Free resources about the France Paris Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: France LDS Missions.
France Paris Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Paris Mission. We try to keep this information 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 Paris Mission
131 Blvd Carnot
78110 Le Vesinet
France
Phone Number: 33-1-34-80-04-83
Mission President: President Paul J. Sorensen
France Paris Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Paris Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Paris Mission:
Videos with France Paris RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the France Paris Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
LDS-Friendly Videos about France
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about France. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about France, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
France Paris Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Paris Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
France Paris Mission Groups
Here are Paris Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Paris Mission.
- France Paris Mission – President Pond Group (338 members)
- Paris Mission Pres. Charles E. Jones (1990-93) Group (170 members)
- Paris Mission- Dennis K. Brown (1996-99) Group (166 members)
- Paris Mission Facebook Group (146 members)
- France Paris Mission Facebook Group (134 members)
- Paris LDS Mission Friends Facebook Group (53 members)
- Paris Mission – Heber M. Thompson (1993-96) Group (34 members)
- France Paris Mission Facebook Group (29 members)
- Paris Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (15 members)
- Paris Mission- President Johnson (1987-90) Group (7 members)
France Paris Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the France Paris Mission!
Shirt designs include France Paris Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: France Paris missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Paris Mission gifts
France Paris Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Paris LDS Mission.
- 2017-2020, Paul J. Sorensen
- 2014-2017, Frédéric Jean Babin
- 2011-2014, Franck A. Poznanski
- 2008-2011, Don H. Staheli (Listen to an interview with the Stahelis)
- 2005-2008, Steven H. Pond
- 2002-2005, Lynn Bennion
- 1999-2002, David W. Madsen
- 1996-1999, Dennis K. Brown
- 1993-1996, Heber Maughan Thompson
- 1990-1993, Charles E. Jones
- 1987-1990, James T. Johnson
- 1984-1987, James D. Fife
- 1981-1984, Richard C. Crockett
- 1978-1981, R. Dean Robinson
- 1975-1978, Jack Terrell Fuller
- 1972-1975, Willis D. Waite
- 1969-1972, Smith Benjamin Griffin
- 1967-1968, H. Duane Anderson
- 1964-1967, Cecil E. Hart
- 1961-1964, Rulon T. Hinckley
- 1959-1961, Edgar B. Brossard
- 1957-1959, Milton L. Christensen
- 1953-1957, Harold Willey Lee
- 1950-1953, Golden LeGrand Woolf
- 1945-1950, James L. Barker
- 1938-1939, Joseph E. Evans
- 1936-1938, Octave Frederick Ursenbach
- 1933-1935, Daniel J. Lang
- 1931-1933, Golden LeGrand Woolf
France LDS Statistics (2016)
- Church Membership: 37,996
- Missions: 2
- Temples:
- Congregations: 108
- Family History Centers: 66
Helpful Articles about France
France Paris Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from France Paris RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2015 (Zakarias)
- 1993-1994 (Kara)
- 1975-1977 (Michael)
- 2014-2015 (Chloe)
- 2002-2004 (Stuart)
- 2001-2003 (Jeffrey)
- 2004-2006 (Scott)
- 2013-2015 (Bryan)
- 2002-2004 (Anonymous)
- 2001-2002 (Paul)
- 2004-2006 (Valan)
- 2013-2015 (Alex)
- 2013-2015 (Jacob)
- 1994-1995 (Anna)
- 2009-2010 (Mariah)
- 1993-1994 (Matt)
- 2013-2015 (Drew)
- 2002-2004 (Aaron)
- 1998-2000 (Elsa)
- 2000-2002 (Kale)
- 1991-1993 (Douglas)
- 2009-2010 (Mariah)
- 2008-2010 (Doug)
- 2009-2011 (Nicholai)
- 2009-2011 (Jordan)
- 1989-1991 (Merrilyn)
- 1963-1966 (Dennis)
- 2007-2009 (Roberto)
What areas did you serve in?
- Paris, Orléans, Cergy-Pontoise, Caen, and Cherbourg. (Kara)
- Colombes, Evry/Grigny, Versailles, Melun, Bois Guillaume, Rouens, and Nantes. (Michael)
- Rouen. (Chloe)
- Paris (twice), Tours, Meaux, St. Nazaire, Limoges, Cherbourg, Rennes. (Stuart)
- Cholet (twice), Troyes, Coutances, Aulnay-sous-Bois, le Vesinet, Tours. (Jeffrey)
- Nantes, Rennes, Poitier, Bourges, Tours, Reims, Antony, Sarcelles. (Scott)
- St Nazaire Sarcelles Versailles Paris Poitiers Meaux Cergy. (Anonymous)
- Cherbourg, Nogent, Vannes, Sarcelles, St Brieuc, Evreux, Niort, Soissons. (Paul)
- Paris, Vannes, Alencon, La Rochelle, Mantes-la-Jolie, Rennes,and Caen. (Valan)
- St Quentin, St Omer, Brussels, Paris, Nantes, Tours. (Alex)
- Saint-Quentin, Brussels, Saint-Ouen. (Jacob)
- Orleans, Torcy, Versailles. (Anna)
- Nogent, St. Ouen, Melun. (Mariah)
- St Maur des Fosses, Chelles, Sarcelles, Rennes. (Matt)
- Belfort, Rouen, Villenuve D’ascq, Mulhouse, Nivelles (Belgium), and Saint-Omer. (Drew)
- Evry, Limoges, Nantes, Paris 20 (Aaron).
- Paris West & East, St. Brieuc, Versailles. (Elsa)
- Asniere, Lorient, Nogent, Montreuil, and Evreux. (Kale)
- St. Brieuc, Chateauroux, Limoges, Talence, Nantes, and Montauban. (Douglas)
- Nogent, St Ouen, Melun. (Mariah)
- Orleans, Reims, Lorient, Sarcelle(Paris ghettos), Soissons, and Alencon, and then I got to serve in many others on exchanges. (Doug)
- Paris, Nantes, Bruxelles. (Nicholai)
- Charleroi, Brussels and Nogent. (Jordan)
- Le Mans. (Merrilyn)
- Paris, Versailles, Nantes, Chatiillon, Pau, Tarbes, Bordeaux. (Dennis)
What were some favorite foods?
- Frog legs, snails, baguettes, and many more! (Zakarias)
- Raclette, Crêpes, Quiche lorraine, Pâtisseries (viennoise and pain au chocolat aux amandes), African peanut chicken sauce and rice, and Baguette ham & gruyère sandwich. (Kara)
- Fresh bread and chocolate. Any pastry from the bakery around the corner from the train station in Rouen. (Michael)
- Bread. Cheese. Pastries. Kebab. Chocolate. (Chloe)
- Any kind of cheese and bread and Greque kebabs. (Stuart)
- Crêpe, Burrito Fête, Donner Kebab, Brioche, Galette Brétonne, Crème Fraîche Pizza. (Jeffrey)
- Kebabs, crêpes, coquilles St Jacques. (Scott)
- Crepes Kebabs Gallettes Panninis Baguettes. (Bryan)
- Galettes. Crepes. Rabbit. Cheese. Bread. (Anonymous)
- Crepes, bread, cheese, pate, patisserie, grec, kabab, etc. (Paul)
- Escargot. Raclette. (Valan)
- Kebab. Crepes. Tartiflette. Raclettr. Foofoo. (Alex)
- Cheese, bread, kabob. (Jacob)
- Pain au chocolat, baguette, Gouda, boxed soup, Brie. (Anna)
- Lapin à la moutarde, fraisiers, quiche, poulet aux arachides Africain. (Mariah)
- Pain au Chocolate. Croissante aux aumaund. Racolette. Camembert & Brie. Creme Fresh was a staple for missionary cuisine. (Matt)
- Bread and cheese, snails, sauerkraut with various meats, fries and the different sauces that France and Belgium have to offer. (Drew)
- Kebabs. Crepes, raclette, burrito fete, pastries (Aaron).
