France Lyon Mission

Free resources about the France Lyon Mission:

• Mission address and phone number
• Mission map
• Video interviews with returned missionaries
• Missionary blogs
• Facebook groups
• Mission t-shirts and gifts
• List of past mission presidents
• Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
• Survey with RMs

*Other Mission Pages: France Missions.

France Lyon Mission Address

Here’s a recent address for the France Lyon Mission. We try to keep this info up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.

France Lyon Mission Map

Here’s a link to the mission map for the France Lyon Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Lyon Mission:

1. Log into your LDS account here.
2. Click here.

Videos with Lyon RMs

Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Lyon Mission.  We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.

France Lyon Missionary Blogs

Here’s a list of missionary blogs for the France Lyon Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.

*Email alexbalinski@gmail.com to add your blog to the list.

France Lyon Mission Groups

Here are France Lyon Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Lyon Mission.

1. Missionary Friends of Lyon Mission Group (663 members)
2. Missionaries of Geneva and Lyon Missions Group (133 members)
3. Mission Francaise de Lyon Facebook Group (123 members)
4. Lyon Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (18 members)

France Lyon Mission T-Shirts

Here are T-shirts for the France Lyon Mission!

Coming soon..

France Lyon Mission Presidents

Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Lyon LDS Mission.

1. 2015-2018, Scott D. Brown
2. 2012-2015, Blake M. Roney
3. 2009-2012, Kent H. Murdock

France LDS Statistics (2016)

• Church Membership: 37,996
• Missions: 2
• Temples:
• Congregations: 108
• Family History Centers: 66

Helpful Articles about France

• 30 Funny French Language Mistakes LDS Missionaries Have Made

France Lyon Missionary Survey

Here are survey responses from France Lyon RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission field.

When did you serve? 

• 2013-2015 (Marcell)
• 2012-2014 (Vai)
• April 2012-April 2014 (Bowen)
• August 2012-July 2014 (Alexis)
• August 23, 2012 to March 4, 2014 (Laura)
• 2013-2014 (Jennifer)
• April 2013-October 2014 (Carson)
• January 2012-August 2013 (Erica)
• March 2012-September 2013 (Melanie)
• 2010-2012 (Michael)
• 2014 (Aubrey)
• 2014-2015 (Aubrey)
• 2014-2016 (Greta)
• April 2013-September 2014 (Lauren)
• 2013-2014 (Kjersti)
• 18 months (Maddie)
• 2013-2014 (Hailey)

What cities/areas did you serve in?

• Neuchâtel Switzerland, Annemasse France, Bienne Switzerland, Genève Suisse, Brice la Gaillarde France, Martigny Suisse. (Marcell)
• Lyon, St. Etienne, Gex, Toulouse, Belfort, Grenoble. (Michael)
• Annecy, Chambery, Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, Marseille, Aubagne, Montpellier and Clermont-Ferrand (again). (Greta)
• Lyon, Toulouse, Chambery. (Lauren)
• Gex, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Lyon (écully and confluence wards). (Kjersti)
• Bayonne, Toulouse, Limoges, Nice. (Maddie)
• Toulouse, Perpignan, Nice, Chalon-sur-saone, Annecy. (Hailey)

What were some favorite foods? 

• Quiche, escargot, eclaires, fondue, tartiflette, raclette. (Marcell)
• My favorite food from my mission was the cheese with the “milles feuilles”- a French pastry. (Vai)
• Eclairs, Pain au Chocolat, Baguettes, Cheese. (Bowen)
• Duck liver! Raclette, Tartiflette, African Food (Fufu) (Alexis)
• The soups Escargots Raclette Baguettes Ohh the cheese! and of course…the patisseries (Laura)
• Baguettes, pastries (Jennifer)
• Baguettes! Pain au chocolat of every type. All cheeses. Everything stereotypically French 🙂 The south of France is awesome because there are people from all over the world and they love making you food from all over! (Carson)
• Raclette, gratin. (Erica)
• Quiche, confit de canard, bread!!!, yogurt, chocolate, pastries, viennoiseries, candy, everything. (Melanie)
• Kebabs, raclette, fondue, duck, oysters, stuffed peppers or zucchini, or pretty much any food prepared by French members. (Andrew)
• Raclette, all cheeses, fondu- just about anything with cheese, really. Kebabs are amazing but you have to limit yourself. (Michael)
• The Patisseries!! Baguette Sandwichs. (Aubrey)
• Tartiflette. Tropezienne. Truffade. Duck. Raclette. Cheese (all kinds). Balsamic vinegar, tomato and feta cheese salad. Omelettes. Crepes. Bread. Chocolate. Flan. Puddings. Cookies. TimTam Slams. Tartiflette flavored chips. Profiteroles. Jambon cru. (Greta)
• Pain au chocolat, ANY cheese, baguette, fruit from the outdoor markets, jambon cru, cornichon, any of the granola cereals (with small bits of chocolate! YUM), the chocolate, tartiflette, raclette, salads, couscous, kebab (with fries inside!) (Lauren)
• Chèvre, baguettes, quiche, and tartiflette. (Kjersti)
• BASQUE CHEESE. Any and all cheeses. Raclette. Escargot. I loved their produce– all so fresh and delicious! (Maddie)
• Leeks, pavé de pain, soup, raclette, all the cheese. (Hailey)

What was a funny experience? 

