PICTURES!!!

Arachon

Elder Garlock... we were in the same room in the MTC

Soeur Lopez

Cowboy Night

May 21, 2012

Hey!

Well, it was an eventful week here!  We have tons of work and we're kind of all over the place.  We're still working with the Slovakian community.  F will be baptized this saturday.  He's slovakian as well.  He's super legit, and his wife, A, should be baptized in a few weeks.  F is super ready and lives all the commandments.  C, a Romanian man, is also preparing for baptism for the 2nd of june, next week.  He's the brother of R T, who is the mom in the recent convert family from Romania.  He's a stud too!  Apparently the first time he met the missionaries he said he'd never read the BoM or change religions because he had the Bible and that's all he needed.  Then one day, out of curiosity, he grabbed the BoM and started reading.  He said he read the first page and couldn't put it down.  He's now at Helaman 10 the last time I checked and he testified that he knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that the BoM is true, and that this church is true.  All we need to do is to get people to read the BoM, and the it and the Spirit do the rest!  He's so cool.  He doesn't speak french, but the T's translate for us. 

I'm still getting used to this place.  There's tons of members and it's great.  Everyone is so nice and there's just a great spirit of missionary work in this soon-to-be-ward branch.  It's incredible!  The family whose house I skyped from is the Van Tonder family.  The dad is from South Africa and the mother is french but they all speak french and english.  Their son Jeanpierre helps us with everything.  He basically makes us a threesome. 

I hope everything is well with you all back home.  I'm so thankful for all of you!  I'm motivated every day to get out and do my best because of your love and your prayers.  I love the Gospel.  I'm so happy for the changes it can bring.  Jeanpierre gave a talk in church this sunday on repentance that really touched me.  He said something that really stuck with me, "if you're not changing, you're not repenting."  Satan doesn't want us to change.  He doesn't want us to repent.  He knows that the natural man is an enemy to God.  He uses two main tactics to convince us not to.  The first is discouragement - the feeling that we're not worthy or we're not capable of changing and becoming what God expects us to be.  The second is pride - the feeling that we don't need to change or repent.  The truth is, we all need to, all the time!  But it should never be discouraging, for the call to repentance is one of love, and the act of repentance is an act of love and gratitude towards our Heavenly Father, His perfect plan, and the atonement.  One of my favorite quotes from Elder Scott is that the measure of your faith and character is what you are becoming.  It's not what you've become or what you hope to become.  It's what you're doing right now to change.  It's what you're becoming right now.  If we put off the right now, Satan wins, and we don't taste of the joy and blessings that God has in store for us.  Bot if we repent right now, the great plan of God will be brought to pass immediately in our lives.  I've been thinking about this a lot because I'm afraid of getting too comfortable and just cruising til the end of my mission.  But I know it's a principle I'm going to have to learn, and we're all going to have to learn, that will bless us for our entire lives.  I'm so thankful for the call to repentance because it keeps us in check.  It protects us from pride and the tools of the adversary.  It brings us closer to our Heavenly Father and helps us feel His love and enjoy His blessings.  We should never be afraid or ashamed to repent.  I love section 19 or DandC.   The Lord says that we must repent OR suffer, not that we must repent AND suffer.  I know it's possible because of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.  I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Tudor

May 14, 2012

Bonjour,

Well, I saw all of you yesterday, and I just barely sent a whole bunch of emails to recent converts and people in bordeaux, so I don't have a ton of time, sorry!  But my first week in Montauban was fantastic!   We saw lots of miracles!  We're working with 5 people who have baptismal dates and we're finding new people.  The Lord is really helping us.  It's a small place!  THe people here are incredible.  I'll tell you about one miracle from this week.  Wednesday morning we were contacting because we had no appointments and we were like a hundred yards from the church.  We were contacting someone when a black woman came up and talked to elder Tromeur.  He went off and talked to her.  It ends up that she was baptized in Ivory Coast years ago and has been here for 2 years (in a city outside of montauban) and she never found the church.  She saw us adn recognized us and wanted to ask us where the chruch was.  We showed her and she came to church on Sunday.  The Branch president had her share her testimony during sacrament since she was new.  Apparently she had been searching ever since she got here for the church.  Tuesday night she had a dream where she was in a church and there was lots of singing and dancing and she left because she knew it wasn't her church.  She asked a lady in the road where the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints was and she pointed down the road, but then she woke up.  The next morning she came to Montauban for an appointment and met us just down the road from the church.  The Lord looks out for each one of us.  I was so happy that we were where we were when we were.  I know the Lord prepares these things and He leads us towards those who are ready if we work as hard as we can and we remain worthy to receive His guidance.  Everything is great and it was great to see you all on skype!  Have a great week!  Love you!