- Pain au chocolate. Cheeses. Bread. Lardons & crime fraiche with pasta. Ratatouille. Goat cheese salads. Moules frites. (Elsa)
- “Grecs” (kébab sandwiches) were a staple of my diet in every area I served in Northern France. Miss those things dearly. The ones I’ve found stateside just aren’t the same. I even introduced my wife to them on our honeymoon in Paris five years after returning home. There was also this pâtisserie near the Asniere sur Seine gare that had the world’s greatest beignets. They were ridiculously good, not really sure why they were so much better tasting than everywhere else, though. The éclaires chocolats there were really good, too. (Kale)
- Poubelles, crepes, couscous, steak-frites. (Douglas)
- Crème brûlée, lapin à la moutarde, crêpes, couscous algérienne, une bonne quiche, et un sandwich baguette pour quelques euros sur la rue. (Mariah)
- Kabobs, fajitas, cheese, raqulette, burritos, crepes, Charlotte au chocolate, baguette with butter and chocolate and chocolate. (Doug)
- Pain au chocolat (Nantes) Falafel (Paris 4eme) Baozi (Paris Rue Au Maire 3eme) Banh Mi (Paris 13eme) Gaufres (Bruxelles) Kebab Poulet (18eme, Rue Marx Dormoy) Any McDonalds (really good in Europe). (Nicholai)
- Frites and sauce, Belgian waffles, foufou. (Jordan)
- Pain au chocolat, religiouse; quiche. (Merrilyn)
- I never ate cheese in my life. Hated it so never tried it. But when I got to France they used cheese on everything and I started eating it and could not believe how much I loved it. Can’t remember the name of the main cheese I loved. Loved eating escargot just so I could tell everyone back home that I ate SNAILS. Oh yeah and raw hamburger. (Dennis)
- Raclett. (Roberto)
What was a funny experience?
- One time some members’ friends gave us a dozen apples or so just after we visited them. Later that night, my trainer asked me “Elder, do you remember what you prayed for before we left our apartment? You prayed that we would have a fruitful evening!” The Lord answers prayers! (Zakarias)
- Buying three tickets for Trois from a kiosk in Le Havre. (Michael)
- Once, my companion and I were waiting for the métro (subway) when a homeless man came up to us to ask for money. We had to explain to him that we couldn’t give him money because we were missionaries and he stopped, thought for a minute, and said, “Oh! The sisters where I’m from wear black all over!” We tried to explain to him that we weren’t nuns, and he thought that we were sad about it, so he spent 20 minutes reassuring us that someday we could be nuns. (Chloe)
- My companion and I were street contacting in Troyes and we were stopped by a woman dressed in a volleyball uniform holding a volleyball with two holding a net. She asked me to volley with her, so I handed my things to my companion and we volleyed for a minute or two in front of the Hôtel de Ville. She was getting married the next day and her friends were having fun getting her embarrassed. (Jeffrey)
- Have a young punk kid saying ‘ta mère’ and I laughed back at him because I realized he had just said ‘you’re mom’ which doesn’t translate as a bad word into English. (Scott)
- When I was serving in Belgium, we were walking with our recent convert to his house when he ran in front of us and mooned us hahaha. (Bryan)
- One time playing soccer near the Eiffel Tower and watching a bunch of illegal sellers of tourist items running away from police and diving into bushes and seeing all their stuff flying everywhere. (Anonymous)
- Missing the last bus, attempting to hitch hike back home. It was a long walk. My new trainee stepped on dog poop a couple of times first day. You need to watch where you walk. Transferring up and down stairs from train to train. Pack light. Always soaking wet, get water resistant everything. Especially shoes, coat, umbrella (although the wind will destroy it). (Paul)
- Someone telling me they were literally the devil my first Christmas when we were porting in La Rochelle. (Valan)
- Threw up in garbage can at metro stop after eating flour and water for dinner. (Alex)
- My elder and I being driven to the train station by drunk strangers. (Jacob)
- We were riding bikes one day with our skirts pinned and our helmets. We went around a corner and a bunch of soldiers started clapping for us. It was very embarrassing. (Anna)
- A lady answered the door in a robe and looked directly into my eyes and said, “You have beautiful eyes.” (Matt)
- Too many to count. Most of which concern public transportation and drunk people, haha. (Drew)
- I was on splits the first night of my mission with two elders. We were handing out English lesson flyers while knocking on doors in St Dennis. A man opened the door in a small robe and when we asked him if he spoke English, he swung the door wide open and revealed a butcher knife in his hand. He then chased us out of the building with said knife. That ended my first “porting” experience and the Elders bought me my first French pastry. (Elsa)
- A gypsy kid stole my companion’s cheeseburger at one of the McDonald’s on Rue Ste. Catherine. (Douglas)
- We joked with a Jewish man on the street, and told him that he should join us in another town for church on Sunday. He was quite disheveled, and asked if he should dress up a little – we said, if you want to! Well, Sunday came, and he showed up in a three-piece suit looking like he was a groom! (Mariah)
- Getting city vendors to sell you little souvenirs for really cheap by having two of them competing with each other for your purchase. (Doug)
- Getting stuck in metro doors. Slightly nerve racking but ultimately hilarious. (Nicholai)
- I walked around for the first 6 weeks saying that Jesus Christ is my “flavor” because the words for savior and flavor are really close. (Jordan)
- Riding bicycles down the hill from the supermarket with a Christmas tree tied to the back of my companion with her scarf. (Merrilyn)
- The best was in Nantes or Bordeaux where we met in a three story house. On Halloween, we decided to show the French what a real Halloween was like. Well, us Canadians (me) did not have a clue how wild the American missionaries would be. It was so frightening that one minister from another church ran out of the house yelling “If this is religion, I want nothing to do with it.” Two girls fainted. It was great. The next day, we were notified from our Mission President that missionaries were no longer to hold Halloween parties in any way whatsoever.
- We were knocking doors, a little girl opened the door. I saw behind her a huge dog and right after she said “bonjour” I told her to shut the door because I was afraid that the dog would attack us. (Roberto)
What was a crazy/dangerous experience?
