In his first international ministry since his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Gérald Caussé returned to his native country of France.
“There are so many people here — so many brothers and sisters whom I loved, still love and will love forever,” he said during a stake conference of the Paris France Stake on Sunday, Feb. 22.
Elder Caussé and his wife, Sister Valérie Caussé, spent several days in the greater Paris area during a multiday ministry, according to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. They were joined by Elder Rubén V. Alliaud, the Church’s Europe Central Area president, and his wife, Sister Fabiana Alliaud, and Elder James W. McConkie III, second counselor in the Europe Central Area presidency, and his wife, Sister Laurel McConkie. Elder Alliaud and Elder McConkie are General Authority Seventies.
Sister Caussé said it was like returning home to see and visit with people they know and love.
“It was as if we had never left,” Sister Caussé said.
Elder Caussé grew up in Bordeaux, France, to parents who were the first members of the Church in their family.
In a video shared on his social media, Elder Caussé spoke about the young missionaries who taught his parents.
“I owe them so much for changing our life, making our life worthwhile,” he said.
The video shows Elder and Sister Caussé arriving at a devotional with missionaries serving in the France Paris Mission. As they entered the room, the missionaries were singing the hymn “I Believe in Christ.”
“That filled me with a lot of emotion,” Elder Caussé said. “I felt so grateful for the time they are consecrating to the Lord.”
Elder Caussé was called Nov. 6, 2025, to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As an Apostle, Elder Caussé is called to bear witness of the name of Jesus Christ. He said he was also reminded by Sister Caussé that part of his role as an Apostle is “to express kindness in the name of Jesus Christ.”
“It is not simply about giving speeches but also about having the same kind of contact Christ had with each person individually,” he said.
Church growth
Elder Caussé said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is seeing a surge of baptisms in France right now.
“And many of them are young adults,” he said. “And a lot of them are coming from migrant families from all over the world. It was beautiful to see.”
During his ministry, he spoke to several recently baptized members of the Church, who shared what drew them to the Church of Jesus Christ.
“I felt a message of peace and love,” said Augustin Lemblé, who was baptized in mid-February. “And even before receiving the Holy Ghost, I already knew that this was where I needed to be. I have the testimony that this is the right place.”
Robin Gaël Buannic, who was baptized a week before Elder Caussé’s visit, said he realized, “It’s the real Church of Jesus Christ” before his baptism.
“I was searching for a real church, a real truth, and who we are really, deeply, and I just realized that we are in the Church of Jesus Christ. It’s a real blessing for me,” Buannic said.
During a stake conference on Sunday, Feb. 22, in Versailles, France, Elder Caussé spoke of the importance of personal commitment and unity within the Church.
“I feel this Spirit that unites us, through Christ and for Christ,” he said.
He also bore testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.
“I can affirm that the central message of the Book of Mormon is to restore true understanding of the essential role of Jesus Christ in salvation and exaltation,” Elder Caussé said. “There is no other book in the world that offers such a pure and clear understanding of the plan of salvation and the role of Christ.”
During one gathering with local Latter-day Saints, Elder Caussé encouraged the members to keep serving those around them and strengthening their communities.
“The best way to present the Church is through its members,” he said. “The Church is you, my brothers and sisters.”
He also recalled President Russell M. Nelson’s encouragement to use the Church’s revealed name — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“It defines who we are, that we are the Church of Christ on earth, which gathers the disciples He has chosen for these last days,” he said.
Testimony of ministering
One meeting with local members was extremely personal for the Caussés. In a video shared on social media, Elder Caussé testified that “when we minister, our role is to bring the Savior’s love.”
The video shows Elder and Sister Caussé visiting with the Pelous family. Elder Caussé was assigned to minister to Sylvain Pelous for seven years while the Caussés lived in France.
During the visit, Elder Caussé said he remembered encouraging Pelous during difficult times.
“We are often assigned families we don’t know, and it is by serving them that we come to love them,” he said.
Pelous added: “Your presence taught me what the love of Christ truly is. It taught me that being friends in Christ is far deeper than simply social friendship or anything else.”
Sister Caussé said these bonds of friendship are eternal.
“The friendship that was born of ministering is eternal,” she said. “And it is the greatest reward one can imagine.”
Elder Caussé also said he learned to be more aware of “certain sufferings experienced by many people” from his experience ministering to Pelous.
“And I believe it gave me greater compassion and understanding for others, which I can now use.”
Paris France Temple
Elder and Sister Caussé visited the Paris France Temple on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26-27, according to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The house of the Lord was built after many prayers from local members, including the Caussés.
Elder Caussé said their family made it a matter of daily prayer for nearly two decades after President Gordon B. Hinckley promised the French members in 1998 that there would soon be a temple in their country.
“There was not one day that went by when our family didn’t offer a prayer on behalf of the temple project,” he said. “And what a beautiful experience it was as a family to be able to gather together in the temple once it was dedicated.”
Elder Caussé said that although it was a long endeavor, “I was privileged to be the witness firsthand of the miracles that the Lord made happen.”
Elder and Sister Caussé served as guides during the open house for a week before the temple’s dedication.
Elder Caussé said that it was during one of those tours that he realized something about eternity that he had previously taken for granted.
“Through the Restoration of the Church, the keys to the priesthood and the sealing of families, we have a vision that encompasses far more than this life. We have what is necessary for our exaltation,” he said.
Elder and Sister Caussé met with new converts in the temple visitors’ center to talk about their experiences and their love for the temple.
“There is such connection between Jesus Christ and the temple,” he said. “Of course, all the ordinances that we perform in the temple are in the name of Jesus Christ. These are covenants we make with Jesus Christ. But also for our friends, people not of our faith, when they come to the grounds here, the first thing they will see is that statue of Jesus Christ, and it will be for them a confirmation that our Church, our religion, is all about Christ.”
“I know many people,” he added, “who were converted or felt the Spirit just by coming here and realizing that Christ is in the center of our religion.”
Elder Caussé also encouraged these new converts to have courage.
“It takes courage to change,” he said. “It takes courage to be converted. It takes courage to change your life. You have this courage to follow the whispering of the Holy Ghost.”
Joseph Nkondgock, who was baptized in February, said that since he has joined the Church, he has wanted to change every aspect of his life.
“My way of living, my work and the people around me,” Nkondgock said.
The Church in France
The first French Latter-day Saints were baptized in 1849. After the difficulties of World War II, the Church established a stronger foundation in the country. The first French stake of the Church was organized in Paris in 1975.
President Thomas S. Monson announced a temple in Paris in 2011. Many members in the area held open houses to help their neighbors understand the importance of the temple. The Paris France Temple was dedicated in May 2017.
Today, there are over 39,000 members living in France, with 109 wards and branches.
