Sorting It All Out

Bonjour a tous,

We had so hoped that the next time we posted on our blog we would have our laptop back, but, alas, we are still looking at a bare spot on our desk, with no word on when it will be fixed.  It has been gone for over a month, and hasn't worked well for over two, so we are feeling a bit disconnected, much like when we first arrived here, with limited communication abilities.  Trying to sort it all out, staying positive, and realizing that only a few years ago, couples served missions with no Skype, no emails, no IPhoto, just the slow-boat and a stamped emvelope, is humbling  Sorting it all out, something that has been on our minds for several reasons lately.

I know many of you are wondering about the sister missionary we sent to South Africa.  She was treated there for ten days with no positive results, so had to return home where her treatment is still ongoing and will probably require a year before she can resume her mission.  She has dreamed of being a missionary since she was fourteen years old, was told in a blessing that she would serve a mission, arrived on La Reuniion with her MTC district full of enthusiasm and high expectations, and now is again home...sorting it all out, trying to understand God's plan for her, what all of this means, and how it applies to her future. Your prayers in her behalf would be appreciated.

Another sister missionary, here barely three months, loved her companion, enjoyed her area, was just learning to navigate the crazy traffic, and was really beginning to blossom here.  You're right; transfer time. New area, totally different dynamics, a new companion who speaks very LITTLE English, in an area that speaks very LITTLE French; they all speak Creole, which she speaks only "un petit peu" (a tiny bit). Watching to see her "sort it out" and find out why she is there and what special blessings she will both give and receive there as she strives to conquer her fears and to serve with love and confidence that "tout sera bien" (all will be well) is a faith promoting process.  Brent and I have observed the sorting out process so many, many times, both with each other and with the missionaries.  We are so grateful that we are not "on our own" here; it wouldn't be possible...not even for a day!

Last Sunday I watched Brent's internal struggle as he sat in church and tried to decide how to handle a challenging and delicate situation.  I could see his burden, and couldn't help him, but his answer slowly came and he moved forward, doing what he knew had to be done, relying on the spirit to help him.  When he acted, his spirit was again calm; he didn't know how it would all play out, but he knew that he did what he was supposed to do and that brought peace. I had a similar experience the week before in a different branch.  I was sitting in the investigator class.  There was an empty seat between me and a young man, in his twenties, who is a member but always attends the investigator class.  I don't know him well, but know that he has special-needs challenges.  He seemed agitated and was talking to himself before the class began.  After the prayer, I could see his eyes darting about and I felt nervous for him.  I had the feeling that I should reach across the empty chair and put my hand on his back.  That was a little startling to me; what if he didn't like that? What if he reacted negatively? Would the people behind us think I was crazy? But the feeling persisted, so I reached over and put my hand on his back, patting him gently.  He sat rigid at first, but gradually began to relax. I just kept my hand on his back until the closing song - we always sing an opening and closing song in every class, they are SINGERS here. I am still amazed that I had the courage to act, but I think I was more afraid NOT to.  As with Brent, it was what needed to be done and acting brought peace.

Lowlight of the Week: (This actually happened a while ago.) I was finishing up the final preparations for a Departure Dinner.  The only thing remaining was to fill a water bottle for the table.  I got a bottle out of the cupboard ( a great bottle with a skinny neck) and filled it with water. I almost dropped it as I saw - to my horror - a LARGE cockroach floating in the bottle's neck.  Hmmmmmm.  This could be a great moment.  I kept the bottle in the kitchen and when everyone was seated, placed it on the table, trying not to look at the ugly little legs dangling from the stiff body.  (He may have been in that bottle for a long time!)  I saw the elder's eyes bulge; would they say anything?  OF COURSE!   It was classic, and we have pictures!!!!!

Highlight of the Week:  Two nights ago Brent said that I was talking in my sleep...in FRENCH!  He asked me what I was doing and I said, "Quoi?"  ("What?").  I struggle so much forming the sentences when I am awake that I was really thrilled to know that it was embedded enough that I could do it "in my sleep."

