February 6, 2012

Allo,
We were all over the place this week, but we were able to throw a solid week together and we had some amazing experiences. Transfer calls are this Friday and neither of us want to be transfered. We really want to stay together! We'll see what happens though. We love our area and our invesigators! Sunday morning I woke up to snow for the first time on my mission! There were only about 2 inches and it was still lightly snowing. We thought it wouldn't be a problem, but we greatly underestimated the French freak out to snow. They cancelled ALL the buses and ALL the trams. So our 9 or 10 investigators who were coming to church couldn't come. Then we got a call from our bishop saying that all meetings were cancelled, but the ward that goes earlier still had church so we could go to that one, but then he said, "it's not worth the risk!! stay home!!!" Elder Buss and I just laughed as we looked out the window at the 2 inches of snow. So we did go, but had to take the car, with special permission from president. We were able to take our recent convert R and he was able to meet with the Bishop who came to the other ward's meetings; afterwards, R received the Aaronic priesthood and was ordained to the office of a priest. He showed up in a white shirt and slacks and we gave him a tie. He's the man! P was supposed to as well, but their car wouldn't make it in the snow. They said they kept sliding off the road, so they weren't able to make it to church. L is doing well, and still wants to aptized, but there are still some complications. Pray for them please!
The rest of theweek was crazy because we had interviews this week and Eler Buss and I did a zone training. We had a ton of fun with it. It was on contacting with the Book of Mormon. We did "speed dating" or rather "speed preaching" where there were two lines of chairs facing eachother and everyone had a partner across fromthem. One partner would ask a "great questio nof the soul" and the other would respond using the Book of Mormon within a minute and a half. It was a really fun and cool activity that strengthened my testimony that the BoM can answer every sincere question. We also prepared a slideshow for th zone which was great. I put the picture of that demon cat from Bergerac in it haha. Then Elder Buss and I performed the Bordeaux Zone Song that we've been working on. It was so much fun. It was just me and Elder Buss, we both sang, and I played guitar. I'm going to try to send you a video of it. I had a really quick interview with president because I was last, but it was good. From what I could tell, I think I'm staying in Bordeaux at least another transfer. I hope so! I told you last week about how we challenged the zone to read the BoM cover to cover during the month of February. As I've been doing the speed read, I've found a side of the BoM that I've never seen before. It is just so apparent in my mind and in my heart that no single person could write this book in just the space of a few months. I know that it is the word of God and that it is here to convince every soul of the divinity of Christ. This morning, I started the Isaiah chapters in 2 nephi, which is usually a block in my BoM reading. But today I read all of them all th way through and I understood them for the first time in my life. It was pretty amazing. I just couldn't put it down during studies, but I wanted to read more and more. I was so happy because the Isaiah chapters always frustrate me because I want to understand but don't manage to. Reading it all at once really helped. I'm really excited to keep going with this til the end of the month. When you read it so fast, you can see just how inspired the Book of Mormon is and how well set up the book is. I can't really explain it. If you haven't done it already, try it for yourself.
I always want to be a missionary! I love it here, especially in Bordeaux. I'd love to finish my mission here. I know this is the Lord's work and that nothing will stop it. Today Elder Buss and I came to a realization while discussing some problems some of our investigators have. In 2nd nephi 27 the Lord says, "I am capable of doing my own work." I know that's true. We were really frustrated because we wanted so bad to help these people, but it was a little out of our hands. The Lord asks us to invite people and show them the way, then he takes care of the rest. There are many things that we have to do in order to invite them in the best way possible, but the Lord is the one who changes their lives and their hearts. I'm so thankful to have been and to be a witness of this process in the lives of people. I know that the Gospel changes people. It changes hearts and desires. I know that it is not always "easy", but God supports us, and in the long run, it is the only way. I love you all! Bonne semaine.
Love,
Elder Tudor