BLOG 28 - APR 17 - APR 23, 2023

GRANDCHILDREN ARE THE BEST!

We may not always chat via video calls, rather than phone conversations, but when we do, we love seeing the grandkids and seeing their delight in seeing our familiar faces on a phone or computer screen. Their beautiful smile and calling us, Mémé and Papa, melts our hearts!

Becca’s Henry and Mason are so adorable, and they play so well with each other. Mason will be 1 very soon.

Becca and Henry, with Mason crawling around! 

ISSARTEL FAMILY IN VALANCE – MORE CONNECTIONS!

We drove about 75-80 minutes on Tuesday, to be with Anthony and Joa-May Issartel and their 2 young daughters. Anthony is the high councilor for our ward in Lyon. We loved our time with them as we presented the SCR (Share Church Resources) presentation with their family. He had already received it in Stake Council meeting and now his wife would be able to receive this presentation and give them a chance to discuss as a family how they can more easily reach out with love to their neighbors. They were an amazing couple and the sweetest young girls. Before our arrival, her sister, Caroline, from the Toulouse Stake, had told her about my meeting her in her Stake Conference last week and the connection with my parents. Joa-May was excited to tell me that Caroline was her sister, making her another daughter of the Brenders. She showed me photos of my parents from over 20 years ago and that she also had videos of my father directing the choirs for Young Adults and would find them and send them to me. How could these tender connections happen, but with the Lord, putting these beautiful pieces of the puzzle together for us. We loved our visit with them and as we went outside for a few photos, they gave us some of their lilac flowers.

My parents dearly loved the Brenders family, and we can see why. The Brenders have 4 daughters and 1 son, and we have now met the parents via zoom, 2 of the daughters and the 1 son, who lives in Meridian, Idaho, who is a dear friend to Roland Léporé. Several years ago, we were asked to drive to Meridian, Idaho from Syracuse to give a personal presentation to their stake.

Joa-May Issartel

The Anothony and Joa-May Issartel family

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST IN THE NICE FRANCE STAKE

Tuesday evening, we met via zoom, with Dorothée Houasse, who lives in Cannes. She is the Communications specialist for the Nice Stake and had requested to hear a presentation. She is so thrilled and can’t wait to talk to her Stake President to schedule her stake to be trained. We were so impressed by this woman and her vision and enthusiasm with her calling.

Dorthée Houassa - Nice Stake Communications Specialist

WE KNOW HOW THEY MUST FEEL!

We have been working hard on our talks we are giving, starting this Sunday, to speak in all 9 wards and branches in the Lyon Stake. The total time between the two of us is about 23 minutes. We are speaking on the theme of Love, Share and Invite, uniting our message with our efforts of Sharing Church Resources.

Making sure that we are pronouncing all words and liaisons correctly and have the right inflections with these talks is no small task. We know how those from other countries must feel when giving a talk in English.

SURGERIES

Brandon Duckworth (our son in law) had shoulder surgery this last Tuesday. It was an in and out surgery and not too difficult and he is now doing much better. No photos of Duck, of which he's probably fine! 

Last week, Shal Packer (our daughter-in-law; she gave us permission to share this and the photo) had surgery with stage 4 Endometriosis in her uterus. She is a trooper, and we pray she can heal fully. The doctor said he had never seen a case as bad as hers in his 37 years.

 Shal Packer, Prior to surgery-Photo and story by permission 

SUNSHINE, WARMTH, LEAVES ON TREES AND BLOOMS

These three really brighten my spirit, when there is sunshine, green leaves on the trees and continually seeing more blooms pop up. The park is gorgeous at this time!

The beautiful lake at the Park

Can you tell that this Duck is used to being photographed. They don't run away, they run towards you. 