Love,


Elder Tudor

May 7, 2012

Bonjour à tous,

So... right now I am in..... MONTAUBAN! (pronounced moan-toe-bawn) With Elder Tromeur.  I guess it was finally time to leave Bordeaux.  It was weird the last few days.  I knew I was leaving, but Bordeaux became like my home and I felt like I was never going to leave!  It was really sad to say goodbye those in bordeaux.  A part of my heart will always be in Bordeaux.  A BIG part of it.

So now I'm here in Montauban which is a small town in the Toulouse zone.  I'm SO blessed to be here.  This place has been exploding with families being baptized all over the place.  With members moving in, less actives reactivated, and baptisms, the branch has about doubled since last August or September.  It's as big as a ward now, they just don't have enough priesthood so it's still a branch.  I'm so excited!  Elder Ormond was here for 5 transfers and I replaced him.  He did  some amazing work here.  It's a weird feeling knowing that th is will probably be my last area.  I wish I had more transfers to stay here!  Elder Tromeur is a stud.  He's from Italy and speaks a million languages.  Apparently they've been baptizing romanians here as well so I'll get to keep practicing my  romanian.  As well, they've basically got like an entire slovokian branch going on haha.  I'm excited to get to know everyone these next few weeks and get used to the area. I'm district leader again and I'm really excited about that cuz I learned a lot abotu being a district leader while I was zone leader haha.  I'll miss ZL councils though.

My last week in Bordeaux was so crazy.  We went to Arcachon on monday with some members and the sisters and had a blast!  We ran up and down the massive dune.  I was exhausted.  We also took a boat tour of the bay.  It is one of hte most beautiful places I've ever seen.  Then we took off to jedi council on the plane that night and arrived in Lyon pretty late.  Jedi council was great.  I told president about our cowboy night and he said, "A man from Dubai and a man who looks like a banker are putting on a cowboy show in Dubai."  Apparently I look like a banker haha but it was funny because Elder Gubbay is a banker actually so I thought he had described Elder Gubbay twice.  Anyways, the cowboy night was incredible.  It was a huge success.  There were almost 200 people there!!  A bunch of families brought investigators and everything.  It was so great.  We put on a great show as well.  We had a historic powerpoint presentation that was pretty funny then a saloon scene skit with the YSA that was hilarious.  Then the Johnstons (the seniour missionary couple from Mont de marsan) did a fiddle and guitar duo, and we ended with line dancing.  It was a great time for all three wards to get together and just have fun and build unity.  We had barbecues and everything.  It was a ton of work, but totally worth it.  And there was so much food!

Unfortunately, none of the baptisms went through this week.  D and G didn't get back from vacation on time, but they're both still on track for baptism.  S Y couldn't get work off on Sundays, but miraculously he found a friend who is willing to replace him on Sundays who is moving to Bordeaux at the end of the month.  So he'll be baptized then.  He's so ready for baptism though. 

I'm really going to miss Bordeaux.  It wasn't easy to leave.  I've been so blessed to know the people I know over there.  Great news though - guess who is replacing me?  Elder Dorton!!! I was so happy to hear that!!  He and Elder Gubbay are going to tear it up.  I have no worries there.  Elder Dorton is such a stud. 

There are a lot of emotions going on in me right now.  But I think the strongest one is that of joy.  When I found out I was being transfered, I took my scriptures and opened up to D&C 18 and read about the worth of souls.  I think one of the most incredible truths found in the gospel is that of eternity.  Everything in the gospel is eternal.  I know that the people in my life and the people I'm meeting on my mission and that I love so dearly will be with me for eternity.  These relationships don't end!  I think there is nothing more beautiful than this doctrine.  "How great will be your joy with them in the kingdom of My Father!"  I love my mission.  I don't want to go home.  The sadness of leaving these people I love is overpowered by the knowledge and testimony that God has prepared a perfect plan of happiness so that everything that brings true happiness to His children are eternal.  I know the gospel is true.  The love we feel through the Savior, His servants, and His gospel, changes people.  I miss all of you and love you.  I'm so happy to hear about my new nephew Dawson!!! I love the name!  Salut Dawson!  Bisou!  I'll send some pics of the cowboy night.  Have a great week!

Love,


Elder Tudor

April 30, 2012

Heya,

Where has the time gone?  I can't believe this is the last week of my 4th transfer here in Bordeaux.  I could finish out here and would be totally happy.  I have a feeling I'm getting transfered next monday though.  I really really want to train, so hopefully I'll finally get to!  That would mean I wouldn't be zone leader anymore, but that's ok.  I've LOVED being zone leader, but training is alway something I've wanted to experience.  We'll see! 


