You will become fluent enough. (Anna), I had a missionary convince me to go ask for a soutian gorge at a pharmacy when I had a sore throat. France Lyon Mission. (Jacob), We had an investigator who was searching for something better in life. I had a unique experience. They asked me if I spoke French. (Jacob), There are a lot of cognates in French. (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. It doesnt make sense to have to use time to even begin to find a testimony on your mission when you could be bearing it instead to people that need it. But at the same time, I felt some inner rush to keep hurrying to find her. (Jeffrey), Have a young punk kid saying ta mre and I laughed back at him because I realized he had just said youre mom which doesnt translate as a bad word into English. There's also Cote d'Ivoire, and Belgium. A bit rainy in the winter but otherwise okay. But there was no time to jump out and talk to her, get her number or set up an appointment. This gives them something real serious to think about. Life will go on without you back home, but you can make the most of other peoples lives in your mission because they need you. Long suffering. (Mariah), The weather depended on what part of France you were init, Little bit like Washington D.C. but without snow. Boots for rain. The members are incredible. Some times to a fault for preaching the gospel as they only want to worry about themselves and dont need anything else . (Kale), The Moloroff (speed record of 6:15). Cant remember the name of the main cheese I loved. 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! I smiled kindly and struck up a conversation. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you. Serve. Read the Book of Mormon in the language. 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 . (Chloe), I started, ended, and spent most of my mission within the borders of the old Bordeaux mission and was even trained by a Bordeaux missionary. Just when we were starting to talk, she jumped up and ran to the door This is my stop! His daughters letting members dedicate his grave, his daughters accepting the LDM that the members gave them with their testimonies of eternal families. 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. Pick things that you feel great in when you feel beautiful in the morning, you can stop worrying about yourself and your confidence is boosted as you go around talking to everyone. John Conway and I took the weekend off and biked up to a mountain village. Still, the work is a daily challenge. (Dennis), One day we stopped a girl in the center of La Rochelle, we had a chat about the Gospel, she told us she had relatives who are Latter-day Saints. Libraries. There are a lot of micro climates. (Stuart), I suffered from debilitating migraines during my mission. (Doug), Tamil riot near La Chapelle that we had to cross in order to get home. So I turned my bleue away and walked around the median just to be safe. I should have just tried and learned rather than being worried about being embarrassed. (Matt), Being threatened numerous times and actually being punched in the face. Im so excited to see how it grows and now the temple is being dedicated! (Jordan), It rains a lot in France! Definitely thermal garments. (Roberto), Spoke out more-even if I wasnt confident in French yet. Shirt designs include France ParisMission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. French Population. How to talk to people from all walks of life. Know the history of the restored Church just like you should know scripture. Full-Time Senior Missionaries. Here Are Five Ways to Find Answers, Helping Loved Ones Face Questions and Doubts about Faith. ), how to recognize the Spirit, and much, much more! (Paul), Someone telling me they were literally the devil my first Christmas when we were porting in La Rochelle. Loved eating escargot just so I could tell everyone back home that I ate SNAILS. My DNA be stolen or something? But times have changed and there is so much work to do! Utah Salt Lake City West Mission. The LDS Church in French Polynesia was founded in 1843 as the first foreign-language mission of the church. Packing wise, bring easy to use suitcases. (Anonymous), Cherbourg, Nogent, Vannes, Sarcelles, St Brieuc, Evreux, Niort, Soissons. (Doug), Discipline, work ethic, study habits, spiritual study habits, organizational skills, language skills. It didnt usually get too hot except for when the wind blew in from the Sahara. We were handing out English lesson flyers while knocking on doors in St Dennis. Ratatouille. The prophets of the Book of Mormon regularly apologize for the weaknesses of mortal tongues because it can be the first and most intimidating barrier to sharing eternal truths with strangers in strange lands, but it can be overcome. Language mastery. 