Food, Our Bishop and Interviews

Yes these are escargots, otherwise known as snails and yes, I did eat them. They were very good. You mostly taste the buttery, garlic sauce. Dh would not touch them. Who is the real frenchman in this family? I guess the answer is me. After all, I was born in the French Concession in Shanghai. The very first time I ate snails was at a fancy restaurant near Los Angeles called Le Chene. As I held the snail shell and tried to take the snail out, it slipped and flew across the table right into the waiter's chest. I was mortified. He was very gracious about it and I felt better, but I still have that very vivid memory in my mind.

This is our new Bishop in the Villenueve d'Ascq ward. Marc Duez and Elize have 5 children. They are a great couple. They both speak very good English. I am finding that quite a lot of people speak English here although they don't always admit it. Every week I do a lot of cooking for the youth. The Monday for FHE I made raspberry bars. They were eaten up very quickly.:)

Yesterday morning the mission president's wife called and asked me if I would cook lunch for the missionaries for today's mtg and interviews. Of course I was happy to do it. I made these 2 lasagnas and 1 vegetarian lasagna because we have a girl miss. who is a vegetarian. The missionaries loved it and raved and raved. Of course that made me very happy. I also fixed a huge and I mean huge (8 lettuces) salad with sprouts, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, and a little carrot/cabbage mixture. The sisters made crepes for dessert.

One of the missionaries said, "Soeur Arhets, I have always liked your food, but now I am I love. I love everything you make." That is so nice. I think I remind them home and their Moms and of the food they ate at home. Anyway, it's nice that they always appreciate whatever I make.

Our meeting was so wonderful. These young men do such a great job of presenting lessons and ideas. They do lots of role playing and everyone enjoys themselves as well as learning a lot. I think many of us are very touched by the presentations.

Here are Elder's Hoskyn's and Elder Cabrera doing a role play.

Everyone is listening very intently.

Elder Dewey was conducting this particular session.

Elder Dewey is so funny. He came to our Family Home Evening on Monday evening and he was just cracking us up. He is usually so serious and calm, but that evening he was "wild boy". After the lesson I had the youth play Get the Bacon and they had a blast. Elder Dewey was jumping around and joking around. When he had to chase his opponent who was a girl, he would chase her holding a pen in his hand with which to tag her. The missionaries are not supposed to hug or kiss girls and he wanted to be sure he didn't touch her. We were having a good laugh.

Sister Kurran and Sister Shannon came up from Dunkerque for the mtg. It was so good to see them again and to spend some time together. It is amazing how much love we have for each other and how much all of the missionaries grow to love and apprciate one another. We are the only old ones in our group and they are all so good to us. It warms my heart.

Elders Dewey and Hoskyns.

Soeur Fritsch, Elder Spicer, and Elder Paoli.

Elders Scott, Riley, and Larsen.

Dh and President Brubaker.

Me and Sister Brubaker.

I love going to the meetings with all of the missionaries. We all learn so much and are so spiritually uplifted.