Armani isnt exactly for missionaries. (Stuart), Cholet (twice), Troyes, Coutances, Aulnay-sous-Bois, le Vesinet, Tours. My last companion started training Elder Whitman the day I went home. RussellM. Nelson, opening remarks in Children and Youth: A Face to Face Event with Elder GerritW. Gong, Nov. 17, 2019, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Chinese people are absolutely amazing, humble and kind. (Kara), Second language, presentation skills used in business meetings, focus on goals, attention to detail and record keeping. That was the last time I let him schedule dinner appointments. Here are survey responses from France ParisRMs, to give you a snapshot into what its like to live in the mission. We taught them most of the discussions and they attended church several times and other church activities. We were encouraging our amie to stop smoking and thought we were saying it would be more pleasant for her husband kissing her if she stopped. Online Recommendation System. Racolette. 6. MyMission.com provides free missionary websites to LDS missionaries and their families giving them a great way to communicate and share mission experiences. I saw behind her a huge dog and right after she said bonjour I told her to shut the door because I was afraid that the dog would attack us. Life-long friends. (Kara), French (study a second language early). Here's a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Paris LDS Mission. I also learned to listen better. His friend pulled him away but we were scared, partially from the sense that we were not as well protected because we had not been obedient that day. (Jeffrey), I wish I knew the language better. This helped me to accomplish many things later in life. (Dennis), Rainy, humid, great sunny days, too. (Paul), Youre girlfriend will NOT wait for you. I love the members and how much they love the missionaries. Now my son is also serving in the same mission I know there were about 100 + missionaries and maybe 20-some sisters It was a lot smaller area than it is now. (Nicholai), EVERYTHING! (Anna), I had a missionary convince me to go ask for a soutian gorge at a pharmacy when I had a sore throat. Cheese. (Merrilyn), Those who were members of the church and active were heroes. Its nice and varied! Sometimes sunny. The people outside of Paris seem more friendly to Americans than Parisians do. I learned to listen more than I talk. (Aaron), I loved teaching my investigator, Marie-line, because she was so sincere. 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. The French people are incredible! In general, weather is nice, except it occasionally snows in the winter and there are occasional heat waves in the summer. The translator was a new convert too and it was so cool to see her learning as we taught. Missionary Training Center. (Anna), Living & spending all your time with many different types of companions. Ways in which I was French, or like specific companions, members or investigators. Has awesome preparation days. (Nicholai), Walking out of the apartment was the start of something crazy- but crazy wonderful. Blessings continue to flow from service. Be humble, be simple. Foofoo. You are hereby called to serve in the Arizona Phoenix Mission. Thermal ones! Understood more the culture of the people. How to be more spiritual. (Valan), You will succeed. (Mariah), Just relax, you dont need to kill yourself to learn the language, it will come with time. That part was pretty cool. It was the first time for me! Today, Brother Luala is preparing to enter the holy temple. Always soaking wet, get water resistant everything. The claires chocolats there were really good, too. You prayed that we would have a fruitful evening! The Lord answers prayers! It is possible to spend all day just speaking Chinese. (Chloe), My companion and I were street contacting in Troyes and we were stopped by a woman dressed in a volleyball uniform holding a volleyball with two holding a net. THE HONEY MOON ONLY LASTS FOR TWO WEEKS. He then reached out and grabbed some of my long red hair, and cut off several inches. Catherine. There were a few people at the median when we got there, so naturally we started talking to them. (Chloe), Drunk people on the streets were sometimes hostile. (Dennis), Raclette, Crpes, Quiche lorraine, Ptisseries (viennoise and pain au chocolat aux amandes), African peanut chicken sauce and rice, and Baguette ham & gruyre sandwich. (Mariah), I wish I had spoken the language better. My first name is Jeff. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you. It was just awesome. We were there for 20 years before making the journey to America., Brother Luala felt grateful just to come to the United States, but the Lord had more in store for him. (Dennis), People, natural vegetation, culture. How to love all of Gods children. (Kara), Personal discipline and a love for life. 2017-2020, Paul J. Sorensen 2014-2017, Frdric Jean Babin 2011-2014, Franck A. Poznanski 2008-2011, Don H. Staheli ( Listen to an interview with the Stahelis) 2005-2008, Steven H. Pond 2002-2005, Lynn Bennion 1999-2002, David W. Madsen 1996-1999, Dennis K. Brown (Alex), My elder and I being driven to the train station by drunk strangers. (Elsa), Grecs (kbab sandwiches) were a staple of my diet in every area I served in Northern France. I learned to love a large variety of foods. (Kale), St. Brieuc, Chateauroux, Limoges, Talence, Nantes, and Montauban. They were ridiculously good, not really sure why they were so much better tasting than everywhere else, though. Ah well. We spoke French to her and she repeated it all in Russian. I should have just tried and learned rather than being worried about being embarrassed. But all of the skills and leadership traits and work ethic I received from the mission is allowing me to excel after my mission. 