The Things We Don't Know...For Now

Bonjour notre famille et nos amis chez nous, ca va?

Tonight we are going to gaze into the night (if the sky is clear) and enjoy the "Super Moon" reflected on the Indian Ocean.  The Super Moon: when the full moon coincides with the closest approach the moon makes to earth during its elliptical orbit.  I don't know if tonight's moon will really be any different than other beautiful full moons we try to always appreciate, but it will be our only occasion to have this opportunity here, in the southern hemisphere, like so many other experiences we are blessed with each day.  Is the moon bigger, brighter?  We don't know...yet.  So many things we don't know...yet.

Last Sunday, we visited the branch in St. Pierre and had the pleasure of dining with a very special member there.  She is Chinese, about seventy-eight years old, the branch Primary president, and probably one of the most active missionaries on the island.  A delightful dynamo.  During the course of the meal, she looked at all of us and asked to share "une petite histoire" (a small story) with us, some of which we knew and some of which were unfamiliar.  Her brother, with his wife and very young family, was living in France during the seventies, going to school.  He was walking down the street and saw a handmade sign which read, "Families can be together forever".  Interested, he approached the missionaries holding the sign and began asking them questions.  They taught him the gospel, and later, before he returned to his home on La Reunion, he and his wife were baptized.  When he returned, he taught his sister the gospel (our hostess) and she and her family were the first members baptized on this island.  President Edmonds of the International Mission was assigned here around that time, and missionary work really began.  The brother was the first branch president, later the first district president, and is now the patriarch, an icon here of faith and leadership. Fast forward about, oh, about twenty years.  The brother, wanting his children to have a good education and friends in the church, sent his oldest daughter to BYU.  She was on campus one day and someone called out her full - first and last - name.  A BYU professor, walking along, heard that name, recognized it from years ago (remember, it is a Chinese name), and literally ran over to her.  "Is your name.......?"  "Yes."  "Do you know (the brother's name)?"  "Yes, he is my father."  "Are you a member of the church?" With palms up in surprise, "Of course!  We are ALL members of the church.  There are three branches on Reunion now."  The man was awestruck.  He was one of the initial missionaries to teach the young investigator in France, had been transferred and had gone home before the baptism, and had never known that the man had accepted the Gospel.  He had baptized no one on his mission, and although it had been a great experience for him, had always felt unsuccessful in that area.  When the brother came to America, probably for his daughters graduation, I really don't know, the two men reunited and shared their stories.  I looked over at the two elders with us, realizing that their feelings were much like the young elder who left France not knowing until years later...yet...what seeds had been planted and what fruit  produced from one small handwritten sign and many evening lessons.  There are so many things we don't know...yet...that they don't know...yet...maybe not known even in this lifetime, but our prayer was that the elders were taught by the Spirit the lesson of the effort, not always just the seemingly end result, and the power of time and personal commitment in changing the lives of others.  There are many things we don't know...yet.

Lowlight of the week:  One of our outstanding zone leaders had reached the conclusion of his time here.  President and Sister Adams flew in for the departure dinner.  Everyone was excited for a wonderful evening together.  It was a smaller dinner this time; only one elder leaving, which is rare, so the dinner included him and his companion, the Adams, and us.  SO FUN; I love these dinners!  Fresh flowers from the morning market on the table, a yummy menu planned, with a couple of things I knew he especially liked:  salad with deviled eggs.  We had a prayer and I excused myself to finish the main course while everyone ate their salads.  I returned with the rest of the meal as everyone was finishing up the salad, and I began eating mine.  It tasted great, but "crunch, crunch" my teeth kept encountering grit; what IS this?  The lettuce had been washed.  Well maybe it was just mine...  Brent cleared the salad plates and we met in our tiny kitchen.  "Was your salad gritty?"  He smiled.  "Well, let me put it this way, I could hear President Adams crunching like he was eating sand." OH NO...oh, well; like Scarlett O'Hara, "I'll worry about that tomorrow!"

Highlight of the week:  You know how every once in a while things just happen right?  We had one of those times the day after the departure dinner when we took the elder to the airport.  It had been a great day.  He had worked right up to the end orienting four new missionaries that had arrived that morning, got himself packed and off we all headed to the airport, the new zone leader companionship, the Adams, and us.  We took photos, hugged, said our goodbyes, and watched him as he reached the security check-in.  Perfect. Oh, oh, he is searching through his pockets; NOW he is searching through his carry-on; now he is RE-searching his carry-on; something is definitely WRONG.  He walks back to us.  "I don't have my wallet and it has my identification card in it." (along with a credit card, about 400 euros, a temple recommend signed by his mission president, etc)  He could check-in without his identification card, but didn't want to loose his wallet.  My thoughts: all of those things can be replaced, but I don't want the memory of his last hours - not to mention his flight home -  to be stress-filled.  The questions:  when did you last have it, etc?  Brent, never being one to be indecisive, asked, "What is the last moment you can check in?" then turned to the zone leaders and said, "Go home as fast as you can without breaking any laws and see if it is there."  Zoom, off they went.  Waiting...waiting...waiting; silent prayers all around.  Phone rings.  Brent is expressionless; looks at the elder; still no expression, time stands still; we are all breathless. BIG SMILE.  "They have it and they are on their way. " The biggest sigh of relief I have ever heard.  Wallet delivered at the curb...happy elder rechecking in...wallet in pocket! THANK YOU!

