....And a Happy New Year!
Our Church
week—We had a
wonderful week in this interlude week between Christmas and New Year’s. Last week after Church, several of us went
Christmas caroling on the town square.
Our English-speaking friend, English teacher and neighbor who was with
us said they do not have this tradition in France. What! How could that be???
So many of our Christmas cards and decorations especially
in the East Coast in Colonial Towns celebrate that quintessential French
Christmas Caroler—ladies and gentlemen dressed in Period clothing with top-hats
(yes, English) and long-waisted coats; hand muffs and long plaid skirts for the women and standing by that ever-so-familiar and typically FRENCH lamp
post. We even have Christmas ceramic
villages with all things French….including the FRENCH carolers, with their FRENCH lamp
posts flanking the group. Who wouldn't think it's not traditional here?
After
regaining inner composure, we sang. Our
numbers may be few, but do we ever have some nice voices in the Tarbes Branch! We are not all that musical ourselves, but somehow sounded great with all those that were singing in parts—soprano, alto, tenor
and a bass. We had several interested passers-by
stop. Some joined the sing along, some clapped and others just drank in the
festive spirit. Nothing like music can
change the mood, bring the Christmas Spirit and gladden the heart.
This week we’ve
been making rounds to shut-ins and those with health challenges. We have 2 on dialysis in a population of
30-40. Because of the Monday Eve
holidays, their dialysis was moved to Sunday for 2 Sundays in a row—Christmas
and New Year’s. So we tried to bring
Christmas to them. When one of the flock
is missing, we feel the loss.
Also this week, Marc was able to contact a daughter of a Church member who moved to French Guyana, South America. With her new job there,
her mother was concerned about how far away she was from the Church and feared
there was no Church nearby. Technology saved the day. He was able to e-mail the daughter, find out her addresses and later notify the closest (and ONLY) congregational unit
in French Guyana. The Bishop of the ward got
back instantly and was already working on getting the closest Church member in
touch with her so she could get to Church.
The larger
back-story was quite a miracle, one that the Elders tell and re-tell: We had just received the records of this new
family that moved in. The Elders went to
meet them during the week then followed by us. When the
Elders knocked on their door, Maria answered the ring (a buzzer that gives you
access to enter the property prior to the front door). She asked who was there. They responded, "the Elders". Before opening the door, she said “Can you
give me a blessing?” For them, it was
the best reception they ever got.
Maria’s daughter had just left for Paraguay (their native country) and
then on to French Guyana. Maria was just
beside herself because her daughter had JUST left moments before and she did not yet know where the
Church was in Tarbes. Since they had JUST said good-bye
to the daughter when the Elders knocked on her door, she was relieved to tears.
Maria’s
native language is Guarani, an Indian dialect in Paraguay; followed by Spanish, then French. She feels most comfortable
in Spanish so Meg was able to talk to her, get her a Spanish Book of Mormon and
help her find directions to the Church.
Then one of our Elders here has a friend who speaks Guarani so he set up
a call for them in Guarani so she could feel even more comfortable making the
transition. We could instantly tell by the tone of her voice she was very excited to talk to a Church member in her native Guarani. Maria has now been to Church twice
now since we met her 3 weeks ago. Marc
was able to give her a blessing last week at Church as she was going in for
surgery just prior to Christmas. She
again was moved to tears that her needs were being taken care of before we even
knew what those needs were. Does she
believe in miracles, a living God and tender mercies? Her radiant smile and countenance tells it
all.
Other—My grandfather was a great one for
sayings—Make hay while the sun shines; You can lead a horse to water, but you
can’t make him drink; and the very applicable one this round: As the day lengthens, the cold
strengthens. We passed the winter
solstice on 21 Dec making us officially in winter.....and sure enough…even though we are gaining light every day,
the temperatures are lowering hitting freezing. Next to the Pyrenees Mountains that means COLD. We’re not in the mountains, mind you; but we
feel the wind coming off those higher snow-covered peaks and there is an
ICY-ness that hovers in the air. Last week was balmy and warm; this week winter has hit. Time
for the winter wool ¾ length coats, scarves and gloves. And soon, all the layers we brought with
us. Hearty stews and chili are replacing
lighter fare dinners. I found myself
counting how many days until spring….knowing we are just getting started. We arrived in February so we were over the
hump. Not so this go-round. Marc grew up in Alaska; Meg in the snowy parts of Pennsylvania. San Diego surely has spoiled us and we've forgotten what cold feels like. We are now reminded.
Our town
for the week is Toulouse, at Christmas-time—With our Christmas Conference in Toulouse we
were able to enjoy the Christmas Market there.
It is one of the largest in France.
We LOVE all
the traditional European festivities and Christmas in France is no
different. The lights are magical, the traditional
huts in town squares date back hundreds of years and the variety of foods and
local items brought in from all over the country are fun to see and enjoy. But for us, nothing can replace the sweetness
of a child singing a Christmas hymn, or hearing all the stories from our Church
members who spent a delightful time with their most cherished possessions money
can’t buy: their families. In our home,
we celebrate with Christmas trees and lights, more food and sweets than we
should be eating and concerts a plenty when our girls were growing up, involved
in musical groups and Nutcracker. They
are precious memories and we loved watching their excitement and joy as they
participated in all the festivities.
We are also sadly cognizant of the over-commercialization of a very sacred HOLY
day when we think on the celebration of the birth of our Savior to the
World. One of our leaders and Apostles ,
Elder Oaks, addressed this topic to a non-denominational Christian audience a few
years ago. If you are interested, you can read it here:
On Christmas day as we opened our scriptures and started to read Luke 2
out loud as we do every year, we felt very much at home in a country (we happen
to love) but is very far home. Instantly, we were transported to all
Christmases past, present and future.
For us, no amount of commercialization can come close to those opening
lines:
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out
a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was
governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own
city…..
A very Happy New Year to all.
The Toulouse Christmas market, one of the biggest in France - More pics at the end
We made Christmas cookies for the Branch.
Gisèle (Mom) below. They moved in across the street from us!!!
Our Branch LOVES snicker doodles so that was their treat for Christmas
(....even though we make them all year long for our members)
Here they celebrate more with chocolate candy than Christmas cookies.
Valerie, who lived in Philadelphia for a time, made ginger bread men for the Branch.
Because of distance, there are no middle of the week activities.
There was such an extra-special excitement with cookies and candies
loves Christmas all year long and displays of pictures of Christ all year
We get to call Nadya twice a year. Mother's day and Christmas
This was day 1....followed by several days. Don't look for a thinner version of Meg/Marc.
Toulouse market; food from the Alsace Lorraine (German) region of France
These skillets are HUGE....about 3 feet across
Sauerkraut and weiner
Making crepes
Chocolate booths EVERYWHERE
Marzipan--almond flavored sweets
Personalized chocolates--squares are letters saying thank you, merci....you pick your phrases
This particular chocolate was VERY yummy...smooth like Belgium chocolate, but French
Cheeses
Ceramic country hand-painted figurines
Macarons....all year round cookie with fruit flavored interior....LOTS of varieties
(macaroons...with 2 oo's are American coconut cookies; one "o" is French)
Now that is a TALL door! Marc is 6'1"
Cobblestone street.
Look carefully--there are 2 bronze knobs that get you down below
Toaster....It's France, got to have COLOR!!!
Tree is actually a ride...see the circular cars?
They twirl around and go up and down.
Lots of Police presence after market shooting in Strasbourg
This is for you, Rich :)
Main shopping street-the shoppers have gone home; the lights go on and on and ON!
And then there's what you can't see.....what is behind us in equal supply
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