Sunday April 26, 2026 Berlin

It is so strange hearing German spoken with smiling eyes or hearing the words of the Sacrament prayers in that language. Until visiting Berlin this week, most of the German I had heard were words from movies or documentaries on World War Two. It requires a paradigm shift.

Berlin is on a plain, with forests (we walked and ran in them), lakes, and beautiful treed streets, and a horrific history.  The plan was 1000 years of glorious reign by a superior race instigated by a Viennese immigrant adopted by a country humiliated by the their defeat politically and economically by the First World War.  It is a beautiful city now, mostly new, with 3 1/2 million people thriving under democratic government.

Ben and Christy have been so accommodating since we arrived. (I have  walked  29.9 miles).  We travelled to Potsdam, unspoiled by the war, to see the Dutch Quarter from the 1700s and the King of Prussia’s Summer Palace.  We have visited the Brandenburg gate, Jewish Museum, the Stasi Museum and the Topographies of Terror, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Berlin Wall. Sobering.  I was especially aware of the personal stories recorded - one father had written a poem about living, to his young child headed to England on a kindertransport and another asking when he could come visit his 5 yr. old epileptic daughter at the hospital for undesirables.  You know the end to both stories.

We delighted in two concerts: two solo violinists with piano at the Berlin Philharmonic performing Beethoven, Mozart, Ravel, and a medley from Carmen, and an outstanding Orgelvesper  at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church with readings from Mathew plus the Lord’s Prayer and selections from Buxtehude, Bohn, Bach, and Mendelssohn on the organ.  I must mention the  bonus couple on the train playing harmonica, guitar and bass.

At the same time, a sixty year old women came on with her bike.  That may not sound amazing to you but she was also carrying a 5’ blossoming fruit tree.  I could not quit giggling. How was she going to get that to her house? 

We have eaten sour cherry and tonka bean (outlawed in the US) ice cream at Jones, Turkish kabob, rhubarb squares from Markthalle Neun, manti, and could easily develop an addiction to cardamom buns.  Christy taught me how to cook leeks in potato soup or include them in roasted vegetables.  We found blueberries like you have never tasted, 2 euros for 1200 grams, mandarins 1 euro a kilo and green grapes for 2 euros a kilo.  We really hit the jackpot at the outdoor market.  Everything was delicious.

We had a most unusual meal after ward conference today. There were lots of salads and desserts but also two pizza ovens with two bakers making and cooking fresh pizza.  Christy was cutting them as they came out.  There were fresh flowers on the tables and a pour your own drink stand.  This was all outside on the lawn in the trees behind the red brick church built in 1950.  This raised the anti for meet-and-greet in the future.

We thank Ben and Christy for a week of new experiences, and expanded perspective, but mostly for their time, their conversation and their goodness.  We may never visit Berlin again but we have memories for a lifetime.

Brandenburg Gate

Walking in the forest

Sculpture in Sans Souci Palace garden

Buying rhubarb squares at Markthalle Neun

Section of the original Wall at Topography of Terror exhibit 

The organ in the new Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Checking out Checkpoint Charlie

Saturday April 18, 2026

There is excitement and then there is excitement.  Last Sunday, the branch had a little surprise going away party for us.  Kate was included as well since it was her last Sunday in Chalon, being here for 7 months.  Lots of finger foods and fresh fruit and presents.  I am taking the gifts to the U.S. in May adding to what I bought months ago for myself - black and white polka dot cutlery.  Pres. Catogni was effusive with his praise and the branch was very generous.  Fortunately, we did not receive any live Guinea hens that we need be concerned about (sometimes given in Africa).  

Pres. Catogni

We have invested nineteen months of our lives here and have learned so much from them.  I am brought to tears thinking about leaving this place but know it is time for a new assignment.  Jacob 4:10 "Wherefore brethren,  seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he he counseleth in wisdom, in justice and in great mercy over all his works."

Sr. Landré, Kate, Sue, Bro, Landré, Tom

We found a new couple who just moved from Tahiti and need both our beds .  I cleaned out the kitchen and the balcony and they took everything from dishes to planters this morning and will come back for the rest on May 11 when we move.  Our stuff will reside in the mission home in Lyon until we return in July.  