PHOTO GALLERY:

P-day visit to the statue of the Hindu God Shiva on the island of Mauritius.  We have a difficult time obtaining visas for the missionaries there because the Hindu government officials  aren't in a hurry to have Christian missionaries teaching their people.

Lunch with the missionaries on Mauritius...in rupees which comes to about $21.00, but you gulp when you first see the bill.

The young man in the picture was baptized a few months ago and now his sister wants to become a member.

Wednesday's new addition to the missionary force on La Reunion.  I think I'm getting shorter!

The jet-lagged new elders with their companions and the zone leaders.

Leaving for home and these are his GOOD shoes!

The wallet is found; relief for all

Primary in St Pierre with our hostess.

Happy Birthday to you!

I wanted to show you two things with this picture.  Of course, the beautiful bank of flowers, but also, look at the gutter. It is about two feet deep here and as the road turns the corner there is no space at all between the white line and the gutter.  In many places the gutters are 4 feet deep and on both sides of a two lane road (because of torrential rains).  No place to go if a car takes a wide turn and is on YOUR side of the road.   

Each day is a new adventure and a new blessing of learning, depending, seeking, and believing.  This mission was definitely a step out of our comfort zone and we are still functioning out of it, but the things we now know seem to be slightly more than the things we don't know, and we are ever grateful for it all.

                                                                              Love,

                                                                       The Castaways

The Bright Badge of Busyness

Bonjour et bisous a tous,

Bisous:  the French custom of kissing EVERYONE on both cheeks upon greeting.  I can't bisous men and Brent can't bisous women and WON'T bisous men, but I have to say that I have become quite comfortable with the bisous...so if I kiss both your cheeks without thinking when I first get home, be patient; I've been doing it for eighteen months!  There are probably some other customs we have picked up - like using one's knife to push food onto one's fork - that we don't even think about now which will be apparent later when we are the only ones doing it; interesting adjustments.  Many things to think about.

I have been thinking a lot lately about "the bright badge of busyness" since we just finished many days being extremely so.  We had a six hour Missionary Zone Conference with the mission president, lunch included, of course.  The General Authority arrived that evening (we were misinformed that his plane would touch down at 7:30, but he really didn't arrive until 11:30 PM), which kicked off two days of  meetings, interviews, and several sessions of leadership training, plus the Saturday night and Sunday general sessions of District Conference.  An extremely tight schedule with many items to cover and people to see...the bright badge of busyness.  We were so impressed and touched with all that he had to do, Elder Bricknell never seemed hurried.  He took time to greet everyone personally, with warmth and a big bear hug.  His demeanor radiated love for what he was doing and enthusiasm for every meeting, no matter how short or how long.  Saturday morning, he asked to meet with those who were struggling, which led to a very personal meeting for six hours after the Sunday session, to help solve a problem that had existed on this island for several years.  I guess what I am saying is that he took the time to address those issues that really had deep meaning for some people here, not just to address the "busy"agenda.  He and his wife's charming South African accent, joyous laughter, and wise counsel boomed in our ears for two days.  The example he left with us of total commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, no matter where it takes him ("Africa is becoming more and more dangerous; I don't know what will happen there, but if the Lord needs me there, that's where I will stay.") or what it asks of him, was a blessing that will stay with us forever.

With the year mark closely approaching for Brent and me, our focus is always, "Are we spending our time doing those things that are the most important?"  Being busy is very easy here; there are endless issues to address, needs to serve, places to go, items to check off the "to-do" list, and calls to make.  But what were we sent here to do...specifically?  Finding the answer to that has been paramount and humbling as we seek to know and fulfill our mission here.  The badge of busyness is an easy one to wear; the "bright badge" follows a path of constant seeking for a will other than our own and is far more difficult. Another slice of life comparison with our days at home, n'est pas?

Highlight of the week:
Every once in a while you just have to throw your head back and laugh a laugh that comes clear from your toes.  That happened to me a couple of weeks ago during "French study" with Brent.  The number system is SO confusing to me.  For example: the number 94 is said, 4 times 20 plus 14, and when they say the hymn numbers, or telephone numbers, or ANY types of numbers, my head just whirls trying to calculate all of that in my head to know what number they are talking about.  So, I was making Brent throw random numbers at me, speaking very quickly.  I was becoming more and more frustrated, when all of a sudden, Brent turned, looked at me and said with his twinkle, "Joan, you weren't sent here to count!"  That just struck me so funny; we both burst out laughing and immediately all the tension in the room vanished.  So true, so true, and what a relief to have that brought to my attention.  I was still laughing as I got ready for bed that night.