- While riding our bikes in Orleans, some guys we rode by spat at and hit us in the shoulder. We just kept riding. (Kara)
- Finding ourselves in the middle of an anti-war protest. (Michael)
- Just be careful where you go after dark. (Chloe)
- Drunk people on the streets were sometimes hostile. Teenagers were also hostile when in groups. (Stuart)
- In the Spring of 2003 I was serving in Northwest Paris. My companion scheduled a dinner appointment just outside of our area, but I went along with it since he only had three weeks left in his mission. When we got there it turned out that the sister missionaries where there as well. After the dinner we headed towards the metro, but it was shut down due to a transit strike. We spent the next four hours walking the sisters home before we could head back to our own apartment. That was the last time I let him schedule dinner appointments. (Jeffrey)
- We were about to enter an enclosed complex where I saw few exits and 2 young Arabs when I was prompted that we should ignore the reference and travel and hour back to our main area. (Scott)
- In short, I was in Amiens, my comp and I were headed home for dinner, we ran into a young man who had been possessed by a bad spirit, he took off my plaque and broke it. We were trying to get away from him for like 30 minutes. We finally ran into one of our Evangelical African friends who cast out the demon in him. That part was pretty cool. (Bryan)
- Almost knocked out a drunk Irish guy that kept jabbing me in the side trying to start a fight. I told myself one more time he hits me he is going to to get the Book of Mormon across his head. My prayer worked and he left us alone and minutes later almost had a brawl with some Arabs up to no good. Fun night! (Anonymous)
- My companion and I were beat up by three Arabs about a month after 9/11. Luckily, we were able to walk away without to much injury. (Paul)
- Some kids were throwing dirt clods at an old man and we told them to stop. Some random guy didn’t like that and ran up to my companion and I and threw a punch at me but stopped his swing right before it hit my face. No clue why but he then proceeded to yell at us and we just walked away. It was right outside a train station and everyone stopped to see how I would react. Since we did nothing everyone was a lot nicer to us. (Valan)
- Walking in a sketchy city with lots of Arabs and came across a fight in the parking lot. (Alex)
- Living in the neuf-trois in Paris during gang fights…(Jacob)
- We were a little bit late coming home one night. We were walking home from the train to our apartment and a drunk guy threw a glass bottle at us that narrowly missed us. Then he tried to get between us. His friend pulled him away but we were scared, partially from the sense that we were not as well protected because we had not been obedient that day. (Anna)
- I was training for the second time in St. Ouen/Sarcelles, and we were waiting to cross a busy street after an appointment. There were a few people at the median when we got there, so naturally we started talking to them. One or two probably turned away, but one man was at least curious. We made it clear that us sisters were missionaries and why we were here. “we just taught a lesson about Jesus Christ to a friend in the neighborhood…” but he then asked if he could have some of our hair. Hair? no, thank you. So I turned my ‘bleue’ away and walked around the median just to be safe. But he followed me and came straight up to me with scissors and took off a few inches of a chunk of my long red hair and scurried away. What was the worst thing that could happen? My DNA be stolen or something? ;). (Mariah)
- We were out knocking on doors late one night and missed the last bus back into the main town where our apartment was. We were praying for a ride back and a drunk guy picked us up. Then we were praying for safety. (Matt)
- Being threatened numerous times and actually being punched in the face. (Drew)
- Had a knife pulled on me and was jumped by a group of young Arabs. (Aaron)
- While serving in Lorient, France in the spring of 2001, we were surprised to find the entire center of town and a 1 km radius around it under evacuation orders because a construction crew had discovered an unexploded bomb from WWII buried beneath the ruins of an old bunker that was being demolished in an expansion project for the local stadium (Lorient had been an Allied port and submarine base during the war). We were having our district meeting that morning, so two companionships from out of town had arrived earlier by train and they were stopped and informed by police officers just outside our apartment of the situation. We were told that our street was pretty much on the line of the evacuation zone and that we could leave if we wanted but otherwise were advised to stay in our apartment until the demolition specialist from Belgium could arrive on the TGV later that afternoon. We all spent the day in our apartment, having our meeting there in our living room, followed by a big lunch. I can’t remember exactly how late it was, but the out of town companionships had to wait until well after dinner time before the trains were even up and running again so they could return home for the night. I still have a copy of the flyer the police were handing out in my mission scrapbook. (Kale)
- The Moloroff (speed record of 6:15). (Douglas)
- Someone stopped me on the street and started asking about us. It was a dangerous part of town, but we were just going to the train. I could tell immediately that he was not interested, so we tried to go the other way, but he followed us. He then reached out and grabbed some of my long red hair, and cut off several inches. When he started towards my blue, I got rather defensive, raised my voice, and then he ran away. (Mariah)
- In the ghettos, having some people try to take your cell phones or cameras. (Doug)
- Tamil riot near La Chapelle that we had to cross in order to get home. (Nicholai)
- Walking out of the apartment was the start of something crazy- but crazy wonderful. (Jordan)
- Riding the bus at night in Mauritius. (Merrilyn)
- We always road our velo solexes and scooters (1963 to 1966 without helmets). We hiked up a mountain one weekend when everyone from Tarbes went to a Missionary Training Session in Bordeaux and there was only room for all missionaries but one so another had to stay behind so we could be a pair. John Conway and I took the weekend off and biked up to a mountain village. We were going to take a trip to Spain but decided not to. (Dennis)
- We were almost missing a train, so I started to drive with my best Italian style…..It was quite dangerous because people don’t seem to follow Italian street’s rules. (Roberto)
What was a spiritual experience?
- I loved teaching my investigator, Marie-line, because she was so sincere. She met the missionaries after her member friend told her about how priesthood holders can bless homes, and this really helped her and her family. She got baptized later, and I got to baptize and confirm her. It was awesome to see her progress, her maturity in the gospel, and how the Gospel filled her life with joy. (Zakarias)
- One day while at the church, a lady called the chapel and asked to learn more. Her brother had just accepted the gospel and told her about the blessings he had received and she wanted to know more. In our first discussion with her, we felt the spirit so strong that my companion asked her to be baptized and she responded that of course she would be–as if that was a silly question. She knew completely the truth and she whole-heartedly embraced the gospel from day one. Later, her daughter and sister also joined. (Kara)
- Being there when the first stake was formed in Versailles. (Michael)
- Anytime you get to pray with someone or bear your testimony of the Savior is an incredibly spiritual experience! (Chloe)
- Investigators reading the scriptures and telling us what they learned. That was always a good spiritual experience. Also, companionship study could be very spiritual because we were studying similar doctrine together and discussing what we learned in detail. (Stuart)
- I suffered from debilitating migraines during my mission. During a migraine episode, we had an appointment scheduled with a non-progressing investigator with major word of wisdom issues. I wasn’t sure if I could even make it to his apartment because I was feeling so weak and he lived on the 6th floor. However, as we climbed the stairs I felt the migraine lift and strength return. We had a great appointment; he finally started to break his habits and read the scriptures himself afterwards. When we left the appointment and went down the stairs, the migraine and weakness both returned. (Jeffrey)
- Teaching and investigator in french, with him replying back in English, while reading from the Arabic Book of Mormon. There was an incredible spirit in the room which we could tell he felt. (Scott)
- This happened twice on mission. I was on exchanges and we were unknowingly being led to someone who was about to commit suicide. Both times we helped those people feel the love of God and ultimately stopped the suicide. It was so cool to see the Spirit guiding us as we were walking having no clue what God was going to have us do. (Bryan)
- One of so many would be having my companion feel prompted enough by the Spirit and asked a devout Muslim to kneel with us and offer a prayer and end in the name of Jesus Christ. (Anonymous)
- Fast and pray with faith and hard work, nothing doubting, success is guaranteed in your life and the lives of those you come in contact with. The more you pray, study and testify, the stronger your testimony will grow. The church and the work of the restoration will go forward and we can be a part if we choose. Nothing changes the truthfulness of the gospel and Satan will work against you, so fight the battles and win. (Paul)
- The countless times of bearing testimony on the street to complete strangers. (Valan)
- We found a guy that hadn’t been to church in twenty years and he was re-baptized and reactivated. (Alex)
- Having an Amish call and say that the Book of Mormon is true and that he wants to be baptized. (Jacob)
- We had an investigator who was searching for something better in life. She asked me if the Book of Mormon could truly change her life for the better. I felt the Spirit very strongly as I was able to answer Yes. It was amazing to see someone’s life lifted up and to receive joy through the Gospel. (Anna)
