Journal July 23-26, 1962

July 23—Monday was a day of mixed events. In the morning, we took Henri Daviron with us tracting, since he’s MJM, and we do that normally with these young folks; so, I’m personally responsible. Before the end of the morning, Henri was taking every third door, presenting very effectively the “survey” questions that we use for getting [167] into doors. Not bad, I say, for an eleven-year-old! All afternoon, we were out of the apartment, as usual. Returned at 7:15 and found a note that Elder Allen had called from Angers. Unfortunately, we’d been supposed to call back at 2:30. Tried twice to get through to him, but without any luck. He was doubtless out himself, because it was the evening that “Mondovision” was started, on which we were supposed to be able to hear the Tabernacle Choir. As a matter of fact, for this purpose, we had an appointment with all the missionaries, Claude Leroy, and the Chaussonnier and Pichon families, at the Pichons‘ home, to have dinner and to watch this broadcast. Had a very pleasant evening and ate too much, but the broadcast was wonderful. Back home at midnight.

July 24—In honor of the Mormon Pioneer Day, Elder Allen called a missionary conference [168] of the zone at Angers. We went, and I drove the casserole to Angers, leaving at 7 in the morning. The conference was very satisfying. After the session, when we were ready to leave, Elder Allen approached me, saying that all those failed communications yesterday were to let me know that President Hinckley was coming to Rennes to see a meeting hall and a building lot that I’d scouted out for the branch, and also to ordain brothers Guitton and Fruchet to the office of elder, and finally to get Claude-Gérard Leroy ready to leave almost immediately as a building missionary. Also that I was expected to get busy preparing the printed program for Claude”s missionary farewell. Returned to Rennes, with me still at the wheel, exhausted, about 4 p.m., and then worked on getting everything ready for the President’s visit and to get the programs printed. To bed about 11.

July 25—Went first to the Pichons’ to pick up Jean-Claude, [169] so that he could go tracting with us. But his mother said he’d fallen sick with mumps. Alarming news: I’d spent Monday evening with him. He’d shown me a kids’ game resembling our “jacks,” and we’d played it together. So, it seems, that I’ve been exposed, more than the other missionaries. We’ll know in a few days whether I’ve got them or not. Lacking Jean-Claude, and because the deadline is getting close, we spent the morning looking for a print shop for Claude-Gérard’s programs. We’re getting, of course, into the magic “mois d’août,” when everybody goes away on vacation. A press run of a hundred copies, moreover, isn’t particularly attractive to a printer, especially to a big one with big presses. So we had a lot of trouble finding a vendor. Finally, the Imprimeries Réunies of the rue de [170] Nemours consented to bail us out, mainly because the proprietor harbors warm feelings toward Americans in general. But, says he, we can’t have the program with a photo on it any sooner than Sunday, the 5th of August. Since we seem to need to hold the farewell next Sunday, July 29, it seems that we may have to do without the photo. But it would be a lot better to have it with the photo and to give more preparation time to those (myself, for example) whom Claude has asked to speak. So I’m waiting for President Hinckley to arrive, so that I can ask him if it would be possible to postpone the farewell until Sunday after next. It’s now after 4:30, though, and our big chief hasn’t yet come. I’m getting a bit nervous, and we don’t have lots of time.

July 26—He never did show up last evening, and so I called to find out why. Turns out that Brother Winkel of the Building Committee only got there late in the afternoon. Looks like we should expect them later on today.…More, next page…

Back a Page (Journal)

Such a Life Contents

First Mission: section start

First Mission: page index

Rennes: page index

Next Page (Journal)

Welcome

Stories

Sections

Such a Life

People

Places

Site Search

Do You Know?

Updated Aug 2014

[092Journal.htm]

Page 32-113