We had the opportunity to testify of personal revelation in response to the question ‘How do you recognize God’s will for you?’ Tom told this couple of his lightning strike answer on moving to Florida. I told them of waiting patiently, praying about the same thing. It came after three months - both a spiritual confirmation in the temple and a physical confirmation in that the Lord provided our housing. It is humbling to realize how much the Lord has guided our lives.
We spent 3 days in Lyon with all 16 senior mission couples. A retreat. My favorite parts were visiting with each other, a religious tour through old town and the testimony meeting. Lyon had Christian missionaries around 150 AD. Gaul was of course part of the Roman Empire. Near the St. John the Baptist Church, there remains an immersion baptismal font from that time period. Within a few years the members were being fed to the lions because they would not deny their faith in Jesus Christ.
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| Early Christian baptismal font |
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| Arch entrance to early church |
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| Explanation of the early churches in Lyon |
I loved a statue on the river called Le poids de soi or the weight of self. Very thought provoking considering the burdens that each of us carry.
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| Le poids de soi |
Friday morning we, with the David Spackmans, the Powers, and the McCoys visited the Museum of Résistance and Déportation. Lyon was also one of the centres of the French Résistance during the Nazi régime. We watched a film of the trial of Klaus Barbe - the Butcher of Lyon. Those who testified had survived his heinous tortures. It was a powerful reminder of man’s inhumanity to man.
We have had some interaction with two of the area mental health advisors from Fernie B.C., who came to teach in the recent round of zone conferences. Elder and Sr. Mcdermid are both licenced councillors and had great ideas - "As we Really Are--Recognizing Ourselves". They talked about challenges, emotional resilience, the cognitive triangle [thoughts, behaviours, emotions]. The best way to open thoughts and feelings is to journal with positives in one book and negatives in another. We address the negatives so that we do not loop them over and over in our minds. That can become very serious and dangerous. They also suggested being in the present, not living in the past or not too far in the future. What can I do today? Their definition of who I am is quite different from self esteem:
I am a child of God
I am a child of the covenant
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ
Self esteem is external--dependent on circumstances, culture, and what others say about us. They ended with always remember that you are becoming and look for gratitude.
On July 3, I got a call from my sister Pudge telling me that her husband was saying things that didn’t make any sense and that if that behaviour continued, it would be tricky taking care of him. Three days later, on Sunday, we got notes from Will and Darin saying Ross had passed away. We were so grateful that all their family had been together for the weekend of Canada Day and that Ross and his 5 sons sang a spécial musical number in church that Sunday. It was something they did many times when the kids were growing up. It was determined that he died of congestive heart failure. Ross was always a gentleman and accepting and kind to us. He was buried in a family service at the cemetery the following Wednesday. There will be a memorial service in Raymond on July 25. We are sorry that we will not be there but I am sure the church will be overflowing.
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| Srs. Schow, Spackman, and Later after setting up the buffet |
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| The lunch buffet, with Elder Dinkelman |
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| The accordian player at the entrance to the Basilica of Notre Dame |
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| Walking to the church |
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