The Wilsons

This is Frere and Soeur Wilson, a couple that was on a geneology mission when I was a missionary in France. I went to see them yesterday since I was in town visiting my Mom. I met Frere and Soeur Wilson when I was serving in St. Brieuc, which on the northwest coast of France. It was a small city of 40,000 people and was probably the most difficult place I served, missionary work-wise. The branch met on the top floor of a small commercial building in the industrial area of the city. I rode a bike for the 4 months I was there since there was no public transportation. Try riding a bike in a dress sometime if you want a laugh. I remember that my bike was named Daisy because there were flowers all over it.
Anyway, my first month in St.Brieuc was really a healing time, since my new companion Audrey Wood and I had just come off of some difficult months. Unfortunately we were only together for a month, but it was truly one of the best months of my mission. My mission was pretty strict about our schedule. Every hour had to be accounted for. Most of the time this was not a problem, because what are you on a mission for if not to do missionary work? As a missionary (just like every other job), you really need a change of scene now and then. In Paris it was great because there was so much to do and see in Paris on preparation days. In St. Brieuc there was really nothing. As a missionary you work harder than you ever worked in your life. You work to the exclusion of everything else. And as a result you get really tired and worn out, albeit in a good way. Anyway, the Wilsons were an integral part of those months I spent in St. Brieuc. The couple missionaries had a little more freedom as to what they did with their time once their work was done every day. Once or twice they would notice that my companion and I were looking a little haggard and they would find some obscure referral out in the country and call and set up an appointment for us. Those were some of the nicest discussions I ever taught. Of course the Wilsons would take this opportunity to say "Since we are in the neighborhood, we are going to go and see...." We protested that we needed to be contacting or knocking on doors or whatever and they said "Okay, do it where we are going!" Sometimes we did and sometimes there was noone around to contact. They gave us a much needed break and helped us feel that we were still doing our job. The Wilsons served another mission to Montreal, Canada in 1999 and then were transferred to Boston in 2001. For the last 18 months they have been serving a welfare mission in Springville. As you can imagine, they have really supported the young missionaries wherever they have gone.
What a great example they were (and still are) to me. I love them so much.