Logan June 25, 2013

And so it begins another tale in my story. i am thinking about becoming a writer... never mind. ok where to begin. let me see. well got  nothing talk to you next week

ah just kidding. i know mom you would have come to my mission and wooped me good. Ok so here is the dealio with mail. my address is the mission office address. so i only get mail once a month pretty much.... kinda lame but thats the way it goes you know. so mom you should already have it. but if you don't it is the one with gilford road in it. i  can't remember it. which is probably bad. but that is it. because i can only get my mail once a month from this area (other areas are different like if i lived on the island i could get it everyday if i wanted). 

so this last week was great. a lot of knocking. i am getting pretty good at saying "bonjour ca va bien? on est missionaires de l'eglise de Jesus-Christ des saints des derniers jours." but we never can get any farther than that. hahaha good times knocking. i have started writing a list of things that happen during the week in my planner so i can remember the goods when i write home. so here it is. enjoy.

so we went to teach peter. back story: peter is really old and not all the way there. his daughter is a member and wants us to teach him. so we go over there and he is not getting anything. it takes him like an hour to respond. its frustrating so we keep trying to drop him but we don't want to offend sister de router. back story over. so we finish teaching and we are sitting at the table eating homemade doughnuts and sister de router asks if i will sing for everyone. SERIOUSLY? i thought but because i was wearing the badge i couldn't say that. so i sang a hymn for her. really supper awkward but i did it.

next portion of the week

mom the Elder Hollands talk was so perfect. loved it!

next

we went to Andre's house. he is a less active and wants to serve a mission but he has a lot of work to do. we go over and talk with him and he wants to change so bad. he is awesome, and could be a fantastic missionary. i want to see him succeed.

next we did some service for a lady named Elizabeth. She is not a member and we knocked into her one day. she is super nice. she is from france and a devout catholic but she is curious about our faith. ;) so we asked her if she needed any help. she told us that we could come and paint for her. so a couple days later we came and painted her stair case and the walls around it. It only would have taken a short amount of time but she didn't have any rollers so we did all of it by hand. it took so long and she wasn't really there a whole lot so we didn't get a chance to tell her about us. we have to go back to do a second coat so if we don't get anywhere we won't go back.

she is very nice though. and her french is perfect. i can understand her because she speaks a little slower and its so clear. quebecois on the other hand are neither of those. but it is coming. slowly but surely.

next

we were knocking in this city and we knock on the door and we hear some dogs. the lady comes to the door holding back these 2 dogs that looked like gorillas. i do not know how she was holding them back. they were giant. bigger than a small cow. huge. i thought i was going to die. it was so cool. then we knocked into another house with 1 dog about 1/3 of the other dogs size and the guy could barely hold it back it was hilarious. we laughed a lot.

next

so the broadcast was awesome right? FBO face book official. but before that we had a meeting with the bishopric. we were talking about member missionary work a lot and trying to get them to help us with that. They said that they have been praying for us 2 missionaries for a long time. that made us feel good inside.

next

we were knocking and this guy well guys. at first we thought they were gay but they weren't. yes.and so anyways he was like yeah i am atheist but i like you guys and he said come in. so we went in and he made us a smoothie. and we talked to him about what we beleive and a lot of his concerns we answered right away. and then he said, "do you come here to find a girl?" we said no. then he said you guys be carefully because i know too many girls who would want you to marry them. then he said quebec needs more of you guys. he was cool. and super ripped. like huge. not like tall but well formed i guess you could say.

next

we go and give sacrament to soeur bouvier. i think i mentioned that last time. but this last time she was talking about indians. i guess she loves them or something. she is hilarious. just a funny old old lady. so we were talking abouty sacajawea or however you spell it. and she could not say her name. it reminded me of grannys are pernoning nubes. hahah i was laughing so hard. she kept saying sacajawawawea haha it was so funny. good times good times.

well that is the end of my list.

everything is going great. Elder Rasmussen is awesome. he is teaching me a lot. Just got word from President Cannon quote this is a quote here people pay attention. He says to My Companion, "Elder Rasmussen take Elder Cameron to a Used Music store to buy him a mandolin!"

