Jack wouldn't let me read his email to you all, he said it was all about food. P-day starts off with french toast (I haven't found out if the French eat that yet!) Jack plunges (submerges, immerses) his bread into the egg mix for his toast, I think that looks gross. I like both sides dipped in quickly, and cooked well done; how did we ever get together anyway? I tried a new 4-red fruit jam that was so good. I think I'll ditch my dumb clothes and fill my suitcase up with jam when we go back home from our mission.
Remember the lady who thought our 800 churches had been closed by the government? Well, we passed by her place and found her home and she agreed to let us come and talk to her again. The Elders asked to come too, so we all trooped in from the rain yesterday and I think she felt a little invaded at first. She asked why we come in a crowd, and they explained that it was for protection for us all, her included, so that neighbors could not think wrong things. Things began to get better, although she seemed to take a dislike to Elder Giles, and his British accented French. She can't see a lot, the pupils of her eyes are a brown color, and she has a companion yellow lab that is so well trained that he stays in his big basket all the time. Jack talked about how the spirit testifies of the truth, and his experience of praying to know if the church and the Book of Mormon were true. He got a feeling in his heart that he could not deny, and knew that the church was true and then was baptized. The irrepressible Elder Giles told her how as a 17 year old boy, he took President Hinckley's challenge to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. He accomplished it, and he gained a testimony of its truthfulness because of that. She has had a copy for a long time, and although she has never been able to read it, she told us that she feels its power, and takes it and her Bible with her wherever she goes. Elder Giles jumped on that like a dog on a bone; "You have been given a gift," he said, "the problem is you just can't open it yet!" So, they talked about bringing her the French tapes of the Book of Mormon; and we are trying to find a cassette player for her. We are going back again next week.
We have seen bot
h our little sisters in the local Retraite's twice now. Poor Sister Collette is wheelchair bound and speechless. Her only sounds are guttural, so you just do your best with head bobs and pointing and she kisses her fingers for you when she is the happiest. We came Friday, right in the midst of the weekly do-good society meeting with the patients (not purposely). We got a lot of long looks as we saw her in the crowd and zeroed in on her. She was expecting us though, and waved cheerfully to her friends as we wheeled her off to her room. Jack set up the laptop and put in the Life of Christ DVD, and she was totally glued to the screen through the whole 30 minutes. People kept popping their heads in for this or that, and 2 ladies even came in to kiss her good-by (and to see what the heck we were up to in there), and she was still able to keep one eye on the story. I love this beautiful film, and was so touched by watching her as she watched all those images of Christ, and the compassion He had for the sick and afflicted of the world. Her body has failed her in so many ways, yet she is enduring to the end as best she can. Jack then gave her the first Sacrament she's had in years, and she was so eager to partake, it was a wonde
rful time for us all. Our visits to our "little mother" Louise Meslier began again with the "Director" personally escorting us up to her room (so we don't sneak into some poor, defenseless patients room and try to proselyte them!). When she saw us, she got this huge smile on her face, "Oh, you've come back!" She grabbed onto both of my hands and we had a happy reunion. I was so glad that she remembered us and that it made her happy! She just started chattering away, she rolls her R's like no one else I've heard yet, and it makes me laugh (and that makes her laugh, so it is good.) She had lots to say, and would ask me questions and Jack would answer, and she'd look at him, but said she didn't remember him. She got reacquainted with my plaque, and read it over and over and got pretty good at pronouncing Met-ta-call-fee. She turned 94 in April and has lost some acuteness and memory, but surprises you with some things out of the blue. We're back, and it's great.Oh, oh ...witching hour has arrived, time to get hopping!
Love ya, Sister Mom (Joanne) Grandma
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