AUGUST 16 - AUGUST 31, 2017 FREIBERG. GERMANY

    Throughout the week of August 14-19, Temple visitors came from Romania and Hungary.  A Romanian Sister, by the name of Izabela Geambasu, is a talented musician.  She was asked to present a Musical Fireside for any visitors to the temple, or anyone in the area who would like to attend.  Izabela has a beautiful singing voice, and has recorded several CD's.

 The program she presented consisted of a spiritual theme concerning overcoming our fears, trusting in the Lord, loving our fellowman, and strengthening our self esteem.  She spaced her words between the songs she sang.  The music came totally from the Hymn Book and EFY.  The concluding musical number of the fireside was the song "Love One Another."  It was sung 4 times, and each time she asked the audience to sing the words in their native language.  First, the Germans sang it in German, then the Romanians sang it in Romanisch, then the Hungarians sang it in Hungarian, and finally the English speakers sang it in English.  It was very spiritually touching to hear it sung by all the different peoples.  Even though we all spoke different languages, we are united by the gospel, and because we are all children of God.  The fireside was presented in English, and an interpreter translated it into German.    Many Hungarian and Romanian people speak English, as well as their native language. The chapel was full, and it was a lovely evening.


    The 19th of August was a special day for Bill.  He celebrated his 75th birthday.  We woke up to find a beautiful birthday card, and some chocolates outside the door from the Temple Presidency and the temple workers.

 He received cards and phone calls from family in the United States, as well.  That evening we invited two missionary couples to our apartment for cheese cake, and to watch a movie.  We watched the new Cinderella movie, which the two couples had never seen before.  We all enjoyed it as we ate cheese cake and popcorn.  It is SUPER to have friends to celebrate with.  We are so thankful for the good people we serve with here in Freiberg. Our temple presidency wives are very thoughtful people.



     A few says ago, I was taking a walk in town, and through a park.  The path takes me past a senior citizen assisted living home, where I heard an accordian, a guitar and a couple of other instruments being played.

FROM THE TEMPLE WORKERS

 I stopped to listen , and recognized that they were playing German folk songs.  Valdaree, Valdarah, Valdaree, Valdarah ha ha ha ha ha, Valdaree, Valdarah, etc.  I knew the song, but they were singing it in German.  Many people in wheel chairs were gathered outside on this beautiful Summer afternoon to enjoy the music.  I paused to listen for a bit, and then continued on with my walk.


     The path I walk takes me past a home that is so beautiful with the many flowers that bloom there.  I just had to take a picture.  The front, back and pathway leading to the home, are all surrounded with flowers.  It is a typical German house, but the landscaping makes it special.

     A young woman walked into the temple last week with a backpack on her back.  Her name is Kari, and she was traveling around Europe by herself visiting the temples on this continent.  She is in her early 20's I'd guess, and though her family lives in South Africa, she works and lives in Dubai.

BEAUTIFUL GERMAN HOUSE & YARD

 We temple workers thought she was pretty brave to be making this trip all by herself, and if I had been her mother, I would have been worried to death about her.  She stayed in the Herrberger, or Hostel owned by the church, and did temple work for 1 1/2 days.  She had already been to the Swiss Temple, and another one (I can't remember which.)
     Kari wanted to see some things in town that made Freiberg special, so Ellen and Larry Bonner joined Bill and I, and we took Kari downtown.  We walked through the shops, stopped at one of the churches in town, had an ice cream cone, met four missionary Elders walking in the town square on their way to a restaurant to have dinner, and had a pleasant walk.  Kari wanted to buy a souvenir to take with her on the rest of her trip, so she bought a sweat shirt that she had liked in one of the shops.

GERMAN FOLK SINGERS @ ASSISTED LIVING HOME

 The next morning she came back to the temple to do an ordinance, and then walked out the door on her way to the Helsinki Finland Temple.  She travels on the railway throughout Europe.  Pretty brave girl, I'd say!

