Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Le Fin - Que Sous des Arcs deTriomphe

Oh la la...I don't even know where to start this email because there is so much I'd love to tell you and so little time.  This last week has been full of so many things that I'll just do a quick summary...

*PPP-Ping-Pong, Pancakes and Pensace (Spiritual Thought)
We had our first PPP this week in Amiens and it went great.  We had 17 people there and everyone loved it.  At the end they asked, "When are we doing this again?"  There were even some people who got to try pancakes for first time ever!
PPP - Ping Pong, Pancakes and Pensace

*Answers to prayer-Tuesday on an exchange with Elder Wilson we had plans to go and visit a less active member.  We ended up taking stuff to the church and so we were later than planned.  As we rang his doorbell and waited he finally came down and said he had just finished a prayer asking what he should do with his life and what direction to go.  Before he had even finished we were knocking on his door.  So cool!  I know with all my heart that the Lord listens to us.  Don't ever hesitate to "ask", no matter whether super small or large, he listens and answers.  In Matthew 7:7-8 it says "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

*Exchange and Baptismal Interview-I went on an exchange with Elder Jones in St. Quentin and man, was it great!  In the first few hours we were able to teach 4 groups of people - a couple, 3 college students, a man on a bench, and find an old ami through his brother that we were contacting.  After I got to do a baptismal interview with Thierry, who is so ready for baptism. His baptism was this weekend and went great!

*Trains on Strike, Paris and a Pickpocket - We got up early to take our train home from St. Quentin and found that the train was cancelled because of a strike.  The next one wouldn't get us home for 8 hours.  At the gare they said we could go to Paris and then to Amiens and be home by 11:00 a.m. (this was just an hour and a half later than planned) so we did that.  While we were in Paris someone pick-pocketed Elder Beck and took our phone.  More than anything it was an inconvenience but a good way to see how dependent we are upon technology.  (We have another phone now so all is well!)

St. Quentin

*French Food-Oh La La- We were able to eat with members this week and had such delicious food.  We also went to a creperie and got a salted crepe with ham, egg, cheese and mushrooms and then a sugar crepe with vanilla ice cream, pralines, vanilla cream and caramel in it.  To say the least it was awesome.  We also had a seafood pizza with scallops, lobster and shrimp and of course, multiple pastries.  I sure enjoy the food here!

iPad Mission Conference - Yesterday we meet with Elder Nelson and Elder Kearon from the seventies for training for the ipads.  Once again it was the whole mission in Versailles and it gave me a chance to see everyone and say "bye" to them.  So great!  Also, learned lots of great tips and advice for technology and missionary work!

Nancy and Epinol Crew at the conference

That's a short recap of my last week here and I just want everyone to know that I'm so grateful for every one of the weeks I've been in France as a missionary!  While our days might be the same in routine, the stories, miracles and people were not.  I'm so grateful for all the amazing experiences I've had and for everything I've learned here.  I know without a doubt this Church is true and the Gospel changes lives.  Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and our faith anything is possible.  In Philippians 4:13 it says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  Thank you all so much for your help and support over the last two years.  You've all been a part in making me who I am today.  It's a bitter sweet thing to say goodbye to the place I now call home but I can't wait to you see you all in two days.

Here is my last district photo!

To finish I want to end with a quote that President and Soeur Poznanski gave to us with a small "arc de triomphe" when we first started our missions.  "Vous ne rentrerez dans vos foyers que sous des aracs de triomphe" = You will not return home, except under triumphal arches (arc de triomphe)!  Tomorrow in Paris I'll get to do something I've waited to do for two years - walk underneath the Arc de Triomphe knowing, while I wasn't a perfect missionary, I did all I could and I'm going home with a "victory" of two great years working for the Lord!

Love you all...
Elder Player

This picture was my planner cover for my last transfer and then all my villes were
on the back as train tickets!

Monday, April 20, 2015

Lost but Found

Contacting with Elder Orton in Arras

Bonjour tout le monde.  Once again it's Monday and I can't believe how fast the Mondays come around!  I'm not sure if time is going faster or what but that sure seems to be the case.  This week in Amiens has been great and we have really been able to see the Lord's hand in the work, answers to our prayers and miracles after what seemed like not much was happening.  To start off I want to talk about our exchange.  I was with Elder Orton in Arras.  It's so beautiful there! as we went out we started talking to people and at a crossroad we went to a little park and meet a man sitting on a bench, M. Rousseau.  He is a recently retired French Banker who has met with missionaries a few years ago but didn't really know that much about the church.  Before long we were sitting with him on the bench and teaching him the Plan of Salvation.  He asked about the churches beliefs with money and how they "raised" money.  So then we taught him about tithing.  I don't remember another street contact where I did that but he was totally in agreement with it and after we prayed he said he'd love to have us over to his home again and talk more about the Plan of Salvation...SO COOL!

Later in the week we hadn't had breakfast or lunch so we were pretty hungry and decided we'd go and contact our way to a friterie and get some fries to hold us over until dinner.  On the way there we passed a less active members' home.  Elder Barber and I had passed by frequently but had never found her home.  A thought came to mind to stop and see if she was there...Hmmm...fries or stop by someone's home who hasn't been there the last 5 times we had stopped by.  This time at the door someone let us in so we went up and found out that the member had moved and the family that lives there now wasn't interested.  As we left the 7th floor, made our way back down, and were on the way to the friterie again a Madame in the crosswalk said, "Bonjour."  We started talking to her and she said, "You're Mormons!"  We asked how she knew us and found out that many years ago she worked at the city hall and received a request from the church for Birth Certificates for temple work.  She was in charge of getting all the records.  We asked if we could pray with her and she was so excited and invited us in to have a drink and a prayer.  When she prayed there was no mistake she was talking to God and the spirit was present.  It was so amazing and we were able to give her a Restoration brochure and she asked if she could have us over for dinner sometime and talk more.  Guess what floor she lived on?  The 7th floor right where we had just been!  We felt like we had been led by the spirit for sure!

