BLOG 40, JUL 10 - 16, 2023

July 16, 2023

BLOG 40, JUL 10 - 16, 2023

SENIOR COUPLES MONDAY DINNER

Sister McNevin planned a gathering of the Lyon Senior Couples for the beginning of this week, since Elder and Sister Smith were coming into town for their Titre de Séjour appointment (legality papers) in Lyon. They are serving in the Bordeaux area in Mont-de-Marsan (East and South from Lyon, almost 300 miles). Sister McNevin is always so good to bring the senior couples together whenever there is a chance to meet together when others come to Lyon. We had special gathering at L’Osteria, an Italian Restaurant in the Mall. It’s a close walk for us. As always, we enjoyed meeting with everyone, but especially the Smiths. They are amazing with what they are doing in their area near Bordeaux.

L'Osteria Restaurant with the Senior Couples - Gannaways, McNevins, Packers, Hardys and Smiths

WOODS SIBS ZOOM CHAT

That same evening, I rushed home just in time to get onto Zoom for my Wood Sibs Zoom Chat. It has become an important part of our Wood family relationship to meet together, be it for any new news, health updates but most importantly to see one another and to share our love one with another, as we can never take for granted how long these precious times will be with us. We feel that we are also honoring our parents each time we meet, bringing them a bit of joy up in heaven. I hope our children will do similarly once all their children leave the nest!

Wood Sibs Zoom Chat! Top left to right - Janine Green, Me, Lucie Gibbons, Claire Prigmore, Ann Harper, Alan Wood

PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED

Austin and Emma Packer and family are excited that they will finally be moving to Saint Cloud, Florida on August 8^th. Finding a place to live in Florida, while living in Utah was a bit of a challenge, but they finally found a home they’ll love. It’s only 8 minutes from Emma’s parents and in the town where Austin will be working with our long-time dearest friends, Bruce and Sheri Clark (Preferred Real Estate).

Rose, Bowen and Leo Packer - getting ready to move to Saint Cloud, Florida and will be with their other grandparents. Oh, how we'll miss them, but will soon visit when we get home.

Austin, Emma, Leo, Bowen and Rose Packer

Bruce and Sheri Clark - dear friends of ours and Emma's family, who Austin will be working with!

SCR GUIDEBOOK EFFORTS ALL WEEK LONG

Between meetings, varied mission efforts, errands, and calls with children throughout the week, we’ve continued working diligently on our guidebook any spare moment we get, to get it ready to be reviewed and translated. Once it is finished, it will be of great worth. It will be about 18-20 pages total, similar to the JustServe guidebook. We have felt the Lord’s help in every detail of this effort and look forward to getting it into the hands of the stakes in our mission.

ELDER AND SISTER HANSEN FOR DINNER

Elder Thayne and Laurie Hansen, from Highland, UT, arrived Tuesday to the France Lyon Mission. We’ve been working with them since April through zoom, prior to their arrival. We met up with them at the mission office on Wednesday and had them follow us to our apartment. We had prepared dinner for them and enjoyed a wonderful time with them. They will be a wonderful asset in Toulouse, which is about 5 hours west from Lyon.

Our evening with Elder Thayne and Sister Laurie Hansen

DISTRICT COUNCIL

Friday morning, we attended another wonderful district council and loved watching the missionaries’ attentive zeal for their mission. We look forward to next week to meet in person, which is only once a transfer. Always a highlight.

Awesome District and Awesome District Council

BASTILLE DAY AND DATE

For our date on Friday and being Bastille Day (France’s Independence Day), we went out to eat in Old Town. I might’ve thought that it would be crowded in Old Town or in Lyon on this day, but around 5:00 p.m. the streets were quiet, and not much going on, as most shops were closed. People often leave town for these types of weekends and so it was easy to find parking and a place to eat.

Later at night, when we were in bed, we heard the loud bangs of fireworks outside our window. Internet statement: “The fireworks start at 10:30 p.m. at three different sites on the hill: the Parc des Hauteurs, the ECAM gardens, and the Conservatoire de Lyon, all in Lyon 5 leading up to the Basilica of Fourvière.”

At the base of the Basilica is Old Town where we were earlier that evening for dinner. No doubt there were still plenty of people to celebrate in the varied parts of the town for the magnificent firework display.

Date Night with my sweetheart!

Bastille Day Celebration Fireworks - NOT MY PHOTOS - nor did we attend!

