There is a young single sister in our ward. She has born her testimony a few times and I noticed her. I never really talked to her except the normal greetings “Bonjour, comment ca va?” She seemed to be struggling in life by her facial expressions and staying to herself at church.
Tim and I went to the Bern Temple a few months ago. We took another senior couple from Geneva to the temple with us to get to know them. They are James and Kim Powers, also serving in the France Lyon Mission.
While I was in the endowment room, I kept looking at the back of a young woman and I wondered if it was the one from our ward. I don’t even know her name. I still don’t. In the dressing room, I saw her come out from a dressing stall and I said you are from my ward. She said yes, I recognize you too. She spoke pretty good English. I said how are you. Then she started to pour out her heart and soul to me. She told me of how she came to the temple today to seek answers. I said what are your questions. She said I have a boyfriend, and he is not a member, and he doesn’t want to be. He doesn’t like my standards and wants to live together. I am afraid if I say no, he will leave. I said you came to the right place today. You are worthy to come to the House of the Lord to receive revelation just for you. How did you feel today. She said I feel as though I should leave him. I said then you have your answer. She said now will be the hard part, breaking up. I said yes it will be hard. But sometimes we learn the most from going through the hardest times. I said, I am so proud of you for knowing where to come for help from the Lord. He has spoken to you. What a blessing that is. I love you. I believe that we are here together because I can physically give you a hug from your Heavenly Father and tell you He loves you. I love you. When one door closes another door will open. I promise you that. We hugged and that was a very spiritual moment for both of us. AND I DIDN’T”T EVEN KNOW HER NAME!! But I knew her.
Here is a picture of my temple friend Anne-Flore and her new boyfriend! July 14, 2024
A few months passed and my son Zane was visiting us in Lyon with Zane, Weston and Bennett! I was on the stand to lead the music, and I saw her! By now, I knew her name: Anne-Flore. She was beaming and looked so happy. I went to give her a hug and she said, “I will never forget you. Thank you for talking to me in the temple. I want you to meet my “new “boyfriend!” She emphasized “NEW”. He is the brother of the 2nd counselor in our bishopric. He is a member and temple worthy!!! What a miracle!!! Heavenly Father knows each of us by name and He loves us, and He will help us through our trials and sometimes he will use those around us as His hands on earth. We need to always be willing to open our mouths and our hearts when we are prompted to do so even when we don’t know them by name. It doesn’t matter that I don’t know her name because I know her, and I love her. When she said I will never forget you, I said I will never forget you either!
Tim and I have been serving as missionaries in Lyon France for 9 months now. We are halfway through our mission. We have had some sweet miracles that I don’t want to forget so I am going to write about a few of them.
We had some missionaries (Elder Adams and Elder Brown) call us and ask if they could come over and bring one of their special “Ami’s”. They said you will like him. So we set up a time and they came for dinner in May 2024. This young man just turned 21 and is one of the most Christlike individuals I have ever met. He met the missionaries last January 2024. He had just left the Jehovah Witness congregation and noticed our missionaries wearing white shirts, ties and name tags. He started asking them questions. Those two missionaries were Elder Sumsion and Elder Beard. They were our zone leaders in Lyon and some of the best missionaries. They taught him about the church. He soaked it up like a sponge. He has since gone through several missionaries and when we talk to him, he knows more about the Book of Mormon and Bible than most members. He wants to be baptized but his parents are Seventh Day Adventist, and his grandparents are Evangelists I believe. They are not happy that he has broken with their traditions and their faith. He was told if he was baptized, he would have to move out and take care of himself. Basically, they would disown him. Oh how sad. He is such a good young man. So, for now, he attends church every week and participates in every way but has not been baptized. We had him over a few nights ago for the second time and the missionaries as well. He said his parents are on vacation for two weeks. I said, “Yes, you can get baptized, and they will never know!!!!” Haha. He did chuckle but wants them to support and be happy for him. So, in January it will be a year that he has chosen to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We are hoping and we pray that Clemont’s parents’ hearts will soften and can sustain him in his decision to be baptized. I hope he will be baptized while we are still here, or we will have to fly back – I love this young man that much. When I looked at him, I told him – we are here for you. He is one that we are in Lyon to support. Maybe his parents will come to dinner at our apartment. I do know that the Lord puts people in the paths of others for reasons. Here is a picture of Clemont, Elder Adams, Elder Brown, Tim and me.
