WEEK 58

Bonjour!!! Au commencement, (Hello, at the beginning,) I wanted to say sorry for all who tried to talk to me this Monday. We had a zone activity and I am on emails
today super early, in fact it is still Sunday night as I type:) I wanted to start off by sending a challenge to each of you who read this. FOR ALL WHO ARE AGE WORTHY,

BEING 12 OR OLDER!!!! My challenge for you for you this week is to take time to go to the temple. Baptisms, initiatories, endowments, or a sealing session, take some
time for me, and EMAIL ME YOUR EXPERIENCES! I wanna hear the amazing blessings that you saw. The reason for the challenge comes later in the email, but please

make some time for it. I can promise you blessings if you make time for that :) thank you all for excepting! I expect some emails next week :)
MONDAY NIGHT
well we stopped by this game store in the mall on our way in for dinner and elder Jorgensen bought the game monopoly deal that we played with the ZLs last week

on our exchange. So that will be fun to take up our time with. We went in for dinner and then decided to go porting to finish out the night, but neither of us could decide where
we needed to go... #thespiritwasbeingquiet so we had to go and print off some train tickets for tomorrow morning so we decided we'd go to the gare and then hop on the

first bus that came. Ironically, we did and the first bus that came...ended at the gare...so we were like ok we'll wait for the next one. So we waited and the next bus ended right
in front of our apartment..which is weird cause this bus only runs like maybe 10 times each day...so we were all uhh and Jorgy goes maybe God wants us to do area book work

tonight? And I was all we'll just take the next one. And the next bus, passed right past our apartment....so we took the third bus as a sign! So we were going to the apartment

and on the way home I just said a quick prayer asking if that is really what we should do and this little neighborhood right next to our apartment came to mind. Me and Jorgy