- We had decided to go up to a specific village a few train stops away to do some finding. After settling down on the train, a big lady in bright pink barely made the train and shuffled all of her parcels and bags around to sit across from me. I smiled kindly and struck up a conversation. Turns out she loves family history and was full of love towards us and interested in what we did. Just when we were starting to talk, she jumped up and ran to the door– This is my stop! The very first one!? I asked for her name as she ran out and she yelled it back. But there was no time to jump out and talk to her, get her number or set up an appointment. Ah well. I didn’t say anything to my companion until after 2 more stops. We really should have gotten off, shouldn’t we! Yes. We were thinking the same thing. Should we turn around? Well, we did. We waited for the train going the other direction and it must have been 30-40 minutes later that we got off at her stop. Well, we started walking one direction out of the station. But after a few steps, we felt it wasn’t right. So we turned the other way, and kept walking and bustling through the busy city square. I was thinking, what are we doing?! There’s no way we can find her here! But at the same time, I felt some inner rush to keep hurrying to find her. We kept working through the crowd, and somehow, up ahead another block or two away was that bright pink. She was overjoyed when we caught up with her! She said she was hoping to talk with us more, and what a miracle it was that we just ‘appeared!’ 🙂 (Mariah)
- Had a great companionship study in the morning and really felt the Spirit. We studied listening to the Spirit and acting on faith. Shortly after leaving the apartment, I felt the Spirit tell me to talk to the guy crossing the street in front of me. I’d never had that happen before. I tapped him on the shoulder after we crossed the street and started talking to him. That lead to us teaching he and his girlfriend. We taught them most of the discussions and they attended church several times and other church activities. I don’t know if they ever got baptized, but I was definitely prompted to talk to him. (Matt)
- Having my last lesson on my mission where our golden investigator told us a story where he met 2 young men in white shirts and ties that gave him a book that forever changed his life and his families’. Those young men were us giving him the Book Of Mormon. Great way to finish! (Drew)
- Teaching the lessons and seeing the baptism of a young refugee from the Ukraine. We used a translator. We spoke French to her and she repeated it all in Russian. The translator was a new convert too and it was so cool to see her learning as we taught. (Elsa)
- While at the MTC in Provo at the beginning of my mission, we were privileged to hear Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speak. He spoke of courage, honor, duty, worthiness, and commitment, avidly and passionately reminding us of the sacred call we were responding to and the holy nature of the mantle being placed upon us as missionaries for the Lord. The latter portion of his talk was a dire and earnest plea and warning of what awaited us if we failed or abandoned our duty after having willingly covenanted to serve the Lord. I will testify before man, angels, and the Lord God Almighty Himself, that Elder Holland, from that pulpit on that night, spoke with a voice of thunder that pierced the hearts and souls of every missionary within the sound of his voice. His words still echo in my mind to this day and I have no doubt or question of his Apostleship as a Special Witness of Jesus Christ. That talk was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life, much less of my mission, and it remained a powerfully motivating and encouraging source of inspiration throughout my full-time mission. (Kale)
- The opening of the Bordeaux Stake…Elder Packer was phenomenal. (Douglas)
- Every baptism was such a spiritual experience. So many sacrament meetings for me were also so sacred, I felt like they were celestial room moments. One was when a recent convert learn how to read by sounding out words from the Book of Mormon and the Gospel Principles manual. Other miracles were feeling like we should have gotten off as a specific train stop to keep talking to somebody, turning around 10 minutes later, catching a new train, turning back, and still finding that person we wanted to talk to in the mass of people in that little town. Other times, it was just having a conversation with the man in the park about death, and what he was going through. (Mariah)
- I had the opportunity to go back to a previous area and be apart of a baptism for a person I had worked with for 6 months. When I got there, it was amazing how many members came over to welcome me back with so much love even though I had been gone for quite some time in a different area. That feeling of love was astounding. (Doug)
- Seeing people’s lives change through reading the Book of Mormon with an open heart and mind. Letting truth fill them and watching them achieve their potential. (Nicholai)
- Finding Jean-Claude at a bus station and seeing his life change in just 3 weeks. Then knowing that he was faithful to the end of his life. His daughters letting members dedicate his grave, his daughters accepting the LDM that the members gave them with their testimonies of eternal families. The members preparing his name for temple work, the bishop emailing me a year after his death to tell me that he had personally done the proxy temple ordinances in Jean-Claude’s name. — basically serving in Nogent was 10 months of a fantastic spiritual experience that has continued ever since. Amazing member missionaries, amazing examples. Amazing ville. (Jordan)
- Finding a family that we were taking a Book of Mormon to whose address we had left at home, hours away. (Merrilyn)
- I was a new member of the church when I went out on my mission. Member for less than a year but almost a year. On my first assignment, I was asked to lead the music in the Relief Society in Versailles. Ha Ha I had no idea how to lead music. Never had done it. I was blessed with the Spirit and was able to do so sufficiently well that no one laughed at me. (Dennis)
- One day we stopped a girl in the center of La Rochelle, we had a chat about the Gospel, she told us she had relatives who are Latter-day Saints. In the evening that same day we were in a remote location far from the center and knocking doors…guess who opened one of the door we knocked at. (Roberto)
What are some interesting facts about the Paris Mission?
- Our mission is the highest baptizing mission in Europe (except Cabo Verde), and also happens to be the best in the entire world! 😉 (Zakarias)
- My dad served in the Franco-Belge Mission 20 years earlier. Now my son is also serving in the same mission I know there were about 100 + missionaries and maybe 20-some sisters It was a lot smaller area than it is now. (Kara)
- First French stake formed in 1975. (Michael)
- It covers three countries. We have the coolest mission song ever! There are so many types of transportation that you have to figure out how and when to use. The French people are incredible! So are the Africans! (Chloe)
- I started, ended, and spent most of my mission within the borders of the old Bordeaux mission and was even trained by a Bordeaux missionary. I returned to my first city nearly a year after I entered the mission and trained a brand new missionary there. My first name is Jeff. I trained Elder Jeffs. My last name is White. My last companion started training Elder Whitman the day I went home. It snowed in Paris the winter I served in the mission office and I may have thrown a snowball at a member of President Bennion’s family. (Jeffrey)
- You will teach mostly African immigrants. Our mission president is french. It’s the best mission ever!:) Although most Missionaries are American, there are a good number of native french speaking Missionaries as well. (Bryan)
- Very atheist. More people than I had imagined are in Paris. The country side is amazing. The members are incredible. (Anonymous)
- I served in an ever changing mission with boundary changes, area closures and much adversity, but I still had a very successful mission serving in 8 different areas, living in 10 different apartments with 15 different companions. I was a part of many individuals accepting the gospel and joining the church. (Paul)
- The language is beautiful. The members are awesome. The food is unforgettable. It will be the hardest two years of your life but will be two years that will shape you in ways you could only imagine. (Valan)
- Never snowed. Has awesome preparation days. Lots of translating opportunities. (Alex)
- It is a baptizing mission! I saw almost 50 baptisms in my 18 months. And it wasn’t my doing–I got to see the Elders’ baptisms, taught some that others found, found some that others taught, sang or performed at many others, fellowshipped or attended classes with other missionaries’ investigators and taught many recent converts. Many people told me I wouldn’t see any since I was going to France. But times have changed and there is so much work to do! (Mariah)
- Not many baptisms. I never actually baptized someone the entire 2 years I served. I loved the people and the area. Paris is awesome. Paris P-Days are so much fun. I love the members and how much they love the missionaries. (Matt)
- We have 3 countries in our mission, Paris has the best public transit in the world. And high speed trains can get you anywhere you need to go within a couple hours across the country. (Drew)
- There are many Africans in France. There are many Muslim people in France. Almost all of these people are warm and wonderful. (Elsa)
- I had three Mission Presidents: President Jones in Paris, Elder Andersen, and President Oveson in Bordeaux. (Douglas)
- I gave and participated in 15 musical concerts while a missionary, invited people to the missionary visitor center by playing the violin, and saw almost 50 baptisms. Often, they were primarily taught by other members or missionaries, but the fact is that there are lots of baptisms going on, and it is beautiful! For my last few transfers, we were able to get 20 lessons a week, which is stellar for any mission, especially with larger geographic alliance. John Taylor was one of the first missionaries here, but the church is still young. The grandmothers are all converts, and there are very few third-generation members. But work is progressing, and swinging upward. Keep it going! We were able to set the stage for the visitor center, the temple, and new branches and stakes. I’m so excited to see how it grows and now the temple is being dedicated! (Mariah)
- My mission is one of the hardest, you don’t see many missionaries on bikes, we walk, drive, or use the subways. There are a lot of tourists in Paris, but also a lot of castles and country side outside of Paris. (Doug)
- There are an estimated 500,000+ Chinese natives living in Paris and surrounding suburbs. It is possible to spend all day just speaking Chinese. (Nicholai)
- I had 4 Mission Presidents…I only officially met 2 of them. They are amazing men and their wives are incredible and strong. I technically served 2 missions. I got a letter saying that I had successfully completed the BBN mission and a new call letter came. -awesome!!!! (Jordan)
- It rains a lot in France! The people outside of Paris seem more friendly to Americans than Parisian’s do. Was in 3 missions, all transfers were by airplane. I had a unique experience. (Merrilyn)
- Our mission extended from Paris to Tarbes and Pau. In some towns we tracted in, every single home had roses growing so that the whole city smelled of roses. Beautiful. (Dennis)
What’s the weather like?
