Christmas in France

A Merry Christmas to All,

We spent the morning before Christmas preparing an American meal for our host, the two Elders and one reactivated Sister. I did my best to help in peeling potatoes, carrots, dicing onions, getting the avocados mashed and all the other things the chef needed me to do.

We fixed a five course meal that even blew our host away. The hard part was finding the ingredients that were as close as we could get to what was back home and then adding a pinch of this and a dash of that to get it to match. Joanne is a wonder and the two missionaries couldn't get enough. Even the cheese cake turned out with her usual panache.

On Christmas day we had a typical French Christmas with the Elders, the Relief Society Pres., and our host fixed the meal. We started with oysters on the half shell, two for your mother and one for me. I don't know how anyone can eat something that has no taste with exception of sea water. I didn't even find any pearls. We had whole shrimp, so we had to take the heads and feet off and get the outside schell off. Too much work for so little reward. The main course was veal stew with rice. No pre-work so I did all right there and it was tasty. Cheese and then a Christmas log. I have to be careful with the cheese because I find it much better than at home and with hundreds of varieties. The Christmas log is also full of delicious stuff that I should avoid.

We had a good Christmas carol with the English couple "Bennett" and then yesterday met with an inactive sister and were able to give her teenage boys who are not members, Christmas wrapped Book of Mormons. The teaching session went very well with the Spirit giving words to my remembrance. We have another meeting with them next week and both the boys committed to start reading. We went over the promise in Moroni and they were both impressed.

This week will be with more traveling to the members in the outlying villages and with the children of our host who are not members of the Church.

Much Love to all

Elder Dad and Sister Mom

Please disregard the grammar and spelling mistakes as this computer of our hosts is the most trouble some of any I have ever typed on and won't do what you ask. So I send this to you as is.