Mont Saint Michel

     After ordering dryers for the sisters and removing the one that didn't work properly into our van also,  we were faced with a choice.  We could go directly to Alencon to check out the repair work done there and stay the night partway home, or we could backtrack up to Mont Saint Michel, then head to Paris the next day, checking on the apartment on the way.  Hmmmm.  I vote for door number 2!  

We got back to a nearby city close to 5 p.m. and found lodging, and since the sun was still high in the sky, we drove over to the monument without waiting any longer.  The government is 'fixing' things there to be able to handle the crowds of tourists that come to visit .  We parked in a brand new lot, bought a bus ticket for $8.50, then had to walk a half a mile to catch the bus.  It drove us for about 1 minute, then let us off to walk the rest of the way to the abbey walls.  But that was OK, because it was a wonderful sight to behold.  Jack remembers having been there once with his parents.  There are stairs galore cut into the rock, and you wind up and down and around where there are now restaurants and shops instead of homes (even some hotel-type rooms too, I think).  The abbey at the very top is touted to be spectacular inside, but was closed that night, so we missed that, but by going slow and easy we saw a lot of wonderful, ancient buildings, and I loved every minute of our 2 hours there.

According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared in the dreams of the Bishop of Avranches (a nearby city) in 708 AD, and the monastery was built in his name over several hundred years, from the 10th to the 15th centuries.  We were sad to have missed seeing the monastery and its superb craftsmanship.  Jack was brave to tackle all those staircases (he walks down them backwards because his knees don't work too well anymore).  People along the way applauded him, and shouted, "Bon courage!"  I'm so glad we got to see Mont Saint Michel this time, it was so worth the effort.    

At Work for the Mission

      The first part of last week was spent in Rouen where the sisters needed a new stove for their kitchen and a dryer also.  We finished some work on their shower, ordered their appliances, replaced an old crumbling bookcase, and repaired two electric hanging lights before checking into a hotel for the night.  The next day the nearby Elders helped us remove the broken dryer out to the van, and then we looked at two apartments for possible rentals, one of which would be really good for elders, the second one an old, interesting walk-up with creaky, squeeky floors.  

We left for Le Havre, where they have plumbing problems, bright and early the next morning.  Both of the bathroom sink faucets were broken, so we drove until we found a Bricorama ( Home Depot wannabe ) and bought replacement fixtures.  After hunting all over for the water turn-off valve, finally out in the main hall a door opened to reveal valves for every apartment inside.  Hmmmm.  By holding our breath and quickly flipping switches, we determined which one was theirs.  Soon Jack was in his normal position once again, on his back, on the floor, this time under a sink as he worked to loosen the rusty screws.  It wasn't too long before things were back together again and we were on our way to Caen.  We spent the day there painting their formerly moldy kitchen walls, and spreading on more mud where needed.

For the sake of 'beauty', even French porcelain toilets are designed to look classy, but when something goes awry, pity the poor workers who have to try to figure out how to fix them.  Their toilet seat is a slip and slide affair not bolted down any more because the screws go in but do not come out anywhere.  We took pictures and just lately found a Brico Marche (this time) where we got some answers.  The man showed Jack how there was a hidden exit place way in the back of the whole unit, but very hard to reach if it is right up to the wall.  The poor elders will have to endure for awhile longer until we can return.

We left there for the long trip on Highway 84A to Vannes and Lorient where both sets of sisters need dryers for their apartments. Suddenly Jack said, "Look, there's Mont Saint Michel!"  I looked out my window and there in the distance, standing all by itself, was that marvelous national monument, an ancient abbey and fortress city built on a mountain of rock in the ocean.  When the tide comes in, the water completely surrounds the tower filled city topped with its distinctive pointed spire.  It looked all blue, way far away, yet so breathtakingly beautiful.  'Ohhhh', I whispered.  "We will come again", Jack told me.  I hope so.

Mission Office Couples

Elder & Sister Roberts: back right
Elder & Sister Prince: next to Mom

The mission office has  replaced the four elders that labored there with two couples. Elder and Sister Roberts are on the main floor and Elder and Sister Prince are down stairs. Elder and Sister Roberts are from northern Utah and he is the mission accountant and Sister Roberts is the mission secretary. After they had been out a few months Sister Roberts had a stroke and they returned home for treatment and recuperation. The thing that is remarkable about them is that even though Sister Roberts was not 100%, they returned to finish out their mission and they both do a remarkable job for the mission. Elder Roberts has a good background in accounting and he has taken the bull by the horns and has made order out of chaos.

   Before the two couples came into the office, elders were called with little or no understanding of the mission finances, and in a sense thrown to the wolves after a short training period. The mission accountants that we knew before Elder Roberts were amazing in handling their tremendous task. In looking at all the problems that came their way some things were neglected and some knowledge was lost in the transfers of accountants. The other problem was the elders called were the cream of the crop and so the mission lost hard working, baptizing missionaries.

   It is interesting to see the change that has come to the organization and new ideas on how to fulfill the paper work and financial records since an experienced person has come on board  The other thing that has made a big difference is that the two couples are in the office much longer than the four elders. The four elders were going to district meetings weekly so Monday being preparation day and Tuesday being district meetings were essentially shot as far as work days were concerned. Add in zone meetings and their regular teaching and finding assignments in the evenings, the office work suffered some what.

   Elder Roberts at times takes no guff when it comes to locals trying to take advantage of the church. He has enough background to know when someone is trying to play him for a sucker and has enough moxie to let the others know that they can't count on the church for being the one with the deep pockets.