- It’s like regular mainland European weather- we have both a lot of rain and sun. It’s nice and varied! (Zakarias)
- Rainy, humid, great sunny days, too. Very little snow (winter in Orleans). (Kara)
- Spent a year in Rouen….it rained a lot. (Michael)
- I served in Normandie so where I was it rained 295 days a year on average and was usually very cloudy. (Chloe)
- Western European oceanic climate. In general, weather is nice, except it occasionally snows in the winter and there are occasional heat waves in the summer. So you’d have to be prepared for anything over the course of a year. (Stuart)
- It is humid and moderate. It never got too cold, but spending too much time outdoors in the winter was chilly business. It didn’t usually get too hot except for when the wind blew in from the Sahara. (Jeffrey)
- Temperate with all 4 seasons. (Scott)
- Depends on what part of the county you’re in. There are a lot of micro climates. Lots of rain In the winter. Pretty hot in the summer. Can reach upper 90s with the additional heat index as well. Winters do get cold. The humidity makes it bitter. Wind chill drops the temp 10 degrees and the wind cuts through any clothing you have. So wear thick. Summers, you need to organize your time so that you aren’t in the sun for too long of a period. Always stay hydrated, always have a water bottle on you. (Bryan)
- Cold wet winters. Rainy springs. Hot summers (Anonymous)
- Wet and cold most of the year and hot and humid in the summer. (Paul)
- All 4 seasons. (Valan)
- Little to no snow.. humid. Cold in winter, hot in summer. (Alex)
- Rainy, warm in country/cities, very rainy. (Jacob)
- Humid, which intensifies both heat and cold. The weather felt extreme (but it’s really pretty moderate) but only because of the humidity. (Anna)
- Beautiful, mild seasons. Just an inch or two of snow, two months of cold, and only a few weeks of hot. Intermittent rain that you’ve got to be prepared for ;). (Mariah)
- Moderate. Cold in the winter, but it never snowed. Sometimes it was foggy and so cold you couldn’t wear enough clothes to stay warm. In the summer, it was hot and humid. The temperatures didn’t seem all that different than the Salt Lake City area of Utah. Paris doesn’t quite get as cold and it never snowed, but pretty close. (Matt)
- Cloudy and rainy. Sometimes sunny. Mainly humid. (Drew)
- 4 seasons without the extremes you get in the Midwest. (Aaron)
- Rain in the winter, hot in the summer- especially in Paris. (Elsa)
- It was very humid, with warm summers and cold winters. (Douglas)
- Practically perfect in every way. A week or two in snow, rain in fall and spring, a couple days of gusty wind, and sunshine otherwise. (Mariah)
- The weather depended on what part of France you were in…it is like Utah where summers hit 100 while winters hit 0. But if your in Normandy area, the winters can be up on the 60s. (Doug)
- Little bit like Washington D.C. but without snow. (Nicholai)
- Temperate 4 seasons. A lot more humid than the desert I grew up in. (Jordan)
- It rains a lot in the winter. (Merrilyn)
- Weather was always great. A bit rainy in the winter but otherwise okay. (Dennis)
- Rainy. (Roberto)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- Once they opened up to you, you had a friend for life. The French are awesome people. So are the Africans, who tend to be very open spiritually. I loved learning about the French and African cultures I loved the history and sites everywhere I served. (Kara)
- I felt at home. (Michael)
- It was a magical place to serve. It was so hard, but the people I met forever changed my life. (Chloe)
- People expect good manners and you learn good manners quickly when entering homes. Also, people enjoyed food. I learned to love a large variety of foods. (Stuart)
- The French can take a long time to open up and embrace new ideas or people, but once they do they are totally committed. (Jeffrey)
- France is a beautiful country. The people are nicer than what is portrayed in American media. (Scott)
- The history was amazing!!! Seeing ancient castles and cathedrals and buildings blew my mind!! And I loved hearing people’s stories. Either how they got to France, how they found their faith/the Missionaries, some people were alive during WWII, etc. It was just awesome. (Bryan)
- The people are very kind and stick to themselves. Some times to a fault for preaching the gospel as they only want to worry about themselves and don’t need anything else . They are excellent cooks as expected. (Anonymous)
- Great food and some very wonderful people who really don’t know where to find the truth. (Paul)
- France felt like home and still does. The people take some getting used to but you will love them in the end. (Valan)
- They seem cold at first, but once they warm up to you they are super friendly. (Alex)
- Their loyalty to family and good friends. (Anna)
- There are two separate cultures in the mission: The city culture and the countryside culture. The cities are full of people from every country imaginable. There are many kind, beautiful Muslims, many vibrant and funny Africans, people from the old French colonies, transplants from Asia, South America, the rest of Europe, and also many tourists. It is so enriching to learn form people from every corner of the world and you can learn so much from them. People are always working hard and there are always incredible things going on. You learn about traditions from every part of the world and celebrate with them. The countryside is where you find more of the French people, and they vary from region and town to town. It is such beautiful countryside, both in nature’s landscape, and also in the architecture of the little roads, the stone buildings, the manicured trees and the history there . People are proper and polite, they love their language, beauty and history. They love fine food, good education, good music, small gatherings, they dress nicely and are generous. They encourage you to learn French, and become part of their home. (Mariah)
- I loved going to Paris. I loved having meals with the people. They were all so kind and friendly. (Matt)
- Each area has it’s own culture really. The people you find in areas really are unique in their own ways and I liked finding out the history on all the areas I was at, while also learning that each person has their own story. (Drew)
- There is so much history in France, and such a warm culture. (Douglas)
- I love their love and pride in their culture and continual quest to perfect their language. I love their architecture, their love of flowers and symmetry, their pride and knowledge of their history, their wisdom growing from their mistakes. I love the cosmopolitan, international nature of the cities there, meeting people from every nation, all working together. I love their politeness, manners and gentility. I love their appreciation and priority for music and the arts. I love how particular they can be, and how they say hello to every person in the room before they sit down. I love their wildness for “football” and tennis. (Mariah)
- The place is amazing with so much to see, hear, taste, and enjoy. The people are amazing once you get past the front door, they are always excited to be able to help someone after they learn your asking for help and not trying to sell them stuff. The ethnicity is add broad as you will ever find. (Doug)
- Paris is difficult at first but then, it just gets in your bones. Chinese people are absolutely amazing, humble and kind. The French are kind but you need to be real and sincere with them…they will see through insincerity very quickly. (Nicholai)
- EVERYTHING! Charleroi is my idea of Zion. Brussels is the city of miracles and Nogent is a dream. (Jordan)
- Culture, food, country is beautiful. Members are helpful. (Merrilyn)
- Those who were members of the church and active were heroes. They were going against a whole lifetime of culture to live the principles of the gospel. No smoking no drinking NO DRINKING WINE. Very brave people. (Dennis)
- People, natural vegetation, culture. (Roberto)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- In Europe (and especially Paris), people wear skinnier suits/pants/shirts, so you’ll want to either buy these beforehand or be prepared to buy them when you arrive. (Zakarias)
- Good, sturdy walking shoes- Danskos maybe. Light skirts for humidity. Definitely a good rain jacket and umbrella and waterproof shoes. (Kara)
- TIGHTS! Thermal ones! (For sisters) A coat with a hood. Comfortable shoes (those flats won’t last you long on the cobblestone roads!) Layers. Boots for rain. (Chloe)
- Do not bring clothes hangers even though the missionary preparation manuals advise it. Hangers take up a lot of space in your luggage. Every apartment will have enough. If not, they are cheap enough where you can buy a few. Also, most of our transfers were by train, not automobile. Make sure your luggage can roll so it is easier to travel on transfer days. (Stuart)
- If you forget anything or need something unexpected you will have no trouble finding it in France. Try to hold out for Soldes for major discounts. (Jeffrey)