We talked to both Elder Later and Elder Delbar about the place we had found to live.  Each suggested that we ask the owner if he would be interested in a long term rental.  He was.  We said we would need to see it first.  He suggested we come yesterday so Thursday we drove to Lyon to get my tooth checked again and then travelled south to an adorable hotel in Villeneuve called La Magnanerais for the night.  Absolutely charming; rock walls, climbing ivy, shutters, marble bathrooms, beautiful gardens, and glorious birds chirping in the evening sunlight.  I was in heaven.  I hope there are chirping birds in Heaven.  

Our room at upper right

The hotel garden

The next morning we prayed that the Lord would confirm that this was where He wanted us to be and headed off.  The place was spotless and quaint.  As soon as I walked through the door, I became very excited.  This spontaneous energy can’t be conjured up and almost can’t be contained. Tom was talking about serious things like reliable internet while I was looking through cupboards etc.  The owner was very accommodating about rearranging furniture, bringing in a table or desk for a work area, updating to a faster speed if needed etc.  We each knew this was the right place.  It looked and felt like France.  The owners’ great grandfather had built the house and attached barn about 1840 surrounded then by grape vines and olive groves.  Now it was surrounded by a ten foot rock wall in the middle of a village.  We would be living in the remodeled barn. We were delighted to be part of it and it would become a part of us.

Interior view of the new apartment

Unfortunately when we arrived home and read our mail, we were slammed with a multi- thousand dollar special assessment on our condo In Florida.  Such is life.  Opposition in all things.  We will work it out.  We know God is still in control.

 We hope life is good at your house and that Spring has come.

April 12, 2026

We have learned much in the last two weeks. The days leading up to Easter were more meaningful than in past years because we tried to make it a Holy Week instead of a holy day.  There were some excellent articles and lectures online discussing the fig tree, the cleansing of the temple, and the last supper (according to John not being a Passover meal), Christ carrying the crossbar, the history and methods of crucifixion, and the idea that the crucified were at street level so that they could not be ignored.  I would guess that was much harder on his mother.  From our Easter service at the church, I was reminded that the purpose of Sacrament meeting talks is not to bestow knowledge but to inspire, through personal experience, ratified by the Holy Ghost, a testimony of the greatness of God and the infinite atonement of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Some favorite studies of the past week from Mosiah 25 & 26: 

‘…because of their unbelief, they could not understand the word of God and their hearts were hardened’

‘As often as my people repent, will I forgive them their trespasses against me’.

On Mar. 30, April 1& 2, we were in Lyon feeding 10 departing missionaries including Sr. Peterson, 20 new arriving, and 60 at the assignment meeting.  It was pretty exhausting. We were grateful to have Friday as a down day to prepare for the marvelous General Conference and Solemn Assembly on the weekend.  During those meetings, I received a sobering personal  revelation about softening my own heart instead of praying for someone else to soften theirs.  Kate joined us at 6pm both evenings for the direct broadcasts.  She listened in French on her earphones while we listened in English.  One of the French translators is in our Stake Presidency.  

The Saturday afternoon session was shown Sunday morning at the church and the new Elders joined us for a roast pork dinner afterwards.  My favorite part was a spinach, strawberry and mango salad.  That was a new experience for them.  In response to my question ‘Why did you decide to serve a mission?’ Elder Scrivens answered that for several years as a teenager he did not feel the Spirit.  As he got older and learned to recognize it, he realized that it had been there all along.  Perhaps his  experience could help someone else.  Elder Cowden responded that it was an answer to his prayer plus his two older brothers had served. We are  enjoying  getting to know these two elders better.

Monday evening Tom conducted the First Monday meeting zoomed to the complete mission.  Four senior couples shared info that all missionaries need to know: electricity and circuit breakers, financial receipts, nutrition, health and budget, and emergency preparedness.  It was well received and all are hoping for a review sheet.  I cooked chili most of the day for zone conference on Friday.  Tuesday and Wednesday we cleaned veggies, cooked another batch of chili and 7 double packages of lardons (precut tiny pieces of bacon) for the sour cream, bacon & chives.  By Thursday when we left for Lyon, everything was ready except chopping onions and scrubbing, poking and wrapping 42 potatoes for baking.  Another senior couple was bringing 20 more.

Zone conference, especially Pres. Schows’ talk, was exceptional.  What matters, using Mark 6, and 7, being a missionary.  You matter (referring to friends), our message matters, I care about you, BE where you are.  