Lowlight of the week:
We had a great dinner and lesson with just a super investigator family; creole time, we finally ate about 8:30 or 9:00.  She made a amazing chocolate molten cake right before our eyes, popped it into the microwave for one minute, and voila, dessert was served.  Brent can't eat chocolate that late at night - no sleep for him if he does - so she wrapped his up in tin foil, and he brought it home for the next day.  It was late when we arrived home, so we put the cake on the counter top.  I know, you have heard this story before!  When we opened it the next day, it didn't just have ants on it, it was literally an ant bed...so disgusting.  The funny thing was, there was not an ant in sight anyplace else.  They knew where the goodies were.

PHOTO GALLERY:

Still up at 6:30, fighting the battle.  (He is running up those stairs in case you can't tell.)

Looks like a JoJo.

At girl's camp, right after the morning testimony meeting, I looked down and these flowers were just laying at my feet.  I reached down, pulled them up, and snapped a picture.  They are so plentiful here that it is easy not to realize they are there.  I had to pause and appreciate their beauty.

FHE games and fun with the members of St Paul. This is the branch president and his very fun wife!

This is what is left of a loaf of banana bread, and this is what we have to do to keep the ants out of it.  It is hilarious.  When we go to a branch party, you go into the kitchen to put your food on the counter and everyone's food is sitting on a plate on top of a glass.  We all know what we have to do.

A very special young woman, nonmember, who came to girl's camp.  This picture was taken at District Conference, where she attended, sang in the District Choir, and got to talk to Elder Bricknell.

The couple missionarie and the general authority and his wife after dinner.

The badges of busyness...may we all make them bright!

We love you, think of you, and appreciate you.

A Bientot!

The Castaways

It ALWAYS works!

Bonjour, ca va?

Ahhhh, I can't believe it has been three weeks and one day since our last post; the weeks are like days here.  Brent says that the only time he knows what day it is when he is taking the sacrament; all the other days blur into each other. Where to begin?...one of our missionaries had hernia surgery; we had to purchase four new beds (with many more to follow); all of the missionaries on the island were transferred to new areas with new companions; one of our zone leaders was transferred to Mauritius; a new sister missionary arrived from France; we had to renew our French visas because the year mark is coming up - can you believe that? -  and tomorrow the mission president arrives for a six day stay, with a member of the Area Presidency arriving on Friday for an all-island District Conference.  That, however, will be another post; tonight I want to talk about something tres, tres bien...GIRL'S CAMP LA REUNION STYLE!

Yes, it's true.  Here we are, far from home, still sleeping on the hard ground (we had no pads and the ground was like concrete...OUCH!) trying to keep the sand out of our tent. I helped the YW's district president obtain camp manuals from Salt Lake and when she asked me if I would like to attend with them, I jumped at the chance.  Brent, being the great sport and support that he is, came along in a Priesthood capacity and, for three days, we were "back in the saddle", but this time, we were not in the mountains, we were at the beach.  It was a totally different experience as far as the physical facilities:  we were in a huge secured, fenced area with probably 500 other tents and who knows how many campers.  Kids were riding bicycles and roller skating on the cement paths, but the most bizarre thing was that when we pulled into camp, there was a refrigerator right in the middle of our camp. I couldn't believe it.  The young women leaders had talked someone from La Port into picking up the fridge from the church and hauling it there on a big flatbed truck.  We were living in luxury:  electricity, showers, and rest rooms!  We walked along the beach, swam in the ocean, played together, nobody worried about certification; it was wonderful!  Brent and I will never forget the campfire on the beach under a beautiful, almost full moon and the sound of the rolling surf beyond. We arose early for sunrise services, prayed, sang hymns, shared feelings, and felt the spirit just like you do in the mountains. On the last morning, we were up early, the girls all had tousled hair and blankets wrapped around them, but were singing beautifully (they love to sing here and it is not unusual to sing four hymns - all verses - before getting started with whatever you are doing).  A woman from an adjoining camp walked over and joined us, just sitting down quietly with the group.  The girl next to her shared her hymn book, and she began singing along.  Brent gave a beautiful spiritual message, there was more singing and then a closing prayer.  We visited briefly with her and she left.  About 9:00 in the morning, after everyone was packed up to leave, they all gathered for a testimony meeting.  Other campers were bustling about, children were laughing, music was playing in the distance; I wondered how it would go.  I learned that when young women of faith and commitment gather to share their testimonies, it ALWAYS works.  It was like we were suspended in our own little grove of peace, and do you know what?  The woman who had joined us early that morning, returned, listened, snuggled with a teenage son who also wandered in, and after the gathering ended, asked to have the missionaries visit with her.  We gave them her number, they contacted her, and she wants to attend District Conference this weekend, where, we will be sure that she has an opportunity to visit with President Adams and Elder Bricknell, the visiting general authority.  Isn't it interesting how paths and spirits connect.....

