BLOG 14 - JAN 10th - 15th, 2023
MIRACLES AND ANSWERED PRAYERS
We wondered if we should
be sharing this now or not, but in the end, felt that we should (for our
records).
We had a miraculous thing
happen last Monday morning as we met with Brian Cordray through zoom. He is in the
Europe Area as Area Mgr., Publishing Services Department, living in Hersenstamm,
Germany. We’ve been needing a landing page for our efforts here and we were
told to contact our dear friend, Brian.
We’ve known Brian for 3
years this month, ever since he came to Paris for the filming of the center that
we started in Paris (President Léporé and Mike Madsen, who directed this filming
effort, requested this to take place). Brian has been involved in countless filming
and production efforts for the Europe Area. We were so grateful for his
willingness to help us out in a different part of his work.
The Priesthood Department
is in the process of putting together a website associated with Share Church Resources
which could be used by stakes anywhere in the world, but it could take years
before it’s really ready in multiple languages, so we felt we should reach out
to Brian to ask him if he might give us some ideas to move forward in our
mission for a needed landing page/website. This is one of the many functions he
oversees.
As we caught him up to
speed on the last three years and the direction the church has taken with Sharing
Church Resources and especially with our mission direction here in Lyon, an idea
popped into his head that he could have his team build a webpage for us, as an
add-on to the church’s website. He explained how this would look and then later
brought Judith Genster into the meeting with us, who would help us move forward. This
is not something they normally don't think to do but is not difficult for them to and was so perfect for our needs, at least at this point. We had not imagined
this could ever be done.
This spurred our efforts as
we started to gather all the necessary information and photos needed for them to
begin a process that could be accomplished in a short period of time. We felt
that this was a tremendous answer to prayers and that there would be no cost. Once
we’re all done, then their team will do the translations for us and send us a
QR code to post on our social media page and pass along cards and so on. We are
so grateful for Brian and his team.
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| Brian Cordray and Judith Genster |
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| Brian and Angelika Cordray |
WOOD SIBS ZOOM CHAT
Each month as we continue
to visit with one another, we keep learning new things that each are involved
in, from a child’s wedding, business happenings, toes being smashed hard, Christmas
travels, tender experiences for those serving in the temple, to those dealing
with health challenges and so on (we are getting older, and these things are
inevitable). I love and miss my siblings and feel so blessed for each day
knowing they are still with us. We all miss our parents, but still feel their
influence and spirits near us.
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| Wood Sibs - Janine Green, Renée, Ann Harper, Alan Wood, Claire Prigmore, and Lucie Gibbons |
WORLDWIDE YOUNG ADULT DEVOTIONAL
On Monday evening we
watched the Worldwide Young Adult Devotional with Elder and Sister Holland.
Their message was filled with the true and foundational doctrines of faith, hope
and charity in its applicable and most needed sense of our lives. There were many
other intimate and important values taught by both of these great leaders.
Elder Holland, understanding
the malaise that hangs over these Young Adults, asked them to be in the
forefront of the moral force that can resolve these problems, and that through
prayer their lives will prevail with others, who aren’t quite so sure yet.”
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| Elder and Sister Holland |
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS BROADCAST
SENIOR COUPLES ZOOM MEEETINGS THIS WEEK
Throughout this week we also
met with the Senior Couples, Sumners, Rileys and Rellafords. They are work
horses and visionary and it’s so sweet to learn from them what they are putting
in place with Sharing Church Resources, as they move forward training their
little branches or Stake in their part of the world. Each have instigated
varied ideas, inspired by the branches or stakes they work with. We are so
grateful for all they are doing which spurs more ideas for other to learn from.
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| Elder and Sister Sumner in Rodez |
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| Elder and Sister Riley in Corsica |
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| Elder and Sister Rellaford in Geneva |
ZOOM MEEETINGS WITH THE LYON STAKE BISHOPS
We were delighted to sit
in on the introduction/orientation of Sharing Church Resources to all the Bishops
of the Lyon Stake, by President Paul Obrecht (he’s got the vision and so much
better in French than we are). There were a couple of bishops missing. They
were all ecstatic with this direction and very supportive. We are grateful to
President Obrecht for his enthusiasm, so that he can drive this effort forward,
with our supervision initially and during our mission. Our desire is to help
this succeed, so that when we are finished it will continue forward with the Stake’s
leadership. This is an amazing Stake, and we feel so blessed by their leadership.
This is our desire for the entirety of the mission.
Each of the bishoprics
will then turn around and give a presentation to their Ward Council and invite
them to do the same with their respective class groups to teach them the concept
of Sharing Church Resources. They will then also learn about the Webpage,
Pass-Along cards, Facebook page and to help bless their friends with how they
can help them through these resources of the church, as members learn how to
better reach out with love to their neighbors and friends.
