Nineteen

Joy in a cup! Mcdo Mcflurry!


Hey!,

These are some of the things I have learned on my mission.
Working hard and obedience is not everything on a mission. Really.
From the start of my mission I have just been working hard, trying to be
exactly obedient, always busy. That is important...but I wasn't
as happy as I wanted to be so I wanted to know what was missing.
Really it's charity. Having love towards everyone and not just doing
what I am doing just because I know the Church is true. That really
hit me. That knowledge should lead you to act another way, on a higher
plane. I felt like I had been running around and trying my best but
having no anchor. So from now I will try to do all those things as before
but not just because I should...but because I love the people I am serving and
want them to be happy. So that is what I learned today. Also slowing
down And smelling the roses is important too.

The scripture that stays in my head is the charity scripture about if you do things without
charity it availeth you nothing. So I need to repent and change ;)

So we have 3-4 Amis that are so close to baptism it is super
cool. Something that I have tried doing this week is making daily
contact with all our Amis and really it has been helping a lot.
Xia who is our closest to baptism felt the Spirit during
Sacrament.  He said it was just like a warm
feeling in his heart.  Super cool.

Something I learned this week is one of my Zone leaders, Elder Perry,
is engaged. He has only been home for like 2 months so that is super
crazy! It basically blew mind.

I love you all and have a merry Christmas season!

Elder Duffy

Eighteen

This week was awesome. To start off my passport was found. I called
the office right after it happened and a couple days ago they told me
they found it and it was like in a pile paper thing so that was
the first miracle!

The mission is all about talking to everyone
and following spiritual promptings. For me, these are the two biggest
things to know that I am a successful missionary.

So this week the mission is really focusing on the Christmas message
so this next week we will be trying to share that with everyone and
testifying. I am not going to lie having all the church videos are
such a blessing. Having a visual like that in this day and age can
really enhance the quality of contacts.

So we still have the rule that we need to be in by 18H (6:00 pm), so that means
we really need to be with members. It is really good thing because now we
have to work with members or we will
be doing area book for 3 hours ( I know how that feels :)

So my companion, myself, and the zone leaders have made a goal for this
mutation. (I am staying in Montpellier for another one) super cool! We
are going to eat oatmeal in the morning with honey and chicken bean
salad things for lunch and dinner. Also we are just going to talk in
French for this mutation! It should be fun!

For Skype I don't know the details yet. I just know Christmas Day
sometime! I will send the details when I get them.

We have a Christmas conference as a mission this Christmas.
They have 4 buses and they are going to corner to corner
and picking up all the missionaries.

So for the spiritual message for this week... I challenge everyone to
think of someone they can share the gospel with.
Before my mission I thought if you share the Gospel with someone you
know you will hurt your friendship but really from what I have seen it
enhances your relationship even if the person is not interested.
(Maybe a good way to start is sharing the new Christmas video)

If you don't know about the Gospel please visit Mormon.org and watch
"He is the Gift"...And take the challenge at the end of the video.
You will find peace and joy.

Well I love you everyone but especially my family, they are a part of
my rock spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I know this Gospel is true and if you are ever doubting just "remember".

Have a fantastic week and always remember to smile!

Love,

Elder Duffy

Seventeen

14 novembre 2015

Dear Families & Friends,

Please be assured that all of our missionaries are safe and secure. Given that France has closed all of her borders, and even though we know of no terrorist sights within our mission, pending further information I am advising all of our missionaries to stay in their apartments and avoid public transportation.

We will keep you informed as all information becomes available.

