We traveled 115 kilometres or about 71 miles to Bourg-en-Bresse almost directly East of here on Mardi morning to obtain our titre de sejour (residence permit). We received a medical exam by a French doctor and a review of our official papers including our passport before they placed the official document on the page of our passport that permits us to stay in France for one year. In one year we will need to renew this document at the mayor's office in Lyon. I had an extended opportunity to practice driving our standard transmission voiture including driving on one of the major auto routes including tolls in France as well as driving through and parking in a new city.
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| Sister Elena Flores (Doug's auditor), from Sardenia. |
Mercredi's work day continued into the evening when we met with President and Sister Murdock, the office elders and the assistants to plan for the departure of thirteen missionaries and the arrival of fourteen new missionaries next week. This activity happens every six weeks and also includes transfers from one location to another. The activities at the mission home and at the mission office will begin next Lundi evening and conclude on mercredi afternoon. President Murdock prayerfully plans these transfers under the inspiration of the spirit each time they occur.
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| Sister Munkhjarga (from Mongolia)- she returns home Monday. |
We enjoyed another inspirational district meeting with the
missionaries in our district on jeudi morning.
The theme of the meeting was using the Book of Mormon in missionary
work. Sister Hyrkas, a sister missionary
from Finland, who conducted the major part of the lesson asked each missionary
to share a favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon. Sister Munkhjargal, the sister missionary
from Mongolia, bore her testimony. She
is one of the departing missionaries and will be returning home to Mongolia.
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| Mayor of Ferney's Office (in background) |
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| Le Marché |
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| Le Marché |
On samedi, our preparation day, we walked from our apartment
about a block to the Marché en Plein Aire (Outdoor Market) on the streets of
downtown Ferney-Voltaire. This is an
outdoor market that was recommended by other missionaries. We found out why. Cars were parked in every parking spot
available and along both sides of already narrow streets. We intended to just walk around each street
where the market was located just to scope it out and not buy anything. We actually emerged from the market with both
of us holding several bags after spending about two hours walking through it. This market occurs every Saturday when the
same vendors set up their vending places and market numerous food products and
non-food products. The food products
include a large variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, pasta, spices, olives,
cheese, meats, bread, pasties, poultry, fish, etc. The non food market includes such items as
jewelry, clothing, purses, books, etc. I
think that most of you know that when I mention purses, Sister Jeppson would
have a hard time just passing them by.
She just had to pick up a red purse that is just the right size for what
she needs in France. Her larger purse
served the purpose of posing as an extra bag to carry on the plane with
everything that we needed packed inside.
We also picked up, a baguette (French bread) some yummy cheese that had
been aged for six months (We tasted a piece of the same kind of cheese that had
been aged for two and 1/2 years) and a variety of fruits and vegetables. We also discovered a boulangerie and
patisserie only a block from our apartment where we can pick up bread every
morning and occasionally an "éclair".
Today, dimanche, we once again traveled to Annecy on a
picturesque forty minute drive to attend church. We felt a warm spirit and ambiance there during the lessons that
were given by the members in Priesthood Meeting, Relief Society Meeting, Sunday
School, and testimonies born during Fast and Testimony Meeting. I had the opportunity to bless the sacrament
during Fast and Testimony Meeting, and Sister Jeppson said the opening prayer in
Sunday School class in French.
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| Le Marché |
Nos Petits-Enfants
We found some wonderful children's books at the outside
market in the town where we live. We
couldn't resist buying two of them. We
may start buying a few more on some other Saturdays so that we have a little
collection to send home or bring home with us.
Of course, we may need to help you a little to understand what they
say. We have fond memories of reading
books with our grandchildren or watching them read books from our shelves or
reading books that you brought with you.
Reading good books is a wonderful activity which will always help you in
school and bring much pleasure. The best
book that you can read with your parents and individually is the Book of
Mormon. This will help you to prepare to
serve as full-time missionaries later in your lives. Sister Jeppson and I both related our
testimonies of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and how the scriptures
have helped us in our lives during the District Meeting that we attended with
the missionaries on Thursday. 