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thats right you heard it. well i guess read it

em you can give hannah my address. mom thanks for everything. dad you keep on keeping on. I want to find out who said that. kodiak was so great. i still remember things from it and now am putting them to use. its crazy. If you can give a message to the priests I want them to know that i love them and i am praying for them while they prepare. tell them that it is not easy but it is not supposed to be easy. tell them to pay attention in class and really take in all that they can because already i have seen that everything taught in priests is applicable to the mission.

ok next item of business. the explanation of wizard. wizard is a word that you can substitute for cool dope tight narly groovy(from mom's era) genial(if you are french)

anyways i love you all and elder cameron is out!!! Peace!

They don't like Jehovah's Witnesses.

My personal favorite of the week. The Dog. I laughed so hard.

This is a padded door. So hard to knock, but guess who did? Ya, we did.

Natalie June 24, 2013

Wow can you believe another week has come and gone? It was so good to hear from everyone! And so good to hear from Loge. I'm glad he landed safe in the land of Canada. He's been in my thoughts and prayers tons!
This week has been a good one!  And i absolutely love being a missionary. Each day I learn something new and I feel myself changing. It's the greatest feeling in the world! Today are transfers and I'm staying here in Tours for another transfer!

This week we were able to start teaching a little girl named Soleya! She's the daughter of a family in our branch who is around 10 or 11 I think. We just started teaching her to prepare her for her baptism and she's so cute. We set her date for August and she's getting ready. We had a family night at their home on Sunday and it felt so good. It made me remember you all and all the times we had. With dad's voice in my head. "We need to have shorter showers. Please turn the lights out when you're not in the rooms." haha it made me laugh. It felt good to be with a family though! The Kehli family is incredible and they are such a blessing here in Tours.

I have learned that missionary work rarely goes as planned. haha All of our appointments this week fell through. It was hard at times, but it's testimony to me that this is God's work not ours. He'll put us where He needs us. I'm excited to find more people this week. They are all over here in Tours. We just have to go out and find them. For every 50 doors knocked there's 1 person! haha just kidding i don't know if that's true, but It kinda feels like that. I'm so excited to go knock 100 doors this week. maybe 1000! woot woot! I'm excited to learn more about the broadcast too!  I didn't get a chance to watch it. But it sounds like huge things are coming! Excited to be a part of it. And excited that you are all a huge part of it too! We're all doing this together. It's pretty incredible.

This week I have been studying the Atonement. In my studies in the Book of Mormon I came to my favorite chapters in 3 Nephi when Christ comes. Wow it was powerful reading this as a missionary and thinking back on all of the times the Savior has been there for me personally in my life. I was able to get a copy of that Holland talk that I shared with you last week. I have to share a quote with you from him because it's so much better coming from him. Me and my comp chant his name every morning. H-O-L-L-A-N-D! haha it's kinda embarrassing. He's the man though. for real. He has changed my mission multiple times. Love the man.
"Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn't it go better? Why can't our success be more rapid? Why aren't there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don't people just flock to the font? Why isn't the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismial font?
You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.  Salvation never was easy. We are the Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.
If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face bleed from every pore and cry "Abba, Father" if this cup can pass, let it pass." then little wonder that salvation is not a whimsical or easy thing for us.  If you wonder if there isn't an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that.  Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wans't an easier way.
The Atonement will carry the missionaries perhaps even more importantly than it will carry the investigators.  When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived.  You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son and the Living God knows all about your sorros and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him--the Way, the truth, and the life."

Beautiful isn't it? I try to read this every morning before I go out to find people. I know that this is true. And as you begin your missionary work at home, I know that the Savior will be with you. Shoulder to Shoulder. I have felt a literal hastening in this mission. Miracles have been happening left and right. Elder Ballard came to our mission and said some pretty prophetic things about the Second Coming. It is coming and it is pretty remarkable that we get the honor to prepare the way for our Savior. I know it's true.