• Getting soaking wet by a sudden storm at the end of a sunny day. (Marcell)
• A funny experience was when we were knocking on doors and there was a guy with his speedo on. (Vai)
• When my Tahitian companion told a Sister he wanted to make a covenant with her and she and her companions freaked out. (Bowen)
• I prepared a sandwich. I cleaned the lettuce. I’m about to start eating the sandwich, when I see this big gray slug on the edge of the lettuce!! I freaked out and dropped the sandwich! haha (Alexis)
• During an exchange in a trio, my companions and I did some contacting in a park. There was an enraged atheist man that kept following us attempting to dissuade people from talking to us. Finally, we thought we had lost him when we started talking to a pregnant woman about the plan of salvation. He showed up with a cop who began to ask questions. Shortly thereafter an older latina sister from the ward stopped to see what the commotion was. At that time, I admit it was super nerve racking, but now I laugh at the memory. How hilarious it must have been to see us, three sister missionaries being berated by a man with a cop, with a pregnant woman and a short member arguing a mile a minute in our behalf. (Laura)
• We contacted a man who, by the time we walked away, was almost fake crying, saying “You poor girls, you’ve been brainwashed!” (Jennifer)
• I and three other sisters were on our way to visit a member living on the edge of town — and it was a little sketchy at night in this city. There were two companionships (me and my companion, she was more recently in the mission) and the other (a sister my age and a sister she was training). The sister in training spoke a lot of French but did not understand it as well — especially from natives. We had been talking quietly in English since not many people were on the tram to contact when these young men (nice terms) started eyeing us weirdly and talking about us in French (which most of us understood). They were being kind of creepy (as always) when we realized we should probably be careful that they don’t follow us. The three of us were concerned and decided we should talk in French. The newest sister asked why we had to switch and we said, we’re talking in French now so we don’t get kidnapped. She slowly turned and saw the creepy guys and turned back in fear and said with wide, fear-filled eyes “…. bonjour……” haha. It was more of a funny situation than a scary one, thankfully! (Carson)
• Getting locked in a park while teaching two investigators. We literally had to have the men lift us up on top of a wall so we could jump off the other side. (Erica)
• One time I contacted someone on the tramway and I thought she was a man because all I saw was the top of her head… Needless to say I was ashamed the moment the words “excusez-moi, monsieur” exited my mouth. (Melanie)
• Buying stinky Camembert and letting it age in the fridge for a transfer. One of our companionship goals was to eat it at the end the 6-week transfer but the cheese was too bad. We had to wrap the cheese in several trash bags to keep our fridge from not smelling like a used bathroom. At the end of the transfer, we ended up giving the cheese to our super French branch mission leader who had no problem eating the cheese. (Andrew)
• My companion and I were waiting for a train, and just a couple minutes before it was supposed to leave, they switched where the train was supposed to leave from, so we ran over to where it now was and hopped on the train. We looked at the sign that said where it was going and realized we were on the wrong train. We pushed the button to get out, but just as we tried, the train started moving, so we were stuck. We asked a conductor about getting to where we needed to be, and he said there were no more trains going either direction from that train for the rest of the night. We got off at the next stop and did everything we could to find a ride home. Luckily after about an hour, we found a member who was willing to drop us off at another train station closer to our destination that had one more train going the right direction. We ended up getting home around 11:30 instead of 9:30. (Aubrey)
• Once upon a time, I got locked in the water closet because the door handle broke off. I ended up being trapped in the toilet for 2 and a half hours. We had to cancel loads of rdvs and appointments we had because we had to wait for a locksmith to come and rescue me. (Greta)
• I served in a college town, Toulouse, for my first 6 months in the mission. So clearly there were tons of college aged students always walking the streets. My companion and I were walking towards the Metro station to head to a teaching appointment. It was late summer so it was really hot and I was wearing a t-shirt and flowy knee-length skirt. Well, I walked over a vent and my skirt blew ALL the way up to my shoulders! Hahaha total Marilyn Monroe moment…but definitely without her grace and poise! When I finally got my skirt down there was a group of college aged boys walking by….confused (by my “funny” underwear) and laughing. Obviously I was embarrassed but more cracking up with laughter. My companion and I couldn’t contain our laughter for like 10 minutes. (Lauren)
• A companion and I went to McDonald’s for breakfast before getting on an early train back home and she ordered “du lait” but they thought she said “deux lait” and they gave her two warm cups of milk…. Haha. That was funny. (Kjersti)
• A woman called saying she had asked to be a godmother to her friend’s child and so she needed to be baptized. You can imagine the shock when we told her about what the commandments are first and what we expected her to do to prepare for baptism! (Hailey)

What was a crazy experience? 

• We got stoned once :D. (Marcell)
• Still with knocking on doors- there was a guy who had a gun. (Vai)
• On the island of Corsica, someone shot a Rocket Propelled Grenade into a Police building not far from where we were. (Bowen)
• 4 punks from Marseille (ghetto city in the south of France) decided to attack me and companion at night time. We lived in a pretty narrow street, and no one could really see us. They start telling us that they will hurt us bad if we don’t give them our cool glasses and watches. At some point, I was pretty sure one of them was gonna start the fight. But being a native speaker, I guess it helped, because I started to talk to them about a cool place where we could play soccer together, and that actually saved us!! (Alexis)
• In my second area my two companions and I had to ride a bus almost an hour to teach a new investigator. We had a wonderful spirit-filled lesson, but we missed the bus home! It was the last one and we wanted to return on time. We started calling members but no one could help us so we started walking and hitchhiking on the highway home. I don’t think we realized how dangerous it was at the time, but we witnessed a miracle. The first person to stop and offer us a ride after about half an hour was someone I talked to on the bus the day before. We got to teach them on the ride home. (Laura)
• A man that my companion was talking to kept asking where she lived. She just give a general answer. He offered to walk her home and promised he was not going to kill her. We went home early that night. (Jennifer)
• My companion and I decided to visit a member as our last stop for the night. They lived about a 20 minute walk from our apartment, so we walked up and knocked… they weren’t home. We had a little bit of time left for the night so we decided to go home and plan for our upcoming ward activity. On the way home, we stopped to total up our numbers for the week and send them to our district leader when this car pulls up and stops on the street a good distance away from us. Two younger guys are yelling at us (just nonsense) and we decided to ignore them since that usually works. After about five minutes of them still yelling I turned around and asked what they wanted and they were like what are you doing? Come in the car with us! I said no and ignored them more, but they kept yelling. Both my companion and I were kind of getting nervous about it but I was a little more of a sassy, hot headed sister missionary… and I was like, LISTEN — we are missionaries for Jesus Christ and unless you want to learn more, then please leave us alone. They started to drive away quickly and we figured we were in the clear when they pulled the car over, parked, jumped out and started coming after us. Thankfully my companion and I were pretty quick (and had our umbrellas) and we outran them without any trouble. Two lessons learned: don’t be sassy to creepers and make sure you know how to defend yourself… just in case. (Carson)
• My companion and I had some very bad men try to follow us and harm us. We were alone on a street and didn’t want to go to our apartment so they wouldn’t know where we lived. We hid and prayed, then a couple in their 40’s started walking up our street. We felt prompted to run to them, so we did and explained the men were trying to hurt us. So they walked with us until we were near our apartment. What a blessing and miracle! The Lord watches out for his missionaries. (Erica)
• The are sometimes terrorist attacks in France.  Just follow the spirit and the direction of your mission president and you will be where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there. (Melanie)
• Probably getting a death threat from an Arab man on the metro. Luckily we were protected by angels but nonetheless a pretty frightening experience. (Andrew)
• I got chased out of a couple apartment buildings by irate old men, but nothing really seriously dangerous ever happened. (Michael)
• One time, my companion and I woke up at 4 in the morning to our fire alarm going off. We checked everything out and couldn’t find anything wrong. We even leaned out windows to make sure there was no smoke coming out of lower windows. After a while, we wanted to just go back to bed, but we kept feeling like we were forgetting to check something. Finally we checked the hallway, and as soon as we opened the door, thick black smoke came barreling through the door. We slammed to door shut and called the firemen. Long story short, the firemen came and put out the fire. We got to ride down the fireman ladder/cage thing. We were so protected during the whole thing though. There were so many miracles that we saw in the midst of the fire. (Aubrey)
• I hitchhiked back into the ville I was serving in at the time. (Greta)
• I keep these stories to myself….sorry haha. (Lauren)
• In my first area, we were threatened by an unknown caller saying they would kill us if we didn’t leave. We got transferred and had to stay with our DMP before leaving. (Kjersti)
• We were contacting when a young kid mugged an old lady in front us. We tried to chase him down, but the lady was just happy to not be hurt. (Hailey)