He showed a clip of Elder Bednar teaching at the MTC four months after his call as an apostle.  He spoke about two young missionaries who had come to his home on a Saturday morning when he was in graduate school. They played with his two little kids, had breakfast and after an hour, asked if the Bednar's had anyone they could refer to the missionaries to teach.  He replied, “We will not refer any of our friends to you. You are like two boys not two missionaries.  Missionaries would not waste a Saturday morning visiting members when it is the only day most people are home.  Missionaries would knock on my door and say something like ‘May we share something we have learned from the Book of Mormon this week with you and your family if you have a few minutes?’  Then my two year old could get his copy and make this a family experience. Missionaries would bear their testimonies of Jesus Christ and his church and conclude with the question about teaching our friends. They would leave within a few minutes and go to work.”  The next week the missionaries came back and did just that. 

Pres. Schow also quoted Elder Uchtdorf from October 2014 conference. “Over the course of my life, I have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the most competent and intelligent men and women the world has to offer.  When I was younger, I was impressed by those who were educated, accomplished, successful, and those applauded by the world.  But over the years, I have come to the realization that I am far more impressed by those wonderful and blessed souls who are truly good and without guile.”  The gospel is good news and it helps us become good.

The lunch was well received and we were too tired to talk on the way home. We love helping where we can.

Srs. Tew, Cardon, and Bell at Zone Conference

The exuberant wisteria thinks spring is here

March 29, 2026

I have listened to some excellent research this week about the corruption of the High Priests and the financial gouging of the thousands of people in the temple courts by the lower Priests.  The pilgrims came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover by paying their tithes and taxes, and offering their appropriate sacrifice in the temple.  Why did Christ clear the Temple courtyard?  Was it the commotion,  the manipulation, and the mockery of his Father’s house?  Was it that the animals, which symbolized the offering that He would make, had become a very successful commercial business? The meaning of the sacrifice had been replaced by greed.  Did not the sacrifice which He would make mean so much more?  Tom and I are listening to Handel’s Messiah as we prepare for Easter. 

Last weekend, we confirmed with Pres. Schow that we would be happy to serve for another year.  When we heard that  there would be no replacement for us, and wondered how to help, we were told that we could return to America for a graduation and a family reunion, and then return to France until April of 2027.  Tom will still carry the medical phone so he can be contacted by any who are sick and we will still wear our badges but have no other restrictions.  Seniors can serve for up to 30 months without re-applying for another mission.  On our return, Pres. Schow would like us to serve in the Avignon Branch.

Tuesday we got a call from Elder Delbar in charge of housing. He wondered if we would like to participate in finding our housing for Avignon, then we could live where we want.  We thought that a great idea.  He suggested that we book an Airbnb or VRBO for the first two months after we come back which would give us time to search.  We spent several hours that same day looking at what was available.  I was captivated with a two bedroom rental in a little village of 8000, in the countryside, about 20 minutes from the church.  We thought about it overnight and texted Sr. Delbar the next day to see if it was within the budget.  When she saw the price, she texted back "It’s a steal! Book it now."  So we did. We are very happy to know where we are coming back to.

Our two young sister missionaries in Chalon, Srs. Bell and Cardon, are being transferred to St.Etienne and Valence on Wednesday.  Each will  be training  one of the new arrivals from Brazil, the Provo MTC, or the Preston MTC.   We get really attached after spending three or four months with them.  We will miss them but we will be in the same mission until they go home.  Elders are coming to Chalon!  We will work with Elder Crowder and his new companion for one transfer before leaving in May.  We love serving in the mission field.

 

March 22, 2026

The weeks pass very quickly.  Sunday we went to church in Avignon.  It is a branch about the same size as Chalon with a very young branch presidency and half the population older than we are.  Some members were from Tahiti and some from the Caribbean - not quite as diverse as ours now.  There is a nice two story building but a piano rather than an organ.  We were surprised to see the Elder and Sr. Hansen there.  He served in Avignon 50 years ago and shared his testimony of being there with a total of 4 people.  They are now serving in Angoulême. 
 
Monday I purchased all the supplies for the mission tour meal except the pork which was already pulled and frozen. I made 5 litres of bbq sauce which took most of the day and hard boiled 40 eggs.  Tuesday we headed to the mission home and peeled 20 of the 32 pounds of potatoes and cut up cut up 3 stalks of celery.  We had a conversation with Pres. Schow about where we will serve our last 9 months. 