Well I love you all so much! I love France. I love the people of Tours and I love the people i have yet to meet. I know that this is the Lord's work! I know that He orchestrates it each week.

I'm excited to see the miracles that await us this week.

LOVE YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART!

Sister Cameron

100% no regrets. I've promised to give more.

My First French Macaroon

Pat and Lindsey, they were in our branch for June. They took us to lunch for their last week. They've been so good to us. Such a tender mercy.

This is William. He is getting baptized in July. We let him try on the clothes to see if any of them worked. He tried on a white shirt and tie and was GLOWING. He felt so proud and excited. I wish you could have seen his face.

This is Solya and Perle Kehli. Solya is the one getting baptized. They are the cutest things ever.

Logan June 17, 2013

hello family!

first p day in canada. this is crazy that i am actually here. I don't think it is real. but it is. haha thank you for all of the prayers. i didn't think that they would be such a big deal but i have felt them everyday. and i have needed them. Ok i will give you a run down of my life in the past week. so flew to canada. it was neat. first airplane ride! then we spent about 4 hours in the emigration office. not so fun. then we finally found our bags and met our president. President Cannon is one of the greatest men in the world. such an amazing man. His wife is so nice too. so we drove to the mission home and ate dinner and went to bed. Dinner was so good. it was the first meal in 2 weeks that wasn't mass-produced. then the next morning we were interviewed and then we were told where our first area would be! that was exciting. like christmas. i was told that i would be with elder rasmussen from american fork! and i would be going to rive sud or south river to an area called mount st. hilaire. it is a little bit wealthier then a lot of areas so we have a hard time getting contacts. so then we drove to the bus stop in montreal to meet my comp and to make my way to the great unknown. then after i met my comp we had lunch at montreal hotdog. a great restaurant. and guess what i ate? poutin! thats right. then we drove to our area. it is about an hour south of montreal.

so we get to the apartment, i put my bags in the room and we get going. it was crazy. so we don't have any investigators which is hard. all we do all day everyday pretty much is knock doors. or frapper les ports, as the french call it. It was kind of disappointing at first because i was getting prepared for all this teaching in the mtc and i don't really get to do any of it here.

so my first sunday in french. hard. quebecois harder. i really understood about 5% of what the ward said to me. and i had to bare my testimony! in french. it was so scary. but i could feel the prayers that you all have been giving. then we had my first dinner appointment. Their last name has slipped my mind but the food was good. dont really know what it was but it was good. the only problem is we are only supposed to stay for an hour but them kept us for 2. we were trying to get out of there as fast as we could but they just kept talking. and it was so loud. but they did have 3 daughters. the youngest one looks exactly like the little girl from toy story 3. nearly identical. anyways so then we went and gave the sacrament to a lady in an old folk's home. she was hilarious her memory is fading away so we didnt know who we were or what we were doing but she loved to talk to us.

then we went out knocking again. surprise surprise. we met this lady named elizabeth. she was older and she was from france so i could understand what she was saying. it was amazing. she said she is a devout catholic but she is interested in religion in general. we asked her if she needed any help with anything and she said that we could help her paint her walls so we are going back on thursday to paint. and maybe talk more about our church with her. So maybe something will happen. 

em how is summer? are you bored yet? you should come out here and knock some doors. its real fun! i have some killer stories for you. we were knocking this door and the guy opened it looked at us and then slammed it. haha i didn't know that really happened but we just laughed and went on to the next one. I have a favor to ask. when you are in french next year you have to tell madame something for me. Why didn't you teach us quebecois? haha tell her it is like another world here. i thought i knew french but i don't know any at all here.

how is everything at home?

one thing that i have learned already is that missionary work is nothing without members. It feels like we are not having success because we are not teaching anyone. and the fastest way to get investigators is with member referrals. so help out the missionaries!

are you so excited for sunday? i wonder what will be so historic about this event. i cannot wait to hear. if they already haven't had enough historic missionary announcements.