We  pray that we may all be blessed as we do our own "sorting" and that we may support and sustain the process in each other.

                                                                            A Bientot!

                                                                        The Castaways

Stepping Up

Ca va mes amis?  Nous esperons que pour vous tous allez bien aujourd"hui, (We hope all is well with you today.)

I pulled out my Coolpix camera to snap a GREAT picture a few day ago, and the screen flashed the message, "Out of memory".  I thought, "How true!, but I didn't just run out today, most of it has been gone for quite a while!"  The experience, however, reminded me of why writing this blog is so wonderful for me. It forces me to make mental note, and then hard copy note, of the large and small parts of our days here that I don't want to forget.  Different than a journal entry; the blog, for me, is like a photo album.  I am not searching my soul; I am just happily reliving and recording what is interesting to me and just might be of interest to you. With that in mind, here we go...

About a month ago, Brent and I attended Conference de Jeunesse (youth conference) up in the charming little mountain village of Entre Deux, which means between two (it is between two rivers).  We had dinner with the youth, and then the District President and Brent both spoke.  These young people were amazing, still engaged and asking questions at 10:30, really involved. We found that there were 12 prospective missionaries on the island.  Pretty good for a church population of about 600.  Brent told the mission president about it, who said ,"Let's get them all together for a meeting when I come next month."  That expanded to include their parents, all the Branch Presidencies, anyone who wanted to attend.  The youth filed in and all sat at the front of the chapel.  We looked at them: young women from Girl's Camp, young men and women from Sunday School classes we've attended, young men Brent had met with in Aaronic Priesthood activities, young women I had worked with, families we had dined with, laughed with, and served with.. It was North Ogden in the middle of the Indian Ocean.  The meeting began with a video clip from the worldwide broadcast, a choir of 2,000 missionaries singing Called to Serve. Talk about goodebumps! The spirit was so strong that I could hardly contain myself; something I am not really good at to begin with.  The meeting was great and served its purpose:  instructions, questions, answers, and  laughs.  One bright sidelight: the president wanted to do some role play and called a young man out of the group...the QUIETEST young man on the WHOLE island, just a great young man, but quiet.  I was worried for him and thought,"Is he going to be able to do this?"  Well, he did, and he did it well.  I now call him, "Notre etoile" (our star) and he just beams.  He stepped up and tried, and when  we do that, Heavenly Father always fills in the rest.

Another example of stepping up that strengthened us. President Adams came to welcome a new missionary from Tahiti, send two exceptional missionaries home (the last of all the missionaries who were here when we arrived), and hold a Zone Conference.  It was a big WHOOSH, and then he was gone.  Our missionary force here is new; our only experienced missionary serves as a Zone Leader - notice, there is NO plural there - solo - (he is SO amazing; we can't believe all he is able to do without a helper),  and his companion is the new Tahitian, so he is a trainer as well.  We invited them to help us by giving the lesson to a family we are teaching, in English.  The Zone leader taught the apostasy, doing the wonderful job we knew he would.  He had asked his companion, who speaks very little English, to teach the Restoration, telling him he could teach in either French or English. Knowing what they were going to be teaching, I had reviewed those sections in Preach My Gospel earlier in the afternoon.  As the elder began teaching the Restoration, in English, my heart swelled as I followed, in my mind, exactly what had been outlined in PMG.  His language was limited; his spirit was strong and willing to try. He spoke simply; he quoted Joseph Smith's account of seeing the Father and the Son; he bore testimony.  He stepped up, just as the Zone Leader has stepped up, performing a demanding job solo, and the Lord filled in the rest for both of them. STEPPING UP; it is all that is asked of us, and we have seen it in action here many, many times.

Highlight of the Week:
The sister missionaries who live above us called on the phone last Sunday, "Soeur Heap, the gate (the automatic iron gate that guards our apartment) won't open.  Can you come down with your automatic clicker and open it for us so we can get in?"  I went down and tried, but the gate was broken.  We realized that we were locked in and they were LOCKED OUT.  They said that they would go back down to the church and do their weekly planning and, maybe, by then it would be fixed. It wasn't. This was the highlight!  Brent told them, "Don't worry; I will throw some food over the fence for you.  You will be fine!!!!"  Yes, someone finally solved the problem, but the look on their faces still has us laughing.

