Bonjour!
This week was awesome! We started to see a lot more success and I
know it's because we kept pushing to find someone to teach this transfer.
Monday night we were tracting in some apartment buildings. We knocked on a
Madams door and told her right away we were here to pray with her family. She
let us in instantly and we prayed and began to teach her about the
restoration. She loved it and we have a rendez-vous with her this week!
It is so awesome to finally find a family to teach!
Also later in the week we were street contacting in Versailles and
we contacted a man who ended up being from Madagascar. He moved here because he
needs surgery on his eyes because he is going blind. I think it's called
cataracts or something like that. But we set up a rendez-vous with him and on
Sunday. We met him at the Church. We talked a little a bit about the
restoration and we just felt prompted to give him a baptismal date. He accepted
and said God made him start to go blind so that he would be able to find the true
Church!!! Such a testimony builder!
I finished reading the Book of Mormon this morning and something in
Moroni really stuck out to me. Chapter 6:8
"But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with
real intent, they were forgiven."
We have been working with a lot of less actives lately and a lot of
them feel as if they are past forgiveness or that it's too late or not worth
it. We are trying to help them understand that the Lord wants to forgive!!!! He
wants you to be able to return to His presence! It is never too late to repent!
Well I have one more week left here in Versailles. I forgot my
camera at the apartment so I'm sorry but no pictures this week!!
Love,
Elder Sughroue
The following is
Elder Sughroue's response to questions via email sent to him from the Brent
Jacobsen family and the Young Men from the Rancho California Ward.
Dear Jacobson Family:
Thanks for the email! It's cool to hear from everyone back in
Temecula. Right now I am serving in the Versailles area. We live in Versailles
but our area is probably bigger than Temecula and Murrieta put together. The
ward has about 200 members who actually go to Church each Sunday. SO lets just
say there is still a lot of work to be done in France. Most of our days are spent
street contacting until 6pm. At 6pm we start tracting or "porting" as
they say in French. The French is starting to become a lot easier for me.
I still have room for A LOT of improvement but now I can at least make my way
through teaching the lessons and responding to gospel questions.
Bryce: of course there is good food! I eat crepes every week, but
sadly I haven't found any corndogs.
Maddy: I've been to the Eiffel tower about 3 times now. We
played football in the park in front of it.
Collin: The Crepes are legit. Even better are the snails!
Kate: I'm not allowed to say whether the girls here a cute or not, but
as to dangerous things, a couple weeks ago we had people throwing eggs at us
from the top of a 12 story apartment building. Luckily they had horrible aim.
Hey thanks for
the emails guys. Letters in the mission field literally mean so much for
missionaries so I thank you for taking the time to write me. The work in France
is going great. The number of baptisms per month are the highest they have ever
been! The Lord is truly Hastening His Work here in France. I don't have
to much time to email and reply to each person's letter but I will answer all
your questions.
1. The weather
here is super bipolar and unpredictable, in the morning it can be warm and
sunny and by the after noon it is pouring rain. But no, it never affects how
often we go out and teach. We work rain or shine because the Lord has promised
us blessings if we are diligent.
2.The temple
is in Versailles. They have started working on the foundation but I don't know
when it will be done.
3. The
language is difficult but with the help of the Lord and the gift of tongues I seriously
have seen a lot of improvement. Also everyone understands that I am learning
French so they speak a lot slower and simply.
4. The most
exciting experience I have had while tracting? I'll give you a spiritual one
1st. We found our 1st baptism in this super old ghetto apartment building. 75%
of the rooms were condemned. I didn't want to go in at all but my comp.
insisted. After 5 floors we decided it wasn't worth it so we headed our way
down the stairs. We stopped on a floor and saw there was one door with
belongings outside of it. We figured we should just try and right away we were
let in. 3 weeks later she was baptized.
and for a non
spiritual. - while tracting we were in this 12 story building. The
whole building ended up being Muslim,... and lets just say they weren't to
happy to see us. As we were walking out of the building eggs starting flying by
our heads from the 12th floor! We dodged them all and got in the middle of a
group of Muslims to hide!
5. Basic
everyday Schedule: 6:30: Wake up and work out 7-8: shower get dressed. 8-11:
Studies and then for the rest of the day until 9pm we are out contacting
people on the street and tracting houses in the evening. The expectations are
to work diligently.
6. The gospel
is received way better than I thought it would be for a European mission.
7.The thing
that helped me the most to prepare for my mission was Preach My Gospel.
Elder Holland said the whole purpose of Preach My Gospel was to convert
the missionaries.
8. Nephi was
bullied by his brothers. Nephi 7:17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the
Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver
me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me astrength that I may bburst these bands with which I am bound.
Nephi didn't
pray for his situation to be changed though, he prayed for the strength to get
through his situation.
9. Everyday I
love the people I serve more and more. My president told me the only way I will
learn anything these next 2 years is if I learn to love the people. It's crazy
how much I have grown to love people I have just met. You love them so much
because you are teaching them the way back to our Heavenly Father.
10. My current
comp is from Canada but we have missionaries from Germany, Italy, Spain,
Sweden, and all the other European countries. Also a couple from Africa and
Tahiti.
11. I would
tell the Young Men keep true to the faith and take daily scripture study and
prayer seriously. I never have been happier in my life and I know it's because
I am constantly seeking to "feast upon the words of Christ" and
" lose my self in this work." The earlier you start the
more prepared you will be. Also don't get caught up with all the people
from high school and trying to fit in or be cool. None of that matters in the
long run.
Love you my
brothers!
Elder Sughroue