I love you all

I pray for you

I can feel your prayers here

One day at a time mommy

Elder Cameron 

Natalie June 17, 2013

Bonjour my family! 

Wow it is so good to hear from all of you. I am SO happy and doing great here in France.
This past week has been incredible. We have had so many miracles and crazy stories that I don't really know where to start. 

So Tuesday we went on a rendez-vous at that beautiful catherdral i sent you pictures of! We went with our friend Gisele and it was fun. We have been focusing on building friendships with people and letting them feel of our love--not just trying to teach them about the church. It's helped a lot! That night we had a rendez vous with this family that we've tried to meet like 3 times. Each time they're not there or they have to reschedule. but we love it! Because each time we go over we end up finding a new ami. it's insane! So that night we left her apartment and said we'd go left, right, left and we'd keep doing that until we found someone. we turned left then right then ran into a woman with her daughter! She was carrying groceries home so we stopped and helped her and started talking to her about God. She's very believing and was so interested! So we went to her house and taught her the first lesson. She got her bible out and was asking a lot of cool questions. I'm excited to see where she goes! We are meeting with her this week and she's comign to church. Her name is Jacqueline. Miracle! That night on the bus ride home we ran into our friend Flora. We met her a few weeks ago and see her like every other day. She's going to school here and is SO cute. She's from Rwanda and is about our age. She's believing and goes to church each week. We've develped a fun friendship that allowed us to really open up that night and tell her more about the gospel. She invited us to her house that night and we taught her a lesson! The spirit was really strong. We felt like we needed to teach her about the plan of salvation and families. I showed her pictures of you all and she was dying over you! It was really fun. We testified of eternal families and the happieness that can come from that knowledge. Then next day we found out that her parents died in Rwanda and her and her siblings were all she had left. Wow isn't that incredible! The Spirit is so real! He knew what she needed that night. She's so cute and we're meeting more with her this week. She has become one of my dear friends in Tours. She speaks a little english and between my broken french and her broken english we get along just fine. love her.

Wedneday we had another rendez vous with that family. Turns out they weren't there again...haha so we were excited! Becasue we knew there would be someone else. Sure enough, we started walking and ran into an African woman. I started talking to her and told her who we were and she was very interested! She is very believing and religious. We walked to a park and began talking with her and taught her a whole lesson on that park bench. We testified strongly of the lvoe that God had personally for her. She was crying and said her heart was so warm. She told us that she'd just left her 3 children in Africa to come here to figure out a way to get them here. African women do this all the time. It's so hard for them and sometimes it takes years for them to be together again. We boldly testified that the way she would be together with her children was through the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We told her that God is still the same God of miracles and He would provide a way for her. She was crying and was so happy. It was a special moment I'll never forget. We set up another rendezvous with her. The next day she called us and said she'd had a dream. She dreamt that there were 2 young girls talking with her and this other person started hurting them and told her not to listen to them. She knew that that couldn't be right because God would never hurt anyone. When she called us she told us that it was her way of finding out that she needed to listen to what we had to teach her. WOW. miracle. 

Friday we had zone conference! it was incredible. I love President and Soeur Poznanski. They talked about the Savior and we watched a video from Elder Holland's talk on The Atonement and missionary work. Changed my life. He says that on days where you ask why is this so hard? Why aren't people flocking to the font? Why aren't people waiting outside our church night and day to get baptisms? Why is missionary work tiring and hard? Then he answered that missionary work isn't supposed to be easy becasue salvation was never easy! Missionary work has never been easy and there's no reason it should be. When we ask is there no other way, we have to remember that we weren't the first to ask this question. The Savior Himself asked this as He suffered for us individually. As missionaries, as mothers, as church members, as friends, fathers, we are walking shoulder to shoulder with the Savior Himself. This is HIS work.  On days that are hard we have to remember that He is here with us. When people spit on us, or stare at us, or say horrible things we need to remember that He's here taking that with us. He felt that, and He's here with us. Wow this has changed my whole mission. This week each day, i have imagined the Savior physically being with me everywhere I go. It has changed my whole view. I see people I need to talk to. People I need to lift up. People who's hearts are breaking or who need the hope of the Gospel. i love people! I love everyone! All becasue of the Savior walking shoulder to shoulder with me. It is an absolute honor, and I'm learning that as I consecrate myself He can be with me more and more. I want to be a consecrated missionary. But I want to be a consecrated member of the church as well! I want to walk with the Savior shoulder to shoulder bearing what He bears. Helping Him complete His mission. Our missions. We are so blessed!