   Sister Roberts is just fantastic. She still uses a cane and has her rough days, but she is a trooper and some days stays on task when she would rather be home. She handles all the new missionaries, transfers, and puts out a mission newsletter to keep us all up to date. Through Sister Roberts we know where the missionaries are each transfer. She also sends out  the referrals when the mission receives them and keeps track of the contacts that are made to the missionaries. She also arranges for visa appointments, drivers licenses and medical appointments that go along with the visas.

   Elder and Sister Prince are from Midway, Utah. He was a dentist and they are both trying to learn their assignments, but because of their desire and energy they are getting the hang of their responsibilities. Sister Prince is in charge of the phones and the vehicles used in the mission. Each elder tried to put his stamp on the phone system and she is now trying to put some good comprehensive order to all of the system. She is tireless as she runs up and down stairs keeping everyone informed and doing all the paper work. Sister Prince handles all the materials sent to the missionaries when there is a zone conference and also organizes the new missionary arrivals and the activities with her husband.

   Think of getting 23 new missionaries from the airport to the church in downtown Paris without losing anyone and taking care of lunch for everyone that came to instruct the new missionaries and the newbies. The new missionaries are housed in a hotel in Paris and then after breakfast, they take all 23 through the metro to a place of interest so they can see something in Paris and have time to catch up on their journals.  Then its back to the chapel for more meetings and interviews. Now imagine the next group that comes through is not 23 but 40 new missionaries. I would tie a rope around each group to make sure I didn't lose anyone.

   Elder Prince is in charge of apartments, appliances, and furniture. He is in the process of photographing all the apartments and the furnishings. This is especially hard since we are in the fast and furious time of new missionaries and new apartments. Joanne helps a great deal as she takes pictures in each apartment we visit. He is in charge of all legal documents coming from apartment owners and the church. This is a frustrating task since neither side of the legal process is always on time. He is in charge of getting the electricity in the name of the mission and also following a law in France of having each gas or electric heater inspected each year.

   The tasks he has are so foreign from being a dentist and his French is not expanding like he would like, so his frustration level is peaking, but he handles it all very well. He is on top of all the new things that come to him that he often surprises the President when he has already accomplished something before being asked.

   Two things have happened because of these two couples; one is that some permanent stability has been brought to the office with some experience that was needed, and two; the four missionaries that were some of the best and hardest workers are out in the field contacting, teaching, baptizing, and reactivating.

   Congrats to a dedicated staff that take a great deal of pressure off the President and his wife, and for the professional way they accomplish this important work for the Lord.

Operation a success, but almost died of starvation!

 As we were traveling the mission to furnish the new apartments, we found ourselves on the east end of the mission at the city of Strasbourg. We had just gone to IKEA, and had a load of furniture, when we found at the checkout that the mission credit card and our personal mission card had rejected the more than 1,500  euro purchase and we didn't have enough cash to cover the cost. With disgust we left the merchandise to the bewildered cashier and headed for the mini bus.

   We made the decision to return to Paris since without the furnishings we were at a loss staying in the eastern part of the mission. All in all the problems with the credit cards made our trip back home to Paris a  fortuitous move, since the closer to home we got the sicker I became. By Sunday I felt worse and decided to stay in bed and see if I could ride out the problem. I felt it was food poisoning and that it would run its course and I would be up and around in the morning.

   Monday morning came and the pain was much worse. The pain was so intense that I hit the floor and, as much as my old body could accomplish the fetal position, I tried to find relief in between groans and  quick prayers. A call the the president and his immediate call to a member of the Torcy Ward brought one of the brothers who is a retired doctor. His visit and  rapid exam determined that at my age I had appendicitis. A quick drive to a local hospital put me in the emergency ward. The major difficulty here was that I was given no relief for the pain and I was now among the public and had to maintain some semblance of decorum when it came to moaning and groaning.

   Again it was Brother Pierre Lazarus who used his quiet influence as a doctor to get me attention quicker than I would have received had I had come on my own with Joanne. Wheeled into another waiting room, I was examined by a nurse and then a doctor's assistant. At this time, about  two hours into the ordeal at the hospital, I was given something for the pain. With less pain I was able to take the long wait for my turn at the MRI or, as the French call it, the "scanner".  I passed through the scanner three times and each time I could hear a voice proclaim that there was a blockage and then a repeat that the rest was clear.

   Returning to the waiting room I had no idea what was to transpire, but much later I was wheeled into the operation room. The most terrible part of the operation room and MRI was having to move myself onto another flat bed for each procedure. I am a big boy and the pain of moving from bed to flat table was excruciating to the point I almost bit through my lip. After being situated on the operating table the next thing I remember was regaining my faculties in the recovery room. They told me that the operation ended early Tuesday morning around 12:30 AM, and that the reason it took so long was that the inflamed appendix had adhered itself to another part of the body and they could not remove it without perforating it. This caused some of the infection to enter the area and much of the time was a mop up operation.

   Tuesday I was given liquids through an "iv" and, to my joy, antibiotics and pain killers. On Wednesday night I was offered food, and this was the beginning of my battle for survival. Without the "iv" I was at the mercy of hospital food for my health and over the next few days I had to find ways to fight off the death sentence of French hospital food. We who have spent any time in hospitals know that the food is made to order for hundreds of patients and to get it to the rooms while still warm, it is placed in steamed sealed containers. This process makes the desire of those who try to ingest the food wane. The food has lost its savor and becomes one bland mouthful after another. In my case I was on a restricted diet and at the beginning I could have no solid food.