THURSDAY PRE DISCTRICT-COUNCIL MEETING

Since Elder Lauener is new to this district and fairly new on his mission, he really didn’t know much about Sharing Church Resources, so in order to have our District become even more familiar, he needed to as well, prior to our council meeting Friday. We sent him several things to review in preparation for our planning meeting. He’s thrilled about this effort, and we are grateful for his enthusiasm, if we can get it to rub off on everyone.

Elders Keiser and Lauener with us.

LYON DISTRICT COUNCIL

I loved the excuse to do a little cooking for District Council this last Friday. They were having Tacos (more burrito style) and I was asked to make the meat mixture and salsa.

Tacos for District Council

My salsa recipe that won their hearts!

Sister Whiting

Elder Keiser with his Lava Cake

The lunch was first and then the council meeting. Steve and I helped Elder Lauener with the discussion and deeper dive into Sharing Church Resources, by having a role play and helping them walk through the Webpage and QuickReg registration. It went well and we pray they understand it better at this point and how amazing it can be to help anyone who is willing to talk with them, with this effort.

Elders Patridge, Johnson, Candland and Lauener

Elders Roberts and Johnson

Sisters Zumbach and Buysse

Elders Johnson and Candland - learning how to navigate the Webpage and QuickReg for Sharing Church Resources

Elders Johnson and Partridge - learning how to navigate the Webpage and QuickReg for Sharing Church Resources.

Elders Roberts, Johnson and Partridge role playing.

Elders Lauener and Keiser learning more about Webpage and QuickReg.

Our great Lyon District - Elder and Sister Reneer were not able to make it.

We had to leave, but they stayed and made braided bread to give out as a service to others. 

The final prebaked product!

DATE NIGHT

By the evening, we are so exhausted that most of the time we don’t feel like going out for our date but are good with having ‘stay in our apartment’ dates. The traveling we’ve been having to do gives us great opportunities to get out, so we never complain when we can be in our apartment.

SATURDAY CALL WITH NATE AND DIXIE PACKER 

We had a fun video chat with Nate and Dixie. They were on the road at the time, and so while they were driving home, we got caught up. It was wonderful to hear what the kids are up to. Maddie has decided to switch college from Weber State to Utah State this coming fall. She loves floral arranging and was in the middle of doing her friend’s wedding flowers during our call. She also loves singing and playing the piano, and thus her degree will be in Biology?! Ryan is a star Rubik Cube tournament contester and also loves playing cello in the orchestra. Ellie and Blake still love getting their chores done on Saturday morning, so they can watch a little TV or play games, or play outside, when it’s warm. Nate and Dixie keep busy with family, church and work!

Nate and Dixie Packer

SUNDAY WORSHIP

Today we gave the first and second of our 9 French Sacrament meeting talks in the Stake. It’s all the same talk, thankfully.

We were very grateful for the kind reception from both wards today.

First, we attended the Grenoble Ward. We loved being there, meeting many wonderful people in their beautiful, spacious 3 story church building.

Just after our first talks in Grenoble (so relieved).

Second, we attended the Confluence Ward back in Lyon. We know more of the people in this ward, and they too were wonderful and so kind.

In this ward in Lyon, it was so nice to finally meet the parents of President Roland Léporé, whom my parents loved. My mother was a visiting teacher to Sister Léporé when my parents served here in Lyon. We enjoyed our brief visit with them and surely we’ll visit with them again.

Brother and Sister Léporé (parents of President Léporé)

MALIYAH’S FAREWELL

Maliyah has been waiting a long time for her mission to begin, and there is so much excitement and nerves getting ready for a mission, her farewell and then starting her home MTC on Monday, and then a week later goes to the Provo MTC. We are all on pins and needles for her.

We were so grateful to have had the chance to listen in to her Sacrament meeting. She was amazing and we’re so proud of her! She spoke so easily from her heart and brought a powerful and raw story of her desire to serve the Lord and what she learned from her journey.  

