Forty

This week was another fun filled week and a lot of it was in Lausanne. On Monday we were in Lausanne for the zone picnic. It was really great because we had a lot of sausages and good food.  We got to eat with an elderly couple and they gave us a lot more food so it was awesome! :-) They explained how there are three parts of France.  The French side, the Italian side, and the German side.  I really want to come back and go it Italy.  I’ve heard the food is really good.

After eating we played soccer for a couple hours and I haven't felt that sore for a while.  We then got on the train and came back to Besancon.

Mardi nous avons commencé encore à travailler ici à Besancon. Il était un petit peu bizarre parce que nous étions à Lausanne pour 3 jour à la suite donc c'était bonne à recommencer encore. 

We had several conversations and a couple lessons so it helped us get back into the swing of things.

Wednesday we had a Zone Conference.  It’s really fun to see all the other missionaries because there are a lot of cool people.

Thursday was basically Zone Conference and doing a lot of errands. I have the car, which is great, but we got it late, cooked dinner, then finished our weekly planning. 

Friday was another fun day.  We had two lessons with two great families.  My companion shared a nice spiritual thought on Jesus Christ.

Saturday we had six lessons planned but we had some fall through but it was still a really good time. This week we got seven referrals and for here that is crazy (awesome). Today we are just going to contact all of them.

Sunday at church we had a really good lesson about callings.  Each of us are like backpacks, each calling might have a different amount of weight but each backpack and person are loved the same.  I didn't explain it very well, but it was a great lesson.

My challenge to everyone is to share their testimony. A member in our branch said hearing testimony should be just like saying “yes or thank you”, it doesn't have to be something grand or emotional. I have also

noticed that the best teachers don't just say words but they tell stories, invite, and teach.  They don’t just give out principles but teach in a way that the person thinks of the answers without the teacher telling them everything.  I hope that makes sense :)

Elder Holland said people don't join the church because of what they know, but because of what they feel.  Pure testimony accompanied with the Holy Ghost is one of the best ways to help testimonies grow.

Love you all and journey on,

Elder Duffy

Thirty-nine

Hello everyone!

So right now I am riding on a train reflecting on what has happened this week :) The reason I am writing this email so late is because we were all told to attend a stake picnic in Lausanne so I didn't have any time to write during that and the zone leaders gave us permission to write later donc voila. Normally in my emails a write a little bit of what happened each day, but for this email I would like just to share two memorable experiences.

So this week Elder Brill and I were going to pass an Internet referral that we had received some days before. We had already called him 4 times and passed by his house one time. So we were passing by his house because this was kind of his last chance of us contacting him. So we went to his house in a little nice city just out of Besancon and we knocked and he didn't answer. We were a little disappointed but we dropped a Book of Mormon and wrote him a note and then we were off. After doing this we thought it would be a really good idea to go porting (tracting) in his city. 

The very first family tat we ported was a miracle. It is a husband and wife, and they are about 50 years old. The husband answered. We did the family question and it went really well. He told us he has had a daughter that has gone through a lot of hard things.  We just talked with him and got to know him. After that we asked if we could share an essays on the family, a message that we know is true and can really help them.  He said yes. He invited us in and then got his wife and daughter that were home with them. We sat down with all of them and it was awesome. The first rendezvous we just made commonality and did a little introduction of what we do as missionaires and gave them our card, and fixed a return date. 

At the second appointment, the wife had looked up who we are on the Internet and printed some stuff off the church website to read while she worked that following day. It was to cool and they already knew a lot before we had the second meeting. We talked about the Plan of Salvation because that is what we felt they need most in their lives. They said that they were really closed before this trial but after it they know there is a God but can't really explain or define him or what their thoughts are yet. We did a little intro to the Book of Mormon and gave it to them and that afternoon when we called them to thank them for a French dessert they gave us and she said she had just sat down and started reading the Book of Mormon so it is to cool! And I know Heavenly Father blessed us for this really huge miracle and I know they are ready. She said she knows it isn't coincidence that we have meet so it is awesome and really a cool spiritual experience. We fixed a third lesson with a member so we will see how it goes.