After zone conference we had another rendez vous with our dear friend Christine. She's this cute little french lady. Oh mom you'd make fun of me so bad. She's so old and so kind and I about cry every time she opens her mouth. I LOVE CHRISTINE. She has a huge part of my heart. We met her on the bus my first week here. We contacted her and became her friend. She had us over this past week and we taught her how to pray. She was SO nervous. But for the first time, we witnessed her prayer to her Heavenly Father. And oh how He listened! The spirit was thick and we knew that He knew who she was. She is the sweetest old lady. She loves America and dreams of going there someday. So excited to see her this week.

Saturday we went to a member's home! She's the cutest thing. She's a boss too! Always doing missionary work. She had us over for this huge meal and she even killed one of her chickens for us. She invited a nonmember friend and we were able to talk with her. Her name is Josette and she loves American men. haha when she found out Robert Redford lived in the same state as me she almost cried. She loves Elvis too. And she's obssed with piano music. So we went into this little room and for awhile I played hymns for her and music. After every song she got up and kissed me. haha I was dying. Then I played some Elvis for her and she cried even more. We went on a walk through this park and there were these toys everywhere. Me and Soeur miller started playing on them and pretty soon they joined in too! We were dying! These 2 little old ladies acting like they were 15 again. It was SO fun. such a fun memory. On our way home there was a creepy french man trying to talk to us. We stayed away and after he got off this cute Australian couple was like did you know him? We said no and they said they felt something was weird so they'd been watching out for us for awhile. They said they weren't going to let anything happen to us. Can you believe that? We talked with them for awhile and became friends. They were so great! People are watching out for us all over. So blessed. There are good people everywhere!

And finally. Yesterday on Sunday. Anne Marie and William came to church! They are our baptisms on the 29th. Tessy came as well by miracle! Anne Marie and William are UNREAL. In all of the classes they were participating up and down left and right. This 11 year old little boy talking about the bible. I was dying. After church we taught Anne Marie and William and had an incredible lesson. We taught William how to pray. His dad died a few years ago and we were telling him that the way you pray to HEavenly Father is like as if you were talking to your dad. We taught him how and he was so nervous. But he prayed. It was a simple prayer but the feelings in that room were AMAZING. We felt his dad there with him. AFter I asked him how he felt and he said that his heart was on fire and it was so heavy. He was crying and we were able to talk more about their baptism. They're so ready and i'm so excited for them. They are a living miracle. 

Wow i'm sorry this is so long. It has just been an incredible week. I am so humbled to be here. I feel my Savior's love everywhere we go. He is in the eyes of the woman walking her dog down the street. He's in the smile of the bus driver who says bonjour every morning. He's in the heart of my mission President and his wife and their endless efforts to build the church up here in France. He's in the hearts of every person here in France! They just need to remember it. I know that He lives! He is orchestrating this work and it's real. He is hastening His work and people are being prepared everywhere we go. I'm so happy and LOVE my missionary life.

I pray for you all everyday! All day! You are always in my hearts. I show your pictures often and people see a difference in your eyes. You are all amazing examples to me and I hope you feel the blessings of missionary work. They are so real.

Hope you all have an incredible week! Love you so much

Soeur Cameron

100% no regrets! i've promised to give more.

Natalie June 10, 2013

Hello everyone!

