The Royal Weekend and Kyrgyzstan

Pictures at end.

The Royal Wedding and a Baptism—at precisely the time when millions of people from many nations gathered to watch the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markel, we had our own quite gathering of 22 people who came to show their support for our newest convert, Chavez.  Both Meghan Markle and Chavez were dressed in white, but for 2 very different reasons. 

One event was widely-televised, the other event was scarcely known, save for a few.  From our perspective, there was a regal event on Saturday in a small town in southern France witnessed Chavez enter the waters of baptism.  Members came from far and wide, some over an hour away and several from almost an hour away.  If you could have parted the curtains of heaven, we’re sure there were many more looking down. The feeling during that short, but very significant event was palpable.  It seemed Chavez was going to lift off his chair he was so happy.

Chavez has been investigating the LDS Church for some time now:  he’ll tell you 2 ½ years, to be exact.  It just wasn’t clicking, said he.  That is, until he re-committed to consistently reading the Book of Mormon.  He had been reading it for a while some time back, but then “fell off.”  He admitted, “Life got busy.”  Basketball season was demanding on his time and his energy. 

From our first Sunday here, we’ve been involved in many of the lessons over these past few months.  This is what we live for.  Watching others come into newfound knowledge that changes their lives.  Chavez liked the lessons and loved several changes of missionaries; but he just couldn’t say for himself:  “I know it’s true.”  As soon as he began to re-introduce the Book of Mormon into his life again, things came back together for him.  He said of those previous times, he just wasn’t sure if the Book of Mormon was really true.  But as the old adage goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover.  Funny how those age-old life sayings hit the nail on the head.  But now he is sure.  Now he can say so…..and without a doubt.  For us, not much surpasses that one moment in time.

The other tidbit about Chavez is that he is 6’5” depending on how long is hair is on the given day you take the measurement.  He loves basketball and would love to get picked up by a professional team, as he is now playing pre-professionally.  

We usually don’t take the normal Monday day-off as we are tying up loose ends from Sunday at Church.  But tomorrow, we feel the need to recharge our batteries and will go with the young missionaries to Lourdes, the second most visited spot in France after Paris.  We’ll leave you in suspense for a weekJ.

We will close with this story from Rome, Italy.

Marc has a friend that he served with as ordinance workers at the San Diego Temple.  He and is wife are also on missions, but in Rome, Italy.  He was recently at a stake conference (are area that takes in at least 5 congregations) and at this conference, a General Authority from Salt Lake City spoke and told a very interesting story of how the church continues to grow in the world, in this case the country of Kyrgyzstan.

He says: “Elder Engbjerg of the Seventy was the visiting authority, and all the talks were very good. He had an amazing story about opening up Kyrgyzstan; he first went in as a translation manager to hire some people to help translate church materials. He ended up hiring a woman who was descended from the prior royal family, though the country is now a republic. The whole family threw a big feast to celebrate her getting a job, and her father brought out some prized liquor for a toast, trying insistently to get Elder Engbjerg to drink some, who of course would have none of that. The daughter kept telling her dad to cool it, that she could lose her job. Finally the dad relented and allowed him to toast with water. After that, the dad, who is an adviser to the head of the government in Kyrgyzstan, told Elder Engbjerg that he had done research on the Mormon church and knew that we don't drink alcohol. The whole thing was a test to see if he would stick to his principles. Because he passed the test, the father said that he would help make sure the church got official approval to operate in Kyrgyzstan, and now there are senior missionaries and a few branches in the country.” 

So now our church has official status in Kyrgyzstan

A la prochaine.  

Tarbes Tourism Office

Free Electric Bus in Tarbes; 4 different routes

How near our apt you ask?  1/2 block!

Typical home of the Aristocracy

Tickled my funny bone:  translation--University of Free Time of Tarbes

aka--Adult Ed Classes

Nextdoor neighbor's wraught iron driveway gate

Clematis now in bloom

Very French

Returning from Saturday Market with 

Member, Friend and around the corner Neighbor

Added bonus....she speaks English:)

Yes, it's May....and still very cold.

Saturday Market

Downtown.  En route to Saturday Market

Pizza delivery

Shopping at the local Grocery Store....I call it the 2-step.  

First you load their square cart to the right--you strategically go around the store 

finding the heavy items to put on the bottom. Then you go around again for the light items

 to place on top.  Then off-load items onto conveyor belt in reverse order holding back light items so you can reload bag with rollers on left, heavy things on bottom.

Mountain flower

River running thru Tarbes....very cold, icy snow-melt

We walked several miles along the river 

This is a bench between a Children's park and Primary School.  

The seat slats are the piano keys with a favorite nursery rhyme with words and melody on the back.

Jenny in white.  Next in line to be baptized.  

She thinks June 16th is too far away.

Teaching appointment at our apt

Jenny and Siobhan

We came back from Saturday Market and found this at our door.  And oh, no.....NO card.  

After a few rounds of asking, it turns out our neighbor left this 

for Meg for French Mother's Day in France

Chavez