Saturday5/20/17
speaking of Dragon speak: Here is the 5 screen text I wrote my 10
specials this morning.\May
20 7:30 AM\Saturday
morning. Cutie 6 kids, John MacArthur was getting his engines running
on his fishing boat for Enterprise reservoir Thursday. Should I go to
Otter Creek again, I asked myself? Why not?\I
packed the car so I could leave after my book of Mormon class.
Surprise, Janice wanted to go eat at Texas roadhouse. So I didn't
leave until 10 PM\Got
there at midnight but I was lost. Have never arrived in the dark
before. Took almost 30 min. to find my campsite/fishing point. The
smiling – last – quarter – moon came up three hours before the
sun. Sleeping in the car always makes for a long night.\Fishing
was sporadic and when I did latch onto them, I couldn't quite seem to
bring those big LUNKERS in. I only landed three. The last one broke
off in 1 inch of water. It was dazed. I got wet. Nope.\@So
as you can see, I was foiled! Last night I was disheartened and tired
and got home at 10pm. This morning I see it in a different light: I
haven't conquered them yet! What will be my plan for next time? Do I
need to restring all my reels with newer line? Do I need bigger
stonger swivels and hooks? Do I need to take a net so I don't have to
drag them out of the water? As you can see my mind is already
reeling, pun intended. That was my second trip to Ottercreek this
year. I only latched into big ones yesterday. @ I bought 10 little $4
reels from China. Braided
line is stronger and thinner so I could fit enough on those reels to
cast out way far. But braided line costs $10 per reel. Monofiliment
costs $2 for filling 5 reels. I bought one reel's worth of Spider
wire.\
I
don't care for changing out the old line and putting in the new but
at about 3pm I was bored enough to do it. I caught one within 15
minutes but there is no stretch in braided line so I tried to set the
hook like I do with monofilament and broke the knot on the hook to
the fish's mouth. Argh! So if I were to use this braided line I will
have to change my style of setting the hook. Live and learn. @ I am
in a weeping mood. Reading p400-450 in ETB's biography while fishing
just touched me so many times. He was so ridiculed and made fun of as
secretary of Agriculture '52-'60. That every time he is honored or
complimented or praise I just feel overwhelmed with gratitude. Each
time he has promptings and HF blesses him I feel overwhelmed. It is
good to feel the joy of the gospel. It was the same for the Savior.
He was mocked and ridiculed and made fun of and cursed by so many,
and finally even falsely accused, convicted and crucified. And now we
can honor him and feel the joy of the gospel. I am so blessed. @ So
I decided to pack up the car at 6 on Thursday and then go to my BoM
class and then head out to Ottercreek, 2 long hours of driving away!
Our book of Mormon class was phenomenal! Slow as molasses Heidi
Taylor was teaching but that just provides opportunities for the rest
of us to chime in and share! You may remember little burned out 90
lb, blonde Karye. She has had so many tumors removed from her brain
she wasn't even supposed to be able to walk or drive afterwards. She
is doing both. She asked me to give Janice Divine a blessing when
Janice had a bad cold last season. Last week Wendy Susan Vorckenson
came hoping for a blessing. We have to go find someone with
consecrated olive oil each time that happens. I have two in my
bathroom drawer. I put one in my red scripture sack. I don't want to
be unprepared again. It has been years since I was called on to give
a blessing. But I am more comfortable doing it than ever before. As
you know I have the gift of gab! Plus, I have the strongest testimony
I have ever had. Studying the gospel and living the gospel really
helps! @ Anyway, Karye desperately wanted to share about the French
temple. She took 10 or 15 minutes reading the whole article! See what
I mean about chiming in and sharing! Janice was amazed. . . At 8pm
Heidi was pleased the time had passed so quickly and she hadn't had
to say too much! Are you smiling? Doesn't that sound funny? She
comes expecting to give a lesson and even when she hasn't been able
too she is glad the time is up!! Here is the article Karye read to
the class: (It comes from Meridian Magazine: Laterday Saints Shaping
Their World)
TEMPLES
In Secular France, What Did the Media Think of the Paris Temple?
The
Paris France Temple will be dedicated this Sunday, May 21, 2017.
