Thanksgiving in Paris 2012

I know that it isn't very attractive from the street but this is the entrance to our Paris chapel in the St. Merri street.  People can park in the court yard as you can see.  This is where the missionaries ate thanksgiving dinner.

And where the Young Adults meet for family home evening on Monday night and on Tuesday and Thursday nights for Institute classes as well as to socialize at other times.

What a great place to meet and share activities with others your age and with the same wonderful standards.  We already love them and want to make sure everyone takes advantage of the facilities and experiences.  There are at least 3 different languages being spoken at church east Sunday: French, English, and Manderin Chinease.  We had 3 baptisms during this past week one person who is French, and 2 from China.

First week in Paris, France

         The sun was shining brightly above the clouds but the weather in Paris is gray and gloomy. Some sprinkles but no down pour. The Elders met us at the front of the airport and drove us to our apartment. It is in a five story building that was built in the 1980's I believe they said. We are on the second floor and there is no elevator so we clime the stairs. We have a living room/dining room, kitchen/washroom, 2 bedrooms, and a bath. The toilet is just what they say -- a closet -- all to itself, and not conveniently located by the tub and sink. The kitchen is about 6'X15' but it has everything we need including a clothes washer and dryer for which we are grateful.  Dixie can cook anything there as soon as I figure out the Centigrade.

 

The Young Adult Center (pictured above) is located in an old mansion built in 1641 and is located close to the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and is really beautiful on the inside. The outside looks VERY old. The church owns 2/3 of the building and it houses the Paris, St. Merri Ward as well as the Young Adult Center.  The ceiling is the original wood rails.

The Young Adult Center is located on the second floor and we get there by climbing this grand staircase.

Our office is just inside the door on the second floor of the building.

The institue Director's office located down the hall as well as a lounge and meeting room for the young adults next to a small kitchen where we will prepare a dinner for Monday night home evenings as well as refreshments for the institue classes. 

We teach an english class every Saturday with about 12 non-members attending who take the class very seriously.  We even have a pediatrician attending who treats several English speaking patients.

          Our days will be going to the Center around noon and staying until 9pm or so. Dixie will help the Young Adults plan and cook a meal for Monday Family Home Evening and treats for Institute nights Tuesday and Thursday. Friday they might have an activity so we will be there for that and sometimes on Saturdays for an activity. We will go there for our Sunday meetings so you can see we will be using the transit system a lot. We purchase a month's pass and we can use it for the trains or buses.  We traveled to the Versaille chapel, just outside of Paris, last Friday for a meeting with Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve on Friday.  It was our first mission conference and was so exciting for us. So far all the missionaries that we have met came through our MTC Branch so that is fun to see familar faces.

          We attended the baptism of a Chinese student today.  He was baptised by Elder Hadfield who, with his wife, are the visitor center directors.  The visitors center is located on the street level of Paris - St. Merri ward building.

Ready to leave for Paris France

          Dixie and I met Sister Alvine from Paris, France who just arrived at the MTC in Provo this week.  She will be serving a mission on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  So if you see her there, stop and say Hi!  Sister Alvine was very active in Stake Young Singel Adult Program (Young Adult Center in Paris) and it is wonderful to see the fruits of the Young Single Adult program in France.  She joined the church 6 years ago in Lyon, France and moved to Paris about 4 years ago.  She is the only member of the church in her family for the present but I am sure she will see many people join the church through her enthusiasm.

          We have finished our training this week after spending 3 days in training with the Church Education System and are so excited to fly out on Monday November 12th for Paris.  We spent an enjoyable evening last night with our children but it was hard to say good bye.  We have been assured by several leaders that they will be watched over and blessed in our absence.

It has been a whirlwind week full of 14 hour days at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.  We have completed our “Preach My Gospel” training and it was really fun as well as challenging. 

There were about 86 senior missionaries and because we have a car, were assigned to stay at the Provo Mariott Hotel.  We went there after a couple of hours of orientation and introduction of each missionary.  We also had dinner at the MTC and sat with other couples called to many different places around the world and filling several different assignments such as Church Education, Perpetual Education Fund workers, and Leadership Support.  It is wonderful to be with so many qualified and dedicated senior missionaries.

           Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we were assigned into groups of 4 couples and sent to classrooms where we practiced teaching.  Those of us assigned to foreign speaking missions met Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for 2 hours polishing our skills in those languages.

          As you can see in this photo of us, Dixie and I are pointing to France where we will serve in Paris Stake Young Single Adult Program.  We have already seen the fruits of the program in as much as there are three sister missionaries in the MTC right now who just left Paris where they were active in the program.  We will arrive in Paris on Tuesday, November 13th.  We will post more next week.