What was a spiritual experience?

• Seeing how we could literally accomplish the impossible through the hand of God. (Marcell)
• A great spiritual experience was every time I prayed to find a specific person and my companion and I found them. (Vai)
• One time, there was a less active lady that had a hard time coming to church and didn’t have a whole lot of self confidence. We testified that she was a daughter of God, and the Spirit powerfully testified to her it was true. She was touched and came to church. (Bowen)
• We had contacted a very nice young man, and had set up an appointment for the following day, on a bench in a very quiet place. The same night, we prayed for that man, and that our appointment the next day with him would go well. The following morning, we prayed again, so that at the time of his appointment, we would get a “new friend”, or new investigator. We arrive at the bench. No one. We waited. Kept a prayer in our hearts. 20 minutes later, still no one. We started to do some contacting around that bench. First contact is another young man. He looks interested. We sit on a bench with him, and actually started teaching him! He became our new investigator. I learned that day, that God does answer prayers, but not always in the way that we’re expecting. (Alexis)
• We were teaching an investigator family about the importance of the family in the Father’s plan of happiness. We had weekly Family Home Evenings. One time during a silly game, I watched as the family interacted and laughed out loud with joy. It seemed that time slowed and I was caught up in the spirit as he witnessed to me so strongly that this is the purpose of all things in life and in the gospel–to be sealed and to live in joy with our families forever. (Laura)
• We were approaching the baptism of our investigator and there were a lot of things that needed to fall into place just right for that to happen. There was nothing I could do about certain parts except pray. I have never prayed so hard for something before. These prayers were answered and it all worked out so he could be baptized. (Jennifer)
• My companion and I were struggling in a new city (Limoges) right when it had been opened into the mission. We had been working really hard and praying for people that were prepared and were finding… nothing. One day we were walking to the bus from our apartment and our phone rings. This woman was like, I just talked to someone at your church and I want to meet with you. My companion started to explain what we do and she’s like, yeah yeah I know… can I meet you tomorrow? We agreed, a little confused. The clerk from the church called us next to explain that he had found this random phone in a box at the chapel and it randomly started ringing! He answered and this woman had found the number somewhere and called it — even though it was technically out of service. He referred her to us. My comp and I were wondering if this was going to be a weird situation and approached the appointment with some apprehension and excitement. It was a single mother with the cutest little boy. She told us her entire story — she had made contact with the church several times but had been moving around a lot and lost the information each time. Finally, when moving to Limoges, she found a number and hoped for the best. She knew a lot about the church but was asking us really specific questions and shared with us that she had so much experience in other churches and always felt like something was missing. We IMMEDIATELY taught her the Restoration and she wept as she listened to the first vision — and she knew right then and there that it was true. We set a baptismal date and she agreed and the members welcomed her with open arms while we were teaching her. This was the greatest miracle I have ever witnessed. Unfortunately, her husband prevented her from being baptized (their divorce was not finalized) and after a long battle, she had to move away and lost her faith in what she had learned. It was heartbreaking to have everything crumble like that. I know she remembers, though, and will accept everything eventually. (Carson)
• Watching a family we were teaching be baptized. It was such a beautiful experience! They were sealed a year later in the temple! (Erica)
• One investigator was so easy to teach, probably because I wasn’t doing much. He was so receptive and read the Book of Mormon in two weeks. He had such a strong testimony of the restored gospel and I knew it was not because of me. I think that’s what made it so spiritual. It was the spirit that actually taught him and for the first time I noticed that. (Melanie)
• Teaching the gospel to people who understood it simply and were willing to act on the teachings were some of the most miraculous, spiritual, and therapeutic experiences I ever had on my mission. Fabian was one of those people for me. A 25 yr old student who served in an association that pushes for more religious freedom in France. Fabian worked closely with the church to permit the construction of the Paris temple. He had already learned a lot about the church and studied himself about simple doctrines. If I understood correctly, he even visited church sites including Temple Square and Palmyra but never got a copy of the Book of Mormon. Until one day he saw that his friend had a copy the Book of Mormon on his shelf. He asked if he could read it and his friend let him take it. He would later find the missionaries walking on the street and asked if he could meet with them to learn more about the church which in itself is a miracle. He saw the missionaries for some time but later stopped seeing them because he wasn’t feeling the same spirit he had felt in other missionaries when they taught him. It wouldn’t be until 8 months later that he would meet with the elders again. In that period of time, he read the BoM twice and loved the book. He stopped reading after the second time through and it collected dust on his shelf. Until one day he was cleaning his apartment and saw that his BoM had fallen behind his water heater. He randomly flipped it open to read a little and opened right to Alma 32 and read about how he needed to nurture his faith. Reading that rekindled his desire to learn the gospel. The next day he saw me and my companion on a bus. I was talking to a lady and so we didn’t get the chance to see him but he saw us. He took that as a sign that he needed to see us again and sent us a text asking for a copy of D&C. We offered to fix an appointment and he agreed. We then were able to help him understand the gospel more thoroughly and we had some very spiritual experiences together. We invited him to be baptized the first time we met and it was very much a hot and sensitive topic the whole time we would meet with him but he didn’t feel ready for some time. He bore his testimony in sacrament meeting the first time he attended church about how he knew the Book of Mormon was true and how Joseph Smith was a prophet. He read through D&C within a month. He no longer wanted to be taught the regular missionary lessons because he understood all of it but wanted us to discuss some questions he had in his reading or even deeper subjects. There was one particular lesson we had with him that was pretty interesting. I was on an exchange and a younger missionary replaced me to be with my other younger companion. They straight up asked him if he had prayed to know if he should be baptized. The question probed him a little and he told the missionaries how he had been carefully and prayerfully considering the decision to be baptized and that the topic should better be left alone for awhile. It was a little disappointing but we felt good about what was taking place in the conversion process of Fabian. Shortly after we decided we would focus primarily on what Fabian wanted to learn and not on what needed to be taught. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much contact after that last appointment for a whole weekend which was a little unsettling considering we had constant contact. That was until he texted us Sunday afternoon asking us if he could fix an appointment to talk with the Branch President about the requirements for baptism. The rest is history and was later baptized in the Lake of Annecy. That was one of the biggest spiritual experiences I had on my mission because I felt God was in control of all we were doing which felt so miraculous and comforting. (Andrew)
• Too many to count. For me serving the members and seeing their faith, as well as strengthening less-active members, brought the spirit very strongly. (Michael)
• I remember one of my Amie’s baptisms was especially touching for me. She was so ready to accept the gospel and literally was asking us if she could get baptized. Finally she got baptized and we were standing in the bathroom with her afterwards to help her find towels and everything, and all she could say was “I feel clean.” The thing that touched her the most before baptism was how baptism could cleanse us from all of our sins. We could tell that she was experiencing exactly that. (Aubrey)
• Contacting a family that had been waiting for the missionaries for 2 years. They wanted to be members, they just didn’t know how to, or who to talk to. But, we found them and they cried when they met us. (Greta)
• My companion and I had been talking with people ALL day….and really were not getting anywhere with it. We were at the point of going home before reaching the number of people we had decided to talk with before lunch. But I felt we should go until our goal and then head back. I kid you not the last person we talked to in order to reach our number was a complete miracle. (Lauren)
• When one of my investigators got baptized, I was just overwhelmed with how much the Savior can change people through the Atonement and His love. (Kjersti)
• All the time when we street contacted we would find inactive members and have the ability to make appointments with them that we couldn’t have any other way. (Hailey)