- A warm coat for winter that can withstand wind and rain. 2 pairs of sturdy shoes, you will walk a lot. (Scott)
- Pack some short sleeve white shirts, I didn’t haha buy good shoes, sturdy firm bottom, waterproof. Get a good,lightweight jacket that’ll keep you warm and dry. Bring a shoulder bag. Not a big one. You’ll get rid of the big one quickly of you bring it. Buy one that will fit a book of Mormon, some pamphlets, a water bottle and a camera. Packing wise, bring easy to use suitcases. We don’t use cars for transfers. We do them ourselves using buses, metros and trains. The cobblestone may break your wheels so try to get a strong suitcase. They do provide sheets, but I suggest bringing your own haha. (Bryan)
- Pack with quality luggage or large packs. Good wheels if you have them. Don’t buy more than you need. You will learn sacrifice real fast. (Anonymous)
- Water proof everything. (Paul)
- It gets very hot and very cold. Make sure you’re prepared. (Valan)
- Don’t bring tons of American clothes. You will see European clothes and want to change. American baggy clothes stick out like a sore thumb. (Alex)
- Layer! Make sure you have good, sturdy walking shoes that will last. Forget the nylons (if you can get away with it). (Anna)
- (Sisters) Don’t feel like you have to have Everything you’ll need for 2 years. It’s nice to have some high quality tights/nylons and deodorant and stuff. But there are cheap marchés that you’ll walk through on P-day, shampoo & hygiene products you can pick up for a euro or two in big subway stations like La Défense as you switch trains and things like that. Pick things that you feel great in– when you feel beautiful in the morning, you can stop worrying about yourself and your confidence is boosted as you go around talking to everyone. (Mariah)
- I packed all the stuff on the list and used almost everything. (Matt)
- Do not bring a lot of stuff with you from the States because you will most likely throw it away and get European clothing, and it makes transferring towns much easier when it’s light… Trust me. (Drew)
- Anything you need you can buy in France. Pack light. Save some money and buy a suit or two in France. (Aaron)
- Shoes: buy for comfort, support, and durability, NEVER for fashion. Keep them affordable, too. You WILL go through several pairs. Keep your wardrobe practical. Elders, resale shops are great for finding cheap suits while in the field. Armani isn’t exactly for missionaries. There are places in the world where the missionaries, even in their humble circumstances, are wealthier than the people they serve: don’t insult them and embarrass yourself by over-dressing. The same can be said about your companions in the field. You don’t always know what kind of circumstances a missionary is coming from. Be humble, be simple. You are equals no matter what; it’s not a competition, nor a fashion show (3 Nephi 13:25-34). Machine washable clothes are always best (dry cleaners aren’t always available). Avoid accumulating “things” on your mission. You can get souvenirs, mementos, whatever, just remember that if you can’t mail it home, though, you’ll have to carry it in a suitcase somehow. Try to keep your luggage limited, too: one large suitcase, one good backpack or carry-on piece, and a wardrobe bag for your suits/dresses. Remember that you’ll be effectively living out of your luggage sometimes, and transfers happen unexpectedly sometimes. Less stuff to pack is less stuff you have to carry around and keep up with. (Kale)
- Don’t worry too much about getting Everything before you leave – there are markets with skirts and dresses, big shoe stores for when your shoes wear out, their styles are similar, and members and investigators will be happy to direct you on your P day to find more clothes. (Mariah)
- Don’t wear your clothes to death…just buy some new suits when the old are worn out and the same goes for your shoes. You don’t generally need a large trench coat. Bring athletic clothes because the people love soccer. (Doug)
- Good sturdy yet lightweight luggage. Try to keep it as small as possible. Make sure you have a mechanism by which they can attach together in case you need to book it across train stations! (Nicholai)
- Layers. Definitely thermal garments. Buy winter jackets there if you’re going in the summer. Rain gear a must. (Merrilyn)
- Use a big suitcase. (Dennis)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- I met a woman whom my dad had taught and baptized 20 years earlier and that reinforced the importance of sharing the gospel and strengthening get new members I also now teach French and LOVE the connections I still have in France as I have been able to keep several friendships strong . (Kara)
- Personal discipline and a love for life. (Michael)
- Too many to list. In short, it will truly be the best time of your life. You will be forever blessed in every aspect of your life. (Chloe)
- Too many to appropriately list here. To name two, I was blessed to learn to love people, even though I don’t directly benefit in any temporal way from those people. Now, as I work, it seems a lot of people only want to associate with those who can help them. I was also blessed to learn how to set goals and work toward those goals. This helped me to accomplish many things later in life. (Stuart)
- I was blessed with two difficult companions. The first was humbling because he showed me that I was arrogant and inflexible. The second taught me patience and flexibility. (Jeffrey)
- A lot haha honestly I learned self-confidence, I was blessed tremendously after my mission. But all of the skills and leadership traits and work ethic I received from the mission is allowing me to excel after my mission. (Bryan)
- A strong testimony of the work and of the church. A beautiful family and peace of mind and eternal perspective. (Anonymous)
- The end of a mission is the beginning of a life mission to grow and serve. I am married with 6 children and currently serve on the High Council and I am still a missionary every day. (Paul)
- A new perspective on life. Friends. (Valan)
- Love of scriptures. Language mastery. People skills. New friends. Family unity. (Alex)
- Language bonus, people skills, being able to carry on a conversation, cooking. (Jacob)
- A stronger testimony of the Gospel. A knowledge of God’s love and His involvement and interest in my life. The ability to speak to strangers and to do hard things. (Anna)
- 1. So much time immersed in the scriptures, I got to know them so much better 2. I learned how the Spirit worked with me more clearly. 3. I discovered a lot about myself. Ways in which I was French, or like specific companions, members or investigators. 4. Life-long friends. (Mariah)
- I can’t count all the blessings. I have a stronger testimony. I know Christ and his mission on earth. I understand what is important. I know that I choose my joy or sadness. You can find happiness in anything if you want to. I can get along with almost anyone. (Matt)
- My family has grown much stronger together! and just after a couple months of coming home, I’ve secured a great job practicing my mission language while also potentially already planning my career. I feel a sense of direction and a great sense of peace! (Drew)
- Resilience, hard work, language, friendship. (Aaron)
- Most of the blessings come from the friendships I made with many members, friends of the church, and even neighbors. The other blessings were from the ways I grew on my mission. I would not be the same person without that growth. (Mariah)
- I have some of the most amazing friends who have been able to come visit in the U.S. I learned a valuable language. I learned how to better serve. (Doug)
- Changed every aspect of my life. Blessings continue to flow from service. Diligent, heartfelt service with a true, sincere care for others pays dividends. (Nicholai)
- Friends, family, French… Every good thing that has happened to me ever since. (Jordan)
- More confidence in myself. More trust in the Lord. Able to understand new members better. (Merrilyn)
- Learned a new language. Learned how to get along with a companion whom you were with 24/7 in every sense of the word. THE HONEY MOON ONLY LASTS FOR TWO WEEKS. Remember this when you are off your mission and are in the process of choosing an eternal partner. The honeymoon might last a bit longer (a year or two) but if your partner or yourself are not grounded in the gospel, some rough, exciting, sad times are ahead of you. Learn on your mission how to recognize the kind of person you do not want to be tied to and the kind you do AND LEARN HOW TO BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL MAKE A RELATIONSHIP LAST. Basically love the Lord and the Gospel more than you love anything, anyone else and you’ll do fine. (Dennis)
- My wife was my MTC teacher..I think that covers a lot. I learned more during my mission than 25 years of life. All these things I learned are essential in my present life and future. (Roberto)
What are some skills you gained?
