Still his brethren in the Lord*: France

Twenty years ago, DH taught



and baptized a family.


On the last day of his mission, he attended the organization of the first stake in Bordeaux France: a stake he and those of his mission had worked diligently to prepare--finding and teaching and baptizing to create a place of stronghold, of refuge in Bordeaux. I can't imagine a better way to end a mission.

Fast forward twenty years, and DH's mission president is now an apostle (Elder Andersen) and is presiding over stake conference in Bordeaux, in the twentieth anniversary year, and invited all former Bordeaux missionaries to attend. Something sparked in DH and for many nights he could barely sleep--adding "find a way to go to France" to his list of attorney, bishop and dad duties. He found a way. We planned and found saints to come care for our kids in varying shifts.

At first, the stake conference was the reason to go, but not the excitement of the trip. We spent two days in Paris enjoying the sights and the tastes and the wonders of that city. We awoke early Saturday morning and piled into the rented car and drove the six hours to Bordeaux--through the chateaux country of the Loire valley.

We pulled into the chapel in Talance, quickly seeing it would be a standing room only meeting. It was: filled to the brim with faithful saints come to hear an apostle of the Lord, a most beloved apostle, because he had presided over the mission when the stake had been created.

After the meeting, DH began to look around for faces he knew. He found a young gentleman, the exec secretary of the stake. He began talking and found he was the younger son of that family baptized so long ago--this faithful returned missionary had been too young to be baptized by DH, but was blessed by his family's decision. He promised DH his family would be there for the stake meetings the next day.

We met the following morning for another stake meeting. There were more saints, more families, more power. People had traveled long distances, on buses and trains to be there, again, at the feet of their beloved Elder Andersen. And then, after the meeting, DH went searching for "his" family. He found the sister missionaries serving in the city and we were amazed to find that they knew who DH was because Brother Leaung had been exulting that "the missionary who baptized my family will be here!"



What a tender, powerful, reunion. Twenty years and they are still faithful and strong, expanding on their baptismal beginnings with temple covenants, a mission served, and faithful service in the Lord's kingdom.

*Alma 17:1 Now the sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth;