JULY 6 - JULY 16, 2017 FREIBERG, GERMANY

     The city of Freiberg is interesting.  Part of the city is called the Altstadt, or old city.

NARROW STREET IN THE ALTSTADT

 In this part of town the streets are cobblestones, the streets are narrow, and many of the buildings have been around for many, many years.  Throughout the Altstadt, every once in a while you can see the old wall that used to surround the city.  Some of the streets are labeled one way, because they are so narrow.  Other of these streets are labeled for pedestrians and bikes only.  The Altstadt is filled with shops that sell clothes, housewares, shoes, purses, glasses, and many other types of goods.  There are also many restaurants, and plenty of shops that sell eis or ice cream.  Today, our p-day, Bill and I went downtown to shop, and we saw, in the town square , some sprays of water shooting up out of the ground, sort of like our splash parks in America, minus the toys.

NOTICE RATHAUS FLOWER BOXES

 Little children were dancing in the water, because it was a warm day.  It was beautiful looking at the Rathaus, or City Hall, and seeing all the beautiful window flower boxes.  The shopping in the Altstadt is called the Obermarkt, or upper market.  Outside the old city, many more modern shops and streets have been built.  The Temple is in the newer area of town, but not far from the Altstadt.
     I have been surprised that  so many of the people here live in apartment buildings.  Most of the apartment buildings are about six stories high.

TYPICAL APARTMENT BUILDING

TYPICAL HOME AND FLOWERS

 There are, also, single family homes, but they are usually quite small.  Most of them are nicely landscaped with hedges and flowers, and a small patch of lawn.  The hedges are everywhere, because that's how they have a little privacy, since the homes are so close together.  We walk past a home close to the Temple quite frequently, that is just decorated with the most beautiful flowers.  The owner, a woman, is outside most of the time we walk past, busy watering and caring for her flowers.

     Bill and I had a special experience this past week.  We were visited by Detlef and Jutta Adler.  This couple live in Bielefeld, Germany, and came to the Temple to do work for their ancestors.

BILL & ANN WITH DETLEF & JUTTA

 We knew Detlef and Jutta about 30 years ago when they came to the United States and lived for three years with their four children.  They were in our ward in Columbia, Maryland.  Detlef says that he still remembers the first time they walked into the church in Columbia.  Bill walked up to them and welcomed them and started speaking to them in German.  He still remembers that after all these years! Detlef and Jutta took us out to dinner to the Schwanschloss Restaurant, and then we walked downtown and found an ice cream parlor for dessert.  We spent about four hours together visitng and catching up on the past 30 years.  The Adler's have four children that our daughter, Jennifer, used to babysit.  They are now all grown up.  Caroline lives in Boston with her family, Yannich lives in London with his family, and Gina and Nicolai still live at home.  Their  youngest, Nicolai is now 26.
     Detlef serves in the church as an Area Authority Seventy.  He had been serving as a Stake President for 1 1/2 years, when he was called to be an Area Seventy.  He will be released July 31st, having served for five years, covering areas throughout Africa and Europe.

DETLEF TAKING A SELFIE

 He said that he has met some wonderful people throughout the world.
     We have been invited to visit them in their home in Bielefeld.  I hope we will have that opportunity while we are still in Germany!


     Last Thursday night, Bill and I were invited to attend a special testimony for 16 returning missionaries.  The Berlin Germany Mission President, President Fingerlie, and his wife,officiated at the meeting, and it was conducted by an assistant to the president, Elder Lex.  Fifteen of the returning missionaries were young Sisters.  One was an Elder.  Each of the missionaries attended the temple earlier in the day, and the testimony meeting was held that evening, since they were all scheduled to fly home the next morning.  I noticed that each missionary made reference to their love of the Savior, their love of the German people, the wonderful opportunity they had had to serve in this country, and their love of the Plan of Salvation and the knowledge they have of eternal families.

SISTER BROOKE DARTON

SISTER CELCIONNA VOLLUZ

 Sister Brooke Darton and Sister Celcionna Volluz had invited us to come to the meeting so we could say a final good-bye to them.
 We have had these sisters in our home, and have come to know and love them.  I now know that they made it home safely, because they have both posted on Facebook saying they love being back home.

     The highlight of our Temple service last week, was helping patrons from the country of Hungary.  A whole busload arrived, and were involved in all temple ordinances throughout the week.

HUNGARIAN SAINTS BUS

 Bill and I are Endowment Coordinators for July and August.  One day we had four Sisters, and three Brothers, go through a session for their own endowment.  It was a challenge,at times,to find enough temple workers who could speak Hungarian, to help them, but the Lord does provide and all things seem to work out.  They are very faithful members.
     The country of Hungary only has one Stake, and the Stake President is from Sugar City, Idaho.  Bill and I knew his parents, Neil and Marilyn Southwick.  We didn't know the Stake President, because he grew up while we were living other places.  One evening, his counselor in the Stake Presidency, was having a meeting with the Stake President in a room in the Herrberger (or temple hostel).  He invited us to come into the room and talk with President Southwick via Skype, while he was conducting the meeting from Budapest!  It never ceases to amaze me what modern technology can do.  It was great to have a visit with President Southwick.  He teaches at the Internationl School in Budapest, and his wife is from Hungary.  SMALL WORLD, ISN'T IT!

UNIQUE SHAPED EVERGREEN TREE
LOCATED BY THE GEMEINDE HAUS

CUTE FOUR WHEELER

As we walked around the neighborhood, we spotted this four wheeler.  I just want my son-in-law, Ben to know that they, also, have four wheelers in Germany!