Our Trip to the Madrid Temple

Alicia and Sephora

After our weekend in Angouleme, we checked out of our cute little hotel and were picked up by Jean-Pierre on another rainy day in France.  Yesterday, Remy Demolombe said all his potatoes have rotted in the ground because there have been so few dry days this spring.  J.P. had just taken Marion to the bus for her school where she'd like to learn how to care for 'old people' (that is until one bopped her good one, and another accused her of stealing), now she is thinking seriously about baby care!  We loaded up their nice big SUV (lots of baby stuff), and had just the room we all needed since grandmere Genevieve took the train.  Little Alicia, at 4 1/2 months old, was such a good girl as we sat in the back seat with her between us.  It was a 10 hour drive (with stops to feed her) and she was stuck in her seat, unable to get off her back, but was wide eyed with curiosity and gave us many sweet smiles to die for.  We finally drove through the Pyrenees Mts. into Spain and pretty much left the bad weather behind us, for blue skies and sunshine.

    The large Madrid temple sits bright and white on a corner of a busy street, and is eyecatchingly beautiful, with the angel Moroni blowing his horn just above for all the world to see.  We got to park underground and took our luggage into the housing area where we were expected (I think):  Joana & Jaque Motcalfo.  We claimed the names and for the two of us, we paid $85E. total for a 5 night stay in two dorm rooms, where we both had upper bunks and 3 roommates.  I lucked out with my two Spanish sisters, and Genevieve; the lady in my bottom bunk was a temple worker from Barcelona who came to give a week of service.  She was very nice, with just enough English for us to be able to figure things out between us; and her worker-bee, early rising schedule, was good for me and got me going also in a timely manner.  Jack was dressed and raring to go the next morning at just past 7 A.M., because his roommate is a big-time snorer.  He couldn't even drown out the noise by lying on his good ear, and so he had a rotten night of very little sleep.  But, we were so happy to be going to an endowment session after all this time, his night time woes were soon forgotten.  In the chapel they find out how many people are there who speak different languages: Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, etc., and whoever has the majority of people, that's the language the session is done in.  Our first was in English, and our second one was in French and we were asked to be the witness couple.  I decided to try it without headphones as an experiment, so Jack kept nudging me to keep me on my toes about when to do this or that.

Sephora, Jean-Pierre & Alicia

Jean-Pierre, Alicia & Jaime

    At 3 P.M. we gathered again for the sealing ceremony of Jean-Pierre and Sephora, and waited for the arrival of a friend who was on a 6 hour drive from France to be there also.  Tall and lanky Jaime (Hy-mie, born in Madrid) was a branch president years ago in Angouleme and J.P. was one of his counselors.  After his mission, he met a young French divorcee with 4 YOUNG CHILDREN and they married and have added 2 more to their family...what a neat guy he is.  The ceremony was nice, then they brought Alicia in to be sealed to her parents.  She had been fussy downstairs, but J.P. rocked her to sleep and the matrons whisked her off until time to bring her in.  They dressed her in a beautiful long white princess gown (fluffy with ruffles) and we gasped at how pretty she looked.  The matron placed her where her parents hands were clasped, and she laid her little hand on theirs, and she looked around at everyone, but kept her hand there the whole time.  Even President Paia, (who sealed them) was mesmerized as Alicia, then in her father's arms, began to speak to us...' ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhhhh.....'  She sat there straight and tall, eyes on all of us adults in the room, calmly sounding as if she was telling us all about this wonderful world that she knew so well.  She was in total charge for over two minutes...none of us wanted the moment to end, we were so amazed and delighted to have been a part of that experience. 

   We asked Jaime if he knew of any restaurants in the area for an outing the next night.  He found one in the phone book that sounded good, so after a day of temple work, we headed out into the city in two cars. 

Jean-Pierre's French GPS didn't like being in Spain and kept sending us in wide circles as we tried following him, and up one-way streets to nowhere.  Finally we found the city center street we were looking for, and after parking we marched up and down looking for a non-existent restaurant - it had closed its doors for good some time ago.  Hmmmm. Plan B was to ask the man on the street, and we were directed a block away to a small place, not too new or clean looking, but we were game (and hungry), and there were plenty of customers at the outside tables (smoking!), so we sat inside.  Jaime ordered several traditional dishes for us all to try, plus the cafe brought free samplers of fried pork rinds,  and crusty little fried fish as long as your finger, and creamy mild Spanish olives to start with.  Deep Fried is the name of the game for Spanish people, and we've noticed this at the temple apartments kitchen also.  Then the food started coming....potato salad with thick mayonnaise, potato salad with tuna and other stuff (yum), yellow potatoes covered with an orange colored paprika sauce (yum), Spanish potato omelet, deep fried cheese balls (both yum), deep fried squid pieces (scary, but we tried it - not bad, just must get it past your eyes first), and large slices of chorizo sausage (Jack loved it).  It was actually quite a potato fest, all beautifully prepared and presented, and I was pleasantly surprised by all the different tastes.  We ended the night at an ice cream shop, got lost on our way back, and felt like naughty teenagers coming timidly in after hours, hoping our parents (or security!) wouldn't be mad at us.

