Moving On

Hello to all of you out there,

The work is moving on and there are some good changes coming from Angouleme. The branch music director has started a choir and we are getting more participants every Sunday. The only problem that I see is the fact that when the choir sings for sacrament meeting there will be more in the choir than in the congregation. But if we continue to grow and bring in new members and those who have been less active our music director will have added a great dimension to the branch. We are planning to have them sing for our stake visitors and for the branch music festival.

We have finally got the Corga family into a home not far from where we live. We have been so busy that we have not had the opportunity to go see the house, but we are invited tomorrow. It is so good to see them out of the hotel room that they have been in for the last two months and know that their life we be more on the normal side. With Joao first month of work coming to an end, it will be good to see him earn a pay check and the family will be on the road to recovery.
Spring is here and the farm fields are brimming with growing crops. It is strange to realize that for the second year we are seeing the crops growing. The other day we noticed the first cut of hay. That is hard for those in Cokeville to take. There is a plant that produces cooking oil and it gives off a bright yellow flower. It is quite something to see the fields blooming on the hillsides with this vibrant canary color.

We are doing well and our health is good although with the cool mornings and the warm afternoons we a sporting the beginnings of a spring cold. If that is all that happens, we will be in good shape.

My gardening skills are better here than in Cokeville. The last time I had a garden there it was killed off by two late frosts that made it impossible to start over a third time with the short season. Here we have peas, beans, tomatoes, and Joanne's spinach. The plants have sprung from the ground with the last three day rain and the warmer weather the last week.

Joanne is getting ready for her third talk in church this Sunday and this is the time that I see stress in her life. The French is coming, but it is not where she would like it to be. Joanne understands much more than she can answer to. Giving talks in French is not something she feels comfortable with. Her French is good when she reads and the members and amis of the church pay a great deal more attention to her talks than most because they want her to succeed.
Well we pray for everyone at home and love you all. Please spread the news of our goings on and the joy we have in serving these great people.

Love,
Elder Dad

Worth of a Soul

Hello to all of you in this wonderful world,

This morning, when Sandra Corga came to pick up Joao from his mornings work, we talked about general conference that we all participated in yesterday in Perigueux (some 80 miles south of Angouleme). Sandra had her hands full with her daughter, Beatrice, but she was able to hear one talk and parts of others and was impressed by the spirit. She noticed the picture of Sandra and Keith and the children on the frig and said that she wanted a family like that. I said that there were only three things that were stopping her from having her family sealed to her in the temple of the Lord. One was getting married. Sandra and Joao and Joanne and I are going to the city hall tomorrow afternoon to fill out the necessary papers. After a two week waiting period they will be husband and wife. One problem solved. The next question was to set a baptism date, and so she picked Jono's birthday on the 31st of May as the date. She is working hard with her promise to stop smoking and was showing us the gum she was chewing as a way to accomplish that--along with prayer. The final hurdle is to endure to the end. This young mother has impressed me with her determination to do what is necessary to accomplish her goals. With the help of the Holy Ghost and the church teachings and the members, I know that we will be back here in a year to witness a sealing in the Madrid temple.

Some might say that we have paid a high price to bring one person to the waters of baptism, but I also know that we, as a couple have consecrated, all that the Lord has blessed us with to bring souls unto Jesus. This family is worth all the energy we have expended and more. Staying home would have never brought us in contact with this beautiful family, and we would have not have experienced the pure love of Christ that we share with them. We have spiritually adopted them into our family and we would have paid the last penny in our account to see this wonderful blessing come about.

For those who don't know how this feeling fills the soul to over flowing, I yearn that they might experience it some day. The worth of a soul is priceless, and we have seen the change come over this family as they have let the commandments of Christ enter into their lives and make a mighty change in their outlook, love, and willingness to serve others. I know why we were sent here for our entire mission. Without the time to spend with these souls, we could not have seen the change in their hearts. It has taken love, patience, and, above all, time to help them experience a change of heart.

We are experiencing so many wonderful happenings in Angouleme, and have had the privilege to meet and love some wonderful people. Staying home would not have giving us the opportunity to stretch our souls and get out of our paradigm. Being in the box is no longer something we want to do with our lives. We have a desire to consecrate our time, talents, and all else we have to the Lord and His work. Yes, I know that our Heavenly Father could get it done all by Himself, but in His wisdom, He has allowed little old me to grow and love through service.

I love you all and I am so happy to be with Joanne here in Angouleme to give what little I have to offer.

Elder Dad