If
you think the sons of Mosiah had a long mission with their 14 years,
Dominique Calmels, a French Latter-day Saint has them beat. He has
served as a public affairs director in France for 17 years—and it
is not because he can’t get the hang of his calling.\A
public affairs calling requires insight and leadership in any area of
the Church, but in France it takes on additional tricky
dimensions.\“The
difficulty in France,” he says, “is that nobody wants to follow
an institutional religion, even though 60% of the French say that
they believe in God. Religion is viewed with suspicion. The Muslims
are growing. Evangelism is growing. The rest of the religions have a
very low attendance.” Other institutions want no connection with
any kind of religion.\Pauline
Todd, who has been serving as a construction missionary in France
during the building of the temple added, “The French don’t have
conversations about church or God in public. It is not popular to
talk about religion. People aren’t allowed to talk about God in
their offices.\“The
government has control over most of the cathedrals. If they had to
wait for donations to survive, they wouldn’t have anything.”\The
French Revolution was a revolt against both government and church,
and that history has marked the sensibilities of the French.\Area
Authority Seventy, Matthieu Bennasar said that this suspicion against
religion certainly marks the way the press speaks of the LDS Church,
as well. Since the media are always interested in a greater
readership, they often portray the Church as secretive or polygamous.
A bias often marks the reporting.\
A
Surprise\That’s
why the press’s coverage of the Paris France temple is such a
surprising—even remarkable thing. In the first three weeks of the
temple open house, more than 200 newspaper articles were written
about the temple—and every one of them was positive!\Even
those few articles that included a critical comment about the Church
from another party, parked those words at the end of the article
where most readers have already trailed off and stopped
reading.\Elder
Bennasar said, “Since the temple open house, the media has been
treating the church with the rightful, unbiased point of view which
we appreciate. Now the articles are saying true things instead of a
few true things and then other statements that are controversial.”\He
said that he was having lunch recently with some high-powered French
clients and they mentioned the temple to him because they had seen
articles about it in the media. In fact, he would estimate that half
of the population of France has had exposure to some kind of article
or small video on the Internet about the temple. It would be
difficult to overstate how singular this is in France.\This
media miracle didn’t just happen. Many factors came into
play.\Usually
media sends their most junior journalists to cover anything touching
on religion in a country like France—and even if they write
positive stories, they are buried somewhere in the back of the news,
in as obscure a place as possible. However, at the opening ceremony
before the first VIP tours to which media were invited, in addition
to Elder Neil L. Andersen and Bishop Gérald Caussé, Mitt and Ann
Romney came.\Mitt
had been a missionary in France and his bid for the U.S.
presidency had made his name well-known there. The newspapers sent
their top reporters to this unique gathering.\Once
they were there, however, the temple spoke for itself. The
journalists were touched, moved and impressed. The building itself,
of course, is elegant. Its unparalleled excellence speaks a sort of
transcendent harmony to the soul of even the most jaded journalist.
The chance they had to see the teachings of the gospel firsthand also
blew away their clouded perceptions not only of religion itself, but
this religion particularly. What they saw was neither strange, nor
weird, nor some kind of threat to society. It was calm and
peaceful.\Frankly,
although the temple has not yet been dedicated, the Spirit is so
strong already that many were moved. One journalist came to the
Celestial room with teary eyes.\
Dominique
Calmels
Patient
Relationship Building\Then,
there is one more thing—and it comes back to Dominique Calmels and
his 17-year calling as public affairs director, along with the work
of other French Latter-day Saint leaders such as Bishop Caussé.
Patiently, steadily, unendingly, graciously, they have built
relationships of trust in the community and nation with key leaders.