Fifteen girls, two who were nonmembers, two who were inactive, two who weren't planning on attending camp until I visited their Young Women's class and wouldn't take "No" for an answer.  "You HAVE to come; we NEED you there!"  Another memory to tuck away, with much love and gratitude, to remind us that everything doesn't have to follow a prescribed pattern; there are many ways to build feelings of love, unity, and faith.  When we really try and then leave the rest to the Lord, it ALWAYS works.

Highlight of the week:  It is coconut season here, and it is so hilarious when you unknowingly get under a coconut tree.  The Tahitian missionaries, or some of the members, are frantic, "Hurry, get out from under that tree; you could be killed by a falling coconut."  It seemed funny at first, but when you actually look up and see how far they would fall before hitting you, it makes total sense.  I certainly watch out now!

Lowlight of the week:  We have two missionaries here that we are trying to finish up visa work for so  they can serve on Mauritius.  It is very difficult because we are dealing with two different governments; La Reunion is French, and Mauritius is its own government, which is basically Hindu, so all applications are different.  Our poor Zone Leaders are jumping through all kinds of hoops to get the work done and sometimes it takes months and months of trying.  Anyway, the two elders, had to get some laboratory tests done to prove they were healthy, so the elders (who had traveled from far away), the zone leaders, and Brent and I, all went to the lab.  They informed us that the technicians were on strike that day; we would have to come back tomorrow.  Zone Leaders: "We can't come back tomorrow."  Receptionists: "Sorry, there is nothing we can do."  The ZL were dejected as they walked back to us.  I looked at Brent and knew that he WAS NOT going to accept that answer.  "This can play out in one of two ways," I thought as I watched him approach the desk and I knew that one of the options would not be pretty.  I knew we were going to win when he had the receptionists laughing and they called the head physician down from upstairs to talk to him.  The elders headed for the bathroom, cups in hand with big smiles on their faces.  These kinds of situations don't ALWAYS work out, but this one worked out perfectly.

Photo gallery:

Okay, so explain once more how it goes!

Beach time after lunch.

If I were taller, the sun would be sitting on my finger tip and it would have been a great photo.

The water was warm.....

There it is, THE FRIDGE, and the women who got it there!

Isn't girl's camp just the BEST!

Packing up to go home..."Now tell me once more how you think this tent is supposed to fold up?"

The "fire-builder" on the beach

This is how I will always remember it.

The senior couple - really looking like it after two nights of no sleep (there was a disco down the street that played throbbing music until 5 in the morning.)

What a blessing to be able to share these experiences with you.  I wish we could adequately express the feelings of love and appreciation we have for the missionaries and the members we serve with here.  The chance of a lifetime.
 We may not always be able to see it immediately, but we know

It ALWAYS works

We love you,

The Castaways

Because We Have Been Given Much

Bonjour mes amis,

When Brent and I opened our hymn book yesterday to sing the opening song in Sacrament meeting, I experienced de ja vu (I now know exactly what that means and what tense it is...aren't you proud of my linguistic skills?)  The hymn was "Because I Have Been Given Much I Too Must Give"; it was the first hymn we sang on this island...our first sacrament meeting, our first opening hymn, our first attempt at singing in French.  Of course, because I am the person I am, I became emotional; yesterday, I again became a little emotional but for a totally different reason.  This time I was thinking of how much I - we - have been given here on our petite isle and how this mission has blessed our lives, Brent's and mine, and the lives of our family.  To illustrate, let me share a story with you.

Two weeks ago, Brent and I, along with a companionship of sister missionaries, had received an invitation to dinner.  The sister who offered the invitation is divorced with an extremely sad story and has very limited funds.  We worried about accepting the invitation and tried to tell her that we would love to just come for a visit, but not to worry about feeding us.  She was adamant...the invitation was for dinner!  I insisted on bringing a salad and dessert, but we still worried about the burden for her.  Dinner, about a 45 minute drive from our house was to be at 6:00; at 5:00 she called and asked if we could wait until 7:00.  Absolutely; no problem.  When we arrived at 7:00, fresh flowers from her garden graced the humble room and a beautiful table was set.  Brent gave a spiritual message just perfect for her circumstances, and we all sat down to dinner.  She then recounted the story of her day.  She had been expecting some money in the mail that day which would provide dinner, but it didn't arrive; she had nothing to feed us except rice and beans. She set the time back and had a fervent prayer asking for a way to feed the missionaries.  A short while later, a friend knocked at her door with 20 kilos of cut up chicken parts...could she use them?  She told all of this with the warmest, most appreciative smile, never questioning for a moment but that it was all a direct answer to her prayer.  We never doubted either that her prayer had been answered. The chicken was delicious; so tender and flavorful I would have thought it had been simmering for hours; the rice and beans were equally good.  She, and we, have been given much...