    Each meal was some type of fruit sauce and since the drinks were coffee, tea or water, I had to opt for water. I drank water morning, noon and night and any time in between. Water became so tasteless that I began to dread having to drink it, but it was necessary so my bodily functions could become more normal. It is a good thing that I became friends with the nurses and most of the food staff because at meal times I began to have them bring me the fruits that were delivered at each meal. I began to hoard the fruit in a special drawer in my room so that the one food handler wouldn't confiscate my precious fruit stash. So with pears, apples, kiwi, and some smuggled strawberries, I made my own fruit salads with the packages of sugar I asked for, even though I didn't drink the coffee or tea.

   This ability to get my hands on fruit and extra containers of apple and other fruit sauces became my life line to survival as the week went on and I was introduced to more solid foods. There are not many foods I don't eat, but each time I was presented with the food of the day it was always something that I did not like to eat. One day I had an endive salad. Endive is a bitter plant that I had to come to France to experience. I found out it was something that  was to be avoided, especially when it came almost exclusively by itself. I did find two very small pieces of tomato and a ripe olive in the salad and I devoured the three of them. Then came the main course, squash and fish. I am not a fish eater and squash is never on my birthday menu. The two steamed together was more than my poor nose could take. I am not here to hurt those of you who love these foods, but I want you to think of foods you would avoid and that puts you in my position. It was at times like this (and that seemed to be every meal) that my stash of fruit would save the day.

   I asked the nurse if there was any fruit juicy that was off limits to me and she replied that there was not, but because of limited resources fruit juice was not on the menu. I then got Joanne to smuggle in a carton of grape juice and she brought some buttered cookies because butter came with the hard crusted small piece of bread each meal. The taste on my palate was heavenly. The juice burst upon my taste buds and I almost thought I had reached an out of body experience.

   As the week went on I regained a little strength and made some exercise trips around the room and little by little the tubes that were attached as companions began to disappear and by Sunday I received permission  to return home. I appreciate the expert doctor and nurse care I received during my stay. I don't think that I could have been cared for any better in the U.S., but I maintain that if I hadn't had my wits about me, the favorable care by nurses and doctors could have been thwarted by a slow death by starvation due to hospital food.

   I have had the care of Joanne for a week. I promised president that I would stay home for a week before getting back to work. The familiar foods prepared by Joanne brought back my desire to eat and taste. We got back to work yesterday as planned and had a full day. Today is for rest and answering phone calls to plan the rest of the week.

   I would like to reflect on the experience and say that an operation that comes mostly to the young hit me just a couple of years later than when you may have gone through it. I never did say why me, but I began to reflect on what I have learned since this experience. First we never know what this life will bring to our frail existence. Second is the pain I had during this time. My first thought was that I need to depend on my Savior, Jesus Christ, so I don't come to the judgement day and have to pay the price of my sins without His merciful forgiveness. The pains of my sins without His atonement would be more than I experienced this last month. I have also learned, though, that the pain I endured was nothing to the excruciating pain that Jesus suffered due to His being willing to take upon Him our pain, sins, and sufferings.

   I am on the mend and would like to thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts on my behalf. Life will continue and the work will forth with or without us, so let's get on wagon and become a part of this great endeavor.

Love,

 Jack

New Assignment

 We were coming home from a home teaching visit with the Atta family when our cell phone rang. I reached into my pocket and handed the phone to Joanne. President Poznanski was on the other end with a surprising new calling. He had need of someone in the mission to help with finding and furnishing new apartments throughout the mission for the 90 new missionaries that were coming into the mission in the next few months and we were the ones called to do the job. At the end of the conversation president said that the choice to do the work was up to us and that we could stay in Lille with the young adults if we decided that way  and he asked us to call in the morning with our response. We ended the conversation and talked about the call for a few minutes and came to the decision that a call from the president was a call from the Lord and we didn't need until the morning to make up our minds even though it would be very hard to leave Lille.

   We called the president about six minutes later and Joanne told him that we would do our best in the call he had made to us. He asked Joanne if she was sure because he always wants to hear it from her since I am ready to do anything at the drop of a hat and Joanne thinks things through more completely. Joanne said that we both felt good about accepting the call and that we would be in Paris as soon as we could. President Poznanski asked us to stay in Lille until the Newberry couple could arrive and we could show them the ropes.

    The Newberry's arrived with an Opel, smaller than the Chevrolet that we were used to. We stayed in a former sister's apartment and for the next few days helped the new couple get around. Our last institute class was tears, goodbyes, and pictures. It was hard to leave all those young people who we had spent so many great times with and had watched so many of them come into the church and grow in their testimonies of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel.

   Friday we came to the mission office and exchanged our Opel for a nine passenger mini bus. We took the back seats out because we had to haul furniture and all manner of repair materials as we traveled throughout the mission. I liked the mini van because even in Paris where the driving can get dog eat dog, the Parisians respected the size of our vehicle and we were able to be the first in line. We needed this advantage as our apartment was on the opposite side of Paris from the mission office and we had to pass through the traffic of the city each time we made the trip to get our instructions.

   Our first task was to settle in a new couple, the Harris family, in a far flung city on the Atlantic coast. Off we went to Saint Nazarre. We stayed in hotels the first few nights until we were able to get the electricity turned on and then we threw down the air mattress once the heat was on. We traveled to the nearest large city, Nantes, to Ikea to purchase the furniture. Nantes is an hour from Saint Nazarre. Two trips to Ikea and we had all we needed from them; the rest we could buy locally. The missionaries organized a day for the members to come to assemble the furniture and the 5 members and the two missionaries were life savers.    The one thing I always disliked about Christmas was the assembling of the bikes and other gifts for the children. Now I was into assembling every piece of furniture except the kitchen appliances. I was really not in my element and so all the help I could get was great. Before the couple arrived we had the bed together and so we had one night of good sleep off the air mattress.

