I discovered a lot about myself. In September 2019, the third French-speaking branch in the United States was organized in Arizona. She was overjoyed when we caught up with her! Creme Fresh was a staple for missionary cuisine. (Stuart), Well I had a French companion and I was joking and said your mom to him in french but in french that means a super bad word haha so be careful with your translations haha. Crepes. Good wheels if you have them. (Jeffrey), Teaching and investigator in french, with him replying back in English, while reading from the Arabic Book of Mormon. Turns out she loves family history and was full of love towards us and interested in what we did. Youll get rid of the big one quickly of you bring it. Utah Salt Lake City West Mission. It was a surprise for me to meet American people who speak French. (Anonymous), Missing the last bus, attempting to hitch hike back home. Know the history of the restored Church just like you should know scripture. (Mariah), The weather depended on what part of France you were init, Little bit like Washington D.C. but without snow. When we got there it turned out that the sister missionaries where there as well. That part was pretty cool. Here are survey responses from France ParisRMs, to give you a snapshot into what its like to live in the mission. 5. (Merrilyn), Those who were members of the church and active were heroes. (Jacob), St Maur des Fosses, Chelles, Sarcelles, Rennes. no, thank you. That will bless your life and the life of your family forever. Fun night! The French are kind but you need to be real and sincere with themthey will see through insincerity very quickly. It snowed in Paris the winter I served in the mission office and I may have thrown a snowball at a member of President Bennions family. The first was humbling because he showed me that I was arrogant and inflexible. Slightly nerve racking but ultimately hilarious. They also do their own laundry, exercise daily, eat nutritious meals provided by each MTC cafeteria and stay in touch with family and friends via weekly emails. (Valan), Threw up in garbage can at metro stop after eating flour and water for dinner. Transferring up and down stairs from train to train. I loved the people and the area. Tropical island Evan Long, a BYU student from Oregon, expected malaria pills and poverty when he opened his mission call to Antananarivo, Madagascar. She got baptized later, and I got to baptize and confirm her. We were able to set the stage for the visitor center, the temple, and new branches and stakes. Sometimes I would directly translate English to French and confuse people too haha. LDS Mission Network - Mission Index List (Zakarias), Kebabs. (Nicholai), Be more outgoing and less afraid of making mistakes. (Roberto), While riding our bikes in Orleans, some guys we rode by spat at and hit us in the shoulder. 252- 253). Member for less than a year but almost a year. They asked me if I spoke French. (Scott), When I was serving in Belgium, we were walking with our recent convert to his house when he ran in front of us and mooned us hahaha. I was thinking, what are we doing?! The ability to speak to strangers and to do hard things. (Michael), Anytime you get to pray with someone or bear your testimony of the Savior is an incredibly spiritual experience! The second taught me patience and flexibility. Those young men were us giving him the Book Of Mormon. I got a letter saying that I had successfully completed the BBN mission and a new call letter came. France, Phone Number:33-1-34-80-04-83 Surely there will be hard and discouraging times. After the law granting religious freedom was passed in 1967, an independent Spanish branch was organized in Madrid. So youd have to be prepared for anything over the course of a year. (Kara), I mistakenly told a member in the hospital that I was glad that she smelled better, rather than feeling better. There are many kind, beautiful Muslims, many vibrant and funny Africans, people from the old French colonies, transplants from Asia, South America, the rest of Europe, and also many tourists. My last name is White. People will say they believe in God but they really dont act like they do. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides relief and development projects for humanitarian purposes in countries all over the world. Beautiful. This helped me to accomplish many things later in life. (Anonymous), Crepes, bread, cheese, pate, patisserie, grec, kabab, etc. The honeymoon might last a bit longer (a year or two) but if your partner or yourself are not grounded in the gospel, some rough, exciting, sad times are ahead of you. (Stuart), Crpe, Burrito Fte, Donner Kebab, Brioche, Galette Brtonne, Crme Frache Pizza. (Mariah), My mission is one of the hardest, you dont see many missionaries on bikes, we walk, drive, or use the subways. (Drew), There are many Africans in France. You will be forever blessed in every aspect of your life. Dont make derogatory remarks about the French. (Alex), Their loyalty to family and good friends. Always practice the language. The food is unforgettable. (Kale), Dont worry too much about getting Everything before you leave there are