We had a good week.  We're on a hunt for new investigators.  The only ones we have right now are S Y, D, and G, who all have baptismal dates for this weekend.  S Y is a stud and will be baptized.  The only thing that might stop him is that he has to talk to his boss about work so he doesn't have to work on sundays.  Pray for him!!!  He quit smoking and drinking like it was nothing, and he has been a heavy smoker for 10 years!  (he's only 24).  Such a miracle.  D and G are getting back from vacation at the beginning of this week.  We've been praying that they'd keep reading in the BoM and come back ready for their baptisms.  We'll see what happens!  We are in desperate need of new people to teach, but we've been super super busy with other stuff.  We had interviews with president this week so we had to organize that and prepare a 2 hour training.  It was great though.  I LOVE zone meetings and zone conferences.  I think they're my favorite meetings of the entire church.  There was an apostle once who said zone conferences are his favorite meetings in the church.  The Spirit is so strong when you put 24 full time missionaries in a room and have gospel discussions for a few hours.  I love our zone, I'll be sad to leave them.


We had a little chinese night this week at R's.  Both R and C cooked.  I LOVE chinese food!  They made way too much though haha.  R made these amazing coca cola chicken wings.  (they love to cook in coca cola - like when charming made us cow's feet, that was cooked in coca cola as well.  The chicken was much better though...).  We visit a less active named sister L.  She's one of my favorite people on earth.  She has a lot of health problems though and we've been working with her to get her to stop smoking.  She kept telling us to stop insisting and that it would come (she's been saying that for months).  Then last week she had a really bad asthma attack and since then has had no desire to smoke whatsoever and in the last like 2 weeks she's only smoked half a cigarette.  Our prayers are heard!  The poor lady has so many health problems.  She has really bad blisters that she gets on her tummy that take a long time to heal, her bone marrow is going bad, she often loses all the strength in her legs, she coughs a lot, has bad back problems, and the list goes on.  We sat down to share a thought with her, and even though we had talked about the word of wisdom a million times before, we had never thought to read what the revelation actually says in D&C 89.  18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, ashall receive bhealthin their navel and marrow to their bones; 20 And shall arun and not be bweary, and shall walk and not faint.
When we read that together, I was amazed.  The blessings that come from living the word of wisdom were exactly the blessings promised in the revelation.  I know that as she continues to keep this commandment and walk in obedience to all the commandments, she will receive these blessings!  It was amazing to read that with her and promise her those blessings as a representative of Jesus Christ.


Yesterday was a great moment in church.  Saturday night I read my letter from mom, in which she included an email from Elder Hughes to his family.  He said that last week they had no investigators in church, but he wasn't sad because many people were ther that he helped get baptized.  Yesterday was a day like that for me.  No investigators came, because we basically don't have very bmany of them right now and most of the ones we do have are out of town.  But during sacrament meeting, I looked around and I saw P, L, their kids, F, R, C, W X, and A, and all I wanted to do was rejoice.  Before my mission, I don't think I had ever even dreamed of having a moment like that.  I've been so blessed to know these people and to be able to help them in whatever small way.  I thank the Lord for the miracles He has worked and still works in their lives.  I was particularly touched by one certain moment during sacrament.  Church in France starts with priesthood, then sunday school, then sacrament.  Before sunday school, the bishop took W X into his office and told her to bear her testimony to him.  Then he said, "ok, you're going to do that during sacrament."  She was freaked out!!  She came up to me freaking out because she was so scared to speak french in front of everyone!  But she did it.  She just told about how she had Christian parents in China but was never baptized.  Then she met us and started coming to church and stuff.  She explained that one day she was just so sad and down because she felt like she could never be forgiven of her sins.  She said she prayed, opened her book of mormon, and read the first thing she saw which was 3 Nephi 9:20-22.  The Bishop then got up and read the scripture out loud for the audience in French.   She said she knew in that moment that she COULD be forgiven and decided to be baptized.  Then she simply bore her testimony that God lives and He loves us and sat back down in the audience.  It was such a simple, sweet, and pure testimony.  I think the best part of a mission is being able to hear the testimonies of investigators and recent converts.  It made me think of the scripture Alma 29:10 "And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer, yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me."  That's what it's all about.  The church is true.  I know that the Savior lived and died for us, and that He lives again and that this is His work we're doing out here.  Have a great week!  Love you!


Love,


Elder Tudor