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. (Anonymous), My companion and I were beat up by three Arabs about a month after 9/11. Saints and sant (what is bloody) make the same sound to an English ear. I thought they were knocking at my door, and I opened the door, he says. (Stuart), If you forget anything or need something unexpected you will have no trouble finding it in France. Click the mission name for a page that indicates the mission (s) that now serve the same area. (Mariah), Dont wear your clothes to deathjust buy some new suits when the old are worn out and the same goes for your shoes. Heres a link to the mission map for the ParisMission (LDS). Throughout our time as missionaries here, we have learned three important truths about missionary work that wed like to share with our fellow missionaries around the world. (Kale), Confidence, teaching experience, fearlessness, stronger faith, humility, much greater trust in the Lord, and an understanding of our place in his plan, better self image, empathy(Mariah), How to speak French. (Michael), It will be the hardest thing you ever do. Luckily, we were able to walk away without to much injury. This gives them something real serious to think about. Bread. I learned how the Spirit worked with me more clearly. So are the Africans! (Roberto), One day while at the church, a lady called the chapel and asked to learn more. The Gift of Tongues is a very real and very beautiful thing, I can testify to that. (Kara), Colombes, Evry/Grigny, Versailles, Melun, Bois Guillaume, Rouens, and Nantes. (Paul), Paris, Vannes, Alencon, La Rochelle, Mantes-la-Jolie, Rennes,and Caen. It was pretty funny. Transferring up and down stairs from train to train. Rain gear a must. 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. Id never had that happen before. There are so many types of transportation that you have to figure out how and when to use. There are a lot of micro climates. Also, most of our transfers were by train, not automobile. (Alex), Layer! (Zakarias), Its like regular mainland European weather- we have both a lot of rain and sun. Humanitarian Service Missionaries) Learn More Education A big reason that I memorized the discussions so quickly and taught so many shallow street lessons was to be better than others. (Matt), How to find the good in others, studying for a couple hours at a time, and not being afraid to open my mouth. Theres no way we can find her here! Buy winter jackets there if youre going in the summer. (Dennis). I loved the people and the area. The language of the Spirit is the codex for the universal translator that is the Gift of Tongues. The next day, we were notified from our Mission President that missionaries were no longer to hold Halloween parties in any way whatsoever. Then he tried to get between us. I am now a French teacher. (Chloe), I learned to communicate better. (Chloe), Dont worry about trying to express everything that you want to say. I hope I get to go back as a couple missionary. It is so enriching to learn form people from every corner of the world and you can learn so much from them. I saw almost 50 baptisms in my 18 months. (Drew), I was on splits the first night of my mission with two elders. Getting along with different personalities and people. 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. (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. My grammar became worse because of the foreign language, but I learned to explain basic concepts and then building up to more complex concepts as a missionary. I know that I choose my joy or sadness. (Anna), 1. I developed a love of linguistics which has indeed carried over into my professional career as a game artist, especially when working in iconography for user-interface design. (Merrilyn), How to be humorous. But there are cheap marchs that youll walk through on P-day, shampoo & hygiene products you can pick up for a euro or two in big subway stations like La Dfense as you switch trains and things like that. (Jeffrey), Immerse yourself in the work. One was when a recent convert learn how to read by sounding out words from the Book of Mormon and the Gospel Principles manual. Caresser is to pet. More people than I had imagined are in Paris. (Bryan), A strong testimony of the work and of the church. After settling down on the train, a big lady in bright pink barely made the train and shuffled all of her parcels and bags around to sit across from me. Knowing to use common sense. (Zakarias), Its hard and long but its what you make of it, Make sure you have a solid testimony of the Gospel, especially The Book of Mormon. She got baptized later, and I got to baptize and confirm her. DC North Graff/Gottfredson 1992-98 Group. Language mastery. How to get along with another annoying person. Comfortable shoes (those flats wont last you long on the cobblestone roads!) (Drew), Teaching the lessons and seeing the baptism of a young refugee from the Ukraine. Frequently Asked Questions. I would not be the same person without that growth. An Apostle of Jesus Christ and his wife brought a familiar message of hope to French-speaking Latter-day Saints around the world on Sunday, February 21. Later, her daughter and sister also joined. 