Wednesday we cooked all the potatoes and sprinkled them with vinegar, cut up the pickles and eggs.  I made all the salad dressing.  It took 3 hours to assemble potato salad for 120 missionaries with 4 of us working.  It was a relief to have that done. Sr. Berube made the cole slaw because she has a food processor.  Tom and I went to Promocash for paper plates that would not collapse, spring colored napkins, and plastic folks that would not break.  We were ready.  We zoomed Elder McConkie’s talk in Marseilles on the language of personal revelation and had a quiet evening.  Hopefully everything needing to go to the Church would fit in our car.

Thursday was a bright sunny day.  All the food did indeed fit into the car.  We considered setting up tables in the grassy area outside the church, but the ground was too soft.  Fortunately the space inside was adequate for 120 place settings.  The lunch was very well received by all and there was enough food for seconds for many.  

Elder and Sr. McConkie were a marvel to observe in their teaching and interactions with the missionaries.  Elder McConkie taught from Luke 5 - the calling of Peter.  How did Christ invite?  What did he promise?  What can we learn from that experience in our invitations to others to follow Him?  He also shared the experience he had in his training as a general authority observing Elder Cook as he matched missionaries to their assigned missions.  At one point Elder Cook didn't feel right about assigning a missionary to any of the missions that would have vacancies, so he asked to see all the missions.  He assigned the missionary to one of those.  When the attending member of the missionary committee said that mission was full, Elder Cook said "I don't care.  That's where this missionary is called to serve!"  Later on, he was struggling to find the right match and asked to see the mission leaders in the missions under consideration.  That gave him the answer.  Calls come under inspiration!

The McConkie's met with the senior missionaries separately for a short meeting after the others, to thank us for our service, and then asked what we were learning.  We responded that mission leaders make all the difference in the spirit in a mission, and that we knew we were supposed to be here.  Many times it isn't what we do that makes the difference, but just being there.  When we are willing and try, the Lord uses our individual talents to bring about good things.  Possibly the greatest thing we have seen is the resolution of a long-standing feud which had divided the branch for years.  We served as a catalyst and the Lord took care of the details.  Sr. Later also contributed that she has sent in the past year from the office by request copies of the Book of Mormon in 37 different languages!

Yesterday we drove to meet Neal and spend a few hours together.  He was in Switzerland for the week to give several talks at a convention in a beautiful mountain retreat.  We met in Geneva and visited the Bastions Park with the Reformation Wall - statues recognizing the great Protestant reformers.  Their work also paved the way for the independence of Geneva as a canton.  Carved into the wall behind the statues are the words "POST TENEBRAS LVX".  It took a bit to realize that the Latin LVX wasn't a number, but that the V was a Latin U.  Loose translation, "After darkness, light".  That is Geneva's motto.  

Reformation Wall

Geneva Coat of Arms

March 15, 2026

Trust in the Lord but tie up your camel. This is one of the resonating lines from the testimony meeting at the senior missionaries conference the last four days in Aix-en-Provence. The 34 (that number starts diminishing on Tuesday) of us met for some time together with our mission leaders.  All are exceptional in their individual ways.  The greatest part of our missionary experience is the people - those you serve and those you serve with. 

Wednesday we met in the town of Aubagne to tour the Santon factory and museum.  A santon is a cultural doll ranging from a shepherd, a seller of produce, and a fisherman, to the angels who announced the nativity.  Each is made from Marseilles red clay in a press, fired, detailed and painted by hand, dressed with authentic costumes, and mounted on a base.  The process was fascinating to watch and, including the drying, takes two to four months to complete. 

Trimming

Putting on arms

A shepherd

The museum had several scenes with hundreds of the figurines in various settings.  

Scene from a town with prisoners

We checked into a lovely Marriott Renaissance Hotel and enjoyed a goat cheese, hazelnut, and drizzled honey pizza that evening.  

Thursday we were treated to lunch in an old French farmhouse featuring a huge fireplace with a log burning, brick floors, and a beamed wood ceiling.  The house and grounds were pretty rustic but the food was delicious.  I had lamb.  We spent the afternoon visiting the monastery where Van Gogh was held for most of a year for insanity.  His rooms had large windows where he could see and paint his pastoral scenes.  Although treatment for mental health has come a long way from straight jackets, limited food, tub baths, and months of isolation, there is much left to learn and understand.  As an aside, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the medical missionary to Gabon, was interned in this place in 1918 until the end of the war. 