   The couple came by train and the Elders met them at Nantes and took the next train to Saint Nazarre. I met them at the station with a member and we got them and the luggage to the apartment. They were both former French missionaries in their youth and had pictures in their heads of the apartment they would have. To their surprise this place was far better than they ever expected and is one of the best apartments for couples in the mission.  We took Sister Harris grocery shopping and she was able to pick out a few more pieces of furniture. Once we had them situated it was late so we stayed in a hotel and off we went in the morning. That whole process took a week with travel, purchases, assembly, getting heat and water turned on, and orientating the couple to some of their surroundings. We now knew about the time frame for each apartment.

   On the way home we stopped in Alencon, a city that was to be reopened now the new missionaries were to arrive. We met with the owner and took stock of what needed to be done and what part of the repairs was our responsibility. When we got back to the mission home we noticed that the bill for repairs was far too much money. I priced the materials and the labor hours needed to do our part and came up 500 euros less than the bid from the builder. The amount we would pay was referred to the owner and I think he to knew the price was high but he wanted someone locally to do the work. We will do some painting before the new missionaries move in on the first week in April.

   We got the sisters in Lille situated into their new apartment with the help of the Elders. When the Elders saw their place they called it a palace and I think there was a little jealousy in their voices. There are now two teams of sisters there. One of the first of the 19 year old sisters is now in Lille with her companion.

   Our next assignment was an apartment not too far from the mission home that needed cleaning, fixing plumbing problems, and a fresh coat of paint. The problem in Paris is parking and so the nearest place to park was 4 blocks away from the apartment. Dressed in our work clothes with all our equipment on a dolly and in hand we looked like the gypsies when they go around collecting scrap metal and wood in Lille. We were able to stay in the apartment over night because the furniture was still in place. Two days and the mission in Nannterre was accomplished.

   One thing that has happened to your mother since we have gone back and forth through the heart of Paris more that a dozen times, is that she has become a little blase about the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees, but she never tired about driving along the Seine River in the day or night.

   Off to Lille to paint and fix up two apartments that we will not rent any more. One is too far from transportation and the other has two problems. The first is that is on the ground floor, which is against the mission rules, and the other is the the 90 year old man next door will urinate in a cup ever morning and night and throw the contents of his cup across into our side of the yard and kill the grass and spoil the side walk. Since the cost of water is high all over France I think he is saving money by not having to flush the toilet and also at his age he is losing some sense of reality. One apartment is done and we will return Monday to finish the other.

   The other reason for returning to Lille was because a young Jewish man who had contact with the Book of Mormon 10 years ago met the missionaries again and with the teachings of the church has received a testimony of the restoration of the Gospel and desired to become a member of the church. I had the opportunity to teach him about Joseph Smith and the restoration and then joined in with the two missionaries in Lille to teach him the other principles of the Gospel. He had asked me to baptize him and then on Sunday to confirm him a member of the church and, through the power of the priesthood, give him the the blessing of receiving the Holy Ghost. Those are the blessings of a mission when someone decides to follow Christ and the fullness of the Gospel.

To Do: fix the toilet that has to be
flushed by a fork!

   Last week was helping missionaries to put apartments back in proper shape and fixing things that have gone wrong in the last many years since the apartments have been occupied by missionaries. We were able to help two Sisters get their lock to work and help them back into their place. When we receive a call from the mission home we never know where it will take us or what we have to do.

   Next week we will be back in Lille to finish the one apartment and renew our visa, then off to Nancy in the east of France to open a new apartment and a new city close to Nancy. We have a list of problems in each missionary apartment in the zone, so we hope to get accomplished as much as we can. Then it is off to the center of the mission where another new city is being opened. Our van is packed with furniture and we will pick up more at the mission home tomorrow morning.

   So much for staying put and finishing our mission in Lille! We are called the "finders of the mission" and I feel that we are somewhat in Radar's position in the TV series, MASH, as we repair, find, deliver and make contacts in doing the work. We know what we are doing is important and it is taking some stress off the president and his wife. The job will not be done by the time we are to leave so we have requested a 3 month extension. President Poznanski had to go to Joanne when I proposed the idea and she said absolutely it was the thing to do. When he asked her about how our children would feel, she responded that they know the work of the Lord must be done and they would welcome us with open arms whenever we arrived home.

   Until the next chapter of our adventure we wish the blessings of the Lord on all of you.

Elder & Sister Metcalfe

The Most Memorable Baptism: Part 3

   The baptismal program for the girls got off to a great start with a talk by the Spanish-born YW's president, Raquel Degrave.  She is a young mother, and is so full of enthusiasm it's fun just to be around her.  Quite a few members of the ward had now arrived to support the girls and the missionary effort.  Alecio was so happy for his daughters, I really do feel that he is a good man at heart.  We all headed to the font where he finally coaxed the more adventurous Kelly down the stairs and into the warm water.  Her two sisters watched and giggled loudly as their father couldn't figure out first how to hold her, and as he read the prayer in Italian from the chalkboard beside me.  He plunged her in deeply and she came up laughing.  The very shy Indira suddenly disappeared back into the locker room!  We waited two, then three long minutes until finally Sara pulled her to the door with mighty tugs, and Alecio grabbed onto her and brought her into the water.  The big crowd of strangers was hard for her to take, and she struggled a bit more before finally giving in, and he got her baptized.  A newly arrived sister missionary later told me that she had wondered, 'Are we forcing kids to be baptized now?'  I looked over at Rosa and tears of joy were rolling down her cheeks as she had a confirmation of the spirit that this was right for them.  Elder Andrus then baptized Sara without too much more drama, but as the electronic curtain went down Sara jumped back into the pool and splashed and enjoyed the water for a few minutes longer; I'm sure that much water was a rare event for them, where and how they live.  Later, the sweet treats were eaten and we drove the girls back home.  We talked to Sofia a bit, but she stubbornly vows to leave home by next year....to what?  We can only wonder.

