C & C in France Paris Mission
Week 11
June 18- 26
Sunday, after our Ward Sacrament that is held in French, Craig conducted the English speaking Sacrament meeting and I led the music. We were grateful for this opportunity to serve. What is fun is that I usually meet someone that I know at these meetings, as so many people visit Paris in the summer. It is wonderful to visit and spend some time with friends while they are here - and seeing people you know from home is very special - especially being half way around the world from home and meeting up here in Paris! (Scott Miller, whom I have sung the Messiah with and served with in the Salt Lake Temple and his wife; my friend and student Brigetta who is singing with the Tabernacle Choir; Elliot, Nancy Thorup's nephew - to name a few)
We were invited to a member's home for dinner: Georgette and her husband, and her son Alex. It was quite a journey to find them (a metro journey that was new for us), and when we finally met up at a metro stop, it was too late to go to their home, so we just grabbed a bite to eat in a restaurant before saying adieu. It was Father's Day and the telephone calls had been coming in for Craig from home, so we excused ourselves and returned home and enjoyed visiting with family.
Monday evening, we went to a live production of the "Lamb of God" written by Rob Gardner. It was performed by the Draper Philharmonic and Chorale Society, based in Draper, UT. The producer and conductor who was in charge of this production was Sherri Jensen. She did a tremendous job putting it all together. It was a very good production with good singing, beautiful orchestra playing, and a well rehearsed chorus with some simple staging and beautiful costumes. It had a good sound system. The story of Jesus - his birth, his life, his death and resurrection- is so spiritually powerful and touched all of our hearts in the audience. Many people were crying and had tears in their eyes. They sang the French translation of "God be with you till we meet again" after the last curtain call. It really touched the hearts of the audience.
Tuesday we decided to visit Rambouillier Chateaux just outside of Paris and take our sack lunch to eat on the grounds. There was a beautiful view where we sat and ate, talked, and looked over this big city of Paris. It is amazing to us how many castles there are here in the Paris area - and thousands of them throughout France. They were built throughout the centuries (1000-1800-many as old as the middle ages). France had wealthy lords who would live off the backs of serfs. The countryside is green, has small hills, but is primarily flat with farms and beautiful landscapes.
Rambouillet Chateaux
Later that week, after spending some time in the Paris Center, we decided we needed to take a break from Paris. We decided to take off and see some French mountains and beautiful countryside.
It was so relaxing and wonderful to be in the mountains! We enjoyed the train rides and meeting people on the train. One right across from us on the train was a man from Persia. He was very talkative, had strong opinions on every topic, and was formally a tech guy who taught in college. We said good-bye and wished him well as we got off the train, but ended up seeing him in the city and in the mountains every time we turned around. It was quite a coincidence to see him so regularly for the next three days as we explored the mountains. Wherever we went, there he was too. We felt that perhaps the Lord had us meet so many times to allow us to get to know each other better. We do feel we made a positive impression on him as he was very friendly with us and wanted to talk each time we saw him. We also met a woman from Norway who was very nice. Craig bought her a bottle of water, which she really appreciated. She later told us more about her personal life, that she was expecting a baby boy in four months, and that she was "married" to another woman. We wished her well as we said good-by.
Getting ready to ride the tram La Aiguille du Midi (The point of mid-day) was exciting. It claims to be the steepest angle from the base to the top and one of the highest tram rides in the world. And the views were spectacular! We really were on top of the world up in the highest mountains in the world! Mount Blanc was right next to us - the highest peak in Europe at 15,774 feet above sea level - and we felt we could reach out and touch the peak as it was that close. It was so incredibly beautiful at the top, and the air was thin as well. It was an experience of a life-time to see these magnificent mountains looking from the top down and out at the vast miles and miles of vistas and having a 365 degrees circular views. Wow! What an adventure! And the weather was so clear and the skies were so deep blue. You could see everything with clarity as only a few clouds were visible - and they were miles away.
It is no wonder why we enjoy being in the mountains so much. As the scriptures testify, even the prophets of old (Moses, Abraham, Enoch, Nephi), went to the top of the highest mountain to receive inspiration of more light and knowledge from God. Some even talked with God there.
You really do feel the spirit and majesty of these incredible peaks and the power of the earth's elements - the rocks, air, wind, water, temperature - they all have a living force and influence our lives.
We got up early before the sun came up to catch the morning train back to Paris. It was so beautiful being up so early! The air was so fresh, the light just dawning over the majestic mountains that reached skyward and up into the heavens. Spectacular! The earth is truly so beautiful!!!
The train ride was an experience as the train went over 150 miles per hour! We have never experienced being on the ground and going that fast! The view from the windows zoomed by so quickly that you could hardly see the view. We were in Paris in only a few hours.
When we arrived home, all was as we had left it. We were glad to be home safely and have a quiet few days to ourselves.
On Friday, our new Mission President and his wife arrived from Florida: President Ryan and Sister Heather Munns. They are wonderful people! And we feel as if we know them, as our Bishop in Salt Lake City is President Munn's younger brother! What a small world. We are so looking forward to meeting them and serving with them in any capacity.
As we say good-bye to President and Sister Hansen, we feel so blessed to have been able to serve with them. We love them and are grateful for their three years of service to the France Paris Mission. Their influence has been great and as they pass the baton to the Munns, we wish them well on their next adventure.
Our thought for this week is from a hymn in our hymn book:
"For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of skies, for the love which from our birth, over and around us lies, Lord of all to these we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise."
How grateful we are for the beauty of France and that we are able to experience and see and live in this part of the world for a season.
We love and miss all of you and pray for you daily. Thank you for your daily thoughts and prayers. We certainly feel and appreciate them.
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