Another story to give pause:  Some of the older male Creole members here cannot read. The missionaries make blown-up copies of the sacrament prayers so their wives, whose eyesight needs a little help, can teach their husbands the prayers, making it possible for them to bless the sacrament.  A united effort to accomplish something very meaningful for them, something that might be easily taken for granted in other circumstances.  Again, we have been given much...n'est ce pas? (Haven't we?)

Highlight of the week:  I hope you have realized by now that the highlights and the lowlights are just for fun, not literal.  It is our way of sharing the lighter side of missionary work.

We had a sister missionary leave for home this week, creating a problem because there was no one to replace her yet.  The remaining sister missionaries now work as a threesome until the new sister arrives the middle of May.  The single missionary was having a baptism in her area on Saturday, so Brent and I told her that we would be her companions for the day and all go to the baptism together, leaving the other sisters to work in their area.  After the baptism, when everything was cleaned up, Brent called to her that we were leaving.  We walked to the car; she was still talking.  You know Brent, the tease.  He started the car and began driving out of the parking lot.  We hear her yelling after us, "Hey, attend; attend,"  (Wait; wait.) while running across the parking lot.  Brent drove clear down the road before he turned around to come back for her.  It was hilarious; I know she thought we really forgot her, and she was thirty minutes from home...by car!

Lowlight of the week:  We live in a huge apartment complex that is divided into four sections; each with its own entry, mailboxes, stairs, elevator, etc.  Last week when we came out of our section, the concrete in front of the door was COVERED with cockroaches...huge ones, all dead.  We had to tiptoe around not to step on them.  The sidewalk between each section and the adjoining doorways were all the same, like something out of a horror movie.  Of course we realized that the management had sprayed, causing them to come out in the open to die, but I kept thinking, "Where have they all been before now?" Ugh!  The missionaries said, "How many cockroaches have you seen in your apartment?"  "Two."  "For every cockroach you see, there are twenty that you can't see."  I have been shuddering and peering in every corner ever since!

Photo Gallery:

The primary of St Andre.

In honor of the Samoan missionaries, the elders shortened their ties for  district meeting; I guess the Samoan elders they knew in the MTC wore their ties shorter, sometimes with a ring (red tie) at the bottom of the knot.  Then, of course, they had to do the Hucka.  I have a better picture, with their tongues out, but we'll save you that.

Family Home Evening with a family at the beach.  I know; tough duty!

Sniff, sniff.  Our departing missionaries this week.  The sister has been a constant for us and such a happy part of our experience here.  The Tahitian was a Zone Leader when we came and taught us how to get around, where everything was, how to handle life and missionary work,  and even fixed the lights when we blew the fuse twice in the first week.  The other two are from Madagascar, but arrived in La Reunion, so they had to leave from here.  We had a great Departure Dinner together; a really good group.

This was a hike we took on P-day with President and Sister Adams to a much photographed part of the island called Le Trou de Fer; really spectacular view at the end, but the hike in was equally beautiful.

I couldn't resist snapping these flowers as we hiked along the trail.

Two missionaries who left last month; I wrote about the sister upstairs - remember - all that we had shared along the way.  She and the sister who left last week were companions, and great friends, when we first arrived here.  The Elder on the left was the other half of the Zone Leader companionship who "mothered" us through our arrival.  I don't know what we would have done without them.  The Elder on the right is a current Zone Leader and very valuable right now with so many missionaries leaving and coming.  He keeps us organized.  The missionaries here are wonderful.

Tout est Bien (All is well) in paradise, and, as we said before, we truly have been given much.

A Bientot!

The Castaways

The Gift

I promised myself at this journey's beginning of sharing our experiences with friends and family that I would be honest and forthright about what I was feeling during our missionary days, focusing on the positive but not sugarcoating either; if things were going badly, I would write about it.  Tonight, I am going to open my heart and share, if I am able, the emotional roller coaster of ten days ago, when a dream for our family was realized, and the dreams of many other families were crushed and broken on Boylston Street in Boston.

I have a daughter who shares my passion (former passion, really) for running.  She has been a talented, dedicated runner for years and finally realized her dream of qualifying to join thousands of other runners on Patriot's Day in Boston to pass the grueling test of the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Copley Square.  We were all so thrilled for her accomplishment; anxious to find ways to share with her our happiness in the realization of something she had worked so hard to achieve and that is a milestone for runners everywhere.  The two other girls in the family immediately began making plans to join their older brother, who lives there, where all together they could scream, cheer, and jump up and down as she ran by.  On Monday, April 15, with butterflies in her stomach, our daughter began her "dream run" from the starting line in Hopkinton into Boston, with two sisters, a brother-in-law, and a brother waiting to yell her number somewhere along the route.  She and I had talked of the rush of coming up Hereford Street and turning the corner onto Boylston, with the thousands of screaming spectators and the sight of the Hancock Building slicing the sky right by the finish line..."almost there, blink back the tears of joy". She was ready, as were many others who were thrilled to be there either to participate by running or participate by supporting the efforts of others.