What are some interesting facts about the Lyon Mission?

• It is huge and beautiful, places on two countries, sights from the highest mountains to islands of the see. (Marcell)
• It used to be two separate missions (Geneva Switzerland and Toulouse France) and they merged into one. (Bowen)
• A lot of people who accepted the gospel were not rich, and not many French actually. Interesting that so many people don’t believe in God, when they actually live in a Christian country. (Alexis)
• It includes the island of Corsica and parts of francophone Switzerland. There is such a melting pot of cultures in the bigger cities. The history is wonderfully rich. Oh and the cream of the crop serve here. Our mission president’s wife said so 😉 (Laura)
• Missionaries use cars in very few areas. The main sources of transportation are metro, tram, bus, train, and lots of walking. (Jennifer)
• There is so much history! Almost every city has some beautiful cathedral that you can visit and read all about. Every city has something cool about it (even the tiny ones nobody has heard of). (Carson)
• The French people in the south are much more accepting of Americans than the north. Public transportation is amazing! French people, adults and children get a 2 hour break for lunch. They get to travel home and eat with their families, then they go back to work or school. (Erica)
• Lyon has the most restaurants per capita of any city in Europe. Toulouse is called the pink city because it’s built of red bricks. Switzerland has more than one national language, one of which is French. Bordeaux is nicknamed “petit Paris” because there are so many similarities but on a smaller scale. (Melanie)
• Missionaries take the train A LOT in the France Lyon mission. They might even take a plane or boat depending on where they are or the situation they are in. (Andrew)
• Every city has their own kind/variation of cheese Literally everything has a story behind it. French people are kind of weirded out if you try to talk to them and you don’t know them, but they really open up once you become friends with them. (Aubrey)
• Very populated with Muslims. Capital of food. Expensive depending on the area you live in. Variations of regions in France. (Greta)
• Every city is gorgeous. Four of the five most populated cities in France are within the mission boundaries. (Lauren)
• The Tour de France goes through it.  (Kjersti)
• Many of the people who were willing to talk with us were Muslim. Each region has its own dialect that the older generation can speak. (Hailey)

Any neat experiences?

• One day I contacted a French guy and he was really desperate because he lost everything, his wife and his children. He lost them because he felt that he needed to believe in Jesus Christ. We started to teach him and I was able to see the whole process until his baptism and when he received his Aaronic Priesthood. I loved how the Gospel can change people. He is now one of the happiest person I know. (Vai)

What’s the weather like?