- Communication skills, teaching skills (especially listening!), how to recognize the Spirit, and much, much more! (Zakarias)
- Speaking to others about the gospel, building relationships, leadership skills and following through on commitments, being a strong ward member, and speaking French. (Kara)
- Second language, presentation skills used in business meetings, focus on goals, attention to detail and record keeping. (Michael)
- French! Courage, empathy, being able to work hard. (Chloe)
- I learned to communicate better. My grammar became worse because of the foreign language, but I learned to explain basic concepts and then building up to more complex concepts as a missionary. I also learned to listen better. (Stuart)
- I learned French! I am now a French teacher. (Jeffrey)
- French speaking and knowing how to act professionally in a setting. Keeping my voice low when talking to someone else. Knowing to use common sense. (Scott)
- Organization, being bold, self discipline, diligence, hard work, following the spirit, studying scriptures, working with others. (Bryan)
- One on one people and group speaking skills. A language and an extra degree. (Anonymous)
- Perseverance. Fortitude. Long suffering. Enduring to the end. Over coming adversity. (Paul)
- A second language. How to talk to people from all walks of life. Study skills. (Valan)
- People skills. Language. Organization. (Alex)
- Cooking, people person skills. (Jacob)
- The ability to speak and teach without having every word written out. The ability to learn and speak another language. How to see others in a different light and to love them and feel compassion for them. (Anna)
- Living & spending all your time with many different types of companions. Learning to talk with anyone from any background. I also gained a lot of confidence and happiness. (Mariah)
- Cooking. Laundry. Talking to people. Getting along with different personalities and people. Trying different foods. (Matt)
- Being organized, clean, proper with others, patient, happy, and a leader. (Drew)
- I had the opportunity to teach the missionary discussions in seven different languages over the course of my mission. Not only was I blessed with the chance to develop near-native fluency in French during my time serving, but I developed a literary fluency in most of the Romance Languages along the way. I developed a love of linguistics which has indeed carried over into my professional career as a game artist, especially when working in iconography for user-interface design. (Kale)
- Confidence, teaching experience, fearlessness, stronger faith, humility, much greater trust in the Lord, and an understanding of our place in his plan, better self image, empathy…(Mariah)
- How to speak French. How to build an extra floor on a building. How to serve and make amazing friends. How to enjoy being anywhere. How to keep pushing past hard times. (Doug)
- Discipline, work ethic, study habits, spiritual study habits, organizational skills, language skills. (Nicholai)
- Talked to strangers. Talked about the gospel without being awkward. I learned to listen more than I talk. (Jordan)
- Less shy with new situations. (Merrilyn)
- How to speak another language. How to work past exhaustion. How to get along with another “annoying” person. HUMOR AND SPIRIT ARE POWERFUL TOOLS in making relationships work. Self Control. How to love all of God’s children. (Dennis)
- Planning, prioritizing, organizing meetings and much more. (Roberto)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- I wish I knew better how to listen, and especially how to work with members. Get to know the members, become their friends, and find out ways how you can help them do missionary work. (Zakarias)
- Spoke out more-even if I wasn’t confident in French yet. Understood more the culture of the people. (Kara)
- French (study a second language early). (Michael)
- It will be the hardest thing you ever do. Try to remember the quality of the people represent more than the quantity of numbers you have. (Chloe)
- I wish I was more dedicated in obtaining the Ammon Award. Many of the things I learned from trying to get the award helped me to understand the gospel better. I just waited until the last possible month to earn it. (Stuart)
- I wish that I hadn’t done things for competitive reasons. A big reason that I memorized the discussions so quickly and taught so many shallow street lessons was to be better than others. It took some good companions to fix that. (Jeffrey)
- I wish I knew the language better. I would’ve worked better with members. I wish I knew the doctrine better or even had a stronger testimony on certain things. (Bryan)
- The Bible better and Book of Mormon. Memorized the Articles of Faith. (Anonymous)
- Getting along with your companion is more important than you ever would believe. No spirit, no success. (Paul)
- You’re girlfriend will NOT wait for you. (Valan)
- Not been so nervous and enjoyed it more. Believe that everything will work out and don’t worry so much. (Alex)
- Force yourself to learn the language, talk to people, talk to your companion. (Jacob)
- Be as obedient as you possibly can, but don’t beat yourself up if you occasionally are not. Do your best to communicate in a loving way with your companion. Learn to accept them for who they are, look for the good in them, compromise with them, and have a good time while you are with them. You will never be in that place with that person again. Take pictures of the people you meet (and label them because no matter how much you love them, you will forget their names). (Anna)
- People always told me it would be SO HARD. Among the hardest things I’d done. But really, I didn’t realize it would be some of the most fun I’d ever experienced in my life and so much fulfillment and finding myself. (Mariah)
- I wish I had spoken the language better. I wish I wasn’t so self-conscious about not speaking French. I should have just tried and learned rather than being worried about being embarrassed. (Matt)
- How to find the good in others, studying for a couple hours at a time, and not being afraid to open my mouth. (Drew)
- It’s hard and long but it’s what you make of it. (Aaron)
- I was a little nervous as plans fell through again with my first blue (trainee), and I was afraid she might be mad or frustrated that we weren’t teaching quite as much as she probably expected. But then she turned towards me and she said, “this is the most beautiful street!! I want to live in a place like this.” My nervousness changed to joy, and we kept walking along the road, talking to everyone that came close. That’s what it’s about — Joy in the journey. (Mariah)
- Just relax, you don’t need to kill yourself to learn the language, it will come with time. (Doug)
- Don’t worry so much about yourself or the future. Things tend to work out, find joy in serving others. The people who remember you most are often the companions you serve with – so be good to each other. (Nicholai)
- Everyone is doing their best. (Jordan)
- Be more outgoing and less afraid of making mistakes. Always practice the language. (Merrilyn)
- How to be humorous. How to be more spiritual. How to work harder when exhausted. (Dennis)
- Too many things ;). (Roberto)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Paris?