Second story is we ported a really nice Catholic family.  We gave them a Book of Mormon and they promised us they will read it. Something that was really funny is the second time we met them they gave us some really good pizza flour that you only need to add water to make it into dough and I made the wrong choice to ask if it was Italian :) You should of seen them! The French are really proud of their food so I think I hit a trigger point. He got mad but in like a nice funny way (You would just have to have been there).

So those are the two experiences from this week. One more thing… we ate with President and Soeur Brown in an Italian restaurant in Lausanne.  It was really nice because it was my first time I have really had just talking with them for a while. 

Something that Elder Christofferson said while he was at he conference is one of the big reasons you are called in a certain mission is because of the Mission President and Mission Mom and I have really seen that that is true. The France Lyon mission such an amazing mission and I am so glad I have been called here. I know every missionary is called to a specific mission for a specific reason.

I love you all and I know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else then where I am right now. I know it is definitely a challenging experience to go on a mission but it is one of the best things you will every do.

Love you all and sorry for the one email :)

Till next week,

Elder Duffy

Thirty-eight

Best Mother's Day gift!

Thirty-seven

This week was awesome! It is crazy that this is the last week of the transfer!

Before I forget I plan on skyping 15h my time, so that would be 9 your

time this Sunday. It is going to be so fun! During the last one I was a little flustered but this call will be a lot more chill.

So this week a lot of things have been happening. The first is we are

preparing for the baptism of Didier here in Besancon for May 7! He even has expressed a desire to serve a mission! He is 18 years old. He likes to correct my French :) Also, we have been still doing a lot of finding by street contacting and

porting. It is weird to think that this time next week I might not

have a car because I am getting transferred…so that would be weird.

Monday

We had a family home evening at the church and then did area book

work. My collegue and I have called all the potentials and old amis

this transfer.

For those preparing to go on a mission, doing area book work it is awesome! 

We usually do it between 3-4 during the day because that is when contacting is the least effective.

Tuesday

The Dijon Elders came over for an exchange and it was a really good

day! We had 5 lessons combined and 22 contacts. 

I was with Elder Landeries who is from Tahiti and he is the man! I love that

elder a lot, he is so cool!

Wednesday

Did service for a member and moved a lot of rocks. It was awesome! We

even used a hammer and nail to break like a 200 pound rock apart. They also have a dog that is really funny. If you kneel down and look like you are going to chase it, the dog loves you!

Thursday

An interesting day because Elder Brill had a doctors appointment, so we didn't have any time to contact, but it was an awesome day. 

One of the ladies we taught with the branch president was really interesting, a thing that you need to do when you teach here in France (or I think anywhere) is how the gospel of Jesus Christ applies to them.  She really understood

and said she would read and study.

Friday

Had a good day of solid contacting, going to a car shop, and weekly

planning. It was pretty tranquille.

Saturday

We worked hard contacting because this is the last big Saturday we had to do contacting and we saw miracles! We have 3 new potentials that are all really solid.

Sunday

We went really hard on porting. We also had a lesson with a less active couple and with an active couple. The less active couple is trying to stop smoking.  The other husband just became active and stopped smoking like 5 months ago so he is going through what they are going through now so he gave them some really good advice. That couple is planning to being sealed in the temple.

And that was my week.

Something that hit me interesting this week is how important the people around us are.  Nothing we do is because of ourselves.  Everything we do directly effects those arounds us.  Also, I have been helped by people around me. 

It has been really good to reflect on that, and apply the principle of service in my life.

So that is it for now, but I will talk to you guys this Sunday.

Till then be safe and know I love you.

Elder Duffy

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Thirty-six

Hello everyone!

This week was a crazy week! Caden and Melissa got married! It is so

cool and now they are at Disney World (which is like the best place in

the world, besides southern France of course ;)

So this week a lot happened! I was in Besancon, Fribourg, Renens,

Lausanne, Geneva, and Lyon. So a little all over the place! But it was

a really fun week of a lot of driving!