Also, the two missionaries that first met him. Elder Sumsion and Elder Beard who are home now.
Another sweet missionary miracle is Segolene Perez. Segolene is in our Port des Alpes ward in Lyon. I would see her on Sundays sitting by an older woman and man that I just found out are her parents. They did not smile much and were very quiet. We have lots of French members that do not smile much and are private and quiet. It seems to be the culture here until you get to know them. So, I taught Relief Society a month or so ago. I had written some of my personal stories that I wanted to tell them in French, and I wrote the words phonetically so I could read it correctly. I have not learned French as I hoped. But I don’t let it hold me back. I had a power point with quotes in French and pictures of my family so they could get to know me. I never shy away from telling my weaknesses or what trials I have gone through. I have been through some tough tragic events that I believe I went through so I can help others go through tough times. I am not afraid to tell hard stories if it can help someone else. So, I told a few from my life. I told of how members of our ward and stake had shunned my sweet daughter and me because she had gotten pregnant at a young age. I talked about how it is our choice to be offended if someone treats us badly or we think they are treating us badly. Sometimes we think they are being mean but most of the time people just don’t know what to say or how to act. It is out of ignorance on their part. There was a new older widow in our ward in Relief Society that Sunday named Jennine Roux. I asked her when her husband died was there anything we could do to make her feel better? She said no. I said what about us coming up to give you a hug and tell you we love you? She said that was comforting. I said the only thing we can do is not ignore but at least offer love and maybe take a meal in or give them a ride or take them grocery shopping, etc. Ignoring someone when they are hurting is the worst thing to do. I made a comment about being on the floor when my husband died, and I couldn’t get up. I prayed and Heavenly Father sent angels to lift me up off the floor. I talked about let’s be each other’s angels to help us off the floor when we need help. So now I get to the story of Segolene. She had never talked to me before, but I could tell she was touched in the lesson. She came up to me and said, “some of us in this room today are still on the floor.” What a profound statement and I gave her a hug. The next Sunday she came up to and told me she is married to a man who is not a member. He has started to ask questions. I told him about your lesson last week and he said I could invite you and your husband over to dinner at our home. MIRACLE!!!! I said we would love to. So, we went over last week. Tuesday, July 30, 2024. They have a lovely, very nice apartment on the 7th floor of a nice building. It has a deck around the entire apartment and air conditioning. We had a wonderful time. Her husband’s name is Serge. He was so kind and pleasant. We want to be friends, and we are friends. We talked about his family and our family, hobbies, jobs and education, etc. We laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. We will have them over to our apartment when they are back from their vacation in a few weeks. We are here in Lyon for Segolene and Serge Perez.
Here is a picture of Serge and Segolene Perez and Tim and me.
When reading the Book of Mormon, I try to do so with a theme in mind. Several times, I have read the Book of Mormon from the perspective that the events leading up to the first coming of our Savior are a sign and a type of the events that lead up to His second. There are times I read it for history, other times, I am looking for doctrine. On one reading, I read the Book of Mormon from a missionary perspective. This reading, I am reading with President Nelson’s statement from the October, 2022 conference in mind.
“So many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,” He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.”
That is a powerful statement. One can apply this citation to not only the Book of Mormon, but to all scripture. Any miracle, any manifestation we read about in the scriptures will be manifest and more in these latter days. Here are but a few examples:
1 Nephi 4, Laban is delivered into Nephi’s hands.
1 Nephi 16, Lehi and his family are guided by the Liahona.
1 Nephi 17, Nephi is instructed on how to build a ship
1 Nephi 18, Nephi miraculously calms a storm
2 Nephi prophesies of the last days
Jacob 7, Sharem demands a sign and is smitten
Mosiah 18, the people of Alma flee from king Noah. Even their children and pregnant women out pace the soldiers of Noah.
Mosiah 24, The people of Alma are persecuted but their burdens are made light, then they miraculously escape from their Lamanite persecutors. This is one of my favorites.
Alma 14, The people of Ammonihah reject Alma and Amulek and then destroy the believers in front of them. The prison walls tumble to the earth and their persecutors are slain.
Alma 15, Alma heals Zeezrom, a lawyer who was astounded and converted by the teachings of Alma and Amulek.
Alma 17, Ammon slays the enemies of the king at the waters of Sebus.