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. Likewise, there are so many people out there who try to use the secular history of Mormons as a tool of deceit, confusion, and contention. He was quite disheveled, and asked if he should dress up a little we said, if you want to! Cold in winter, hot in summer. (Valan), People skills. (Chloe), Investigators reading the scriptures and telling us what they learned. Very brave people. Keep it going! 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? If you have found this service helpful, please consider donating! So I went with that mindset, and I found that the mission was the most fun that Ive ever had. Shortly after leaving the apartment, I felt the Spirit tell me to talk to the guy crossing the street in front of me. (Paul), A second language. [2] U.S. State [ edit] (Jeffrey), Depends on what part of the county youre in. (Kale), Poubelles, crepes, couscous, steak-frites. People skills. (Paul), Some kids were throwing dirt clods at an old man and we told them to stop. Especially shoes, coat, umbrella (although the wind will destroy it). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides relief and development projects for humanitarian purposes in countries all over the world. 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. (Dennis), One time some members friends gave us a dozen apples or so just after we visited them. We dont use cars for transfers. (Valan), St Quentin, St Omer, Brussels, Paris, Nantes, Tours. Whether we are full-time missionaries or not, no matter where were from or what language we speak, we can all invite others to come unto Christ and partake of the joy that can only be found in His gospel. 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. We had a great appointment; he finally started to break his habits and read the scriptures himself afterwards. However, as we climbed the stairs I felt the migraine lift and strength return. Heres a recent address for the ParisMission. (Douglas), We joked with a Jewish man on the street, and told him that he should join us in another town for church on Sunday. Cold in the winter, but it never snowed. (Alex), It is a baptizing mission! Chocolate. (Kara), Spent a year in Rouen.it rained a lot. Moules frites. I felt the Spirit very strongly as I was able to answer Yes. Less stuff to pack is less stuff you have to carry around and keep up with. DC North - President Dennis E. Simmons Group. The more you pray, study and testify, the stronger your testimony will grow. The temperatures didnt seem all that different than the, Cloudy and rainy. (Nicholai), Be more outgoing and less afraid of making mistakes. Focus on what you can say and build from there. (Drew), I had the opportunity to teach the missionary discussions in seven different languages over the course of my mission. I wish I wasnt so self-conscious about not speaking French. Wind chill drops the temp 10 degrees and the wind cuts through any clothing you have. Here are ParisMission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni ofthe ParisMission. Weve learned some valuable lessons from our unique mission experience. (Kale), I would shore up your testimony and knowledge of the Gospel and Book of Mormon. Forget the nylons (if you can get away with it). Take pictures of the people you meet (and label them because no matter how much you love them, you will forget their names). They were all so kind and friendly. Cant remember the name of the main cheese I loved. (Jordan), Pain au chocolat, religiouse; quiche. (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. My advice is to rely with all your heart on the Lord and you will make it. We went around a corner and a bunch of soldiers started clapping for us. (Merrilyn), I was a new member of the church when I went out on my mission. Surely there will be hard and discouraging times. MyMission.com provides free missionary websites to LDS missionaries and their families giving them a great way to communicate and share mission experiences. Each US mission has languages you are officially called to speak and then other languages that you might be asked to speak regardless of your call. I didnt say anything to my companion until after 2 more stops. 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. Im so excited to see how it grows and now the temple is being dedicated! American baggy clothes stick out like a sore thumb. (Anna), (Sisters) Dont feel like you have to have Everything youll need for 2 years. See DieterF. Uchtdorf, God Will Do Something Unimaginable, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 54. 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. (Anonymous), Crepes, bread, cheese, pate, patisserie, grec, kabab, etc. No spirit, no success. Some times to a fault for preaching the gospel as they only want to worry about themselves and dont need anything else . (Scott), The history was amazing!!! We will in effect be Gods. (Matt), I called women, men sometimes haha. (Paul), Little to no snow.. humid. (Mariah), Pain au Chocolate. (Scott), This happened twice on mission. (Jordan), How to speak another language. Layers. (Paul), Kebab. Kebab. (Anonymous), Fast and pray with faith and hard work, nothing doubting, success is guaranteed in your life and the lives of those you come in contact with. The honeymoon might last a bit longer (a year or two) but if your partner or yourself are not grounded in the gospel, some rough, exciting, sad times are ahead of you. Some of us may wonder if we were really called to the right place or whether we can truly make a difference. Do your best to communicate in a loving way with your companion. Among the hardest things Id done. I got a letter saying that I had successfully completed the BBN mission and a new call letter came. The cities are full of people from every country imaginable. Friends. (Merrilyn), Our mission extended from Paris to Tarbes and Pau. He participates in the temple preparation class we teach twice per week, and his testimony is a blessing to everyone around him. *Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. You can submit your own article, ideas, or feedback at liahona.