     Our remaining days at the temple were busy with more endowment sessions and we helped Jean-Pierre with some family sealings he had been working on since 2007.  That was a special session for us as the Spanish officiator gave us a card with the words in French so that we could follow along more easily.  A woman slipped in to help us and Jack helped her by being proxy for her father and she for her mother, as they were sealed across the altar.  She wept for joy as the spirit was strong and it was a special time.  Then later, after we went to get dressed again to go to lunch, I stopped to use the WC real quick (I thought!).  I flipped the lock to get out of my stall and the door would not open!  Hmmmm.  This was just plain crazy - was I doing something wrong?  It was a simple latch up is open, flip it sideways to lock.  But, nothing I did helped at all, and no one else was in the room, lunch time you know!  I was not going to yell for help in the temple - I'd rather suffer a bit than do that!  The stall had very tall walls, with very little space at the bottom, maybe 6 or 8 inches, enough room for my head to scootch out, but not the rest of me.  I prayed for some aid to help me...maybe Jack was missing me!  Sure enough, a couple of minutes later my Barcelona roommate came calling to see if I was there.  She tried the door from the outside, then with a tool, but nothing gave, so they called in the Big Guns!   It was quite funny listening to the chatter of concerned women, wondering how I was doing, trying to encourage me to not give up hope, until finally a deep man's voice cut to the chase - the answer to the problem had arrived.  I watched as big fingers came up under the door, feeling for the hinge, but that idea was banished quickly.  He tried the door, pushed on the door, then WHAM, slammed a tool into the lock and BAM the door leaped open with gusto (glad I was standing way back!) and I was freed from my cell.  Everyone gathered around and congratulated me for surviving my ordeal, and were so very nice to me (the main concern I had was to be sure to wash my hands before leaving)!  That just goes to show that funny things can happen to a person anywhere you might be. 

    We left on Saturday, and J.P. took us on a little side trip through an Atlantic Ocean tourist town called St. Jean de Luz, that was just beginning its season.  He stopped so that we could get a good look at the lovely curve of smooth sand and sparkling blue water that stretched out along the coastline.  This was every bit as appealing as the Mediterranean Sea side of France and Spain…what neat playgrounds the people have here.  We got to Angouleme and stayed the night with Patrick Humblot, who was alone since his wife is under a doctor's care in a rest home for a few weeks...we don't know why, but it seems to happen a lot here.  We visited Carole in one a few years ago after we had just got to know her, and also knew another woman who was admitted for a rest and evaluation...it seems to be free.  Maybe that's what we need when life starts throwing us curveballs, a place to rest for awhile...sounds good to me!  After church on Sunday, Patrick handed us sack lunches he had thoughtfully made for us and got us to our train on time for the trip back to Lille.  Come to think about it, we did get a much needed rest......a weeklong trip to the temple of our God in Madrid, Spain; what could be better than that? 

A Side Trip to Angouleme

   We were both excited for this trip to Madrid because it was to be via Angouleme first, since we were going with Sephora and Jean-Pierre from there by car.  We packed our bags Friday night and were out the door at 8 A.M. Saturday, rolling them noisily down the empty streets several long blocks to the Metro station; then onto the train that would take us to Paris.  At Paris we had one hour to get across town to another station for the next leg of our trip.  We had to stand in a long line just for more Metro tickets and onto a crowded subway as the clock moved relentlessly onward.  Poor Jack had to carry our suitcases up and down several staircases to finally get us into the right station.  Voila!  We made it, with minutes to spare, and were soon whizzing toward Angouleme at speeds of 180 mph, passing cars on the freeway like they were standing still.  

Carole & Elder Metcalfe

   Carole met us, and was soon showing us her rental property that she bought with the money from the sale of her home.  She took us down a passageway which opened up into an unkempt, but private courtyard with 4 apartments in a row.  She has happily been cleared by the church to be able to rent to the missionaries, and so the Elders are in #4, she has apt. #1, and her son Clement has apt.# 2.   Her apt. was small, but cozy like a cave, and she loves living there.  She has spent lots of time painting and fixing things up in the rooms and is doing well.  She has grown so much in the gospel since her baptism last Christmas Eve, just as if she is a flower beginning to bloom in the sunlight...her only problem is that a man at the Branch (Michel Dano) has set his sights on her, and actually tried the oldest, worst myth of subterfuge in the church...'I received a revelation that you are to marry me.'  Hmmmm.  He's not dealing with someone just off the boat here, she let him know it, but he kept up his unwelcome attentions.  She finally went to President Savreux and appealed for help, so he called Brother Dano into a meeting with himself, Patrick Humblot, and Michel Menardin (as a third witness) and 'counseled' him to back off.  Things have been better since; she is so attractive, but what most people don't know about Carole is that she has a burning desire to go on a mission (humanitarian) someday...but it it very expensive and that is the stumbling block for her.

