June 27, 2011

Hey there!
Today it was a 100 degrees and tomorrow it will be 104. And right now in this internet cafe it's at least 90. Gah! Mais ça va. Il fait beaucoup plus chaud à l'amerique de sud. Except it's winter there... hmm, I dunno! This week was good! I did an exchange with Elder Carson in Perigeux, and that was fun. Then we went to Bordeaux friday to say bye to President and Sister Carter. They both gave beautiful talks/presentations. I love them! I really appreciated a story that President Carter shared about a missionary who had his last interview with the president before going home and said he felt likle he had wasted his time because the only person he baptized was one 12 year old boy. This mission president kept track of this 12 year old boy his whole life. He served a mission, had a family, etc. In the end, more than 1,100 people came into the church because of that one boy. Sure, we're not baptizing people every week here in France, but we are still doing the lord's work with all our heart. It's impossible to tell what will become because of our work, only God knows. Today, I had one of those moments where I realized my work had paid off. In Nice, Elder Graham and I found a Russian man who understood almost nothing in French. He was hardly progressing, but he did read the Book of Mormon often, so we kept teachign. It seemed like he was getting nothing out of it though. And then I went to Cannes. Today I found out he was baptized last saturday. What a sweet surprise! The work doesn't always go exactly how we want it at the moment, but "the works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught... Remember, remember, that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men." Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that this isn't our work, but it is His, and all will be done according to His will.
President Carter also talked a lot about marriage, which was funny haha. He gave us the eleventh commandment: KTWH - Keep Thy Wife Happy. Of course, any time that anyone talks about marriage around a group of missionaries, the discussion goes crazy haha. He talked a lot about the family though. I was really touched to hear his story about how he and Soeur Carter came into the Gospel. At the time he had a big beard, mullet, and played bass in a rock band (which could be my future as well, but on lead guitar ;) ). Because of the Gospel, they got married ( the same day as their baptism), they had kids who went on mission, and when they get back they're going to bless a grand daughter, baptize a grand daughter, and marry one of their sons in the temple all within three weeks. Wow. The Gospel is pretty amazing, isn't it? Simply put, that and the family is the most important thing in the world. I'm so lucky to have the opportunity play a part in this work of salvation here in France.
Something funny - we all stood in line to say bye to president and sister carter. The sister missionaries went first, and they all hugged president carter (usually its not allowed - just a handshake), then when it got to the Elders, the first Elder didnt know whether to hug Sister Carter or not, but he went for it haha. She hugged him and have him the bises (the little kisses on the cheek) and she did the same for all of us. Haha it was such a funny awkward moment. And the president didn't mind, donc ça va haha.
Gael, Maurel, and Muamba are doing great! Fr Bouchet will receive the Aaronic priesthood this sunday so he will baptize his son Gael. That's seriously one of the most beautiful things to witness - a family accepting and living the Gospel together. I can't think of any experiences in particular that I had this week. It was a crazy week haha. But I do remember one thing - perseverance. That's basically the theme of Bergerac! And one of the main principles of the gospel. There are days here when I feel like no one will listen, but we keep talking to everyone anyways, and it's always when we feel the most discouraged and the most like giving up on the day that we receive the blessings. I've found that a good 80 percent of phone numbers we take come in the last half hour or so before we come home, or while we're on our pday and we take a couple seconds to contact someone that we feel is ready for the Gospel. The Lord always pushes us. Why? Because he loves us! Unfortunately, there are few in the world who understand this and lose their faith. But it's ONLY AFTER the trial that we receive a witness that it was all worth it. I ask myself almost every day why he has to push us so much, and every day I learn why if I hold out faithful. That's where we show our faith. We couldn't show faith in God if all was going good. Heavenly Father sent us here to walk by faith, and it is by faith that we follow principles of the Gospel that will allow us eventually to gain salvation. I'm so thankful for a God who allows us to suffer so we become stronger, and more like him. He's given us all we need to combat oppisition in life, we just need to trust him, have faith in him, and apply it! I know the Gospel is true. I know that it is a living Gospel and that we are led by God himself through personal inspiration and our inspired leaders. I love you all and hope you have a great week! And oh yeah, I got to see Elder Park in Bordeaux on Friday! I missed my boy! He's doing great in Tarbes and it was sweet to catch up. Anyways, bonne semaine, ciao!
Love,
Elder Tudor