Lowlight of the Week:
Our trusty little Macbook Pro finally said, "I quit."  We have been babying it along for a while now, and I'm not ashamed to say, praying for it as well.  The Apple store said they would have to send it to France.  We are NOT sending anything to France, and found an Apple dealer herewho could fix it, but alas, it will take three weeks (the part has to come from France).  I can blog on the office computer, but we have no way to attach any photos.  A REAL lowlight for us, especially since we had missionaries leaving that we wanted to brag about and show you.  In three weeks it will be totally a PHOTO GALLERY post.
We know you are disappointed; so are we.

                                          Stepping up...may we all be found willing to do so.

                                                                        A bientot!

                                                                    The Castaways
      

Guardian Angels

Bonjour!

A few weeks ago Brent purchased an Ipad Ebook entitled Angels by Donald W. Parry.  It came highly recommended, discussing the presence of "angels among us" and how they are involved in our everyday lives...comforting us, guiding us, and protecting us.  We were soon VERY aware, in specific ways, of the angels in our own lives and in the lives of the missionaries here.

Brent and I were driving home from the bottom of the island, just approaching the littoral, a coastal part of the highway with huge rock cliffs on one side and the ocean seawall on the other.  There is a very small shoulder on one side and the traffic is wildly crazy there, zipping in, around, and out...not a place you EVER want to have to stop.  Just before we entered the littoral, our little Yaris began making a terrible clunking sound, spewing copious white smoke out the back.  Luckily, there was a turn off right after it happened, where we coasted to a stop.  Brent got out and immediately a man appeared to help him.  Thinking, "Where did he come from?" I watched as he peered under the hood with Brent, pointed out a small parking lot just down the street, helped Brent push the car into a stall as I steered,  found the nearest towing company, (we had no idea who to call) waited with us 1/2 hour until the service towed our wounded car, and then insisted on driving us home.  Where did he come from?  He was driving behind us, witnessed our predicament, and immediately pulled off to help.  We have been here a year, but situations like that make you realize how helpless you really are...he was our "littoral angel" (pun intended).  If I hadn't been a missionary, I would have hugged him, stranger or not!

Another example.  We have a missionary who arrived eight weeks ago, who has been ill since two days after her arrival.  Five trips to the doctor, three trips to the lab for tests, and one late night visit to the emergency room later, the problem persisted.  When President Adams came, the latter part of July, her discomfort worsened, and he was immediately on the phone to South Africa.  Four days later we were putting her on an airplane to Johannesburg for specialized treatment.  That was still not easy.  She was flying alone, was ill, and had to change planes in Mauritius, where she had to recheck her luggage.  More fees, different currency, always the possibility of unforeseen visa problems.  We hugged her, Brent reassured her that he had called the Elders in Mauritius and they would be at the airport to make sure everything went well, and then we sent her through security.  Neither one of us could swallow.

When she arrived in Mauritius, she went to the transfer area instead of the luggage pick-up area.  She had no phone, the missionaries couldn't find her, couldn't call her, and the workers wouldn't let them go into the transfer area to help her.  Her luggage would not transfer.  Well, guess who shows up?  President Adams had gone to Mauritius after he left us, and was flying back to Madagascar that day.  He thought his plane left at 3:30, which put him at the airport just when all of this was happening (He had misread the ticket; his flight really left at 5:30).  He quickly spoke to someone in authority, entered the transfer area, calmed her down, and had those with the proper pull make sure that her bags got on the right plane.  Coincidence?  Unlikely.  We couldn't help but feel that possibly a great-grandmother she never knew - her guardian angel for the day - was there watching over her, arranging events to make sure "her little girl" got the help she needed.