     Jeremie finally got permission from his father (Sephora's ex-boyfriend) to be baptized, so we were able to be a part of that also.  Jeremie's behavior used to be either wonderful or in the tank, but tonight he was very well behaved as he sat snuggled up to his grandfather  who was going to baptize him.  It's very touching to see how much the  presence and attentions of an older man can mean to a boy.  The baptism went forward without a hitch; Jean-Pierre conferred the Holy Ghost, after which Jeremie cried as he hugged all those who had been in the circle.  Then came a real treat.  The men of the Branch had cooked dinner for everyone, and the menu was:  Ham roll filled with a vegetable concoction; turkey cutlets with rice and a superb mushroom sauce/ or chicken with taboulet grain; green salad with a selection of cheeses and baguettes; and fruit crumble with cream for dessert.  It was all so very good, and the men served us and cleaned up afterwards completely.  We stayed that night at a little two star hotel across from the train station, with a two person (shoulder to shoulder) elevator.  I actually prefer a local hotel to the chain Hotels we've been in...the bed was soft and white as snow, the pillows were fluffy and the 4th floor was quiet.  We slept well.

On the streets of Angouleme.

    Carole picked us up in her little powder blue Nisson, whose back seat might hold 2 midgets comfortably!  Jack squeezed himself in crosswise for the short 5 minute drive to church.  Several people must be picked up for church by those who have cars, and  I know Patrick make TWO trips to pick people up...I just love that man!  Sephora is the Primary President of the Branch, and Jean-Pierre is the Sunday school teacher.  He is a chalk board writer with scriptures and notes covering the whole thing by the end of his lesson.  In Relief Society, the  lesson was taught by Carole, who led the discussion like an old pro, and there were 12 sisters in the room.  At Sacrament meeting Jack and another former Branch President visiting from the States, Elder Crum, blessed the Sacrament, and Jean-Pierre passed it along with his son, Clement, who turned 12 in May.  Then both Jack and Elder Crum were asked to bear their testimonies and the main speaker for the meeting was....(who else) Jean-Pierre!  That's how it goes when you are in a Branch of the church, you are needed, wanted, and become the backbone of the whole entity.  Everyone was invited to stay and eat afterwards because there were plenty of leftovers from the night before.

    After eating and clearing up, we asked Carole to take us out to see Madeleine (our dear 102 year old friend) at the rest home in the town where she used to live.  I gave Jack a break by taking his place in the back seat, and it began to rain during the 1/2 hour drive.  The rest home was new and clean looking, with bright and cheery colors all around - very impressive.  Madeleine wasn't in the common room with all the others, so a worker guided us up to her room.  We knocked and Jack opened the door and ushered me in first.  She was sitting next to her bed in the darkened room in front of the TV.  I said her name and went to her, and she was shocked speechless.  What a grand surprise it was for her to see us once more, and she hadn't met Carole yet.  She took to Carole right away with her lively, friendly manner, and when she broke into tears describing how lonely it gets there,"people here are just waiting for the time to die!", Carole jumped from her chair to a stool in front of Madeleine and took her hand to comfort her.  We laughed and talked and Madeleine is so bright, she is a joy to be with.  Her family is planning to take her somewhere special this summer, but the days are long here and waiting is hard.  She insisted on walking us to the elevator, and walked arm and arm with Carole.  Jack was happy they  became instant friends and knows Carole will follow up with her.

Madeline & Carole

Elder Metcalfe wins the silly face contest!

     We drove back to Angouleme and were dropped off at Sephora's for their family home evening.  Clement had prepared the lesson all by himself on service with visual aids and other things to interact with one another...it was great.  We played a word game called BOUM! where you have to come up with words from cards on which only endings are given, like:  ION, ERT, SON, and you pass around a small black ticking bomb quickly so as not to be holding it when it goes off.  It was funny and a struggle to come up with words under pressure.  Then we took pictures of everyone making silly faces and the grown-ups were the worst, which got to be hilarious -  Jack got into that big-time!  For dessert we had, not one but two sumptious cream cakes (oh my heck, how the French, and ALL of us love our sweets!), that ended our day and our time in our old stomping grounds of Angouleme - a place we will never forget because of the different people we met there...size, shape, color, disposition, spirit, fortitude, faithfulness, trials, errors, repentance, acceptance, and just plain love for one another and for the gospel of Christ that brings them all together time after time.

Young Adult Conference

 I tried to send the information concerning our experience we had at the end of April with our young adult conference but, when I was done and I tried to send it, the whole report went up into the lost internet messages in the sky, so I'll try to report again.  On the last vacation weekend of the Easter school vacation the young adults planned their first young adult conference. The presidency planned out everything except the meals. They asked Joanne if she would plan the meals for Friday , Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately we have Bishop Doit in the Lille ward who is a chef and he took on the responsibility for the Sunday afternoon meal. Joanne made the menu for the Friday night meal and then the lunch and evening meals on Saturday. The bishop took us to a store in Lille that sells to restaurants so we went around the store and made a list for our purchases that would be made the next week with Bishop Doit.

