Church

We live within the boundaries of the Luxembourg Pariosse, which meets in an office building 15 minutes from our home in downtown Luxembourg at 9:30 a.m. It is a french ward, and all meetings and business are conducted in French. 

before the start of sacrament

Every square inch of the five rooms that make up the "church building" are used. The chapel  is a large room with chairs, a podium, a microphone next to the podium for a translator, a table for the sacrament, and a piano. 

There are four or five rooms adjoining the room where sacrament meeting is held, where a TV monitor broadcasts sacrament meeting for those who don't fit in the main room. I'm super uncomfortable nursing during church, but am quickly getting over it and feeling deeply ashamed I ever silently lamented the chairs in the mother's lounges in Utah. 

The Bishop's name is Aphy Mputu (a belgian), the first counselor is Sam Gilstrap (an american), and the second counselor is Richard Flammang (a luxembourger). Bisop Mputu speaks English well, and I haven't had any trouble speaking with him.

For those members of the ward who don't speak French, a headset is available during all three meetings, where another member of the ward is graciously translating everything. At any given moment, the ward is accommodating French, English, and Spanish. This is a huge undertaking. 

A considerable amount of time is spent in each meeting or class to ensure everyone can understand what's being said. 

Our first Sunday there, I was asked to play the piano in nursery, and I was blown away by the process the adults and children went through to learn the gospel and to sing a song. Two women have been called to every position in primary -- an English speaker and a french speaker. Two women stood in front of the primary children and taught every line, every theme, and read every scripture in two languages. 

Relief Society is the same way. The first 15 minutes are spent passing out headphones, identifying who can translate, and what the language needs are for the day. 

Otto doesn't seem to mind the language barrier in nursery. He has happily attended every week and was slightly excited about the smoke pluming from the lights in nursery our first Sunday as all the children were evacuated to the chapel. 

Aksel, however, has refused to go back to nursery since that first smoky day and becomes hysterical if we even mention nursery. I know given time and some familiarity, he'll adjust to the new building, routine, language, and people, but he's a mess in the meantime.

I was really looking forward to Church our first Sunday in Luxembourg because I was anxious for something familiar. Church has been the hardest thing for me since moving to Luxembourg, hands down. It's chaotic and it's more foreign than I anticipated. 

Just another adjustment to make.