go! They were all so kind and friendly. (Anna), I was training for the second time in St. Ouen/Sarcelles, and we were waiting to cross a busy street after an appointment. (Nicholai), Frites and sauce, Belgian waffles, foufou. We soon discovered that the Arizona Phoenix Mission is home to a large population of French speakers originally from West and Central Africa, Haiti, and other countries around the world. It snowed in Paris the winter I served in the mission office and I may have thrown a snowball at a member of President Bennions family. Weve seen how Heavenly Father has a unique and beautiful plan for Brother Lualaand all the French-speaking people in Phoenix. (Alex), The ability to speak and teach without having every word written out. (Douglas), Everybody kept telling me that a mission would be so difficult, hard work, lots of rejection and stress. (Douglas), Someone stopped me on the street and started asking about us. (Roberto), When knocking on doors the first time, I commented after about three doors to my trainer Man, there sure are a lot of people called sonnerie here! Most of the doorbells said sonnerie on them. Learn on your mission how to recognize the kind of person you do not want to be tied to and the kind you do AND LEARN HOW TO BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL MAKE A RELATIONSHIP LAST. (Alex), Rainy, warm in country/cities, very rainy. Now, as I work, it seems a lot of people only want to associate with those who can help them. Were His people, engaged together in His holy work.3. Heres a recent address for the ParisMission. The Gift of Tongues is a very real and very beautiful thing, I can testify to that. Long suffering. The cobblestone may break your wheels so try to get a strong suitcase. 131 Blvd Carnot The celebration will feature a 364-voice adult choir, a 120-voice children's choir and performances of Latin American, Native American and Pacific Islander folk dances all commemorating the Book. When we opened our call letters and read our unique assignment, we never could have imagined the obstacles we would face in the mission field. Missionary Training Center. I asked for her name as she ran out and she yelled it back. That feeling of love was astounding. Mainly humid. (Valan), Walking in a sketchy city with lots of Arabs and came across a fight in the parking lot. (Merrilyn). You prayed that we would have a fruitful evening! The Lord answers prayers! His daughters letting members dedicate his grave, his daughters accepting the LDM that the members gave them with their testimonies of eternal families. It about caused her to pull a stitch. I love how particular they can be, and how they say hello to every person in the room before they sit down. The Church was legally recognized in October 1968. (Douglas), Orleans, Reims, Lorient, Sarcelle(Paris ghettos), Soissons, and Alencon, and then I got to serve in many others on exchanges. That will bless your life and the life of your family forever. I know that I choose my joy or sadness. There are many kind, beautiful Muslims, many vibrant and funny Africans, people from the old French colonies, transplants from Asia, South America, the rest of Europe, and also many tourists. We spent the next four hours walking the sisters home before we could head back to our own apartment. We cant wait to hear from you! There are a lot of micro climates. (Scott), I would say to ignore and not listen to anybody who tries to tell you that Europe is super hard and that you wont get hardly any baptisms. (Mariah), I cant count all the blessings. They are amazing men and their wives are incredible and strong. And one . The LDS Church in French Polynesia was founded in 1843 as the first foreign-language mission of the church. THE HONEY MOON ONLY LASTS FOR TWO WEEKS. Just when we were starting to talk, she jumped up and ran to the door This is my stop! Alpine German-Speaking Mission. (Kara), Being there when the first stake was formed in Versailles. Alabama Birmingham. I did not have the gift of tongues from the get go, but I learned to accept myself for mistakes. Dont assume they dont understand you if you are speaking in English together. (Matt), Do not bring a lot of stuff with you from the States because you will most likely throw it away and get European clothing, and it makes transferring towns much easier when its light Trust me. France Marseille Mission. Courage, empathy, being able to work hard. As missionaries, we seek to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel.1 And as French-speaking missionaries serving in Arizona, weve found that our missionary work has also presented us with unique, diverse, challenging, and culturally vibrant experiences. She got baptized later, and I got to baptize and confirm her. Catherine. 