OCTOBER 6 - OCTOBER 22, 2017 FREIBERG, GERMANY

     The beautiful Fall Season is almost over.  Over half of the leaves are on the ground, and we have many rainy days.

TEMPLE FLOWER BEDS OF HEATHER

Fortunately, some days the sun breaks through and for part of the day we will see only partly cloudy skies.  The last time I posted, the temple gardeners had pulled up all the Summer flowers, even though they hadn't been frosted at all.  Last week they filled the beds with flowers that are hardy enough to withstand colder weather.  The flower beds are now filled with a variety of Heather.  I didn't realize that Heather came in several colors.  It is pretty in its' own way!
 

     A member of our Temple Presidency gave us a thirty  page history relating the story of how the Freiberg Temple came to be here.  It is titled, "The Freiberg Temple:  An Unexpected Legacy of a Communist State and a Faithful People."  It is a research paper written by Raymond M. Kuehne, a man born of German immigrant parents, who served a mission in Germany.  He majored in history at the University of Utah, and studied on a Fulbright Fellowship at Marburg University, Germany, for a year.  After retirement, and a mission call to serve in the Freiberg Temple, he again had an opportunity to pursue history and

PRESIDENT MONSON REDEDICATION SITE

worked to compile a history of the LDS Church in the German Democratic Republic, 1945-90.  It is a very interesting story. 


     A few days ago, after our Temple shift ended, four of us missionary couples drove to a site between Dresden and Meissen, about 45 minutes away from Freiberg.  Here we found the place  where President Thomas S. Monson, then an Apostle,  dedicated and rededicated the land of Germany for the preaching of the gospel.  It was April 27, 1975. That day was  rainy and wet at the place, which overlooks the Elbe River, as well as the cities of Dresden and Meissen.  As they prepared to say the prayer, suddenly the sun broke through the clouds, a rooster crowed, and birds sang.  President Monson said this was the heralding of a new day for the the Church in this nation. 
     We missionaries were a little disappointed when we

BILL & ANN AT DEDICATION SITE

arrived, because the whole area was covered with a haze caused by the lack of wind for several days.  On a clear day, you can see the beautiful countryside, as well as Dresden and Meissen,  and the beautiful Elbe River.  Perhaps we can visit again on a beautiful clear day next Spring or Summer.  The story of the Church in this area really is faith promoting and miraculous!


 

HAZY DAY AT DEDICATION SITE WITH FRIENDS

 We had a great fireside last Sunday evening in the Gemeinde ( our ward meeting house.)  It was a concert presented by an opera singer, and a concert pianist.  This fireside was conducted by our Branch President, Dario Dzierzon!  One of his counselors, David Lehmann, was acquainted with the opera singer, who is not a member of the Church, but was a high school classmate of Bruder Lehmann.  The concert pianist, was Elder Blackham, a 19 or 20 year old LDS missionary from Chicago, serving in the Berlin Mission, in the city of Forst.  Elder Blackham played about five concert pieces from memory.  He was amazing!  He will return to BYU after his mission and is majoring in piano performance.  The opera singer sang about eight songs.  Most were in German, but I did love hearing her sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."  To close the fireside, she sang "The Holy City."  It was in German, but I knew it well enough that I could understand and enjoy it.  She had a beautiful voice!


     A week ago, Brother Gottfried Schmidt, and his wife, Ursula, invited all of the temple presidency and temple missionaries to come to Leipzig, and have a guided tour.

GOTTFRIED & URSULA SCHMIDT

Brother and Sister Schmidt are temple workers, and live in Leipzig.  Gottfried has been a bishop and stake president there, and presently serves as the stake patriarch.  He used to be called "the king of the Mormons," by the non member people in Leipzig. 
     The first place we visited was the monument of The Battle of The Nations.  This monument was built as a memorial to the biggest field battle in history up until October 1813, and took place around Leipzig.  At this battle, the allied armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden defeated the army of Napoleon and his allies.  This famous landmark is located close to Napoleon's former command post in the center of the battlefield of the Battle of the Nations.  Something like 500,000 people died in this battle.  It is huge, and still, to this day, has sentrys patroling around the upper parts of the monument every day. 