     Last Saturday night, August 26th,  we were invited to an open house welcoming home a missionary son of Angela and Rene.  Their son Kevin served his mission in the Alpine Mission, which covers Switzerland, Austria, and some of Germany, I think.  All of the Branch was invited.  Everyone brought a dish to share, and the hosts served meat cooked on the grill.  It was a lovely evening.  The next day Kevin reported on his mission in Sacrament Meeting.

ANN, KARI & ELLEN  DOWNTOWN FREIBERG!

     A new missionary couple has joined our ranks.  Larry and Ellen Bonner, from Midway, Utah arrived a week ago.  They will be serving here for six months.  They have also served a mission in Estonia.  They are great people.  Larry served his mission in Germany, so speaks German.  Ellen doesn't speak German, but is doing well in learning the language.  We are really enjoying getting to know them.  All of the missionary couples from the US went out to dinner last weekend to welcome the Bonners.  We went to the Schwanschloss, and had a great time visiting with each other.



     As we walk to the tunnel to enter the temple each day, we pass several pictures hanging on the wall.  These pictures were painted by a temple missionary who served here named Elder Bennett.  I love the pictures because one shows President Monson  dedicating and rededicating the land of  Germany for the preaching of the gospel.  This event took place on a hillside between the cities of Dresden and Meissen.

KEVIN  WITH BILL & THE ASHBYS

Bill and I will be taking a trip to the actual dedication site before we return home from our mission.  The other picture shows the temple with it's Fall flowers.




     Sometimes, before I go to bed at night, I go walk around the temple gardens.  I love to sit on the bench and look at the temple shining in the darkness.  It is so beautiful, and it makes me so happy that we have been blessed to serve this mission here!  I am full of gratitude!

TEMPLE WITH FALL FLOWERS

LARRY AND ELLEN BONNER

PRESIDENT MONSON REDEDICATES GERMANY

AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 15, 2017 - FREIBERG, GERMANY

THE PEACE AND SERENITY OF ORDINARY DAYS:

     For the past couple of weeks, life has been pretty ordinary, without exciting visits to new and interesting places.  We have had a normal routine of temple service, and have enjoyed the pleasant days of Summer.

BILL READING  JAMES MICHENER WHILE I GO WALKING

     Temple visitors have come from all over Europe.  August 5th a group of about 15 church members from Persia came to the temple to do baptisms.  By Persia, I mean Afghanistan and Iraq.  These people arrived in Berlin as refugees.  They were taught the gospel by young missionaries who have learned to speak "Farsi."   It was interesting to see their missionary name tags written in Farsi. For the most part, these 15 members were young adult age.  The Berlin Mission President, President Fingerli, was very pleased with their progress in the gospel.
          The Vienna, Austria Stake arrived the second week of August, to spend the whole week doing temple work.  Two of our three temple presidency members are from Austria, and personally knew many of these people.  It was so fun for them to meet with these fellow church members here in the temple.  Their own children were some of the church leaders in the Vienna Stake.  Many youth from Vienna came and did baptisms.  Records for baptisms, endowments, sealings and other ordinances were broken on several days.  It was a great week!

THE GERMAN COUNTRYSIDE - JUST LIKE IDAHO

     Bill has been having a problem with his foot.  He limped around for about ten days before I could convince him to go to the doctor.  I thought maybe he had a heel spur, or plantar fascitis.  Finally he went to the doctor and had an x-ray.  It showed no spur.  The doctor has given him 3 cortisone shots, and as the days have gone by his foot is gradually starting to feel better.  I have really missed him as a walking partner.  Some days he drives me to the forest where I like to walk in the cool shade, and he sits on the side of the path, by the car, and reads a book by James Michener.  I walk around for 30-40 minutes and then walk back to the car and we drive home.  I told him I'd give him one more week to get the foot better, then he should try walking again.  We both need the exercise.


     One afternoon, we took a drive into the countryside around Freiberg.  Germany really is a beautiful country.  Once you get outside the city, the rolling hills, and hidden villages in the valleys are so picturesque.

