Cedric

 

 We have had the privilege over the last 2 months to learn what love really means as we have become acquainted with Cedric. This young man who was born in the Congo, came to France with his family as a 10 year old when his father served in the Congolese Embassy in Paris. He returned to his native land for a number of years and then came back to France to further his education. He is now attending the University of Lille and is finishing his degree in business management.

Elder Andrus & Cederic

   All his family lives in the Congo with the exception of a sister who lives in the nearby city of Valenciennes.  Cedric visited his sister and as he was going to the train station to return to Lille, met the Elders and stopped to talk to them. He was interested in knowing more about the Church because he had a good friend in the Congo who was LDS. The missionaries called the Elders here and the journey continued. From the first discussion and his first prayer he knew the message of the restoration was true and he had the desire to be baptized by someone holding the authority of God on the earth. This one act of a sincere person wanting to know from our Heavenly Father if the message of the restoration is true is a marvelous event in the life of Cedric and millions more. It is great to know how he feels, as this same event took place in my life and I cannot deny the experience of having my prayer answered.

Cederic studies with Elders Andrus & Meyers

   Cedric began to come to church from the first Sunday after meeting the missionaries. He has come to the young adult family home evening and even started attending the institute class on Thursday night. The young adults welcomed him into their group and the institute instructor, Brother Vanaquer, made a concerted effort to meet Cedric's Gospel needs during and after class. Opposition to this new found direction in his life came immediately in his daily experiences. His cousin, whom he lived with, began to mock Cedric for not wanting to continue the weekend parties with drinking and all that goes with the party life style. Cedric decided that his desire to live the life of the Gospel was in jeopardy, so he asked another cousin if he could move in with him until he found a new place. In that decision Cedric made a choice that would move him away from the party influence of others, but also brought us closer to this friend and brother.

   The  cousin that he moved in with lived 40 miles from Lille and the last train left too early to attend family home evening and institute. It was easy for Joanne and I to make the invitation to drive him home. Our brother didn't want to put us in that position, but when Joanne insisted with her motherly way, he allowed us to make the trip with him. It gave us time to talk to him and answer his Gospel questions each time we made the drive.

  With the young adult weekend coming up two sharp Elders, Meyers and Andrus, planned the baptism for the Saturday of the conference. When the day came there were 40 young adults and another 30 members of the ward that were present for the baptism. The Elders planned the baptism with Cedric and when all was said and done it was the young adults who said the opening prayer, gave the talks and one of our newly called missionaries from our group baptized Cedric. The only deviation from the young adult participation was that I was asked by Cedric to give the closing prayer, which was an honor for me. During the baptisms here in France the person who was baptized bears their testimony and Cedric's was one of strength and conviction.

The waters of baptism

   The next day being Sunday we went to three sacrament meetings. First was to the confirmation of Cedric by the bishop of his ward and then to Lille, our home ward. The bishop of the Lille ward, Bishop Doit, who is a chef, prepared the meal for the young adults' Sunday meal and then we went to special sacrament for the young adults that brought the weekend conference to a close.

   After the Lille ward sacrament I was asked to come into the other ward's priesthood meeting where I was asked by Cedric to be part of the circle of priesthood brethren to ordain him a priest in the Aaronic priesthood. The 1st councilor ordained him and gave an inspirational blessing. I love it when the missionaries put the members in the spot light for baptisms and the other ordinances because we will leave, but the new member will have those of the ward that were called upon to baptize, confirm, and to bless them in their ward to have a continual attachment  for the future.  It looks like I started a new tradition, and that is to give the new male members a hug after their confirmation and priesthood ordination, and since the Elders were in the circle it was easy for them to follow suit. The members of the bishopric are also returned missionaries and so they remembered their days in the mission field and they got into the spirit of the "HUG" also.

   Today in Cedric's ward he came dressed in a new suit and was asked during the week by his bishop to bless the sacrament. The Aaronic priesthood brother that was with him was such a fine example of one who was to teach.  He was patient and slow so that Cedric could follow without looking lost as is often the case the first time we do something. It was a privilege  to have the opportunity to see the priesthood in action and to have the blessings of Christ's atonement from such a dedicated new member.

   This is the reason we love the mission field. We have been able to be a part of the lives of the three baptisms that have taken place since coming to Lille. There is a great joy in helping others enjoy the light of the Gospel and seeing them grow. The two other members have given talks in church and are participating in the activities. Oh how I wish I had the trump of an angel and could help to bring so many more to the happiness of the Gospel of Christ.