It was so good to hear from everyone. It sounds like everyone is doing great. I'm not going to lie, i got a little misty eyed when I read about rusty leaving us. I've had a lot of fun adventures in that little car! He's served us well hasn't he? Em i loved the pic of you on top of the car. 

The work is still here in Tours. It's not easy work! But it's good work. And it's the Lord's work so it's the best work. This week after all I've experienced, the biggest thing i've learned is how grateful I am for where I come from and the blessings I have.  I have never been so grateful.  So Tours is a HUGE city.  It has several sub cities each with thousands of people.  My area is really big.  I wish I knew the exact population.  Within all of those thousands of people, there are around 20-30 active members in our branch.  They have so much faith and they amaze me.  Most of them are women who come without their husbands or families. They are very french! And things happen a lot different than I'm used to. I'm still getting used to that. Their mannerisms are hard to follow sometimes but I love them. And I'm trying to learn french for them! So I can communicate with them.

We had a meeting with the Branch President this week talking about our investigators and how we can bring them into the branch.  Because of past experience, he was a little hesitant to find solutions.  Our investigator Anne Marie is around 38 years old.  Her husband was killed in the war in Africa recently so she moved here with her son William who is 11 years old.  I have never met a more believing woman.  She knows God and when we found her on the bus my first week here she said she was looking for more.  She is living with a random kind lady and babysits for work.  She doesn't have a job.  Her son doesn't have a bus pass so it's hard for her to get to church which is about an hour away.  I remember leaving the meeting we'd had with the branch president, feeling discouraged and wanting help! Anne Marie wants to come to church and I felt like  we were stuck in trying to figure out a way, just as many missionaries face this every week. 

I will never forget it.  We were walking on this road to our home. It's about a 45 minute walk.  I remember thinking about our home ward and the church house 3 minutes away.  Feeling so blessed and sad at the same time that these people didn't have that.  My companion and I were discouraged.  As I walked these words came to my mind like an old friend, "Don't you quit. You keep walking.  You keep trying.  There is hope and happiness ahead.  Some blessings come soon. Some come late, and some don't come till heaven. But for those that embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.  It'll be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come"  Oh Elder Holland.  His words have rescued me many a time.  But at that moment it was exactly what I needed.  I know and testify that this is God's work.  I know that one day, all things will be made right.  He knows our hearts and what we're willing to do.  And I know that everything always works out even if it's hard. I know that He not only knows me and my heart, but He knows my investigators too! What they don't realize is that they've had a relationship with Him since before this life. He knows them so personally and individually. He knows them because He led us to them. And I know that I can do all things through Him and so can they! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and He is a God of miracles. He orchestrates the missionary and the investigator! It is HIS work. Ah what a blessing.

I love France and I love Tours. It's been quite an adjustment coming from Utah though. I know I say that a lot. But Europe is just different! haha culture shock everyday. No one knows who we are. People stare at us everywhere which I'm used to now, high school girls will laugh at our clothes or give us fun looks, haha which makes me laugh, and babies love us! it's weird. everywhere we go babies just stare and smile at us. But one day me and my companion were just feeling kinda alone.  We realized we were probably the only members in that city of thousands and thousands that day. No one knew who we really were or who we represented.  As we were on the bus, there was a handicapt man in his wheel chair.  As we got on, he didn't even say anything but he looked at us in a way that made our hearts full.  I dont' know how, but I knew that he knew who we were! It was a special experience. We helped get him off the bus and he looked up at us and for a moment I think he knew.  Moments like that mean the world. I love testifying of Christ. Any time I bring Him into the conversation, the Spirit enters. And just simple looks from people help me to know that He's with us.

As I have had experiences like that, I have gained such a huge testimony of prayer, and God's presence here. I was studying in the bible dictionary and found this: 
"Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondance with each other.  The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them.  Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them.  Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings" BD pg 753. 