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. So Why Did My Husband Want to Join It? Buy French Language LDS Missionary France or Quebec Mission Sweatshirt: Shop top fashion brands Sweatshirts at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases Amazon.com: French Language LDS Missionary France or Quebec Mission Sweatshirt : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry The weather felt extreme (but its really pretty moderate) but only because of the humidity. (Chloe), Drunk people on the streets were sometimes hostile. Pretty hot in the summer. To name two, I was blessed to learn to love people, even though I dont directly benefit in any temporal way from those people. (Scott), This happened twice on mission. Saints and sant (what is bloody) make the same sound to an English ear. if you dont know the truth when you first leave, I promise you will know as you let yourself go to work and you will come back a better person. Also, people enjoyed food. (Drew), Most of the blessings come from the friendships I made with many members, friends of the church, and even neighbors. (Paul), A new perspective on life. The French are kind but you need to be real and sincere with themthey will see through insincerity very quickly. I am married with 6 children and currently serve on the High Council and I am still a missionary every day. (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. Dont worry about yourself and focus on the Lord and His work you will be happier. (Mariah), I have some of the most amazing friends who have been able to come visit in the U.S. (Alex), Rainy, warm in country/cities, very rainy. We were encouraging our amie to stop smoking and thought we were saying it would be more pleasant for her husband kissing her if she stopped. Thermal ones! The ability to learn and speak another language. Sharing the Gospel Online. Love the people and dont judge others :)(Jordan), Read the scriptures out loud in the language. Enduring to the end. Scott M. Naatjes, 53, and Jodi T. Naatjes, five children, Lake Marion Ward, Lakeville Minnesota Stake: Alpine German-Speaking Mission, succeeding President Christopher S. Brown and Sister Laura G. Brown. Believe that everything will work out and dont worry so much. It existed until 1852 when it was closed due to restrictions by the French government, and the missionaries left the territory. Connecting Daughters of God with His Priesthood Power, Unlocking the Door to Personal Revelation, Grappling with Unanswered Gospel Questions, How Studying Church History Strengthens My Faith, Do You Have Questions about the Gospel? Rainy springs. Brussels is the city of miracles and Nogent is a dream. (Doug), Getting stuck in metro doors. So are the Africans, who tend to be very open spiritually. (Scott), Organization, being bold, self discipline, diligence, hard work, following the spirit, studying scriptures, working with others. (Jeffrey), You will teach mostly African immigrants. We made it clear that us sisters were missionaries and why we were here. (Valan), St Quentin, St Omer, Brussels, Paris, Nantes, Tours. I love the members and how much they love the missionaries. Just trust in the Lord. (Jeffrey), Depends on what part of the county youre in. Thankfully, this work isnt ours. (Nicholai), Be more outgoing and less afraid of making mistakes. I was also blessed to learn how to set goals and work toward those goals. Paris is awesome. We were knocking doors, a little girl opened the door. (Mariah), The place is amazing with so much to see, hear, taste, and enjoy. This is true for all those who have the desire to serve. France Marseille Mission. The people take some getting used to but you will love them in the end. It was pretty funny. French Language: General: Dealing with money Getting to Paris from the . (Anonymous), Crepes, bread, cheese, pate, patisserie, grec, kabab, etc. Bring a shoulder bag. From that moment on, Brother Lualas life was changed. (Doug), Pray for the people even before you get your call. (Dennis), Raclette, Crpes, Quiche lorraine, Ptisseries (viennoise and pain au chocolat aux amandes), African peanut chicken sauce and rice, and Baguette ham & gruyre sandwich. Mission President:President Paul J. Sorensen. Amazing ville. Language. Trying different foods. (Chloe), Investigators reading the scriptures and telling us what they learned. Charleroi is my idea of Zion. No spirit, no success. (Bryan), Almost knocked out a drunk Irish guy that kept jabbing me in the side trying to start a fight. Cold in winter, hot in summer. . We really should have gotten off, shouldnt we! Dont make derogatory remarks about the French. I loved the people and the area. The missionaries attracted converts and established a base for more Latter-day Saint French-speaking immigrants. (Scott), St Nazaire Sarcelles Versailles Paris Poitiers Meaux Cergy. Both times we helped those people feel the love of God and ultimately stopped the suicide. How to keep pushing past hard times. I love their wildness for football and tennis. (Mariah), We were out knocking on doors late one night and missed the last bus back into the main town where our apartment was. I know that I choose my joy or sadness. Home France LDS Missions. (Anonymous), The end of a mission is the beginning of a life mission to grow and serve. Weve seen how Heavenly Father has a unique and beautiful plan for Brother Lualaand all the French-speaking people in Phoenix. So much time immersed in the scriptures, I got to know them so much better 2. (Stuart), I wish that I hadnt done things for competitive reasons. We used a translator. Later missionaries entered Quebec