FISHING IN THE RESERVOIR - JUST LIKE ISLAND PARK

 We saw a reservoir with a fellow fishing, flowing streams in most unlikely places,  and horses, sheep and cattle.  Wind turbines dot the countryside, just like they do in America.  They also have solar panel farms for power generation.



     Old smokestacks stick up all over the place, designating where factories used to exist.  It kind of reminds me of the old Sugar City Sugar Factory, back in the day!  I felt right at home when I saw the bales of straw out in the field, just like Bill used to bale out on his family's Sugar City farm.

THE SMOKESTACK

STRAW BALES

 













   No Malls exist in Freiberg, but Dresden has a huge mall.  It is called Elbe Park.  It got its name from the Elbe River that flows close by.  I love to shop at this mall, because I can get cosmetics and hair products similar to the ones I used in America.

ROADSIDE VILLAGES - LOVE THE RED ROOFS

 This mall has over 70 stores, and a delicious food court with yummy hazel nut ice cream.  IKEA has a gigantic store here, as well.  We probably shop here about once a month.  It reminds me of driving from Rexburg to Idaho Falls to shop.

     For our P-Day yesterday, we took Elder Colmere and Elder Drake out for pizza at a shop in downtown Freiberg.  It was tasty, but offered choices that I have never heard of being served on pizza.  I refer to egg plant, boiled eggs, asparagus, tuna fish, potatoes, shrimp,& zucchini squash.  I settled for a Hawaiian ham and pineapple pizza.

WIND TURBINES - LIKE THE HILLS OF IDAHO

 Bill had shrimp, mushroom, zucchini squash and eggs.  The Elders had potatoes, salami and other choices.  They are great young men, and we enjoy them immensely.
     I think I relate to these missionaries so well, because I think of our grandchildren who are now entering the mission field.  Jakob Moss, entered the MTC in Mexico City last Tuesday to start learning Spanish.  Our Granddaughter, Rachel Kump, enters the Mexico City MTC August 22nd to start learning Spanish. Eli Moss will enter the MTC Provo October 18 to learn Italian.  We pray for their success and happiness.










 

ELBE PARK MALL - DRESDEN

 

PIZZA WITH ELDER DRAKE & ELDER COLMERE

WARD MEETINGHOUSE (GEMIENDE) BEING REPAIRED

 What a blessing to be able to serve the Lord here.   It is a great privilege, which we appreciate and cherish.  THE GOSPEL IS WUNDERBAR!

JULY 22 - 31, 2017 FREIBURG, GERMANY

        Playing games is one of the ways to spend leisure hours.  When we left home, we brought two games with us - Quiddler, and Rook!  We brought these just in case we needed a little down time, and could find someone willing to play with us.  On Saturday night, July 22, we decided to invite two couples to play, and eat popcorn in our apartment.

GAME NIGHT WITH FILLMORES AND ASHBYS

 The interesting thing about this is that one of the couples we invited, also, brought two games with them when they came on their mission.  YEP, you guessed it, they, also, brought Quiddler and Rook!  I had to smile when I saw these two games sitting on the shelf in their apartment.
 We spent a pleasant couple of hours playing Quiddler and Two Up, Four Down!  We provided popcorn, and they brought apple slices and ice cream and cheese danish.  I think we'll have to do it again sometime.

     Montag, 24 Juli , the temple missionaries had a special day trip  to Luebben, Germany.  Luebben is about 1 1/2 hours North from Freiberg towards Berlin.  The Spree River runs through this town, and this area is known as the Venice of Germany, because many little canals from the Spree River run through areas of the town.

OUR TEMPLE GROUP

 Twenty one of us temple workers traveled to Luebben and boarded one long boat, beautifully decorated with benches, round tables with flowers in the center, and our personal Boatman who, also, acted as tour guide as we traveled.  We floated through beautiful forests, saw many ducks, interesting carved works, and a grass hut or two along the way.  We passed through two locks, like you see in the Erie Canal, or the Panama Canal.  We passed other boaters, and several families using kayaks, and having a great family time.  Summer homes, as well as year round homes line several miles of the River.