Yesterday we were trying to get to a park but were guided instead towards Christoph.  When we first met Christoph he was not open at all and said prayer didn't work.  But today, after talking for a while we learned that his son was in the hospital, close to death.  We were able to talk about eternal families and offer to pray for his family.  After the prayer his heart was softened and we were able to get a rendez-vous with his family at his home this week.  Such a miracle!

Last, but not least, we needed haircuts so we made an appointment that would be during emails.  So we went early to do emails and while we were there a man came in and after a few minutes asked if we were Latter-Day Saints.  We said yes and he told us he is too!  He was baptized three years ago in Ghana and has been here for 3 months but has not found the church here.  We exchanged phone numbers and are going to see him on Wednesday and show him the church so he can come next Sunday!

As you can see, it's been a great week and on top of all that we have had fun with members, ate wonderful pastries, and had many other adventures here in Amiens that will have to be saved for another time.  Thank you for all your support.  I hope you have a great day and week and FYI, next week I will be doing emails on Tuesday because of a mission conference.  Love you all!

Elder...Player 

Monday, April 13, 2015

Il Fait Beau!

Elder Nord in St. Omer
Bonjour a tous!  This week has been a crazy, busy week!  So many great things have happened and I'm not really sure where to start...

So...after our district meeting and an awesome mangez-vous with Fanja and Bruno we went to St. Omer to have exchanges.  Elder Beck was with Elder Gaule from London and I was with Elder Nord from Oregon.  Elder Nord is in his first transfer and it was super fun to be together and see miracles.  We were able to find a mother and her daughter in the park who listened to us and we were able to have a prayer with them and set up another time to see them again and talk about families and how the gospel strengthens them.  Also, we saw a woman's heart change from "I'm not interested" to being interested when we told here that there is still a prophet and 12 apostles on the earth today.  Elder Nord and Elder Gaule will be going back again this week to see her!  To finish our exchange we did the St. Omer Kepbap challenge.  That includes tons of fries and a foot and a half long kebap that needs to be eaten in under 11 minutes to beat the record.  Sadly, Elder Gaule did not beat the record but it was fun watching him try!

Later in the week we were able to teach a man, Pierrot, who we met last week and had an awesome rendez-vous with him.  He is so open to the gospel!  We learned about his past and how he's grown up in a war zone and is now studying banking to get his masters.  He told us how religion has helped him so much and he couldn't wait to start reading the Book of Mormon and learn more.

The weekend was pretty busy.  There was a baptism for one of the children in the branch.  We filled up the font and I was able to give a talk on the Holy Ghost.  His smile after the baptism was priceless.  Next we were able to do some service for Elisabeth and help her with more wall papering in her apartment.  Then we had another rendez-vous.  Yesterday was a day of finding with great weather.  The sun was out and people were open!  We found 3 awesome people that we were able to teach.  One of them and another amis came to church yesterday.  They both have siblings who are members and have talked with them about the church.  One of them is from Las Vegas!  (Small world!)  We will see them again this week.  On Sunday, at the last minute, we taught a primary class!  It was fun and turned out pretty good.  I love children and their ability to learn the gospel.

I continue to see people here that are ready for the gospel and I'm able to see how the gospel blesses them with a happiness that can't be found any where else.  I'm so grateful to share this happiness with others.  My time here in France is going so fast - only two weeks left - and I want to make the most of them.  Thanks for your continued support!  We're off to Family Home Evening now but I hope you all have a great week...

Love, Elder Player


At the sea in Calais

Teaching primary

Monday, April 6, 2015

The Power of a Prophet's VoiceEl

Good morning everybody!  I hope you have had a great week that has been spiritually charging like ours and that you had a Happy Easter.  It is still Easter here in France.  They celebrate it on Sunday and Monday so the fun continues.  This has been a busy week with a Zone Conference in Bruxelles, my first area I served in, exchanges, running for trains and buses and of course General Conference.

To start last week off we woke up at 4am on Tuesday to get ready to catch our train to Bruxelles. When we arrived in Bruxelles we took the tram up to the church.  It was cool to remember the stops on the metro and trams where we had taught people and to think of how the time, 18 months since I was there, has gone so fast!  When we arrived at the church, the place where I gave my first testimony as a "real" missionary, I was able to give my "last" testimony there too.  I started and got to finish in the same place!  We had a great Zone Conference with President and Soeur Babin and it was a great start to a week of hearing from our leaders.  The train going home was late so our layover was cut short which always makes for fun.   On top of that we were on exchanges.  I was with Elder Wilson and Elder Beck was with Elder Orton.  We made our connecting train but they didn't.  Of course we had the two phones and they had the keys to the apartment.  #Missionary Life

The next day we were still on exchanges and met a cool guy on the train who was interested and so we referred him to the missionaries in Valenciennes.   We taught Fidelia, who insisted that we stop by her African store on Friday where she gave Elder Beck and I a ton of food, for free, since we are all brothers and sisters and we are doing the Lord's work.  People are so genuinely kind.  After a great exchange we were able to teach Natan, Fidelia, Jean-Francois, who is doing his genealogy, and Elisabeth who we helped wallpaper her house on Saturday!