I loved that! Isn't it incredible to think of all the blessings that await us? And sometimes, all it takes is a prayer and the faith that is needed to receive them. What a powerful and loving Heavenly Father we have.  I know that He hears and answers my prayers.  I have never felt it so strong than here on my mission. There are times when He answers immediately! So fast that it blows my mind. And other times, it takes longer and my patience is required. But there is never a prayer left unanswered. "Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea rejoice everymore and in everything give thanks; waiting patiently on the Lord for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord and are recorded with this seal and testament-the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted. Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and ALL things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good and to my name's glory saith the Lord" D&C 98:1-3 He is so aware of us and our everyday lives.

What an incredible blessing it is to be a missionary.  It's the hardest thing I've ever done! But it's also the greatest thing. I can feel myself changing and growing and learning life long lessons that will help me forever. I have learned so much about motherhood and being a wife! How to work with people and have patience and love and humility.  How blessed we are to have the Atonement and the power of the gospel in our lives daily! 

Well I hope you all have an incredible week. You're in my every prayer. I am so grateful to come from a family who believes and you live what they believe.  I'm so grateful to come from a country like the United States! I'm so grateful for the freedoms we enjoy and the experiences I've been able to have because | grew up there.  I'm grateful for the Savior. And I know He lives! I see His hand everyday here in Tours.  Elder Busche said, "that when you can't love someone, look long enough in their eyes to see the hidden rudements of God" I testify that this is true! As I look at the faces of these people I see Him. 
I love you all and hope you have an incredible week!
Love,

Soeur Cameron

100% NO REGRETS! I've promised to give MORE

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Logan June 7, 2013

Hello my family!!

 

it is so sad to see my dear dear friend Rusty being sent away. but good that he is happy. I am so excited to leave!!! don't get me wrong i love it here but i cannot wait to go! we had a devotional tuesday from Tad R Calister. It was the most amazing thing I have ever heard. it was amazing. he talked about how our church is modeled after the blueprint of the original church of christ's day. it was the coolest thing ever. spirit was so strong and me and my district where able to talk about it after and we got some great notes to help us with our teaching. We got to teach our first lesson in french. there is a french teacher here and he teaches in the class next to ours so we did a teacher swap and we got to teach in french. it was so scary. but good. I cannot believe that I am leaving on tuesday. this morning I talked with a elder from quebec. he is hilarious. we just talked about what it is like. he said i am going to love it. His name is elder painchaud. which means hot bread.

 

dad i did get to go play some soccer. yes i am the youngest elder, but i scored the most. All of the guys in my zone are pretty athletic which is really nice. It is fun to play around with them. Everything is going well. I am doing a lot better. Yes i have seen sister peterson. I talked with her for a little while. she looked like i did my first day but i told her make it to sunday and you will be smooth sailing for the rest of your mtc stay. It is so true though. Yesterday was infield training. it was good. we talked a lot about what it is going to be like when we get to the field. Iam so excited.

how are you guys? what have you been up to? any news? it is cool to see so many people i know here. It is fun.

we just keep studying and are ready to go out into the field. last time i had to go to the tech guy to upload pictures, and i didn't want to bother him today so i think i will just wait until next week to send you the good stuff from this week. Sue sent me a package with a ton of food! I have so much food in my room. like a giant box full. natalie gave me all the food she didn't eat and stuck it in a box which was my package. haha it was really nice of her. i finally got it.

I talked with the elders i am flying with today. they are so excited to leave. today i got to go to thetemple. Got to leave askaban for a little. thats what it feels like. we don't know what the outside world looks like. it has been so longs ahahhahah.

the only thing i really need is a sewing kit so i can repair a hole in my garmet. but thats all i can think of. i have more then enough food so don't need to send any of that!!

I love you all and pray for you. I am excited to leave!! but I miss you guys.

Love your favorite person in the world

Elder Cameron.

