The Christmas That Almost Wasn't

JOYEUX NOEL TOUS! (Merry Christmas All!)

Our love and warmest holiday greetings to all of you at home.  Obviously, we have thought of you often with tender hearts and fond memories that have filled our Christmas stockings to over flowing.  I have had a difficult time getting to this post because of, well, I guess that will be the focus of this blog. Coming to grips with spending Christmas so far from home, and in an entirely different culture, has been somewhat of an interesting process this year.  Putting that process into words will no doubt help me understand better what really happened, and why.

I knew that Christmas here, where such a huge part of the population isn't Christian, might be difficult. I also knew that Brent and I, along with the young missionaries, would be focusing on the the spiritual aspects of the season.  Hence, I decided that I wanted none of the traditional trappings: no tree, no decorations, no lights, no Christmas carols, etc.  Looking back now, I realize it was self-protection.  I did not want to experience anything that would make us homesick for Christmas on 3200 North surrounded by family and friends.  But it all changed one Sunday during a Young Women's lesson when I heard the Priesthood singing Silent Night. The feeling flooded over me that my attitude was "Just Wrong!"  I needed to embrace Christmas on La Reunion; I needed to put up a tree (there was a small one in the closet), make wassail, play carols, and proceed with a heart full of joy that Christmas was upon us once more. So we did exactly that.  We bought a string of red, twinkling lights for the railing; put up the little white paper tree (no lights; it REALLY was paper and we were afraid it would catch on fire), bought a hand-carved creche and a Christmas tablecloth at the Madagascar market, downloaded some beautiful, spiritual carols, and voila, our little apartment had a nice warm Christmas glow.  As Brent and I spent those two weeks reading about the birth of our Savior and His most precious of all gifts to us, we were surrounded by not only familiar feelings, but also by wonderful sounds, sights, and smells.  The peace of the season blessed our lives, the missionaries, and our work here.

On Saturday evening, 15 December, the four missionaries in our area (two sisters and two elders) had no appointments, so the six of us went down to the Barachois (a commercial area by the ocean) to sing Christmas carols.  Remember, many of the people here are Hindu, Buddhist, or Muslim, so we weren't sure what the reaction would be.  There are very few decorations, but the city had put up a huge Christmas tree at the park with some displays, shopping, and family activities.  The park was surrounded by a huge wall with policeman at the entrance.  Some of the more reticent performers in our group (Brent, mostly) wanted to stand across the street in a dark corner, but I marched the group right up to the main gate in front of the arch light (if we're going to do this, people are going to see and hear us) where we stood for an hour singing carols from the hymn book.  It was THE most memorable night!  Some visitors hurried by us, not even looking, but others stopped with their small children and listened, almost reverently.  One man walked up to us wanting to see what the book was we were singing from, so we showed him where we were in the song and invited him to sing along.  He, and his whole family sang several carols with us.  Others stood by us and had their pictures taken.  Some in Hindu attire stood in the shadows and listened.  A group of teenage boys came by, making remarks and acting cool, but when we invited them to sing with us, they did, and their whole attitude changed.  After they quit singing, they sat on a wall and listened until we went home.  We waved and wished them Joyeux Noel.

The missionaries all gathered in our apartment at 11:00 the day of Christmas Eve for five hours of singing, eating, activities, eating, a spiritual message, eating, a white elephant exchange, and more eating.  They all had assignments, and came very well prepared. It was a joyful, joyful day.

Remember when we first arrived here we told you about meeting the granddaughter of the couple Brent baptized in France?  The Saturday before Christmas we had lunch with her and her family and, as a Christmas gift, she presented Brent with copies of the pages from her grandmother's journal that told about meeting the missionaries, hearing the lessons, being baptized, what her testimony meant to her, and their subsequent activities in the church.  It contained pages and pages of her grandmother's personal feelings about the gospel and when the missionaries found her.  Tears flowed as Brent read what his "French mother" had written.  She was a wise and wonderful woman; and for Brent to be presented with those pages is truly a mission miracle.  Christmas in La Reunion...it turned into a great blessing.

We send our love and wishes for a year ahead filled with the richness of all God's blessings to His children.  May we all remember the source of hope...the babe of Bethlehem...and the true gifts of the season.

I joined the St Denis Christmas choir and had the best time with the members; it also helped my French.  Their branch Christmas party was so, so fun, and I was told that the choir sounded great.  I hope so because it is the only choir I have ever sung in where the choir members argued with the director about how the songs should be sung.  A totally new experience for me.  At first I thought they were kidding, but soon realized that they were totally serious.

Again, the St Denis fete (party).  This little Mary just won my heart.  I wanted to take a picture of everyone, but when the shepherds and wise men came, there were so many of them that all you could see were backs.  No one was left out.

Down at the bottom of the island, at St. Pierre, we not only acted out the events of Bethlehem, but also the events of the American continent.  Samuel the Lamanite really took his part seriously.

Aurore Payet, the granddaughter of Brother and Sister Defaye.

Elder Heap reading the journal pages of his "French mother".  The picture on the cover was taken when they were serving a mission at the Swiss Temple.  What an amazing blessing.  When the missionaries were here on the day of Christmas eve, one of them even started to cry when he read it.

A Bientot mes amies!