252- 253). (Paul), A second language. I also learned to listen better. (Chloe), Drunk people on the streets were sometimes hostile. (Paul), Kebab. (Nicholai), Temperate 4 seasons. Also, people enjoyed food. (Zakarias), Its like regular mainland European weather- we have both a lot of rain and sun. The church and the work of the restoration will go forward and we can be a part if we choose. In a revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1833, the Lord said, "For it shall come . French Language: General: Dealing with money Getting to Paris from the . More people than I had imagined are in Paris. Armani isnt exactly for missionaries. Lots of translating opportunities. (Bryan), Calling a Madame a Monsieur . Full-Time Senior Missionaries. I love their appreciation and priority for music and the arts. On my first assignment, I was asked to lead the music in the Relief Society in Versailles. Thankfully, this work isnt ours. Learn to accept them for who they are, look for the good in them, compromise with them, and have a good time while you are with them. Serve. (Anna), People always told me it would be SO HARD. It was so cool to see the Spirit guiding us as we were walking having no clue what God was going to have us do. Basically love the Lord and the Gospel more than you love anything, anyone else and youll do fine. We really should have gotten off, shouldnt we! (Kara), First French stake formed in 1975. Missionaries called French speaking serve in Reunion and Mauritius and never see the mission home on Madagascar. How to work harder when exhausted. I learned how to better serve. (Aaron), Communication skills, teaching skills (especially listening! (Kara), Love every minute and never stop praying! There are places in the world where the missionaries, even in their humble circumstances, are wealthier than the people they serve: dont insult them and embarrass yourself by over-dressing. Light skirts for humidity. Enjoy every day. Seeing ancient castles and cathedrals and buildings blew my mind!! Know the history of the restored Church just like you should know scripture. (Jordan), If you say je suis plein for I am full it really means I am, HA HA I bet everyone makes this one. It existed until 1852 when it was closed due to restrictions by the French government, and the missionaries left the territory. When we got there it turned out that the sister missionaries where there as well. There was an incredible spirit in the room which we could tell he felt. (Drew), Missionaries convince the greens that the slang when asking tens for help is to ask for throat support, this would be soutien gourge, however soutien-gourge actually means your asking for a bra and then they watch as people give you a weird look. Learn the discussions in English before going to the Mission Training Center then you have a better idea of what you are saying in French. (Dennis), People, natural vegetation, culture. There was also this ptisserie near the Asniere sur Seine gare that had the worlds greatest beignets. Slightly nerve racking but ultimately hilarious. Paris is awesome. In general, weather is nice, except it occasionally snows in the winter and there are occasional heat waves in the summer. If not, they are cheap enough where you can buy a few. (Matt), Having my last lesson on my mission where our golden investigator told us a story where he met 2 young men in white shirts and ties that gave him a book that forever changed his life and his families. It was so frightening that one minister from another church ran out of the house yelling If this is religion, I want nothing to do with it. Two girls fainted. Hot summers (Anonymous), Wet and cold most of the year and hot and humid in the summer. Do your best to communicate in a loving way with your companion. My new trainee stepped on dog poop a couple of times first day. We try to keep this information up to date, but its a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office. (Zakarias), Our mission is the highest baptizing mission in Europe (except Cabo Verde), and also happens to be the best in the entire world! Do as much of your study, reading, and praying in your mission language as possible. No smoking no drinking NO DRINKING WINE. Machine washable clothes are always best (dry cleaners arent always available). The people take some getting used to but you will love them in the end. (Roberto), While riding our bikes in Orleans, some guys we rode by spat at and hit us in the shoulder. Other times, it was just having a conversation with the man in the park about death, and what he was going through. You will never be in that place with that person again. I didnt say anything to my companion until after 2 more stops. That lead to us teaching he and his girlfriend. Have faith in God (Bryan), Forget yourself and go to work. We used a translator. (Scott), When I was serving in Belgium, we were walking with our recent convert to his house when he ran in front of us and mooned us hahaha. Argentina Bahia Blanca. (Mariah), Just do your best and never give up. HenryB. Eyring, Prayers of Faith, Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 28. and just after a couple months of coming home, Ive secured a great job practicing my mission language while also potentially already planning my career. A beautiful family and peace of mind and eternal perspective. 