Great Week

Hello to you from France. We have had a busy week and it doesn't look like things will get any slower in the future. We spent a great few hours with our 98 year old Sister Cauveau who lives so far from town that we are her sole personal contact with the church. She gets letters and phone calls from the members, but she looks forward to our visits. She made us her personal French meal this last time. Her white sauce made the difference and we enjoyed it very much. This week, like always, we will take her the sacrament and read to her from the Book of Mormon about Christ's visit to the Nephites. Her eye sight is going, so she can't read on her own. We will go over her materials when she was Relief Society president to see if there are things in there that should go to the history of the branch.

We love the work and are making multiple visits to the inactive so that they know we care. Each time we go, we bring a spiritual message. With confidence in us, we are able to show them the way back to the church and to Christ. We had a great meeting with one of our shut-ins, Eric Foucrier and his mother. I have been praying for a way to help him with his depression and before we left I had the impression to give him a blessing. When I stepped into his house, the Holy Ghost said to bless him. I asked him when we were in the kitchen and seated if he had faith in Jesus. He responded with a short testimony. I asked him if he believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored. He answered yes to both questions. I asked him if he would like a priesthood blessing and with enthusiasm he said he would. His mother came in and through the priesthood and with the words given to me, I blessed him. What a great opportunity to come closer to Eric and the Holy Ghost as I pronounced our Father in Heaven's will to him.

While sitting here, I have had the privilege to "open my mouth" to two men who were near me and bear testimony of the restored Gospel. This is the greatest opportunity I have at my age to do something in return for all of my blessings. Neither of these two people took the opportunity of my invitation to hear our message, but both know about the church and that we are not stuffy people who don't smile and laugh.

All the retired people need to be out here in some missionary capacity to give of themselves and to feel the spirit like never before. I love the work and am so grateful that I have the health and the faith to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Joanne is a great help and even though she speaks a little French and understands a little more than she speaks, her contribution is great. She feels the promptings of the Holy Ghost all the time and is always adding this information or this tidbit of gospel thought as we visit or explaining what this person needs as a message. She keeps me from getting too intense about the presentation of the gospel.

To all those who can now, come out and join the work in what ever capacity you are able and for you who can't at this time, pray for us and the other missionaries and those to whom we teach that the work of the Lord will go forth.

Love Elder Dad