     Sunday morning Alecio and the three girls slipped into the filled chapel after the song and prayer and found seats in the back.  Rosa had stayed at home with the three younger children.  Bishop Duez announced their confirmation and motioned for them to come up front.  None of them wanted to come, and their dad couldn't make them.  Jack went back and reasoned with Sara like a Dutch Uncle to be the leader for her sisters, and not be afraid.  With a look on her face like, 'I can't believe I'm doing this', she arose and Kelly and Indira followed her up to the stand where they all sat facing the crowd.  Alecio came up, and Jack was asked to confirm Sara with the Bishop and one of his counselors.  Sara squirmed and covered her eyes against us and got through the ordeal in one piece.  Kelly was led to the chair and the Bishop confirmed her with her big eyes open wide and staring.  He then called for Indira, but she would not budge from her seat.  Her father tried pulling her over, and a genuine tug-of-war ensued to the great discomfort of the rest of the congregation.  Bishop Duez stepped in and restrained him saying, 'It's OK, it's OK, we can do it later', and they quickly returned to their seats.  Honestly, in hindsight it's so easy to see where everybody went wrong, and just didn't understand the extent of their timidity and genuine fear of strangers for one thing.  But the good thing is that now they are members of the church, and they can feel a part of the programs that are introduced to them for learning and growing up, and hopefully getting out of the cycle of poverty and living hand to mouth as they  are now doing.  Having the gift of the Holy Ghost will be a blessing in their lives, I'm sure of it.  Sara and Sofia were invited to their YW teacher's home to help her prepare cookies and other goodies for New Beginnings just a few weeks ago.  When we picked them up I couldn't believe how nice Sara looked.  Her long hair always looked like a rope thrown over her shoulder before, but now it had been cut a few inches (it still is to the middle of her back) and was shiny and clean and worn straight back from her forehead with a band.  She was just glowing and looked like a brand new kid.  That night they had fun with new people, and got a taste of what it would be like to marry a responsible man with a good job, and have a nice place to live, with a darling little son to raise.  What kind of options do you see before you in the enclave of shacks that they have lived in all their lives so far?  We have really come to love this family, and hope they continue to feel the love of the Savior in their lives,  and continue to grow and develop in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Most Memorable Baptism Ever: Part 2

We went back to see the family, after picking up the Elders, the very next week on the 7th of Nov.   This time, we were prepared with a psudo-flannel board and colorful circles to help explain the Plan of Salvation to the kids.  We also had mini-Twix bars to 'bribe' them into listening, and all together it worked like a charm.  The poor Elders, being kids themselves, were clueless as how to calm the masses, so they once again took the back seat to Jack.  He, being a natural-born teacher, caught their attention and soon had them raising their hands and participating.  We got Daniel involved with placing the circles on the board, and it was a good night of learning.  They all wanted to have a turn to pray, because it was a new experience for them, and Alecio promised they would be at church on Sunday, but they didn't come because the toddler got sick.

     Our main concern on our next visit was to wish Sofia a happy 15th birthday (with a big chocolate cake) and figure out how to help them get to church.  (Alecio's panel truck has no seats, and the last time he tried to take his family loose in the back, he got picked up by the police and fined.)  They have a DVD player and an old TV where everyone's faces are green, but we watched the Joseph Smith Story, in Italian, on a laptop.  With no speakers, however, the children had to huddle around close to hear it.  (You would be amazed at the electronic devices that even the poorest people have in their possession nowadays).  Everyone sat quietly through almost the whole movie, until Daniel made them all scatter when he passed gas!  He's the 'bomb' all right!

     On our next visit on Nov. 20th, we had visual aids to help teach the proper steps of a prayer, and the Elders taught about the 10 commandments.  Then they dropped a 'bomb' on us by setting a baptismal date for the girls for Dec. 1.  We were surprised, but the girls squealed excitedly.  Alecio hadn't stayed for the lesson, he'd gone with a gym bag to do some boxing.  Sofia blurted out the news that she didn't want her Dad to baptize her, and Sara said," He's not baptizing me either!"  Rosa was upset and said her girls don't honor their parents like the commandments say they should, and we soon said good-bye leaving chaos in our wake this time.  Jack and I had reservations 'big time' about this rush to baptism (then we found out that one of the Elders was going home the 5th of Dec. and it meant a lot to him to see them get baptized).  I brought up my concerns, but they countered with the girls' need to have the Holy Ghost in their lives to help them progress.  That made sense, but they also 'need' parental involvement, and will be hard pressed to find it with a mother who is overwhelmed, and a father who works hard, but doesn't relate well with his daughters.  Then, the Elders had to admit defeat after all, when none of the family made it to church on the 25th because their oldest son's wife had just had their first baby.

     I can't figure out their lifestyle.  I've never seen any signs of dinner being cooked.  They seem to exist on snacks and candy, which are plentiful and spread out all over the large round table (and onto the floor as the little kids grab and run with cheese puffs and chips and bon-bons of all sorts), and liter bottles of pop, guzzled without a glass by Daniel, and  I wonder if Alecio brings home out of date products for them?  The time Bishop Duez came to meet us there started out badly.  Ten year old Kelly was striking matches on the porch, then in the house (that tinderbox!), chasing her siblings all around with them!  Rosa wandered in with the baby on her hip and I pointed it out to her.  She distractedly shook her head, 'Oh those children', she sighed.  Jack called them all together and retaught prayer, and Sara gave a good one.  The Bishop showed up and will help Alecio get started on the papers he needs to become legal in France...step by step progress is being made.