Alma 18, Lamoni, a king of the Lamanites is miraculously converted
Alma 24, The conversations of Lamanites when the Ammonites willingly laid down their lives
Alma 30, Korihor, an anti-Christ challenges Alma for a sign. He is struck dumb and eventually trodden down by the Zoramites
Alma 31, Missionaries are filled with the spirit and go their separate ways to preach the gospel
Alma 56, the Sons of Helaman fight with miraculous power
Helaman 5, Nephi and Lehi are preaching to the Lamanites and are cast into prison. Clouds of darkness overshadow the prison, the prison shakes and Nephi and Lehi converse with angels. There were 300 Lamanite witnesses.
Helaman 11, Nephi calls a famine down on the land, Nephi and Lehi receive many revelations
Helaman 16, Samuel the Lamanite prophesies and cannot be slain
3 Nephi 1, the signs of the Savior’s birth
One of my favorite stories is about the prophet Nephi who led the righteous saints just before the death, resurrection and appearance of the Lord. I marvel that his ministry to the saints preceding the coming of the Lord in the meridian of time, will be surpassed in our day. It is worth including passages concerning his ministry.
3 Nephi 7:17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.
18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.
19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.
20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.
The power the adversary wields in our world today is seemingly unbearable and insurmountable. We fear for our children and the whirlwind of lies, subterfuge and deceit that envelop them. Without hope and faith in His plan, it all seems hopeless. The Book of Mormon is replete with miracles that will be duplicated and surpassed in our day. It is not a coincidence that the bulk of the Book of Mormon, from Mosiah to 3rd Nephi, is dedicated to the years before His first coming. They are a mirror of our days. The miracles of those days will be made manifest and more in the dispensation of the restitution of all things and I have mentioned only a few of the events that transpired among the righteous who lived in the time preceding his first coming. We need always remember that the Lord is aware and in charge. He is wielding His power with finesse and authority far beyond our feeble understanding. We, in our day and our time, will witness and be surrounded by many of these miracles. We will see them individually as well as collectively as our Lord works tirelessly though us to gather the remnants of his flock before the whirlwind of his judgment.
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith. (Ether 12:6,12)
Yes, the Lord promises to try our faith and he will not manifest His power to those who have no faith. But as with the faithful people of Alma, surrounded by trial and persecution, they were also surrounded by miracles. The power of God has and always will surpass in glory and light anything from the adversary.
That is why we are serving a mission. We are here because of a faith that the Lord will magnify our feeble efforts to bring about His will, and add to the uncountable miracles transpiring in these last days. We have faith that the blessings poured out on our families will far outweigh our absence. We testify of this work. The Lord is pouring miracles, small and mighty upon his people and all those seeking righteousness in the time before He returns.
Several weeks ago, I taught Relief Society. I had a month to prepare, although some of that time was taken with some special family events. I was asked to teach on a Conference Talk by Ulisses Soares on being Confident Covenant Keepers. I speak little French, and many of the Sisters in the ward speak no English, so I made a power point presentation on parts of the lesson in French and had sisters read them. I also had a sweet translator named Helena. She is 18 years old and is the Relief Society Presidents daughter. I had lots of pictures of my family in the power point and I told a couple of personal stories. The reason I told those stories was so the sisters could see how I got through some very hard things in my life by staying true to the covenants I had made in the temple. That gave me strength. I am pretty honest and told of my weaknesses as well. I told a story of being on the floor and I couldn’t get up after my husband Zane died. But I remembered my eternal covenants and I prayed for help. The Lord sent angels to help me get up. The lesson went well and we had lots of discussion. One sister came up at the end and said some women in this room are still on the floor. That was interesting. The French people tend to be very proud and private. Most of the sisters would not ever tell a personal story let along reveal weaknesses. BUT, here is the miracle!!!! A cute sister that I see each week who is very quiet and does not engage with anyone came up to me after sacrament meeting the next week. She was nervous but she came up to me and said, “you don’t know me but I was in Relief Society last week and heard your lesson. I went home and told my husband about your lesson. He is not a member. He has not been interested in church although we have a son serving a mission in Africa right now. He told me I could invite you and your husband over to dinner in the next few weeks”. She said he is changing in some ways. I said Tim and I would be so happy to come over to dinner.
