November 28, 2011

Salut tout le monde,
What a week! I LOVE Bordeaux! We've got some great investigators who are progressing well and the work is going great. We're set some great goals for the zone and we're really trying to improve the vision that the missionaries in our zone have and raise the bar of expectations. December is giong to be "miracle month". As soon as our faith increases, it will be.
Well, I guess I'll cut to the chase since you're probably wondering about the subject of this email. Thanksgiving was a crazy day. But I should probably start with Wednesday night. Wednesday night we met with a chinese investigator named F who has been meeting with the us for about a month now. He had a baptismal date for last Saturday but didn't feel ready, so he was praying to know if he should be baptized this week. So we met him at the church and sat down for hte lesson adn said the prayer. As soon as the prayer was over, we asked him how he was doing. His response: So, I looked at my calendar, and I can get baptized next friday or tomorrow. Elder Buss and I looked at eachother like we were making sure we both heard right. Then we said we'd be in Lyon next friday so we have to do it tomorrow! So we called everyone and got him an interview and got everything set up that night. I'm still a little in shock about it. We were freaking out haha. Thanksgiving day was crazy. Us and the Sisters were at the food bank from 8 til 12 sorting out food and throwing away the nasty stuff, which was super fun. Then Elder Buss and I drove home and changed, and went to the giant supermarket to find a turkey (which is rare in france) because we had planned to eat thanksgiving dinner as a district and invite investigators. We found a turkey, and it was the last one in the store... and it was MASSIVE. It weighed like 25 pounds. It was a beast. We had to get it! So we did and they put it in this giant box for us. We had to leave it in the car while we taught a lesson, but we didn't get sick from eating it, don't worry. We took it to the church after and prepared it (Elder Meservy's family had sent turkey bags and a bunch of American thanksgiving food!), but of course we took some pictures with it first. Then we left all the other missionaries to cook while we went and made programs for the baptism at the institute building, and we got back at five minutes to 6, which is when the baptism started. Phew! Traffic in France is terrible. We had the baptismal service, and it was amazing. We were so happy that a lot of members showed up even though it was last minute. The Spirit was very strong and F was so happy. I can't wait to get to know him better. He'll be confirmed this next Sunday because it was stake conference this weekend. Then we all ate Thanksgiving dinner together. There were 6 elders and 4 sisters, and 4 or 5 investigators. It was great! And there was a guitar, so Elder Buss and I did a little number which was fun. The turkey was amazing, as well as all the food. We even had stuffing! It was great. We went around the table and everyone said what they were thankful for and it was really spiritual and it was just a great moment for us and our investigators. So we finished around 830, but it's not over. Then we drove to Bergerac so we could do an exchange there the next day! It was insane; but somehow it all worked out, which was a miracle. Probably the best thanksgiving I've ever had.
This thanksgiving, I was just thankful for the Lord's promises. He gives us commandments and promises us that He will bless us. It's so simple! Missionaries work hard, and they see success, which is nothing that comes from themselves, but is a gift from the Lord for obedience. Investigators keep commitments and keep the commandments, and they receive answers to their prayers and they get baptized. That's what happened with Fu. He prayed about it and really wanted to know, and that's all the Lord asks, so he got his answer and was baptized. I know God loves us. I'm starting to see more and more that He asks us to do the smallest little things compared with the great gifts he bestows upon us for our obedience. If we only seek Him in every aspect of our life and keep our end of the many promises he offers us, we will be blessed with His gifts, and eventually the greatest gift, Eternal Life. All He asks is obedience. It's so simple. I love it. I know it's true.
I love you! I'm thankful for all of you, espeically my family. Thanks for your love, your prayers, and your support.
Love,
Elder Tudor