Le dernier mot d'un missionnaire

Bonjour à tous 

There are several things I want to express but there is way too much, so I have the difficult task of choosing what to share! I've had so many experiences. 

I don't know why I have been so blessed to have been able to come to this mission, at this time. Looking back at my mission, I've realized how everything that has happened to me, has been crucial to my spiritual growth and testimony of the Savior. It has been like a perfectly designed puzzle. My life will never be the same thanks to President and Sister Roney (and the Browns), all of my companions, the faithful French members, who everyday face the challenge of living in a country apathetic towards God, the Amis I've come to love as family, and even the random person on the street. 

If I've learned anything during the span of my mission, it would be this; love is the key. I have genuinely come to love the French people and their culture. The exquisite food, flawlessly balanced in taste and consistency. The pâté fois gras, escargots, all of the patisseries, bread and chocolate. The French affinity for family and friends. Their family is the most important thing of their life. I love how initially awkward they are when you don't know them. I love how they have  practically zero spatial awareness and are nearly incapable of guessing if something will fit somewhere (except whilst parallel parking). I love the members and their courage to stand up for Christ's doctrine in the face of ever present secularism. They are pioneers of the church and I have gained a huge respect for them. They are incredible. 

I am forever grateful for the lifetime friendships I have created. The word 'ami' for investigator is more than appropriate. To even think I would have not had the opportunity to meet the people I have greatly saddens me. There are so many incredible people! I've learned great lessons. You can't just "deal with people", you have to love them. 

I know Heavenly Father made it possible for me to gain a sincere love for the people and even my mission. For every beautiful experience, every kind, sincere person, for every good day there have been innumerable bad ones. Days that are unbearably long where people yell at you to go home and keep your dirty sect. I've had things thrown at me. I've been laughed at.  I was assaulted and even stabbed. These experiences weren't fun. But they didn't define my mission experience. 

They weren't able to... Because no matter how tired I was or how mean the people were, I knew and I will always know that I was never alone. Not once. The atonement of Jesus Christ can turn the greatest tragedies to the most beautiful experiences. The difference between misery and happiness is an eternal perspective. On the days where I felt like I couldn't continue, I felt divine support from my Heavenly Father through His son, Jesus Christ. 

I long to see my family. I love them much. I'm excited to see them. At the beginning of the mission, you look forward and feel like your mission is never going to end. Two years seems so long. But then you look backward and it seems it has been about two weeks. 

I love you all and I am eternally grateful I was able to share a tiny bit of what I have experienced. I hope you have been uplifted and strengthened in your faith in Christ. 

Que Dieu vous bénisse! À bientôt :) 

Elder Cameron Johnson 

Watching the 185th Semi Annual General Conference 

Hmmm, donc, voila quoi, tu vois?

Bonjour a tous! Another week has gone by! We did some pretty cool stuff this week. Still looking for amis... They have all been hiding recently.

ACTIVITÉ AU LAC

The branch had its first activity since I've been here. It was organized by the young women and everyone was invited so we decided to head on up with the Rodez Elders. 

We had planned on staying over at their house the night before because the activity started at 10 and Rodez is a long drive but as we started driving up, our car's power steering went out. Luckily we had only been driving for a few minutes outside of Albi when it happened. So… we need to get that fixed this week. 

Anyway, we ended up taking a train to Rodez and then riding with Frere Pascalin (1st counselor) to the lake with the Rodez Elders. We get in the car and he says... “Elders, I'm really sorry but I'm super tired and if I don't listen to music I'm going to fall asleep”...(my eye lol) and so we listened to Reggae music all the way to the lake. He had Adele but remixed into Reggae. l will admit that I didn't not enjoy it.:) 

The activity was super fun! We just ate on the beach and played games. It was a little rowdy though because there was a sand volleyball tournament going on at the same time. It kind of had the feeling of Ragnar but with lots of alcohol but they all had costumes and team names and stuff. haha 

One of the games we played was Loups-Garous "Werewolf". It is kind of like Mafia but a little bit more complicated. We played several rounds and I got killed like every time. All of the young women would accuse me of being the werewolf and the village would vote to kill me. haha 

One of the bad things about the activity was that everyone got super sunburned. Luckily I'm already kind of brown and just got a little pink on my nose and cheeks. Elder Steadman's feet got destroyed. haha 

NOS AMIS

We were able to see Brigitte two times this week! I wish we would have been able to visit her more but then our car broke. I don't understand why all of these little things happen all at once. It is so stinking annoying. It's so hard to not get frustrated and shake your fists in the air but I'm just kind of rolling with the punches at this point. I just laugh and pretend to not get mad and then a magic thing happens where I don't get mad. 

But anyway…Brigitte! She is doing pretty well! We talked to her about fasting this week (because she doesn't see how it could help her) and so we know that it would build her faith if she did it. We really want to do a branch fast with her to help her stop smoking. After our lesson, she said she would pray to know as to when she wants to do it. 