     Leipzig is also know as the (City of Heroes.)  This is because if its leading role in the 1989 Peaceful Revolution its residents organized protesting again the communist regime in May of that year.

BATTLE OF THE NATIONS MONUMENT

  By October thousands were taking to the streets placing candles on the step of Stasi headquarters and attending peace services at the Nikolaikirche.

BACH STATUE AT THOMASKIRCHE

     We visited the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church.)  Johann Sebastian Bach worked in this church as a cantor from 1723 until his death in 1750, and his remains lie buried beneath a bronze epitaph near the altar.
     Marin Luther also taught in the Thomaskirche. 

CHRISTMAS AT KOHLER KUNSTHANDWERK

          The city of Erzgebirge, Germany is famous for the Koehler Kunsthandwerk.  This company crafts handmade Christmas nativity sets and other Christmas articles..  The Kohler Kunsthandwerk business began  in 1989 when Bjorn Kohler started the company.  His unique style has become famous and now provides a life-size version of the Nativity for the Streizelmarkt in Dresden. 
In addition to the Christmas articles there are lines like the EggHeads or the Little Green Men that are charming.
     This company is in competition with Seiffen, but they have created their own style, which has become very well known in Germany.



    The final special event I'd like to comment on, is that our Grandson, Eli Moss, is now in the MTC in Provo, Utah, preparing to serve in the Milan Italy Mission.

NATIVITY SETS- COST SEVERAL HUNDRED EUROS

 Eli now joins his cousins, Jakob in Salt Lake City East (Spanish Speaking,) and Rachel, in Provo, Utah (Spanish Speaking.)  I assume Eli will be in the MTC for about 6 weeks.

ELI AND REBEKAH AT PROVO MTC!

     Our prayers are with Neil and Libby Moss and their family, in Boise, Idaho.  Neil fell and has had brain surgery.  We are praying for his recovery.

     Otherwise life is Wundebar!  Serving in the temple is a great privilege and blessing!
   
   

SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 3, 2017 - FREIBERG, GERMANY

     Fall has come to Freiberg.  The trees are turning their beautiful colors.  The temple grounds trees are looking more beautiful each day.

WALKING IN THE FREIBERG WALD (FOREST)

WITH MISSIONARY FRIENDS, BONNERS
 AND FILLMORES

  I was a little disappointed when I saw the temple gardeners pulling up all the flowers around the temple, even though they had not been hit by frost at all.  They still looked beautiful.  They did this October 1st, regardless.
     I especially enjoy walking in the Freiberger Stattwald ( that means city forest.)  The leaves are starting to turn there, also, and it is so refreshing to wander down the paths.
   
     Last week, Bill and I joined the Freeman's in going to Seiffen, Germany.  Seiffen is located close to the Czec border, and got its' start as a tin mining town.  After many years the tin mine gave out, and the people had to find new avenues of employment.

IN THE WORKSHOP MAKING PYRAMIDS AND NUTCRACKERS

The one thing they had in abundance was wood from all the forest trees nearby.  Different families started making different toys and Christmas items.  A family would become skilled in making a certain item, such as nutcrackers, others would specialize in Pyramids, others in Schwibboggen's, others toy soldiers, etc.  The whole town specializes in selling these item throughout the year, and this place is visited by many tourists.

     Our group visited the workshop, where we saw people cutting, painting, and putting together different nutcrackers.

MAN-SIZED NUTCRACKER, A SCHWIBBOGGEN & A PYRAMID

The public is allowed to visit and watch these people at work.  We then went to the museum and saw the history of toy making in Seiffen.

     The town is full of shops that sell the items made in this town.  They are beautiful, and quite expensive.  My friend, Marlis, is German born, and she wanted to take home to Utah an advent wreath, like she had grown up with in her parents home.  She found one, and was so happy with her purchase.  Many, many different Christmas decorations and toys are found here.  It reminded me of Santa's workshop.

     Marlis told us that at Christmas time almost every German home has a Schwibboggen shining in their window.