This is not a quick, check-it-off-your-list kind of thing.\These
wheels of progress grind slowly, but usually bring honest friendship
and new understanding. The Church built a friendship with Phillipe
Brillault, the mayor of Le Chesnay where the temple is, over a period
of time. As a result, he probably visited the temple ten times during
its construction, watching it in every stage of the project.\Over
long years, as public affairs director, Calmels has developed a very
strong relationship with a captain from the internal police in
France. (This is a group something like the CIA.) This captain shares
information that helps the Church with security, and with time he has
become a real friend to the Church.\One
national organization is usually the source of the unfavorable
comments in media stories about the Church. This captain from the
internal police helped persuade some of its leadership to come to the
temple open house. They came, along with someone who had been a very
strong opponent of the mayor.\Calmels
said they had tough questions as they went through the temple,
especially about baptisms for the dead, but the conversation they
shared together in the garden at the end before the Christus chapel
was good. They certainly left with a better understanding of the
Church that they have so often disdained.\“It
is interesting to see how the Lord manages things,” said Calmels.
“If someone had told me before that this organization would come to
the temple open house, I would have said that was impossible.”\
What
Can We Do for You?\Under
the Minister of the Interior in France is an office for religious
matters. “For years,” said Calmels, “we have set up a good
relationship with them. We meet once a year with them, even if we
have nothing to say, but keep that contact. Every two or three years
they change the head of this office, and so we start again.”\Calmels
met with this office before the temple was built to introduce the
first drawings of the temple from the architect. The director of the
office was new, so Calmels took the opportunity to explain something
to him about the temple.\“Then
I was very surprised,” Calmels said, “because, after seeing the
plans, the director asked, ‘What can I do for you?’”\“Nothing
at this stage,” Calmels answered. Then the director continued, ‘I
will speak to the préfét [who is the minister of the state for that
region]. I will tell him about your project and that we are behind
you, and that he should not make any opposition against you.’ We
had never met with this man before, and I was very surprised by his
reaction and his kindness.”\Another
office that Calmels has worked with for years is the Miviludes, which
responds to the prime minister. It is a key organization whose
responsibility is to monitor groups perceived to constitute a threat
to the public order, informing the public, including journalists,
about potentially risky organizations.\Calmels
said, “We have had a very strong relationship with this
organization for ten years. At our first meeting with the
organization years ago, the president said he had a trainee with him.
After we had been in discussion together for about an hour, the
trainee asked an unusual question. He said, ‘Is Mr. Hinckley in
better health?’ He was referring, of course, to President Gordon B.
Hinckley.\“I
answered, ‘I don’t have any news, but he seems OK. Do you know
him? Why do you ask?’ The trainee answered that he had spent nine
months living with a Mormon family in Seattle and went to church
every Sunday with them. His firsthand knowledge made a difference at
this significant and very important organization that, based on good
knowledge, has always been very supportive of the Church.”\Calmels
said, “It is a very good idea to have been kept in this public
affairs role for 17 years because relationships are built slowly, and
we really spend half our time cementing the relationships that we
have already built.\It
is immensely difficult for any religion to be clearly seen in France,
where biases are so strong.\VIP
Open Houses\A
temple VIP open house is an opportunity to let leaders in all arenas
see the Church more clearly—and since a new temple comes only
rarely to an area, the work is intense to network and invite people
to come. This was particularly important in France with its culture
of suspicion toward religion.\Calmel
was pleased that more than 1600 people came to the VIP open houses at
the temple (and, of course, scores of thousands more to the public
open house.) None of this was easy work.\
The
open house fell between the dates where the state announced the
official candidates and the end of the deputy election, so no
politician could go to any official meeting or presentation.
“Anywhere, you invite them,” said Calmels, “they answer, no we
cannot go.” He said that he heard from so many that he knew well
who wrote, “Dear Dominique. All my greetings. Hope it will work
very well.”\It
was also tough to get business leaders to come to the temple open
house. MEDEF, which is the largest employer federation in
France, representing perhaps 3 million companies in France, just said
frankly, as an organization we don’t want any relationship with
religion. They wouldn’t come. “You read that,” said Calmels and
think “Where are we as a society, when they couldn’t consider
making a visit?”\Creativity
was his answer to getting VIPs to come, organizing open houses and
events around themes. There was a VIP open house for architects and
one for family history. One of the most moving VIP open houses was
for the builders and their families.\“When
we took them through the temple with their families,” said Ramon
Lopez, there were tears on some of their faces. They were so proud of
having been participants in building the temple.”\A
Big Change\As
a director of public affairs Calmels said, “I think the big change
that the temple has brought for me is that the people in France will
see us as a legitimate religion. We will move from being a small
group to an organization more visible and recognizable and legitimate
in the eyes of the public.” This, of course, impacts missionary
work in a country that has been very difficult for Church
growth.\Watching
the French Latter-day Saints, like Dominique Calmels, who focused so
much of his considerable expertise and time on growing relationships
for the Church, is moving and inspiring. What will we do for the
kingdom of God? We might look to them for an idea of what devotion,
patience and faith looks like.\The
Lord, Jesus Christ, directs this Church, but we are his hands.\24
COMMENTS | POST OR READ COMMENTS\Steven
BourneMay
19, 2017\During
my 20 day stay in Paris, I learned that a Mormon Temple had been
built near Versailles and was going to be dedicated the latter part
of May. Happily, I was thrilled to know that an open house was
planned for the general public before the dedicatory date. Having
been a missionary in what was then the Franco-Belgian Mission during
1965-1968 and being in Paris on vacation, I made a reservation for a
tour. The entire experience was worth the train trip to Versailles.
