New friends. There are 346 missions in this index. (Paul), A missionary asked if she could peter the dog, but peter means fart. Dont contend with them, but always be able to inform them where they can readily find accurate information and that youre always happy to teach them more about the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether we are full-time missionaries or not, no matter where were from or what language we speak, we can all invite others to come unto Christ and partake of the joy that can only be found in His gospel. You learn about traditions from every part of the world and celebrate with them. (Scott), Pack some short sleeve white shirts, I didnt haha buy good shoes, sturdy firm bottom, waterproof. What was the worst thing that could happen? (Jordan), How to speak another language. On my first assignment, I was asked to lead the music in the Relief Society in Versailles. 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. Do your best to communicate in a loving way with your companion. (Douglas), Practically perfect in every way. Able to understand new members better. The ones Ive found stateside just arent the same. Instead I asked for a bra. 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 Im so excited to see how it grows and now the temple is being dedicated! A language and an extra degree. Very brave people. What are some interestingfacts about the ParisMission? The missionaries attracted converts and established a base for more Latter-day Saint French-speaking immigrants. 172 Years. The members preparing his name for temple work, the bishop emailing me a year after his death to tell me that he had personally done the proxy temple ordinances in Jean-Claudes name. Serving missionaries, parents, and friends since 1995 . Members are helpful. I had a unique experience. I Had Left the Church. Serve. (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. (Kara), Spent a year in Rouen.it rained a lot. Bring athletic clothes because the people love soccer. Language mastery. 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. We went around a corner and a bunch of soldiers started clapping for us. (Matt), We have 3 countries in our mission, Paris has the best public transit in the world. So are the Africans, who tend to be very open spiritually. (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. Keep it going! (Paul), France felt like home and still does. We cant wait to hear from you! Machine washable clothes are always best (dry cleaners arent always available). The French-speaking members in Phoenix have a deep love for the Savior and strong testimonies that God knows each of His children. Sometimes sunny. (Valan), Walking in a sketchy city with lots of Arabs and came across a fight in the parking lot. In some towns we tracted in, every single home had roses growing so that the whole city smelled of roses. Then knowing that he was faithful to the end of his life. (Matt), Do not bring a lot of stuff with you from the States because you will most likely throw it away and get European clothing, and it makes transferring towns much easier when its light Trust me. France Bordeaux Mission. (Mariah), I packed all the stuff on the list and used almost everything. Not a big one. no, thank you. People are always working hard and there are always incredible things going on. I am married with 6 children and currently serve on the High Council and I am still a missionary every day. Ratatouille. *Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. (Bryan), Very atheist. Focus on what you can say and build from there. She met the missionaries after her member friend told her about how priesthood holders can bless homes, and this really helped her and her family. We have the coolest mission song ever! Less stuff to pack is less stuff you have to carry around and keep up with. This led me in Patience to realize that, Have a good attitude. The very first one!? I love how particular they can be, and how they say hello to every person in the room before they sit down. The language of the Spirit is the codex for the universal translator that is the Gift of Tongues. Give Him your time and dont bring your own agenda. 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. (Dennis), Raclette, Crpes, Quiche lorraine, Ptisseries (viennoise and pain au chocolat aux amandes), African peanut chicken sauce and rice, and Baguette ham & gruyre sandwich. You were called to that area to talk to the people you will talk to for a specific reason. I learned how to better serve. Courage, empathy, being able to work hard. She knew completely the truth and she whole-heartedly embraced the gospel from day one. (Mariah), The place is amazing with so much to see, hear, taste, and enjoy. (Merrilyn), Those who were members of the church and active were heroes. (Nicholai), Layers. Be humble, be simple. (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. Later, her daughter and sister also joined. No spirit, no success. More people than I had imagined are in Paris. Click the mission name for a page that indicates the mission (s) that now serve the same area. If you do, He will frustrate it and show you the right path. (Kara), Personal discipline and a love for life. Letting truth fill them and watching them achieve their potential. The Quebec Mission (later changed to the Canada Montreal Mission) was created in 1972, and by 1974 several French-speaking branches were created. basically serving in Nogent was 10 months of a fantastic spiritual experience that has continued ever since. The translator was a new convert too and it was so cool to see her learning as we taught. (Doug), Dont worry so much about yourself or the future. The countryside is where you find more of the French people, and they vary from region and town to town. Here are ParisMission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni ofthe ParisMission. The food is unforgettable. He was quite disheveled, and asked if he should dress up a little we said, if you want to! Talked about the gospel without being awkward. I learned a valuable language. (Aaron), Resilience, hard work, language, friendship. Theres no way we can find her here! (Mariah), I have some of the most amazing friends who have been able to come visit in the U.S. Kebab. (Anonymous), Perseverance. People are proper and polite, they love their language, beauty and history. Also, companionship study could be very spiritual because we were studying similar doctrine together and discussing what we learned in detail. I should have just tried and learned rather than being worried about being embarrassed. Here are survey responses from France ParisRMs, to give you a snapshot into what its like to live in the mission. Boots for rain. We taught them most of the discussions and they attended church several times and other church activities. 