Walkway lined with Van Gogh reproducitons

Part of the gardens out his window

Friday we hiked part of Mt. Victoire with David and Camilla Spackman who fly home to Calgary on Tuesday.   We did not plan to make it to the top (rock face too rough) but did make it up about 1.5 miles to a little 1000-year-old chapel called the Hermitage before coming down.  Several paragliders hiked past us on the trail and were soaring overhead as we descended.  This mountain appears in many of Cezanne’s paintings.  He lived in Aix and could see the mountain out his window.  

Camilla at the Hermitage

We all met at 3pm for a council meeting with the president to discuss apartments, supporting young missionaries, and finances.   At 6pm we enjoyed a delightful dinner at the church compliments of Sr. Oakeson: bread and favorite cheeses, sparkling apple and pear drinks, chicken with cream, carrots, green beans, rice, salads, fresh strawberries and pastries.  After, we were spiritually fed sharing heart felt testimonies of Jesus Christ and the wonders of Him being our God.  

Our goodbyes were all said Saturday morning.  It was an exceptional few days that we will always remember.  Thank you Pres. & Sr. Schow.  After checking out of the hotel we drove to Villeneuve-les-Avignon and toured Fort St. André, a fortress built in the 1300s as a border defense - the land across the river (Avignon) was part of the Holy Roman Empire.  It was never attacked and so has retained much of its original character, with barbican, gatehouse, towers, and 700 meters of walls with machicolations, etc.  The Mistral had started to blow as we toured the fort and it was really cold and windy!

The entrance

This place was huge!

The Pope's Palace across the river

An artist at work

 

March 8, 2026

Monday in Nice we invited a trio of missionaries to come for lunch with Spencers: Srs.Tew, Apedaile, and Jones. We fed them sweet potato and kale curry for an appetiser with a main course of chicken, ravioli and spinach Alfredo with hot crusty bread.  It was yummy.  Sr. Tew served in Chalon one transfer not long ago and wanted to know about all the members and Amis that were being taught.  Sr. Jones gave a lovely prayer and Sr. Apedaile a thoughtful short  devotional.  They all brought a wonderful spirit.

DeAnn took me to her Asian store to buy the curry paste needed for her recipe and we so enjoyed the walk in the sunshine.  In the evening we caught the tram to the Conservatory for a free piano concert with a marvelous pianist.  Florent Bouffard had come to do master classes for the piano students.  He has performed with many of the orchestras in Europe and played Debussy, Ravel, and some Brahms.  Tom and Brent promptly went to sleep.  We only recognized some of what we heard, and much of it was what Tom calls “scenic” - the music gave an impression of a picture, a feeling, without making any definitive statement.

Tuesday we celebrated with quiche and pain au chocolate for our last breakfast together.  Our train left on time.  We were seated with two young men from Hong Kong who were exploring France on a budget.  Somewhere between Toulon and Marseilles the train stopped.  The conductor announced that the train had killed a “person” on the track and would be delayed for up to two hours.  No other information was given but it is well known that distressed people who wish to commit suicide will sometimes walk on the tracks.  We missed our other connections and played musical chairs between Marseilles and Lyon where there were no seats available.   The train to Chalon was not full so we made it home only 3 hours late.  We could not believe what we saw - the river had dropped 12 feet in the days we were gone.

Wednesday we made a short trip to Lyon for an appointment with my petite, gentle Romanian dentist. She is fixing my tooth at 1/3 the cost it would be at home.  Thursday and Friday the car was in the shop for regular maintenance and the replacement of a piece of plastic on the undercarriage knocked off when hitting a rock.  That repair cost over $1200!  I cooked another batch of pulled pork for the mission tour.  We are now over 100 servings and one more batch may finish it.

We’ve received good news from the family this week.  Eden has turned 19 and will graduate with honors from Lone Peak high school.   Jonah (Hugh’s youngest) is learning to play the bassoon.  Neal’s projects are making progress.  Sadly, we also heard of Chuck Dubois’ death.  He was a dear man.  We are so happy that we visited with him and Elsa in their home in St. George between missions.  We will be praying for their family.