had walked past it a few weeks ago saying that we should come and port it sometime and so I asked if we could go there and we decided that could be good for a
while. We didn't get any lessons, but we got 3 people who said come back on Wednesday! And they told us to come back! We didn't even ask! So we did that and then decided we'd take an hour to do area book work cause we weren't sure if God really needed us to do that or not...so we went in and made a ton of calls and talked to some interesting
people and got one person say that they wanted to meet with us! So that was cool. It was an interesting night, but full of surprises:)
TUESDAY
so this morning I had to get up and cook all the chicken nuggets for
the salad that I was making for district meeting. I've become famously
known for making a killer Caesar salad here in France so I guess
you'll all just have to wait to try it ;) so we got ready and bounced
out the door to make our train. On the train ride into Calais it began
to pour on us...and we didn't bring any umbrellas...so we were hoping
it would pass by the time we got into Calais....sadly it didn't so we
had to run from the gare all the way to the chapel which was a good
10-15 minute walk/run....so ya one could say that we were SOAKED by
the time that we got to the church. It was fun!... We got to the
chapel and tried to dry off the best we could and then had to wait for
the other guys to get there. So we all got there and started. For some
reason our district leader had me and Jorgy do the formation
today...we aren't sure why but he asked us to do it for him this
week...it was interesting, but we based it off of faith hope charity
and love and honestly, not to toot our own horns, but I thought we did
really well! The spirit was definitely there and we were definitely
able to teach the principles well. We then practice taught and me and
Jorgy and elder Jouffray went to the store next door and bought a
couple drinks and then we are food! We laughed and told some stories
and then me and Jorgy had to leave to catch our train. We made it home
to Dunkerque and I had to go and renew my bus pass and then we went
home to plan out the rest of our day. We decided we'd go contacting
and also try to stop by some less actives and try to get our home
teaching done. So we did that and found this one lady who lets us in
every time we pass by. She is such a sweet old lady. We talked about
family and prayer, the home teaching thought by president eyring in
the liahona this month. We then left and decided that if we were going
to get any porting in today that we'd have to go now cause we wouldn't
have any time later. So LUCKILY I had my umbrella this time. After
tonight's porting session, my wife is going to be drop dead BEAUTIFUL.
Like I mean #selenagomezstatus she will be amazing. Cause it was
POURING rain. I have never seen it pour rain that hard. *mom you can
edit this out if you would like****--> it was the kind of raining
you'd wanna make out in hahaha*** so we were going all around knocking
on doors in the pouring rain. You'd think people would have hearts and
let the poor Mormon boys in during the tsunami! But no not tonight.
We'll keep trying though! Since we were close to the church and
neither of us were hungry, for dinner we just went into the church and
tried to dry off and get warm. We then had a rdv with our less active
named Mado. She is the sweetest lady and me and Jorgy love her so
much! She just needs to come to church. She needs the blessings of the
sacrament in her life. So tonight me and Jorgy decided that the best
thing that we could teach Mado to help her progress was the importance
of church attendance. She took it so well and said I know I need to
come, I just have my opinions about certain things that are obviously
different than those of others. So I shared how when I was at church
at home, I had NO friends. Everyone was rude and going to church
wasn't exactly my favorite part of the week, but I still went cause I
knew that I had made the commitment to my Heavenly Father. She told me
thank you for sharing and said she'd come to church this week! So me
and Jorgy were so happy! We then went home and tried to warm up...it's
beginning to feel a lot like winter....
WEDNESDAY
Today was a long day! Me and Jorgy were so tired by the end of today.
The Lord worked us hard!! But it was a good kind of tired and it was
the kind of tired that you are grateful for. So last week our building
manager knocked on our door and told us that the building was having
some painters come by to put a sealant on the balcony for winter cause
they do it every year and they needed to set a time for them to come
and see us and paint ours. So we set it for this morning at 8 am...and
around 9:45 they still hadn't shown...so we just had to wait for them
cause we had to be there to let them in...they finally showed up
around 10...but we just had to chill and wait while they did their
thing. It was good though cause it gave me time to write some letters.
It was really funny cause one of the dudes asked if he could use the
bathroom and we said yes, so he walked into the bathroom and didn't
even close the door and all of the sudden we heard a stream going into
the toilet! #thatsfranceforya funny stuff. Anywho they left finally
and me and Jorgy went out and WORKED! We had a passback that told us
to come back Wednesday morning and so we went and stopped by her place
and she let us in to pray with her! It was cool cause she was like, no
I don't believe in God but ya I'll pray with you. So we'll see if
anything comes out of that! Then we went to a rdv that we finally were
able to get with our recent convert (who is more like a less
active)...he's canceled on us a lot the last few times, but this time
he didn't! It'd been about 3 weeks since the last time so we were
happy to see him. We taught him church attendance as well and
well...lets just say it's gonna take a lot more to get him to church
