Time Flies

All I can say is that not only do the hours pass quickly, but the day and weeks merge into each other until we lose track of time. There is so much to do and the time can move in a rapid pace. Sometime we think that we don’t have much to do during the week and then, before we know it, our week is full.

We have been given a further assignment by our new mission president to pin-point on a map what city our lost members are in. We sometimes know what city they are in through casual conversation with family members, but they don’t want to give addresses. We would like to get into those towns so we can check further with voting records, but you have to drive to the city and with the configuration of the Paris and Toulouse missions being so close to where we are, that means going into the other mission which is against mission rules. In order to cross into areas where there are no branches or wards of the church, we are going to have to receive permission from the church headquarters for Western Europe.

We will be working with members here to see how we can check the voting records, which are public record, and any other method of finding the lost sheep. It would be better to have a French speaking member with us who knows all the ins and outs and also knows the language and the exact words to say. Here in France, an individual who moves has to pay the postal service to get their mail transferred to them after a two week free service. That it makes it impossible to forward mail because few want to pay the charge.

The other problem that is happening here in France is that fewer and fewer people have a land line telephone connection. Most everyone you see on the street has their ear to a cell phone (portable). With few land lines, the telephone book or the internet yellow pages doesn’t become a very good resource. French drivers are not allowed to use cell phones while driving and for the large majority of drivers they don’t do it. It is not like the U.S. where every third driver has a new appendage hooked to the side of their head. We and other drivers are seen at the side of the road talking with the cell phones.

So we will be starting another major finding mission to pin-point the city, at least, where the lost sheep are located and see what the Western European leaders want us to do with this program. It might start some new creative ways to discover where some of the members are that have fallen through the cracks. This way, the ward and branch lists can be more up to date and we can give the members visits and encouragement. We are concerned especially about those who are elderly and who don’t have good family support.

One thing that is sad here in France is that family member’s often loose contact with one another. There is not the good family bond in many French families. It is not uncommon to find out when talking to people here that they have no contact with mother, father, or siblings. This is especially true when a spouse dies and the line between the other side of the family is broken by the death. The contact with the living half of the marriage partner ceases. The people here are a living example of the prophesy that talks about families loosing natural affection for one another and, sadly, for family members.

A world wide problem that is a common part of the society is divorce. It is rampant here among the French. It is rare to talk to French people without finding that the wife they now are with is not their first wife or visa-versa, with the husband. What happens here, as well in other countries, is that couples just don’t marry. There are some weird laws in France that actually encourage that. If you are married with two children and one of the couple dies, then the estate doesn’t go to the other half of the married couple. The estate is divided up between the surviving member and the two children. To avoid that problem, people don’t get married. The other situation is that church weddings are not recognized as valid weddings. Everyone must be married civilly for the wedding to get on the books. The city government charges a large sum for the wedding license and the use of the city hall for the ceremony and a good chunk for the mayor to perform the wedding. This was the way to get some money out of the public until the public said, “We know a way to avoid the dividing of property and the fee for the wedding; we won’t get married!” Hence the government has compounded the problem for the growth of families.

In meeting members of other churches, it is interesting to find that our church is the only one I have found so far that requires marriage before membership. The Jehovah’s Witnesses might be another one, but I have not had the opportunity to ask yet. Also, there doesn’t seem to be a big problem in the other churches if someone abandons their wife or husband and lives with another; they can still participate without any problem. There is no church disciplinary action if the person wants to be active in the other denominations. The commandments are being bent and broken all the time. The French society is going to rack and ruin before our eyes. Being here twice before, I can see a major difference as the years have progressed.

Despite all the situations that come our way, we are finding good people to teach and there seems to be a good movement forward in the branch. It is hard to find the willing with so few to do the work. We only have two Elders and us as full time missionaries in a city and suburbs that has close one hundred thousand people. You can see the task is huge. The members here are willing and do much to help and for that we are grateful. Some of the most devoted members are here in France facing big odds and hardships. The flock is small and sometimes persecution in employment and in general acceptance is the rule. Count your blessings in the U.S.

To give you an idea of the faithfulness of the members, we have our 81-year-old Relief Society President who is planning to go on a mission to the genealogy library in Salt Lake City. She is in great health and can run circles around me. Despite her family, who are not members and are opposed to her going, she has put her papers in and is now waiting for the call. I was able to phone and talk to the library supervisor, and they will flag her name. The only way the call will change is if when the application comes to the 12 apostles, they decide to change the request. The supervisor said that in the case of older members the call was 97% sure. It is great to see the eagerness of this 81-year-old member to serve the Lord. It puts many at home to shame.

I love the members here and the work will go forth if we but keep the faith and keep our focus on the prize. The Church is true and for that assurance I give thanks. I am grateful to have something concrete to hang onto in this troubled world.

Love to you all,

Elder Dad