Her daughters have really calmed down and things are getting more stable. Prayer works! :) 

Eda called us on Monday and told us that she was taking a plane to L'ile Maurice (island near Madagascar) that was leaving in an hour. Apparently her sister had to have an emergency operation and so Eda was like, “I’m leaving. I don't know when I will get back”. Luckily though she was able to call us with her phone from where she was. She should be getting back at the end of this month. The operation went well and her brother (who was less active) is going to go back to church now! I talked with him on the phone and he said sometimes bad things need to happen in our lives to help us realize how important God actually is. I was happy to talk to him and be able to encourage him to go back to church :) 

As for the search of the amis... It is still a work in progress. We prayed a lot this week to have inspiration to know as to where we should go to do porting and contacting and it seems to be working. We found a few really nice potentials there. The problem is that they are all women and we don't have anyone to teach with us. Frere Millet is super sick and won't be able to help us until late September... D: It is really unfortunate. Luckily we have a new family moving in this week :) 

D'AUTRES CHOSES

Well! Because I'm not second counselor anymore they made me District Leader! I'm excited to work with everyone in the district. The district got rearranged to where we now we have Albi, Capitole Sisters, Capitole Chinese, Zone Leaders, and Rodez. This district is a lot bigger than my last one where I was district leader. It's going to be a blast. 

Hmmm…I was thinking about our car breaking and I think it is maybe so we can walk around everywhere and talk to more people. :) Blessing in disguise? 

I got my flight plans for my travels back to Arkansas... I was looking at them and it doesn't even seem real to me. President Brown told me that there are still people out there waiting to be found by me... I’ve got to find them! :) 

Voila! C'est tout pour cette semaine! 

Je vous aime :) 

Elder Johnson

Friendship Rocks and Lessons from what Rude People Say

Hello family and friends! 

Soooo.. this week was interesting! 

LES ECHANGES 

This week we had two exchanges! We had one with the Zone Leaders and the other one with the District leader. So! For the first exchange we went to Toulouse for P-Day. That was sick. Toulouse is really pretty. I think I talk about it all the time but it is a city made out of red brick. We walked around and did touristyyy things before we date some dinner at McDo (McDonalds) and then headed out to do work.

Elder Johnson with Elder Duckworth

I was with Elder Duckworth (same transfer age as me) and we talked a lot about how fast the mission has gone by and how much the mission has changed over the course of being here. It was funny to reflect. We also vented about how everyone tells you not to get trunky but then every single missionary that talks to you makes a joke about how you are almost dead and to not get trunky. It is annoying mais je m'en fiche. I'm still just going to work hard. 

Trunky: Is when a missionary thinking about coming home all the time during his last months, and probably doesn’t put forth much effort of slacks off in his/her work. 

We were walking in this huge square, stopped to take a picture when two women on bikes nearly run us over... afterwards they yelled, "Today, we run over the MORMONS! MUWAHAHA!" and then they peddled off... hahaha I laughed so stinking hard. At least they knew who we were? 

The other exchange we went on was with the Montauban elders. I went to Montauban and Elder Steadman stayed in Albi. Montauban used to be a sister ville so it was funny to be there. Let's just say, I prefer Albi. It is about the same size, maybe a little bigger and about an hour west of us. But the people were so stinking mean there! I don't know if there was something in the air that day or what but I have never been rejected so hard. But, we did find some nice people towards the end so it was okay. 

During our exchange, after walking nearly half an hour, we didn't have the keys to the apartment. So, Elder Dunn (the one that sends creed all of the cool car pictures) and I called all of the members to see if they had a key to our apartment. We eventually got a key to the church, taught a few lessons, and then bounced back to Toulouse to stay the night with the zone leaders. I am glad we didn't have to sleep in the church.

Elder Johnson and Elder Dunn

Cool mini miracle. We are sitting in the gare waiting for the train and I am SO thirsty... like, about to die of thirst. I look in my bag and I only have a euro fifty in change and all of the drinks are two euros. Elder Dunn goes up to the machine and buys a drink and it gives him fifty cents back... Huh? So I try with my euro fifty and it works!!!! hahaha. I have never been so happy. The price was marked wrong :) 

RUDE THINGS PEOPLE SAY

This happened a few weeks ago... but it bothered me ever since I heard it. So, we contacted this woman and she is talking to us and and then she says... "You are wasting your time. God has no use of you. I find it sad that you think you are spending your time wisely in doing this when really it doesn't even matter. He does what HE wants to. Live your life.” 

This bothered me so stinking much. The more I thought about it the more it bothered me. I knew it wasn't true but it still put weird questions in my head. Am I wasting my time? Being rejected everyday? That sounds like a waste of time to me... This just added to the fact we have been having a really hard time to find people to teach recently.

I think what bothered me the most is that this woman was genuine in what she was saying. She really did feel like we were wasting our time and had pity on us. 

So then I prayed to find some peace because of this woman! It really just kept coming back to me every night. Then I was reading in the Book of Mormon, Alma 37:7 “ And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.”

