Packers in Paris Blog 96
– Jan 6th – Jan 12th, 2020
A JOYOUS BIRTH,
SETH’S FUNERAL AND COUNTLESS BLESSINGS
This past week has been one of many
joys and also hardships for my extended family, but when we stop to think,
there are so many blessings presently before us and also that await us, that can
give us comfort to carry on with the hardships of life! We’ll share throughout
the blog post!
MONDAY LUNCH
WITH DISTRICT IN OUR APARTMENT
The only time we could come up with a
dinner/lunch was last Monday at noon. We cherish these special moments with these
missionaries. We have had such dear and choice times with them, as they have
grown so much and have been so dedicated to this great work here! Their parents
can be so proud of them!
By the way, for the lunch, I fixed mega
nacho supreme, hearty soup and baguettes and their favorite carrot cake! A
little taste of home!
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| Our awesome District! - Elders Farnsworth, Sun, Poulin and Jones and Sisters Moon, Lofgreen, Severson and Allred |
PARIS TEMPLE
TUESDAY!
For various reasons, time and transportation
conditions, we’ve not been at the temple for a little while and we knew that
this last Tuesday would be our last chance before we leave, since it will be
closing for two weeks.
It was just what our hearts needed to
feel the calmness that comes from entering the grounds and the temple and
putting all cares behind us! We were so grateful for this last time in a sacred
and holy spot of Paris (Versailles)!
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| Our last time with the same shot we take almost every single time at the temple! ;) |
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| Elder Bourroux (VC Director) and Elder Packer at the Temple Visitor Center |
THE BIRTH OF
ROSE REBECCA PACKER – OUR LITTLEST ANGEL
This last Wednesday, our youngest
son, Austin, and his wife, Emma, brought into this world their second miracle
baby, Rose Rebecca, weighing 5 lbs15 oz, and 17 inches long. She was born 5 weeks early. Everything went well, considering that she was breech and after
many efforts to turn her, she was delivered by C-Section. She is still in NICU
because her lungs are still struggling a bit, but she’s doing quite well!
We are so happy for her wonderful
parents, for their beautiful family, though at times it is a challenging
journey to get them here. What a sweet blessing Rose truly is! We can’t wait to
hold and love her in person!
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| Sweet baby Rose Rebecca Packer |
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| Sweet baby Rose Rebecca Packer |
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| Velma Drake (our dear neighbor and our daughter in law, Emma Packer's great grandmother) Velma is in a rehab center after a heart attack and bad fall! She is 98 years young! Emma is recuperating from her C Section! |
DISTRICT
COUNCIL AND BECOMING AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT KIND OF MISSIONARY!
Last Friday was our last District
Meeting before transfers, knowing it was our last one with this awesome
district, as most likely one or more of them will be changed out!
The growth we have personally seen
from each of them is truly remarkable! They have shown so much faith in this
work that is very unique from any other parts of the mission and the world. This
is the reason why the church is coming to film their efforts, as it’s having a
great impact for good! Their hearts are filled with so much genuine love and ability
to reach out to all walks of life and show compassion and love, whatever their
needs are! More people are opening their hearts to the missionaries.
In President Russell M. Nelson’s
book, Insights from a Prophet’s Life, written by Sheri L. Dew, are several
quotes that fit so perfectly for what we do here!
“…The Church
literally has the capacity to help people no matter what their problem is. The
gospel exists to help people.”
Our message was “We
are not here to do anything but bless the lives of your people”. “When our
missionaries finally realize how helpful they can be, they become
an entirely different brand of missionary.”
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| Elders Jones, Sun and Farnsworth |
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| Elders Poulin, Jones and Sun |
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| Sisters Allred, Severson, Moon and Lofgreen |
CONTACTING
AT THE CENTER
With all the transportation strikes
and demonstrations, we’ve had fewer people coming down our street, and yet the
light of the missionaries still shines and they have a wonderful time meeting
people who wanted to discuss where their ancestors are from, which then opens
up a discussion about what else we do in the center, which is much more than
just Family History!
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| Sisters Cruz and Thurgood |
FUNERAL SERVICES
FOR SETH HARPER
Thursday night was the viewing for
Seth Harper (a son of my oldest sister, Ann) and then Friday was the funeral in
Declo, ID. We were so grateful for all the family who took the time to attend the
funeral, honoring Seth and all the family!
From all accounts, the funeral
service was filled with so much love of family, friends and much gratitude for Seth’s
amazing life! Seth was deeply loved because he was one of those individuals
that had the purest and most giving heart! He will be greatly missed!
