C & C in France Paris Mission

 Week Five

May 7-13, 2023

We are spending more time now at the Paris Family Search Center.  Soeur Scheurerman and her husband are heading it up and are doing a terrific job.  We assist them with meals for Monday's Family Home Evening, some family history assistance, and are learning so much from them.

                                               Soeur Scheurermann in the courtyard by the Chapel                      

We are finding our way still around Paris and how to use the Metro, buses and trains. It is a world so different than the world of driving a car.  Mass transit works here, but it is really crowded at times - so many people in this international city.  You can hear 10 different languages spoken in minutes, and only understand partially what people are saying.  But somehow, we all try to understand each other with hand signals, facial expressions, and patience.

 As we walk everywhere right now, there are so many interesting people to meet.  

We met a man in the grocery store who starting talking to us about the Church.  He had met with the missionaries earlier in his life and now hinted he wanted to be visited again. We referred his name and phone number to the Elders.

People really do see our name tags and often ask us questions. We somehow- in our broken French - are able to respond and make some sense.  How we wish we could speak French fluently - but it is coming and we are very motivated to learn this beautiful language and become as fluent as possible.   

At the Paris Family Search Center where we assist (and where I often go over to the Chapel and practice), we are greeting people who come to Paris, people who have come to work on their family genealogy, and talk as much French as we can with them.  We spend time each morning and evening studying our French (Craig is in the 200 days straight on his Duolingo Streak, me on 510 days Duolingo Streak) and read our scriptures every night in French.  

Each Sunday, there are two Sacrament Meetings we attend - one in French and one in English for visitors.  The French speaking one is for the permanent members and the English is primarily for tourists visiting.  Already, I have met many people that I know - Scott Miller and his wife (sung with Scott in the SL Temple for a special Christmas meeting for Ordinance Workers, and have sung the Messiah with Scott in Holiday, UT),  Britt and her husband who live in our neighborhood (I helped her prepare vocally for her Tab Choir audition -which she was invited to sing with the Tab Choir), and today Eliot Wise- a nephew of Nancy Wise Thorup! How special to meet people here in Paris that you know from your home town! It really means alot to see those you care about here - it makes it feel more like home away from home.

                                                        Brigette and her husband

We visited the famous Eifel Tower this week! It is absolutely huge! This is the first time for Craig and the first time up close for me to see it.  As we got nearer, we were overwhelmed by the size of it.  We decided to go up to the second level.  The view of Paris from all four sides is astounding! Craig didn't want to look down much, and frankly neither did I.  It is high! To see the streets so small and all the cars for miles and miles makes you feel so small.  It was a must to see, and felt relieved when we were on real ground again. 

The Eifel Tower

Paris from the 2nd level up on the Eifel Tower

Huge!

We walked along the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees enjoying the sunshine.  We ended up at the Arc de Triumph and explored some wild department stores.

Seeing and exploring the historical sights, monuments, areas in Paris has given both Craig and me a feeling of gratitude for the people of France.  Their history is very rich and full of events to learn from.  History tends to repeat itself, but the era of the French people goes on in a new way now.  It is city of many nationalities, cultures, and truly a marvel.  How we have enjoyed each day with wonder.

We are so grateful for each of you and hope you are well.  We love and miss you and appreciate your prayers in our behalf.  We feel them and they lift us each day.

Our weekly thought and scripture:

"And now as I said, concerning faith - faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore, if you have faith, ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." Alma 32:21

We believe that faith precedes the miracle.  We have seen many miracles here in Paris and are grateful for them.