Bonjour everyone . . . we're holding our breath hoping the sun will keep peeking out from behind all the clouds shrouding this place. I wore my raincoat all day yesterday, otherwise I would have been soaked like a wet puppy. We helped a young woman, unmarried and the mother of two little children, with something she needed for her kids. It was great to see the happy, trusting smile that lit up her face, replacing the wary, suspicious look she gave us the first time we
we knocked at her door. She left her kids with her boyfriend on Sunday, and came to all the meetings. The members welcomed her back so warmly, she used to be active, along with her family, but things fell apart when her mother died. The father became inactive, and still had Maia and her younger sister with him, while the older boys fared better, and are now active family men in the Bordeaux area. The best news is her boy friend wants to learn about the gospel and they want to be married this summer; we are going back at the end of the week.
I was asked to send a recent photo of Madeleine Chauveau to the ex-missionaries who knew her, so we went to Geant Casino and found an instant photo machine to try. "Things you learn the hard way!" = 1. Do not give it money first, because it won't give it back. 2. Stay calm, (even if you have a desire to kick the machine - Refrain!) and in the end it WILL give you something! Jack kept pushing buttons, so we didn't know how many photos to expect, and the machine spit
out four. By now, he was thoroughly disgusted, having spent several Euros on this venture; so we walked to a bench where I could put them into the letters, and he could begin to download a talk in this free WIFI mall. The computer was balking a bit, so he decided to try another place while I headed in the opposite direction to the postal office. Just as I was coming to the photo machine, I saw, incredibly, a picture of Sister Chauveau in the hands of a young, leather-clad, "biker" guy, with a shaved head and an earring sparkling in his ear! He looked a bit perplexed at having a picture of someone's great-grandmare in with his fist full of photos of bikes and babes! I was dumb-struck too, just kinda pointing & sputtering, "That's my, my, my . . ." He took a wide-eyed step backwards, while thrusting out his pictures at me, "Here, take them!!" And I did. There were three more pictures of her there, now was that just happenstance? Anyway, I was happy.
The Branch here is full of elderly people, so that the average age is easily 60. Our Branch Pres. joked with the Elders and us about bringing down the age to attract families. With the two families we are now teaching (with 5 babies between them), and another single mother with her two toddlers, we will do it in one fell swoop, and we'll have to start a nursery! We are very excited about this turn of events. Every third Sunday we bring food and we eat after the meetings are over.
We have to leave Luciane (a very different sister who loves to take charge and do things her way) in charge in the kitchen, while we have a quick (hopefully) meeting. People just bring what they want, so what you get can be interesting. This time there are 4 quiches, 2 salads. a pot of yummy lentil beans, and potato & ham casserole; and all 4 tables are filled with people. We brought left over hot dogs from the BBQ, and Luciane had cut them all in half. Jack passed out our carrot cake, and when he came to tiny Sis. Deni, he said loudly, "Soeur Deni won't want any of this carrot cake." She grabbed his arm and pulled the cake toward her . . . "Yes I do!" she emphatically stated. We clean up together, trying to stay out of Luciane's way. It is something they all look forward to.
We are reading Matthew, and the life of Jesus Christ was a wonder. I love how he talked to the people, "Those who have ears to hear, let them hear." Reread Chap. 13 and let's all be the "good" seed.
Love to you all.
Sister Mom, (Joanne) Grandma
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