Natalie June 3, 2013

Wow,

can i just say i bawled my eyes out when I read about Logan! What an incredible incredible memory that we'll always have. once again i honestly felt like I was there.  In my planner i had it all timed out when he'd be walking and when you'd all be with him.  My trainer kept saying, "Cameron, your little brother is graduating right now with his plaque on his heart. Can you feel him" It was pretty incredible.  He's been an inspiration to not only me but many in my mission here as well. Wow, what a special time it is to be a missionary. 

Wednesday the 29th has become my new miracle day.  It was the day that Logan went in, and i was full of the spirit like I've never felt before.  I felt your prayers and i felt you all with me.  Missions are incredible.  While Logan was walking across the stage, I was 2000 miles away in my very first rendez vous.  We met with Anne Marie.  She's the incredible woman we met my first day here in Tours and invited her to church and she came! Yeah that lady.  She's a miracle. And i love her! We taught her the first lesson and honestly the spirit was thick.  She could feel it and was so receptive and open.  We taught about the Savior and His love for her. Then, I committed her to be baptized. And she said yes. She was waiting for us to ask.  Then, she asked if her son could be too, and we tried to show our excitement and told her of course! So on June 29th I will have my first 2 baptisms.  this is a miracle in our district, city, and mission.  So after with left Anne Marie we were on cloud 9.  I was speaking french and felt incredible.  so we went to my second ever rendez vous with a woman named Tessy. She speaks English so we taught her in English.  She has the cutest 2 little boys.  The spirit was strong. and guess what he prompted us to do? Yep. I asked her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. And guess what she said? She said of course.  The spirit was SO STRONG.  And I testify with everything inside of me that Christ is here in Tours.  He is in American Fork. He's in Logan Utah.  And he's in Montreal Canada.  I know with all of my heart that this is His work.  And He is leading and guiding us to people who are ready for the gospel.  Having 3 baptism dates in our mission is a complete miracle.  And I couldn't feel more blessed.  What an answer to prayers.  I'm so excited to continue to teach them and love them and watch them grow.  Tours is taking my heart and I love it here. 

I had the chance to go on exchanges to Paris of all places! haha with Sister Hoover! of all people. 2 miracles in one.  Let me just tell you that Sister Hoover is incredible.  She is just as incredible as the Bench family and it was an honor to serve with her for a few hours. We were able to meet some incredible people as we tracted in Paris! We ran into the coolest family! The little boys asked Sister Hoover for her phone number. We died laughing. i'll send you a picture of them. Me and Sister Hoover decided that it's mandatory that we serve together in Luxenbourg for her last transfer at the end of this year! We're praying for it. haha I had my first official french crepe and panini! to die for! I had to run like 10 miles to burn it off. haha Me and Sister Miller also bought locks and locked our hearts on the famous lock bridge! in honor of you em. haha it was fun and i'll send a little video if i can.

I have been reading the book of Mormon and it has come alive for me! I can't get enough of it.  I just read about Alma the younger.  I have always loved that story but for some reason it just came alive for me this week.  I read his whole progression and the power of change.  It's so real! I was reading in Mosiah 27:8 about who Alma was before his conversion.  Then read Alma 13:27-29. polar opposites. isn't that incredible!? If our hearts are willing, and sometimes God will send us an angel to get them willing...haha, He can turn us into what He wants us to be.  Who He needs us to be.  I totally believe that we each have a role in this life.  That's part of my role as a missionary--is to help people find their purpose.  I love it. love every minute of it.

Well I hope everyone is doing well. I sent a letter with a cool stamp on it! And also a birthday package for the birthday peeps.  i got your package. Thanks so much!! I loved it. I died over the candy.  In France they don't have much candy so we die over it.  Also weird thing, they don't have peanut butter or reeses! Weird huh. no fast breaks for me. Just you could never live here. haha

I love France and I love Tours.  It is an incredible place full of history and tradition.

I love you all so much. And i'm praying for you with all of my heart.

I am praying for Loge. I know how hard the first couple of weeks can be, and I'm still in that phase! but i'm praying for you and thinking of you.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

love you!

Soeur Cameron

100% no regrets. I've promised to give more.