I told Tim about this on our way home from church and he said there are reasons we are here. More and more miracles happen when we turn our hearts over to God and let Him lead us. We just need to be willing to go where he asks us to go. There have been several people that we have met and I have looked them in the eye and I know we are here for them. I have told them that when I feel that so strongly. Here are the few by name because I want to remember when I said this: Machilo – baptized in May. Yebei –from China and still investigating. Clarmont – I love this young man. He will be a Bishop someday. His family are 7th day Adventist and are very against him being baptized. Members I know I am here for – Theresa, Martine, Munashe, Laetitia, and all our missionaries who we love!
God is a God of love. We all need to be loving and kind and welcoming. I am grateful to be a missionary in the Lyon France Mission.
When Tim and I first got to Lyon last November we were very sick with COVID. It took us a few weeks to recover, and the first activity we were able to attend was a ward Christmas dinner. We struggled to find our church building which is indistinguishable from the surrounding apartment buildings. Several floors of apartments were remodeled to make our meetinghouse. On the 3rd floor, a large room with a baptismal font is where we have baptisms and ward dinners. It is not very big but we manage. I was a bit overwhelmed with not speaking French, but was drawn to a cute couple from Zimbabwe. I walked across the room and started talking to them. The girl was so cute and her name was Munashe, his name was Machilo. We started to talk and I asked him a ton of questions.
When I found out he was not a member, I was shocked because he acted like a member, was so kind and had all the right answers. I remember saying , “why aren’t you a member, whats holding you back”? He started to laugh and said I am working on it. From then on we hosted them and the sisters who were teaching him at our apartment once a week for lessons and dinner. We did that from December through May. What a joy to have this wonderful young couple in our home.
They had been trying to get married for months. Assembling the paperwork necessary for a wedding license was difficult as they needed a number of documents from their home government. France does not recognize weddings in a church. It has to be done by the government and then after that you can go to a church and do a wedding ceremony. In the meantime, Munashe was expecting a baby in March. I remember early on Machilo said “ Should I get baptized first or get married first?” I loved that! I said you need to get married first, otherwise you would have to move out!! We laughed! We had such great lessons.
The sisters were Sis. Fraga, Sis. Ariiotima, & Sis. Molinet. Sis. Molinet was giving a lesson and she challenged Machilo to be baptized on May 4th. I remember thinking that was so far away. But it was very inspired especially a month later when they got their wedding date from the government. Machilo and Munashe got a wedding date from the government for Saturday April 27th. I realized then that God is in charge and we need to trust Him.
On March 26th little Elsie was born. What a sweet little baby. We all are in love with her. Machilo and Munashe call us her “Gogo” and “Khulu” which are grandma and grandpa in the Zimbabwe tribe they are from.
Then they were married on Saturday April 27th. Then on Saturday May 4 we all came to the church building. I worked with Laetitia (RS president) and Bishop Nelson and we planned a beautiful wedding and baptism feast. Machilo loves white cake with white frosting and I made him a wedding cake. We bought flowers and decorated very simply. I had fun with the decorations. We had the baptism and then we cut the cake and had a party. It was so fun to celebrate. The french like to eat long meals and party into the night. Bishop was worried but it was all done in 3 hours. So fun to celebrate Machilo. Just for information. Last Sunday June 23, Machilo was called to be the Ward Clerk. He was made an Elder. We are so proud of him.
We had many discussions with the two of them, answering questions and testifying of the truthfulness of the Gospel and the church Machilo was joining. Meeting after meeting, the spirit filled our tiny apartment. He is one that the Lord prepared for us to meet.
There are thousands of reasons why not to serve a mission, and Catherine and I can check the boxes on most of them. I have my first two grandchildren getting married this summer and another special sealing in Catherine’s family. Both of us have family with medical conditions, and it wrenches our heart not to be there to help, console and simply be present for them. In the next year, Catherine and I have four special grandchildren that will be baptized and a new grandchild on the way. We also have a high school graduation of a sweet granddaughter.
Grandsons and tonsils
We will be missing priesthood ordinations, family reunions, graduations and of course, 40 birthdays among our grandchildren and 22 among our children and their spouses. Why did we pick this time to go on a mission? Why so early after our marriage? Why did we not wait until things were more calm in our families, with fewer family events? Why now?
