Yeah!!! We are here in Beautiful France with our Missionary, Elder Talon

Hello Everyone,

We are here in Paris tonight and finally have a chance to post something to the blog. This trip has been everything we had hoped it would be. We arrived and drove through the most beautiful country in the world. We arrived in Geneva and scoped out the city and found the mission office last Wednesday so we would be prepared to pick up Elder Anderson on Thursday morning. When we arrived, his mother ran into his arms and they hugged and cried. Then it was dad's turn and then Shae's. The mission president and his wife, Sister Peterson, are fabulous people and there were four other families there picking up their children. We then went to hotel, got re-acquainted, and set out on the the town in Geneva where we had a nice view of Mont Blanc. We met many of the missionaries at the institute building where brother and sister Murphy from Provo, had baked some fresh chocolate chip cookies for us and we sat and visited and then got acquainted. We next walked the old city and went back to the hotel and crashed, what a wonderful day.

Day 2 with Tal - Day 4 for us.

We drove to Talon's last area, Sion, right smack through the middle of the Alps and very close to the Matterhorn. It was very rainy, but this honestly was the most beautiful stretch of the world I have ever driven in my life. In Sion, we met Brother and Sister Collard, the branch president and his wife. They were the sweetest people and thanked us so profusely for sending our son to teach their people. We were in tears. They could not speak English, but Tal translated. It was a beautiful moment. Sister Collard had made a candle for Saundra and they also made us a wonderful lunch. We then went and stopped and toured a famous castle in Switzerland where Shaelyn was princess for a day. We had a lot of fun. At the end of the day, we went to Lausanne, another area where Tal served and ate dinner with the Goyez family, he is first counselor in the Lausanne ward and his wife is the Stake Relief Society President. They were so wonderful. We had a wonderful evening and made many new friends.

Day Three with Tal

We drove to Nancy France, one of Talon's favorite areas he served in. On the way, we drove by the Swiss Temple in Bern. It is currently under construction, but so neat to be able to see it. Once in Nancy, we toured the city and saw historical sites and the shopping district. It is a very impressive and beautiful city.

Day Four with Tal

We went to church this morning with Tal in Nancy. He tranlated testimony meeting for us. It was so sweet. We sang songs from the hymn book in French and felt a beautiful spirit. One of the people Tal taught who was baptized right after he left Nancy, Emily, had made a quiche and a lunch for us to eat at the church following meetings. She was so sweet and kind and she just glowed. It was wonderful to meet her and all of the ward members. Again, we made many new friends, and some who we are sure will visit us in Utah. Then we drove to Paris where we are tonight.

I've taken more video than pictures, but Shae and Saun have many pictures that we can show everyone. I am going to post the pictures I have taken with my video camera.

We love you all.

Have a great night.

Day 3 with Tal