The Saturday before she left, the St Denis branch was hosting a missionary fireside.  Brent and her two companions attended and I stayed home with her.  We talked about trials in our lives; I held her while she cried with frustration and fear for what was ahead; we laughed together about some funny experiences we had shared during our short time together; I reassured her about what was going to happen in South Africa.  Her angel was there, putting a thought in my mind.  I remembered a picture I had pinned on the cork board in the spare bedroom; you have seen it:  the one where Christ, holding a baby in one arm, reaches down with the other to help a little girl climb over rocks and out of the water.  I took her into the bedroom, telling her not to look while I covered the top two-thirds of the picture.  "What do you see?"  "A child trying to get out of the water by climbing on the rocks."  I took the paper away.  "Now what do you see?"  She began sobbing; the analogy was clear; it touched her heart and helped her to know that Her Savior was reaching down to her as well.  I took the picture down and gave it to her.  Her angel knew what she needed to know, and now she knows.

Our goal here is to see with new eyes, our daily blessings.

Lowlight of the week:  The sister missionary and I were in the doctor's office waiting room, with the zone leaders, when CRASH, my end of the double chair bench we were sitting on, collapsed.  One minute I am sitting on a chair and the next, I am sitting on the ground, with my knees level with my eyeballs, in the middle of a pile of metal.  I was stunned AND severely jolted.  I sat there for a minute, not sure if I could get up.  All the missionaries were stunned as well, staring at me, not knowing what to do.  Well, I had to do SOMETHING and I knew that I couldn't stand straight up, so I rolled over onto my hands and knees and wobbled my way to a standing position, everyone still staring at me.  Believe me, AWKWARD doesn't even begin to describe it.  (That is one of the things we laughed about together!)

Highlight of the week:  GOING TO BED and not having to SPEAK FRENCH ANYMORE!

Photo Gallery:

 P-Day, scouting out a hike for the Adams' next visit. (They always schedule a free morning while here and look forward to a fun hike together.  Trying not to disappoint is a lot of pressure.)  At the end of our hike through the sugar cane, was a magnificent waterfall. 

The fish market fascinated us.

The July departing missionaries;.  The sister in the middle, on her way to Tahiti, was going to be on a plane for 34 hours total.

Missionary, future missionary, and senior missionary....joyful!

I know, we did a whole blog on this, but they are still blooming, and we can't stop marveling.

Remember the primary program post?  Well here is that cute boy...again...with his family.

Joanie hanging up the laundry.  A tiny washing machine, and this handy little unit.  Life gets pretty basic here.  This is the office, behind me is a map of the island.  We were looking at it a lot when we first arrived; not so much now.

This young man was baptized in March; he baptized his sister in July.  This was a great, great day.  We gave him a copy of Preach My Gospel and he was THRILLED.

Love those Young Women!

          Thank you for being our angels so many times, in so many ways, without reservation.

             We know that this work is guided by the Lord, with help from ministering angels.

                                                                         A bientot!
                                                                    The  Castaways

This One's for Brent!

Bonne Journee mes amies,

This post is totally for Brent.  You all know how much he loves pretty flowers...loves planting them, caring for them, nurturing them, and watching them blossom.  I remember, years ago, when a ball flew into the planter box, breaking off one of his tender marigolds, and he taped it back up with Scotch tape!

It is flower season on La Reunion; we can't even begin to describe it.  Flowering bushes, trees, mounds everywhere...along the roadside, covering the hills, appearing wild, growing in gardens, exploding out of pots.  I wish we could really give you a panorama shot, but our little point and shoot doesn't even begin to capture the beauty (we couldn't bring anything more powerful...too heavy).  The last couple of weeks as we have driven to appointments, we would pull over, jump quickly out of the car and record the beauty.  Soooooo, here are a few close ups, chosen by Brent, just for his friends at home!

This obviously isn't a flowering anything, but Brent LOVES these amber bushes.  They are multicolored shades of amber, sometimes with  sprinkles of maroon leaves.  He is trying to figure out how to take one home.  Good luck!

                           Welcome to winter on La Reunion island, with gratitude and reverence for  

                                                                 Him who created it all.    