She had a terrific day, finishing in 3:37.  Her cheering squad had difficulty finding her in the crowd and had lingered too long at Heartbreak Hill, causing them to make a mad dash back to the finish line where they hoped to see her sprint to glory.  They were too late, thankfully, emerging from the subway at 4:09, that awful moment when the celebration of excellence and the strength of the human spirit morphed into a nightmare beyond comprehension.  Our son's phone began ringing immediately, his day with his family was over, time to report for duty.  He took them back to his apartment, quickly grabbed his needed equipment and rushed back in the center of it all.  Gratefully, contact between family members was briefly possible, assuring them that all were safe, but they couldn't see their sister, whose hotel room was in the heart of the lockdown area.  After that, no phone service, no contact, a brother who was gone, telling them only that he had no idea if he would be home in a few hours or a few days.  Luckily, our youngest daughter had the presence of mind to send out a family email informing everyone that all family members were safe.  When Brent and I got the email, we didn't even know the scope of what had happened, only that there had been a disturbance at the finish line.  I can't even imagine watching the horrific video coverage of what happened there without the knowledge that our loved ones were safe...not exactly sure where, but safe.

We received a very precious gift that day, the gift of the safety of our family members; others were not so fortunate and we can not even imagine the horror of that day for them.  I have tried not to dwell, while here, on things I cannot have or cannot control, but I experienced many floods of anguished emotions thinking of how far away I was and how long it would have taken us to get home if things had turned out otherwise, probably three days, best case scenario.  Also, we were unable to talk to our son until after the second suspect was apprehended.  We didn't know what his assignments required or where he was, learning only later that at one point, he had worked 36 hours without a break.  To say it was a difficult week would lessen the significance of those whose week was truly difficult, whose weeks will never the same, whose lives have been changed forever.  But it was a stressful time for us.   I am sure of one thing, and that is that the marathon will both continue, and continue to be a celebration of the acceptance of challenge, of going beyond the finish line, of the importance of cheering others on, of the reality of human goodness, and of the miracle of being a part of life and all that comes with it.

The gift....of life... of love...and of the strength of the human heart.

We love and appreciate you, our family and our friends.

Mom and Dad

Brent and Joan

We're NOT Old!

We're NOT old!

We woke up

We lifted our arms

We moved our knees 

We turned our necks

Everything made the same noise

Crrrrrrraaaaaaaaccccccck!

We came to the conclusion

We are NOT old

We are CRISPY!  (and we are positive, n'est pas?)

Bonjour, bonjour nos chers amis chez nous, (our dear friends at home),

New news today:  we heard there are hoards of locusts on Madagascar; a very popular US magazine had a cover article entitled "Heart of Sharkness" naming La Reunion's west coast as the heart of the most shark attacks, and we traveled in a RAINSTORM on a part of the island - Takamaka - that we discovered holds many world rainfall records, most rain in 24 hours, most rain in 1 hour, etc. etc.  We are still learning many new and interesting facts about our little island here, our home for now.

I am home alone on a quiet Sunday afternoon.  Brent is in Le Port with the District Presidency doing  leadership training, and I am here with a heart overflowing with emotions, so I decided that it was "blog time" once again.  Writing always seems to make my brain realign itself and that is a good thing since "I have finally discovered what's wrong with my brain.  On the LEFT side there is nothing RIGHT, and on the RIGHT side, there is nothing LEFT." (sent to me by a friend?)

I had a missionary experience that engulfed my entire heart yesterday.  Brent and I got up early to get in a quick workout before our day began; I was very focused on an hour's workout...it had been a while.  I saw that some of the missionaries were there, so I waved a cheery "Hello" and started my run up the hill.  About one-half hour later, half way through what I had planned, I topped the hill to again see the missionaries.  I had the distinct impression that MY time was over and that I needed to join them.  Two were sitting on the grass, talking seriously together.  When I came up, one got up and the other, a Tahitian sister, stayed sitting, so I walked over, bent over behind her, put my arms around her, gave her a big hug, and asked, "Ca va bien ma fille?" (How's is it going my girl?)  Shoulders shrug, head tips to the side, I know something is wrong.  I didn't sit down with her, just kept hugging her tightly and talking softly in her ear for several minutes, until her feelings opened up, then I sat down.  She said was feeling inadequate as a missionary because she was not teaching anyone right now and she wasn't feeling the Spirit. The work is so difficult here; our elders and sisters sometimes go a long time between real investigators and they can be very hard on themselves.  We talked, she cried, we talked, she laughed and we discovered together, through the spirit, that there is much more to missionary work than investigators.  What about your influence on other missionaries?  What about your example to the members? The impression you make on the nonmembers who see you daily?  What about family and friends at home that are strengthened by your testimony and willingness to be here?  What do you think  Heavenly Father feels when you get up each morning and go out even though you have no one to see and teach?  Sometimes we all have preconceived ideas of what our role is, what success in that role looks like, and we fail to see all of the surrounding aspects that defines our "real" role.  There is so much more to what we are doing than what we THINK we are doing.  One-half hour on the grass helped me to comprehend - to realign my brain - anew, as to expectations, OUR expectations and the larger plan of Heavenly Father's expectations.  Also, it  reminded me to "never  let something to be done be more important than someone to be loved."  Pres. Monson

