C & C in France Paris Mission
Week Four
April 30 - May 6, 2023
Our first European church to explore near the Palace of Versailles was St Louise's Church.
It was so beautiful! The colors from the stained glass windows streamed down onto my face. The stories were of Jesus Christ and the heavens above.
Onto the Palace of Versailles
Versailles is the home of three French Kings: Louise the 13th, 14th, and 5th. This palace that housed these kings and their families makes it clear why the peasants and poor people of France revolted against such lavish and expensive living and lifestyles. The last king, Louise the 15th, was beheaded in 1789 not far from where we live in Paris.
The thing that strikes me is that for centuries - including now - everyone in the world has come to see this remarkable palace. It truly is how I imagined the royal French palaces to look during this time period (Renaissance-1600-1800's): gold plated doors, windows, ceilings -everywhere, high marble walls with paintings and statues, beautifully painted artwork and tapestries primarily of the king and some of his family, statues, big bedrooms with huge king/queen beds (truly king-size!), everything on a massive scale. No holds on funds for this palace. It influenced all of the kings, leaders, and noblemen of Europe for centuries and set a standard that kings and emperors followed and tried to imitate. It truly is amazing how it was made. It took centuries to build and decorate.
Outside the Palace of Versailles
This is where all the balls were held. Guests would dress in their finest attire and dance the night away to candlelight which were lit many hours before the guests would arrive. Just think how many candles had to be lit and relit. They sparkled on the mirrors. It must have been glorious!
Queen's bedroom and bed - Marie-Antoinette was the last queen to sleep in this bed before the revolution. She was beheaded near where we live in Paris in 1793 (La place de la Concorde).
Her cabinet that held all her jewels - such beautiful crafting.
A bust statue of Marie-Antoinette
With her children - one had just passed away (empty crib).
Coronation - can you imagine what a spectacle it was?
Massive halls with huge historical paintings of all the leaders in France - 500 AD to today.
The grounds outside are spectacular! So well groomed, spacious, water fountains, so beautiful!
Back inside, we walked down the huge historical photo gallery again. They were telling historical the stories of historical events.
The King's entrance and exit was also our entrance and exit. As we say good-bye to Versailles, we will always remember the feeling in this magnificent palace. We look forward to visiting it often - especially with family and friends - and going to concerts here. Au revoir pour l'instant!
We meet with President and Soeur Hansen tomorrow to discuss our senior missionary duties. We look forward to serving in the France Paris Mission.
Wednesday April 26, 2023
Today we met President and Soeur Hansen and Soeur and Elder Scheuermann at the Paris Center in downtown Paris. It was wonderful to meet these very special people! President Hansen discussed with us some of the important details and duties that we would be doing to assist the Scheuermann's at the Center. Craig and I are very happy to be part of the Paris Mission Family Center Team.
President and Soeur Hansen
After meeting with President Hansen, we toured the building.
The Paris Center is in a big building located in the downtown area of Paris. There is a Family Search area where all are welcome to use computers and search out their family roots. Many people drop by and do their family research. It is a very peaceful environment and lots of love and support is given here.
Picture of the Paris Center to come
Around the side of the office and through some huge blue-painted wooden doors is the old courtyard with a cobble-stone road. The Church owns part of the building, and there is a large room where the Chapel/weekly Sacrament Meetings are held, and a room near for other meetings, classes. Across the courtyard, is the Bishop's office and other rooms that are used for various activities.
To the right, you go up a very old 18th century staircase with marble floors and wooden hand rail. At the top is the large area the is used for institute classes, family home evenings, a small kitchen for cooking every Monday evening for the YSA, more class rooms, and ping pong table in a larger room at the back which is uses regularly. It is very serviceable group of rooms, and the members so enjoy gathering here. Many people return here to see the people they served here and feel the spirit they felt here. There is such love, wonderful memories, and nostalgia when a missionary returns to see where he or she served. We greet them with great joy and so love and appreciate them and their service.
Paris Center Courtyard-Chapel door on left
Paris Chapel
Craig and I are learning how to assist the patrons, members, and all the people who go through the Paris Center during the week. We have met many wonderful full-time missionaries and are in awe of their strength, abilities, love of the Gospel and each other. They truly have been called of God to serve here in France at this time. Each one learns French, then learn to speak it fluently - and some speak several other languages. They are an incredible group of loving young people and a force for good wherever they go.
Craig and I would like to share a spiritual thought each week with all of you.
This week's spiritual thought is in the Book of Mormon in Alma.
Alma 37:6 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
By small and simple acts, great things come to pass. Keeping
the commandments, praying every day, reading a little bit of the scriptures
daily are what makes a difference in our day. If we do these small and simple
things everyday, we will see big changes in our lives. If you want to change
your week change your day. If you want to change your day change what you do
every hour. If you want to change your hour, change every minute and second of
that hour. Small things do make a difference!
I am grateful for the small and simple things in life, and appreciate the opportunity to begin a new day with prayer, personal scripture study, companion study. We study our French each day and then after a light breakfast, we go to Basic Gym which is just down the street. It is a very new and well equipped gym. Craig keeps me on track by reminding me to keep up the good work! I love and appreciate him!
Daily, I am currently practicing and preparing to sing in concerts that I have been invited to sing in. They will be held in Normandy and Versailles this month and next.
It is with great gratitude that I thank my Heavenly Father that I will be able to use the gifts that I have developed to serve others - especially on a full-time mission here in France.
Between work days, Craig and I are getting to know Paris and learning more about the city and its history and culture.
The Louvre is an incredible experience! It is huge - an old palace that in now being used for a museum. The paintings, sculptures, many exhibits of all kinds of art is extraordinary. We could spend years in this place. It reminds me of being in a dream of art with my favorite artists from all over the world.
We started out making our way to see the famous Mona Lisa. As we found her gazing at us across the room on the wall, she is surrounded by so many people. She is covered in glass and her eyes follow you everywhere in the room that you go. I have seen her once before, but this time, I felt her eyes following me so strongly and found myself looking at her for over 20 minutes. Craig felt that she was way over-rated, and enjoyed the war pictures more, as he is a landscape guy. We both enjoyed the sculptures and artifacts.
Exploring the culture and artifacts have given us such a real experience of the history and what it must have been like to live here in Paris. The way the kings and queens lived, how the people must have felt and why there was a French Revolution; the exquisite artistry and skill of the painters and sculptors, the vastness of the buildings and the overwhelming feeling of being in a place so unique is breath-taking.
Our culture in the United States is rooted from this culture here in Europe. Much of who we are started was developed here in Europe - from Greece, Rome, then France, England. Our forefathers from Europe brought all of this amazing culture and heritage with them.
Imagine - the old now meets the new, just like in this photo above, and the world is forever changed because of both. I love seeing the past history before my eyes and then feeling it in my heart and mind and imagining how people were and how their lives and life-styles still influence us today - and our future lives. We truly are in a world made from many many generations throughout time and place. I love being here with Craig and sharing this all with him. We truly are blessed to be here.
May God continue to bless all of you! We love and miss you so!
So happy to see another post! Wish I'd been notified. I'll try to figure it out. Love to you both!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bev! Yes, sorry the posting has been difficult - internet learning, connection and WiFi issues, etc. Hope you are feeling better each day! Love you!
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