October 10, 2011

Bonjour enfants des hommes, Oh Bergerac, Oh Bergerac, I bid thee... not farewell! Yep, I'm staying a 4th in Bergerac! I was so surprised!!! At first I wasn't sure how I felt about it haha, but I'm happy about it now. If there's anyone left in the city that I don't konw yet, I'll know them all by the end of this transfer haha. I'm pretty stoked. And I'm still with Elder Willett which is great. Apparently only two missionaries in our whole zone got transfered (there's about 12 or 13 companionships in the zone) because president thought our zone was too far away and didn't want to move us haha. that's what someone told me anyways. SO, lots of news this week. First of all, A was baptized!!!!! It was so amazing. Miraculously, all of her problems were sorted out and she got all ready to go in this last week. Bro B baptized her, which was so great. Her baptism was quite an experience. First, I need to explain to you that ever since she set a baptismal date she has told us how afraid she is of going underwater during EVERY lesson haha. The day before the baptism we went to her house to see how she was doing, and she was so scared. We read a few scriptures about faith and fear with her, and by the end we got her to say at least that she wasn't scared. She looked terrified though haha. I felt so bad for her, but I knew it would work out. I was a little afraid though because she has really bad respiratory problems and has to sleep with a machine hooked up to her at night so she can breath, and she can hardly get up and go to the bathroom without breathing like she ran a marathon. So Saturday morning the B's picked us all up and off we went. Almost the whole branch was there which was awesome. We took pictures before the meeting started, and she looks absolutely terrified in all of them. I felt so bad! This should be a happy day! She was happy to be baptized, I know, but she was just so terrified of the water. It started half an hour late, as usual (you think it's bad in the U.S.). When it was time for the ordinance, A, bro B, and I got in the font (I was there because she wanted an extra person in case something went wrong, but Bro B actually baptized her). We got her into the font, and waited a few minutes for her to catch her breath and got her all situated, and of course everyone watching was shouting out orders of how to do the baptism like how she needed to put her dress between her legs. The poor lady, she could barely even breathe at the moment! Then Bro B performed the ordinance. Let's just say he didn't exactly ease her down into the water. It happened pretty quick and I just saw her terrified face go into the water and we all heard her scream as she went in. I think he pushed her to the bottom of the font, then finally brought her back out. When she came back out she started coughing really bad, I'm sure she inhaled some water when she went in screaming. I was terrified! Luckily the coughing subsided after a few seconds and she was ok! It was quite a baptism! She's pretty brave to do that with her respiratory problem, I was so happy for her! The service was amazing and the Spirit was there. A cried through all the talks and was so touched, especially knowing that she now is part of a huge family. Sunday, she only planned on coming to Sacrament meeting (which is the last meeting here) for her confirmation because she was so tired after the baptism. But apparently there was some kind of race Sunday morning and when she went to get in her car she noticed that all the streets were blocked off, so she called us and was panicking, but a member went and picked her up in his car and it worked out, and she was confirmed! She was so stressed that she was late haha I felt so bad, but she loved it, and felt so much better after her confirmation. We officially named her "French Granny" of Bergerac. There's a french granny in every city in the mission. The responsibilities basically consist of cooking for the missionaries every once in awhile and reparing their clothes haha, and in return she gets to be called "Mami" which means granny in French. She loves it. In other news, Mb is getting the priesthood next week! I'm so excited for him!!!! He is progressing so well. This week he came with us to visit A once before her baptism. We had only brought him teaching with us once before and it was... interesting haha. But we asked him to bear testimony of his baptism to A. It was one of the most powerful and pure testimonies I had ever heard. I had never really heard his full testimony about his baptism, and wow. I wrote it all down in my journal because he had some experiences and some miracles happen that he had never told us about prior to his baptism. It was so amazing, and it helped A so much. A testimony is one of the most powerful things one can have. Now Mb wants to help us with teaching all the time, especially with A, he loves her and calls her Mami too haha. I love the guy, and I'm so excited for him to receive the Priesthood! So, here we go again, Bergerac. I remember when I got here and saw how small it was. I thought to myself, "well, I have two choices. Be discouraged because of how small it is and how little work there probably is, or work I can work as hard as I can with what I have." I'm glad I chose to work. The Lord has blessed me with more success here than anywhere else on my mission. It's because it's the Lord's work, not mine, and if I'm here, that means He is preparing people here and he wants me to be an instrument in His hands in finding them and helpling them come unto Christ. The greater the opposition is, the greater the miracles are. It's been a year of miracles for the branch in Bergerac, and I'm so happy for them. The branch has strengthened so much, and it will continue to do so. I'm so glad I get to keep serving here. Sometimes I have doubts that there's much left to do here, but i know I wouldn't be here if that was true. The Lord has left me here for a reason, and I want to do all I can to fulfill His work here. I'm going to grow a lot this transfer, as if I haven't already grown enough here in Bergerac. It's quite a testing ground, especially mentally, but I'm stoked! Elder Willett and I have fixed some good goals for this transfer and I know we'll see miracles if we work with the Spirit. Thanks for all your support back home. I love you! Bonne semaine! Love, Elder Tudor