VARIETY OF ITEM SOLD IN SHOPS

     The Schwibboggen is in the shape of a rainbow, and has candles shining on top.
The German people love Christmas, and celebrating Advent.

     Many towns have Christmas Markets which are open the four weeks before Christmas in the town square.  Bill and I are excited to visit the Freiberg Christmas Market this year.


         On October Second, our P-Day, our missionary friends, Ellen and Larry Bonner, invited us to go to Dresden and find the sites worth seeing there, because they had friends coming from Utah who have never been to Europe, and they were going to show them around.

      Dresden is a beautiful and interesting city to visit because it was almost totally destroyed by the Allies in World War II.  The Allies bombed it so badly because it was a place where the Germans made munitions.

     We purchased tickets on a sight seeing bus,and took a 1 1/2 hour tour around the city.  It made 22 stops and you could get on and off any place you wanted to visit and then and get back on, throughout the day.  We saw places of interest, and history,  and  different kinds of architecture.

DRESDEN SIGHTSEEING BUS

     We ate lunch in the most amazing restaurant.  It was called PulverTurm, and was located just off the main town square.  The amazing thing about this restaurant is that it was built and decorated on some of the ruins of the bombing, and these ruins were inside the restaurant and the restaurant had been built around them.  The decor was very period oriented, and the food was delicious.  The restaurant itself had been built underground, like in a basement.  It is located by the Frauenkirche, which is the most famous church in Dresden.

     President Uchtdorf talked about this Frauenkirche church in one of his General Conference talks.  It was totally bombed out during the War.  Sixty years after it was destroyed, and eleven years after reconstruction began, it was reconsecrated in 2005.  It cost 180 million Euros, financed mostly by donations.

OLD CITY RUINS INSIDE RESTAURANT

The new cross on the spire was crafted by English silversmith, Alan Smith, whose father had flown one of the planes during the bombing of the city.  The black bricks seen on the building are some of the original bricks before the church was destroyed.


     We enjoyed walking around the Royal Palace, where the Princes of Saxony lived in Dresden.  Also of interest, was The Swinger ( or outer ward.)  It was planned as a royal festival arena.   We walked  around the upper wall of the whole square, and just loved looking at the beautiful lawn sculptures, and enjoyed hearing the Glockenspiel chime every fifteen minutes.  All in all, our day in Dresden was informative and interesting.

DESTRUCTION OF DRESDEN - WW II

   We hurried home around 5 o'clock P.M. to see if we could arrive in time to see the Saturday morning session of General Conference.  I watched the Women's Session earlier in the week on the computer in our apartment.  We made it in time, and just loved hearing the speakers.  It is sad that President Monson was unable to attend, also Elder Hales.

     On Sunday morning, Bill went to the church and heard the priesthood meeting at 11 AM.  The Saturday afternoon session we saw at 2 PM Sunday afternoon, and the Sunday morning session we saw at 6 PM Sunday night.  We will see the Sunday afternoon session next Sunday at 10 AM as part of our three hour block of meetings.

     The sessions I have seen were so wonderful.  They always inspire and strengthen me.  I love our church leaders!  I was sorry to learn of Elder Hales passing, but I think he was so ready, and he has lived a wonderful life.  I know the Lord will comfort his family.  We will miss him!

 

BOMBED OUT FRAUENKIRCHE CHURCH - 1945

REBUILT FRAUCHKIRCHE CHURCH - 2005

Temple wise, starting in October, Bill and I are initiatory coordinators.  We will have his assignment for two months.  Today was our first day, and things went well.  Our special visitors to the temple this week are from Hungary.  Some of them speak English, but some don't.  We also had youth baptisms from Bremen Ward.  Eleven new missionaries arrived in Dresden and came to the temple.  They came straight from the MTC in Provo.  After doing baptisms, and having dinner, they were ready to crash in their beds.  They had probably been awake for about 24 hours.  They looked so young, and tired, and excited all at the same time.  It's always good to welcome them to Germany.  It is great to be doing temple work again.

WE CELEBRATE HARVEST BLESSINGS & TEMPLE BLESSINGS!

   It is a privilege and a blessing to help the Lord with this work!!