Love,

President and Sister Brown

Hello family and everyone else,

This week was a whirlwind. So the first 5 days of the week were like
super busy with lessons and things. When we woke up at 6:30 to do
mangoes (which is exercise) I looked at our portable and saw that we
had gotten a text. It was President Brown and he said that there had
been some attacks in Paris so until further notice we were to stay
inside for the rest of the day. The text did not tell what actually
happened so like for the next while after that we were wondering what
was going on and joking that we will all have to leave France and be
missionaires somewhere else so that was fun:) We got dressed and
 in the middle of etudies we received another text
explaining what happened and that we were not to take public
transportation, like buses and trams. That kind of messed up our
Saturday because here in Montpellier everywhere you go is by tram but
ca va. It was a lot of good walking:)

A really awesome thing that happened Saturday is the relief society
made us thanksgiving French style and it was super good, but not like home,
 but nevertheless super good.
Now we have to be in by 6 p.m and we need to stay away from
big groups of people. So we are going to have a super good Area book:)
That's really all that has happened. We have 4 super awesome Amis.
Xia, Jeremie, Ronald, and the Quezzada family. Xia is a student here.
He is from China so he is still studying French and other things. He
came to church which was great.   Jeremie is like 27 years
old and super cool. He speaks really great english and is super chill.
Ronald is super. He went to Cambridge and he is from Britain. He is
here to write a book and he is literally super smart in the ways of
the world. It is crazy that he comes to us to be taught:) Quezzadas
are a part member family. They are super cool also and sister Quezzada
made us banana bread so that was awesome. (Was not the best I have ever
eaten though) #MyMagnificentMom.
So that was basically my week. It has been a little
rough but I know it will be all for my good. My Allez-Vous for
everyone this week is just to smile. C'est tout. Men and Women are
here to have joy. Not to be happy all the time but to have joy. The
Gospel is true. As in the words of President Uchdorf (or almost in the
words) if the Gospel is not working for you, simply simplify.

Love ya,

Elder Duffy

Sixteen

France is going well, it is still pretty hot here. It is like still really nice outside. Some days it is kind of on the colder side but not a lot.

Honestly I have not eaten a crepe from a restaurant. I have eaten one at our apartment but I need to buy one:) 

So we have 3 really solid Amis Xia, Jeremie, and Ronald. They are really cool and coming along.

Actually there are a lot of refugees. Like in the city probably 40 percent.

The missionaries like to eat a lot of Kebabs. Some restaurants are actually pretty sketchy. The general rule is if a Kebab is under 4 euros don't buy it:) 

Well thank you for your love and support, it truly makes all the difference.

Love you, and thank you for everything you do.

Sincerely,

Elder Duffy 

Fifteen

Hello Everyone!

Does time fly or what? It is crazy to think I have been out for almost four months. 

It is hard to tell weeks from each other. This week we went to Nime for district meetings.  In two hours we are going to Aix en Provence and then Saturday we are going to Toulouse. This week we are only going to be in Montpellier for 3 1/2 days. I am pretty excited. 

How was everyone's Halloween?! Here Halloween is when a lot of crazy people get out (plus everyone else) so it was kind of interesting.

But really C'est tout! Something that I have really been thinking about is Elder Anderson’s talk on how “believing is a conscious choice”. If you want a testimony, and want to believe, all you need to do is act. Action is the remedie to fear. An interesting video that I watched before my mission (I believe it is a Ted talk) is the main reason why people don't accomplish their dreams is not lack of resources, it is simple because of fear. I like the scripture that talks about “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of a sound mind”. So my invitation this week is get out there and don't be afraid. Master your fears and become the person that you have always wanted to become. 

Have a fantastic week! 

Elder Duffy 

Fourteen

This week was really good. I am feeling healthier.  I probably regained back all the weight already:) French food is just so good and light.  It is easy to eat a lot of it. 

It was really awesome seeing those pictures and video. Sadie is so cute.

So my new companion is Elder Hansen! He is from Payson, Utah so we have something in common. We both love the Payson temple! That temple is so beautiful, magnificent, sublime, and wonderful. He lives right by it.

Our typical day here is really just the handbook but instead of two hours of study we have four. Personal, companionship, language, and twelve weeks which is like the program for entering the mission field. 

I also just got the Halloween package this week. Thank you so much! Something just like that for Christmas would be amazing. Elder Hansen ate all the Kit Kats… so he is loving it.

The thought that I wanted to share this week is from President Uchdorf’s “Grace” talk from the April 2015 conference. I challenge everyone to read it. 

