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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Pictures 9/08/14

Check it out, President and Soeur Babin in mid contact!!!!!!!! They're awesome!

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Elder Johnson, Elder Platt and I right before eating our traditional curry Sunday dinner. I'm holding the french soda!

Week 80 (Versailles)

9/08/14

Hey family, friends and beloved fans,

Well, this week was one to always remember. On Friday, September 5th, we joined forces with the Lyon, France mission and participated in a "day of finding". Basically what that means is from 9 am to 9 pm all of the missionaries in these two missions (around 500 missionaries) did as much finding as possible. We were talking to people on the street, in metros, at their doors, in buses and just about anywhere possible. Of course, that's pretty much what we do every day... but, what made this day special, is that we prayed for each other every 30 minutes! Every 30 minutes, no matter where we were or what we were doing, we would say a prayer with our companion for all the other missionaries in the Paris and Lyon mission. 

It was quite a spiritual day and an awesome experience! 

I taught more lessons that day than I ever have in any other single day on my mission. Everywhere we turned, we found people that were willing to stop, listen and talk to us about our unique message to the world.

We saw soooo many miracles. Want to know what's even cooler though? Ok, so Elder Johnson and I were thinking about it, and we thought that it would be fun to get President Babin and his wife to come contacting with us so they too could participate in this special day of finding. 

We called them up, told them our idea, and they were really excited to come contacting with us. We met them in the heart of Paris and then got to work. Elder Johnson and I were working on one side of the bridge, President and Soeur Babin were working on the other side. People were stopping left and right to find out more about what we were teaching. Heck, people were even coming up to us by themselves to ask questions. To make the story even cooler, the place we were contacting was on one of the bridges crossing the Seine river to Notre Dame. Livin' the dream!

We found a bunch of cool people, one guy that sticks out in my mind is a man named Aries. He is from the Philipean and has been living in France for 20 years. He was really open to our message of the Restoration and we had a great discussion. Turns out, he doesn't live in our area, but we passed him to another companionship not too far away. No worries though, we're all playing for the same team!

Anyways, the day of finding was a huge success. In fact, we found more new investigators this week than ever before in the history of the France Paris Mission. Just goes to show that with a lot of prayer, and a little effort, big things can happen. Romans 8:31 "...If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Lets see, what else did I do this week....

I went on a bunch of exchanges... including an exchange with my "missionary son" Elder Player! Man I love that guy. I trained him over a year ago and haven't been able to work with him again since. It was soooo good to finally be able to work with him and see how much he's grown since he first started his mission. He's great. 

Let's see, what else should I tell you...

Oh yeah, this coming week is going to be a HUGE week. Yesterday, we fasted with Célia and Alain. They decided to fast to know if the Book of Mormon is true and so we fasted that they would get their answer. We are going to see them on Wednesday so pray that they got their answer and that we can help them move forward towards their goal of baptism!

Also, we have kind of a "make or break it" day on wednesday for someone else that we are teaching. We are teaching Jean Yves, Martine, and Crystel (the Belin family) and they are amazing. I can't give you a lot of details about their situation, because it's pretty personal for them. But, keep them in your prayers, this is a big week for them!

Ok, last little miracle for the week. So last night Elder Johson and I were contacting. We were actually in a trio with Elder Tibbetts. Anyways, we were contacting, and we saw lots of success! Taught some lessons, and even found a family. We were feeling pretty good about life. Then, it was time to go home, so we went to the little RER train station and waited for our train. Turns out, it said that our metro/train wouldn't be coming for another 15 minutes... so we decided to leave the station and talk to a couple more people. In the 15 minute period, we only had time to talk to one person. Her name is Eve and she was probably the coolest person we met that night. Before we could finish teaching her about the restoration she was asking for our phone number and when we could meet her again. I don't know how that happens.... but it does! Miracles.

Ok, that was a pretty long email for this week. I hope you guys have a great day!

Elder Davis

Pictures 9/01/14

I've never really been able to see the Eiffel Tower at night... but this is as close as I've been. At 9h00 the lights go on and it's super cool.

Coolest missionary morning workout ever!

Week 79 (Versailles)

9/01/14

Bonjour family and friends!

(So sorry in advance, this email is pretty long. If anything, just read the stuff I put in bold at the bottom)
I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this week justice in an email. Seriously, we had a GREAT week packed full of miracles and testimony building experiences! I know I say that pretty much every week... but hey, every week it's true. 

I'm on a spiritual "cloud nine" so I hope you can feel it as you read this email.

So, this week Elder Johnson and I did a bunch of exchanges. We worked with the elders of Paris, Liège and Tour. Three exchanges in a row is a lot, but it was so much fun and we got work done!

