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!