Something that really struck me was when President Uchdorf recited the story about Jesus and the lady washing his feet. It really stood out to me that nothing we do, no matter how righteous and good we are, can qualify us to enter heaven. It is truly by grace. Then the question can be asked, why do we have to do anything at all? It is through our actions that we show our thankfulness.  It is also how we can utilize the Atonement in our lives. The gift is given but we must do our part to accept the gift. Sorry if that was a little hazy, but when you read the talk you will understand.

Ponderizing is really awesome. My companion and I have found if we share a spiritual thought that week’s scripture is what we use.

I just want to leave with my testimony.  Look at the fruits of living the gospel and applying the principles. It is true. I promise that if you stand firm in the tenebre of life and stand steadfast, you will be happy and find peace.

Sincerely and lovingly,

Elder Duffy 

Thirteen

This week was crazy, awesome, bizarre all at the same time!

I was sick last week. It was like a fever/ chills for 2-3 days and

then it was digestive stuff for like 5 days after at. I am not going

to lie I lost 18 pounds but don't worry I will regain them real

quick;)

The fish recipe that you saw my colleague made. I am not going to lie

but it was probably the best meal that I have had in France yet. To be

honest I have not actually ate a lot of French things. Really for the

most part I eat cereal, sandwiches, and potatoes in that order

everyday;) Mom I miss your cooking a lot. 

Living in France is interesting.

The people here actually are really polite. They are really honest and

tell you how it is. There a lot more crazies in France then in the U.S. 

It definitely adds personality to everything;) 

I feel like we see other missionaries a lot. Since we live with the Zone leaders 

there are always new missionaries sleeping at our apartment and all that. 

I really love the mission unity. 

My french is coming. I can usually get what I want to say across even

though for sure my grammar is off but it is all good. It is coming.

So my new companion is Elder Hansen and he is really cool. We are

having a good time together and I am really looking forward to get to

know him better.

This week we had the comeback conference for all the 6 week old

missionaries and it was awesome. It was really great to see my comp

again.

A cool spiritual thing this week was Elder Perry’s last testimony in

church for his mission. It was so powerful and like the Spirit was

totally there and it was so awesome!

That is my challenge this week: for everyone to share their testimony to someone. I

t can anyone. I know if you do, your testimony will grow and you can really help someone out.

Also this week while I was eating a big carrot my bottom retainer fell

out all in one piece. It's super sad. I will try to take care of that

as soon as possible.

That is it. 

You are a pleasure and joy to me.

Love,

Elder Duffy

Twelve

I am staying in Montpellier but have a new companion named

Elder Hansen. I am really excited for this exchange. My companion Elder Lythgoe is going to a place in between Marseille and Nice and it was sad to see him go. Also Elder Perry returned with honor.  We have two new Elders in the apartment and they are both cool. 

This week I was pretty sick.  It was hard but I remembered Dad gave me Imodium which helped so much! Dad thank you again.

Next week I will send more just know I am feeling better and excited

to start my second transfer. 

I love you so much and thank you for

everything you do.

With Love,

Elder Duffy

Eleven

This week has really gone by so fast. It is so true

that the mission flies by.

The French is coming. I feel like I have made good progress but I

definitely have a long way to go. We watched about half of General

Conference in French and I am not going to lie it was a struggle to

focus but what doesn't kill makes you stronger right?:)

This Friday is the day when I will see if I am staying here our going

somewhere else. I really love Montpelier but not my will be done. 

Montpelier has so much potential. I know missionary

work will keep on going stronger and stronger then before.

One of the Zone Leaders, Elder Perry,  is returning with honor this

week. It has really been a blessing to live with Elder Perry and Elder

Shaw because they really are amazing missionaries who are

dedicated to Heavenly Father and missionary work.  They have really

helped me as I strive to get better.

For the food experience for this week/transfer, I ate rabbit. It was

actually really good. it was a lighter chicken. I am not going to lie

it was hard not thinking of cute little rabbits while eating but it

was good nevertheless.

For the spiritual thought this week: I really loved Holland’s talk in

General Conference about MOMS. I got a little teary. 