Lowlight of the week:  This actually happened a while ago, but I wanted to tell you about it.  The Zone Leaders had to go to the church in St Denis and when they opened the door, water came flooding out everywhere.  They sloshed through four inches of water to open the door of the utility closet, which had water squirting from every seam, to discover that a pipe had broken.  Quick call to Brent who changed his clothes and met them there.  What to do?  First of all, let's turn off the main valve.  Done! and then mopping, using the squeegee, and drying as best they could.  This is the second time in four months this building has been flooded.  Nothing here is carpeted, but the walls had absorbed a lot of water, and Brent was concerned about mold.  Got it all cleaned up, came home, and discovered that he had turned the water off for a whole section of the community! The fire department had to fix it.  Darn those Mormons; it's always something!

Highlight of the week:  After church today we were invited to a dinner at one of the branches.  The invitation came through the sister missionaries in that branch stating that a sister there was hosting a dinner and she wanted us to attend.  We were scheduled to be at another branch that morning, but left quickly after church and sped down the highway to St Denis.  A table for 12 had been set up in the Relief Society room, and the sister, a widow, had prepared all of the food herself:  two appetizers, salad, three main dishes and rice (a staple here with every meal).  We all sat down together, had a blessing on the food and began to enjoy the meal.  Someone asked, "Est-ce que votre anniversaire?"  (Is it you birthday?)  She said "Non, C'est une l'aniversaire de la pretrese du aaron." (No, it is the birthday of the Aaronic Priesthood.)  Have you ever thought of honoring that date with a wonderful meal and special guests?   It will be a lasting memory of the meaning of that day for her.  We love the people here!

Elder Heap enjoying the members after an activity.

One of three newspaper articles here featuring the Mormons.  One always approaches these types of opportunities with a little hesitancy because, after the interview, you're wondering, "What will they print?  Will it be positive?"  We have been very blessed though because all of the articles have been factual and positive.  This one covered an entire page of the paper and explained many important aspects of the church; we were very pleased.

Okay, so WHO KNEW that they made florescent lights in lime green?  The tube was white when we bought it!

I went to St Paul to celebrate the Relief Society Birthday with the sisters there.  The church is on the second floor of a building with a little terrace attached ( you will notice in pictures of the south district meetings, we are always outside; we meet on that terrace).  This was the magnificent sky as we enjoyed dinner together.

The "MOM" in me just can't be denied...Easter basket sacks for the missionaries at district meeting (on the terrace), thanks to someone from home who sent the bags and some US treats to put in them along with a few more treats from La Reunion.

This family came into the church in the last few months.  The brother was so excited at the time of our visit because he would be receiving the Priesthood the next Sunday and could then pass the Sacrament.  The woven coco palm leaves you see behind us are used as awnings for their home.

Joanie learning how to weave awnings.  You can see the dry ones on the right that will be replaced by the fresh ones.

Photo taken at the market.  These, of course, are redfish.  I have never bought any, preferring instead to stick with fresh tuna, swordfish, and marlin.  They are such large fish that I can just tell the vendor how many slices and how thick, then  I don't have to deal with those "eyes" when I get home.

Watching the world go by at the morning market.  You can buy a whole coconut, they punch a hole in the top, and you can drink the coconut milk right on the spot.

Elder Heap with our week's supply of fish, fruits, and vegetables heading for the car.  This is a weekly routine that we really look forward to.  I don't think Lee's will have quite the same ambience, do you?

At home, you are getting ready, in about an hour and a half, to watch the Sunday session of General Conference; here we are approaching the close of a fast Sunday.  We will enjoy conference, in French, in two weeks when the CD's arrive and will go to the chapel on both Saturday and Sunday to view conference together on a big screen TV.  I remember well our experience of six months ago.  This morning, before church, the sister missionaries helped me download Saturday's sessions on a USB drive.  We have a port in our little Yaris and will be able to enjoy the talks in English as we drive around the island before we listen to them in French.  Isn't technology wonderful??????

A bientot

The Castaways

Thank You for Hills and the Strength For Climbing

Bonjour encore a tous,  (Hello again everyone)

Well, here I am again, perched in the office in front of our trusty Mac wondering if I will be able to think of anything interesting to say to describe adequately what life on La Reunion has been for us during the past two weeks.  I think - hope -  that we are finally accepting the fact that each day is going present totally different challenges, needs, focus, and strategy.  If we expected our days to be routine and orderly, we would totally wear ourselves out trying to make that happen.  We have learned to get up, accept what comes with faith that we will be helped, and just go to work.

