Somehow This Blog Ended up Being about War

Somehow this blog ended up being about war.

We are two weeks away from coming home. We have done a marathon sprint for four months to finish

up humanitarian projects and start new projects.  This last week we got three new projects approved,

and we are ecstatic. All of our projects have been in the Netherlands and Belgium. We fully

acknowledge the Relief Society stake presidency members who jump started the humanitarian work in

the Netherlands and Belgium.  Thanks, especially to Shaynah, Rachelle, and Sheila. You are amazing

women.

The French take their holidays seriously.  Today is May 8, and most everything is closed except the

local bars/restaurants.  The French and other Europeans are celebrating the end of WWII, a day

certainly worth celebrating. Of course, the people love holidays that land on Thursday because they

take a bridge day off on Friday too. 

War has ravaged France many times, and the French have been the attackers (Napoleon) and the

attacked (World Wars).

Here are pictures of our recent Normandy visit with our son Rob and his family.  Notice the boats

purposefully sunk in the ocean in Arromanches right after D-day to create a makeshift harbor for allied

forces to bring ships close to shore and unload. These sobering places remind us of the horrors of war

and the evils of those deciding to conquer other countries.

Think of Napoleon. Think of Hitler. Think of all leaders who try to take over other countries, especially

today.

Here is our son Rob on top of a German bunker. And here is a family of our grandchildren who I hope

will never have to fight in a war.

To the young, war

is something of the past.  But the sentiment is changing in Europe because of pressures to pay more

for military. Our friends in the Netherlands have been told by the leader of NATO (who was their prime

minister) to be prepared for war. Many nations in Europe are now building armies. My own country is

purposely stepping back from world influence. 

Of course, France, and Paris in particular, have a history of civil unrest, often because of the rich

getting richer (especially the crown, the aristocrats, and the church) and the poor staying poor. Think of

Les Miserables, the great French novel by Victor Hugo, which you all know well because of the French

musical that was translated into English. 

So at the same time as many countries are trying to stop immigrants by

stopping funding for services and trying to get rid of all newcomers except for the rich ones, Phil and I

were especially pleased to talk to three great charities in Belgium the past two weeks who help those

who are newly arrived. They “comfort those that stand in need of comfort” as the prophet Alma taught. We hope the Church can partner with them to feed the hungry without judgment and derision.

Isaiah 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy

light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:

and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

We have a prophet who reminds us constantly that we should be peacemakers. We hope that

followers of Jesus Christ take peacemaking seriously worldwide and require our leaders to go forward with no bullying. Just publish peace. As missionaries, we publish peace, publish

salvation, and bring good news of happiness. 

May we bring peace and goodness to our neighbors and family and to neighboring countries and to all

people in all countries, no matter their wealth or influence.