A fathers blessing
There will always be family events, celebrations and hardships no matter when we choose to serve Him. To be frank, there is no “good” time to go on a mission. The ‘right’ time will never come. Our advice to anyone considering a mission, and even to those who are not, Go Now. There may be extreme circumstances why you need to postpone a mission. The Savior understands and will prompt you to the right course to take. Otherwise, Go Now. Your lives will certainly be blessed, but more important for Catherine and I, His spirit will intervene, comfort, guide and bring gently home our children and grandchildren, those who matter most.
As Senior missionaries, there are times when it is appropriate to take a quick trip home. We are planning one trip home during our mission to be present with our families for some life changing events. I believe the Lord aware of the conflicting demands on senior missionaries, and understands the needs for us to serve our families as well. Here is a quote shared with us in one of our central Europe Area devotionals.
Christmas
Elder Bednar, Adriatic North Mission, April 2023
“To you couples, I promise that the most powerful testimony you will ever bear to your children and grandchildren is your absence. Those grandchildren will pray for you now in a way that they will never again pray for you.”
“When you return home, the testimony you bear in person will be magnified because you weren’t there. Your testimony of absence will be far more powerful than anything you can do now or in the future. It will augment that testimony in miraculous ways. I promise in the name of the Lord.”
The little events
For the younger generation; prepare now. plan your finances, your job, your retirement and most important of all, build that mindset now. There is every reason to postpone a mission, but there is one good reason to go: Serve Him. We have been in tears a time or two, aching to be with our families at a time of crisis or celebration, but we both feel an overwhelming peace from Him that we are in the right place. Some of the celebrations we are missing are precisely because we are here, events that are happening at home because His Spirit is working on our children and grandchildren in our absence. Our advice to any senior couple: Go now. Don’t wait for the right time, don’t wait for the right finances. Don’t wait. Serve Him and the blessings will be poured out on your family. Yes, you will miss them and yes, there will be times of almost overwhelming sorrow because you are not there, but His spirit is behind you and He will carry you gently in His arms.
Grandson singing at conference
You will also experience times of unbounded joy, peace and satisfaction for the time you spend in His service.
When we were filling out our mission papers, Catherine listed her extensive experience in introducing the church’s self-reliance program. She helped establish a pilot program in her ward and stake as a Stake Relief Society President as well as the stake Self-Reliance specialist. It was no small surprise that we were called as Welfare Self-Reliance (WSR) missionaries, certainly a big surprise that we were called to France.
“The aim of the self-reliance initiative is to help individuals help themselves become self-reliant. Self-reliance is more than having a good job, food storage, or money in the bank. Self-reliance is ‘the ability, commitment, and effort to provide for the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family. As members become self-reliant, they are also better able to serve and care for others,’ and work is enthroned as a ruling principle in their lives” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 6.1.1).
Over the last five months, We have been studying the self-reliance program. There are four core classes in the Self-Reliance initiative:
Personal Finances Find a Better Job Starting and Growing my Business Education for Better Work
In addition to these core classes, the church offers two courses for learning English:
EnglishConnect 1 and 2
There is an EnglishConnect 3 course which is taught through BYU pathways and is to help individuals learning English prepare for entering the BYU Pathways education system.
There are four additional courses offered by the church to strengthen self and family:
Emotional Resilience Strengthening Marriage Strengthening Family Addiction Recovery
Churchofjesuschrist.org
In studying these programs, I have come to better understand the meaning and purpose of Self-Reliance as taught by the church.
“Without self-reliance one cannot exercise these innate desires to serve. How can we give if there is nothing there? Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves. Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse. Support and understanding cannot come from the emotionally starved. Teaching cannot come from the unlearned. And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot come from the spiritually weak.” (The Celestial Nature of Self-reliance, Marion G. Romney, October 1982)
President Thomas S. Monson taught: “Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle” (“Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare,” Ensign, Sept. 1986)
“All things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal” (D&C 29:34)
“We invite you to diligently study and apply these principles and teach them to your family members. As you do so, your life will be blessed. You will learn how to act on your path toward greater self-reliance. You will be blessed with greater hope, peace, and progress.” (The First Presidency, in the introduction of all self-reliance manuals)
As a young father, I remember talking with one of the members of our ward. He was well off, but his whole demeanor, his entire focus was on making money. He was sincere in his belief that the difference he made in God’s kingdom depended on the amount of money he had to further His work. Once he was really wealthy, he would “make a difference in the church”. He wasn’t quite there yet, but his spacious house, large boat and other earthly possessions told a different story. He entirely missed the point. If all the Lord is after is money, he knows where all the riches of the world are hidden and has but to direct his leaders to untold wealth. Self-reliance does not separate the temporal and the spiritual. They are one. Being self-reliant does not dictate we have a lot of money and need to rely on no one else.