     We were at another ward when the family came to church and met with the Bishop in his office.  A new date was set for the baptism, for the very next Saturday at 3 P.M., if Rosa felt they were ready.  We took the Elders out there on Friday night, and they were determined to get all the rest of the lessons taught that night.  Jack was beside himself...'You're going to do all those tonight and call it good?'  We sat back this time and let them handle things, but the girls were giggly, and Sofia sat by herself.  When they talked about tomorrow's baptism, Rosa protested that they weren't ready, but in the end she was talked into it.  Sofia is a question mark.

      We spent the morning baking banana bread and cookies when we got a frantic call from the Elders.  The Strecovitch girls had gotten wet and dirty from the floor of their Dad's van and were refusing to come.  Could we go and pick them up and smooth things over?  We had room for 3, what about the others?  They said they'd call Bishop Duez and see if he could help, and he was soon on his way also.  When we got there Sara was distraught that her good pair of jeans had gotten dirty (there was dried mud on the sleeve of her shirt also), so Jack said, "Come with us and we'll get you a new pair to wear!"  She was so surprised at that, she got right into the back seat, followed by Kelly and Indira.  Rosa looked nice in her long black skirt, dangling earrings and sparkly top, but her face had that usual worried look as Sofia was not to be found anywhere.  Jack said, "We're leaving now so we can shop for Sara", and we did.  We found a chic clothing store and our funny little band trooped in and found something suitable right away.  Sara tried them on and worried that it cost too much, ($14.99) but we grabbed them and got going again.  At church the girls were whisked off for their interviews, and the next time we saw them they were a sight to behold.  Kelly was in a ruffly dress, Sara in a 3 times too big jump suit, and Indira had on knee length trousers and a large white shirt that someone had knot-tied in the front showing tummy.   Bishop Duez had told Rosa last Sunday that the baptism would not be today, and she was relieved because "My girls aren't ready yet."   Someone mentioned that they should bring extra dry underwear, and she wailed, "My girls don't have underwear!" YIKES!  That's why she put up a fuss yesterday when the Elders told her it was set for today.  We didn't know any of this until after we talked to the Bishop, and he was 'misinformed' also.

     Finally, they got the program started at 3:30, with one glaring omission from the printed program; Sofia had refused to come with the Bishop no matter what he said to her, she said NO.  She said that her father and she had fought, and claims that he hits and kicks her. 'Why can he get away with such behavior and be a church member?' seems to be her question.  So, 4 sisters names were on the program, but only 3 young girls dressed in white on their baptismal day, Dec. 8, 2012.

     In  PART 3  you will find out what happened next.

The Most Memorable Baptism Ever: Part 1

 Back in early November was the first time we met the Strecovitch family.  One of the Elders in the ward recognized the father of the family, when he slipped into sacrament meeting by himself two weeks in a row, from the time he had met him earlier elsewhere.  In talking to Alecio, the Elder found out that he was a member, and had 7 children at home, 4 of whom had not been baptized yet.  If you ever want to make a missionary drool, just tell him that!  Their problem was that they live a good 30 minutes out of town, and transportation was the issue.  The Elders got out to their place one time, but found that they live in an enclave of illegal, ramshackle, pasted together hovels, where the kids run wild and they were unable to corral them long enough for any kind of lesson because of their undisciplined behavior.

     The Elders begged for help from us, not only to drive them there, but to help teach them if possible.  Our first look at their place was quite a shock, it had rained and the ground was muddy and strewn with hoses stretched across the width of their yard as we drove in.  The people there tap into the city's water supply that way, and also know how to string electricity to their places too.  We hear that the police raid this complex of several streets of shacks periodically, tearing out all their lines and hoses, but before long things are back in place and 'normal' for them once more.

      Alecio is Italian by birth, and found the church when he was a young man.  His wife is a Bosnian gypsy, born to that nomadic culture and way of life, and when they married she persuaded him to join in it also.  His family were so upset by this that they disowned him.  Somewhere along the line though, Rosa gained a testimony of the gospel and was baptized, to the dismay and chagrin of her own family with their traditional Catholic background.  Some of their children were born in Italy, some in Germany, and now some in France, and they all have language issues and speak quite the mixture of Italian/German/French.  The kids are struggling in school, where they stand out because of their slightly shabby used clothing; their language problems have some insensitive teachers telling them to 'go back to where you came from, we don't want you here'.  They don't go to school regularly, so keeping up is hard, but two of them are especially smart and determined, so there is hope for them.    
                                                                                                                        