GRASS HOUSE & BARREL HOUSE

     Half way through our cruise, we stopped at a beautiful restaurant, Gasthaus Lehnigksberg, for lunch.  It took three tables to seat us all.  Bill ordered schwein cordon bleu ( pork cordon blue).  I ordered trout.  We both thought our food was good.  Bill ordered a chocolate milk shake, which was a disappointment.  It was chocolate milk with a small scoop of chocolate ice cream dropped in the top.  We decided not to ever order one of those again.
     After lunch, we again boarded the boat, and floated back to the dock via a different route.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable day.

GASTHAUS LEHNIGKSBERG

 We arrived back home about 5:30 PM.

     A highlight of this past week, was receiving messages and pictures from our children and grandchildren who were having a family reunion, planned and organized by Eric and Gaby Moss, from Michigan.  All the family arrived at Eric's home in Macomb, Michigan.  They attended Sunday Meetings at our old home Ward in Livonia, Michigan.  They also visited the homes we lived in, and the schools they attended.  It was so much fun for them.  
     Traveling to  Sleeping Bear Dunes, on the shores of Lake Michigan, was a highlight of the reunion.

LUNCH AT THE GASTHAUS

 Three days in a beach house, swimming, hiking, and playing games during the rain storms helped them to bond with each other.  Our three grandchildren, who are leaving on missions in the next few weeks, and a month or so, talked to their young cousins about why they wanted to serve, and shared their feelings.  I understand it was a very spiritual time.  I wish I could have been there to hear them express their feelings.  I am thankful to know that all the families are back home safe and sound.  What a blessing it is to know that they love each other, and really enjoy being together.

     This past week we have had temple visitors from the Salzburg, Austria Stake.  Relief Society Sisters from the Hamburg Stake visited for the weekend.  I was pleasantly surprised that about 35 sisters from Hamburg came, and kept us very busy.  It's was great to see the Salzburg Youth who came to do baptisms each day.
   
     Sunday dinner was enjoyable, as we got to know one of our new Sister Missionaries, Sister Sheffield.  She just arrived in Germany from South Dakota.

GOING THROUGH THE LOCK

 Her Father is in the U.S. Air Force, and is a pilot on the B-1 Bomber airplane.  Sister Sheffield and Sister Wacker serve in our Branch, and are great young women.  She is really working hard on becoming more fluent in her German, but she did bear her testimony in church in German, and did a great job.

SERVING AS TEMPLE MISSIONARIES IS STILL WUNDERBAR!

DINNER WITH SISTER SHEFFIELD & SISTER WACKER

RAINBOW ABOVE TEMPLE AFTER THE STORM

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!
   
   

JUNE 26 - JULY 5, 2017 FREIBERG, GERMANY

WE ARE FINALLY LEGAL IN GERMANY!  It has taken us this long to get our Visa's.  It is a little plastic card that looks like a credit card, or driver's license, and has our picture on it.  It expires April 14, 2019, and cost us a $120 each.  We are thankful to have that task behind us.

     It was hair cut time again, and I thought I would add a picture of our hairdresser.  Her name is Angela Froebel, and her shop is in the basement of her home.  She has a beautiful shop, which she furnished from IKEA.

ANGELA AT WORK!

 She is, also, our Relief Society President.  She does a great job on me, and this time she even got Bill's crew cut haircut done the way he likes it.    She said that she had never done a haircut like his before, but she is learning.  We really appreciate her!

     On June 24th, we went downtown to shop at a store called ROSSMAN.  When we got downtown, the store was closed because the town was celebrating the 32 FREIBERGER BERGSTADTFEST.  The whole street was filled with thousands of visitors and many little booths, all with people selling things to buy and eat.