2 pairs of sturdy shoes, you will walk a lot. So wear thick. (Jacob), St Maur des Fosses, Chelles, Sarcelles, Rennes. (Mariah), Cooking. During the 1960s, Church membership increased fivefold as missionaries and members worked to spread the gospel. So youd have to be prepared for anything over the course of a year. RussellM. Nelson, opening remarks in Children and Youth: A Face to Face Event with Elder GerritW. Gong, Nov. 17, 2019, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Many people told me I wouldnt see any since I was going to France. She said she was hoping to talk with us more, and what a miracle it was that we just appeared! (Mariah), Had a great companionship study in the morning and really felt the Spirit. Has awesome preparation days. (Jacob), A stronger testimony of the Gospel. I can get along with almost anyone. Kebab. 6. (Jordan), More confidence in myself. So much time immersed in the scriptures, I got to know them so much better 2. But times have changed and there is so much work to do! Bread. Organization. The very first one!? We studied listening to the Spirit and acting on faith. Diligent, heartfelt service with a true, sincere care for others pays dividends. It took some good companions to fix that. Dont worry about yourself and focus on the Lord and His work you will be happier. Youll get rid of the big one quickly of you bring it. My best reasoning is that however we got here as we are now (Big Bang or whatever), we are here. (Drew), Paris West & East, St. Brieuc, Versailles. 3. (Jeffrey), A lot haha honestly I learned self-confidence, I was blessed tremendously after my mission. 3. Instead I asked for a bra. (Valan), You will succeed. (Mariah), The weather depended on what part of France you were init, Little bit like Washington D.C. but without snow. If we are here now, what will our race be like a hundred, a thousand, a million years from now even if there is no higher power to interfere with our progress? Hair? (Stuart), The French can take a long time to open up and embrace new ideas or people, but once they do they are totally committed. Member for less than a year but almost a year. You dont always know what kind of circumstances a missionary is coming from. (Jeffrey), I wish I knew the language better. Make sure your luggage can roll so it is easier to travel on transfer days. (Douglas), Crme brle, lapin la moutarde, crpes, couscous algrienne, une bonne quiche, et un sandwich baguette pour quelques euros sur la rue. (Mariah), Dont wear your clothes to deathjust buy some new suits when the old are worn out and the same goes for your shoes. (Nicholai), Be more outgoing and less afraid of making mistakes. Letting truth fill them and watching them achieve their potential. Teenagers were also hostile when in groups. Here are ParisMission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni ofthe ParisMission. (Bryan), One of so many would be having my companion feel prompted enough by the Spirit and asked a devout Muslim to kneel with us and offer a prayer and end in the name of Jesus Christ. That part was pretty cool. How to work past exhaustion. Both times we helped those people feel the love of God and ultimately stopped the suicide. (Mariah), Moderate. (Kara), Second language, presentation skills used in business meetings, focus on goals, attention to detail and record keeping. (Jeffrey), A warm coat for winter that can withstand wind and rain. Give Him your time and dont bring your own agenda. Weve learned some valuable lessons from our unique mission experience. Be humble, be simple. (Matt), Each area has its own culture really. We dont use cars for transfers. (Valan), Never snowed. There were a few people at the median when we got there, so naturally we started talking to them. Read the Book of Mormon in the language. Also, companionship study could be very spiritual because we were studying similar doctrine together and discussing what we learned in detail. We made it clear that us sisters were missionaries and why we were here. She was getting married the next day and her friends were having fun getting her embarrassed. This list includes the missionarys name, URL and when their blog was updated. The temporal/secular history of the Church is often many individuals only exposure to the Church, but intelligent discussion of such is often an amazingly positive and readily accessible way to reach people about the Gospel.