Sunday Spent in Valencienne, France

This was our first visit to the Ward in Valenciennes, France. We are trying to visit each of the wards or branches in our mission. We have 80 units, so it will take us about 1 1/2 years to get to every ward or branch. We loved our visit to Valencienne. Elder Clark and and Elder Clawson are loving their time getting to know the members. They have such big hearts and there is a special feeling in this little ward.

Elder Clawson and Elder Clark were so delighted to have an investigator there on Sunday.

We were invited to the Famille Duet's home after church. Another family from the Valencienne ward was invited along with us, and their daughter brought a wonderful dessert that she had helped her mom cook the night before! Two of their sons and their families were invited!

The Famille Duet and friends from the church. What an amazing family!

The Duet family are very special to us. We served at the same together in the France Paris Mission! Their family is blessing many lives in France. Marc is a bishop in Ville Neuve d'Ascq and Jacque is the 1st Counselor in the Lille Ward.

Alexandre is a part of this Ward Family! It is wonderful for us to see the important role a member plays in a new member's life! Alexandre is surrounded by a new family in Lille, France. There is a very active Young Adult Center in Lille, with many active members of the church that have welcomed Alexandre.

Brother Duet with his two sons.

Alexandre is Baptized

After President Brubaker and I finished our interviews in Ghent, we drove to Lille, France. A few weeks before President Brubaker had the fortunate opportunity to interview Alexandre for baptism. Alexandre is a young adult who has a very strong testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel. He has been investigating the church for a few years. His boss is the bishop of the Villeneuve d'Ascq Ward in Lille, France. (story will be added soon-I promise)

Elder Porter and Elder Harper surround Alexandre with love and acceptance on this amazing day of his baptism. Can you tell which one is Alexandre? I guess the mission badges are a dead give away, but Alexandre is so excited to serve a mission in the near future!

Alexandre's family is so supportive on this big Red Letter Day in Their son's life!

Leadership Council With Zone and District Leaders

January … After the transfers we held a leadership meeting at the Mission Home. Each district leader had met with his district, and each zone leader had met with his zone. We came fasting in order to know what the Lord expects of us this year. President Brubaker let the the missionaries discussed among themselves their thoughts about a goal of baptisms. In recent history we have not reached 300 and some suggested that number. Others wanted to take a total of the districts’ individual goals or 351. They knelt in prayer and within a couple of minutes they decided to shoot for a goal of 325 baptisms. This transfer we are studying chapter 9 and in February our zone conference will be a planning skills workshop and a formulation of a plan to reach those goals. Improved prayers, improved planning and TALKING TO EVERYONE seem to be the responses as to how we can reach our goals.

Interviews in Amsterdam

President Brubaker loves his missionaries! Elder Black and Elder DeMass are the Zone Leaders in Amsterdam, and are an inspiration to the other missionaries. President Brubaker spoke to all of the missionaries before starting his round of interviews. He always has good words of encouragement and shares his excitement and vision of our mission. Zuster Ekstrom and Zuster Ftitz are having many miracles in Amsterdam. While President Brubaker is in interviews I have the opportunity to visit with the missionaries and hear all the miracles that are happening in our mission.

Elder Van Doesburg Comes to Us From Holland

We welcome Elder Van Doesburg to the mission! He speaks Dutch and English perfectly! He is from Amsterdam. He will be a great asset to our missionaries and to the Dutch side of our mission. President Brubaker will do his best to keep him as far from his home ward in Amsterdam as he can. He is so excited to serve in Eindhoven, Belgium with Elder Stringham as his trainer.

The Mission Presidency Enjoy An Evening Together

President Brubaker has two wonderful counselors that give him tremendous help. Xvier Estace and his wife Deborah live in France with their three young children. Miriam and Hans Noot are from Holland. They have 4 children. They are both so knowledgeable about the things pertaining to their countries. President Brubaker relies on their judgement and their help with the mission. We enjoyed cooking for them at the mission home the night after our missionaries left. We had a delightful evening with them.

Cooking is a joy here! It is always a feast for the senses at the grocery store. Scott and I walked up and down the aisles of this new discovered store, marveling at the displays and the variety of choices!

Eleven Missionaries Prepare to Go Home

We had a special evening with this amazing group of missionaries that have stolen our hearts! We have learned so many great lessons of life from our missionaries.
Help in the kitchen is ALWAYS appreciated. Elder Ruesch, Elder Lamoreaux, and Sister Miller had a good time helping me in the kitchen. How much food to fix? That is always the question? Missionaries love a good home cooked meal, and no matter how much food I fix, there could always be a little more! They are always so appreciative, and I love to watch the mountains of food on the elder's plates!

We will miss you!!!

front row:l-r Soeur Rideout, Zuster Miller, Soeur Gagon, Soeur Fritsch,

back row: l-r Elder Borgholthous, Elder Ruesch, Elder Bentley, elder Nelson, and Elder Milliken

Missionaries weigh their bags before leaving the mission home, so we have no surprises at the airport. It was an early morning for these missionaries. I don't think they slept much anyway. All the elders were in the same room where we have 3 bunkbeds. I know they enjoyed all being together for the last night of their mission!

Bon Voyage les missionaries!

A Day All New Missionaries Dream About

(Please excuse this post. Please start from the bottom. Thanks)

The Elders were up early the next morning. After a very appreciated warm breakfast they were on their way to the train station to meet their new companion and head off together to their first assignment.

Elder Bastian is our only Dutch Elder this time. He will be serving in Alkmaar, Holland

Elder Porter is going to Lille, France.

Elder Allen is going to serve in Arras, France

Elder Kirkland is going to serve in St. Quentin, France

Elder Helvey will be serving in Brussels

Elder Walker is going to serve in Brussels.

Elder McQuay is excited to go to Charleroi too.

Elder Crump is assigned to go to Charleroi, Belgium

We reached the Dedication Site and President Brubaker had a moment to share with the missionaries some of the things that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland had included in his dedicatory prayer. We had a moment to reflect and feel gratitude for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that these 8 missionaries have given two years to serve a mission.

We walked back to our cars and drove to the Grand Place and the missionaries had their first experience contacting. the missionaries were excited, and little nervous, but were able to talk with some people about the Gospel. After eating a quick dinner, we headed back to the mission home for the long anticipated time when the missionaries received their first assignment and new companion.

As we continued on our way, we stopped at this large, incredibly straight tree. Elder Simonson and Elder Christensen told the Elders that on the day of the dedication Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stopped and asked what this tree could represent. Elder Simonson asked the missionaries what they felt was the similarity between this tree and the Gospel. Many provoking thoughts were shared.

It was a beautiful day at Tevuren Park. The Elders were enamored with the beauties of nature as we walked to the site.

The Elders were happy to have a meal waiting for them at the Mission Home. After their tummies were full, we put them down for a needed nap. We woke them up two hours later and drove to the Dedication Site.

A New Group of Elders Arrive

What a fine group of missionaries we received today! We received eight Elders from the MTC. Seven of them are French speaking and one Dutch. Elder and Sister Pancratz were there as usual to load all the luggage for us. We first went to the Mission Office and Elder Ferguson briefed them on the Financial information, and Elder Schmutz covered the legality information. President Brubaker interviewed each missionary separately and pictures were taken so parents could be notified that their son had arrived safely in our mission.