C & C in France Paris Mission

 

Week Three 

PARIS, FRANCE - HERE WE COME!

On Monday, April 24,  we finished our last-minute packing, closed up the house, and were driven to the airport by Brian Thomas.  What joy to be able to have him see us off!  As we came to the Delta passenger drop-off, we were able to check our bags right at the curb.  We were so grateful as we had four big bags, two carry-ons and two personal items.  We found our gate and prepared for our  upcoming flight.

             .                                     

We took off on Delta #220 from Salt Lake City to Paris non-stop leaving at 3:10PM MST. 

I was watching every hour where our plane was on the flight information channel - amazing technology!

It was a long night flight - nine and one half hour flight - especially with long legs.  We didn't sleep a wink.

As I sat in my seat flying 39,000 feet above sea level in the air on a super large airplane flying through many time zones, being fed good food and clean water, watching movies, and seeing on the flight info screen where we were flying, my thoughts turned to my ancestors that came before me. 

I felt so grateful for them and was very humbled as I looked out the window.  The vast ocean, clouds, some land masses were below me.  The sun set and then I saw the sun rise.  How glorious it was.  All those many clouds and huge ocean shimmered in the light.  Small  land masses- then larger land pieces began to come into view. We had reached Europe!

I imagined how long and difficult it must of been to travel for my great- great grandparents, ancestors, and all the many many people who came to America from Europe and Scandinavia.  Many were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, gathered their families and a few belongings, traveled to Liverpool, England, where they boarded a ship and sailed two months across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in New York, then traveled by wagon to Far West, Missouri, then by handcarts, and walked for many months all the way across the Great Plains.  With great suffering, they traveled through freezing cold weather, snow, and almost starved to death.  They were rescued at Martin's Cove in Wyoming where they were assisted with food and taken by wagon to the Great Salt Lake Valley and arrived on November 30, 1852. 

Many of my Cook relatives came from Europe and landed by ship in Boston.  After working ten years as indentured servants, they moved to York, Maine, where they settled, bought land, and raised their families.  

My heart is so grateful for these brave family members that weathered this incredible journey so that their posterity - like me- could live in a free country and raise our children in a free land.

Now, as we are returning to the continent that they came from, my heart has so much love and gratitude for them.

Arrived in Paris

We arrived in Paris at 8:40 AM Paris Time (1:30 AM MST).  We got off the plane, went through customs with ease, picked up our luggage, and were met by Elders Morris and Maxwell who were wonderful to be there for us.  They helped take and load up our luggage into a van, drive us to our apartment on 25 Rue du Chemin Vert.  We came to these huge oak doors that entered into our apartment building.  They were on the outside of the old 18th Century part of the building - so cool.  Then we stepped into a courtyard of green plants and into the modernized part of the building.  The Elders helped us up to the 5th floor #1.  We were so grateful for their help!  They helped us set up internet service, etc., talked briefly and then they left.

                                                      Entrance doors to our Paris apartment

                                                                  We are on the 5th Floor

                                                                Kitchen area

                                                                Living Room Area

                                                                            Bathroom

                                                                         Bedroom

Our First Day In Paris

Our first day together exploring Paris was fabulous! So much to see and experience: incredible sights, sounds, smells, historical sites, people and gardens everywhere, busy streets, cross-walks galore, and lots of noises.

                                                                        Our street!

                                                      Gardens between streets for mile

                                                        Our neighborhood

                                                               Bastille Monument

                                                     First look at Notre Dame in the distance

                                                  Craig's first look at Notre Dame and La Seine

                                                              La Notre Dame Cathedral                                                 

                                                           A Modern Art Museum Display

                                                               Samaritaine Department Store

           Incredible display of hair pieces on the stair banisters that will be donated to the Paris Opera

                                                                   Paris hats and cases

                                                        My new female Chebacco outfit! 

                                                                    Very relaxing!

                                                                  All six floors

                                                            "Can you believe this shoe?   

                                                                Wild displays

                                                Tea time with sweets in downtown Paris

                                                                    Gardens galore

Old palace now used for an office building

                       

    

                                                            A beautiful French carrousel 
                                            
                                                            

                                                                St Paul's Cathedral

                                                            Cheeses galore!

                                                            An apple croissant-yum! 

                                                        

                                                               Giorgette - who rescued us

Craig and I were on our way to the Metro at the Bastille Monument.  There were no M signs. As we looked and looked, Giorgette appeared out of nowhere.  She saw our missionary tags and was so happy to see us!  She was ecstatic that she had found us, as she had prayed that morning to be lifted with joy.  That was indeed her reaction when she saw us.  She offered to take us to the Paris Center and Church.  As she lead us through the subway and around the streets, she keep saying how grateful she was that we were here in Paris.  She told us her conversion story, which was amazing.  How we love her and are so grateful for her.

Just around the corner from our apartment is this beautiful garden and St Paul's Church.  The bells tole on the hour.  I love the sound of these old church bells.  It reminds me that time is very precious and that each minute that we live, we need to enjoy our life, families, and friends.  For whom does the bell tole for? It toles for me and all of us!

It has been a very eventful first week in Paris.  We are so grateful to be here and partake of the people, the beautiful culture, history all around us, and making new friends each day.

We send our love to all and know you are all in our prayers as we know we are in yours!