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| President Obrecht (top left) leading this training, with the Stake President, Laurent Jubault, just under him. |
Later in the week we met
with Paul Obrecht again to go through more next steps and to let him know of additional
tools we have coming, which will help immensely. He’s thrilled and grateful as
we are.
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| President Paul Obrecht - further steps discussed. |
ZOOM MEETING WITH NEW DISTRICT
We met 7 new missionaries
this transfer in our zoom district meeting. We will keep trying to remember all
their names. They were wonderful and very enthused for working together. We will
only meet twice in person each transfer, once in Zone Conference and a second time
in an in-person District Council and lunch. Some of these missionaries are
traveling from quite a distance and so for them to make it twice in a transfer
is expensive and timely, so our meeting zoom is not only efficient but practical.
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| Our new revised District - happening every transfer. |
BUMPING INTO MISSIONARIES WHILE SHOPPING
Why is it so fun to run
into people you know, or at least from your mission, while shopping or anywhere.
We were grateful to run into Sœur Winters (formerly in our district) and her
new companion, Sœur Halterman. They seemed to be just as excited to see another
set of missionaries (seniors at that) as we were.
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| Sisters Winters and Halterman |
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| We just had to have Steve in with us! |
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| We saw this at the store, and had to send this photo to my sibs to see if they remembered this sweet/sour treat, that brought back many memories as a child living in Belgium back in the 1960's |
VISION DOCUMENT REFINEMENTS – THANK YOU ADAMS
As we were trying to
finalize a draft of our vision document, we reached out to our dear friends,
Eric and Marci Adams to see if they could do some esthetic changes and go
through it for any improvements and clarity. Bless them for all their help. As
we looked through their great efforts, we were then more easily able to go back
and make a few more changes but keep the layout and improvements in place.
Bless them! We can’t do all we do without the amazing people the Lord has put
in our lives. Thank you, Eric and Marci!
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| The talented and gracious, Eric and Marci Adams |
We were grateful to partake of the Sacrament and to be edified by the talks and the lesson in Sunday School. This is our favorite part of the week.
We finally met in person the
new companions to our missionaries in the Val de Saône ward. Sister Conner is 5
days old in the mission, from Mapleton, UT, and Elder Keiser 15 months in the mission, from Bluffdale, UT.
We enjoyed getting to know them briefly. They each bore a beautiful testimony
in Sacrament meeting. Joining us today was our sweet Senior Service Missionary, Sister Mast from Lyon.
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| Sister Mast, our sweet Service Missionary, with Sisters, Conner, Diatel, Packers, Elders Keiser and Steffensen |
COME FOLLOW ME STUDY
This week we studied Matthew 2 and Luke 2. Here are a few thoughts of many that have come to us in our study. We are continually grateful for what we are gaining from our study in the New Testament and our other scriptures.
Those who sought the Christ child did so with faith, as each of us should as we continually seek for Jesus Christ.
The examples and sacrifice of the lowly shepherds (Luke 2:15–18), Simeon (Luke 2:25–33), Anna (Luke 2:36–38) and the Wise Men (Matthew 2:11) taught us that nothing stood in their way to find the Christ child. What are we putting aside and sacrificing to find Jesus Christ?
The Wise Men had studied the scriptures to know the signs of the coming of the Messiah. We, too, need to study God’s word to know the signs of the times to be willing and ready to seek and find Him to prepare for when He comes again.
Joseph and Mary were intentional as they raised and taught Jesus. We must be intentional parents/grandparents in every word and deed.
Christ was born in humble circumstances and yet was the greatest of us all.
A favorite saying we’ve heard often is, “Am I one of the ‘Inn’ crowd, or one of the ‘stable’ few?” Will I let Him into my heart and home?
Just as Jesus grew in favor with God, we too must grow in favor with God, through wisdom, study and learning.
For those who have not yet seen this beautiful depiction of The Christ Child, click on the link below. Why not honor the Christ Child all year long.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CHRIST CHILD
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS – The layout on the birthdays is looking weird here on some computers. Oh well!
8th Rose Packer – 3 26th Becca Lattin – 30 (Becca is our youngest child) 29th Adelaide Hunsaker – 10 29th Blake Packer – 10 29th Henry Lattin – 2
We pray that each of you may know how much we love
you, cherish our friendship, our family love and special times we’ve shared. We
know our time here will quickly vanish and we feel grateful for the support and
love of each of you.
With all our love,
Elder et Sœur
Packer Grandpère et Mémé
801-336-6153
(Steve’s)
801-564-1332 (Renée’s)
Address: Please include the name and address as stated
Les Missionaires –
PACKERS
17 rue Philibert
Roussy
69004 Lyon FRANCE
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