                                                              Your friends, The Castaways

Thanks For a Memory and a Cockroach

Bonjour a tous; vous allez bien?

I am SO FAR BEHIND in experiences I want to share with you!  It is frustrating because sometimes I have the time to post, but feel it has been too soon.  "I'll wait until next week."  And then next week comes and there is NO TIME AT ALL, but great moments keep happening and I lament "Nooooooo, now I can't get them all in one post."  Tonight's experience is a good one, though a little lengthy, and I am anxious to share it with you.

A while ago in the photo gallery there was a picture of a young family we had to our home for dinner; just the greatest family.  We met her at the boulangerie (bakery) where we buy our daily bread.  That expression is a reality here.  We all buy a baguette EVERY DAY because the next day they are too hard to chew.  It is funny...everyone exiting the boulangerie is carrying this long baguette - or maybe thee or four - and two minutes out the door, the end is bitten off.  People riding bikes have their baguette sticking out of a backpack, yep, the end is bitten off.  We laughed at first, but now...out the door and the end of our baguette has, not one, but two, bites gone.  It is just good; what can I say?  I digressed.  Our friend there and her husband lived in London for five years, so they speak excellent English, and we hit it off right away.  Brent always teases her about being so sassy and she gives it right back to him.  We gave the sister missionaries her name and they began visiting the family, and so did we, talking informally about the church.  We invited them for dinner, but the gospel conversation didn't go anywhere.  Time passed; they invited us over for dinner, and Brent told them that we would really like to tell them about why we were here. No pressure, we would still always be friends, but could we teach them about our faith?  There was a different feeling in the room; they said, yes, we could begin teaching them, so we set up a Sunday night dinner appointment.

It's winter here, the flu and "gunk" season  strikes here too even though the temperature is in the 70's.  I came down with my yearly bout of bronchitis, but our week was so full that I really couldn't stay home and by Sunday, I was feeling like pulling the covers over my head.  We had to attend church at Le Port and that morning I was thinking, "I probably should cancel tonight's appointment; I don't know if I have the energy for this," but I just had this strong feeling not to.  I recalled a talk by Vaughn Featherstone about a missionary appointment he had once when he thought, "I'm so tired tonight (after a long day at work) and I have a cold.  I go there and the house is a mess, the kids are noisy, no one really listens to me.  I think I will cancel tonight. '  But while in the shower, he felt impressed to "buck up" and keep the appointment.  He did, and when he arrived, the front room was immaculate, scriptures placed neatly on the coffee table, no children at home, and the couple waiting for his arrival so they could be taught.  You know the rest of the story; it was the night that everything changed.  I just kept thinking of that story and knew, somehow that there was a connection to our experience.  Time for me to "buck-up," and get ready for the appointment.

The family was one-half hour late for dinner; they had been to a birthday party.  Brent had faced an afternoon of challenging phone calls and I could see that he was tired as well and thinking that maybe just a short lesson would suffice, but after dinner, their small daughter snuggled on her mother's lap, quickly went to sleep and Brent started teaching them the Plan of Salvation, the WHOLE plan of salvation.  It was the most amazing thing.  Probing questions were asked, thoughtful answers given, feelings shared, and "real" interest shown.  It was, again, the night that everything changed.  Brent gave them the pamphlet on the Plan of Salvation and asked them to read it and write down any questions they might have for our next meeting together.  The husband had some questions about Joseph Smith, whom we had touched on briefly.  Brent turned to me, "Do we have anything on Joseph Smith in the office?"  Miracle of miracles.  Two days before, I opened my wardrobe door (nothing here is build in, all free standing) to witness a giant cockroach running towards me on the door.  I, of course, put an end to his existence (something I would have been incapable of when we first arrived, but now didn't hesitate).  But I was horrified to think that there might be others in my closet.  Hot soapy water, rags, disinfectant, the whole works.  Everything came out of the wardrobe and the whole thing was carefully cleaned, during which I found some things that a friend from home had sent...including a pamphlet of Joseph Smith's history and testimony in English.  I thought, "I will put this in the office; you never know how we might be able to use it even though it is in English, and it is the only pamphlet we have like this."  I smiled that Sunday night as I rose from the dinner table, walked exactly to where I had put it, knowing that until two days before I had forgotten it existed.  We will see them this week; her aunt died last week so we were unable to meet with them, but I said to her, "Well, you know where your aunt is."  She smiled, poked her finger at me and replied, "I know EXACTLY where she is."  Thanks to a memory and a cockroach, and the guidance of the spirit in teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Highlight of the week:  Bent and I have a new game.  We live on the fourth floor of our apartment building.  It says that we live on the third floor because the ground floor here doesn't count, but we still have four flights of stairs to climb.  There is an elevator, but we only use it when we are carrying something heavy.  What happens now is, that every few days, one of us will go to the elevator.  The other one smiles, the gauntlet has been thrown down.  The elevator button is pushed, and when the door opens, the other person begins running up the stairs.  Can the person running make it to the fourth floor before the person in the elevator arrives?  It has added a new dimension to coming home!