The Treasure of Thanksgiving Memories

Bonjour Mes Amis,

Every Thanksgiving at home, as I placed our Thanksgiving decorations in their assigned spot, I would lovingly set out a book by Truman Capote entitled, A Thanksgiving Memory.  It was an autobiographical account of one Thanksgiving spent with a slightly eccentric aunt who was viewed by the rest of the family as more than just a little odd.  He described so eloquently the crazy fun they had together, the love they shared, and the tremendous influence her goodness had for him, that I have made it a tradition to cuddle up and revisit those two old friends each season before my Thanksgiving preparations began.  It gave me pause to consider my blessings, my obligations, and my focus for my own family during one of my favorite holidays.  This year, far from home and those who have made all our holidays so memorable, Brent and I have had an opportunity to pause, consider our blessings, our obligations, and our focus for yet another holiday season.

We have much to be grateful for: a wonderful family chez nous (at home) who have given us total support and joy;  bonne sante (good health) to be able to serve a mission; les missionairies (French spelling) with whom we labor who are obedient, hard-working, and absolutely the best; a message of truth to share that can bring joy and hope to people half way around the world, whose traditions, skin color, dress, and beliefs are much different than ours, but who are our brothers and sisters and for whom we feel an immediate and almost unexplainable love.  Gratitude is the emotion that we feel most often here as we recognize that we are helped at every turn; we could NEVER do this on our own and gratefully, we don't have to.

We celebrated Thanksgiving with the missionaries on Monday, November 26, because Thursday, Thanksgiving day, was just another work day for all of us.  On Pday, we all met at the church at 4:00 and enjoyed a full Thanksgiving meal together.  Each companionship brought something to help with the food, and Brent and I supplied the turkey (breasts cutlets only, a whole turkey would cost 150 euros here), stuffing, potatoes and gravy, and a ham with peach sauce (just to make sure they went home full).  We were together for 41/2 hours, eating, talking, singing, and ending with all of the missionaries telling why they were grateful they had decided to serve a mission.  A new Thanksgiving Memory totally different from all of the others tucked, for now, so tenderly away.

The next Friday, November 30, six of the missionaries teamed up to host a fireside honoring an American Thanksgiving in one of the branches.  They put a big tree made of paper up on one of the walls and gave all those in attendance several fall-colored paper leaves, on which they were told to write what they were thankful for.  Each family then got up together and told, one by one, what they had written on their leaves before attaching them to the tree.  There were several investigators there, and the activity allowed them a chance to get to know everyone else as feelings were expressed.  A very effective, spiritual, and sometimes funny activity that brought everyone together in a unique way. The members here always provide food, Creole mostly, which is most common food here, and we had a Creole Thanksgiving feast together when the fun and games were over.  One mother had sent her elder some boxes of jello, so he made a big bowl of jello...nothing in it, just red jello.  You would have laughed so hard at all of the people here looking at it, poking the spoon in it, and wondering what it was.  All over the room you could hear the words, "jello" "jello" "jello" as people explored the red, wiggly mound on their plate. Some were trying to eat it with their fingers; a lot of food you wouldn't expect is eaten with the fingers. It was so fun!  Great night with a big crowd in attendance.  Again, a Thanksgiving memory enjoyed in a totally new and different setting.  We have included some photos so that you can share the night with us.

Highlight of the week:  It is the MANGO season here and are they ever delicious.  I would try to explain it to you, but it would be like trying to explain to someone who had only eaten peaches bought from the store what a freshly picked peach tastes like.  Impossible!  We literally eat them every day.

Lowlight of the week:  I finally got my hair cut...not a good move.  I avoid looking in the mirror because my hair always looks flat, my eyes always look tired, and I don't have a clue what to do about either one of them.  C'est la vie (that's life).

The work is difficult here; it is a socialistic society and many of people's material needs are taken care of so they have no need for religion.  Every once in a while, the missionaries meet someone who is so totally prepared for the gospel message that teaching them is almost unnecessary.  Such was the case with Alexandria (white T shirt).  She accepted the lessons readily, was full of faith and commitment, and was baptized in just a few weeks.

Thanksgiving dinner together at the church.  In the beginning, Brent and I were busy helping with the food; when he finally got a chance to dish something up for himself, these elders were already going back for seconds.  There were sixteen of us for dinner. One of our Tahitian sisters brought the ketchup; it is new to them and they love it!

I had to include this photo because all of us have seen Brent's "What? You have got to be kidding me" expression.  I don't know what was said, but there you have it.  I laughed out loud when I saw this picture.

When we came here, the missionaries told us that no one decorates for Christmas because the island decorates itself, and it is true.  You know when Christmas is near because the Flamboyant trees burst into bloom and they are EVERYWHERE.  This was one of the first trees we saw, and I loved that the man parked his basket business under its beauty.  I will send more photos of them in the next few weeks.  There are literally rows of them that will be in bloom.

The Gratitude Tree of blessings.  Brent and I could have filled the whole tree ourselves.

Juenes Filles (Young Women) in St Marie.  After the photo, we all had a group hug.  Some things just never change!

December 4 we sent our first missionaries home.  We had sent two elders home about a month after we arrived, but we didn't know them as well.  These sisters we have worked very closely with and it was bitter-sweet to see them go.  Many happy memories.

We send our love and best wishes for a warm and wonderful holiday season for you all.  We will miss you and all the warmth and meaning you bring to our lives, but this year we are happy to be where we are and grateful for the blessings we are daily given here.

As always, a bientot!

Brent and Joan