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. The French are awesome people. We were walking home from the train to our apartment and a drunk guy threw a glass bottle at us that narrowly missed us. (Paul), Kebab. (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. Either how they got to France, how they found their faith/the Missionaries, some people were alive during WWII, etc. In 1975, the first stake in France was organized in Paris. Argentina Bahia Blanca. (Michael), Paris (twice), Tours, Meaux, St. Nazaire, Limoges, Cherbourg, Rennes. DC North Graff/Gottfredson 1992-98 Group. The members are incredible. (Scott), This happened twice on mission. (Matt), Each area has its own culture really. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) (Anonymous), Missing the last bus, attempting to hitch hike back home. We were trying to get away from him for like 30 minutes. My companion scheduled a dinner appointment just outside of our area, but I went along with it since he only had three weeks left in his mission. Especially shoes, coat, umbrella (although the wind will destroy it). (Michael), I served in Normandie so where I was it rained 295 days a year on average and was usually very cloudy. I could tell immediately that he was not interested, so we tried to go the other way, but he followed us. (Alex), My elder and I being driven to the train station by drunk strangers. I cant remember exactly how late it was, but the out of town companionships had to wait until well after dinner time before the trains were even up and running again so they could return home for the night. How to be more spiritual. Dress and Grooming. But all of the skills and leadership traits and work ethic I received from the mission is allowing me to excel after my mission. The humidity makes it bitter. I love their wildness for football and tennis. (Elsa), It was very humid, with warm summers and cold winters. There are a lot of micro climates. (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. 8 Months. Church-Service Missionaries. Read the Book of Mormon in the language. No smoking no drinking NO DRINKING WINE. 4 seasons without the extremes you get in the Midwest. (Anna), One of the best things I think I did to prepare for leaving on a mission was spending a month (or less) focusing on each Christ-like attribute. Have faith in God (Bryan), Forget yourself and go to work. Our mission president is french. Take pictures of the people you meet (and label them because no matter how much you love them, you will forget their names). That is the adversary trying to stop you and demotivate you.go into the mission believing you will find those who have been prepared. (Stuart), I wish that I hadnt done things for competitive reasons. So I turned my bleue away and walked around the median just to be safe. We spoke French to her and she repeated it all in Russian. (Zakarias), Kebabs. It was very embarrassing. I did not have the gift of tongues from the get go, but I learned to accept myself for mistakes. There was an incredible spirit in the room which we could tell he felt. (Chloe), People expect good manners and you learn good manners quickly when entering homes. (Chloe), I learned to communicate better. French Population. We were praying for a ride back and a drunk guy picked us up. French Language: General: Dealing with money Getting to Paris from the . Try to keep it as small as possible. (Douglas), Orleans, Reims, Lorient, Sarcelle(Paris ghettos), Soissons, and Alencon, and then I got to serve in many others on exchanges. Both times we helped those people feel the love of God and ultimately stopped the suicide. (Aaron), I loved teaching my investigator, Marie-line, because she was so sincere. Humanitarian Service Missionaries) Learn More Education 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. (Merrilyn). Africa North (AN), North America (NA), and South America (SA) are abbreviated for concise column and reduction of row height for most rows. HUMOR AND SPIRIT ARE POWERFUL TOOLS in making relationships work. Definitely a good rain jacket and umbrella and waterproof shoes. You will learn sacrifice real fast. (Zakarias), Its like regular mainland European weather- we have both a lot of rain and sun. (Jacob), We were riding bikes one day with our skirts pinned and our helmets. (Mariah), Pain au Chocolate. (Zakarias), Video interviews with returned missionaries, Cultural articles written by returned missionaries, aredheadmormonmissionaryinparis.blogspot.com, France Paris Mission President Pond Group, Paris Mission Pres. Missionary Training Center. So I went with that mindset, and I found that the mission was the most fun that Ive ever had. (Nicholai), Walking out of the apartment was the start of something crazy- but crazy wonderful. Brussels is the city of miracles and Nogent is a dream. Almost all of these people are warm and wonderful. ): I have complete confidence in you. Then we were praying for safety. 