City where a branch was organized in 1969. You cant help them feel Christs love if you dont show them love. (Chloe), Western European oceanic climate. But then she turned towards me and she said, this is the most beautiful street!! (Anonymous), Perseverance. French Polynesia (Tahiti) Skip to Main Content. (Zakarias), Our mission is the highest baptizing mission in Europe (except Cabo Verde), and also happens to be the best in the entire world! (Chloe), My companion and I were street contacting in Troyes and we were stopped by a woman dressed in a volleyball uniform holding a volleyball with two holding a net. I also gained a lot of confidence and happiness. (Bryan), A strong testimony of the work and of the church. (Chloe), I wish I was more dedicated in obtaining the Ammon Award. (Doug), Paris is difficult at first but then, it just gets in your bones. (Michael), In Meaux, a Sunday School instructor asked me to get a tableau. (Jordan), How to speak another language. (Drew), I was on splits the first night of my mission with two elders. (Kale), Confidence, teaching experience, fearlessness, stronger faith, humility, much greater trust in the Lord, and an understanding of our place in his plan, better self image, empathy(Mariah), How to speak French. 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. 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. (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. More trust in the Lord. Seeing ancient castles and cathedrals and buildings blew my mind!! Oh yeah and raw hamburger. As the sister missionaries who served in this area before us visited him and the Spirit taught him, he came to know for himself the truthfulness of the message they shared. I was thinking, what are we doing?! I returned to my first city nearly a year after I entered the mission and trained a brand new missionary there. Beautiful. (Michael), Paris (twice), Tours, Meaux, St. Nazaire, Limoges, Cherbourg, Rennes. Diligent, heartfelt service with a true, sincere care for others pays dividends. (Michael), I served in Normandie so where I was it rained 295 days a year on average and was usually very cloudy. (Kale), St. Brieuc, Chateauroux, Limoges, Talence, Nantes, and Montauban. Africa North (AN), North America (NA), and South America (SA) are abbreviated for concise column and reduction of row height for most rows. (Anonymous), It gets very hot and very cold. (Mariah), Not many baptisms. (Anonymous), Getting along with your companion is more important than you ever would believe. Try to remember the quality of the people represent more than the quantity of numbers you have. That was always a good spiritual experience. To do otherwise will keep you from speaking for a good part of your mission. You dont generally need a large trench coat. After settling down on the train, a big lady in bright pink barely made the train and shuffled all of her parcels and bags around to sit across from me. (Roberto), One day while at the church, a lady called the chapel and asked to learn more. (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. I asked for her name as she ran out and she yelled it back. The very first one!? Ah well. Not only was I blessed with the chance to develop near-native fluency in French during my time serving, but I developed a literary fluency in most of the Romance Languages along the way. Either how they got to France, how they found their faith/the Missionaries, some people were alive during WWII, etc. (Alex), I made a slight mistake on words and told people we created God, not created by God. The humidity makes it bitter. My trainer replied Hey, Eldersonnerie means doorbell. (Zakarias), Baiser-careful!! It was the first time for me! Today, Brother Luala is preparing to enter the holy temple. (Nicholai), Walking out of the apartment was the start of something crazy- but crazy wonderful. Free resources about the France ParisMission: *OtherMission Pages:FranceLDS Missions. Good wheels if you have them. (Dennis), Do not feel like you are not finding success if there are few baptisms. (Drew), Missionaries convince the greens that the slang when asking tens for help is to ask for throat support, this would be soutien gourge, however soutien-gourge actually means your asking for a bra and then they watch as people give you a weird look. He has prepared a way for them to hear the most important message of all time by calling French-speaking missionaries to find them and invite them to come and see and come and belong.2 No matter how long we may have traveled or how long we may have been searching, not one of us is ever forgotten by our Heavenly Father. The beauty of the mission is going to teach you how to rely on the Spirit which will force you to learn talents as you go! Most of which concern public transportation and drunk people, haha. Make sure your luggage can roll so it is easier to travel on transfer days. I was blessed with the Spirit and was able to do so sufficiently well that no one laughed at me. Libraries. He knows exactly where to find those who are prepared for His message, and He knows how to touch their hearts. To this day, he recalls how miraculous it was to meet missionaries in Arizona who could speak his language. You