Then of course it was time for General Conference.  What a great weekend where we were spiritually fed and prepared again for the next six months!  It's always amazing to me how there seems to be a clear theme each conference.  It testifies to me of how it's the Lord's message being shared and not just the ideas of wise men.  We had an ami come on Saturday, Matthew, and he loved it.  We decided to show him the baptismal font and talk about baptism and he said, "Yes, I need to do that!"  He then asked when he could be ready to be baptized.  It shows how powerful the testimony of the Prophet and apostles are.  How they can bring lost sheep in who are lost after having been found, or who are discovering the sweetness of the Gospel for the first time.

I'm out of time but I am so grateful for all we were able to do this week.  Have a great week and remember I love you all!

Till next week...Elder Player
Deja-Vu Strombeek Chapel with Elder Godfrey

President and Soeur Babin and moi

Waiting at the Gare with other missionareis

The Grand Place

Monday, March 30, 2015

Power of the Restoration

Bonjour tout le monde!  I hope you are having a great week as you read this!  It's been such a busy week here.  We've been traveling all over northern France but it's been great!  I'm going to keep this one short because we've got quite a few things to get done for our trip to Bruxelles tomorrow.

This week we were in St. Quentin, Lille and Arras for district meetings and had the opportunity to meet lots of awesome missionaries.  Tuesday after district meeting we rushed to our train making it on as the doors were closing!  When we got back to Amiens we had an exchange with Elder Hall and Elder Lam.  I was with Elder Hall and we had a great time together.  We changed our plans to passby a less active member's home.  He doesn't live there anymore but we were able to get his contact information.  Then we went porting close to his home and found a few people who expressed interest including a man who met us downtown over a year ago and was excited to see us and invited us to come back another time.

Thursday we took off to Saint Quentin and did an exchange with the 2 Elders there.  I was with Elder Bigelow from Syracuse, Utah and we had a great exchange which included teaching a woman named Shakira, (not the singer) contacted a less active member, got drenched in a rainstorm (Still rainy and cold up here in the North) and last but not least we had an awesome lesson with Thierry, who's one of their amis.

We taught Thierry the Restoration and it went so good!  The spirit was strong and he came to church yesterday and wants to be baptized!  During the lesson I noticed how every time we talk about the Restoration, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon the spirit is so strong.  It is a continuous testimony to me of the truth of this message and how sharing it has changed my life!  I know this weekend we are going to hear about the first vision and the Restoration and how we can feel the confirmation of it's truthfulness again if we listen with real intent and desire.  We got to see a cool experience with the power of prayer this week with a less active that we've been working with who wonders if God loves him.  We invited him to pray with real desire, on his knees, and we promised him that he'd feel a confirmation.  The spirit was super strong and than a few days after this lesson we got a phone call from him and he said, "I got an answer, God does love me and I know it for certain!"  It was so cool and another building block for my testimony of the power of prayer!

That doesn't take in much of what we did this week but for now it will have to do!  Have a great week and watch conference this weekend so that you can have the spirit for the next six months.  I know that all the missionaries are super excited here.  Also, Happy Easter on Sunday!

Love...
Elder Player

Elder Bigelow on Exchanges in St. Quentin

Elder Jones

Monday, March 23, 2015

Becoming



"Goodbye" Elder Barber
At the Gare

Fanja treating us to Fish and Chips
at Papa Bagel


Bonjour a tous!  Today is a nice day with the sun shining, which is a welcome change after several days of rain.  This week has been great with lots of changes and some awesome training that we've received. Early in the week Elder Barber was able to say goodbye to some of the members at FHE and we were able to eat with a few members and pass by their houses before we were off for Paris on Wednesday morning.  With the suitcases ready Fanja came and picked them up and then we were off to the gare! Jean Francois met us there to say goodbye as well - so nice!  

While waiting to pick up my new companion, Elder Beck, I saw Elder Cramer, Elder Eldredge and many of the people who I've become close to!  That was great!  After lunch at McDonalds we made our way back to catch our train to Amiens and so starts the companionship of Beck and Player.  

On Wednesday night we had 3 lessons with Nathan, Souer Bourdet and Tristelle that went great.  On Thursday we were able to do some contacting in the ville and Elder Beck was able to see Amiens.  We met some cool people and focused on Easter and Genealogy.  If you're looking for a way to share the gospel help someone get to know where they are from in this life and you'll see it's a great way to start. One man we contacted, Lobert, started with us talking about genealogy but before we knew it we were talking about the Plan of Salvation and he had a Book of Mormon in his hands and now we have a rendez-vous with him this week.  We then went and saw Linda and Elisabeth and it went great!

On Friday we were off to Paris for mission Council.  It was a great mission council!  President Babin talked about real success and the difference in being a manager and a leader.  The main message was about being ourselves.  Each one of us was called to this mission for a specific reason and unless we are ourselves we cannot accomplish this.  Above all, if we are ourselves we are happier and the rest will follow in terms of success!  It was a great day and I was able to see many friends/missionaries, including Elder Velazquez and others from Nancy!

