Mossey's in France

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Today is our daughter Lise-Anne's birthday.  We wish her the very best of birthday's.  We hope she has a memorable and wonderful day.

We have had a very busy week this week.  Starting on Monday, we did our usual things with the Elders for their P-Day.  Ed also had a meeting in the afternoon and we had to pack to go into Paris.  This was a week that we were waiting for.  Our daughter, Amy, and her husband, Tyler, were arriving on Wednesday for a 9 day holiday in France.  

We headed into Paris on Tuesday morning bright and early.  We had a district meeting at St. Merri followed by a zone activity.  We got to Paris shortly after 9:00 a.m. and headed to the church at St. Merri.  We had our district meeting starting at 10:30 until 11:45.  This was Elder Rivas' last meeting with us as a District Leader.  He did a great job.   

We then took the metro to a soccer complex where we had a soccer game with a spiritual twist.  The 20 missionaries were divided into 4 teams.  We played games of three seven minute periods.  In between periods the missionaries had to recite memorised scriptures and had to answer gospel questions based on the New Testament, The Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel.  They also had to do a physical challenge.  These were three areas that our zone leaders had set as goals for us during this transfer.  The answers to these challenges were worth ten points each and each goal was worth five points.  It was an awesome activity and we incorporated gospel principles into it.

We then headed over to the church once again for a meal together.  Each team of missionaries had to bring something for baguette subs, a drink or a dessert.  We had a great lunch and visited.  It was a great time to get to know each other a little better, to say goodbye to those who are leaving and to share some thoughts with each other.

We spent the night with our friends, the Maynards, a missionary couple housed in the institute building and responsible for the Young Adults of Paris and for the Visitors Centre.  Elder and Sister Maynard are heading home at the end of the month.  This is a hard time for a missionary.  There are lots of mixed emotions.  We had a lovely meal with them and the Graff's a couple that oversees self reliance.  We had a lovely meal and a lovely visit.  

On Wednesday we met Tyler and Amy at the airport at 8:45.  Their plane got in just at the right time.  It was great to see them.  They had a good trip.

We spent a few days in Paris and saw all of the tourist sights - the Louvre, Versailles, Musée d'Orsay, Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur and the Arc de Triomphe.  On Saturday we walked 16 kms alone around Versailles.  We stayed near the Gare de l'Est which was very handy to the metro and to our train back to Charleville.  We enjoyed the sights and we enjoyed the food.  But on Saturday we headed back to Charleville.

Man we tired Amy & Tyler right out!

When we got home we headed straight to the church.  The Elders were holding a supper for the amis and new members.  We took advantage of the opportunity to have a free meal.  They were serving mitraillettes, a Belgian sandwich with lots of meat and very delicious.  Afterward Amy and Lynn went to a folk dancing activity.  They really enjoyed it.

In Charleville we had a wonderful day at church.  We had a great talk on the temple.  Elder Rivas bore his testimony and we had an opportunity to say goodbye and to wish him all the best.  We are losing a great missionary.  Fortunately for us we will see Elder Rivas when do our apartment checks when we go to Luxembourg.

We love having Amy and Tyler here.  It has been great.  They are here for a few more days and we will enjoy them.

That's all for this week.
Au revoir de la France.

Lyndi-Lou and Eddie, too.