A while ago I read one of my favorite bylines by Kristine Armstrong entitled "Thank You for Hills and the Strength for Climbing" where she described so articulately how we have to make deliberate decisions to get stronger in life by choosing the challenging route and by choosing to nurture and nourish our spirits through taking steps in the direction of fortitude even before we are called upon to endure.  As I pondered her words, I was flooded with gratitude in the realization that the Gospel is constantly pushing us to choose the challenging route:  #1. To accept callings and assignments that we know nothing about.  Example:  We welcomed two new missionaries last week, one got off the plane ill, but both ready to take on a new life, a new culture, a new language, and a new companion...a deliberate decision to strengthen and nourish their spirits and the spirits of others for a lifetime.  They were nervous, but ready.  To quote Kristen, "courage looks like that.  Sometimes it is as simple as showing up when you feel like throwing up."  They showed up.  #2.  To step out with faith even when we are not sure how to proceed.  Example:  When President Monson announced the age change for missionary service, church leaders had to have known that huge changes would be needed, but not exactly what or how they would need to be handled.  We just received notice that by September we would have 19 new missionaries arriving on La Reunion; we currently have 12 serving here.  Yes, we will have several going home over the summer, but still, you think of all the accommodations that have to be made and times that by the 407 missions that will soon be operating worldwide.  It is staggering to think of all that has to be done...but it happens...will happen...everywhere, and it will work.  #3.  To have faith in a larger arena of life than where we are and what we can see and to be willing to wait for understanding until we have the vision to recognize the scope of that arena.  Example:  We all know that missionary work is not a constant spiritual high.  It is difficult; it is demanding; it can be frustrating, and it can be heart breaking, (sounds like life at home, doesn't it?)  You put your heart and energy into days that often show no results. When life gives us that "left hook jab that renders us windless and reeling" we can know that life isn't just about that moment.  There is a grand design and the part that we are playing in the warp and the woof of its fabric may not be visible now, but someday...someday, we will comprehend with clarity.  Until then, thank you for hills and the strength for climbing...

Lowlight of the week:  Because two missionaries were departing and two new missionaries arriving, President Adams was here for five days, which meant beaucoup de faire la course (a lot of grocery shopping.)  I decided to serve salmon for the departure dinner and it can only be purchased on Friday morning.  Friday was District meeting day, with several other obligations in getting ready for all that needed to be done, but we made it - in a rush - to the market to purchase the salmon.  I found the perfect, BIG, salmon filet, told the "fish man" which one I wanted and how to cut it, and watched him wrap it and put it in the special bag for fish.  I took the bag, started walking away, and SPLAT!  the filet came sliding out of the bottom of the bag and slid along the market floor, leaving a slimy film on the shiny tile.  I tried to catch it on the way down, unsuccessfully ( really, try to picture that move!), but Brent scoped it up, and took it back to them.  I rolled my eyes and thought, "Is this a preview of how the dinner will go?"

Highlight of the week:  This morning was market day - you remember the open market that I posted pictures of.  We arrived very early, completed our shopping and saw a vendor selling fresh manioc crepes with goyavier jelly.  We eagerly bought some, found a shady little spot with a bench where we could enjoy the quiet moment, the tasty crepes, and watch the world - literally - pass by in front of us, before we left for home. Like Mastercard would say, "Priceless" (Not really, this all came at a price, literally and figuratively.)  I think what we would say was, "Matchless."  A matchless gift of learning, loving, and living on La Reunion.

President Adams arrived on a Saturday afternoon, so on Sunday we traveled together to the bottom of the island to attend church to allow him to address the branch during the third hour.  We took the coastal route and, with a little time to spare, pulled off at a turnout to enjoy the ocean and give him a chance to go over his notes before arriving at the branch.  Believe me, Madagascar does not provide moments like this for President and Sister Adams; they love the beauty and peacefulness of La Reunion.

These are the tops of trees by the parking lot of the church in St Pierre.  I will never stop being amazed by the flowers EVERYWHERE.

After church, the branch provided a pot luck dinner and we were all able to talk, get to know each other better, and enjoy Creole food at its best.  The ultimate "Linger-Longer."

On Monday, the missionaries, the Adams, and Brent and I enjoyed a hike to Pic Adam.   Yes, that was REALLY the name of the peak; fortuitous, don't you think?

Great hike; all smiles; everyone got down safely.  If you had seen parts of that trail and experienced what happened on the hike, you would have been smiling too.  

They look pretty good after being in the air, or in an airport en route, for 32 hours.  They still had a 2 hour training session ahead, but that was followed by a good meal, a few laughs, and a new pillow!

As we all approach this Easter season, may we share with you our testimony that He Lives, that this is His work, that  "Jesus Christ lives, knows us, watches over us, and cares for us.  In moments of pain, loneliness, or confusion, we do not need to see Jesus Christ to know that He is aware of our circumstances and that His mission is to bless...The day will come that we will all see Him face to face.  Just as there is nothing now to obscure His view of us, there will be nothing to obscure our view of Him."  -Henry B. Eyring

Until that day, thank you, once more, for hills and the strength for climbing.
And to all of you, thank you for your love and support of,

The Castaways
A bientot