On Saturday we were busy with a meeting with other missionaries from other villes and then we had quite a few rendez-vous.  The day ended with Branch Council with the Stake Presidency.  We focused on the members doing FHE's with us each week and with us inviting our amis to their houses or the members inviting their friends where we can give a spiritual thought to them.  If you know anyone you could do that with I know the missionaries in you area would love to come over and do a spiritual thought.  You just have to provide the home and maybe a treat at the end.  

On Sunday Nathan and Tristelle came to church.  So great! We found out that Nathan is only 17 but a future missionary for sure.  Later we had a FHE with Elisabeth, Lucas and Brian.  Oh man, I love these people so much.  They are moving to Paris but I'm so grateful to have met them.

It's been a great week and I know that each week I'm able to learn and grow in the gospel.  What a blessing.  We can always improve and grow and one day become as God knows we can be.  To end Elder Oaks said,  "In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something."

I hope you have a great week and always remember how much I love you!

Elder Player



Elisabeth, Luca and Brian

 Mission Council

Mission Council with missionaries
from Nancy

Monday, March 16, 2015

When Plan A turns into Plan Z

My District with each of us
holding the number of transfers
we've been out!
Bonjour a tous.  This week has been absolutely crazy and than on top of that it's transfers this week.  I'll be staying in Amiens and Elder Barber will be leaving.  That totally surprised me.  My new companion will be Elder Beck from American Fork, Utah.  I'm excited to served with Elder Beck and I know that he's a great missionary.  I'm sad to see Elder Barber go.  He will be serving in Bretagne in the city of Vannes.  (There is a beach there...yipee!)

So, what is the plan?  According to the dictionary a plan is: a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something; an intention or decision about what one is going to do; to decide on and make arrangements in advance; design or make a plan of (something to be built).  So now we know what a plan is and as missionaries that is one thing we do a lot...make plans!  Nightly planning, weekly planning, and many other times we are planning.  This week none of our plans went as planned!   We received a phone call on Tuesday night from President Babin informing Elder Barber his father had passed away.  In the next 24 hours, after much prayer, Elder Barber decided it would be best to go home for the funeral service.  He felt like he needed to speak at it.  The problem was the funeral was on Friday and now it was late Wednesday afternoon and there were authorizations needed, an 11 hour flight, and getting to Paris to catch the plane which made it all seem near impossible.  With prayer and a continuous confirmation that it was what he needed to do we put it in the Lord's hands.  Everything worked out, but with a few hiccups. On Thursday morning when the authorizations came through he had already missed the direct flight to Salt Lake.  His mom who works for Delta found another way for him to get home.  The Piepgrass couple, who was doing renovations on our apartment, took us to the Gare but the train was not there and the next train would be too late to make his flight.  Elder Barber called the Piepgrass' and asked for other ideas and within 5 minutes they were back and drove us the hour and half to the airport.  We are so grateful to them because without their help it would not have been possible.  We got to the airport, checked him in and and he was off.  I was alone at the airport, which was weird, but in just a short while I was picked up by some missionaries and they dropped me off at the new mission office.  I spent the next 4 days and saw a different side of missionary work...especially during transfer preparations and moving into the new office the day before.

I worked with the office Elders, the Assistants and spent time with the Office couples, who are awesome. I unpacked boxes of supplies, did exchanges with quite a few missionaries and during one of the exchanges I even taught a Chinese lesson.  (I felt like a bleu/greenie all over again - not understanding anything)  I did learn to say "Hello" in Chinese pretty good!  Haha  I got to be a member for a lesson with the AP's, go to dinner with one of the couples and had a cool experience with a woman, Maria de Grace while we were contacting. When we talked to her she said she was staying Catholic and that was that!  We were walking in the same direction as her and at a cross walk Elder Lam asked, "So, do you live around here?"  It was like she had forgotten she didn't want to speak with us because over the next 20 minutes we had an awesome lesson with her and prayed with her.  She gave us her phone number so that we can give her an Easter message in the next week or two.  Super cool experience!

Yesterday, since I was in Versailles, I had a few minutes and was able to see the Chateau de Versailles.  I also saw members from Rouen that were there for Stake Conference and it was awesome to see them for the first time in about a year.  It got me so excited to go back and see them all again.   Then it was time to pick up Elder Barber from the airport.  We caught our train back to Amiens and made it home and oh, how nice it was to be home last night.  I can't wait to see the members tonight at FHE.

Elder Barber is doing great too.  He said the funeral went great and he knew that was where he needed to be.  So even though our week went differently than we planned it was still a great week and brought us closer to the Lord.  Sometimes life takes unexpected turns but whether from plan A to B or even to Plan Z, remember it is up to you to decide what to make of it.  I saw Elder Barber make the best of this week and he was a great example to me.

I hope you all have a great week.  Our week will be busy with transfers, mission council, and branch conference so I'm sure it will fly by.  I love all of you so much and hope that you know that!  Till next week...

Elder Player



Monday, March 9, 2015

It's Always Worth the Wait!

Bonjour tout le monde!  I hope that the time change isn't affecting you too much.  We have three weeks until we "spring" forward.  That means that there is only a 7 hour time difference, wahoo!