The more I have been the mission the more I have realized that

I am not my own. That everything I am is because of my Heavenly and

Earthly Parents and my older brother Jesus. Literally without those

key 5 people I am nothing and would be nothing. I just have to say I

am so thankful for them and for everything they have done for me. I

would like everyone just to think of the part Jesus has played in their

lives.  

I love the Gospel and I love all of you.

I think of you often (but not to often):) and please stay on

the right path to find your personal destiny and internal peace.

Love you all and I know even more than that, that Heavenly  Father loves you,

Sincerely,

Elder Duffy

Ten

This week has been really cool. We had a a huge conference with a

third of the mission in aix en Provence. 

Aix en Provence is by Marseille. I guess Marseille is like super sketch in some parts and missionaries need to be in by 6 pm. For the conference Elder Adler spoke.  

He is in the third quorum of the seventy. We talked about really focusing on the temple and not just baptism.  Baptism really is just a stepping block to the temple. 

We had a really good French meal so that never hurts.  I

had a good conversation with someone I knew in high school: Elder Wade.

In France if you go right into religion it doesn't work out very well.  One thing we do for contacting is talk about families and tie that into the gospel.  People are usually more open to that.

Cool experience for the week: I was on a train about to get off and

I had the feeling that I should compliment this random guy on his bag.  After I did that the guy just started talking to us and he was really cool. He said “are you the Mormons?”  and we said, “Yes”. 

After that he said, “my girlfriend goes to sports extreme” (which is like a sports thing at the church). Then we invited him to come so hopefully he does :) 

It was just really cool to see the Holy Ghost guiding me. So that is my challenge for everyone this week.  Do the prompting they feel from the Holy Ghost. If you don’t know what the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is there is a really good

definition on mormon.org.

Well, everyone make it a fantastic week and if your ever are feeling

down, just smile till you feel happy. Believe me it works:)

Love Elder Duffy

Week Nine

Hello Everyone!

Montpelier is awesome. There are pigeons everywhere and many diverse

smells. If you get my drift;) my companion is Frere L he has

been out for just over a year now. He is the district leader. He is

from Heber, Utah and is super good at soccer. 

We live with the zone leaders Elder Perry and Elder Shaw. Everyone is great, and chill at the same time.

This week was crazy because we housed the APs and the missionaries

from Nimes. We had a bonne nettoyer today.

It is so sweet just to talk with people on trams and stuff and help people. It's so true the scriptures when it says, “when you lose you life serving others is when you will find it”. I invite everyone both old and young to prepare now to

go on a mission because there are so many people out in the world to

help and so much to see. 

Every time I study each day my mind is blown how amazing the gospel is and how amazing everyone and everything is. I have come to know how minuscule I really am. Being a missionary is not about being perfect with everyone but it is trying your best everyday.

Spiritual story for this week. So we have an investigator named E.  He was

going to be baptized the 20th but it has been pushed back to October

10. He has had some problems with the commandments. This last lesson

we had with him was all about he commandments and why they are so

important. During the lesson he just went off and bore his testimony

on the commandments and the Spirit was there making everyone feel

peace. 

We have a lot of potential friends that so close to being baptized. My companion and I decided that we are just going to invite them to be baptized and see

what happens. Because they all have a testimony. I think that just

need a commitment to get them to that next step. So please feel free

to pray for them especially E.

The ward is here in Montpelier. There are just over 100 people that come

every week so it's pretty good sized. There aren't a lot of less

actives so that is really cool.The members are all really nice and

want to do missionary work. So you just need to bring Amis and they

will take it from there.

I would just like to share my testimony that I know the gospel is the

truth. I call it the truth because this isn't just religion it's how

things are. We have a loving Father in Heaven that loves and wants to

bless us. He sent us here to grow and gain experience and to get

better. He knew we would fall short of getting back to Heaven, so he

gave us a Savior. It is so simple. I invite everyone that is not a

member that is reading this to learn as much about the Gospel of Jesus

Christ as you can because I promise it will bless your life and give

more peace then you have felt before. I invite you to call the

missionaries. They aren't perfect teachers (believe me) but they will

try the best to help you. As missionaries we are not here to

persuade but here to invite and help you on your own personal journey

to find meaning and happiness. 

