The Todds in Geneva

On September 11th we went to the Marche ( an open air market similar to a farmers market) just down the street from where we live- Wow! We couldn't believe all of the things they had. So many fruits and vegetables and MEATS! All the coolers and equipment they bring in each week amazes me. There are more merchants at the Marche than there are regular merchants in town. They come very early in the morning and are set to go by about 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. Then at 1:00 they tear it all down and leave only to do it all over again the next Saturday. It was so amazing.


After wondering around the marche for a while we decided to venture out of town for the first time. We traveled north to Ikea near Lausanne. The freeways are edged in trees and you feel like you are driving out in the country even though you are only five or ten minutes out of Geneva. The drive to Ikea was so amazingly beautiful with all of the vineyards. They told us that some of the vineyards date back 2,000 years!


They were in perfect rows and so green. It was a beautiful drive. Sorry that this picture is fuzzy. I took it while we were driving.



We were excited to be at Ikea also and to have some of their famous meatballs, which neither of us has had before. But alas, we spent so much time looking at things that when got to the cafeteria at 4:20 we found that they stopped serving at 4:00! I guess we will just have to go again soon.
Each Sunday at church is proving to be quite exciting. Last week we met the family from Kaysville. Well, this week I was sitting by a sister in Relief Society that I didn’t recognize but I don’t recognize very many of the sisters yet. Anyway, I introduced myself as any good missionary would do. When she introduced herself she said she was visiting from Bountiful, Utah. I asked her where she lives in Bountiful and she told me she lives by the temple. Which then led me to ask if she, by chance, knew Brian and Susan Casper – which they do. Brian served with her husband in the Stake Presidency and they see them all the time. I never cease to be amazed by how small the world is when you are a member of the church.
Doug and I are doing well. We are learning our responsibilities and it is getting a little better each day. When Mary Kaye Doyle was training me for my duties at the office she told me that the Lord really wants this work to go forward and that large and small miracles happen to accomplish that. Well, this week I had that very thing happen. I had been working on the referrals that come into the mission office and I was having trouble understanding exactly how to get the program to function the way it is supposed to. I was very frustrated and said a silent prayer asking for help. No sooner had I finished than Elder Diffrient dropped into the office for just a few moments. He has been an office Elder and knows the program so well. I quickly asked him what to do and in two minutes he showed me exactly what to do and then he was off to an appointment. It’s very humbling to know the Lord is so mindful of what we are doing and providing help as soon as we ask.