It's been a good week here and very busy.  I want to focus on a few cool thing that we saw happen. Often as missionaries we have the chance to visit members who are not active, just need a visit, have questions answered, or just a spiritual thought during the week.  When working with less active members it feels like you ask them to something like read the scriptures or come to church but unfortunately it rarely happens.  This is where patience comes into play.   While being patient and waiting and being consistent to challenge them to do certain things this is usually when the miracle comes.  This week we saw the consistency, patience and the "wait" pay off with two people we have been visiting.  We went to visit a friend and member, Bettembos, and last week was the first week he came to church in a long time.  On Monday we ran into him on our P-Day and he said he wanted to come to the FHE at church that night and he did!  And guess who was there yesterday again...Bettembos!  It made all the effort seem worth it!!!  We also visited Alphonese this last week and it's been quite some time since he's come to church and yesterday as we came in from our"Amis" class into sacrament meeting we saw Alphonse sitting there.  What a great Sunday surprise!

The other experience I want to share started when we were making calls on Tuesday to fix some rendez-vous with our amis.  We called potentials from the area book and had a couple who said they would make time for us.  One of these is a man named Fidele.  On Saturday our rendez-vous was for 4:00.  The clock kept ticking and after about 15 minutes we called and he assured us he was coming. We had another rendez-vous at 5:00 but we continued to wait.  At 4:45 he came and had brought his friend, Hyancithe (ya-sont is the pronunciation) who wanted to know more about us.  We gave them a tour of the church and the last part is always the baptismal font.  It is right next to the primary room with a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ being baptized by John the Baptist.  He started to ask how we did our baptisms.  As we explained he then asked how long it took.  We told him that we would teach him lessons before and then when he is ready he could be baptized and make a covenant with God. After, we sat down for just a minute and he asked if he needed to "sign up" to be baptized or how he could receive the lessons.  We told him he just had to want them and then we would teach him and he could be baptized when he was ready.  He said, "I want to do that!"  Such a cool experience!!!

This morning I was reading a talk by Brother Ridd of the Young Mens General Presidency.  It talks about our generation and how we are so used to having what we want now but that we must realize that things take time before we can receive.  He says it so much better...


     "One of life's early lessons should be that there is great power in the compounding effect
     of little things that we do each day.  Small and simple things are at work in your life right
     now - working either for you or against you.  Just as the Lord uses such things to build you
     up, Satan uses them to distract you and lead you slowly, almost imperceptibly, off the path.

     Our challenge is that when we see a wonderful family, or a financially successful person,
     or a spiritual giant, we don't see all the small and simple acts that produced them.  We
     watch Olympic athletes, but we don't see the years of daily training that made them
     champions.  We go to the store and buy fresh fruit, but we don't see the planting of the
     seeds and the careful cultivation and harvesting.  We look at President Monson and
     other General Authorities, and we sense their spiritual strength and goodness, but what
     we don't see are the simple, daily disciplines repeated over and over again.  These things
     are easy to do, but they are also easy not to do - especially because the results are not
     instantaneous.

     We live in an instantaneous world.  We want to go directly from planting to harvesting.
     We are so used to getting instant results - anytime we have to wait for more than a few
     seconds for Google to answer our questions, we get irritated - but we forget that these
     results are the compounded efforts of generations of work and sacrifice.

     Alma gave Helaman counsel that is excellent for us today.  Speaking of the Liahona and
     the "many other miracles" that guided Lehi's family "day by day" he said:

     "Because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous
     works.  They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those
     marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey...

     O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with
     our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even
     so it is with us.  The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

     And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God
     and live."

I feel like that is one of the greatest things we can learn in our lives and something that is vital in missionary work.  We must have the ability to plant, cultivate, then wait, and when the time comes, reap the harvest.  Whether the wait be a few weeks or 20 years to see someone finally come to accept the gospel after many seeds have been planted, the time will come if we continue with the small and simple things, and the reward will always be worth the wait!

I hope you all have a great week and remember to never see some small action as a waste of time. We never know what time mixed in with these small and simple things will result in.  Thanks you for your letters, emails and prayers.  I love you all lots!

...Elder Player

The largest cathedral in all of France
This cathedral is huge!

Monday, March 2, 2015

More Happiness Than You have Yet Experienced!

Luis and his family with Aurore, who gave us
the referral, and her father who baptized him!

Bonjour tout le monde!  I hope you are all having a great day when you read this email! This week has been a week like most weeks.  It has had its "ups" and "downs" but when you are having "ups" you forget the "downs".  There is a line in all mission call letters that says, "Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children."  That is so true and I've been able to recognize how little things make me happy and the news of Luis getting baptized made for a happiness that is different from anything I've ever experienced!  No object or item in this world can make you as happy as this.  The best part is that it is a happiness that we call all have!

So, first (like I mentioned earlier) Luis was baptized in Nancy.  I am so happy for him and I was able to talk to him after the baptism.  He seemed so happy and I can't wait to see how the gospel changes him and his family.  I even got to talk to Srdan and say "hi" and see how things are going with his family!

Second, Simon said he'd come to our young adult Family Home Evening at the church at 6:30 Monday night.  He wanted to meet us in front of a restaurant at 6:15 so that he could get on the right bus and we could all go together.  The clock ticked away and as the bus was pulling up we thought we'd have to go without him but guess who came running around the corner and was able to catch the bus...Simon!

Third, we went porting, in the rain, in a very nice area, and after 2 1/2 hours of no success it was time to go back and take the bus home.  We decided to give it one more try.  Guess what?  The lady knew the Mormons from when she lived in Germany and wanted to have us come back when she could be a better host!  #8:55miracle
"Into the woods"
Here we are porting in the rain!
Fourth, we returned to Rouen for Elder Barber's visa and it brought back great memories from when I served there about a year ago!

Fifth, we were able to teach a recent convert, Jean-Francois, and he bore his testimony and the spirit filled the room when he testified of how the gospel has changed his life.