• You can find everything here. Continental, mountain, and Mediterranean climate too. But there is always quite a big chance to see rain (and to feel it too 😀 ) (Marcell)
• It depends of the season because we had all four seasons. I experienced the snow, the rain, the hot summer and the beautiful spring. (Vai)
• Mostly nice in Southern France. Mild weather. (Bowen)
• Weather was soooo nice! 🙂 Very sunny and hot (south of France, lots of sun). Hard winters in Switzerland in the mountains, sometimes lots of snow. We had just about everything in our mission. (Alexis)
• It varied; we had all of the seasons. Most places were humid. One area was mostly sunny because the wind never stopped! That’s an exaggeration, but sometimes it would blow so strongly that we had to brace ourselves to not be blown away. (Laura)
• Summer was very hot. It rained a lot. (Jennifer)
• It depends. The southern coast is very hot during the summer and the north is cold in the winter. It is a lot like the temperate weather in America. (Carson)
• It was pretty warm in the cities I served in. It snowed twice when I was in Toulouse (like 1 cm) and melted within the hour. (Erica)
• In the southwest, it is hot and humid in the summer and rainy and cold in the winter. On the eastern side, it rains quite a bit year round. In the southeast, it’s warm pretty much year round. (Melanie)
• Hot in the summer. Cold in the winter. Obviously more moisture in the north and snow in the alps during winter and pretty warm climate down in the south (it’s warm everywhere in the summer). Depends on where you are because the mission is pretty vast. (Andrew)
• The weather is similar to most of the continental US. In the North it can be quite cold, though not as cold as the northern states or the Rockies. South France is a lot like the South in the US- it can be 100 degrees Fahrenheit on a normal summer day. (Michael)
• It really depended on where you were. For example, summers in the northern part of the mission were not too hot. They were perfect, but in the south it was killer hot. During the winter it was the opposite. It was freezing cold in the northern part, but I heard that it was quite nice in the south. (Aubrey)
• Hot in the south, like all year round. Cold in the north, snows near Switzerland. Rains a whole lot. (Greta)
• I spent the summers in Lyon and Toulouse….it was HOT and humid. I spent my winter in Chambery, which was gorgeous right along the French Alps, obviously it was cold, but surprisingly didn’t get too much snow down in the valley but it did rain quite a bit! (Lauren)
• RAINY. Humid and hot during summer and cold, rainy, and humid in the winter. (Kjersti)
• All four seasons– depending on the region you are called to. Most areas you will see snow but also blazing heat in the summer. Lots of rain in the spring and fall. (Maddie)
• Very hot summer, wet, cold winter. Not much snow, but very damp and rainy cold. (Hailey)

Any things you really like about France/French people?

• The place is gorgeous. So much history no matter where you are at. The people are funny, they are so cool, so multi-cultural, you can meet with so many random people. (Marcell)
• I served in an island called Corsica and it was so gorgeous- I really liked it. On that island French people are so different. They have beautiful mountains and beaches and during Winter the mountains are all white, which is weird for an island. I love the people because they are honest, direct and when you can be part of their life and break their walls of friendship, you are part of their family. (Vai)
• The people. The people are incredible. (Bowen)
• I love it because it’s MY country!!! 🙂 #proudfrenchcitizen (Alexis)
• Oh man. Everything! I loved that the people knew that family is most important. They treasure the time they have with their family. I liked that the people tried to present their best selves: in the way they dressed and groomed, prepared meals, spoke their language…everything was done almost like art. (Laura)
• The strong church members are so amazing in the sacrifices they are willing to make for the Gospel. (Jennifer)
• We always said that French people are like baguettes: hard on the outside but soft on the inside 🙂 — I felt like this was true. Sometimes French people/members are really suspicious and cold towards you, but they have big hearts. Plus all of France is beautiful, so that is a plus. (Carson)
• They are kind. They love the family! (Erica)
• They were so kind and helpful. The landscapes and cities are beautiful. The food is the best! (Melanie)
• Very beautiful country. When you get on the right side of the French people they will absolutely LOVE you and will not stop talking to you (Pro tip but it can also back fire). (Andrew)
• Contrary to people’s opinions, the French are very warm and welcoming and love to talk to you in French and help you learn their language. When you are respectful and you put forward some effort they will love talking to you (though not always about religion!). (Michael)
• I loved almost everything! France is gorgeous! It is super diverse in landscape as well as culture. You meet people from all over the world, and France contains pretty much every type of landscape. Even when I went to the city that everyone complained was ‘ugly’, it was so beautiful. The architecture as well as the nature there is beautiful! The people are amazing. They’re kind of closed off at first, but once you are friends with them, you are friends for life. They are such sweet, loving people. I love them all so much!!! (Aubrey)
• LOVE THEM. They might be cold when you meet them at first, but once you’re their friend, you’re friends for life. (Greta)
• I loved the people and culture. All three areas I served in (Lyon, Chambery, Toulouse) had very different cultures/people, that is what makes the mission so amazing! The people are very private but what is there better than for a magic ice breaker than an “American Cookie”!! hahah I can’t tell you how many batches of chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, sugar, raisin oatmeal cookies I made!!! Once they let you in, they are the most amazing people! I absolutely loved every person I came into contact with and I met loads of people from loads of different countries! Gotta love the European melting pot! The people of France seem to have a bad reputation for some reason…however, they are amazing individuals. They do speak their mind quite plainly but….honestly that’s normal and they expect you to do the same (in a respectful manner of course!) (Lauren)
• I love the people. When they decide to love you, they will always love you. A lot of them just need time. The place is beautiful. Green and full of magnificent architecture and history. (Kjersti)
• Everything. Just enjoy. (Maddie)
• I loved how honest people were, very blunt and straightforward. Hard to make friends at first, but very loyal once they knew you. (Hailey)

Any advice on what to bring/pack?

