Joy

The ward boundaries here in France are not anything like those in Rexburg.  At home, your next-door neighbor might be in a different ward, while those living across the street can be in a different stake.  But here, it is not uncommon for people in the same ward to live hours away from each other and from the church.  Many of our stake and even some ward leadership meetings have to be done by video conference.  Consequently, when the young missionaries have a rendezvous with someone they are teaching, it can be difficult if not impossible for them to meet, especially if the missionaries don't have a car.

For the past several months, different sets of elders have been teaching Joy, a young single mother from Nigeria who has two little daughters.  Joy lives way out in an "African mission" that is somewhat of a refugee hospice.  The elders would often call us to come help them teach.  We knew that their main motivation was that we have a car; But we loved going out with them anyway.  Since our main calling is with self-reliance, we did not think we would have many opportunities teaching "amis" (investigators or friends" as they are called here).  But as it turns out, we do get opportunities to teach with the young elders or sisters from time to time.

Last Friday Joy was baptized.  It was especially touching that she asked that Elder Geddes baptize her.  We did not think that we would have that sweet opportunity.  Her name, "Joy" says it all!

Joy's baptism.

Spring has arrived.

Since we don't have a garden in Lyon, we planted some window boxes.

We took the three assistants to the mission president out for dinner; elder Menzel (left) from Germany, Elder Underwood (middle), and Elder Wade (right) who goes home today and will be on a basketball scholarship to Gonzaga in the fall.  

After several months, I got my French driver's license.