Food for an army.

   Joanne planned a barbecue for Friday night because many of the group would come at different hours since the participants were coming from Belgium, southern and eastern France and throughout our stake. Forty-seven young adults signed up for the weekend. We made all sorts of cookies, rice krispy squares and chocolate squares for desert and also for the dance that would take place that night. The barbecue was a hit.  We planned a week ahead by buying pork roasts on sale at one of the large grocery stores. We had a slow cooker and so we cooked two of the 10 roasts at a time, pulled the pork and then place it in the freezer. A pasta salad was made that could feed an army and then I peeled potatoes for what we call at home, funeral potatoes. I was the sous chef and gave my blood for the event by slicing two fingers in the potato peeling undertaking. It was all worth the effort as the young adults ate with gusto. The cookies American style are a hit here and it doesn't take long for food to disappear. Joanne's efforts were rewarded by hearty appetites and by grateful thanks.

   The dance was a success and it was a good ice breaker. We have a Wii so it became the half time entertainment as all the group tried to follow the dance movements on the large screen on the stage. I had Joanna send BYU hats and tee shirts and Vocal Point CD's for rewards during the dance. We ended the dance at 1:00 PM but by the time we got home it was close to two in the morning. A whole different mission from any other. We had a young sister stay with us who was from Belgium. In the morning Joanne made pancakes for our guest.  

Saturday morning there were two workshop sessions on the atonement. The workshops where conducted by two institute teachers from France. At noon we had something special and that was a baptism for Cedric, our newest young adult. Cedric planned the event and had the young adults give the talks, direct the music and the opening prayer. The only exception was that he gave me the blessing of offering the closing prayer. The baptism was accomplished by Pierre-Louis, another young adult from Lille who has been called on a mission to Benin in western Africa. The missionaries who taught Cedric did the right thing by getting the young adults involved.  

The baptism was not only attended by the young adults but also by 30 members of the ward so we planned lunch for everyone. We had hogie sandwiches, the rest of the barbecue pork as well as salads and deserts brought by the ward participants. It was good thing we had left over salad, potatoes, and cookies because with more than 70 people for lunch everything was eaten.  

Saturday afternoon was filled with fun activities and bowling by the group. Dinner was green salad, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a spaghetti dish; chicken with a special white cream sauce. The desert was a treat as Joanne made strawberry short cake. The participants gave her a standing ovation for her great efforts. I don't think the young adults expected to be fed that well. The rest of night was made up of more group games and ended with a short dance. The whole group got together and took down the decorations and cleaned up for the Sunday morning meetings for the two wards and our special afternoon meetings. It was great to see all get involved and work together.

   The Sunday school lesson was taken care of by two of the priesthood brothers from the Lille Stake and they got everyone into a good discussion on the subject. The sacrament meeting was done by the young adults and the closing speaker was our regional seventy. The bishop provide and excellent lasagne meal and the Relief Society of one ward brought the entrees and the other the deserts. It was enjoyed and well planned. These members know what they need to do and it was great for Joanne to enjoy a meal someone else prepared . 

  
 What an experience to see the leadership of our group and to have these young people come together. The main reason to have these events is to bring the youth together and hopefully to start some romances. In the weeks after we had two young men come back to see two of the young ladies of the the Lille area. Good payment for our efforts. We love these young people and the mission pays dividends in spiritual gifts and new loving friendships that will last eternally. 

Emma

I want to thank my sister Laraine for putting together two packages of 'stuff I can't get in France', and sending them to me in the mail...they got here amazingly fast! Graham crackers, and powdered spices ( Herbes de Province is the favorite for the people here, all manner of dried leaves abound, but I think powdered is best in many recipes), and instant pudding so I can make Joanna's cinnamon rolls one day, and a cup of corn syrup very cleverly contained in a juice box bottle, plus more. Sandra also sent a goodie box...thanks so much!

Shopping here is a scream...so many aisles, so many people! The mega-mart Auchan has it all, so that's where we shop the most, any day but Saturday if you value your sanity. One time we were in the checkout line there when I got tagged as a loser! The cashier held up my bag of 4 lousy little tomatoes that had 'no price' on it...with this disgusted look on her face. Jack was bagging our other purchases as I looked desperately at him. "Go price them", he advised, "Hurry!" The line of customers behind us made way for me as I tried to remember which way to get to the produce department. The resigned looks on their bored faces made me scoot away in double time, down the cheese aisles..turn left several rows, then turn right. The produce areas at home are nothing compared to all the choices here. I found a scale, tapped the Legumes picture, glanced at the offerings - no tomatoes! Tap it again...there they were, all 15 different varieties - find 'tomate allongee' (same as our Roma), push the picture, and out springs the price tag: $1.20 Euro; slap it on the bag, and hurry-scurry back to find that No One had defected to another line! WOW! What troopers! French people are used to waiting in lines! The cashier smiled gratefully and counted out our change in English.

