Beautiful Bordeaux

Beaucoup pictures below.

Church-wise this was a big Sunday for us, as we completed another big step in aligning the branch with a normal LDS church schedule.  When we arrived we had two meetings:  Priesthood meeting for the men and Relief Society for the women for the first hour where we study the scriptures and modern-day prophets, and then our sacrament meeting for the 2^nd hour.  

About a month ago we then added Sunday school in the middle of the two other meetings.  Now this past Sunday we swapped the meeting schedule so we started with the Sacrament meeting, followed by Sunday school, and then finally Priesthood/Relief Society.  It was harder for children to concentrate and sit still in Sacrament meeting when this meeting was last so it is better to have this meeting first.  

For the 2^nd and 3^rd hours the children now go to Primary class, which are classes for the children where they can move around more and get their wiggles out.  The next step will be get people to arrive on time and up fill up the 45 minutes of speaking time in sacrament meeting so we do not finish 20 minutes early.  Perhaps the answer is to shorten the time allotted to the first meeting rather than add more speakers.  We shall see. One thing at a time. 

The Drapak Family—We resumed teaching Duson and Monica and their 4 children now that he can receive outside company again.  He is on chemotherapy and was sicker than normal this past round.  We’ve come to know and love this faith-filled Slovakian family. 

It’s a marvel with all the languages involved in teaching this family.  We teach Duson and Monica in English; Monica understands English better than French.  The children are learning French at school but speak Slovakian at home.  Monica speaks Czech; Duson speaks Slovakian but they can understand each other in their respective, native languages.  Duson understands more English than he can speak.  So we teach Mom and Dad in English.  When he doesn’t understand a concept, she translates for him.  Since the children do not speak English, other than what they are just learning at school (English is required) Monica and Duson then teach the children later in Slovakian so they can ask questions as they go. 

This visit we reviewed the role of Prophets.  Marc prepared a folder on Duson’s phone of materials from the Church in Slovakian he can read in his own language for understanding and when he is sick and cannot have outside contact, he’ll be able to continue learning. 

The other week we got to hear how their interest in the Church came about.  Duson has been sick for several years with what they are now calling a chronic infection.  The family and Doctors have spent years trying to diagnosis the problem but to no avail.  When they first lived in France, he was receiving a treatment that was working.  Once he was well enough, they returned to Slovakia where the rest of their family was.  In Slovakia, the Doctors tried a different treatment which was not effective; but at the same time, they would not recognize the French treatment in Slovakia.  So they returned to France to recommence what kept the infection at bay and allowed him to be functional.

One night, here in France, he was terribly sick and with excruciating pain.  He just couldn’t sleep because of the pain.  He cried out in his prayers to be able to endure it.  Then he reports he heard a thunderously loud voice.  He was so startle and frightened by it that he woke up his wife to tell her about it.  But she heard nothing so promptly told him to go back to sleep.  She was sorry he was in pain, but had no patience for “voices.” Then he heard it again and went to the children’s room thinking maybe it came from there.  But everything seemed in order and they were sound asleep.  Back to his room he goes.  But he just couldn’t fall asleep. The voice came again.  To which he wakes up his wife again.  She is very empathetic to his pain BUT less than thrilled about the “voices/noises” especially the second time around.  Now she is even more tired and a bit upset at his crazy notions, “You are crazy.  There are no noises.  I hear nothing.  Go back to sleep; I’m tired!”

Finally, still in pain, he tries to sleep.  But again hears, “I will help you.”  Three days later, Duson is standing on his balcony and sees missionaries walking down their short street.  He tells Monica to invite them in.  It was winter and very cold and she motioned for them to come over.  They can’t see their name tags because their tags were on their suits under their overcoats.  So two very surprised and very ELATED missionaries went to their door.  More often than not, doors are slammed when missionaries knock…and here they were being called over and invited to come into someone’s home.  They began to teach this family; the missionaries reported they NEVER go home this way but, “…..for some odd reason we took this route today.” 

Duson and Monica would like to be baptized but have to wait until Duson is well enough to travel back to Slovakia to sort out some papererwork.  France will not allow them to marry until he can produce the papers; Slovakia will only release the papers to him in person.  So they are in a holding pattern in terms of baptism.  They just drink in the lessons.  They love learning.  When we read together in the Book of Mormon, they stop and discuss what they are reading.  Sometimes we forget who is leading the lesson.

Bordeaux—a few weeks ago after Zone Conference, we met up for the second time with the Klemasz couple who were finishing their mission this time.  They are from Australia but are now touring Europe for 6 weeks prior to returning.  We all had such a nice time in Toulouse, we arranged a few days sight-seeing in Bordeaux….all with the Mission President’s approval.  It is soul-replenishing to get out of our routine and our small town.  Just the different roadside trees, bushes and flowers are interesting and refreshing.  France is large and so geographically/climatically diverse. 

And that doesn’t even touch on the history, architecture or archaeological evidences.  Not that we retain it all.  It’s taken us a quite while and several trips worth now to incorporate a Middle Ages timeline in our minds stretching back into especially the early Middle Ages dating to 900BC to 1100BC.  In the US we think something is old in the 1880s on the West Coast.  On the East Coast, we think 1620 is really ancient.  It’s true the American Indian dates further back, but without corresponding dates on buildings or documents that constantly remind us of an even earlier timeline, it tends to fade in our minds. 

The striking element in “modern” Bordeaux is the uniformity of the buildings during the late 1700s and 1800s.  The homes and official buildings are of limestone and make quite the picturesque statement.  And with 2 medieval castles over-looking the city you know there is a colorful and lively past. 

Enjoy Bordeaux.

A la prochaine.

                           Behind us is the Garonne River.  This is a reflecting pool that does 3 actions:                             fills in with 8-10 inches so children can play in it; thins down to 1/4 inch of water to act as a reflecting pool for photos and finally has a misting action

  

 Limestone home

 Small church rose window frame without stained glass

 France has a long-standing tradition of unisex bathrooms

 Cafe where we had lunch

 Gold-gilded statue of Virgin Mary and Christ child

  

 Modern art in Plaza--rusted steel on flat surface--face appears 

3-D at every angle as you walk around it; really neat

 Human billboard attached to her back, delivering samples

 The Golden Arches on Rue Sainte Catherine--longest shopping street in Europe

 Yellow is in

 Umbrellas

 Pointillism--French Impressionists, blow-up below 

 Death of Mozart

 Renoir

 Gargoyle to ward off evil spirits, some double as drain spout

 Looking up into Belfry

The Bell System

 Loved this cafe and returned back to it for a second meal.  

Notice narrow door....to the restroom.

 Even smaller inside, barely enough room to turn around.

 Very large hinge on VERY large door

 Model of customs house

 Douane=Customs