• Umbrella, raincoat. Shopping is great there, and there are sales two times a year, so really if you need something, you can get it over there. (Marcell)
• I think I had everything because I already went to France and I knew a little bit about how it works there. Fortunately I had everything I needed.I had a little book with all the scripture references to Bible bash everyone but I didn’t use it and it was just stupid to bring it. (Vai)
• Journals- you won’t want to forget this experience! (Bowen)
• Not too much, because you’re gonna want to bring back lots of things from your mission! One full suit, with like 5 short-sleeves and 5 long-sleeve shirts is enough I think. etc. (Alexis)
• Invest in comfortable shoes and bring clothes made from fabrics that are easy to maintain. We hanged our clothes to dry in our mission. (Laura)
• It is nice to have a carry-on bag or a fold up duffle bag that can be used when staying overnight for exchanges and conferences. Makeup is really expensive in France. (Jennifer)
• Even if you have public transport, you will walk a lot. Make sure your shoes are comfortable. You can get almost anything in France (just make sure to bring your own deodorant). Don’t worry about bringing everything. You can get winter clothes for decent prices almost anywhere — no use lugging it around if you have mostly summertime on the mission. (Carson)
• Take good boots that repel water and a good rain jacket. Also, bring a strong umbrella! Dress comfy, because you are walking all day in those clothes. (Erica)
• Always keep an eye on your luggage in the train…you don’t want anyone stealing it. Warm insulated, waterproof boots are a necessity for the winter months and can be bought there. Wool skirts for winter with thick wool or insulated tights and socks are also good. For the summer, light cotton clothing is best. (Melanie)
• Buy most of your clothing in France during the Soldes (Sales). Pack one suit. Lots of garments. Might consider bringing some kind of duffle bag small enough for one night (exchanges). Short/long sleeve shirts. (Andrew)
• Bring what you would normally wear- a good variety of long and short sleeve shirts, a couple suits, some warm clothes (a good rain jacket), etc. I wish I had known that the MTC sells everything you would need, so I worried way too much about forgetting things. (Michael)
• Probably about half the things I packed I knew I wasn’t going to bring home with me, and that really helped for when I was coming back. That way I had a little extra space in my suitcases for things I acquired on my mission. (Aubrey)
• Bring polar nylons for winter time. Boots that have a dual purpose…for like rain and snow. You could buy some Boggs, they’re wonderful and lasted my whole mission. Learn how to layer! (Greta)
• Wait to buy a coat and heavy boots. I would buy your basic everyday wear but winter boots and coats I would just set money aside and then buy when you are there! You never know…you could serve in Nice during the winters where it really doesn’t require a coat. And if you serve in Chambery in the winter, like me, there are many places to find a warm enough coat and boots at a decent price. Also find a GREAT umbrella (small and sturdy) because it will rain. (Lauren)
• Bring a warm jacket for the winter. Boots you can get there but bring snow inserts. Keep colors more neutral. The French aren’t super into super bright colors 😉 (Kjersti)
• Don’t pack a lot of clothes because the fashion is so great there that you’ll accumulate a lot of discarded clothes from other missionaries, thrift shops, malls, etc. Wool tights for winter. Men’s fashion is very different, baggy suits stick out like a sore thumb. (Hailey)

Anything you couldn’t find easily in France?

• You couldn’t find good, fresh fish. (Vai)

What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?

• Self confidence. I have more than before. (Marcell)
• One of the great blessings is my testimony of the Savior. I love Him. I was blessed with faith, love and hope in Him. (Vai)
• I came closer to Christ. (Bowen)
• Blessings: a lot of happiness coming from serving and seeing others receiving the gospel of Christ. Also that I could play piano as well or even better than when I left on my mission, without really practicing for 2 years. (Alexis)
• I brought back with me so many blessings. I wouldn’t be able to express them all now. The Lord showed me His love everyday. Thanks to this He built in me a foundation that has set a pattern of faith, obedience and testimony that has brought me so much joy. I met wonderful people everywhere I served that motivated me to love and to be more like the Savior. The Lord blessed me with difficulties trials and heartaches that made me a better person. (Laura)
• I grew soooo much! My mission was the hardest thing I have done up to this point and I found out that I struggle with depression and anxiety. However, the difficulty is what made the overall experience so beautiful. I became someone I could not have become any other way. It truly was a refiner’s fire. Plus I learned French, which is pretty incredible. (Jennifer)
• On the way home from finishing the mission, I met a nice elder I had never met before. We talked a little and eventually we got married! I would say that is a nice blessing 🙂 I have a better testimony of the basics of the Gospel, I understand the scriptures in a much different way, and I know how to really LIVE the Gospel — not just go with the flow, but purposely live the Gospel. (Carson)
• My whole life has been blessed! My choice of spouse changed because of it (my husband is awesome!). My activity in the ward changed. I try to be involved and serve whenever possible. My husband and I have a solid desire and plan on how to raise our children in the gospel. (Erica)
• Better organizational skills, motivation for school, to be able to talk more easily with strangers, and study and work habits that will last a lifetime. (Melanie)
• Besides my testimony growing immensely, there have been many skills that I’ve learned because of my mission that have been blessings to me. Communication skills, planning/goal setting skills, and foreign language skills just to name a few. I’ve been really blessed to learn how to connect with people on a whole new level because of my mission. The ladies love French speaking RMs so that’s been a blessing too! (Andrew)
• Still being blessed. Temporal and spiritual blessings abound from my missionary service. My life really fell into place when I got home and as I’ve been patient I’ve seen the Lord’s plans unfold for me. (Michael)
• I feel like the blessings I received were the things that I learned while serving. I can now take the things that I learned and apply them to my life. I feel this will help me in so many areas of my life. (Aubrey)
• Still seeing them. I see blessings every day. Made some of the greatest friends I’ve ever had in my entire life. Met people who changed me. Grew closer to Christ. Strengthened my family. (Greta)
• The biggest blessing I have received from my mission is my own conversion to the gospel of Christ. My testimony grew and was strengthened in AMAZING ways. Also all the lessons I learned from daily missionary service have helped me in MANY aspects of my life, from school to marriage. (Lauren)
• Deeper knowledge of the restoration and the gospel. Better understanding of how to see people from the eyes of God. Stronger relationship with other people and my Savior. (Kjersti)
• Understanding what it means to be a Child of God. (Hailey)

What skills did you gain on your mission?