 AND I MUST SAY, THE BEER WAS FLOWING ABUNDANTLY!    We mingled with the masses for a few minutes, and then decided to try buying something at one of the shops.  We stopped at Dresdner Hardbrot and bought a ham and cheese sandwich to share.

 It was topped it with sour cream and parsley.  The homemade brot was good, but I'd rate the filling inside at about a 50%.  It was fun to try something new, however.  It was amazing to me that so many people attended the event.












     Becoming a little more acquainted with the town of Freiberg is always fun.  We learned of an Abendmusik Organ concert being presented in a church downtown.  The church is called the Dom St. Marien zu Freiberg, or Domgemeinde Freiberg..  It is famous for the Silbermann organ that was built inside the church in the 1700's.

THE ORGANIST!

The organist was a young man who looked to be in his late 30's or early 40's.  He was very talented, and played seven organ numbers, showing the capabilities and various sounds that this famous organ can make.  We went to the concert with our friends, Ed and Judy Fillmore.

THE ORGAN!

 It lasted about and hour, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  These churches we visit are always so old and ornate.  As I walk through them, I am always thankful that I don't have to clean the building, like we do as we take turns cleaning our church buildings at home.


     A special pair of Elders serve in Freiberg, as well as a pair of Sisters.  We have become acquainted with these Elders, and wanted to get to know them better.  So, on their last P-Day we invited them to go to McDonalds with us.

ELDER DRAKE & ELDER COLMERE

 They are Elder Drake, from Logan, Utah, and Elder Colmere, from Sandy, Utah.  The young missionaries really do bring life and added joy to our mission.  They serve sprecifically the Freiberg Ward, and the Sisters serve in the Freiberg Branch boundaries.  We have invited the Sisters to dinner in our apartment several times, but this is the first time that we have had a good visit with the Elders.  These young people are great to associate with, and they really are an asset to the Church.


     By the pictures I post, you would think that all we do it eat!  However, I must tell about the Italian Lasagna Dinner Party, the missionary couples held on July 3rd.  Sister Spizzirri, from Italy, is a single sister temple worker who serves with us in the temple.

SISTER SPIZZIRRI!

 She wanted to cook an authentic Italian lasagna and serve it to the temple workers.  She, and several other Sisters, made the lasagna, and some of us brought salad, some drinks, and others dessert.  We all met in the missionary room for our dinner.  It was served, and Bill and I ate, and enjoyed it immensly.  As I was almost finished eating my piece of lasagna, someone asked Sister Spizzirri what the little pieces of white were in the lasagna,  We thought they might be little chunks of mozarella cheese.  She told us that they were chunks of chopped egg.  Well, right then and there I wanted to throw up.  You know I can't stand eggs, and the thought that I had just eaten some egg, made me sick.  It's funny, but I was ok until I found out that it was egg!  Needless to say, I pulled the rest of the pieces of egg out of my lasagna!  My son, David, told me that it just goes to show that my dislike is all in my head!  He could be right!  For dessert we ate a delicious strawberry, pudding and cookie concoction!  

DESSERT!

  After dinner we all watched a church movie entitled "One Good Man."  It was about the life of a Bishop in the church.  Bill and I had never seen it before, but it was a great movie!  President Wagner, of the Temple Presidency, is displaying the movie cover!

PRESIDENT WAGNER - ONE GOOD MAN!

          This past week the baptistry has been full of Hungarian Saints.  They come in each morning and do baptisms, then spend the rest of the day doing the other ordinances for their ancestors.  Some of the people from Hungary have been trained to serve in the temple, and help us with their members, especially in using the Hungarian language as we perform the ordinances.  We have met many of them one other time, and by the time our 18 month mission is up, we will probably see them several more times, and get to know them even better.  We are so blessed to get to know these faithful people. We count our blessings every day.

VIEW OF APPROACH TO TEMPLE GROUNDS!

     I learned a new sentence in German this week.  It is "Ich gehe essen!"  In case you didn't know, that means "I am going to eat."  All people need to know how to say that in the country they are living in!!!   RIGHT!!!!!