On a Thursday in early March, we had our first visit with our other home teaching family set for 5 PM at their home in Armentieres. After searching for people all afternoon, we headed there, and Mappy-anne got all goofy on us directing us in the opposite direction at first, so instead of being just a couple of minutes late, we were 20, what with rush hour traffic to boot! When we arrived at the Thille family place, the father, Michel, seemed reserved at first, but soon warmed up with smiles all around. His wife, Sandra, had been on the phone for the last hour with her sister, and asked if we'd tried to call, (we had, but couldn't get through), so all was well. I brought her a pretty purple-flowered potted plant and chocolate chip cookies for the kids, and also had 2 of the soft balls from our Green Leaf Ward humanitarian project tucked into my book bag. Their oldest girl, little sharp-eyed Emma, grabbed one and ran off with it first thing (to her mother's chagrin), so my plan to give them out as part of Jack's lesson was thwarted! Emma has Down Syndrome characteristics and is big for a 6 year old, going on 7. Both she and her 4 year old sister, Maelys, have beautiful red hair. Emma has the mental abilities of an 18 month old, and the very unfortunate 'habit' of communicating by SHOUTING very loudly, MAMA! MAMA! MAMA! constantly, as she busily runs around, or drags jam, bread and knife from the kitchen to the table for a snack. She can do that, but spreading jam is beyond her, as is dressing or washing herself. Sandra said, "Emma, no!" so often that it could be her name: Emmano! Sandra is a wonder; patient and kind. They have fallen into inactivity because how could they have Emma with them in Sacrament meeting at this stage of her life they wonder?

Jack had visited them in Feb. with the Bishop and found out that Emma had torn pages from Michel's Book of Mormon, so he presented him with a brand new one in a zippered case, which blew him away! Jack then gave them the Ping-pong ball verses Golf ball lesson, comparing two look alike balls, but one full of nothing, and the other full of substance (like the gospel of Christ to keep you strong even when adversity or trials come into your life). He let the girls hold each of them, and try to blow them away with puffs of breath. The ping-pong ball of course rolled hither and thither, but the golf ball remained steadfast...such a good object lesson for the parents, that they need the gospel in their lives to steady them through the tough times that come to us all. Emma reluctantly gave the ping-pong ball back to Jack and then was horrified when he stomped on it to make the point about it having no inner substance at the core. She burst into tears and ran from the room and stomped up the stairs, condemning his heartlessness with every step! Michel began to laugh and almost lost it, and we couldn't help but join in at Jack's expense, because he hadn't thought ahead of what Emma might think about ping-pong ball cruelty! She soon came back down again, and now she was MAD - at Jack! ( He was having a rough night!) She mumbled under her breath at him for the rest of our visit, but finally got over it. Bishop Doit told Jack that he always comes away with a headache from Emma's constant, top of her lungs racket when he visits them. He's asked his quiet, 20 year old daughter, Esther, if she'd be willing to take Emma into another room at church so that the family could attend Sacrament meeting, and she agreed to do so. It probably won't be as easy as that, but we're trying to figure out how to help them. We met Michel coming out of church the next Sunday with EMMA, we missed it because we had an early meeting in St. Omer and had just got back for our regular ward Sacrament meeting. She was dressed nicely for church and was so demure I was speechless, and he carried his scriptures and seemed calm, but Sandra and Maelys stayed home.

On our next visit in April, as we walked inside, we immediately sensed a difference from last time. Emma was lying drowsy-eyed on the couch, and Sandra said she was sedated because of a urinary tract infection. Emma noted our entrance, but fell back onto the pillow, sucking her binky and clutching her floppy toy dog. I gave them a bag of rice krispie squares and we sat with them at the table for our lesson. Jack had Sandra read John 17:3 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' They then talked about what it means to KNOW God and to KNOW Jesus Christ...and Sandra knows that it is she that is holding back and knows what she is not doing. (It is so hard to call people to repentance, but it is essential for us to face up to what is holding us back from the path to eternal life.) She said, 'When I was on my mission, I knew the importance of the gospel and how to live it. But, now it's so hard.' Emma literally wears her out, and at the end of the day she unravels, and feels she never accomplishes anything. By now her tears were flowing and little Maelys got a tissue and reached up and wiped her mother's wet cheek. Do you pray for Heavenly Father's help? asked Jack. No. Do you pray over the food? No. Why? Then came the excuses...too tired, it's late, we're not together as a family...Jack said, Heavenly Father can't do his part until you do yours and show that you want his help. Michel chimed in and said, 'I want to pray, but she doesn't want to.' Sandra is bogged down in depression; she's sure that it's her fault somehow that Emma is how she is. Jack told them both," No, this is just one of the hard things that we have to deal with in this life, it's why they are called trials. Emma has an assured future, no matter how old she becomes, she will have the mind of a toddler, she is innocent of the sins of the world and will live with Heavenly Father again. We're the ones who have to overcome the world to be worthy to be with Him again. Do you want to see your daughter in Heaven, faculties restored to her perfect body, and be with her there? We are the ones who must work towards that goal by doing all we've promised to do." He got them both to promise to begin again. Sandra is such a sweet-faced, mild-mannered woman, but this trial is taking its toll on her. We should all pray for one another and our trials, so that with God's help they can be borne.