• Smile, smile, smile. Being delightful. Really good people Catskills, how to handle no matter what. Leading skills too. (Marcell)
• People skills, language skills, teaching skills. (Bowen)
• I learned organization! I learned how to plan a lesson. I learned how to teach clearly, without stress. I learned how to work in a team. I learned how to not be shy to say things that have to be said. I improved cooking skills 🙂 (Alexis)
• I learned to speak a new language, experiment with food, but most importantly I learned to rely on the Lord and how to SPARK, a way to interact with others that lifts them and helps them come closer to Christ. (Laura)
• Language Planning and following up How to keep going when I really don’t want to Loving people and really trying to meet their needs Starting conversations with strangers Being bold (Jennifer)
• I feel fearless now. We dealt with some actually dangerous situations, but having to talk to hostile people and aggressive people and generally unpleasant people made me able to talk to anyone. I know how to public speak (in another language, at that). I have better teaching skills. (Carson)
• Organization! That one is huge. Leadership skills. How to teach the gospel simply. (Erica)
• Confidence, love of others, a little more grit and determination. (Michael)
• I gained some organizational skills. You are constantly trying to organize your transfers, weeks, days, lessons, etc. I also feel like I also improved my ability to get rid of things that aren’t necessary since for a year and a half your whole life has to fit into two suitcases and a carry on. (Aubrey)
• Social skills. Time management. Anger management. Stress control. Discipline. Focus. Hard work. Diligence. Honesty. Love. Kindness. Gratitude. Basically, how to be the most Christlike person I can be. (Greta)
• I learned time management, setting goals, hard work, problem solving, sincere prayer, leadership, and how to push through hard times. Also I learned how to cook lots of new dishes, accept people better for who they are, and the value of service. (Lauren)
• I learned a language and I can read a map and therefore get around in large cities with quite a bit of ease which is nice 🙂 (Kjersti)
• Personal skills; how to approach people, how to be professional, how to be likable. Mostly how to LOVE unconditionally. (Maddie)
• Time management, lesson planning, loving, conflict resolution. (Hailey)

Is there anything you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your LDS mission?

• That it is going to be that hard. (Marcell)
• I wish I could have known how people would receive the missionaries. I come from a country where almost everyone believes in God. The first time that I contacted someone there was hard for me because they were literally swearing at what I believe. (Vai)
• How to plan! Planning is such a big part of missionary work and I didn’t understand it at the beginning. (Bowen)
• I wish I knew the scriptures even better (knowing the references). I wish I knew some contacting techniques. I wish I knew that I might have a difficult time with a companion and that I would be ready to deal with it. (Alexis)
• I wish I knew at the beginning of my mission, to keep a better journal and share with my family and loved ones more details of the work and my testimony. (Laura)
• I wish I was kinder and more patient with myself. (Jennifer)
• I wish I had recognized the importance a little faster. It took me about 3 or 4 transfers to really get ahold of what the mission was supposed to be and what it meant. I spent some time at the beginning of my mission wondering if it would pass quickly — and at the end I didn’t want to leave! I wish I had loved it that much the whole time. (Carson)
• I wish I knew that rejection was ok. It wasn’t because I was a bad missionary that people didn’t want to hear the message. It was their AGENCY! If I had known that at the beginning of my mission, I would have contacted a lot more people. (Erica)
• To be humble: it is not me, it’s the lord and his spirit…I just happen to be there facilitating it all. (Melanie)
• Less prideful. Never stress yourself out too much. Learn from your examples but never compare yourself. Focus on the people. Never become caught up in mission politics (becoming AP/Zone leader…etc). Love the people and be obedient. (Andrew)
• If you’re not having fun or you’re not happy, you’re doing something wrong. I wish I had known that you don’t have to go out and knock doors walk miles. It’s all about quality service, not quantity. Focus on working with members and part-member of less-active families. They will be the most receptive and willing to talk to you. Be creative- serve members and they will serve you. Then, as you go about your daily business, make normal conversation with people and enjoy it. Have them help you with the language- that’s a great way to start a conversation. (Michael)
• I wish I knew that you never really figure out what you’re doing during your mission. I would always look forward to when I was older and wiser in the mission, but the thing is, things are changing so often, that you just have to learn to move forward even when you have no clue what you’re doing. (Aubrey)
• I wish I knew how much I would actually walk. I wish I studied French more before the MTC. Read Preach My Gospel. Bore testimony more frequently. It’ll all be worth it in the end. And that criticism and struggle are prerequisites for success. (Greta)
• I was terrified to speak French when I arrived. I had a trainer who was very patient with me. My second transfer, I got put with a girl in my Mission Training Center group! So we had no choice but to speak! And then my third transfer, I trained. I wish I would have been WAY more gutsy my first transfer talking with people! Even if you can’t say anything, try. Majority of French people are way nice about it because you are trying and they know their language isn’t an easy thing to learn! (Lauren)
• I don’t know if there is anything I wish I knew. Most of what I didn’t know I learned by experience and studying which I think is the best way to grow. (Kjersti)
• Numbers don’t matter as much as the relationships you are needing to develop. (Hailey)

Is there a principle particularly helpful for missionaries?

• I personally think the principle that is really helpful to missionaries is happiness. We are the message. We deliver a message only if we believe in it and act upon it. I think the Gospel is all about happiness so that’s why the plan is named the Plan of Happiness. (Vai)

Anything advice for pre-missionaries going to Lyon?