252- 253). (Elsa), I had three Mission Presidents: President Jones in Paris, Elder Andersen, and President Oveson in Bordeaux. Make sure youre prepared. John Conway and I took the weekend off and biked up to a mountain village. Ah well. (Jeffrey), Immerse yourself in the work. (Michael), In Meaux, a Sunday School instructor asked me to get a tableau. (Paul), A second language. I was on exchanges and we were unknowingly being led to someone who was about to commit suicide. Other times, it was just having a conversation with the man in the park about death, and what he was going through. The French are kind but you need to be real and sincere with themthey will see through insincerity very quickly. Now, as I work, it seems a lot of people only want to associate with those who can help them. Alabama Birmingham. RussellM. Nelson, opening remarks in Children and Youth: A Face to Face Event with Elder GerritW. Gong, Nov. 17, 2019, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. My grammar became worse because of the foreign language, but I learned to explain basic concepts and then building up to more complex concepts as a missionary. 7. Since we did nothing everyone was a lot nicer to us. (Jordan), Weather was always great. As missionaries, we are helping fulfill that prophecy today. (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. I wish Id understood things about the Temple more when I was there attending so much so I couldve more fully appreciated the experience. Buy winter jackets there if youre going in the summer. (Drew), Teaching the lessons and seeing the baptism of a young refugee from the Ukraine. (Alex), It is a baptizing mission! Intermittent rain that youve got to be prepared for ;). We will in effect be Gods. Ether 12:27 was revelation in DIRECT response to Moronis plea for understanding in light of his linguistic weaknesses. Getting along with different personalities and people. Her brother had just accepted the gospel and told her about the blessings he had received and she wanted to know more. (Doug), Good sturdy yet lightweight luggage. Utah St. George Mission. Definitely thermal garments. During a migraine episode, we had an appointment scheduled with a non-progressing investigator with major word of wisdom issues. It was a long walk. 65,950,000 (July 2013 estimate) Operating. Sharing the Gospel Online. Frequently Asked Questions. (Mariah), Cooking. (Anonymous), Fast and pray with faith and hard work, nothing doubting, success is guaranteed in your life and the lives of those you come in contact with. (Valan), Love of scriptures. 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. amertune 10 yr. ago Forgot about Tahiti, even though one of my MTC teachers served there. Forget the nylons (if you can get away with it). (Matt), How to find the good in others, studying for a couple hours at a time, and not being afraid to open my mouth. I was also blessed to learn how to set goals and work toward those goals. Shirt designs include France ParisMission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. Love and serve your companion and those you meet. I loved having meals with the people. But he followed me and came straight up to me with scissors and took off a few inches of a chunk of my long red hair and scurried away. I know that I choose my joy or sadness. So are the Africans! (Anna), We had decided to go up to a specific village a few train stops away to do some finding. I love their architecture, their love of flowers and symmetry, their pride and knowledge of their history, their wisdom growing from their mistakes. We finally ran into one of our Evangelical African friends who cast out the demon in him. France has over 65 million total inhabitants; Switzerland, nearly 8 million total . But at the same time, I felt some inner rush to keep hurrying to find her. I love their politeness, manners and gentility. France Paris Mission Its the Lords. (Nicholai), Temperate 4 seasons. 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. The more you pray, study and testify, the stronger your testimony will grow. Many Mormon missionaries are asked to serve in places far from their home where they are required to learn to speak a foreign language. His friend pulled him away but we were scared, partially from the sense that we were not as well protected because we had not been obedient that day. (Scott), Crepes Kebabs Gallettes Panninis Baguettes. She nearly fell off the couch laughing. On Halloween, we decided to show the French what a real Halloween was like. Transferring up and down stairs from train to train. In general, weather is nice, except it occasionally snows in the winter and there are occasional heat waves in the summer. The sisters where Im from wear black all over! We tried to explain to him that we werent nuns, and he thought that we were sad about it, so he spent 20 minutes reassuring us that someday we could be nuns. (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. Things tend to work out, find joy in serving others. Talking to people. Layers. Love the people and dont judge others :)(Jordan), Read the scriptures out loud in the language. (For sisters) A coat with a hood. He then reached out and grabbed some of my long red hair, and cut off several inches. (Chloe), Western European oceanic climate. If you have found this service helpful, please consider donating! *Click here to browse Paris Mission gifts. (Jordan), Pain au chocolat, religiouse; quiche. (Matt), I called women, men sometimes haha. France, Phone Number:33-1-34-80-04-83 Throughout our time as missionaries here, we have learned three important truths about missionary work that wed like to share with our fellow missionaries around the world. But there was no time to jump out and talk to her, get her number or set up an appointment. The Church was legally recognized in October 1968. Winters do get cold. (Stuart), I learned French! I am now a French teacher. Rain gear a must. We kept working through the crowd, and somehow, up ahead another block or two away was that bright pink. I walked around for the first 6 weeks saying that Jesus Christ is my flavor because the words for savior and flavor are really close. Pretty hot in the summer. To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Paris Mission: Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the France ParisMission. (Nicholai), The language was really hard for me. Avoid accumulating things on your mission. (Mariah), Moderate. That was always a good spiritual experience. I felt the Spirit very strongly as I was able to answer Yes. A man opened the door in a small robe and when we asked him if he spoke English, he swung the door wide open and revealed a butcher knife in his hand.