Salut tout le monde!
It was a special week! This Saturday I had the blessing to baptize Muamba in the Dordogne. It was so great. Almost the whole branch was there, and he was so happy! He was confirmed Sunday by Bro Faucher. Anyways, the baptism was awesome! We actually started at the river. We sang, we prayed, and then we did the baptism. Bro Bouchet had set up a makeshift "changing room" for me and Muamba (it was two tarps tied to a few trees haha), so we changed, then we headed to the chapel to finish the service. Elder Coenen and I sang "Seigneur Mon Dieu" (How Great Thou Art) at the end. Madame Tudor and Flora came, and Madame Tudor was crying the whole time we were singing and for a few minutes after. We were shocked because we had just come up with it that morning! Muamba had asked us to do a special number, and of course, we procrastinated haha. But wow, it was a great baptismal service. Pray for Muamba so he can continue to grow in the Gospel!
Victoria and Flora are doing great! Well, as far as their progression in the Gospel goes. Actually they're in a really tough situation right now. Victoria can't find any work right now and there is nothing in Bergerac. She's searchign in Bordeaux for work, but doesn't have the money to take the train all the time to Bordeaux. She was really discouraged about that this week. But we can see how much joy the Gospel is bringing her already. And Flora is just great. She's 11 years old, but is super intelligent and very sensible. She understands the principles of the Gospel so well and finds answers to her questions in the Book of Mormon - yes!!! We're so excited for them, and the branch already accepts them as their own. They always stay and talk for an hour after church with everyone and members have even invited them over for dinner. That's pretty rare as far as France goes! The branch is great!
I'm doing well. I think I need to endure Bergerac a little better though. It's a small ville, but I need to keep my faith in it, and keep my expectations high as to what we can accomplish here! Now that I look back, we've had 4 baptisms since I got here, and that's double what I had my whole mission before I got to Bergerac, and we'll have two more in a couple weeks! There are always people who are prepared, and we've got to do ALL WE CAN to find them. The mission is too short. There's too much work to do! Sometimes I feel like my mission is never going to end, because I don't see it ending. I don't see the work ever ending. It's a weird feeling. But, as Gandalf once said, "We must do what we can with the time that is given us." (I've been waiting a long time to whip out that quote :) ). But it's true. I won't be a full time missionary my whole life. I need to do what I can, and all that I can while I'm here. It's similar to life on earth. We won't live here forever. We will die one day, and we need to have done all that we can overcome ourselves, our weaknesses, in order to be pure before God when we return to His presence. This life is the time. This mission is the time. It's kind of scary to think about that sometimes. We want to make every moment count! But I love this quote by Pres. Hinckley that a friend send me this week in an email. "I don't worry too much about the future and I don't worry very much about the past. The past is gone, and you can't change, you can't correct it. The future, you can anticipate, but you can't necessarily do much about it. It is the present you have to deal with. Reach out for every good opportunity to do what you ought to do." If we act NOW, without dwelling on the past or in the future, and do what we know we should do, we will have no regrets and our future will be secure. The church is true, and I know it. God lives and loves us and we are His children. He hopes and expects us to do everything we can to return and live with Him one day, but WE have to decide. I am ever grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ who makes it all possible. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to help people make this decision all day every day. I wouldn't rather be anywhere else! The mission is the best. I love all of you! Bonne semaine!
Love,
Elder Tudor
It was a special week! This Saturday I had the blessing to baptize Muamba in the Dordogne. It was so great. Almost the whole branch was there, and he was so happy! He was confirmed Sunday by Bro Faucher. Anyways, the baptism was awesome! We actually started at the river. We sang, we prayed, and then we did the baptism. Bro Bouchet had set up a makeshift "changing room" for me and Muamba (it was two tarps tied to a few trees haha), so we changed, then we headed to the chapel to finish the service. Elder Coenen and I sang "Seigneur Mon Dieu" (How Great Thou Art) at the end. Madame Tudor and Flora came, and Madame Tudor was crying the whole time we were singing and for a few minutes after. We were shocked because we had just come up with it that morning! Muamba had asked us to do a special number, and of course, we procrastinated haha. But wow, it was a great baptismal service. Pray for Muamba so he can continue to grow in the Gospel!
Victoria and Flora are doing great! Well, as far as their progression in the Gospel goes. Actually they're in a really tough situation right now. Victoria can't find any work right now and there is nothing in Bergerac. She's searchign in Bordeaux for work, but doesn't have the money to take the train all the time to Bordeaux. She was really discouraged about that this week. But we can see how much joy the Gospel is bringing her already. And Flora is just great. She's 11 years old, but is super intelligent and very sensible. She understands the principles of the Gospel so well and finds answers to her questions in the Book of Mormon - yes!!! We're so excited for them, and the branch already accepts them as their own. They always stay and talk for an hour after church with everyone and members have even invited them over for dinner. That's pretty rare as far as France goes! The branch is great!
I'm doing well. I think I need to endure Bergerac a little better though. It's a small ville, but I need to keep my faith in it, and keep my expectations high as to what we can accomplish here! Now that I look back, we've had 4 baptisms since I got here, and that's double what I had my whole mission before I got to Bergerac, and we'll have two more in a couple weeks! There are always people who are prepared, and we've got to do ALL WE CAN to find them. The mission is too short. There's too much work to do! Sometimes I feel like my mission is never going to end, because I don't see it ending. I don't see the work ever ending. It's a weird feeling. But, as Gandalf once said, "We must do what we can with the time that is given us." (I've been waiting a long time to whip out that quote :) ). But it's true. I won't be a full time missionary my whole life. I need to do what I can, and all that I can while I'm here. It's similar to life on earth. We won't live here forever. We will die one day, and we need to have done all that we can overcome ourselves, our weaknesses, in order to be pure before God when we return to His presence. This life is the time. This mission is the time. It's kind of scary to think about that sometimes. We want to make every moment count! But I love this quote by Pres. Hinckley that a friend send me this week in an email. "I don't worry too much about the future and I don't worry very much about the past. The past is gone, and you can't change, you can't correct it. The future, you can anticipate, but you can't necessarily do much about it. It is the present you have to deal with. Reach out for every good opportunity to do what you ought to do." If we act NOW, without dwelling on the past or in the future, and do what we know we should do, we will have no regrets and our future will be secure. The church is true, and I know it. God lives and loves us and we are His children. He hopes and expects us to do everything we can to return and live with Him one day, but WE have to decide. I am ever grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ who makes it all possible. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to help people make this decision all day every day. I wouldn't rather be anywhere else! The mission is the best. I love all of you! Bonne semaine!
Love,
Elder Tudor
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