for the right reasons. Keep Dominique in your prayers! His health
isn't the best either so please remember that. We then went to the
post office to mail off a couple things we both had and then we went
out contacting. We tried to go and find a couple less actives, but one
wasn't home and the other asked if we'd come by next Friday. So we
just contacted around and were talking to everyone. We stopped by
macdo so that we could load up our emails cause I wanted to see if I
had anything from home cause today was the day of the funeral. We then
went in for dinner and then after we went out porting. We stopped by a
couple passbacks but none of them were home so we went to these
really nice apt buildings just right around the corner and walked in
and got two people to say comeback! So that was cool. We then we're
making our way out and noticed that we had not come through the front
doors of the buildings, but the back door was left wide open and the
missionaries got in!! #godworksinmysteriousways! One of those people
are going to be golden! We then went and got some mcflurries to help
with the grieving process...it was an interesting night. My thoughts
were all over!
THURSDAY
today was packed of things and went by so fast! But that's good what
happens when you work.. #timeflieswhenyourehavingfun well today we
started out with some studies and as soon as we finished the doorbell
rang and it was fedex with a package from home! So obviously we had to
open it now, so we took our lunch break and sat there and opened up
the package. There was so much in it!! I got chips and salsa and Oreos
and HOMEMADE BREAD! And jam! It was so fun! Me and Jorgy turned on my
iPad and video'd us opening the package so I'm gonna try to find a way
to get that home for all of you to see;) we then took lunch so that we
could look at the new pics that mom sent me. We then had to go to a
home teaching rdv that we had with a member. So we went to the church
and shared the Mormon message You Never Know and it went really well.
That is my favorite Mormon message just in case you all are wondering.
It is so good :) then we had a rdv with a less active and we had to go
and get Jean Paul to come with us. We were planning on doing service
at her house for her but we missed the first bus out to her house and
by the time we got to her house she said it was too late to do the
service cause she had family coming over later. So we shared a little
spiritual thought with her and then had to leave. We came home and
took dinner and then called some of the other elders in the district
to start setting up some final plans for the party that we are having.
The we went out porting and tonight we only got yelled at by one
grumpy old guy! So that was good! We then came home and I was dead
tired that I literally wrote in my journal and showered and got into
bed...#missionaryworkishard
FRIDAY
today we had to weekly plan...me and Jorgy had a little bit of a
breakdown in the middle of it but after we got over it haha it just
took some laying down on the floor and screaming for a good half hour.
Sometimes that is necessary though! This morning during studies the
painter dude had to come back and put a second layer of paint on our
balcony door and so we were studying while he painted and whistled his
way through the work ;) when he finished we went out and did some
contacting. While we were out there we got a phone call from a member
who invited us over for lunch next week! #smallmiracle that never
happens for us and so we are super excited about that. We then went in
for lunch and I made this pasta dish that the French call carbonara
and it was really good. We then started weekly planning and it went
well til about halfway through when me and Jorgy just had a breakdown.
I kid you not. We were literally on the floor just yelling, almost on
the verge of tears cause we were just so frustrated.
#missionaryworkishard but after a while we decided that we just needed
to work harder and we planned for this week to be the best week ever
in the history of missionary work. Sometimes it is hard to stay
positive, but the Lord will bless us when we labor happily
#whistlewhileyouwork so we finished up and then had to go to the
church to fix up some invitations for the big party that we are doing!
We are having a big party with 2 other missionary areas and so we have
to get ready for that for next week! So we went and did that and then
had to make our way to a rdv that we had with mike! On the way there,
we were on the bus and I started to this lady who told me that she is
currently struggling with cancer and that her chemo was burning her
skin and how she was in so much pain but she tries to keep happy. I
was just reminded of my sweet grandpa and how he was on so much pain
and suffering all the time, but he stayed happy. He is such a good
example to me. So I gave her my card and told her to call if she
needed service. Then we went to port for a while while waiting for
mike. We ported into this lady who told us that one time she had a
teacher that was Mormon and she went to one of our chapels and found
some cupboards and opened one and found a dead head in it with an
inscription saying 'if you've found this, you've been too far.' Ya. I
remember that in our church!...? Haha so we kept talking and in the
end she said she wanted to come to church this Sunday...so we'll see
if she comes:) then we went and taught mike the word of wisdom and it
went really well. Then we went home and stopped by a friterie on the
way!
SATURDAY
today went by pretty well. Me and Jorgy saw a little miracle towards
the end of the night and it was just one of those little tender
mercies from the Lord. We started off our day with some studies and I
read in the New Testament cause I finished the Book of Mormon on
Thursday and so I decided that I'd start into the New Testament and
try to figure out the life of Jesus and his apostles. It's a pretty
interesting get out. So we had studies and then we went out and did