markets with skirts and dresses, big shoe stores for when your shoes wear out, their styles are similar, and members and investigators will be happy to direct you on your P day to find more clothes. Also, people enjoyed food. (Merrilyn), I met a woman whom my dad had taught and baptized 20 years earlier and that reinforced the importance of sharing the gospel and strengthening get new members I also now teach French and LOVE the connections I still have in France as I have been able to keep several friendships strong . The LDS Church in French Polynesia was founded in 1843 as the first foreign-language mission of the church. But at the same time, I felt some inner rush to keep hurrying to find her. List of missions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Douglas), I gave and participated in 15 musical concerts while a missionary, invited people to the missionary visitor center by playing the violin, and saw almost 50 baptisms. One February day, while living in Arizona, he met the French-speaking sister missionaries when they knocked on his neighbors door. (Dennis), Raclette, Crpes, Quiche lorraine, Ptisseries (viennoise and pain au chocolat aux amandes), African peanut chicken sauce and rice, and Baguette ham & gruyre sandwich. Trying different foods. Either how they got to France, how they found their faith/the Missionaries, some people were alive during WWII, etc. Buy French Language LDS Missionary France or Quebec Mission Tank Top: Shop top fashion brands Tanks & Camis at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases Amazon.com: French Language LDS Missionary France or Quebec Mission Tank Top : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry Diligent, heartfelt service with a true, sincere care for others pays dividends. As missionaries, we seek to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel.1 And as French-speaking missionaries serving in Arizona, weve found that our missionary work has also presented us with unique, diverse, challenging, and culturally vibrant experiences. Caresser is to pet. (Jeffrey), We were about to enter an enclosed complex where I saw few exits and 2 young Arabs when I was prompted that we should ignore the reference and travel and hour back to our main area. Luckily, we were able to walk away without to much injury. Heres a list of LDS missionary blogs for the ParisMission. Now my son is also serving in the same mission I know there were about 100 + missionaries and maybe 20-some sisters It was a lot smaller area than it is now. Missionaries called French speaking serve in Reunion and Mauritius and never see the mission home on Madagascar. I returned to my first city nearly a year after I entered the mission and trained a brand new missionary there. (Drew), Paris West & East, St. Brieuc, Versailles. In short, it will truly be the best time of your life. A French-Speaking Mission? In Arizona? - The Church Of Jesus Christ Of (Michael), I served in Normandie so where I was it rained 295 days a year on average and was usually very cloudy. I learned more during my mission than 25 years of life. Armani isnt exactly for missionaries. (Elsa), The opening of the Bordeaux StakeElder Packer was phenomenal. Utah Salt Lake City North Mission. It is such beautiful countryside, both in natures landscape, and also in the architecture of the little roads, the stone buildings, the manicured trees and the history there . Remember that youll be effectively living out of your luggage sometimes, and transfers happen unexpectedly sometimes. Kebab. The people who remember you most are often the companions you serve with so be good to each other. Great way to finish! Its the best mission ever! (Matt), Having my last lesson on my mission where our golden investigator told us a story where he met 2 young men in white shirts and ties that gave him a book that forever changed his life and his families. basically serving in Nogent was 10 months of a fantastic spiritual experience that has continued ever since. Love the people. (Kara), Love every minute and never stop praying! You cant help them feel Christs love if you dont show them love. How to be more spiritual. (Stuart), I was blessed with two difficult companions. No clue why but he then proceeded to yell at us and we just walked away. We hiked up a mountain one weekend when everyone from Tarbes went to a Missionary Training Session in Bordeaux and there was only room for all missionaries but one so another had to stay behind so we could be a pair. (Alex), Language bonus, people skills, being able to carry on a conversation, cooking. The people are amazing once you get past the front door, they are always excited to be able to help someone after they learn your asking for help and not trying to sell them stuff. :) Although most Missionaries are American, there are a good number of native french speaking Missionaries as well. 78110 Le Vesinet (Matt), Belfort, Rouen, Villenuve Dascq, Mulhouse, Nivelles (Belgium), and Saint-Omer. Talked about the gospel without being awkward. Utah Salt Lake City Mission. When I got there, it was amazing how many members came over to welcome me back with so much love even though I had been gone for quite some time in a different area. Paris P-Days are so much fun. I was on exchanges and we were unknowingly being led to someone who was about to commit suicide. (Anna), A lady answered the door in a robe and looked directly into my eyes and said, You have beautiful eyes. (Matt), Too many to count. We fled war in our country and went to Tanzania in 1995. If not, they are cheap enough where you can buy a few. (Chloe), Western European oceanic climate. 