They had dear friends from their Nauvoo Pageant family last summer come from far and wide. They helped perform the musical number, Come Thou Fount, arranged by our son, Jaron Packer. It was so beautiful, with Austin Blue (Maliyah’s youngest brother, almost 8) singing a solo on the last phrase.

Half of the choir was cut off, as the camera never zoomed out or over, but nevertheless, their friends who sang with them, were two families from the Nauvoo Pageant. They became very close. 

Sweet Austin Blue Duckworth singing the solo at the end. He has such a pure and sweet voice.

Maliyah Duckworth - giving her farewell message. She honestly did amazing and we loved how comfortable she was able to share her thoughts without the written word. 

Two dear Nauvoo Pageant Families came to support Maliyah. Joined here with the Duckworths is, the Fackrell and Maner families. They are such devoted and dear friends.

We are so proud of Maliyah and her enthusiasm and spirit. She’s going to be an amazing missionary. She’ll start out in serving for 4 months in the Missouri Historic Sites and then heading to the California, San Jose Mission. 

We were so blessed to virtually attend Maliyah’s setting apart with the Stake President. It was beautiful and so perfect of and for her. 

Maliyah already to be set apart as a missionary. It was an amazing personal blessing for her.

Maliyah first time putting on her badge. She is now official!

It's so wonderful having another missionary in the family.  

We look forward to when Kyson will be following in her footsteps in about 11 weeks to his mission in Brazil.

Kyson Duckworth, ready to be a missionary!

Sister Duckworth's beautiful missionary photos below taken by her mother, Camille.

BENJAMIN PACKER’S STAKE CONFERENCE TALK

Ben was asked to speak at their Stake Conference this Sunday. We had been given a preview of him practicing his talk last Friday and we’re so proud of him. He is a special 13-year-old young man, who is not afraid of standing up for what is right. We were grateful to listen in via technology. 

Benjamin Packer speaking at Stake Conference

BRIEF GOSPEL STUDY

This week has been one of many lessons of self-reflection. With my Book of Mormon study, Come Follow Me and Conference talks study, I have changed how I take notes to be more self-reflective, and I have loved it. I am seeing more clearly personal areas of improvement. Instead of taking notes on what I’ve read and any impressions, I instead, immediately start seeing more personal lessons for me in my studies, those areas that I need to improve on. It has taken out the fluff of unnecessary notes and refining to the core of who I am trying to become. These are just a smidge of what I’ve gained.

     Book of Mormon

• Bear my afflictions without murmuring, as Christ did.
• As I continue to increase my devotion to Him, He will do all good things for my good.
• Stay humble, repent, have a pure heart.
• Write things that are more sacred.
• Take note how the Lord is trying to refine me.
• Each day let the Lord be my guide in all I do and say!

     Come Follow Me

• Show forth an abundance of mercy.
• I can love God and my neighbor, as I see others more deeply as Christ would, and really get to know them. I can see every face I meet as my neighbor.
• Choose the good part Renée, which may appear a bit different for everyone.
• Be forgiving, show mercy and be kind to everyone.
• When I love the Lord with all my heart, I am more focused on what is most important.
• Be willing to go down the steep paths to help someone.
• Just as Mary and Martha, each of us have different gifts of service. I shouldn’t shun my gifts just because they are different than someone else’s.

 

As we continue to grow, stretch, deal with periodic challenges, all while learning so many valuable lessons during our mission and our sojourn in life, I am in awe of the Lord’s patience with me, us, everyone. I can testify though, that He loves us, He cares deeply for us and all He wants from us is that we acknowledge Him daily and show our increasing devotion to Him and gratitude for all He has showered upon us. Each of us may respond differently to these areas of devotion, but no matter, He loves us in our pursuit.

 

With all our love,

Elder et Sœur Packer                                                                                            Grandpère et Mémé

801-336-6153 (Steve’s)

801-564-1332 (Renée’s)

Address below: Please include the name and address as stated

Les Missionaires – PACKERS

59 rue Bossuet

69006 Lyon FRANCE