some contacting. We walked all over the place! We went from downtown
Dunkerque to the beach to the town next door. Haha we were just
walking and talking with people. Then we came inside for lunch and I
was just sitting watch mountain of the lord and before I knew it it
was time to get up and get out of the apartment. Time flies out here
on the mission I kid you not. One minute you're asleep and the next
your outside and the next your eating and then all over again...it is
crazy! So we left the apartment and did some contacting and found some
people from Belgium who let us talk with them and let us pray with
them as well! It was good. We then had to make our way to a less
actives house cause we had an appt with her. She called us and asked
us to come. Remember the lady who hoarded and loved the missionaries
to come and sing to her?? This is the one. Her house stinks, and there
is just one pathway through her apartment getting in and out, but she
is sweet and loves our messages. We shared a little video on the
tender mercies of the lord and how we can better recognize them and
what they really are. She loved it, as usual. She's just a funny lady.
To be able to pick up my new legality from the city of Dunkerque, I
have to buy these special stamps that are called timbres fiscaux, and
they are 106€...but the mission pays for them! So me and Jorgy went
and found some of those at a store and next week sometime I am going
to buy my legality to France :) Then we had to go and send the invites
to the big ward party that we are having next Saturday. The branch
president of another area wanted to know some information. Then me and
Jorgy went and had some dinner at macdo and printed off our tickets at
the gare for this really fun activity that we are doing as a zone this
Monday! (That's why I wasn't on on Monday...sorry everyone!) we then
went and did some porting and we didn't see a ton of success and we
didn't know exactly where to go so we finally decided to go to one
area. We knocked on a few doors and then decided to go cause there was
10 minutes til the bus came and we could easily remember where we left
off if we stopped then. So we were walking and I told Jorgy '1 more
house' and he said ok this one and I said yes. So we went up and this
old man opened the door and said come in and pray. He told us that his
wife had passed away 2 years ago along with his brother and that he
was all alone and that he was just sad and alone. So we prayed, shared
a little bit about the plan of salvation, and asked if we could come
back and he said.....'absolutley!!!!!' So we were so happy! He just
kept saying merci merci merci! He was a cute little guy. We then just
started to head home for the night, grateful that the Lord helped us
out to help another one of his children out :)
SUNDAY
today was a good day! I love Sunday's here in Dunkerque. They are
always fun and filled with a little something special. We started off
by going to the church early so that we'd be able to print off the
invitations to the ward party for all the members and enough for them
to give to friends. So we were there super early and we just sat and
waited for all the members. Today during priesthood our recent convert
Mike got the Melchizedek Priesthood and set apart as an elder!!! And
we talked about the talk by Gérald Caussé from last conference 'Is It
Still Wonderful to You?' And I know I've talked about this talk a lot
but it is SO good. Not only because he is French and we want him to be
one of the new apostles, but because it really makes me think. Which
is where my weekly challenge for all of you comes from! All of you are
surrounded by the wonderful blessings of the temple and there are so
many times when you can take advantage of it and so that's why I
challenge you to go this week and tell me about your experiences. Make
the regular things of the gospel still marvelous to you! Continue to
read your scriptures, keep praying, and go to the temple! During
Sunday school our less active Mado that we've been working with since
I got here finally came to church! It was so good to see her! She was
talking with everyone and everything. It hasn't been a long time since
she's been less active but I know that we were inspired to talk to her
about the importance of church attendance and the sabbath day. Right
before sacrament meeting started she leaned over to me and told me
that she had bought us some corn on the cob yesterday at a market and
that she wanted to give that to us and then later today she was going
to take us to play boules! Or botchi balls, for all you Americans;) so
we had sacrament meeting and it went well and we handed out
invitations and then we went and headed to Mado's house to get the
corn and then we went home and ate. The French corn was good but not
as good as American corn! Then we went with Mado and played boules for
a couple hours. It was actually really fun and just relaxing to play
with her for a while. She's such a sweet old lady and I'm really glad
I met her. She told us that she is planning on coming to our Branch
Day this week and that she is really excited for general conference!
I'm thinking that Mado is coming back :) she is so cool. Then we spent
the rest of the night porting and on the bus ride home we got
contacted by this young mom who asked who we were and said that she
wanted to learn more! So she gave us her number and wants us to call
her and fix a rdv with her. It was pretty cool.
Well I hope you all have some amazing experiences as you go to the
temple this week. Whether it's baptisms, initiatories, endowments or
sealings, I WANT TO HEAR THEM! Remember to ask yourself, is it still
wonderful to me. This gospel changes lives. It is a key to happiness
that can help us through the toughest of times. 'Oh it is wonderful,
wonderful to me.' J'ai hâte d'entendre vos expériences du temple. A
bientôt! Je vous aime :)  I look forward to hear your experiences of the temple. See you soon! I love you :)Tanner the FRENCHIE