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. (Nicholai), Finding Jean-Claude at a bus station and seeing his life change in just 3 weeks. He has prepared a way for them to hear the most important message of all time by calling French-speaking missionaries to find them and invite them to come and see and come and belong.2 No matter how long we may have traveled or how long we may have been searching, not one of us is ever forgotten by our Heavenly Father. (Drew), I was a little nervous as plans fell through again with my first blue (trainee), and I was afraid she might be mad or frustrated that we werent teaching quite as much as she probably expected. (Drew), Shoes: buy for comfort, support, and durability, NEVER for fashion. Heres a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the ParisLDS Mission. (Jacob), Be as obedient as you possibly can, but dont beat yourself up if you occasionally are not. (For sisters) A coat with a hood. They are excellent cooks as expected. (Drew), While serving in Lorient, France in the spring of 2001, we were surprised to find the entire center of town and a 1 km radius around it under evacuation orders because a construction crew had discovered an unexploded bomb from WWII buried beneath the ruins of an old bunker that was being demolished in an expansion project for the local stadium (Lorient had been an Allied port and submarine base during the war). For many of them, the path that led them to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ wasnt easy, but meeting these people has helped us see how the Lord guides people to find His true gospel. Pretty hot in the summer. It took some good companions to fix that. (Anna), I was training for the second time in St. Ouen/Sarcelles, and we were waiting to cross a busy street after an appointment. And I loved hearing peoples stories. There was an incredible spirit in the room which we could tell he felt. I know Christ and his mission on earth. (Doug), Getting stuck in metro doors. To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Paris Mission: Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the France ParisMission. The French-speaking members in Phoenix have a deep love for the Savior and strong testimonies that God knows each of His children. (2019), 1. You can find happiness in anything if you want to. Amazing ville. Over coming adversity. (Elsa), I had three Mission Presidents: President Jones in Paris, Elder Andersen, and President Oveson in Bordeaux. Hangers take up a lot of space in your luggage. A knowledge of Gods love and His involvement and interest in my life. (Kara), Being there when the first stake was formed in Versailles. (Dennis), Once they opened up to you, you had a friend for life. Dress and Grooming. Members are helpful. French Language: General: Dealing with money Getting to Paris from the . Learning to talk with anyone from any background. Talked about the gospel without being awkward. France Bordeaux Mission. That is the adversary trying to stop you and demotivate you.go into the mission believing you will find those who have been prepared. The food is unforgettable. It is such beautiful countryside, both in natures landscape, and also in the architecture of the little roads, the stone buildings, the manicured trees and the history there . Utah Salt Lake City East Mission. But throughout the course of our service, the Spirit has confirmed to us that we are exactly where the Lord needs us to be and that He will magnify our efforts to accomplish His will here in this corner of the earth. We were trying to get away from him for like 30 minutes. My prayer worked and he left us alone and minutes later almost had a brawl with some Arabs up to no good. That will bless your life and the life of your family forever. (Matt), Bread and cheese, snails, sauerkraut with various meats, fries and the different sauces that France and Belgium have to offer. The members preparing his name for temple work, the bishop emailing me a year after his death to tell me that he had personally done the proxy temple ordinances in Jean-Claudes name. Make sure you have good, sturdy walking shoes that will last. (Matt), Belfort, Rouen, Villenuve Dascq, Mulhouse, Nivelles (Belgium), and Saint-Omer. And one . France Marseille Mission. Avoid accumulating things on your mission. No smoking no drinking NO DRINKING WINE. (Paul), Forget about home and engulf yourself in the gospel, the language and the French culture. You learn about traditions from every part of the world and celebrate with them. Like when someone disses someone and you say Burn! well I said Brul (burn) and found out that doesnt work too well. But they dont always mean the same thing in English. We really should have gotten off, shouldnt we! But then she turned towards me and she said, this is the most beautiful street!! *Click here to browse Paris Mission gifts. 