C & C in France Paris Mission
Week Six
May 14-20, 2034
A typical Sunday
We started out the week with our French Speaking Sacrament Meeting at 10:00 A. M. So many people from all over the world are there. Paris truly is the melting pot of all nationalities and cultures. It amazes me how many different kinds of people come each week - the ward members, but many visitors. Different BYU Study Abroad groups come in each week. This week they were studying French business practices. Other weeks it has been Culinary Study of Mediterranean Diets, Fashion Design, French Culture Studies - such a variety of educated students join us each week.
At 11:00 AM we go to the J's Class (Young Single Adults 18-30 yrs old). Two weeks in a row, Craig taught the class in English and a student translated what he said into French. There were some that spoke Spanish too, and other languages as well. It is wonderful meeting so many different cultures in one room!
At 12:30 PM is an English speaking Fast and Testimony Meeting where visitors and students attend. They all share their testimonies, which are so inspiring! Each one gives a very heart-felt message and shares their love of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. It is so spiritual to attend these meetings.
After attending Church, we go back to our apartment, eat and rest, and usually call family and friends and write, study French, and plan our week.
On Monday, we attended our first Senior Missionary Luncheon. It was wonderful to meet all of the current Senior Missionaries! They are so much fun and have so much wisdom and experience! We felt blessed to be among them, and learn about their activities, stories, and compassionate service.
On Tuesday, we arose early, borrowed a Church-owned car and drove north to Normandy. The landscape has beautiful green fields with little villages nestled in between hillsides and rivers. Truly, French farmers do a terrific job of cultivating the land and growing crops - wheat, barley, potatoes are prominently grown. Brown and white, all white, some brown cows and some heards of sheep spot the green fields all huddled together. I feel like I am in another world of farms and cows, with hills and valleys.
We went to many small villages, saw many beautiful harbors and old market places. Our favorite place was to see the Omaha Beach where the American soldiers landed during WWII. There is an American Cemetery above this very beach where thousands gave their lives to free Europe from Hitler's evil regime. It is a very reverent place, and overwhelming to see so many white crosses - each a fallen soldier that we honor today for their service and giving their lives for their country so we could live in freedom. I am so thankful for each one of these brave men and for their sacrifice. God bless them!
We made it to Cherbourg, in the upper northern part of Normandy, for my first musical rehearsal. It was wonderful to meet Elder and Soeur Seube, and Soeur McConkie and Soeur Wilson.
Elder Seube plays an excellent viola and is the Branch President in LeHavre. Soeur McConkie plays piano and is doing a great job. We got right to work and rehearsed our Brahms, Schubert pieces, hymns, and finalized our program. After the rehearsal, we all were pleased and looked forward to meeting again next week for two more rehearsals before our concert.
On our way home, we saw some fabulous castles, which are all over France. The standouts are Mont Saint Michelle and Charbonneau Chateaux. Fabulous! So extemely beautiful! They are huge and both took my breath away. We have never seen such big and stunning castles in water - on in sea and one on a river. Wow! France had many lords and ladies who lived like kings and queens!
We attended a beautifully done Mozart Requiem in an old church with very live accoustics. Our Stake President, President Loisel, is a cellist and conductor and conducted the concert. The orchestra played beautifully and the choir was well rehearsed and sounded lovely. It was a moving concert, and it was so special to have President Loisel conducting everyone on the podium. He is a wonderful man and his wife is so lovely! What a treat to meet them and hear the music of Mozart.
Our days are full now and our comfort level of riding the Metro, buses, and trains is getting alittle easier, although, we still get turned around in the Metro stations at times. Paris has so many people that use public transportation and it works quite well. It only gets really crowded on weekends and holidays, which the French love! They love their holidays and have many. In May alone, we counted 5 holidays. There is less pressure to work here and more time to relax, sit down at a small table and chairs at a street-side cafe and have a croissant or other delectable pastry with juice and watch people go by at a slow pace. Life here is good and not so rushed. People take time to talk, eat, and enjoy life.
Our message for the week is simple: Love your neighbor as yourself. How much good would come about if we follow Jesus's example and counsel to do this.
We love and miss all of you and appreciate your prayers in our behalf. We feel them! Thank you!
PS Photos to come - needing technical help - will be added shortly
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