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