I Can't Believe It Has Been Almost Three Weeks!

Dear Family and Friends,

I knew we had been crazy busy and that it had been too long since we had added to our blog, but I was astounded when I opened it up and realized that it had been almost three weeks since our last post.  I hardly know where to begin, but I promise to condense....

We had a very interesting experience two weeks ago that really let us know just how much Heavenly Father is directing His work.  We had gone to the airport, on a Thursday, to meet an elder who was flying in from Mauritius because of visa problems there.  (The government does everything to make the whole process as difficult as possible.) When he came walking through the doors there was a senior couple, name tags and all, walking with him.  Really?  Could it be possible that a couple had been assigned here and we didn't know?  My heart skipped a beat!  No, they were a public relations couple from South Africa who had come to Reunion to set up a church Newsroom website and had an appointment with the communications representative here.  We have no idea who was supposed to meet them, but our elder went off with his companion and we offered to take them to their meeting and then pick them up later and take them to their hotel.  While we were driving, they told us that they had no specific idea what they were going to do after the meeting but hoped that they would get some direction that would help the work here.  They then met with some technology specialists, were able to format the website, and also found out that the district president had called a meeting for all island leaders the next night; Brent didn't even know about it yet.  Meetings are very random here, and to have all the leaders meeting on a Friday night was amazing.  We went with the Murdocks to the meeting in La Port, where they were able to introduce the concept of the website, instruct the leaders on how to use it, and tell them how beneficial it would be.  Everyone was so enthused, with many questions and suggestions.  When we were driving home, we were all just shaking our heads at the perfect timing of their visit.  A lucky coincidence?  I don't think so.  We are looking forward to meeting with the Murdocks again when they return at the end of October.

The next week was a whirlwind with a visit by Elder Carl Cook of the Seventy, and also of our area presidency, (raised in Plain City with a home in Liberty and now living in South Africa) and President Adams and their wives.  They arrived on a Thursday night and we were all hosted, along with the district president, to an incredible four course Creole meal at a members home. These people don't begin eating until around 7 and you are still eating at 9! Early the next morning we had a zone conference for the missionaries, lunch all together, and then two more hours of teaching by Elder Cook.  Next was a series of personal meetings and interviews by Elder Cook;  Brent and I were thrilled that Andre Payet and his wife was one of the scheduled interviews.  Brent and I hosted the Cooks and the Adams at our apartment for dinner which gave us a special time to visit and hear some amazing stories. Next, an island fireside with the chapel packed to overflowing.  The missionaries, us included, were the special musical number.  Up early the next morning to take them to the airport, where they continued on with a tour of the Madagascar mission.  Brent and I were exhausted, and the Cooks continued on after our mission tour for a twenty-three country tour with only one carry-on each.  How do they do it?????  and they were always so pleasant.

The third week, when I thought I would be able to get caught up, just flew by with missionary splits, visits with inactive members, problem solving, and a hundred other things.  Everyday is different and everyday is full of its own challenges.  If we were home, we would be enjoying many wonderful activities, but we would not have had an opportunity to learn what the Lord had in store for us to learn here on La Reunion.

Highlight:  Pictures from home!!!!!!!

Lowlight:  Cutting into sections a beautiful orange for breakfast...so juicy and yummy.  Each of us taking a big bite and finding that it was a VERY SOUR LEMON!  Bright orange color, but the shape was slightly elongated.  I won't be fooled next time.

Love that Elder Heap!

Dinner at the bottom of the island with President and Sister Adams and the Argiens.  He is the president of the St. Pierre branch.

Dropping the Cooks off at the airport after a wonderful time together.  Yes I DO have other outfits - not many, granted - but these pictures just all happened to be in my red and white.

Sorry this one is blurry, but I had to include  Brother Umphliza's birthday party and the tortise; he has six or seven lumbering around.  His necklace is a gift from our Tithian elder who is now in Madagascar.

JoAnn's baptism - the first convert baptism we have seen on the island.  The lesson here: every elder and sister missionary here except one, and several others who have already gone home, taught JoAnn the lessons.  As Winston Churchill said during WWII, "Never, never, never give up!"  When the time is right, it will happen if we don't give up.

Happy Day!

Another episode of over-eating at the birthday party.  The women here are absolutely amazing cooks.  They use spices and flavorings that I have never even heard of.

A la Prochien!

The Heap Saga Continues on La Reunion...

Bienvenue de notre blog! (Welcome to our blog)

That's about as good as it gets family and friends.  I know every word is used and spelled correctly - which rarely happens for me -  only when I'm using the French dictionary.  I know just enough correct French to second guess every word I'm saying now...is that the correct conjugation, correct syntax, correct?????  I was a happy little French speaker when I thought I knew something and really didn't; now that I know a little more I'm paralyzed by doubt. But I can order food at the market, greet people at church, follow the missionaries lessons(generally), and read from Le Livre de Mormon each day, so I am richly blessed.  Brent is doing very well.  As we drive around the island to meetings and appointments,  I am always quizzing him on vocabulary, phrases, sentences, etc. (not from my  head, from lesson materials we brought from the MTC).  As I watched him discuss the gospel last evening with a new Malagasy member getting ready to go to the temple in Johannesburg in December, I was filled with gratitude for the language skills he has received here.  I will be honest, it was a STRUGGLE in the beginning, and still is, but when the need is there, the language comes.