were called to that area to talk to the people you will talk to for a specific reason. (Roberto), My dad served in the Franco-Belge Mission 20 years earlier. (Mariah), Just relax, you dont need to kill yourself to learn the language, it will come with time. Learn on your mission how to recognize the kind of person you do not want to be tied to and the kind you do AND LEARN HOW TO BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL MAKE A RELATIONSHIP LAST. Well, we started walking one direction out of the station. (Kara), French (study a second language early). (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. Every apartment will have enough. (Bryan), The people are very kind and stick to themselves. (Matt), Let your mission be a compass for the rest of your life. You can submit your own article, ideas, or feedback at liahona.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Sometimes sunny. 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. We were walking home from the train to our apartment and a drunk guy threw a glass bottle at us that narrowly missed us. It was a surprise for me to meet American people who speak French. The French-speaking members in Phoenix have a deep love for the Savior and strong testimonies that God knows each of His children. I love how particular they can be, and how they say hello to every person in the room before they sit down. Remember this when you are off your mission and are in the process of choosing an eternal partner. Dont hold yourself back. When we opened our call letters and read our unique assignment, we never could have imagined the obstacles we would face in the mission field. Love the people. You will never be in that place with that person again. My last name is White. Well, us Canadians (me) did not have a clue how wild the American missionaries would be. All these things I learned are essential in my present life and future. Getting along with different personalities and people. ;). (Valan), We found a guy that hadnt been to church in twenty years and he was re-baptized and reactivated. More people than I had imagined are in Paris. In my head, I translated tableau as table and went to get one. I even introduced my wife to them on our honeymoon in Paris five years after returning home. Many of them understand English. (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. I could tell immediately that he was not interested, so we tried to go the other way, but he followed us. Those young men were us giving him the Book Of Mormon. (Bryan), One time playing soccer near the Eiffel Tower and watching a bunch of illegal sellers of tourist items running away from police and diving into bushes and seeing all their stuff flying everywhere. (Bryan), One of so many would be having my companion feel prompted enough by the Spirit and asked a devout Muslim to kneel with us and offer a prayer and end in the name of Jesus Christ. Paris P-Days are so much fun. How to see others in a different light and to love them and feel compassion for them. They are amazing men and their wives are incredible and strong. In September 2019, the third French-speaking branch in the United States was organized in Arizona. 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: . It was right outside a train station and everyone stopped to see how I would react. Elders, resale shops are great for finding cheap suits while in the field. You WILL go through several pairs. That will bless your life and the life of your family forever. (Anonymous), Where ever you are called, serve with all your might, mind, and strength. Slightly nerve racking but ultimately hilarious. You are hereby called to serve in the Arizona Phoenix Mission. Keep them affordable, too. We kept working through the crowd, and somehow, up ahead another block or two away was that bright pink. The grandmothers are all converts, and there are very few third-generation members. If you do, He will frustrate it and show you the right path. Basically love the Lord and the Gospel more than you love anything, anyone else and youll do fine. 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. The best was in Nantes or Bordeaux where we met in a three story house. (Nicholai), Temperate 4 seasons. (Dennis), My wife was my MTC teacher..I think that covers a lot. (Jacob), Humid, which intensifies both heat and cold. It was so hard, but the people I met forever changed my life. (For sisters) A coat with a hood. Great way to finish! [1] By country/territory [ edit] List of missions within each country, territory or dependency. Chinese people are absolutely amazing, humble and kind. no, thank you. I tapped him on the shoulder after we crossed the street and started talking to him. Try to hold out for Soldes for major discounts. Often, they were primarily taught by other members or missionaries, but the fact is that there are lots of baptisms going on, and it is beautiful! See DieterF. Uchtdorf, God Will Do Something Unimaginable, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 54. Buy winter jackets there if youre going in the summer. Serve. *Learn about living in Utah. What blessings did you receive from serving a mission? He then reached out and grabbed some of my long