Week Eight

Hello everyone,

Missionary work is awesome. This week we have been doing a lot. Sorry about last week and just sending one email. I was still a bit frazzled.

France is so FANTASTIC!!!!! It is tres different then America but it is super cool. I feel like I take the beauty for granted a lot but when I think about it and look around it is so beautiful. 

Montpelier is a student town. Students are open to talk to. Last Sunday I fasted that I would be able to talk with people and it worked!!!!!! It is still a challenge but I am getting better talking to people on trams and stuff like that. I am definitely not perfect but step by step I am becoming more fluent.

So this week I had a transfer in Nimes.  There was a colosseum in the middle of the town. There was a lot of roman influence. The mission is really weird and awesome. Like everyday is like the same thing but everyday is so different.

The scripture that has touched me the most on my mission is in Enos. When I think of life in general it is such a privilege. I have come to realize more and more that I am nothing but with Jesus and Heavenly Father I can become everything.

So funny story for the week. I was on a train going to a member’s house to have a lesson with a Amis de l'eglise  and dinner. I saw a lady and her dog. I really wanted to pet the dog, so I went over and said puis je petter votre chien. I thought that was right for, “can I pet your dog” but it is not. You will have to look it up. I didn't even know it was wrong but then some people started laughing pretty hard so I knew something was wrong. :)

Well love everyone and have an amazing week!

Elder Duffy

Week Seven

Hello family!

Sorry to everyone but I can only write one letter this week because I am using a french typing board and it is really different:) Well I am France.  Specifically, I am in Montpelier. It is super awesome here. President and Sœur Brown are very kind. My companion’s name is Elder Lythgoe. I live in an apartment with the zone leaders and my companion and moi. I am super blessed to be surrounded with such great missionaries.  

We take the public transit, and it is crazy. So we are teaching a lot ici. Probably  2 or 3 lessons a day so that is super cool. We also have a baptism on the 20th. His name is Eriva. He is a student right now and he is from Albania. The members here are also super fantastic and really outgoing and support us really well.  The sisters had a baptism last Saturday…his name is Frands. I helped with it because Frands uses a Wheel chair and there was three of us that had to help with it;:) Super cool. 

Sorry about how the email sounds, its just really weird taking this long to type.

I had my first baguette today and it was delicious. Highly recommend them.

Something that I have been struggling with is talking with everyone. Its super dur pour moi but I am working on it. I'm not going to lie I understand like un peu of what people are talking about. But it is coming slowly but surely. I will have stories to tell when we Skype:) Well know I am doing well and and taken care of and I love all of you and sorry for not writing to each one of you.

Avec d’amour,

Elder Duffy

Week Six

Dear Parents,

We are happy to let you know your son arrived safely in Lyon.  He was met at the airport by President and Sister Brown.  After arriving at the Mission he had lunch, had his picture taken, took care of paperwork, and had an individual interview with President Brown.  Tonight he will have dinner with President and Sister Brown as well as the other missionaries that arrived today.  He will stay at the Missionary Hotel in Lyon tonight.  Tomorrow some will go to legality and then he will meet his new companion who will be his Trainer. Then he will have training with President Brown and the Assistants to the President.  After the short training he will leave with his companion to go to his first area.  We will send you his address and companion's name tomorrow.

Please see today's photo in the attachments.

Thank you for sending us such a fine young man.

Sister Sweeney 

Week Five

Bonjour ma famille et toute le monde!!

I have a lot to say this about this week so lets get started. I leave the MTC and 3:30 a.m next Monday. Basically my flight is SLC to NYC (JFK airport) apres que NYC to Paris and Paris to Lyon. All and all it is like over 30 hours of traveling with the layovers. I'm looking forward to it. 