Last, but not least, Elisabeth and her family stuffed us with good food because she doesn't want us to go hungry!!!

Sharing the gospel every day in different and simple ways has brought me a happiness that can't be found anywhere else!  If you are looking for a little more happiness or to bring back those feelings you had on your mission do a simple act this week...like share something on social media, talk to a friend or give someone a Book of Mormon.  I'm sure we all know someone who needs the Gospel and I promise you that you will feel a great joy if you share it!  Here are two of my favorite scriptures that express this feeling...

*D&C 31:3  "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come, and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation."

*Alma 29:9  I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it.  I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance, and this is my joy."

Each of our mission is here on earth and it is now that we can share the Gospel with those around us.  Just as Alma says when we are an instrument in his hands there is joy that comes from that.  I am so grateful to taste that joy on my mission.  I hope each of us can even when we are not full time missionaries.

Thank you for all your prayers and emails.  I love and miss you all and hope that you have a great week.  Till next week...

Elder Player

Monday, February 23, 2015

Behold, I Will Hasten My Work in its Time

Sunrise in Amiens from our
balcony!
 Bonjour tout le monde!  I hope the warm weather has made for another great week!  It's been a full week in Amiens with Stake Conference in Lille, exchanges in Arras and finding amis in Amiens.  Definately another great week!

On Monday night we had Family Home Evening with the single adults at the church.  Eleven people came which is a ton for us.  The next morning we took off for Arras and had our district meeting with our little district of 6 people and then started our exchanges.  I was with Elder Orton, who's from Salt Lake City and in his 4th transfer, and it was awesome.  The highlight was that night when we were able to go out of the city to do some porting.  At the first door nobody answered but at the second door a woman answered and Elder Orton testified of why we were there and asked if we could have a prayer with her.  She said she wasn't interested in hearing more but was touched and wished her 20 year old son would do something similar.  In the next hour we scheduled a couple of passbacks with people that said they would love to talk on another day so that was cool!

We were able to teach Simon again (we found him late last Sunday night) and he is so awesome and coming to our FHE tonight.  We taught him the Restoration and the spirit was so strong.  He said he would pray and ask to know if it's true and I know he'll receive an answer and we can't wait to see him again.

Last, but not least, was a phone call from two sisters serving in the USA.  They were calling to send a referral of someone they had been teaching via skype.  They couldn't wait for us to teach him in person.  Then we received a text from a couple at headquarters saying they had a referral for a young woman who if she found out it was true would love to be baptized.  That's pretty rare to see that in the "comments".  We called the number that was provided but there was no answer. 45 minutes later she returned the call asking who it was.  When we said the missionaries she apologized for not answering.  She said she had been skyping with the Sisters in the states who were teaching her.  We are seeing her tomorrow and we can't wait.  It's so amazing to see what's happening with technology and see the fulfillment of the revelation in D&C 88:73..."Behold, I will hasten my work in its time."  I'm so grateful to be a part of this!

HIGHLIGHTS...
*FHE and meals with Elisabeth and her two children
* Giving service by helping to clean a less active's home
*Confirming that Luis is geting baptized this coming Sunday in Nancy
*Stake Conference in Lille...We went by mini buses that the ward had rented for the weekend.  It was an hour and forty-five minute trip which is the longest I've been in a car in over 21 months.
We heard from the stake leaders and President and Sister Babin.  It was so good and I loved a talk by one of the counselors to the Stake President that talked about happiness.  He used a scripture from Acts 20:35... " I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive."  That is so true in missionary work.  We receive so much happiness from sharing the gospel with others.

This coming week we have exchanges again and then we are going to ROUEN for Elder Barber's Visa.  It'll be the first time back since I left last April so that'll be awesome.  Other than that I hope you all have a great week and know that I love you all!

Love...
Elder Player

On the river in Amiens at night

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Are You Just Buying the Oranges?

Bonjour a tous!  I hope you have had a great week, Valentines Day and now, Presidents Day! We've had a great week here in Amiens with members and amis.  We had our Zone Conference and interviews with President and Soeur Babin in Paris too.  Here's a quick review of our week with a few highlights.

This week we did a lot of contacting and were able to meet some super cool people on the road.  I think contacting is one of my favorite things to do on my mission because you never know what the end result will be and you get to meet some of the most interesting people.  I've had contacts of every kind and it never gets old.  This week we had two great contacts.  We met Han, a young student from Vietnam.  She is buddist and as we talked about prayer and how we can talk to God openly she asked if she could do this since she is not a Christian.  We explained that everyone can talk to God and we had a prayer with her on the road.  It was her first time praying and she said that she felt good and would definitely do it again. #TheSpiritTestified #ChurchIsTrue

The second person we met is Simon,  Simon is a young man and when we asked how he received answers to his question he replied, "Through the scriptures."  We explained that it is the same for us and introduced the Book of Mormon.  When he saw the word "Mormon" we could see his face twinge and so we asked if he knew about the Mormons.  Like many other people he said that he knew we lived in little villages, didn't use technology and used horses, etc. (aka the Amish People)  Thanks to a documentary here called "The Mormons" we are now confused with the Amish people...it could be worse! (HaHa)  We explained that we are Christians and than explained more about the Book of Mormon.  He was super open and took the book saying he would read it and is coming to our FHE with the single adults tonight.