I'll send some cool pictures that I took during my exchange in Paris.

This week I really saw the hands of God working in my life. I'll tell you about one experience in particular. 
 
So... Célia and Alan. Oh my gosh, I love them so much. God has blessed me with so much charity for them. 

We got super honest and upfront with them this week. I asked them in our lesson on thursday, "What is holding you back from being baptized?" They responded that they believe everything we've taught them, that they love the church and that they want to be a part of it... they are just waiting for one thing before they get baptized. They want to know that the Book of Mormon is true. They are waiting for that spiritual confirmation, but they said that "If we could get an answer that the Book of Mormon is true... we'd be baptized tomorrow".

What great news! We made them a promise... We said that if they really do everything in their power to get an answer (read, fast, pray, come to church, etc.)... God will give them the answer they are searching for by the 11th of Septmember. They agreed right then and there to do their part and so they are excited to see what will happen. 

Well 2 days later we had another lesson with them. Before this lesson Elder Johnson and I felt like we really needed to go that one step further and set a baptismal date. The september 11th date was kind of cool to help them understand they don't need to wait years to get an answer, but we wanted them to have a goal baptismal date that they can work towards.  

We prayed really hard before the lesson, knowing that we'd really need the spirit with us if we'd want to pull this off...

I had a funny experience on the way to their house. I was about to get on the metro and I was thinking about the things we were going to say and how we were going to ask them to be baptized. I told myself that I wasn't going to bother contacting people on the train because I needed to think about the lesson and prepare myself for this really important moment. While I was on the metro, I was thinking to myself about what we were going to teach and I started saying a silent prayer to have the spirit. During that prayer I said something like "I'm doing everything I can to have the spirit with me, please help Elder Johnson and I be able to touch their hearts so they'll accept the invitation to be baptized"....

What happened was kind of interesting. During my prayer, I had the thought... "if you're really doing "everything you can" to have the spirit, why aren't you talking to that woman in front of you about the gospel?"

I was like, dang... good point. I sat up, and started talking to the lady in front of me. Turns out, she wasn't interested at all... but when I got off the train I felt like I did what I needed to do to have the spirit.

Anyways.... long story short... We eventually got to their house and the spirit was super strong and they accepted the invitation to be baptized on the 21st of September under conditions that they get their answer that the Book of Mormon is true. 

How exciting! So, please pray that Célia and Alan will get an answer before the 11th of September that the Book of Mormon is true so they can get baptized on the 21st! They are so amazing and have such good hearts. I say this every week but they are true and honest seekers of truth. I know they will get their answer because they are already doing their part. Alan read the entire Book of Mormon in 2 weeks and now he's reading it again and he's already in Mosiah!

Walking home from that lesson, Elder Johnson and I felt true joy. We agreed that that was probably one of the happiest times of our entire missions because we followed the promptings of the spirit and saw God work through us. Alma 17:28: "Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness."
 
I love you guys,
Elder Davis

Pictures week 8/25/14

"Let your light so shine before men!!!" Matt. Ch. 5
Elder Johnson and I got to stay in a hotel this past week with some of the new missionaries that couldn't fit into the mission home

Me and Elder Johnson at Consecration Hill (Saint Germain en Laye) with the new missionaries

Moi et Elder Johnson à la colline de consécration (Saint Germain en Laye) avec les nouveau missionaires.tion

Week 78 (Versailles)

8/25/14

Hey everyone!
 
Well I guess I should start by saying that this past week was out of control! It was the first week of a new transfer so we were running around all week. Sometimes I felt like a chicken running around with his head cut off... but in the end everyting worked out. I'd say all in all this week was a success. 

On Tuesday we got to welcome 31 new missionaries into the mission. Elder Johnson and I got to go pick them up at the airport and pretty much took care of them until wednesday afternoon. Picking up new missionaries is so great. They are so young and inexperienced... yet they are full of faith and desire to share the gospel. 

I got to have some really cool experiences with some of them on trains and in Paris as we did some contacting together.

Working with brand new missionaries inspires me and helps me keep the missionary flame burning in my heart!

Working with Elder Johnson this past week has been a dream come true as well. He is such a good hearted man and a great missionary. We have commited to do everything we can to fully consecrate ourselves to the work during our time together.

We even had the privilege to revisit Consecration Hill with the blues. While we were there we re-consecrate ourselves to be 100% focused on our purpose. 

I LOVE Elder Johnson!!!!!!!

Oh, guess what... I got to go to Paris Lilas again haha! Josée (the lady who was baptized last week) asked me to confirm her a member of the church so President Babin said I could go. Man, it was so good to be back (again) to see old friends and of course to participate in a confirmation. 