So funny story for the week. So last week on like Wednesday it was quiet time at the MTC. Which is 10:15 and 10:30 pm right before bed. During this time you write in the journal and comp prayer, etc. It was almost lights out which is 10:30 and all of a sudden I hear my companion, Elder Mckee, loudly say "gross". So everyone got out of bed to see what it was. Elder Mckee had seen something and it happened to be bed bugs:) For the 1st month at the MTC we never even noticed. (Gladly I didn't have any that I am aware of.) Some people in our dorm had random blood stains on their mattress that they didn't know what they were coming from. So I guess that the bugs bite and and then you rolled over and they popped. So that night we called someone on the red phone which is in the residence which goes straight to the front desk and told them what was up. They said they couldn't really help us tonight because everyone had left so they sent a police guy down to check it out. When he came he basically told us he would get us other blankets and stuff but that we had to stay in this room and not let anything leave. So my companion and Elder Loveland slept on the floor. Because they were the primary people that had them. After that night we went to the health clinic the next morning and they basically told us we have a P-Day today and that we need to clean everything out of our room and disinfect it with this spray after that we had to shower and just clean everything off and then we would get a new room. So it was kind of crazy. But on the bright side I got to talk with the MTC President for like 5 minutes at the front desk so that was fun. So now that bed bug problem is gone and we are in a new room. I think it is actually a blessing in disguise because we got a bigger room and we packed up everything so it will be really easy when we leave Monday morning.

Well that is the story for the week! My next email will be from FRANCE. I am so excited to go and get immersed in the culture and spread the gospel.

Teaching is coming. It is hard to become a master at teaching but I feel I am learning a lot of good techniques.

Wearing church clothes is the best! They are super comfy and all you have to worry about in the morning is what tie you are going to wear:)

Love you all and next pictures and email will be moi dans France!!!!!

Avec l’amour, Elder Duffy

Week Four

Bonjour ma famille et toute le monde.

Comment allez vous?

Ce semaine etait super. Je suis alle a le Provo Temple et il est tres beau. J'aime le tableu que etre dans le temple. 

Well I think that is enough french for this week just donne vous un petit francais:) J'espere mon francais est vrai.

This week not much happened just the same thing…but it’s awesome. For the Sunday devotional we had the Nashville Tribute Band and they were crazy but it was fabulous at the same time. It is the first time the MTC did something like this before. 

Thank you Mom so much for the packages they are great!

It is kind of weird, like I feel like a missionary in the MTC but I don't. Like I am doing everything but I feel like I won't be a missionary till I get in the field, I’m trying hard, it is just interesting.

The paintings in the Provo are so awesome, that is something I really want to get into when I get back is oil painting! 

Shout out to Mom, You and Sadie are looking more super fit then ever. Thank you encore for walking her and everything you do, You are truly Wonder Woman:)

For my spiritual though for the week I would like everyone if they can to read King Benjamin’s address, I just read a little of it and it is so awesome. Also if you can read “Our search for happiness” by Elder Ballard and watch “Safety for the Soul”, by Jeffrey R. Holland. I think that is enough:)

Well I think that is it for this week. Just know I love each one of you and pray for you every night. The more I think about the more blessed I fill. 

Je sais que il y a un Dieu qui aimes vous avec toute ses couer. Je sais que Le Livre de Mormon et Le Bible sont le parole de Dieu et chaque choses en leur est vrai.

Love you everyone especially My Family and of course Sadie. You are such an inspiration to me.

Avec l'amour,

Elder Duffy

Week Three

Bonjour toute le monde,

This week was another blast. We had two really good speakers President Nelson and Sheri Dew. The speeches were both superb and really relevant. 

This week we did the same thing as last week. The way the MTC is set up if your staying for 6 weeks the 1st week is a little different and the 6th week is a little different but 2-5 is the same exact thing. I feel like I am getting into a groove which is good though:) I saw Caden today in front of the MTC today and we were like 3 feet away. It was so weird but it was awesome at the same time. He was hauling when he was running:) 

In the MTC days feel like eternity and weeks feel like days, It is really weird. I really can't believe I've been here for almost a month. I don't really have that much to say. Just I love everyone and I'm kind of short on time this week so I will make sure to write a really big email next week:) Just again thank you to everyone for the support and write to you next week.

Avec l'amour,

Elder Duffy