We've been able to walk around the ville and it's so beautiful downtown by the Cathedral.  We have a branch here of about 40 people and the area has lots of red brick.  My companion, Elder Barber, is from West Valley, Utah and has been out about 14 months.  He's super kind and makes me breakfast several times a week! (pancakes, french toast, omlettes)  It was his birthday this past week and he turned 21.

To finish I want to invite you all to watch or read the latest devotional for the YSA by Randall Ridd titled, "Living with Purpose, the Importance of Real Intent"  This was a large portion of our training with President Babin and it is so good.  Also, try to watch a little video called, "Focus Test"  (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-01-1040-focus-test?&lang=eng)  Try to count how many passes the team in white makes.  DON'T KEEP READING...WATCH THE VIDEO FIRST!

How many did you get...20, 21, 22, 23 or 24?

If you got 21 you were right...but did you see the Old woman moon dance across the floor or a Ninja on the court or the team in black put on hats.  If not watch the video again and you might see more things when you aren't so focused on the white team passing the ball.  Then read "The Parable of the Oranges" (it's about 1/2 way through the talk, under the sub-heading of section 2) https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2015/01/living-with-purpose-the-importance-of-real intent?lang=eng

I love these two examples that illustrate that often we loose the ability to see the big picture.  We can become so caught up in things that we forget why we are doing them.  If we don't "Just buy the oranges" but come to understand why we are doing what we do we will be able to stay focused on the prize and put God first in our lives.

I'm so grateful to be here in the mission field.  It's such a great place to be able to see how much more there is to life than "Just Buying the Oranges"!  I hope we can always have eternal perspective and see the big picture.  Till next week...

Love...
Elder Player


Centre Ville of Amiens

Elder Barber and me


Le Gare du Nord in Paris
It's always exciting!

The Amien's Cathedral...It's Huge

Elder Barber's Birthday Pizza!


Monday, February 9, 2015

A Week of Change...Goodbye Nancy...Hello Amiens

Goodbye L'Homels
Goodbye Guillaume
Here's the picture of our office in our new apartment!
Our little chapel in Amiens!
Bonjour!  I hope you are having a good day when you read this and that all is going well.  What a crazy week it has been here.  Saying "goodbyes" and "hellos" and all that packing!
Here's a picture of the luggage for the three of us!

The last few days in Nancy were great!  We ended P-Day at the L'Homel's home to have a last round of games and our last FHE all together.  On Tuesday we contacted most of our amis so I could say goodbye to them and then we went to Marie-Line's house to have one last lesson.  After that we went to lunch with Guillaume and Elise and then it was time to pack.  Saying goodbye was NO fun, especially when I had to stick out my hand instead of hugs. I've come to love all of them sooo much!  (I'm glad that I'll be back in May...that made it all a little easier)

Wednesday morning we went to the gare and took our train into Paris.  Then I needed to change gares to get to Amiens.  Between the two gares there are metros, plenty of stairs and of course all my luggage. I made it finally and met up with Elder Barber.  We headed out to catch our next train to Creil, a small town, and after a 45 minute trip we had to change trains with only 6 minutes to spare.  Down the stairs and then up the stairs and onto the train to make our final trip into Amiens.  An hour later we arrived and quickly dropped off my stuff at the apartment and were on our way to teach a less active member.  We did some contacting, teaching an amis named Abdelaziz and then went back to unpack, organize and settle in.

Over the next few days we saw many cool things transpire.  We were able to find 3 new amis, had five rendez-vous and teach a young student named Nathan.  Later on Saturday night we had a rendez-vous at the church at 7:00 p.m.  The bus was late so we were late by about 15 minutes.  Right as we got there and were opening the gate a man ran up and asked it the Elders were still there because he had a rendez-vous with them but was late.  Over the next hour we were able to teach the Restoration and the spirit was so strong.  He said, "You know this is the first time I've prayed in over 10 years.  I'm like the prodigal's son.  I was born in a religious family but am so far from what I once was but can't wait to tell my mother that I'm coming back and this time to know for myself it is true!"  So amazing and we can't wait to see him again this week!

The last thing I want to share happened yesterday during Priesthood meeting.  A young man, about 25, walked in and sat down with us. (There were only 8 of us so he was hard to miss)  As we went to talk to him  he was busy talking to members and everyone acted like they were longtime friends.  We discovered that it was his first time in an LDS church and he had decided to come because he'd seen it while out walking a few times!  (He'd only been here for 3 weeks)  We were able to teach him about our church and the Restoration and he was so excited and more than willing to ask for himself if it is true.  It was definitely a miracle and it's always so amazing when God gives us someone to teach who has been prepared.  He said he'd be back next week and we will see him during the week.  His name is Richardson!

What an awesome week.  Things are different than they were in Nancy but I know they'll be great and I'm excited to work with the people of Amiens.  Elder Barber is great and has been spoiling me by fixing breakfast every morning.  I'll send a picture of us next week!  Today is his 21st birthday so we are going to have a party for him tonight at our FHE.  I hope you all have a great week and that you realize how blessed we all are.  God does so much for us!  I'm especially grateful for all of you and the amazing people I've met on my mission.  Happy Valentines Day to all of you!  Till next week...

Love,
Elder Player





Monday, February 2, 2015

Amiens Here I Come!