Cedric

 

 We have had the privilege over the last 2 months to learn what love really means as we have become acquainted with Cedric. This young man who was born in the Congo, came to France with his family as a 10 year old when his father served in the Congolese Embassy in Paris. He returned to his native land for a number of years and then came back to France to further his education. He is now attending the University of Lille and is finishing his degree in business management.

Elder Andrus & Cederic

   All his family lives in the Congo with the exception of a sister who lives in the nearby city of Valenciennes.  Cedric visited his sister and as he was going to the train station to return to Lille, met the Elders and stopped to talk to them. He was interested in knowing more about the Church because he had a good friend in the Congo who was LDS. The missionaries called the Elders here and the journey continued. From the first discussion and his first prayer he knew the message of the restoration was true and he had the desire to be baptized by someone holding the authority of God on the earth. This one act of a sincere person wanting to know from our Heavenly Father if the message of the restoration is true is a marvelous event in the life of Cedric and millions more. It is great to know how he feels, as this same event took place in my life and I cannot deny the experience of having my prayer answered.

Cederic studies with Elders Andrus & Meyers

   Cedric began to come to church from the first Sunday after meeting the missionaries. He has come to the young adult family home evening and even started attending the institute class on Thursday night. The young adults welcomed him into their group and the institute instructor, Brother Vanaquer, made a concerted effort to meet Cedric's Gospel needs during and after class. Opposition to this new found direction in his life came immediately in his daily experiences. His cousin, whom he lived with, began to mock Cedric for not wanting to continue the weekend parties with drinking and all that goes with the party life style. Cedric decided that his desire to live the life of the Gospel was in jeopardy, so he asked another cousin if he could move in with him until he found a new place. In that decision Cedric made a choice that would move him away from the party influence of others, but also brought us closer to this friend and brother.

   The  cousin that he moved in with lived 40 miles from Lille and the last train left too early to attend family home evening and institute. It was easy for Joanne and I to make the invitation to drive him home. Our brother didn't want to put us in that position, but when Joanne insisted with her motherly way, he allowed us to make the trip with him. It gave us time to talk to him and answer his Gospel questions each time we made the drive.

  With the young adult weekend coming up two sharp Elders, Meyers and Andrus, planned the baptism for the Saturday of the conference. When the day came there were 40 young adults and another 30 members of the ward that were present for the baptism. The Elders planned the baptism with Cedric and when all was said and done it was the young adults who said the opening prayer, gave the talks and one of our newly called missionaries from our group baptized Cedric. The only deviation from the young adult participation was that I was asked by Cedric to give the closing prayer, which was an honor for me. During the baptisms here in France the person who was baptized bears their testimony and Cedric's was one of strength and conviction.

The waters of baptism

   The next day being Sunday we went to three sacrament meetings. First was to the confirmation of Cedric by the bishop of his ward and then to Lille, our home ward. The bishop of the Lille ward, Bishop Doit, who is a chef, prepared the meal for the young adults' Sunday meal and then we went to special sacrament for the young adults that brought the weekend conference to a close.

   After the Lille ward sacrament I was asked to come into the other ward's priesthood meeting where I was asked by Cedric to be part of the circle of priesthood brethren to ordain him a priest in the Aaronic priesthood. The 1st councilor ordained him and gave an inspirational blessing. I love it when the missionaries put the members in the spot light for baptisms and the other ordinances because we will leave, but the new member will have those of the ward that were called upon to baptize, confirm, and to bless them in their ward to have a continual attachment  for the future.  It looks like I started a new tradition, and that is to give the new male members a hug after their confirmation and priesthood ordination, and since the Elders were in the circle it was easy for them to follow suit. The members of the bishopric are also returned missionaries and so they remembered their days in the mission field and they got into the spirit of the "HUG" also.

   Today in Cedric's ward he came dressed in a new suit and was asked during the week by his bishop to bless the sacrament. The Aaronic priesthood brother that was with him was such a fine example of one who was to teach.  He was patient and slow so that Cedric could follow without looking lost as is often the case the first time we do something. It was a privilege  to have the opportunity to see the priesthood in action and to have the blessings of Christ's atonement from such a dedicated new member.

   This is the reason we love the mission field. We have been able to be a part of the lives of the three baptisms that have taken place since coming to Lille. There is a great joy in helping others enjoy the light of the Gospel and seeing them grow. The two other members have given talks in church and are participating in the activities. Oh how I wish I had the trump of an angel and could help to bring so many more to the happiness of the Gospel of Christ.