- Make sure you have a solid testimony of the Gospel, especially The Book of Mormon. It doesn’t make sense to have to use time to even begin to find a testimony on your mission when you could be bearing it instead to people that need it. (Zakarias)
- Do not feel like you are not finding success if there are few baptisms. You never know what the Lord has in store for the friendships you build with members and investigators. Love and serve your companion and those you meet. It always opens doors. (Kara)
- Love every minute and never stop praying! (Chloe)
- Don’t worry about trying to express everything that you want to say. Focus on what you can say and build from there. To do otherwise will keep you from speaking for a good part of your mission. (Jeffrey)
- Immerse yourself in the work. Don’t worry about yourself and focus on the Lord and His work you will be happier. (Scott)
- I would say to ignore and not listen to anybody who tries to tell you that Europe is super hard and that you won’t get hardly any baptisms. That is the adversary trying to stop you and demotivate you.go into the mission believing you will find those who have been prepared. Have faith in God 🙂 (Bryan)
- Forget yourself and go to work. There is a lot to do. (Anonymous)
- Where ever you are called, serve with all your might, mind, and strength. (Paul)
- Forget about home and engulf yourself in the gospel, the language and the French culture. The quicker you do the faster you will start to have one of the most cherished times of your life. (Valan)
- You will succeed. Just trust in the Lord. Give Him your time and don’t bring your own agenda. If you do, He will frustrate it and show you the right path. (Alex)
- Love the people and enjoy your differences and similarities. Don’t make derogatory remarks about the French. You can’t help them feel Christ’s love if you don’t show them love. Don’t assume they don’t understand you if you are speaking in English together. Many of them understand English. (Anna)
- One of the best things I think I did to prepare for leaving on a mission was spending a month (or less) focusing on each Christ-like attribute. This led me in ‘Patience’ to realize that anxiety or worry was not of the Lord so I learned how to use hope and hard work to just do my best. I didn’t have to worry all the time about outcomes, grades… just keep working hard and that’s enough! One other thing. It’s all about the temple. Spend lots of time in the temple as you prepare to go. Since I was a little girl in France, I prayed for the temple in Paris at least weekly for my entire life. It is so wonderful to have Geneva, Frankfurt, Madrid, London, and Paris. The French people love their ‘Mary pilgrimages’ and the temple can be a similarly fulfilling trek. (Mariah)
- Have a good attitude. Enjoy every day. Love the people. The Paris mission is awesome. I hope I get to go back as a couple missionary. (Matt)
- Let your mission be a compass for the rest of your life. Everything you do/learn will apply to whatever you do after your mission for the rest of your life. Don’t hold yourself back. Life will go on without you back home, but you can make the most of other peoples lives in your mission because they need you. You were called to that area to talk to the people you will talk to for a specific reason. You have the power and talent to help people. Don’t get discouraged because it will be hard and you will be confused on what to do. The beauty of the mission is going to teach you how to rely on the Spirit which will force you to learn talents as you go! And those talents are specifically required for the people you teach. Go all out! if you don’t know the truth when you first leave, I promise you will know as you let yourself go to work and you will come back a better person. Knowing that you gave your best and you know the truth now. (Drew)
- Soak up the Temple experience while at the Mission Training Center as much as possible. I wish I’d understood things about the Temple more when I was there attending so much so I could’ve more fully appreciated the experience. The Gift of Tongues is a very real and very beautiful thing, I can testify to that. Do as much of your study, reading, and praying in your mission language as possible. The prophets of the Book of Mormon regularly apologize for the weaknesses of mortal tongues because it can be the first and most intimidating barrier to sharing eternal truths with strangers in strange lands, but it can be overcome. Ether 12:27 was revelation in DIRECT response to Moroni’s plea for understanding in light of his linguistic weaknesses. The language of the Spirit is the codex for the universal translator that is the Gift of Tongues. Know the history of the restored Church just like you should know scripture. The temporal/secular history of the Church is often many individuals’ only exposure to the Church, but intelligent discussion of such is often an amazingly positive and readily accessible way to reach people about the Gospel. Likewise, there are so many people out there who try to use the secular history of Mormons as a tool of deceit, confusion, and contention. Don’t contend with them, but always be able to inform them where they can readily find accurate information and that you’re always happy to teach them more about the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Kale)
- I would shore up your testimony and knowledge of the Gospel and Book of Mormon. (Douglas)
- Everybody kept telling me that a mission would be so difficult, hard work, lots of rejection and stress. So I went with that mindset, and I found that the mission was the most fun that I’ve ever had. My scripture studies were so good, I was always learning new things, meeting amazing new people every day, in extraordinarily beautiful places, and feeling the love of the Lord every single day… it was more fulfilling than I ever imagined. (Mariah)
- Just do your best and never give up. (Doug)
- Be wise. (Nicholai)
- Pray for the people even before you get your call. Love the people and don’t judge others :)(Jordan)
- Read the scriptures out loud in the language. Learn the discussions in English before going to the Mission Training Center then you have a better idea of what you are saying in French. (Merrilyn)
- Learn how to provide good reasons to believe in God without resorting to Bible/Book of Mormon/Prayer (which are all great ways to learn of God but some/most people need a logical reason to believe in a Higher Power at all. My best reasoning is that however we got here as we are now (Big Bang or whatever), we are here. Now reason thusly. If we are here now, what will our race be like a hundred, a thousand, a million years from now even if there is no higher power to interfere with our progress? We will have mastered all of the elements and planets and will have made our race immortal. We will in effect be Gods. If this will happen in the future given the eternity of time ahead of us why is it not just as reasonable to conclude that this has happened in the past and that we are part of a immortal eternal race who are here on earth to learn how to make moral decisions without being forced to IE Agency. People will say they believe in God but they really don’t act like they do. This gives them something real serious to think about. IMO (Dennis)
- If you obey, work and communicate openly with your companion, you will be happy. Surely there will be hard and discouraging times. My advice is to rely with all your heart on the Lord and you will make it. That will bless your life and the life of your family forever. (Roberto)
What was a funny language mistake?
- When knocking on doors the first time, I commented after about three doors to my trainer “Man, there sure are a lot of people called ‘sonnerie’ here!” Most of the doorbells said ‘sonnerie’ on them. My trainer replied “Hey, Elder…’sonnerie’ means doorbell.” (Zakarias)
- Baiser-careful!! We were encouraging our amie to stop smoking and thought we were saying it would be more pleasant for her husband kissing her if she stopped. She nearly fell off the couch laughing. (Kara)
- I mistakenly told a member in the hospital that I was glad that she smelled better, rather than feeling better. It about caused her to pull a stitch. (Michael)
- In Meaux, a Sunday School instructor asked me to get a tableau. In my head, I translated tableau as table and went to get one. After getting the huge table through the doors, the instructor repeated “tableau” so I could make the connection that I got the wrong item. A few of the members had a chuckle. (Stuart)
- Well I had a French companion and I was joking and said “your mom” to him in french but in french that means a super bad word haha so be careful with your translations haha. (Bryan)
- Calling a Madame a Monsieur . Bad idea. (UK)
- French is hard and the only way you can learn is by trying and making mistakes and learning if you speak and read and write French. Read the Book of Mormon in the language. You will become fluent enough. (Paul)
- A missionary asked if she could “peter” the dog, but peter means fart. Caresser is to pet. (Alex)
- I made a slight mistake on words and told people we created God, not created by God. (Jacob)
- There are a lot of cognates in French. But they don’t always mean the same thing in English. We had an elder from England who had not done language training. He told us (in French) that he was excited to be there, but “exciter” in French means to be sexually aroused. It was pretty funny. (Anna)
- I had a missionary convince me to go ask for a “soutian gorge” at a pharmacy when I had a sore throat. He said that translated it meant “throat support” so I thought it made sense. Instead I asked for a bra. (Matt)
- I called women, men sometimes haha. Sometimes I would directly translate English to French and confuse people too haha. Like when someone disses someone and you say “Burn!” well I said Brulé (burn) and found out that doesn’t work too well. (Drew)
- Missionaries convince the greens that the slang when asking tens for help is to ask for throat support, this would be soutien gourge, however soutien-gourge actually means your asking for a bra and then they watch as people give you a weird look. (Doug)
- Congratulated a person for having been robbed. Didn’t understand the word “robbed”. (Nicholai)
- The language was really hard for me. I did not have the gift of tongues from the get go, but I learned to accept myself for mistakes. I walked around for the first 6 weeks saying that Jesus Christ is my “flavor” because the words for savior and flavor are really close. (Jordan)
- If you say” je suis plein” for “I am full” it really means “I am pregnant.” Should say “j’ai bien manger.” (Merrilyn)
- HA HA I bet everyone makes this one. We are members of THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF THE BLOODY LAST DAYS. Saints and sant (what is bloody) make the same sound to an English ear. (Dennis)