Committed to Selfless Service

Bonjour à tous,

It was a long week for Elder Nilsson and I, since today is p-day and not this past Monday. So we had to go an abnormally long time before p-day. I found out what it means when the apostles say that it's good to work, but your body and mind need a rest every once in a while. 

I had a cool experience this week! After zone conference, we had a couple hours before our train home. So we went to go get dinner while still in Paris with some other elders. Well we had a bunch of leftover Subway sandwiches from lunch with the Zone and Elder De Geus volunteered to take them. What I didn't know is what he would do with the food. So we were all walking to a restaurant for dinner, and I noticed that he had fallen behind, so I walked over to him and found him giving a sandwich to a homeless person. He just smiled and gave the man a sandwich. Then we kept walking and he gave another sandwich out. And he just kept giving sandwiches out to homeless people. I just stood there amazed at what I was seeing. I had been looking for a way to really serve people. He told me that he had been doing that every zone conference for 3 transfers. And I just love that idea. That is such a good way to show our faith and love. So I helped him hand out all of the sandwiches. It was 200% worth it. I have committed myself that I will do the same thing in my next zone. 

I did some good service this week! Elder Nilsson and I helped to repair our branch presidents wheelchair. I was very happy to use my skills to help serve someone in a big way.

In other news, one of our investigators has quit smoking!!! She was so excited to be a non-smoker. She told us the other day "je ne cours plus, je vol!" Which translated is " I don't run anymore, I fly!" She is awesome, I don't see any reason why she would not be baptised in October.

So that is awesome news as well, Olivier is getting the ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday!

Transfer day is in 2 weeks. If I get transferred, I hope to go to Paris so that I can finally serve there and also know my way around the city. I may be in Paris when Christmas comes around. But we will see.

I love you! Have a great fin de la semaine! (Have a great rest of the week!)

Elder Payne

Great Baptism on Saturday

Bonjour a tous!

This week was awesome! I learned so much and my testimony grew a lot this past week! Also, Olivier got Baptised! WoooHoooo! It went really  well (other than the baptismal font that could have doubled for a hot tub). We were a little scared because Olivier is a really big guy and Elder Nilsson is a relatively small man. So we were anxious to see what would happen. But it was successful and afterwards, Elder Nilsson told me that the hardest part was actually going into the water. Coming out was apparently much easier. So I count that as a miracle of its own.

One of our investigators, Belinda, came to the baptism as well. The next day, at church, she came into the Gospel Principles class and said "I want to be baptised, but the problem is that I have so many darn questions!". So naturally, we set a baptismal date right then and there for the 13th of October. Which is super cool! If any of you remember, we gave Belinda a priesthood blessing right on the street one day! Yes, that Belinda. It is so cool to see how she has become a visibly happier person and that she finds peace in the gospel and following the commandments. 

I also had a super spiritual experience this week, my testimony grew. And it all started with a super hard day that we had on Saturday (or maybe Friday). But Elder Nilsson shared a thing with me that I thought was incredibly spiritual and touched my heart in several ways. I just wanted to share it with you guys, I hope this works because it's an audio file (audio file didn't come over e-mail - attached a snippet from www.lds.org)

I love you all! Have a great week!

Sincerely
Elder Payne 
France, Paris Mission

Missionary Work and the Atonement

The Prophet Joseph Smith once declared that all things “which pertain to our religion are only appendages” to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In like manner and for the same reasons, every truth that a missionary or member teaches is only an appendage to the central message of all time—that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, the Holy Messiah, the Promised One, the Savior and Redeemer of the world; that He alone burst the bands of death and triumphed over the captivity of hell; that no one of us could ever have those same blessings without His intervention in our behalf; and that there never shall be any “other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, [except] in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.”

Inherent in all of this is a rather simple definition of the gospel, at least when considered in its essence. The word gospel as we use it in English comes down to us through early scriptural language which meant literally “good news” or sometimes “glad tidings.” The “good news” was that death and hell could be escaped, that mistakes and sins could be overcome, that there was hope, that there was help, that the insoluble was solved, that the enemy had been conquered. The good news was that everyone’s tomb could one day be empty, that everyone’s soul could again be pure, that every child of God could again return to the Father who gave them life.

This is the essence of the message delivered by every prophet who has ever lived and every Apostle ever called to the work. It is the message we are called to declare. It is the message of the angel who came to those unsuspecting Judean shepherds:

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy [or, in other words, I bring you the gospel personified], which shall be to all people.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”