LettresdeLyon: Happy Easter Sunday

This has been perhaps the best Holy Week for me because I have learned that we individually determine if it is holy for us by what we focus on, watch, listen to and how we spend our time preparing for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Tom and I have read all the scriptures in the Gospels and 3rd Nephi: 11, dealing with Palm Sunday and the following 7 days. This was a good reminder of our Savior and his love for us. I have often said that Jesus Christ makes my life possible. He is the one who allows us to move on. When we turn to Him, we only feel acceptance and love, which can then transform our hearts. I have some favorite thoughts from other sources. Palm Sunday should not only be remembered for the fronds waved at Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem but also the palms of Jesus’ hands. Jesus riding on a donkey reminds us that Christ usually comes in unexpected ways. What does Hosanna literally mean? Save us now. What do I need to be saved from right now? What am I praying for? Hosanna is both praise and a prayer.

Yesterday we attended a child’s baptism. I have attended many baptisms but this one was filled with joy. All of the family - the grandparents on both sides, the parents, the siblings, and the little boy were excited. There were no signs of stress - only of happiness and confidence, enough that the father and his son could be playful at times, still realizing the sacredness of the occasion. Let me enlarge on this.

Two weeks ago , I was asked by Ephraim, an eight year old in our branch, to say the closing prayer at his baptism. I don’t know why he asked me unless it was because I gave his family some green balloons for St. Patrick’s Day. His mother told me that when she asked him who he wanted, he said Soeur Spackman immediately. Of course I accepted. I have only said a prayer in Sacrament Mtg. once in French. One morning I spent four hours deciding what I wanted to say in this prayer and then translated it into French. I knew that I wanted to mention that his parents had taught him to walk with Jesus, a phrase from one of my favorite songs. I said this prayer in my mind 3-4 times every day so that I could remember the grammar and pronunciation and not embarrass my fluent French-speaking husband.

Ephraim’s baptism was in Dijon because we do not have a font in our building. When we arrived and looked at the printed program, the closing song just before my prayer was ‘I Will Walk With Jesus’. I shed a few tears, grateful that the Lord was giving me confidence and that I was in tune with what the Kuglers were planning.

The meeting began with a young man playing the music on the organ with one finger. I vacillated between thinking this was pathetic and thinking how courageous he was to do this in front of 50 people. I had decided before hand that I could carry a cheat paper to the pulpit in case I could not remember the French correctly. When I looked at this young man, I thought if he could do that, I can surely have the faith to say my prayer without a paper. And I did! I made a few little mistakes but not enough to change the meaning. I did it! I hope I can always be as sincere as I was in that prayer, and hopefully a little less stressed.

You may remember one week in November we were invited to be in charge of Primary and it was disastrous. Three little girls (9,7,7,) from one family were completely disruptive. I finally requested that they sit down please. Things improved as they listened to a story and primary ended. This week, Tom and I were invited to their home to do a family home evening. Their mother warned us ‘the girls are afraid of Soeur Spackman’. We planned a rhythm activity, three short videos about Easter and an appropriate song. To our surprise, they were attentive, we all felt the spirit, had fun singing, and enjoyed our time together. It is a relief not to be feared.