      Their house is an amazing conglomeration of cast-off pieces of building materials, such as  french doors with glass squares, which make up the front wall, and Rosa's cooking area is a room off one side of their long front porch.  Alecio is industrious to the max and has created a huge living room space for them with wooden floors and a roaring fire in a make-shift stove made from a metal barrel complete with a fat pipe that leads straight up through the ceiling.  I was impressed by how shipshape the room was, with paintings on the walls, and couches and cupboards and a large round table and plenty of chairs.  He probably is a collector (with his large, white panel truck, with no seats), a scavenger of discarded items that people put out on the sidewalks and within minutes just disappear as if into thin air. Rosa is a sweet-faced earth-mother type with a lovely serene smile and laid back manner with the chaos all around her.....'Oh, these children', she would say to me over and over as they raced madly around, showing off to their four foreign visitors.  But then Jack took control, and before long had them seated, and mesmerized as he taught them about Joseph Smith's first vision.  The 8 year old, shy Indira, 10 year old wise-eyed Kelly, the deceptively quiet 12 year old Sara, and 14 year old Sofia who is just budding into young womanhood all listened intently, but the younger three listened best.  Sofia was easily distracted and hard to reengage, but we loved being with these kids, they are good kids, just clueless at how to comport themselves in an accepted manner.  There is also 6 year old Daniel, the instigator of all havoc in the house - literally bouncing off the walls and off his sisters with karate chops to the backs of their legs or boxing and hitting them whenever they weren't looking;  wow what a kid!  Jack even corralled him for awhile.  The other children are 3 year old Kristina, with deep dimples and a crush on one of the Elders which she showed by pummeling his face constantly, and 1 year old Samata Amela, big eyed with amazing dimples also, who was still nursing and was very insistant about it!  What a family...we went home happy, but exhausted, and hoped that they had learned what they needed to know about the prophet and what an important event the first vision was; and we left wanting to return again to see them again soon.

      Well, I had to set the stage, so if you are interested in the rest of the story you will have to wait for chapter 2.   ;)

Love to you all.........Mom  (Joanne)

Visit from an Apostle

   On Friday, Nov. 16, we drove to Paris for our first All Mission Conference, held in the Versailles Ward, to hear an Apostle of the Lord speak to us.  We timed it to arrive at 10:30 and we did, with 10 minutes to spare, only to find out that with a V.I.P. arriving, preparations and expectations and time schedules are on overdrive.  We didn't do much for 2 hours except try to get the whole France-Paris Mission in place for a mission photo on the stage at the rear of the chapel area.  Just in time we were alerted that they were driving up, and the noise of talking abated, and as Elder Marquez sat at the piano and played, we all began to hum or sing softly to the music of the hymn along with him.  The Spirit was strong as we anticipated seeing our leaders, and as they came into the chapel they were very touched by the reverence and love being shown to them by the missionaries. 

     They sat in the seats in front of us for the picture taking session, then they lined up to shake hands with all of us as we filed out of our rows.  Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Twelve Apostles shook my hand and thanked me for my 'service', then Elder Teixeira (Regional 70), Elder Boutoille ( from Lille- Area 70), President Poznanski (Mission Pres.), and a couple of other leaders each shook our hands.  We then found seats in the chapel and heard several short talks by some of those men and 2 of their wives.

     Elder Andersen then came up and told us how he has known Pres. Poznanski for many years, ever since he, himself, was the Mission President in Bordeaux, and Pres. Poznanski was a 28 year old young father and Branch President there.  He was running himself ragged in his job with a pharmaceutical company, with his church position, and with a family he sometimes didn't see for days on end.  He decided he had to ask to be released from his calling, but then President Andersen, counseled him to hang in because the Lord expects more of us than to give up when the going gets tough.  So President Poznanski changed his mind, and he and his wife also changed some of the ways they were doing things, and life got easier and better for them as they were obedient and continued to serve with honor. 

     Then, they were asked to become leaders of the Institute in Angers (working for the church), so he quit his highly paid job, uprooted his family and moved to northern France where things are a lot different.  It was hard on the kids, especially at first, to leave everything they knew and their friends behind, but they thrived in their new home and became much loved in Angers.  One thing I know for sure, Elder Andersen had his eye on Pres. Poznanski for good reason - he and his family  (his wife is a jewel) are outstanding people and members of the church here in France. 

     Elder Andersen then threw out the question:  Where in the Book of Mormon do you find the Doctrine of Christ outlined?  Some of our sharp missionaries called out the very scriptures that explain it best :  2 Nephi: 31  Tells why we must be baptized - to follow Christ,  it is an ordinance of commitment ;  3 Nephi: 11  Christ appears in his resurrected body so that ALL the people would be witnesses of the truth, and he authorized his disciples to baptize, to become one with Him ;  and 3 Nephi: 27  To call His church in His name, and He gave commandments to repent, be baptized, and to follow His works.. the 'do' 'do' 'do' 'do' 'do' verse 21 ( if that is not works, I don't know what is! )  These chapters should be studied carefully and  become precious in our lives.  The Doctrine of Christ is the True Belief...of Atonement and Faith.

      He spoke for a long time and emphasized that being a missionary is not just baptisms, but giving spiritual aid to all, especially members who may be struggling.  Baptisms are only one measurement of your mission, you have to see yourself in the true role you are in.  Be simple, be concise, share your miracles with the members, be the flame, be the light among them, it helps them be firm and true over the years.  He said that he was just an ordinary, every day missionary when he served in France, not a leader at all, but he tried to have the spirit with him every day.  He told us if we will see ourselves as disciples of Christ who carry the light of Christ to the people of France daily - that is how we will be successful.

     When he finished talking to us he couldn't stay around and shoot the breeze because he had things to do, places to go, and more people to see, so he took his leave and said goodbye.   We also did what else we had come to Versailles to do, exchange cars with the newly arrived couple in the mission.  They were given the car that the Hall's had used in Brussels, but with its Belgium license plates, taking it to Cherbourg ( south of the Normandy coast ) would put it too far from that country.  We, on the other hand, being only minutes from the Belge border are the more logical ones to drive it.  The cars are both Chevy's, but ours was a bit bruised and worn from being driven by the Elders before we got it.  Their's was the newer model of the two cars, and I think Elder Bellessa looked askance at its several minor, but noticeable cosmetic problems, and Jack heard him ask someone inside the church later if they were aware of them.  We had to chuckle a bit, I guess little things like that bother some people more than it does others. 