“Self-reliance is not the end, but a means to an end. It is very possible for a person to be completely independent and lack every other desirable attribute. One may become wealthy and never have to ask anyone for anything, but unless there is some spiritual goal attached to this independence, it can canker his soul.” (The Celestial Nature of Self-reliance, Marion G. Romney, October 1982)
President Léporé of the France Lyon mission and his son holding up a list of items to be included in homeless kitsMissionaries in Nice, France writing messages of faith and hope to be included in homeless kits
Could not a homeless person, or a homeless family be self-reliant in the eyes of the Lord? Missionaries in the France Lyon mission assembled homeless kits, not as a dole, but with the goal to include messages of hope and inspiration, hand written notes to lift up heavy hearts, to distribute these kits as the spirit directs to those whom they encounter during their service.
What is the Lord’s view of someone who is self-reliant?
churchofjesuschrist.org
The widow giving her mites at the temple may have been ‘dependent’ in the world’s view, but she was one of the most self-reliant people mentioned in the New Testament. I love the image of the widow as a young woman with children, teaching her children about trust, faith, action and service. In other words, to be self-reliant.
“Self-reliance is evidence of our trust or faith in God’s power to move mountains in our lives and to give us strength to triumph over trials and afflictions.” (My Foundation, Self-reliance is a principle of salvation)
Self-reliance has little to do with our ability to make money, the extent of our possessions or even the amount of food storage in our closets. Self-reliance is doing all that we are capable to spiritually and physically prepare ourselves to care for our families, care for others and wear ourselves out in His service.
We are settling into our mission, learning the ropes and learning to love the people around us. There are several shops that we frequent, some of them recognize us from missionaries past, some are new friends. Even with my French language background, it is Catherine that communicates the best. They feel her friendship, her love and her enthusiasm and brighten each time she enters the shop. Our favorite is a small bakery just around the corner. When we shop, we hold off our bread purchases until we pass the shop the way home. At times, Catherine goes in for a baguette while I pop up to the apartment to unload groceries. She usually follows me in with an armful of bread, quiche and a sandwich or two.
There is a Saturday market at the corner that sells all manner of fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. I used to love the Saturday’s Market in Portland, but in recent years, it has become so commercialized with tourist trinkets and the like. I have yet to find a trinket at this market.
There is always a down side no matter where one ends up, and Catherine found an Ikea. I think the picture says it all.
Catherine has discovered the joy of French cooking and French meals. She found a Raclette on sale at the local Carrefour and we have fed investigators and missionaries alike. We cannot eat in true French style, taking three hours for a meal, but we have learned to slow down and enjoy the conversation around the table as watch those hungry missionaries devour Catherine’s cooking. Don’t worry, I am in the kitchen as well. I haven’t started up bread making, the bread here is too good and so inexpensive, but I do enjoy bouncing about our tiny kitchen with Catherine.
Next week, we are off to our first in person meeting with self-reliant specialists in Clermont-Ferrand. We are meeting with our ‘boss’ first, Momo Djemai, to go over training materials we are developing, then with the Membre’s to help plan some new self-reliance classes. As I study these programs and put together presentations to help leaders and specialists understand the courses the Church has developed, I can feel the power of the spirit that went into crafting these programs. The Lord is hastening his work in the last days, preparing his saints and seeking out the watchful.
In our last zone conference, the missionaries based their theme around the people of Alma; that the Lord did not lift their burdens when they covenanted to follow Him, but He lifted their hearts and their capacity to bear up under their ever increasing burdens with faith and joy. The missionaries have been teaching a young couple in our apartment, and after the last lesson, they had to scoot to their next appointment. This couple is going through some hardships at this time that seem to have no end. I turned to Mosiah to recount to them the faith of the People of Alma and we could see the Spirit bare powerful testimony to them that in spite of, and perhaps even because of their troubles, the Lord is mindful of every detail of their lives.
The story of the People of Alma is one of my favorite passages in the Book of Mormon. As I was reading it some years ago, I realized that in these passages, the Lord had set up, by modern standards, an excellent qualitative case study about how the Lord deals with his people based on their righteousness. I even wrote an article about it, which I posted on my website.
Latter-Day Saints 