After the tour, I felt humbled and grateful for this rare chance of
seeing this glorious edifice ready to serve the members of the Church
in France as well as other countries. I will cherish this day for the
rest of my Life!\Lili
GurrMay
18, 2017\As
a former Missionary to France over 50 years ago, I burst into tears
at the announcement of the Paris Temple by Pres. Monson!!! The
wonderful French members have waited so long for this to come about.
I wanted do badly to go to the Open House, mais quel domage, ce n'est
pas possible! But what a glorious day it shall be when it is
dedicated.....the day before my birthday!!!@@
There
are 24 comments and those might be what you would like to read. In
today's world how often to we get to listen to other saints!!! OK
here are the rest of the comments. Would you ever dare to comment?
Where the whole world would be able to see it? If you want to. . . I
can post it for you!!! vj@@\ccMay 18, 2017\why no photos of paris
temple in your article about it i was hoping to see some of
it?\Clifton Palmer McLendonMay 18, 2017\I am always surprised at ANY
negative reaction to a Temple open house. Even if someone doesn't
believe a word of LDS teachings, what possible objections could
ANYBODY have to seeing a beautiful building?\SchlumpyMay 18,
2017\Great article for those too far away to go themselves!\BigDewMay
18, 2017\The Church will move forward regardless of government
opposition or ignorance. Jesus Christ is at its head! Beautiful
temple, beautiful church. Merci fr et Sr Calmels pour tout votre
travail et vos efforts pour l'Eglise. Il faut remercier également
toutes les "petites mains" que l'on ne voit pas
forcément\Lesley Allen GabbitasMay 18, 2017\Thank you for sharing
this very informative article! I am grateful to hear how the church
has grown in France over the past 30 years since I served my mission
in Paris. I may have been a trainer/companion to Shauna S. (first
comment) in Nogent-Sur-Marne. Is that you, Soeur? I would love to
hear from you. Lesley Gabbitas\Denise MortorffMay 18, 2017\Thank you
for helping us see the progress being made in public relations for
the Church in France. The story of the first Temple President would
be a wonderful one to share. It appeared in Church publications years
ago. My daughter served in the Lyon Mission and had great respect for
the people and the culture there. We plan to someday visit the temple
there go together.\Shauna SMay 18, 2017\Thank you so much for this
uplifting and informative article. I am grateful to be made aware of
even more details about how the Lord works and the way that He gets
His work done, frequently when we are not looking. AN aide who lived
with an LDS family? building the temple across from Versailles?