Bastille Day Celebration Fireworks - NOT MY PHOTOS

PÉROUGES, FRANCE – MEDIEVAL VILLAGE

Saturday, we took a brief 45-minute drive (20 miles) to a medieval village. It was fascinating and amazing to walk through. We absolutely loved our walk through this village, which houses about 80 people inside the village itself and about 1,200 people in the corridors of the commune. It was beautiful, historic, enchanting and a wonderful opportunity to visit yet another site near Lyon.

Internet search information about Pérouges:

“Pérouges is a commune in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France.[2] A medieval walled town perched on a small hill that overlooks the plain of the river Ain, it is located 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Lyon, historically in the neighbouring Rhône department. In 2019, Pérouges had a population of 1,273.”

History

“Pérouges was inhabited by craftsmen; mainly farmers and linen weavers. It was probably founded by a Gallic colony returning from Perugia in Italy. In 1167, the Seigneur d'Anthon famously shut the commune's walls against the troops of the Archbishop of Lyon, and as early as 1236 the inhabitants earned communal freedom. In 1601 the town officially became French. Until the end of the 18th century, the textile industry in Pérouges boomed. In the 19th century, however, roads and railroads were re-routed and the population dropped from 1,500 to 90.[3] But, starting in 1911, the town was restored, and houses were saved. Today, Pérouges is a popular tourist attraction.”

More photos below and in the photo dump section at the end of blog!

OUR GRANDCHILDREN MISSIONARY MOMENTS

Elder Kyson Duckworth

Kyson started his first week of “at home” MTC before heading out next week for the MTC in Provo, as his visa has not yet arrived, keeping him from attending the Brazil MTC. He’ll be in Provo for 6 weeks, I believe. He’s done very well and after 2 weeks of his MTC experience, he’ll be having to speak Portuguese 100% of the time (that is not to say he knows how to speak 100% Portuguese, but it helps enhance their abilities when that’s their only form of communication). Oh, my goodness! Bless him! When he has his 10-minute breaks during the day, he stays put and is studying the language. He’s feeling the pressure but is so dedicated.

Elder Kyson Duckworth - MTC at home

Sister Maliyah Duckworth

We didn’t personally hear from her this week, but her mother told us that people she was always so grateful for some of the people she would take through would take a photo of them with her and send to her family and tell the family how wonderful Maliyah is doing with her tours. We love the great opportunity she is having during this first portion of her mission. She’ll love California as well.

Sister Maliyah Duckworth and her companion

SUNDAY WORSHIP

We enjoyed our meetings today and meeting new people today as well as our dear regular members.

Preparing daily with a deeper focus on what I can do to better prepare in renewing my covenants with the Lord when partaking of the sacrament. It has been so helpful!

My dear friend, Michelle - as beautiful as a flower!

GOSPEL STUDY REVIEW

Book of Mormon

Be an intentional leader!
Recognize truth and know that our faithfulness saves us.
Is my heart pure and hands clean and do I have God’s image engraven upon my countenance?
Is my heart continually experiencing a change of heart?
Recognize the ravenous wolves around us to not let them enter.
Be humble, submissive, gentle, easy to be entreated, patient, long suffering, temperate in all things, diligent.
Pray to know how we can serve and bless others.
Recognize God’s infinite goodness in our lives and all the gifts we’ve been given.

Come Follow Me

Daily repentance is needed to know our heart is right before God and to serve Him continually.
Is my heart such that I can accept correction and counsel from the Lord (through leaders) with humility, gratitude, and a willingness to change?
The power of the Holy Ghost is our testifier and can help us with the strength we need to resist evil and stand for truth.
What will thou have me to do?
Stephen testifies that he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
Baptism is the beginning of a covenant connection.
Let my scripture study and prayer be the beginning point of my worship and my relationship with the Lord, not the ending point.
Forthwith means immediate!
Come to know the Savior through our devotion to Him.

Summary:

If you ever find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed, with more on your plate than you can handle, or trials that seem to keep mounting, or hardships, too much to bear, do not despair. None are alone in these trials, and He who is the giver of grace, mercy, peace and hope, is ever ready to help lift and bless each of His children on the earth. Often it is through the kindness of others, the blessings of peace, the quiet voice of assurance, the blessing that comes from a fervent and pleading prayer, a warm embrace, but often it is also when we offer up our help towards others and able to reach outward, we receive such valuable help from above. We must plead to our Father in Heaven for His divine help and also how we might help others.

CLICK HERE TO SEE "GIVE IN TO GIVING"

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

PHOTO DUMP – PÉROUGES, FRANCE