We have been so busy that we are sorry we missed a week. We have had some good experiences and we feel that in the long run the Lord's work will go forth in Angouleme. The first thing to say is that many of the lost sheep respond to couple missionaries. I think that for one thing it is harder to say no to an older couple. Once we get in we can show them that there are older couples willing to spend time with them.
The other thing is we can do things the young missionaries can't. We were able to invite a couple over for supper last week and the young Elders said that it was great for them to see how older members are actually normal. We have a return engagement with this couple tomorrow.
The other thing is that with our life experiences we can think of ways to approach situations that the Elders haven't come up with. The other day, Joanne saw that it was the birthday of an inactive member who refused to see us the first time. We took him a piece of Joanne's baking and when we rang his door bell I said that we had come to wish him a happy birthday and that we had a gift for him. In we went and after talking with him we set up a rendezvous for this Friday. We are going with an Italian spaghetti dinner.
That is one of the last things is that with Joanne's cooking we get to loosen the atmosphere and let the the inactive get to know us before we teach them. Joanne's cooking is becoming a topic of conversation around the branch. We have a meal at the chapel once a month and with an extra good cook in the branch it helps to get people out for the meetings.
We are teaching about 9 people who are inactive and one mother of a member. We are finding members that are in sad situation, especially poor health, that we can help. Eric Fourcier is one of those souls. Due to a critical illness that the doctors have not been able to diagnose, he has lost his drivers license and is somewhat home bound because he lives 29 miles out with no bus or train to get him to church. We now go to his house and give him the sacrament once a month and have a Sunday School lesson with him and his mother who is a non-member. He has a brother who is not a member and he doesn't join in yet.
We have been out as far as 60 miles from the branch to see members scattered all over the place. We will make once a month visits to those who want us to come back. About half the members on our list have moved, so we are starting a greater search effort to find them. We are going through the regional phone book, discussing the names with members, going to anyone who might have info. Little by little we will find each person we are able.
We teach the English class and hold family home evening with the single members and anyone else that will come at the chapel. We don't get much chance to seek out new contacts, but we do what we can when we can. Last week, we had a district meeting here in Angouleme and during the afternoon we had four teams of missionaries hit the city. Joanne and I went out with Sister Bouchard, 81 year young Relief Society president, and found two people to talk to and give a Book of Mormon to. We have been back to one man and when he told us he hadn't started to read, we gave him a short list of scriptures to go to.
I am getting to know the town and that makes my driving experience a much more enjoyable task. Driving is a frightful job. The French go faster than the speed limit on narrow streets. Buses and trucks take more than their share of the road. Pedestrian and motor cycles come out of nowhere and your Mom's eyes are well needed as she points to situations that I don't see.
We love the work and are learning much, especially to count on the Holy Ghost for direction. Bishop, tell those old fogeys to get out here where they are needed. They are not asked to do the work of the young Elders or Sisters and their pace with the Lord is all that is asked. The spiritual benefits are enormous and the love between husband and wife will grow as long as we are obedient.
Jack, Dad, Grandpa, Papa, in-law, and brother
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