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. Often, they were primarily taught by other members or missionaries, but the fact is that there are lots of baptisms going on, and it is beautiful! So Why Did My Husband Want to Join It? He told us (in French) that he was excited to be there, but exciter in French means to be sexually aroused. Enjoy every day. Missionaries called French speaking serve in Reunion and Mauritius and never see the mission home on Madagascar. Other franciphone missions are Tahiti, Quebec, Haiti, Switzerland, and temple square. (Michael), In Meaux, a Sunday School instructor asked me to get a tableau. (Valan), Dont bring tons of American clothes. (Bryan), One on one people and group speaking skills. We used a translator. A few of the members had a chuckle. 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. It never got too cold, but spending too much time outdoors in the winter was chilly business. (Chloe), Too many to appropriately list here. I was thinking, what are we doing?! Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. Alabama Birmingham. Africa North (AN), North America (NA), and South America (SA) are abbreviated for concise column and reduction of row height for most rows. 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. A bit rainy in the winter but otherwise okay. I was also blessed to learn how to set goals and work toward those goals. (Merrilyn), Learn how to provide good reasons to believe in God without resorting to Bible/Book of Mormon/Prayer (which are all great ways to learn of God but some/most people need a logical reason to believe in a Higher Power at all. (Paul), A new perspective on life. (Anonymous), Where ever you are called, serve with all your might, mind, and strength. He then chased us out of the building with said knife. (Anonymous), Missing the last bus, attempting to hitch hike back home. Other times, it was just having a conversation with the man in the park about death, and what he was going through. I asked for her name as she ran out and she yelled it back. (Zakarias), Anything you need you can buy in France. I cant remember exactly how late it was, but the out of town companionships had to wait until well after dinner time before the trains were even up and running again so they could return home for the night. In the evening that same day we were in a remote location far from the center and knocking doorsguess who opened one of the door we knocked at. I love the cosmopolitan, international nature of the cities there, meeting people from every nation, all working together. Yes. (Anonymous), It gets very hot and very cold. Summers, you need to organize your time so that you arent in the sun for too long of a period. He decided to be baptized. ;). Was in 3 missions, all transfers were by airplane. (Stuart), Well I had a French companion and I was joking and said your mom to him in french but in french that means a super bad word haha so be careful with your translations haha. Ha Ha I had no idea how to lead music. Remember this when you are off your mission and are in the process of choosing an eternal partner. Slightly nerve racking but ultimately hilarious. It existed until 1852 when it was closed due to restrictions by the French government, and the missionaries left the territory. (Kara), It was a magical place to serve. (Paul), Someone telling me they were literally the devil my first Christmas when we were porting in La Rochelle. Hair? (Anonymous), Perseverance. I returned to my first city nearly a year after I entered the mission and trained a brand new missionary there. Scriptures Gospel Library Gospel Media Music Library. As missionaries, we are helping fulfill that prophecy today. All these things I learned are essential in my present life and future. That lead to us teaching he and his girlfriend. (Zakarias), Buying three tickets for Trois from a kiosk in Le Havre. Then they asked me if they could visit my home because they had a message for me.. (Elsa), Asniere, Lorient, Nogent, Montreuil, and Evreux. I love how particular they can be, and how they say hello to every person in the room before they sit down. (Alex), Having an Amish call and say that the Book of Mormon is true and that he wants to be baptized. (Alex), Language bonus, people skills, being able to carry on a conversation, cooking. That feeling of love was astounding. It was right outside a train station and everyone stopped to see how I would react. Dont hold yourself back. Just trust in the Lord. 8 Months. (Merrilyn), I never ate cheese in my life. 172 Years. Later missionaries entered Quebec City where a branch was organized in 1969. Try to keep your luggage limited, too: one large suitcase, one good backpack or carry-on piece, and a wardrobe bag for your suits/dresses. Libraries. Can reach upper 90s with the additional heat index as well. Brother Naatjes is a former stake president, high councilor, branch president . A beautiful family and peace of mind and eternal perspective. Also, people enjoyed food. The French are kind but you need to be real and sincere with themthey will see through insincerity very quickly. (Matt), Let your mission be a compass for the rest of your life. It was so hard, but the people I met forever changed my life. Make sure you have a mechanism by which they can attach together in case you need to book it across train stations! (Anonymous), The end of a mission is the beginning of a life mission to grow and serve. French Population. So youd have to be prepared for anything over the course of a year.
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