I am so blessed. 

Thanks for all your prayers and support. 
Have a great week,
Elder Davis

Pictures 8/18/14

Happy Birthday to me
Haircut right outside the mission home

This week we went to the Busseaus to eat. We told them that we wanted to eat something really french... so they cooked us up some frog legs! Super good, but very boney and hard to eat! Pretty funny looking before they're cooked haha

Week 77 (Versailles)

August 18, 2014

Hello everyone!

Man, I had a great week! I'm so grateful to be a missionary. Life couldn't be better right now!

Yesterday I got to go back to the Paris Lilas ward to see a baptism of Josée! She's a really great lady who has been working with the Paris Lilas elders for a long time and she finally was able to get baptized! I got to work with her a little bit, so I was super happy that she invited me to come and see her baptism.

Baptism days on the mish = happiest days of your life!

Being back in Paris Lilas was cool too because I got to see a bunch of old friends, including François. What a humble, sincere, spiritual man. He's been going through some tough times with his health lately. he's stuck in a wheel chair and has been needing to make frequent hospital visits. Keep him in your prayers. 

It was so cool to be able to see the Paris Lilas members again. Man I miss them. I think that's the third time I've been back to Paris Lilas since I've been in Versailles, but it's awesome every time. 

Today is the first day of a new transfer which means.... I have a new companion! Guess who it is? ELDER TYLER JOHNSON! I've known Elder Johnson since the beginning of my mission and I'm SO pumped to be able to serve with him. 
 
We're going to have an awesome, awesome, miracle filled transfer. I'm already convinced of that!

He has so much faith and energy so I'm really excited to learn from him. Basically I'm going to be living the dream for the next 6 weeks.

Elder Everett got transfered back to Paris so at least he's not too far away. I'll miss him, but I think he'll be happy to start working with the Chinease of Paris again. Elder Everett only has 6 more weeks left of his mission, but I know he'll finish strong! I'm grateful for the time I was able to work with him.

Seriously, I am so optomistic right now. I'm in an amazing city with an amazing companion and we are teaching some amazing people. We get to work with an amazing mission president on a daily basis and God blesses us every day. Can't complain 

I hope you guys are doing well. Take care of yourselves!
Elder Davis 

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Picture from 8/11/14

Paris Opera House.
This is where they filmed Phantom of the Opera. Super chique 

 

Week 76

Hello Everyone!    
8/11/14                                                                                     

So this was one of those "could have been better, could have been worse" weeks. But oh well, let me give you a little summary of the positive things!

We started out the week monday night doing an interview with a guy who is writing a book about Mormon missionaries. He wants to write a book about 2 young guys serving a mission in a foreign country so he can portray how people endure trials and opposition for the things that they beilieve. He mostly just wanted to get to know us personally so he could understantd what makes Mormon missionaries tick. I think there's a chance we'll see him again for more interviews. Pretty interesting experience, I'd be interested in reading the book once its published haha. 
Lets see... What else did I do this week... We did a handfull of exchanges like always. 
Tuesday we went to Tour and did an exchange with the elders there. I got to work with Elder Wells and we had a GREAT exchange. We taught a ton of lessons, found some new amis and even fixed a baptismal date! We had a first lesson with a guy on a park bench and he was asking us a ton of questions about baptism... so we eventually just asked him if he wanted to prepare to be baptized on a certain date and he said yes! It was pretty cool because we both knew he was going to say yes even before we asked the question. Just goes to show that there are people out there already prepared to accept baptismal dates... even during the first lesson. 

Seeing Tour was super cool. I love being able to travel the mission. I'm super lucky!

Also this week we had some more quality lessons with Alain and Célia. Man they're super golden. They still have a couple big questions that they want answers to before they get baptized... but they are the definition of "sincere seekers of truth"

One thing really struck me this past week...

Alain said in one of our rendez-vous that he doesn't know if the church is true or not... but that he knows the church is good and he wants to believe that its the true church of God. 

That desire to believe is pretty big. 

There are a lot of people out there that don't believe in a lot of things. For example, in France TONS of people don't believe in God. But that "desire" to believe makes Alain a little more unique. 

There is a good scripture in the Book of Mormon that says

Alma 32:27 "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."

On my mission, I've met a ton of people that don't believe in God and don't care to find out if He exists. Those people tend to not change. Its the people that are humble and searching that truly gain a testimony that He is there. 

That's what Alain is doing. He has a couple weeks of vacation ahead of him and he says he is going to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover during his vacation to find out if its really true. 

Pray that he'll find the answers to his questions! I know he will because God gives answers to those who humbly and sincerely seek them. 
 
I hope you guys have a great week,
Elder Davis