Visit from an Apostle

   On Friday, Nov. 16, we drove to Paris for our first All Mission Conference, held in the Versailles Ward, to hear an Apostle of the Lord speak to us.  We timed it to arrive at 10:30 and we did, with 10 minutes to spare, only to find out that with a V.I.P. arriving, preparations and expectations and time schedules are on overdrive.  We didn't do much for 2 hours except try to get the whole France-Paris Mission in place for a mission photo on the stage at the rear of the chapel area.  Just in time we were alerted that they were driving up, and the noise of talking abated, and as Elder Marquez sat at the piano and played, we all began to hum or sing softly to the music of the hymn along with him.  The Spirit was strong as we anticipated seeing our leaders, and as they came into the chapel they were very touched by the reverence and love being shown to them by the missionaries. 

     They sat in the seats in front of us for the picture taking session, then they lined up to shake hands with all of us as we filed out of our rows.  Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Twelve Apostles shook my hand and thanked me for my 'service', then Elder Teixeira (Regional 70), Elder Boutoille ( from Lille- Area 70), President Poznanski (Mission Pres.), and a couple of other leaders each shook our hands.  We then found seats in the chapel and heard several short talks by some of those men and 2 of their wives.

     Elder Andersen then came up and told us how he has known Pres. Poznanski for many years, ever since he, himself, was the Mission President in Bordeaux, and Pres. Poznanski was a 28 year old young father and Branch President there.  He was running himself ragged in his job with a pharmaceutical company, with his church position, and with a family he sometimes didn't see for days on end.  He decided he had to ask to be released from his calling, but then President Andersen, counseled him to hang in because the Lord expects more of us than to give up when the going gets tough.  So President Poznanski changed his mind, and he and his wife also changed some of the ways they were doing things, and life got easier and better for them as they were obedient and continued to serve with honor. 

     Then, they were asked to become leaders of the Institute in Angers (working for the church), so he quit his highly paid job, uprooted his family and moved to northern France where things are a lot different.  It was hard on the kids, especially at first, to leave everything they knew and their friends behind, but they thrived in their new home and became much loved in Angers.  One thing I know for sure, Elder Andersen had his eye on Pres. Poznanski for good reason - he and his family  (his wife is a jewel) are outstanding people and members of the church here in France. 

     Elder Andersen then threw out the question:  Where in the Book of Mormon do you find the Doctrine of Christ outlined?  Some of our sharp missionaries called out the very scriptures that explain it best :  2 Nephi: 31  Tells why we must be baptized - to follow Christ,  it is an ordinance of commitment ;  3 Nephi: 11  Christ appears in his resurrected body so that ALL the people would be witnesses of the truth, and he authorized his disciples to baptize, to become one with Him ;  and 3 Nephi: 27  To call His church in His name, and He gave commandments to repent, be baptized, and to follow His works.. the 'do' 'do' 'do' 'do' 'do' verse 21 ( if that is not works, I don't know what is! )  These chapters should be studied carefully and  become precious in our lives.  The Doctrine of Christ is the True Belief...of Atonement and Faith.

      He spoke for a long time and emphasized that being a missionary is not just baptisms, but giving spiritual aid to all, especially members who may be struggling.  Baptisms are only one measurement of your mission, you have to see yourself in the true role you are in.  Be simple, be concise, share your miracles with the members, be the flame, be the light among them, it helps them be firm and true over the years.  He said that he was just an ordinary, every day missionary when he served in France, not a leader at all, but he tried to have the spirit with him every day.  He told us if we will see ourselves as disciples of Christ who carry the light of Christ to the people of France daily - that is how we will be successful.

     When he finished talking to us he couldn't stay around and shoot the breeze because he had things to do, places to go, and more people to see, so he took his leave and said goodbye.   We also did what else we had come to Versailles to do, exchange cars with the newly arrived couple in the mission.  They were given the car that the Hall's had used in Brussels, but with its Belgium license plates, taking it to Cherbourg ( south of the Normandy coast ) would put it too far from that country.  We, on the other hand, being only minutes from the Belge border are the more logical ones to drive it.  The cars are both Chevy's, but ours was a bit bruised and worn from being driven by the Elders before we got it.  Their's was the newer model of the two cars, and I think Elder Bellessa looked askance at its several minor, but noticeable cosmetic problems, and Jack heard him ask someone inside the church later if they were aware of them.  We had to chuckle a bit, I guess little things like that bother some people more than it does others. 

     Funny enough that was not the end of our adventures in Versailles that night.  We were asked to get a hotel room so we could take the papers the real estate people needed on Monday with us back to Lille, and they would be ready for us in the morning.  That sounded like fun, we didn't have a tooth brush between the two of us!  Jack's nose always sniffs out the nearest inexpensive Ibis Hotel, but it was on a busy one-way street with no visible parking, so he made his way around the block and parked like a local, illegally with blinkers flashing!  We quickly realized this was NOT a good idea (from the disgusted looks of passers-by), because we were partially blocking a pedestrian walkway....OOps!  So he went to back up and this fine new car would not go into reverse...no matter how he tried, it utterly refused to do so!  People now were stopping by to give us a piece of their mind, with Gallic gestures galore, not exactly what my thoroughly fustrated husband needed right then.  We checked the instruction book but that was not helpful at all, so we switched places and he pushed the car  back into the street far enough so we could go forward again, and called the Elders to meet us at the chapel.  I know he was furiously trying to figure out the 'why' of the problem.  We sat in the parking lot looking at the book again when suddenly his fingers found the elusive 'ring' on the shift nob that when pulled up turned 1st gear into reverse.  This Chevy, being newer, actually had one more gear than our other one had, so the mystery was solved, but what drama!  

     The one thing we cannot say is that things are boring out here!