Week 13--Happy New Year 2012

Resident's permit. Nope not me:)

I neglected to mention that the day before Christmas Eve, we became official residents of Germany having been fingerprinted, signe VISA d a stack of official documents I couldn’t read, paid out a steep 220 Euro tab for the two of us, and picked up our official cards that permit our staying in Europe past the 90 days any visitor is allowed. The cards arrived just in the nick of time for us to leave for Munich last week. The recorder had been told our visas weren’t there and we would need to come in to apply for an extension—our expiration date was the day after Christmas. One of the missionaries drove us out to the less-than-convenient office. When we got there, however, we were greeted with a Christmas miracle: between the time of the recorder’s call and our arrival, the mail had been delivered bringing a stack of visa cards, ours among them. We breathed a sigh of relief. We are now good for our year and beyond.

We were happy to find this week the temple was a little busier than last. It is, of course, wonderful to enjoy the peace and quiet that can be found there, but it has been a bit too quiet of late. We were delighted to welcome those who felt that being in the temple was a wonderful way to conclude their year. We couldn’t agree more.

We love the light of the temple spilling forth

John and I have managed to fit in a little time working on family history trying to organize and begin sifting through the hundreds of wonderful resources he has been receiving from his distant Canadian cousin Hugh Laing who inherited a tin-box of documents triggering a hunger to know more and find more. Though he may not fully understand it, there is no doubt he is experiencing the Spirit of Elijah and the whole Laing family is benefiting from it. John and I decided working together on the deluge was more fun and will lead to our accomplishing more. Several Laing cousins have expressed interest in being part of working on the tasks at hand.

Our week’s service was supposed to have been shortened with the temple closed on New Year’s Eve. Instead Freiberg became host to a youth conference of some 80+ young people from all over Germany, Austria, and a few beyond those borders. The Herberge was crowded with beds in every corner, even the children’s room.

Beds, beds, everywhere!

President Husz had made the temple available to them for both baptisms, for those who were unendowed, and an endowment session for those eligible. It was marvelous to have so many young people anxious to spend their New Year’s Eve in such sacred service. Their enthusiasm for the gospel and the temple was a delight.

Following the Saturday temple activities we joined the other missionary couples for a soup and salad supper, a movie, for those capable of staying awake and those who could follow the German. Unable to do either, John and I in our usual way came home and turned in for the night early. But, those who know us well, will be surprised to hear that we didn’t stay in bed for the night. After a good two hour “nap” we turned out of our warm covers, got on our warm woolies and met the Chidesters for an outing to the area near Frauenstein for a Sylvester’s (what the German’s call NY Eve) celebration in an old, old church, to welcome in 2012.

In Freiberg we have little snow—not like last year’s three-foot drifts that stayed for months. We have had only a skiff or two. Our Sylvester’s drive, however, took us up the Erzgebirge mountains and the pines along the route were heavy with snow. Hallmark would have loved the scenes we drove through in the dark night with stars sparkling overhead of quaintly lighted villages below.

Nussen Church in the snow on Sylvester

Nussen with Candles glowing on New Years Eve

The little church that was our destination was a charming old building with light streaming from its bell tower above. We helped each other up the hill to enter and found ourselves in an old world. We were greeted by the padre, who wore Luther-like robes and cap, a real pine-bough advents wreath with candles glowing and a huge Christmas tree with real candles lit for the evening’s festivities.

Chidesters had warned us to dress warm since central heat would not be a part of this building but as we sat close to each other we felt warmth beneath us and found that a little glass-tube heating rod had been installed under the benches. We were pleasantly warm throughout.

After the preacher had greeted us, the organ with its flutes in glorious tone boomed forth and the organ master delighted us with his skills. We learned that we were listening to the organist from Frauenstein who had stepped in—the musician we came to hear had fallen and broken his arm at 4:00 that afternoon.  Though sorry to hear of his accident, we enjoyed the wonderful skills of his replacement.

The organ was behind and above us

I love the Moravian star above, the tree, and candles

After a short concert, we listened with delight to the enthusiastic vespers sermon from the Pfarrer. Though what he said was beyond my German ability, I loved the spirit he exuded and the whole atmosphere.  A couple of additional lively organ pieces followed until midnight, when the bells rang out overhead and fireworks that would have made our Chinese friends feel at home, exploded in the night air.

We bundled out of the building as the bells pealed and made our way through the clouds of firework smoke to climb back in Chidester’s little blue car and we all rode home happy. It has to be the first time we have been up until 1:00 am on New Years Eve in 20 years or more. We were happy to have made the effort to join in the outing.

Welcome 2012! May it be a wonderful year for you all.