Week 60 (Les Lilas)

It's a multiple of six, so you know what that means! Transfers are coming!

So let's get this over with. I'll be staying, and Elder Hulet is headed home. And as for my new companion, I have no idea who he is. Why not? Because he hasn't gotten to France yet, he's a brand new missionary. So I'll be training him.

This week we said goodbye to lots of members since it was Elder Hulet's last week as a missionary. We got invited over a bunch to eat and it was great to get to know the members a little better.

We also had a ward temple trip on Saturday! We brought some of our new converts to do baptisms for the dead for the first time, and it was great to see them help their ancestors receive that ordinance. And I love visiting the temple, you can always feel the Spirit so strongly, it's great.

We also met with a less active member, Michel. He told us how he doesn't really have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, he just believes in it because it's like the Bible. So we're trying to help him gain one, because without a testimony it's really hard to stay on the covenant path when difficulties arise. A testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is one of the most precious possessions we can have in this life, so we all need to do our very best to gain, strengthen, and keep our own throughout our lives.

Bonne semaine!
Elder Wood

Elder Wood and Elder Hulet with some of their new members at the temple

Elder Hulet, Mamady ready for baptism, and Elder Wood

Attendees at Mamady's baptism

All the missionaries love this street for some reason :-)

The lovely Clayson family sent this photo after they attended church in Les Lilas ward

Dinner with a family in the ward. The back row is Elders Rozsa, Labbe, Wood, and Hulet, but I'm not sure who the other two elders are.

One more dinner with ward members.

Food photo - Looks like a very balanced meal?

Week 59 (Les Lilas)

Another week flies by and brings more adventures with it!

The main adventure was the baptism this week! Our friend Mamady was baptized and confirmed this weekend as the newest member of Paris Lilas. We spent a lot of time working to finalize everything for the baptism, and it went well! I was even the one to baptize him since the member who was supposed to had something come up last minute. It's always an amazing experience to be at a baptism, you really feel the Spirit so strongly.

We also had a member make us an amazing meal on Friday. She invited us all over Friday night for a huge African dinner she cooked. She also invited a couple of other members, so it was a real feast! The other Elders even brought an ami because they had scheduled a rendez-vous with him the same night. So when they called her to say they might have to leave early, she told them to just invite him too!

And it's still just amazing every time I think about how I'm actually in Paris. Also how I've been a missionary for over a year now! The time really flies. So like Elder Hulet said once, you have to grasp the moment before it passes you by. Because before you know it, everything will have changed.

À plus!
Elder Wood

I believe this photo is from the baptism this week

Dinner with a family in the ward (Elders Rosza, Labbe, Wood, and Hulet)

Elders Rosza, Hulet, Labbe, Wood, a ward member, and the ward mission leader. This was at a ward Family Home Evening social.

An interesting missionary sculpture. Elders David (far left), Hulet, McLeod, and Wood.

They had a competitive Jenga game

A glimpse of the wolf spider living on their windowsill

More fun with Duolingo

Week 58 (Les Lilas)

This was a crazy busy week. I felt like we didn't even have time for anything!

Part of the reason for that was the ward activity we had on Saturday. We started with a big game of soccer, and that took a lot out of us. Yesterday I was completely sore! But it was great to spend some quality time with the ward. We then had a picnic and an olympiad with lots of events, which Elder Hulet and I dominated at. I don't know if it was our training from elementary school or what, but our team won by a landslide.

We also had Zone Conference this week. The whole zone of Paris-Est came together and we had a huge gathering! We talked a lot about the Word of Wisdom and how to teach it and help people live by it. It was also good to see everyone again. It isn't often that you see other missionaries, so every time you do it's amazing!

And since this was Elder Hulet's last Zone Conference, he got the chance to bear his testimony. He talked about the feelings of inadequacy we sometimes have, and how they're normal but we shouldn't let them discourage us. We shouldn't feel that we aren't worthy enough to do the Lord's work, or that we aren't capable. Because even when we aren't, He is there to help us. Almost every prophet talked about how he felt weak or not good enough, but God never left them alone. And it's thanks to their willingness to try that great things came to pass.

À plus tard!
Elder Wood

Ready for the soccer game - standing back right are Elders Wood, Hulet, Labbe, and Rozsa

Tour de France again, leaving Reims on Tuesday morning

District photo: Elders Wood, Hulet, McLeod, David, Rosza, and Labbe

Zone Conference. Elder Wood is standing in the center, right behind President Sorensen.

A mangez-vous at a ward member's home

Still shot from the soccer game - Elder Wood in the white shirt standing at back

Getting ready for the tug-of-war event

Elder Wood and Elder Hulet with a ward member

Week 57 (Les Lilas)

This week was great, we did lots of cool stuff!

We started off by teaching back to back lessons about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. It was crazy, we taught three or four times in a row, just waiting in the church for the next person to show up in between. I don't think I've ever done that before. It's so great to get to teach everyone about the gospel like that.

We were also invited over to eat at members' houses three days in a row. It was honestly so much food. They stuffed us for three days, and then the next day was Fast Sunday, so we were thankful for the opportunity to not eat. It was great to get to know some of the members better and strengthen that relationship.

And today we're in Reims! Le Tour de France passed through today, so we got to watch as all the riders went by. It's still weird sometimes to think that I'm actually in France, doing French things. And being a missionary. That's why you've got to hold on to the moments, before they go away. It's the little things in life that are sometimes the most important.

Passez un bon moment!
Elder Wood

Food photo: A delicious French pastry with strawberries

Elder Wood with the previous Elder Clayton (who was recently released but returned with his family to tour)

Elder Clayton's mom texted this picture to me (missionary moms know we love random photos). Elder Hulet, Elder Wood, Elder Labbe, and Elder Rozsa

Elder Hulet and Elder Wood on the train to Reims. They were pretty excited to get to ride 1st class this trip.

The French countryside seen from the train window

In Reims, waiting for the Tour de France to ride by - notice the orange Tour flag.

The Tour de France peleton rides through Reims

This is actually a state of Winged Victory on the Subé Fountain in Reims. The missionaries call it the "fake Moroni" statue since it looks like the gold Moroni statue on top of many temples.

Week 56 (Les Lilas)

Another busy week in Paris!

We actually left Paris for a day though, we had exchanges in Reims. It wasn't as busy there, so we walked around and talked to lots of people. It was great to get to see the other Elders out there and to work with them for the day. Sometimes you just need a change of pace.

This week we also had a cool experience with a member. She set up a rendez-vous with us and two of her friends so we could share a spiritual message with them! Her friends are really cool and we set up a return appointment this week to talk more about the Book of Mormon! I'm super excited to talk to them more, and also to work with their member friend. As it has been said, missionary work is at its best when the member missionaries work alongside the full-time missionaries. Their efforts are combined, then with the Lord's help miracles are brought to pass! So what are you waiting for?

Allons-y!
Elder Wood

Elders Wood and Hulet on the left side, with the Reims elders (Elder McLeod in the rear, Elder David in front) on the right.

Food photo: "Elder Hulet tried a new drink. It has algae in it..."

"Fun Fact of the week"