red hair, and cut off several inches. (Douglas), Practically perfect in every way. Tartiflette. I Had Left the Church. The quicker you do the faster you will start to have one of the most cherished times of your life. How to get along with another annoying person. (Doug), Pain au chocolat (Nantes) Falafel (Paris 4eme) Baozi (Paris Rue Au Maire 3eme) Banh Mi (Paris 13eme) Gaufres (Bruxelles) Kebab Poulet (18eme, Rue Marx Dormoy) Any McDonalds (really good in Europe). So are the Africans! Then he tried to get between us. Try to keep it as small as possible. So we turned the other way, and kept walking and bustling through the busy city square. Pastries. The temporal/secular history of the Church is often many individuals only exposure to the Church, but intelligent discussion of such is often an amazingly positive and readily accessible way to reach people about the Gospel. I saw behind her a huge dog and right after she said bonjour I told her to shut the door because I was afraid that the dog would attack us. Can reach upper 90s with the additional heat index as well. The members are awesome. You will see European clothes and want to change. (Nicholai), Friends, family, French Every good thing that has happened to me ever since. Cheeses. (Michael), Just be careful where you go after dark. Lots of rain In the winter. Here are ParisMission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni ofthe ParisMission. (Drew), While serving in Lorient, France in the spring of 2001, we were surprised to find the entire center of town and a 1 km radius around it under evacuation orders because a construction crew had discovered an unexploded bomb from WWII buried beneath the ruins of an old bunker that was being demolished in an expansion project for the local stadium (Lorient had been an Allied port and submarine base during the war). (Roberto), Speaking to others about the gospel, building relationships, leadership skills and following through on commitments, being a strong ward member, and speaking French. What doyou wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission? A lot more humid than the desert I grew up in. We fled war in our country and went to Tanzania in 1995. Winters do get cold. 2 pairs of sturdy shoes, you will walk a lot. *Send your missionary a gift (mission-specific shirts, ties, Christmas stockings/ornaments, pillowcases, etc.). The temperatures didnt seem all that different than the, Cloudy and rainy. (Stuart), If you forget anything or need something unexpected you will have no trouble finding it in France. I was a part of many individuals accepting the gospel and joining the church. I told myself one more time he hits me he is going to to get the Book of Mormon across his head. How to be more spiritual. Church-Service Missionaries. Were His people, engaged together in His holy work.3. Today, more than 59,000 Saints across Spain are "remembering without ceasing [their] work of faith, and labour of love" (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Her brother had just accepted the gospel and told her about the blessings he had received and she wanted to know more. Full-Time Senior Missionaries Senior Service Missionaries Service Missionaries Missionary Manuals Dress and Grooming Missionary Training Centers Online Recommendation System Missionary Recommendation Interview Questions Missionary Preparation Frequently Asked Questions Sharing the Gospel Online Mission Maps Home ChurchofJesusChrist.org Missionary (Jeffrey), Immerse yourself in the work. Get to know the members, become their friends, and find out ways how you can help them do missionary work. Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Paris? *Click here to browse Paris Mission gifts. The ones Ive found stateside just arent the same. HUMOR AND SPIRIT ARE POWERFUL TOOLS in making relationships work. When we left the appointment and went down the stairs, the migraine and weakness both returned. (Kara), Spent a year in Rouen.it rained a lot. It was a dangerous part of town, but we were just going to the train. Albania Tirana. One-hundred-fifty years later, in 1981, that number had grown to 71 (Deseret News 1983 Church Almanac 1982, pp. Have faith in God (Bryan), Forget yourself and go to work. HenryB. Eyring, Prayers of Faith, Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 28. (Bryan), Galettes. (Chloe), Do not bring clothes hangers even though the missionary preparation manuals advise it. (Kara), Personal discipline and a love for life. Learned how to get along with a companion whom you were with 24/7 in every sense of the word. You need to watch where you walk. (Anonymous), I served in an ever changing mission with boundary changes, area closures and much adversity, but I still had a very successful mission serving in 8 different areas, living in 10 different apartments with 15 different companions. I can get along with almost anyone. Remember that youll be effectively living out of your luggage sometimes, and transfers happen unexpectedly sometimes. (Matt), Each area has its own culture really. Since we did nothing everyone was a lot nicer to us. I served in the Fiji Suva mission, speaking French, which means I was on a island called New Caledonia the whole time.