Lowlight of the week:  We were holding a recent convert meeting before District Conference.  Of course, some of the people attending had children who were left on their own until the meeting ended.  Three little boys were having an especially good time in the big hall where the district meeting was going to be held (we were at one end of that hall), so I got up, walked back to them and gently leaned over and said, "Vous avez besoin d'etre (you have need to be)...and I had no word for quiet; I had never needed that word.  I put my fingers to my lips and said "Shush", but they just furrowed their brows and stared at me, not understanding "shush".  I made a couple more attempts to find a word and then one of the boys, about eight, looked at me and said, with a little attitude, "Vous avez besoin de dictionaire." (You can translate that!)  I thought, " You are mouthy, but you are exactly right!"

PHOTO GALLERY:

 After a lesson on the Priesthood in our apartment.  The young man in the white shorts was recently baptized; so quiet and without church clothes.  You should see him now.  We walk into church, he is smiling, greets us in a suit, and can't wait to pass the sacrament.  We gave him a copy of Preach My Gospel and  think he is mission bound.  It has been such a life changing blessing for him.

We were with a member family having dinner.  I looked behind me and these bananas we just hanging there, so I thought of the photo gallery.

P-day activity with the North District.  Our district leader, from Tahiti,  really knows how to barbeque; it was delicious.

This elder will be leaving us for home in two more months and he is DETERMINED that his shoes will last until he leaves.  The interesting thing is that he is a very talented runner and he and his companion run every morning for almost an hour...in THOSE shoes!  I suggested duct tape, but he is afraid that it will make his shoes slippery.  I am afraid that he will be running along and they will disintegrate on the trail.  You have to hand it to him!

Banan at the Friday market.  You can't really tell, but these are only about 3-4 inches long and are they ever good!  You get 16 of them for 2 euros.

A friend from the market grating cabbage to sell.  The little plastic cups contain fresh ginger.  Want to taste something good?  Fresh pineapple slices from La Reunion with slivers of fresh ginger mixed in...incredible flavor combination.

We had been out in the marsh area visiting a recent convert couple when we saw this...whatever it was.  We had to pull over because we couldn't tell what those balls were - seed pods? - ; it looked so strange.  They are bird nests, about the size of a softball,  in the top of a really tall tree.  It was such an amazing sight.  When we got out of the car, we could see these beautiful little yellow birds flying in and out, getting food, bringing it back, going out again.  But the best part was the sound they made.  We felt like we were in an aviary.

These are not coconuts; they are papaya.  We were very anxious for the season, but they are not good here, dry and flavorless.  Well, you can't win every time.  All the other fruits are the best we have ever tasted.

Elder Heap being Elder Heap.  This man approached him and asked, "Are you a minister?"  What a blessing each day is...certainly not easy, but a great blessing to be here.

Thank you for your prayers for us.  We certainly recognize them and their power in our daily activities here.  And for today... thanks for a memory and a cockroach......

                             With all our love and gratitude for the blessing that we share,

                                                                  The Castaways

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