• I know that if the Lord wants you there, than He is going to make you a tool in His hands to do His wonders. (Marcell)
• Let your worries, fears and everything else aside because the Lord will be in your side. He is the Guide, because this is His work and He cares more about others than we do. That’s why He wants us to succeed. (Vai)
• This work is all about the Savior. Give everything you have to Him and the people, and you will love your mission. (Bowen)
• Get ready to face the Devil. He lives in France! Hang on to your testimony of the Church and of the Book of Mormon. The Book saved me on my mission. People will always question everything, and talk about not important things. Keep things simple and talk about the Book of Mormon. Of course, talk about the Savior. Look for ways to serve outside. Don’t need to always be preaching, but serving. People see actions more than words. (Alexis)
• Look for the Lord in all things and strive for humility. Become a consecrated missionary. Give the work your all, at all times, because this work has eternal consequences for everyone the Lord puts in your path! We take part in Heavenly Father’s purpose to help people receive the blessings of Eternal life and Salvation. (Laura)
• It will be super hard, but if you really try to do what Heavenly Father wants you to do, it will all be worth it. (Jennifer)
• Just remember that Christ gets it. Elder Holland said that sometimes missionaries marvel that their mission is so hard — but that it is necessary for missionaries to suffer hardship because Christ himself suffered as well. The pain we feel as missionaries when someone says no, or changes their mind about baptism, or leaves the church… it helps us understand Christ a little bit better. It humbles you and will teach you — if you let it. Don’t let pride rob you of the opportunity to better understand the Savior. (Carson)
• The gospel is exploding in France right now! Baptisms increased from 3-5 baptisms a month for my mission at the beginning to 20-30 baptisms per month by the end of my mission. The Lord is hastening the work in France, so don’t believe people when they say that it will be really hard and you won’t have any people to teach. That isn’t true anymore! We are in the harvesting stage! Go out in the field ready to do the Lord’s work and you will see miracles. I know I did! The Lord is preparing his children to receive the gospel. Believe in that! And be obedient! You need the protection and you will receive blessings when you obey the mission rules. Que Dieu vous bénisse! (God bless you!) (Erica)
• Read preach my gospel, know and love the missionary (white) handbook, read the Book of Mormon as often as you can all the way through as well as doing topical studies (this will help with knowing the location of scriptures as well as preparing you for unknown encounters that may require such knowledge). Try and get a general knowledge of your language.  (Melanie)
• God is aware of his children and missionary work is His work and not the missionaries. You can learn more about how God goes about His work by learning more about Jesus Christ and His teachings. Learn of him, study Him, make goals to be more like Him, and try to be like Him. I learned all that for myself in the mission and I know it’s true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. (Andrew)
• Don’t get “missionary tunnel vision.” It’s easy to get frustrated with leadership or members or your area because others don’t seem as dedicated as you do. Remember that members have extremely busy lives with family, work, etc. and that any effort at all from others is a blessing (not a requirement). Work hard and do your best, but don’t get frustrated when the world around you don’t seem to be as focused on the work as you are. (Michael)
• Just be yourself! God chose you to go on this mission because He knows you can change people’s lives and you can touch people that others wouldn’t. I met so many missionaries that were so different, but they were all successful at touching people’s lives because they were themselves. My mission presidents’ wives for example were completely different. The first one was reserved and sweet, and the second one was very much outgoing and had to be everywhere do everything. I loved them both so much and learned totally different things from them both just because they were different people. If one of them tried to be like the other, I don’t think I would have learned some important lessons that I learned because they were themselves. Don’t try to be someone else because you think it will work better. Be yourself because nothing will work better than that. (Aubrey)
• When you leave your apartment everyday, you’re not doing it for yourself, your companion, your leaders or anyone else. You’re doing it for Christ, to help others come unto Him. You don’t talk to people for the numbers, for the contacts, or whatever else. You do it because you love them and care about their salvation, and there’s nothing more you’d want than to see them in the Celestial Kingdom. (Greta)
• Enjoy every day. You will have REALLY hard days but remember the hard days are turning you into someone strong. And then you will have MIRACULOUS days. Take every day as a gift and love it. The more you focus on yourself, the more you will hate your mission. The more you work hard and focus on the people, the more you will learn, the more miracles you will have, and more AMAZING days will come! Also, be YOU! Your personality is essential to being the best missionary possible! The people of France need to see fun, happy, NORMAL Mormons! There is a lot of anti-Mormon broadcasts and weird rumors! Be yourself, be happy, be fun! (Lauren)
• Just remember to be 100% obedient. As long as you are working as hard as you can and following the Savior, the Lord will use you in the way that He wants and everything will work out the way He plans it. (Kjersti)
• Become humble now. Decide between you and God how you are going to define success. (Hailey)

Any funny language mistakes?

• Well… once in stead of saying “I am full” (je suis rassasié) I have said “I am resurrected” (je suis ressuscité). (Marcell)
• When I didn’t understand the language very well, an investigator asked if I have many wives. I thought he asked if I had a family. I told him I would like to one day. (Bowen)
• J’aime vous! hahahaha (Alexis)
• “Fils” means son in French so if you want to bear your testimony about Christ being your eldest brother don’t say “Il est mon fils”. haha, Just a general FYI: most of our expressions don’t translate directly in French or any other language I presume. “give me some skin” (meaning give me a high five) “I’m finished” “I’m full thanks” etc. (Laura)
• I think my companion accidentally said that the prophet committed suicide instead of that he was succeeded by another prophet. Our investigator wasn’t really paying attention and didn’t notice what she had said. (Jennifer)
• In French, missionaries will struggle with the word “saints” (spelled the same in English and French) when they say the full name of the church. Instead of saying it as it should be, they say it more like “sang” … which means blood in French. So they will tell people they are from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Blood of Latter-days … and that freaks people out sometimes. (Carson)
• I thought the word burp (roter) had a “g” in front of it (grotter) until someone finally corrected me my last transfer. (Melanie)
• For me because I was a French speaker, I always tried to speak in French with an American accent so people would laugh and be more open. It wasn’t funny for most of the Americans but it was funny for French speakers and I contacted lots of people like that and it worked. (Vai)
• We say “I’m full” in English when we have eaten our fill of food. Directly translated to French, a missionary thinks to say, “je suis pleine.” DON’T SAY THAT! Ha ha when you say that in French it means you’re pregnant. 😉 (Erica)
• Bleu companion bought his first baguette from a young girl at the bakery. He told her that he had a baguette, she handed him one, he bought it, and walked out the door. Really awkward. (Andrew)
• I once called peanut butter “poop butter” while dining in a members home. The words for peanut and dung start with the same sound, and I left the ending off of the word for peanut. (Michael)
• One time one of my Sister Training Leaders came back from getting some sandwiches, and she said she ordered a ‘worthy’ sandwich instead of a ‘turkey’ sandwich. (Digne vs Dinde) (Aubrey)
• One time I said that I believe and love my “Pere Noel” Not “Pere Celeste” Which is awkward. (Greta)
• The most common mistake people made was mixing up hair and horse. They are very similar. I would always teach my companions to start with a compliment when talking to someone because it gets the conversation going and then you can work in the gospel. But I can’t tell you how many times I heard missionaries say to women, “what beautiful horse you have!” rather than what beautiful hair you have! (Lauren)
• See my funny experience. (Kjersti)
• Most new missionaries testify of Jesus being the daughter of God. Keep those IL and Elle ‘s separated. (Hailey)