Me and the Freard Family
District Photo with everyone holding up
the number of transfers!  You go home on 16
Bonjour a tous!  I hope you have had a great week where ever you are.  I have had a great week here and it is definitely winter.  Such a difference from last year.  It pretty much snows everyday.  On Saturday we found out about transfers...are you ready for the news?  I'm leaving Nancy after 6 months and I will be heading north to a city named Amiens.  There is a branch of about 40 members there and my new companion is Elder Barber from Salt Lake City.  (He is only my 3rd companion from Utah)  He has been out 10 transfers and I will get to meet him this Wednesday and work with him.  Amiens is about the same size as Nancy and sounds like a beautiful place and we will be combining two companionships into one. (We'll have two Elders in a four man apartment - sweet!)  I'll give you more details next week.

This last week in Nancy I was able to go and work in Epinal, a small city about an hour away on train, and work with Elder Hansen.  We had an awesome exchange.  Even though all our plans fell through we had some really cool things happen.  We met a man, Olivier, who is a young college student, believing and was so excited to hear about the Book of Mormon.  He took a copy and is excited to read it.  The Elders there will be going back to teach him this week.  After spending two days in the rain with no success it was a blessing to meet Olivier.  Elder Hansen loves Kolob so after planning I went and got a few plain t-shirts that we made into Kolob shirts.  (Sounds pretty exciting, right?)  But made for a fun exchange!

On Friday night we went to Luis' home to teach him and his family.  We had an awesome lesson but instead of brownies we used candles.  13 of them.  We taught the lesson in the dark and talked about how God gave us his light and direction by calling prophets but the prophets were killed.  Since God loved us he called another one.  (We lit the candles and blew them out quite a few times with the room going from light to dark) We talked about Christ and how he came to earth and called 12 apostles and then we lit all the candles but then like in times past, they were all killed and once again the light was lost and people were in the dark again.  Then with Joseph Smith and the first vision, little by little, the Priesthood was restored and apostles were called and once again we have the light of the gospel here on the earth.  It was really fun and the kids loved it!

After, we went and visited a less active family but they did not want to see us and told us so in many ways. On the way back to our apartment we were kind of bummed but then we had a "tender mercy" which ended the night on a high note.  We ran into Vincent, who just happened to be walking down the street when we got off the train, and we were able to teach him and pray with him.  This was an answer to our prayers because we had been trying to see him and he's always so busy.  The Lord always comes through when we ask!

This afternoon we are going to the L'Homels house to play some games and have FHE and say "goodbye". This will be a week filled with goodbyes and then new adventures in Amiens.  I'm so grateful for all the people I've met and the things I've learned here in Nancy and I'm glad I will be back in May to see them all again.  I hope you have a great week - remember that I love and miss you all.  You're in my prayers every day!  Till next week...
Love,
Elder Player

HIGHLIGHTS:
*FHE with Guillaume
*Lunch with the Freard family
*4 Baptisms in our district this week - 3 were here in Nancy with the sister missionaries and the other one with the Elders

New Address:
Les Missionnaires
Elder Chase Player
203 Boulevard Saint Quentin
80000 Amiens
France

Goodbye Frere Clavey



Bishop Bouchereau and his family




Monday, January 26, 2015

Joy in Families

Salut!  I hope you are having a great day when you read this.  Everything is going well here, even with the winter rain!  It's been another good week and was pretty calm compared to last week.  We were able to be in Nancy all week and work together and see some awesome things happen with our amis...they are really starting to progress.

In particular there were two highlights in our teaching that had to do with two families.  The first is Srdan, Uranela and Sladjan or the Aljiti family.  The second family is the Escalentes, Luis and his three children, Etienne, Oscar and Emilie.  On Friday night we had an appointment with Luis and the children and we wanted to do an activity that would get the children more involved.  We decided we'd do the Brownie lesson that we have used a couple of times.  We got all the ingredients ready and took off to teach.  Each ingredient represented a principle of the gospel and if you didn't have all of them, or in the right order, the brownies wouldn't turn out or taste as good as they could have.  Then after baking, or enduring to the end, you have an awesome reward...yummy brownies.  This is like life.  We need to live the principles and commandments of the gospel, endure to the end and we will have an awesome reward that can be very sweet and full of joy if we live our lives right.  It went great and the kids loved it!  Luis and Emilie came to church again, third week in a row, and next week all four of them are coming!  (Keep your fingers crossed!)
Sladjan Aljiti with me...
It's snowing!

Aljiti Family
Escalente Family

Earlier on Friday Srdan cancelled our rendez-vous because he needed to go to Germany to help a cousin so we rescheduled our rendez-vous for Monday but on Sunday Srdan and Uranela walked into our Sunday School Class.  So we had 4 people at church yesterday. So cool!  Later that night we made a quiche and had a FHE with them. We watched a talk with them and then tried to learn some Serbian and talk with them in their own language but that made them laugh super hard!  Apparently I'm not the best with my Servian dialect but it was fun and I just love these people so much.  The normal days and rendez-vous bring us so much joy. They are all so amazing and we are so lucky to be here with them and get to know them better!

Our homemade Quiche for the Aljiti's


HIGHLIGHTS of the WEEK:
*FHE and Pizza with Guillaume
*Saw David again who had such great questions!
*Met a muslim man named Jesus
*Had FHE with L'Homels and played a fun game to show apostasy using pictionary and chinese telephone!
*Went to Strasbourg for a district meeting and saw one of Elder Velazquez's less actives!

So there you have it.  A sum of the week here in Nancy.  This Saturday we'll hear about transfers and find out if I'm staying or going.  Love you all so much and hope you know how grateful I am for you!

Love...
Elder Player

Quote of the week..."I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars."  Og Mandino