Bishop Causse and Br Calmels? these are not coincidences but the
Lord's hand at work. I've been home from my mission in France for
over 30 yrs and THRILLED that the French are finally getting their
own temple. Que Dieu vous benisse\Sœur Bendio, La Mission Française
de ParisMay 18, 2017\Very informative article; thanks so much! May I
use this in the mission history for the France Paris Mission? I wish
I had been able to meet you (again) when you were here to
visit!\DorisMay 17, 2017\Brother Calmels -- what a wonderful and
patient 17 years of work you performed. Thank you. Sister Proctor,
thank you for this wonderful article about all the trials and hurdles
Brother Calmels had to handle. The open houses and the reasons why
political leaders couldn't attend, the history of the country, and
the descriptions of emotions of those who attended the open houses
was very emotional. How proud those builders and families must have
felt, and then the spirit rested upon them. Wonderful. The Church in
France can now move forward with much greater understanding and
support.\Dennis DoyleMay 17, 2017\What a wonderful and insightful
article! When I was teaching French, I would teach my students
several of the beautiful French Christmas songs, starting in
December. I had a French foreign exchange student who complained to
the principal that I was teaching religion in school! I cry for the
French who have abandoned their beautiful Christian culture and
heritage. Darn Napoleon and the French Revolution!\Sally SmithMay 17,
2017\This article shows how the Lord works through His saints to
bring about His purposes. A true miracle!\Lawrence JeppsonMay 17,
2017\Sixtyfive years ago I wrote a monumental master's thesis for
Boston University, "Information and Misinformation, the Press
Relations for the French Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints." No one knows what that situation was better
than I. One of the key factors I found which determined whether an
article was favorable or unfavorable was if the writer had had any
personal contact with a Latter-day Saint. The reaction to the temple
is a glorious manifestation of the truth of that fact. One of the
missionaries from my time worked in five citiesl The average church
meeting attendance was two or three members. Now every one of those
cities is a stake! How wonderful.\Leonie GoodwinMay 17, 2017\Thank
you for this article, I found it. Very interesting to read. A
blessing for the church and the gospel. I found this a very inspiring
article.\S AslettMay 17, 2017\Excellent reading. Thank
you\dbaker27May 17, 2017\As a person who held stake public affairs
callings in three stakes, I enjoyed cultivating quite a bit of
interfaith work. Consistency is very important in any of this. So....
specifically as to the statement "It is a very good idea to have
been kept in this public affairs role for 17 years because
relationships are built slowly" it is totally true. The outside
world - persons, positions, clergy - don't particularly adjust to
frequent changes in LDS callings in the way we LDS do.\AlecMay 17,
2017\I am in awe of those who have worked so hard and so well, so
consistently and so patiently, to allow the Lord to bring a temple to
France. Miracles happen in and near temples, perhaps because temples
encourage us to be more accepting of the Lord and His work in our
lives. May this temple bless the good people of France on both sides
of the veil.\R. BiddulphMay 17, 2017\Bro. Calmels could have
responded to the "national organization"; Baptism for the
dead was practiced for the first two or three centuries as recorded
in Nag Hammadi scriptures: When Corinthians and Galatians “die
before being baptized, others are baptized in their name, so that
when they rise in the resurrection they may not pay the penalty of
not having received baptism” Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis Also
practiced by Marcionites, an early Roman Christian group, Orthodox
Christian groups, Coptics, and Ethiopian Christians, but most groups
discontinued baptism for the dead during the Second or Third
Centuries.\Carol RadmallMay 17, 2017\You forgot to mention the
gorgeous "Joan of Arc" movie that Brigham Young University
did about 2 years ago that was amazing! I watched the movie several
times it was so beautiful and so informative and done in France! This
movie must have really touched the hearts of the french people! I
also loved reading this article on all the miracles that took place
to bring such a successful Open House! I've looked at the pictures of
the temple and it is breathtakingly beautiful! I only wish I could go
in person! It gives me hope for a better world! I have a lot of
french heritage my last name use to be Voisin ~ which means neighbor!
May missionary work grow in abundance!\Sal LucaMay 17, 2017\Wonderful
information why visitors or business executives do not believe in
religion. A dear friend of mine had been a 25 year business executive
to Paris and now does not want to talk about religion. Thank you for
this beautiful article about the Paris France Temple. God is in
control and He will be with His Spirit Sons and Daughters as long as
they believe by Faith in Him.\SandyMay 17, 2017\Thank you for an
excellent article. I appreciate your deep and thoughtful insights
into the French traditions and responses to the new temple.\Lorraine
QMay 17, 2017\As a missionary from the former Switzerland-Geneva
Mission, I rejoice with our French brothers and sisters. May the
Spirit flood that grand nation.\MauriceMay 17, 2017\this is a most
moving and inspirational article. It lifts my hope for a better
world. Thanks.
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