And suddenly what this woman said to me sounded really stupid. Of course God can do anything. But He works in mysterious ways, small and simple ways to bring about the salvation of man. I may not be able to even make a dent in the amount of people that need to hear the gospel, but I can take comfort in knowing what I am doing is making a difference. 

FRIENDSHIP ROCKS (or are they stones?)

Okay, funny thing of the week. This will probably be more funny to my family than everyone else that reads this but oh well...

We visited a member this week who is a little particular. She is super, super nice and she is a master scriptorian but a little eccentric. Anyway. After the end of our rendezvous with her... she was like, “I was gardening when I found this heart shaped rock after I had said a prayer to gain a stronger testimony of God's love for me.” Okay, so cool experience. It is a neat little miracle. Then she is "I then looked for stones for each one of you and I charged them with good energy!" hahaha. She called them either friendship rocks or rocks of gratitude. But the thing is the ENTIRE time she was explaining these rocks to us, I was thinking about "Gentleman Broncos" and when you have to blow on the friendship stone and then throw it into the water.... I'm trying so hard not to laugh because she hasn't said anything funny but I am beside myself trying not to. I truly take after my mother. :) 

D'AUTRES CHOSES

It is super hot... like high 80s low 90s. It is killer. I'm melting. 

Train strikes ruin everything...

This week we got lost in the car going to a rendezvous to a members house and ended up getting in at 11 PM

Brigittes daughters aren't doing so hot. Brigitte is doing better though.

Eda said she is coming to my wedding when I get married.

OH! I'm not going to be second counselor anymore! :) I'm happy about that. It is good that members are doing it.

And that is it! I hope you all have a wonderful week!

I love you!

Elder Johnson :) 

Toulouse 

Au REVOIR et Nouveau Branche Président

Farewell to President and Sister Roney

Hello dearest family and friends! 

Quite a few things went down this week! 

AU REVOIR CONFÉRENCE 

So! This last Monday we took a train trip to Bordeaux to say goodbye to President and Sister Roney. They gave us their "final" words. President said he wanted to give us the most important "word of wisdom" that he could give us before he "dies". He talked a lot about trials and their importance in this life. 

President's mother passed away during his mission and he said it was one of the hardest things he ever experienced but he wouldn't have had it any other way. It sounds weird, but the fact of the matter is, with the gospel the most horrific, catastrophic events in our lives can become beautiful examples of success and growth. It is simply a matter of perspective. He talked about how he was able to touch the hearts of many people of whom he would not have been able to touch if it had not been for this trial in his life. He and his family came out stronger because they chose to act with the perspective of the gospel in mind.

I think what struck me the most during the conference was the phrase "We should not be afraid of what is going to happen to us. We should be afraid of how we are going to react in the face of what comes our way." It doesn't matter what happens to us in this life. It doesn't matter. It matters how we react. We have the choice to either diminish or grow our faith in the face of trials. 

After the Roney's parting words they gave us a print of a painting that they have in their home of Jesus washing the apostle’s feet, took a photo with each missionary and then gave us a hug. BOTH President AND Sister Roney! It wasn't really weird hugging Sister Roney though because she is practically a second mom to all of the missionaries... but some Elders were like... uh, really? hahaha. It was a little weird to hug a woman quand même. 

LES AMIS ET LES MOINS ACTIFS 

So... Brigitte is going through so much stinking crap it is unbelievable. I have never seen so much opposition! Her daughters are just doing really, really bad things and it is stressing her out a lot. I won't go into detail because it isn't important but I will say that Brigitte is a trooper. She is trying so hard to do what is right. Pray for her!

To make her feel better we went over to her house and made a cheesecake with her. I have come understand a little bit more of my calling as a missionary visiting her... every time we go in there is a sad, heavy feeling and then when we leave it is happy and uplifted. It is so awesome being a missionary. *in the picture you will see her friend Eric... who is pretty much Slash. He is awesome. 

Making a cheesecake with Brigitte and "Slash"

Ambre is doing well. She didn't come to church but I know she will soon. I know it! She is also facing some weird out of the blue opposition. She will come through though. I have faith! 

We visit an older woman named Mimi every week to give her the sacrament and honestly, she is the most hilarious person I know in the entire world. She tries to speak English to us and I almost die from laughter every time. 

We taught her what a selfie was this last Sunday... She likes the concept. 

NOUVEAU PRÉSIDENT DE BRANCHE

So... I'm not second counselor anymore! Shweew! hahaha.. We had the stake president come and call a new Branch President,Frere Bernardi, super dope guy. All the members were like, “Aren't you so happy to be released?” and I'm like.. uh? I've only been here for like three weeks. But a little birdy told us that I will be called again in three weeks... So. I get a three week vacation. ha. 

It is a good change for the branch. Everyone has a new energy and they want to do everything the correct way all of the sudden. It is awesome. We just need to run with it. haha. :) Anyway! Yep! That is it for this week! :) 

I love you all! 

Que Dieu vous bénisse

Elder Johnson