     Funny enough that was not the end of our adventures in Versailles that night.  We were asked to get a hotel room so we could take the papers the real estate people needed on Monday with us back to Lille, and they would be ready for us in the morning.  That sounded like fun, we didn't have a tooth brush between the two of us!  Jack's nose always sniffs out the nearest inexpensive Ibis Hotel, but it was on a busy one-way street with no visible parking, so he made his way around the block and parked like a local, illegally with blinkers flashing!  We quickly realized this was NOT a good idea (from the disgusted looks of passers-by), because we were partially blocking a pedestrian walkway....OOps!  So he went to back up and this fine new car would not go into reverse...no matter how he tried, it utterly refused to do so!  People now were stopping by to give us a piece of their mind, with Gallic gestures galore, not exactly what my thoroughly fustrated husband needed right then.  We checked the instruction book but that was not helpful at all, so we switched places and he pushed the car  back into the street far enough so we could go forward again, and called the Elders to meet us at the chapel.  I know he was furiously trying to figure out the 'why' of the problem.  We sat in the parking lot looking at the book again when suddenly his fingers found the elusive 'ring' on the shift nob that when pulled up turned 1st gear into reverse.  This Chevy, being newer, actually had one more gear than our other one had, so the mystery was solved, but what drama!  

     The one thing we cannot say is that things are boring out here!

The Invasion Sites of Normany

*The pictures accompanying this post met a tragic digital death in France, but Mom says it gives them an excuse to visit again.  The two pictures included are from earlier visits to World War II cemeteries.  They are included to give an idea of what the cemeteries are like.* 

    It is here in the north of France that you see the signs of the wars that have been waged on these vast plains of Europe.  The most poignant ones for me are the many individual, pocket-sized military cemeteries that dot the countryside,  most simply carved out in the middle of corn or wheat fields.  They are always walled, and filled with rows of crosses or tomb stones lovingly kept bright and clean by someone, with the grass all around each marker clipped to perfection.  There are always road signs indicating that a cemetery is just ahead for Regiments of Australians, Canadians, British and some Americans also.   Months ago at the Canadian visitor's center at Vimy Ridge, we were given a map so we could find the grave of Jack's uncle, who in the first world war lost his life two weeks before the Armistice was signed.  We finally found it off the beaten path, and it too was in perfect order, almost one hundred years later.

     After working in Rouen for 2 days, President Poznanski gave us leave to take time for ourselves, so we decided to head to the Normandy coast to see the World War ll Allied Army Invasion sites.  All through this area is where the German army tried to repulse the Americans (at Utah and Omaha beaches), the Canadians (at Juno beach), and the British forces (at Gold and Sword beaches).  The tide was out now in the late afternoon as we looked at the vast Atlantic ocean before us, and we wondered what it must have been like that day, June, 6, 1944, for the awaiting Germans, to see the vast array of troop ships, battleships, destroyers and support craft spread out upon the waters, coming against them with their might!  They did have some strong defenses ready just in case, but they were not expecting the invasion to be in this area because it was not the most direct route from the staging point in Great Britain.

     The beaches the Americans stormed onto were vast, flat, sandy expanses with a small knoll in which the Germans had built many cement gun emplacements, all pointing seaward.  I can't imagine how it must have been for our soldiers being rushed ashore in those transports, knowing there was a huge probability they could die in the next few minutes. 

     We were in awe as we drove around the countryside, down narrow roads surely unchanged since those very horrific events that were happening virtually in people's backyards those first few days.  The nearby city of Caen looks unlike any other city in France, especially from a distance as it is full of white, similar sized buildings.   It unfortunately was in the middle of the war zone and largely destroyed in the fighting.   We passed through the famous town where one unlucky American parachutist had dropped next to the large Catholic church and his chute snagged onto one of the spires.  The poor kid was a sitting duck, and was soon shot dead by a German soldier.  Imagine our surprise (and dismay) to see that poor paratrooper still hanging from that spire when we drove into that little town.  The city fathers have made a cottage industry out of that historic incident and there are replicas of the doomed soldier in all the store windows down the town's one main street.  The town's name is Ste. Mere-Eglise, and Jack remembered it from seeing the notable war movie "The Longest Day" in France on his first mission in 1961. 

      The American Military Cemetery is along the ocean not far from Omaha beach, and what an awe-inspiring spiritual place it is.  The grounds are pristine in every way - not a leaf out of place, grass like a carpet, and the markers white and gleaming against all the beautiful surroundings.  People were walking among the crosses, reading names and musing about all those men who willingly put their very lives on the line for freedom's sake.  I can't help but think that men with principles like that had to be some of the best of our nation - a whole generation of good men who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

 

      It was a cool and blustery afternoon, yet lots of people were there, with their families in many cases.  The thing that really surprised me was that most of the language being spoken was French, and it was evident in their hushed tones that there was reverence and respect being shown at the grounds.  Many French people have the point of view that throwing down gum wrappers or other unwanted paper is no crime because there are people employed to pick this stuff up.  They are actually 'helping' someone with job security, so what's a little littering going to hurt?  But here, nothing marred the surrounding burial grounds at all, and I was so grateful for this recognition of the solemness of the grounds we were visiting.


     The next day before heading back to Lille, we checked out the Canadian and British landing beaches further north along the Normandy coast.  These areas are vastly different from the long wide expanse of flat sand where the Americans disembarked.  These troops were facing tall cliffs up from the water's edge to climb, so their task was quite dangerous in a different and formidable way.   This whole coastline where the invasion took place has a special feeling about it, and I'm so glad it worked out that we could come here before returning home to the U.S.