Apartment Checks and Tourist Stops

One of our responsibilities in the Lille Zone is to visit the apartments of the Elders and Sisters to make sure they are cleaning their apartments according to the mission rules. These rules are no more than a mother wanting her son or daughter to keep their room clean and to make sure that the rest of the place is kept clean so that the germ count is kept to a minimum. The Sisters are the easiest to check out, but as of late the Elders are doing a much better job of meeting and even beating the standards. Joanne has some kind of incentive for the missionaries and quite often a bag of homemade cookies are given out for a place up to standards.

We also have come to the aid of the missionaries with things that they need. We have called in to the mission home to get permission to buy refrigerators, toaster ovens for apartments with only electric stove burners, garbage cans, light bulbs, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. We also do repairs and paint the apartments when they have seen a lot of use. Some of these apartments have been in the system for over 20 years and after the usual wear and tear need some tender loving care. Our biggest problem is to get through the red tape between the owners and the rental agents. In France everyone wants to take their cut but no one wants to put out for repairs when they are needed even when it will cost them only for materials because we will do the work. In France that is monumental since the person who does the work must charge double because he or she must pay the government the same amount in taxes as he receives in payment. It's no wonder that nothing gets done.

As we visit the different cities every transfer period or 7 weeks we try to work into the schedule of the missionaries. This means getting to their apartments during their study time early in the morning, at noon when they come back for lunch, or in the evening at 5 o'clock for their dinner time. This is easy in the Lille area since there are three apartments for the four teams of
missionaries, but when we head to the far flung cities of the zone it leaves a gap in time, so we check out the local tourist spots. Of course this always includes the cathedrals in the cities. We were in Amiens, France the other day and we went to the largest Gothic Cathedral in France. One thing that has begun to strike me as I visit these gigantic buildings, built in the 15th and 16th centuries, is that there was no modern machinery to raise the massive blocks of stone up over 400 feet on each of these structures. The number of deaths that occurred had to be high as well as those hurt and maimed during the construction.

Another claim to fame by the city of Amiens is that the Catholic Church of the city asserts that they have the head of John the Baptist. It is kept in the Cathedral but we were not interested in the viewing. I feel that it is a stretch of history to make that claim since John was buried by his followers after he was beheaded. The history of the wars of conquest between Jews, Muslims, and Christians makes it hard to believe that the spot where John was laid to rest stayed known through the centuries, but be that as it may I let them believe for it is of no consequence to anyone except the real person to whom it belongs. Since John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as a resurrected being, I wonder who will make the claim of the head later.

The buildings themselves are impressive, but except for the back of the cathedral where the alter is located, there is very little light, and even in the heat of summer the inside is cold and damp. The stained glass windows at the area of the altar are there for effect, a teaching moment that as the believer approaches the altar he approaches the light of the sacrifice of Christ. I appreciate that teaching aspect of the cathedral, but the church doesn't go into the teaching of the sacrifice of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and the glorious resurrection. There are many statues and paintings in the cathedrals concerning Christ giving his life on the cross, but I have yet to see the focus on the paying for our sins in the garden and the marvelous new birth of the body and the spirit for eternity. The lack of emphasis on the pain Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane takes away from one the main purposes of the sacrifice of Jesus, and the fact that the resurrection is not brought out as the culminating gift of Christ,leaves the worshiper with the death of Jesus on the cross as their last vision of the Savior. A recent convert said it so well when she said that the gloom of the death of Jesus was her previous view of her Savior, but since her recent knowledge of the resurrection she has viewed the events of the three days of the celebration of Easter in the light of joy and not despair.

Another thing that we have noticed in our travels through this area is that the effects of World War I are evident. Near Lille we saw, as we brought an a friend of the church to the chapel, at least 50 machine gun bunkers on both sides of the highway scattered in the farmers fields. They have not been removed and they are a reminder of how much of the trench warfare took place here. The other reminder is that there are hundreds of small cemeteries dotting the area. We passed many along the road yesterday as we went south in the zone to visit the Elder's apartments. Canadian, Scottish, British, Australian, and for the first time an American cemetery. Each resting place is well kept and will hold from 200 to 300 graves. As we were headed to Saint Quentin we noticed that there has been major reconstruction of entire villages and that the Cathedral of the city still has pock marks in the stone from bullets. Reminders of World War I are also found in the major battle areas because there are signs in three languages not to stray into the areas due to the fact that not all the shells have been found. One member mentioned that each year there will be news of a farmer being injured because the earth over time will bring a shell close to the surface and it will explode as they plow their fields.

What I Like About France

There has been a reoccurring theme that has been going through my mind for the past little while and it is about what I really like about being in France. It was not hard to come up with a large list, but I will pick out just a few of the highlights.