3. Language. Some random guy didnt like that and ran up to my companion and I and threw a punch at me but stopped his swing right before it hit my face. Just when we were starting to talk, she jumped up and ran to the door This is my stop! The Gift of Tongues is a very real and very beautiful thing, I can testify to that. (Nicholai), The language was really hard for me. If you have found this service helpful, please consider donating! Washington D.C. North Mission | My Mission (Anonymous), Perseverance. The Quebec Mission (later changed to the Canada Montreal Mission) was created in 1972, and by 1974 several French-speaking branches were created. A beautiful family and peace of mind and eternal perspective. As of July 2022, there are 410 missions in the church. France Paris Mission - Lifey (Roberto), My dad served in the Franco-Belge Mission 20 years earlier. Life-long friends. (Jeffrey), Nantes, Rennes, Poitier, Bourges, Tours, Reims, Antony, Sarcelles. There were a few people at the median when we got there, so naturally we started talking to them. Then we were praying for safety. Love and serve your companion and those you meet. They encourage you to learn French, and become part of their home. I loved having meals with the people. Organization. Now, as I work, it seems a lot of people only want to associate with those who can help them. Hated it so never tried it. (Valan), Never snowed. (Matt), We have 3 countries in our mission, Paris has the best public transit in the world. Were His people, engaged together in His holy work.3. A bit rainy in the winter but otherwise okay. In a revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1833, the Lord said, "For it shall come . He then chased us out of the building with said knife. Mission President:President Paul J. Sorensen. I wish I wasnt so self-conscious about not speaking French. ), how to recognize the Spirit, and much, much more! Ways in which I was French, or like specific companions, members or investigators. It never got too cold, but spending too much time outdoors in the winter was chilly business. Summers, you need to organize your time so that you arent in the sun for too long of a period. (Kale), St. Brieuc, Chateauroux, Limoges, Talence, Nantes, and Montauban. 5 LDS missions that break the mold - The Daily Universe From opposite ends of the Pacific, we both gazed down at those words in our letters wondering, Who in Arizona needs to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ in French?. (Doug), Pray for the people even before you get your call. During a migraine episode, we had an appointment scheduled with a non-progressing investigator with major word of wisdom issues. (Douglas), Practically perfect in every way. For many of them, the path that led them to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ wasnt easy, but meeting these people has helped us see how the Lord guides people to find His true gospel. The French people are incredible! It was so frightening that one minister from another church ran out of the house yelling If this is religion, I want nothing to do with it. Two girls fainted. You WILL go through several pairs. Pack light. (Mariah), I cant count all the blessings. She said she was hoping to talk with us more, and what a miracle it was that we just appeared! (Mariah), Had a great companionship study in the morning and really felt the Spirit. Mainly humid. Try to keep your luggage limited, too: one large suitcase, one good backpack or carry-on piece, and a wardrobe bag for your suits/dresses. Check out YA Weekly, located in the Young Adults section under Audiences in the Gospel Library, for new, inspiring content for young adults each week. But really, I didnt realize it would be some of the most fun Id ever experienced in my life and so much fulfillment and finding myself. We had to explain to him that we couldnt give him money because we were missionaries and he stopped, thought for a minute, and said, Oh! I wish I knew the doctrine better or even had a stronger testimony on certain things. Later missionaries entered Quebec City where a branch was organized in 1969. Didnt understand the word robbed. Get to know the members, become their friends, and find out ways how you can help them do missionary work. Loved eating escargot just so I could tell everyone back home that I ate SNAILS. Scriptures Gospel Library Gospel Media Music Library. (Mariah), In the ghettos, having some people try to take your cell phones or cameras. No smoking no drinking NO DRINKING WINE. (Mariah), Pain au Chocolate. It was so hard, but the people I met forever changed my life. (Anonymous), My companion and I were beat up by three Arabs about a month after 9/11. People are always working hard and there are always incredible things going on. (Merrilyn), How to be humorous. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you. France has over 65 million total inhabitants; Switzerland, nearly 8 million total . (Bryan), Pack with quality luggage or large packs. Shirt designs include France ParisMission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. You will become fluent enough. (Matt), Each area has its own culture really. (Douglas), Everybody kept telling me that a mission would be so difficult, hard work, lots of rejection and stress. It was right outside a train station and everyone stopped to see how I would react. (UK), French is hard and the only way you can learn is by trying and making mistakes and learning if you speak and read and write French. Croissante aux aumaund. Dont assume they dont understand you if you are speaking in English together. (Scott), I would say to ignore and not listen to anybody who tries to tell you that Europe is super hard and that you wont get hardly any baptisms. (Roberto), Speaking to others about the gospel, building relationships, leadership skills and following through on commitments, being a strong ward member, and speaking French. He was quite disheveled, and asked if he should dress up a little we said, if you want to! France Paris Alumni Web Site is dedicated to the alumni of this mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Home France LDS Missions. (Anna), I had a missionary convince me to go ask for a soutian gorge at a pharmacy when I had a sore throat. How to keep pushing past hard times. It about caused her to pull a stitch. The missionaries attracted converts and established a base for more Latter-day Saint French-speaking immigrants. France Lyon Mission. (Matt), Bread and cheese, snails, sauerkraut with various meats, fries and the different sauces that France and Belgium have to offer. (Chloe), Investigators reading the scriptures and telling us what they learned. Goat cheese salads. Try to hold out for Soldes for major discounts. They were all so kind and friendly. (Paul), France felt like home and still does. So we turned the other way, and kept walking and bustling through the busy city square. The Peoples of Utah, The Continental Inheritance | History to Go Foreign Language Training for LDS Missionaries: Historical Antecedents (Anna), Living & spending all your time with many different types of companions. ed. You need to watch where you walk. (Doug), Paris, Versailles, Nantes, Chatiillon, Pau, Tarbes, Bordeaux. Other miracles were feeling like we should have gotten off as a specific train stop to keep talking to somebody, turning around 10 minutes later, catching a new train, turning back, and still finding that person we wanted to talk to in the mass of people in that little town. I wasnt sure if I could even make it to his apartment because I was feeling so weak and he lived on the 6th floor. Getting along with different personalities and people. (Anna), We had decided to go up to a specific village a few train stops away to do some finding. But there are cheap marchs that youll walk through on P-day, shampoo & hygiene products you can pick up for a euro or two in big subway stations like La Dfense as you switch trains and things like that. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: France Parismissionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments. (Kara), TIGHTS! (Valan), You will succeed. Product details Package Dimensions : 10 x 8 x 1 inches; 4.8 Ounces There was also this ptisserie near the Asniere sur Seine gare that had the worlds greatest beignets. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, spoke at the first of six area devotionals . (Kale), Poubelles, crepes, couscous, steak-frites. Blessings continue to flow from service. I love their politeness, manners and gentility. When he started towards my blue, I got rather defensive, raised my voice, and then he ran away. The people take some getting used to but you will love them in the end. I saw almost 50 baptisms in my 18 months. How to build an extra floor on a building. On Halloween, we decided to show the French what a real Halloween was like. (Mariah), Cooking. My scripture studies were so good, I was always learning new things, meeting amazing new people every day, in extraordinarily beautiful places, and feeling the love of the Lord every single day it was more fulfilling than I ever imagined. (Doug), Dont worry so much about yourself or the future. HUMOR AND SPIRIT ARE POWERFUL TOOLS in making relationships work. Many of the things I learned from trying to get the award helped me to understand the gospel better. My new trainee stepped on dog poop a couple of times first day. People skills. Also, companionship study could be very spiritual because we were studying similar doctrine together and discussing what we learned in detail. Well, Sunday came, and he showed up in a three-piece suit looking like he was a groom! (Douglas), Crme brle, lapin la moutarde, crpes, couscous algrienne, une bonne quiche, et un sandwich baguette pour quelques euros sur la rue. We waited for the train going the other direction and it must have been 30-40 minutes later that we got off at her stop. (Stuart), If you forget anything or need something unexpected you will have no trouble finding it in France. That lead to us teaching he and his girlfriend. 