In our last blog, we told the story of meeting soeur Payet, the granddaughter of the Defaye family Brent baptized fifty-four years ago.  Well, the story with the Payet family continues and keeps getting better and better.  A few days after our experience with Anderson Payet and his wife, Brent had to go to the bottom of the island to solve some problems there.  I decided to finish deep cleaning our little apartment and finished it all except for the office...Do I? Don't I?  The office was filled with CES materials and papers from years ago.  You know the scene...cords, pamphlets, office "stuff" that hasn't been used for years and probably never will be used again.  I squared my shoulders and dug in, committing to clean every shelf and drawer.  I cleaned out the desk last and in the last drawer, in the very bottom, I found a plastic sleeve with typing I recognized as coming from a typewriter, not a computer.  I carefully pulled it out and found a history of the International Mission written by the original mission president,  Elder Edmunds, telling the story of being called and arriving on La Reunion to begin the mission here, which included Madagascar, Mauritius, La Reunion, and any other islands they could find.  He and his wife made flyers telling about the church and inviting islanders to come to their apartment for English lessons.  He also told about finding a man named Andre Payet, baptizing him, and how they had worked together doing missionary work on the island.  Andre is Anderson's father and has been inactive for years.  Brent called Anderson and told him that he would like to meet with his father and would Anderson arrange an appointment.  Anderson said he would ask but didn't know if his father would consent.  Brent said, "He will."  Anderson called his parents and set an appointment for them to come to our home the following Saturday afternoon.  They arrived right on time, came in, we talked about Brent's connection to Anderson's wife, and ate ice cream.  Brent left the room and came back with President Edmund's account of the church's history here, asking Anderson to read it to his parents. (It was written in English and Andre speaks only French.)  As his son read the story, Andre became very animated, leaning forward on his chair, adding details to the story, nodding and shaking his head as the memories were rekindled.  Glowing eyes; radiant smile.  The moment was right.  Brent's turn to lean forward now.  "Brother Payet, you still have a testimony of the Gospel don't you?"  A tearful nod.  "It's time for you to come back.  You are a pioneer in the church here.  You can tell stories that no one else knows; the members, especially the youth, need to hear you tell those stories.  The church needs your strength and your example, your family needs your example, and you need the church in your life again.  Will you come back?" Another, very slow and very tearful, nod.  I watched, from the back, as they embraced, and I could see the look in Andre Payet's eyes; it was a look of total joy.  It will be a "heart photo" forever and ever.  He said he would attend church on 2 September.  We drove to the St. Marie branch yesterday with butterflies in our stomach, and there was Andre in front of the church, in a group of men talking and laughing together, smile as wide as the church door.  He said to Brent, "We are going to work together here; I know a lot of people who used to be a part of this."  A story written decades ago, resurfaced to bless the life of a wonderful man who needed to remember what used to be his and how much it once meant to him.

I hesitate to write anything else after that story, but I have to include some pictures, so

Next, a few glimpses of a day in the life of elder and soeur Heap:

We are so fortunate to have an exercise park just a ten minute drive from our apartment.   It is huge with many  outdoor exercise options: stairs to walk or run.  If you look to the right you can see levels of ramps that switchback to the top of the hill if stairs are not your bag.  On the back of the hill are stairs that are not so steep.  Walking paths, a running/jogging oval.  Up-down-all around...it's there.  Out the door at 6:45 at least four days a week.

The St Marie branch "cool guys" at a good-bye party for a family moving to the states.  Some things just don't change! (They are sooooo cute.)

Sunday night personalized rice pudding from a sister missionary - soeur Redford - from Pennsylvania.  I know ladies, bad hair day; I don't dare get a haircut here.  What to do?

Pday at the beach in St. Pierre in our little Toyota Yarus.  The highway follows the coastline all the way down the island.  Beautiful day, picnic lunch on the beach, time to ourselves.  Heaven!

Joanie by the Indian ocean.

Brent also needed a haircut and didn't want to chance it sooooooo he asked me to cut his hair.  "Seriously, you must really be desperate."  "If it doesn't work out, I'll have Elder Tema buzz it."  I did and this is the result.  Don't tell me missionaries don't receive help...just look at that haircut! 

Primary in St Marie.  They look so demure; that room exploded after the photo.

I TOLD YOU the flowers cascaded over the walls like waterfalls.  The array of colors is unbelievable.  Eat your heart out desert dwellers.

Fifteen minutes to spare...I think I'll just take a quick nap before leaving again.

Remember, a blog comment just makes our day.  Hearing from you is such a treat!
Love to you all.