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Russ and Dixie Harward by statue of Joan of Arc
Aug 2, 2013
Our conference with the other couples in the France Paris Mission It was held in the town of Blois about two hours south of Paris. Our Mission President told us that this was the head quarters of the king and the "Capitol" of France before Paris became the "capitol".
Since we arrived early, we took a taxi to the hotel (a Holiday Inn where our mission president's brother is the General Manager) to store our luggage and then Elder and sister Saunders walked with us around that neighborhood in Blois. We went into the cathedral and even down into the crypt -- musty and smelly -- then outside to the gardens that are on the banks of the Loire river. The first area had a lot of large metal animals -- giraffe, rooster, pig, elephant, dinosaur, etc., and a playground for children. Then there was the statute of Joan of Arc on her horse -- made and donated to France by America. We don't know if it was a gift after the gift of the Statue of Liberty, but it is pretty substantial. Not as large, though it is life size. Then we walked down some stairs into the gardens. They were beautiful. One thing we noticed was that sometimes their hedges are apple trees or pear trees with the branches trained to grow sideways along a wire rather that straight up. Looks like it makes it easier for picking the fruit! Then we went back to the hotel to eat lunch. We had a "Holiday Inn burger special" that was truly amazing and different. The bun - top and bottom - was made from potato slices formed in a circle and looked like a flower, they were fried in that form. It was delicious.
In the late afternoon we met for a meeting where everyone was introduced and the Mission President talked about the number of missionaries and baptisms, etc., then Sister Poznanski talked about miracles not only here but with our families and friends while we are serving and gave a few examples from her life so far during their two years of presiding. I contemplated miracles that have happened in our family while we have been gone so far. New grandchildren, a marriage, another engagement, Paul going back to school, Stef getting a job at Dan Peterson school, our good health, injuries from falls that have healed very quickly, etc. Maybe these don't sound like miracles, but they are. The meeting was very spiritual and up lifting. Then we walked down the street to a restaurant for dinner. It was an enjoyable day.
Wednesday we travelled to the ward house for a meeting in the morning where your dad led the discussion. I had a small part and I think it was good. Some of the other couples who serve with YA have from a low of 3 YA to as high as 15, so our group is the largest as we have been as high as 50 YA.
Our conference with the other couples in the France Paris Mission It was held in the town of Blois about two hours south of Paris. Our Mission President told us that this was the head quarters of the king and the "Capitol" of France before Paris became the "capitol".
Since we arrived early, we took a taxi to the hotel (a Holiday Inn where our mission president's brother is the General Manager) to store our luggage and then Elder and sister Saunders walked with us around that neighborhood in Blois. We went into the cathedral and even down into the crypt -- musty and smelly -- then outside to the gardens that are on the banks of the Loire river. The first area had a lot of large metal animals -- giraffe, rooster, pig, elephant, dinosaur, etc., and a playground for children. Then there was the statute of Joan of Arc on her horse -- made and donated to France by America. We don't know if it was a gift after the gift of the Statue of Liberty, but it is pretty substantial. Not as large, though it is life size. Then we walked down some stairs into the gardens. They were beautiful. One thing we noticed was that sometimes their hedges are apple trees or pear trees with the branches trained to grow sideways along a wire rather that straight up. Looks like it makes it easier for picking the fruit! Then we went back to the hotel to eat lunch. We had a "Holiday Inn burger special" that was truly amazing and different. The bun - top and bottom - was made from potato slices formed in a circle and looked like a flower, they were fried in that form. It was delicious.
In the late afternoon we met for a meeting where everyone was introduced and the Mission President talked about the number of missionaries and baptisms, etc., then Sister Poznanski talked about miracles not only here but with our families and friends while we are serving and gave a few examples from her life so far during their two years of presiding. I contemplated miracles that have happened in our family while we have been gone so far. New grandchildren, a marriage, another engagement, Paul going back to school, Stef getting a job at Dan Peterson school, our good health, injuries from falls that have healed very quickly, etc. Maybe these don't sound like miracles, but they are. The meeting was very spiritual and up lifting. Then we walked down the street to a restaurant for dinner. It was an enjoyable day.
Wednesday we travelled to the ward house for a meeting in the morning where your dad led the discussion. I had a small part and I think it was good. Some of the other couples who serve with YA have from a low of 3 YA to as high as 15, so our group is the largest as we have been as high as 50 YA.
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Chateau de Chenonceau over the Loire river
After lunch
we drove to the Chateau de Chenonceau and spent two hours touring it and its
beautiful gardens. It is a castle built across a river so that it is in a way a
bridge for the royalty that lived there. It was built in the 1500's and it is really
amazing. Then we went back to the hotel for a nap and then we drove to another
town where we dined in a cave. Literally, it was the area under the ground
where the stone was quarried to build the castle. It was a little musty but an
amazing place. Large room with big trunks of stone every so often holding up
the ceiling. It must have been very hard labor for the peasants to cut out the
stones in large bricks for the building. Think about the pioneers cutting out
the granite for the temple, but this was done underground. The meal was a
representation of what might have been eaten 400 years ago. Different but okay.
It made me remember what my dad said to us kids before we went to Samoa -
"taste it, never turn you nose up, be polite, don't offend". The
first course was like pita bread where you added lettuce and a paste that
tasted similar to a tuna mixture and was really quite tasty. The next course
was 2 inch chunks of pork, sausages, and beans. I think dad enjoyed this course
more than I did, but it wasn't bad. The dessert was like a piece of apple pie
and was delicious. Then we drove a short distance and walked up to the castle
to watch a light and sound show. Everyone take the time to watch "Forever
After - the Cinderella story" and that was the performance that we saw. It
sort of reminded us of the Manti Pageant because it was all local people who
were part of the program. It could have been a little shorter, but at the end
the was a short fire works and it was all good and enjoyable.
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Thursday we checked out of the hotel and then went to the church again for a meeting about member support and what our role as couples can mean in the ward or branch we attend and about member missionary work. It was a reminder that we can all be missionaries by inviting our neighbors and friends and family to come and join us. I am inviting each of you to strengthen your testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knows each of you personally and where you are on the path. He paid the price through His Atonement and it is available to all. He is waiting for each to humble yourself and to come to Him. He can forgive us and lift our burdens. What a wonderful promise -- that we don't have to do it all on our own. I love my Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. I know that they live. I am grateful to be here in France serving them in my small way - even cooking for the YA.
We are back and will be fixing a small picnic lunch for the YA so we can take a ride on the Seine River tonight. What wonderful experiences we are having.
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