4 seasons without the extremes you get in the Midwest. (Anna), (Sisters) Dont feel like you have to have Everything youll need for 2 years. (Doug), There are an estimated 500,000+ Chinese natives living in Paris and surrounding suburbs. Dress and Grooming. -awesome!!!! (Bryan), Very atheist. (Zakarias), Its like regular mainland European weather- we have both a lot of rain and sun. A knowledge of Gods love and His involvement and interest in my life. The following statement from presidents of the German-speaking LDS missions in 1958 was intended to discourage immigration, but the disappointments and difficulties of employment it describes were often real enough: . Since then, the missionary work has accelerated, and the knowledge of a Savior has reached many French-speaking people in this part of the world. The people outside of Paris seem more friendly to Americans than Parisians do. (Jeffrey), A lot haha honestly I learned self-confidence, I was blessed tremendously after my mission. ;). French Language LDS Missionary France or Quebec Mission T-Shirt Washington DC North Missionaries Group. (Bryan), Calling a Madame a Monsieur . France - Statistics and Church Facts | Total Church Membership (Nicholai), Friends, family, French Every good thing that has happened to me ever since. After getting the huge table through the doors, the instructor repeated tableau so I could make the connection that I got the wrong item. The quicker you do the faster you will start to have one of the most cherished times of your life. I am now a French teacher. Ether 12:27 was revelation in DIRECT response to Moronis plea for understanding in light of his linguistic weaknesses. Dont worry about yourself and focus on the Lord and His work you will be happier. The next day, we were notified from our Mission President that missionaries were no longer to hold Halloween parties in any way whatsoever. (Doug), Seeing peoples lives change through reading the Book of Mormon with an open heart and mind. I love the cosmopolitan, international nature of the cities there, meeting people from every nation, all working together. The translator was a new convert too and it was so cool to see her learning as we taught. (Jeffrey), A warm coat for winter that can withstand wind and rain. HenryB. Eyring, Prayers of Faith, Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 28. You will learn sacrifice real fast. (Valan), St Quentin, St Omer, Brussels, Paris, Nantes, Tours. Frequently Asked Questions. Wherever and however we are called to serve, may we take comfort in President RussellM. Nelsons words to youth (many of whom are now full-time missionaries! Was in 3 missions, all transfers were by airplane. (Valan), We found a guy that hadnt been to church in twenty years and he was re-baptized and reactivated. This is a list I made from information from Lifey, current language needs for senior couples, mission websites, and locations of non-English speaking units in the US. An assignment as unusual as a French-speaking mission in Arizona has certainly caused us to question the impact of our role once or twice. That is the adversary trying to stop you and demotivate you.go into the mission believing you will find those who have been prepared. Its nice and varied! You can find happiness in anything if you want to. (Nicholai), Talked to strangers. She asked me to volley with her, so I handed my things to my companion and we volleyed for a minute or two in front of the Htel de Ville. Alaska Anchorage. After the dinner we headed towards the metro, but it was shut down due to a transit strike. I would not be the same person without that growth. (Mariah), Getting city vendors to sell you little souvenirs for really cheap by having two of them competing with each other for your purchase. (Michael), Once, my companion and I were waiting for the mtro (subway) when a homeless man came up to us to ask for money. 4. Since the 1970s, French Saints have prayed for a temple in their own country. and just after a couple months of coming home, Ive secured a great job practicing my mission language while also potentially already planning my career. It was a long walk. (Paul), Someone telling me they were literally the devil my first Christmas when we were porting in La Rochelle. How many French-speaking missions are there? : r/latterdaysaints - Reddit Pack light. (Douglas), Every baptism was such a spiritual experience. (Scott), Organization, being bold, self discipline, diligence, hard work, following the spirit, studying scriptures, working with others. So Why Did My Husband Want to Join It? We were going to take a trip to Spain but decided not to. Do as much of your study, reading, and praying in your mission language as possible. Among the hardest things Id done. (Drew), I was a little nervous as plans fell through again with my first blue (trainee), and I was afraid she might be mad or frustrated that we werent teaching quite as much as she probably expected.