Before I go any farther, there is going to be a baptism in Besancon

May 7 for sure! His name is Didier and he is 18 years old and is super

cool! He even wants to go on a mission! It will be the first baptism

Besançon has had for a long time so it is going to be super cool! It

is going to be in a river so that is super, super cool! I am really

appreciative of all the missionaires who have served here before me.

Really this mission is interesting because usually it takes a while

for someone to get baptized because that is kind of the culture.

Really missionary service is a team effort and it isn't just one missionary

but many people who helps someone to be baptized. There are awesome

super good missionaries in this mission who go all 2 years without

baptizing anyone, but that isn't important. What is important is trying your best,

having the Spirit with you and keep on going keep on trying to improve.

Monday

I was with Elder Lanteries. He is from Tahiti and French is his native tongue so it was

 awesome to be with him. He is one of my favorite Elders in this mission. 

After p-day we did service for a less active and moved a cabinet-drawer down

 5 flights of stairs. It was really hard ;) it was probably 100 pounds and really big, 

but Elder Lantieres is really strong so it helped a lot :) 

We then had a lesson with a lady that we had met previously and she said

she will take the lessons.  We were a little late, so we rescheduled.

Tuesday

We had a couple lessons and then went out to eat with the Ghiridinis.

It was really good, a lot of vegetables, quiche, and a really good

slush fruit smoothie. Soeur Spackman needed to take photos by her

house so voila.

We had them teach us, and they did awesome! They are really good missionaries 

and said they would even bring one of there friends to church in 2 weeks! So it was super cool!

Wednesday

We did contacting in centre-ville, and had a lesson with Coralie and John.

It was really cool and we are trying to help them stop smoking so it has been really good.

Every time I have had a lesson with them it has been really strong and powerful with the Spirit.

We then picked up my collegue Elder Brill and Elder Barben and headed

off to Lausanne. We dropped them off and Elder Brill and I headed to

Fribourg and left me tell you, it was the most beautiful drive I have

ever been on. Literally breath-taking. The mountains are just

awe-inspiring and it is green everywhere and happy cows everywhere.

We got into Fribourg and the first thing we saw was a Ferrari

dealership, so that basically explains the whole city. It is really

rich and it has a beautiful view of the mountains. We stayed that

night with Elder Herf and Elder Hansen.

Thursday

It was the zone finding day! Super cool! We started in Fribourg, than

Renens, than Lausanne. It was a awesome day and we had some really

good conversations with people. Being a missionary is the best!

After Lausanne we drove to Geneva to stay the night before the conference in Lyon on Friday.

Friday

We woke up a 4:30 and drove to Lyon. It was really interesting to see

how the terrain changes. At the conference we had close to half of the mission there. 

It was a really cool experience and we talked about how to prepare a baptism. My 

favorite part was one the departing missionaries bore

their testimonies and the Spirit was super strong. It was also

probably the last time that I will see Elder Lythgoe my trainer so

that was a little sad but besides that it was a awesome conference.

Then we spent the whole afternoon driving back to Besancon.

Saturday

It was rainy day in Besancon.  We had a couple

rendezvous in the morning and then we weekly planned at night. 

Another super awesome day!

Sunday

Church was awesome as always. We had 3 amis at church and

one of them was new. His name is John. He played

the piano during church because the person that usually plays wasn't

there. He lives in Paris but he is thinking to move down here in

Besancon, so hopefully he does! Then we did port a port for 5 hours.  

We had some good contacts.One is a Protestant preacher and his wife and another is a older

couple that we ported into and they knew the church because his

grandmother was a member and we had a really good conversation.

I know the Book of Mormon is true and I hope you read it. Ponder the

message in your heart and pray sincerely and you will receive

an answer. 

Tell me how it goes once you do :)

Love ya all,

Elder Duffy

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