Happy Father’s Day (US and France); Fontfroide Abbey

Our Church Week—We are beginning to make the last rounds for any wanting one-on-one help with genealogy. So this is our last ditch, full-on effort. It’s had really good results so far. Marc really enjoys genealogy so he has been able to help most members in the branche, many who did not even have a www.familysearch.org account yet. The account is free to members and non-members alike.

Our new Sunday classes—We started having mini classes on the 3^rd Sunday of each month. When you are in a Branch, modify is the name of the game. With everyone coming from long distances to church on Sunday, middle of the week activities are a challenge because of the distances and the time schools get out—between 6-7pm. That is really late on a school night as dinner is traditionally at 7-9pm. All of France seems to be home eating at the same time. It’s tradition. With an hour drive each way for our biggest family, it’s just too much.

So, our modification is to have some mini classes on the 3^rd Sunday of each month (adding a third hour to our two hour schedule), as right now many important programs and activities are not getting done. We are in the trial phase but the Branch Council loved the idea so we think it will go well. Classes like: Family History, Temple Preparation Class, Activity Days for Primary and Personal Progress for Young Women/Men. The Branch seemed very excited about being able to have these activities once a month so we are thrilled to get it under way and revisit it. We are small, but mighty. We are so proud of this Branch and all the efforts they model each week. They roll up their sleeves every Sunday and get right in there helping wherever and whenever they see a need. We love Sundays!!

Richard—Richard is back in town for a few weeks and came over to our apartment to get some genealogy help from Marc on Friday. He has some more time on his hands than was first planned and he is making good use of it delving more into his own family history. He has a genealogy tree in place and has worked back several generations.

Maria—We’ve visited Maria twice since she has moved into her new apartment around the corner from us. She is in between us and the missionaries and we couldn’t be happier to have her nearby. It always takes a while to get settled and things placed just as you like it. Giséle had already been over to take Maria some things to help her get started in her new apartmentJ Giséle is all heart. She talks circles around anyone in sight; but when someone needs something, she is in it 110% and with enthusiasm to spare. Gil, Maria’s husband bought a small TV but could not get a signal so he called to have Marc come over. It was determined that the roof antenna probably does not work and that he will need to subscribe to a TV/Internet/House phone service, as they are have fiber in the apartment.

Primary—We now have a new Primary President (who has 3 children in Primary, 4 if you count her nursing baby). Meg is helping with the music and continuing as a counselor until we leave. Meg has made some “home-made” hands on activities to go with the lesson and to help with the large age spread in Primary. Again, it’s a modification as we don’t have a Junior and Senior Primary so all the ages are combined.

We are working on getting just turned 3-year old Maël to join us for the beginning few minutes of Primary then go to the Nursery and rejoin us for the end. It’s a challenge as he is very social, wants to be with his brother and sister and the other “big kids” yet is not a reader and the activities are geared for 8-10 year olds as that is the bulk of our Primary. We were successful today and it really made a difference.

Chantal—We met with Chantal this week to introduce her to some of Family Search and get an idea of what she already knows and does (quite a bit!) and where we can fill. Marc answered questions to shore up her knowledge base so she can teach others on Sunday. She is now the “go to” person for Family History along with her male counterpart, Sylvan.

Chantal just retired last month and is very happy to devote her time to Genealogy and now helping others on our 3^rd Sunday classes. Chantal has some lines worked back 9 generations!

Sylvan—works every other Sunday as an in-home nurse to several elderly home-bound patients. He has a second car at home just in case anything wrong happens with the first car. His patients are very dependent on his visits with their life-threatening illness so he cannot have any room for error with his arriving to their homes. He is very dedicated and devoted to those he visits. On his off Sunday, you’ll find him always at Church. That’s the long way to say that on our new modification on 3^rd Sundays of the month to have mini-classes other larger Wards/Branches do doing the week, for Sylvan (Chantal’s counterpart) , that will depend on which Sunday is his off Sunday in order to help with those classes. Chantal will fill in for him and we’ll have a combined class that week.

Other—It wouldn’t be Tarbes if we didn’t have something to say about the weather. It’s June…..but feels like November, or February….or a late March in the mountains. We both got sunburned last week and it was in the 80s hiking the Transhumance….this week not so: back to sweaters, jackets and scarves and in the 40s! Really changeable. It snowed in the mountains the other day and we get the icy winds coming off the mountain down here in Tarbes. Yes, June. But then again last year it hailed in July so this is what you get up against a range of mountains, at least on the leeward side. Sunday (today) is sunny and tomorrow the same. Everyone wonders is spring/summer finally here….to stay???

Our “town” of the week is an Abbey: Fontfroide Abbey, near Narbonne. We passed through here doing apartment inspections recently in Perpignan. What an architecturally beautiful abbey, peaceful grounds and many gardens. This abbey was founded in 1093. The Abbey was implemental in fighting against the Cathars whose opposing belief system to the monotheistic Catholic Church was a dual god…one good, one evil. Fontfroide has changed hands many times over the centuries with the last being in 1908 when it was purchased by a private family who is responsible for its current preservation. They have done a truly remarkable job. France is riddled with Medieval towns, cathedrals, abbeys, bridges and the list goes on. It is an undertaking to keep just one in active repair. What a legacy of architecture, ingenuity and culture these amazing Middle Ages builders have left.

Enjoy Fontfroide Abbey.

A la prochaine.