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| Bryson Green (my sister Janine's only son), and Nathan Packer (our oldest son), and Cori Green Graham on the back left, with Melodi Green (both Janine's daughters) and our Janine Packer Hunsaker on the right driving to the funeral! |
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| Seth and Becky Harper |
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| Lucie Wood Gibbons and Ann Harper (Seth's mom, two of my sisters) |
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| Picola Wood (my mother) loving great grandchildren |
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| Becky Gomez, Claire Prigmore and Alan Wood |
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| Seth with Christ - art work by Becca Packer Lattin |
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| Seth and Becky Harper infront of the Idaho Falls Temple |
VISIT WITH
GPA AND GMA WOOD
After the funeral services, the
carpool of some of our children and my sister Janine’s children went over to
visit my parents! During that time, they each were able to sit by my dad’s side
and have tender conversations with him, knowing his time is near! At one point,
my sister Janine’s son asked my dad if he would bear his testimony of the
gospel! They recorded this for his posterity to cherish for all time! This
recording that was shared with our family, will stand as a priceless treasure!
I’ve continued to call my parents
daily, as hearing their voices is a comfort to me, knowing that my father doesn’t
have super long time left on this earth, and we are grateful for each day we
can connect with both of them! Their
faithful lives have been such a blessing for me and their posterity!
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| Elden Wood, my father! This is where he was sitting with a captive audience while sharing his tender testimony! |
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| Janine Packer Hunsaker (our daughter) and my father, Elden Wood |
DATE NIGHT,
GOT A BIT EMOTIONAL WITH LEAVING PARIS
For our Friday date night, we
watched a movie in our apartment, Beauty and the Beast! I had forgotten
the brief scene that was portrayed in Paris and of course there's a big
France theme going on throughout. But the Paris theme kind of choked us both up
and our hearts were filled with so much love for our mission and the time we’ve
spent here in Paris. It has not been all fun and games and it’s been long hours
each day, but the lasting memories of our experiences will live on for the rest
of our lives!
I couldn’t help but change the
lyrics to the song to fit our memories….
How Does a Moment Last
Forever (Montmartre)
This is the Paris of [our
mission]
[These] were the borders of [our lives]
In this [old and dusty apartment]
Where a [a man] loved his wife
Easy to remember, harder to move on
Knowing the Paris of [our mission] is soon gone
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| The Beast staring out the window to Notre Dame |
THE ROLAND
AND AMIE LÉPORÉ FAMILY CHURCHNEWS ARTICLE
I was grateful to hear through a
little ‘bird’ that just a couple of pages after my parent’s article in the Church
News, that our dear friend in Salt Lake, Roland Lepore, that we work so closely
with for our mission, and his family were also in the Church News. It was a beautiful
and poignant article on family history and getting to know more about your
roots and to dig a bit deeper into their history and where they might’ve lived.
It was quite a remarkable story!
Scroll till
you get to - A lesson of gratitude
One of the ways 15-year-old Emilie
Léporé participates in family history is by sharing ancestor’s stories with her
family during home evening.....
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| Roland and Amie Léporé Family |
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| Church News |
FRANKIE HALL
– OUR NEW FAMILY HISTORY SPECIALIST
Saturday morning, Steve made a trek
to the airport to pick up Frankie Hall (our new Family History specialist) and
her daughter, to take them to the home where Frankie will be living for a
couple of months while staying here. Everything went amazingly well, though it
took a long time, with long waits for the trains and such, but grateful they
all got there safely. Welcome to Paris, Frankie! You are greatly needed, and you
will love it here!
I was grateful for Steve’s
willingness to go the extra mile to help them bring their things into Paris
while I worked on more documents that Steve and I have both been working on for
the filming project in a week and a half.
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| Frankie Hall and her new home for two months |
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| Frankie Hall and her daughter |
SUNDAY’S
BIZZARE AND BEAUTIFUL!
On our way walking to church we were
in awe of a very strange sight, where old time tractors and cars were in a
motorcade and were on their way to some kind of special showing. That was the
only bizarre thing about Sunday, and the rest was beautiful and so sweet as we
rubbed shoulders with such beautiful and kind people!
As we start looking around at all
the ward members at church, we realize we can’t say a personal goodbye to each
of them. But little by little we’re trying to connect with people and have a
small and brief heart to heart with them!
We also love meeting new people each
week which are often visitors or investigators. Their stories are always so fascinating,
and we love hearing as much of their story as we can!
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| Parade or convoy of old tractors and cars on our way to church - Just a few pictured from many more... |
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| Donna Chen - from Shanghai, but lives in our ward |
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| Renée with Donna and Chen Li (both from Shanghai) |
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| Renée with Lyla (a new investigator) |
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| Ophelie Munier and baby Joseph |
~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we conclude another week, we are
more and more grateful for the love the Lord has blessed us with these nearly past
two years! We know more than ever what it means to be warn out, but to be warn
out in the Lord, is the greatest exhaustion there is! Blessings to each of you
and your loved ones!
Pour la terre et sa
beauté (For the Beauty of the Earth),
Elder et Sœur Packer
Grandpère
et Mémé Packer (Please be sure and use the last name on any mail, or
it will get returned)
Our Address:
4 quai du Marché Neuf
75004 PARIS
FRANCE
Email address:
Renée: srpacker10@gmail.com
Steve: wf-packer@hotmail.com
You may
still text or FaceTime Renée at 801-564-1332
We are 8 hours ahead of Mountain Standard
Time
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