The first is the members of the church here in the Lille area. Today we had ward conference in both wards and as usual Joanne and I split our time between both of the wards by attending sacrament meetings in each of the wards. Some members come as far as 30 to 40 miles away to come to church and every week they are faithful in doing so. The members here give 10 minute talks in sacrament meeting so that means there are at least 4 talks each Sunday. The chance to give a talk comes much quicker here than at home, but they are always well prepared. Most Sundays there are as many as two youth speakers and their topics are well thought out and their testimonies are strong. The youth here are usually the only member of the church in their schools and they are very missionary minded even though French law prohibits the discussion of religion on school grounds. They show by example who they are and what they believe and that brings about questions from their friends. The members here need to be ready with the answers to so many more questions than we do at home because the church is not as well understood here in France and many of the news that is disseminated is false.

The leaders here are the same quality as at home because they are called by revelation. These brothers and sisters toil a few more hours than we do at home. Joanne and I are home teachers to two families that live far from our home and that means the leaders here are constantly on the road to keep in contact with the members of their ward. The bishops of the two wards here are very different in age but their dedication to the flock is the same and it drives them to be mindful of everyone.

Today with ward conferences the two ward decided to have a meal after and with both wards ending at about the same time there were about 140 people to feed. The Lille ward had the main course, which was couscous. Since distance is a problem the sisters came to the ward and spent Saturday afternoon getting everything ready and then took everything to their homes and put it all together in large quantities. The other ward had the salads and desserts and that was somewhat easier to get ready for, but everyone did their part to make the event a success.

Working with the young adults of the stake is a joy. These young people work in schooling and work along with their church assignments. We are having the privilege of meeting with 8 to 10 at Monday's home evening at the ward and then anywhere from 10 to 19 at the institute class on Thursday. Joanne prepares something good for Monday night and then cooks a meal for after the institute class because some of the students come from different wards that are 50 miles away. The youth gets along very well and we know that as they go on missions and then come back and marry in the temple that the foundation of the church will be solid. This program is inspired and it keeps the youth together and focused. We have a major stake activity once every two months and local activities every two weeks. Our Stake is planning a tri-stake youth activity at the end of Easter vacation. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

The next item on my list is peanut butter and a French baguette. You might think that bread and peanut butter is good but if you put it on French bread you will think you have died and gone to heaven. The typical French bread is baked in a special oven and the different wheat blends gives it a taste we thoroughly enjoy. We try very hard to keep this eating ritual down to a minimum or we would balloon out of sight with the added weight. The other food that we limit ourselves to a once a month feast is kebab. This is the North African equivalent to our American hamburger tradition. It is made with a special foot long bun and the sauce is spread on the inside of the bun. You can have it your way if you want to add lettuce and tomatoes. The meat is lamb, well cooked and it is placed in the bun until it overflows. French fries are then added to the kebab in large quantities. The fries in northern France are delicious and much better than anywhere else we have tried in the country. Wrap that up and take it home and if we don't split it in half for the next meal we would get fat in no time.

Keeping with the food theme, cheese is definitely on the list of the great things in France. Each region has its special cheese and so that means the variety is almost unlimited. The cheese section in the super market has three aisles and each aisle is 30 yards long. There is soft cheese that spreads on bread, hard cheese you can slice off and eat with bread, cheese to cook with and cheese to make deserts with. You have cheese from milk of cows, goats, and sheep. Most of the cheese is aged to perfection, but there are some that are fresh. The cheese that is aged is enclosed in a special outer coating that also adds to the flavor over time and keeps the cheese from spoiling. Every meal that is worth being classified a true French meal always has a cheese course with at least 4 to 6 difference types.

We have a few other favorite foods here. One is a cereal that is called Jordans Country Crisp. It is a mixture of grains and nuts, although you can get it with dark chocolate or strawberries, instead of nuts. I like the one with nuts, because there are many varieties of nuts in with the grains. It has a touch of honey to go with it. Hot dogs are something we have come to enjoy. With the fast pace missionary days we resort to eating a French style hot dog. We buy the ones made with chicken. They are long and thin and fit nicely in a bun called, "Pain au lait" or a special milk bun. The bun is soft and when you spread a mild French mustard and some ketchup on it you have a treat.

One last thing that I have come to appreciate here in Lille is the freeway system. With the cities in France being established centuries ago the building of freeways was a mighty feat. In Lille the construction was done in such a way as to make it efficient, but also in a way that did not destroy the ancient flavor of the city. Some of the system goes through tunnels that save the structure above. The signs are very well marked and the interchanges are done with the traffic flow in mind. The drivers in the north of France are for the most part very mindful of each other. The flow in and out of the interchanges is done courteously because there is an understanding that everyone must change lanes to get into their correct freeway so as to get to their destination. It is very easy to signal and be let in to your next lane.

We love the people here, their old traditions with food and some we have changed as we mix ours with theirs. The time is flying by because we are busy and see the progress that is being made. A mission is a great way for a couple to grow together and make a difference. The members love us because they think we are making a great sacrifice to be with them, when in reality it is a great blessing to serve and be with such great people.