Whew, what a week!
It started last Sunday morning about 4:30 AM with a call to give a blessing to an 85 year old member friend who was having hematuria and thought he might die. We dressed and drove quickly. He was concerned - because he looked up hematuria on the internet - that he had cancer and didn’t want to die with chemotherapy and radiation and surgery, etc. etc. He just wanted to slowly bleed to death in peace! A blessing was given, and a medical consultation was made. He takes an anticoagulant. As we talked I told him that hematuria has many causes, some quite benign, and that he should stop his anticoagulant as a first step and then consult his doctor on Monday. They didn’t realize that I was an MD and thought it was quite a miracle that I was assigned to the branch! He hasn’t seen a urologist yet but is doing much better.
Monday we said goodby at the train station to our favorite missionary so far - Sr. Mollinet - who is going home to Utah after her 18 months. She has been a bright and bubbly sprite for the last 6 weeks and a good trainer for her new missionary companion. Missions are a microcosm of life: a continual series of greetings and farewells, arrivals and departures.
Wednesday we drove to the Mission Home in Lyon and helped prepare the meal for the nine incoming missionaries. They are a diverse group, from the USA, Tahiti, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Everything was in place when they arrived, with a fire lit, table set, carols playing, and apple crisp in the oven.. Sr. Soulier wondered if she had wandered into a Hallmark Special. Thursday morning we made the lunches and took them to the church building where Pres. Soulier had been orienting the new trainers. Then the new missionaries arrived from their walking tour of the old city and the assignment meeting was held. All went well.
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| The trainers (front row) |
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| The trainers (in front) |
Friday morning was the second music lesson for our adult learner. She was able to play one note versions of a couple of hymns using her numbered fingers and following the numbers on the page with the correct rhythm. She was really quite excited that she could do that and it was fun to see.
On our way to church today we walked through the crowded Sunday morning market, the last one before Christmas.
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| Get your sausages here! |
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| Boxes of oysters |
Today was our Christmas Sacrament Meeting. The program itself was underwhelming, but after it ended we held a short choir practice. The choir included 90% of those in attendance and we sang “Belle Etoile” for next week’s service. There was so much enthusiasm that I shed a few tears. It’s a little schmaltzy with its calypso rhythm but the words are beautiful and the spirit was strong. I said after that we don’t have a branch choir; rather the choir has a branch. Sue handed out delicious small macaroons (the kind with the fillings) and everyone appreciated the taste.
We and the Soeur Missionnaires were invited to dinner in the afternoon and loved the decorated home, the delicious food, and the chance to sing carols together. Our two families have a lot in common in musical taste and food interests. It felt like a wonderful Christmas celebration, though a bit off on the date. But if you can have Christmas in July why not on Dec. 22?
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