Week 30

Spring has finally arrived in Freiberg! We have blossoms everywhere and warm, lovely temperatures.  Hurrah for spring!

Our temple in the spring

Saturday we had a big day at the temple. Often Saturday is very slow, especially in the third session, but not so yesterday. John and I had the assignment to open the temple early in the morning and normally that means that we also go home early—after the second session. However, we were very down with numbers of workers since one missionary sister is out with shingles and another went home too dizzy to function. President and Sis Husz asked if John and I would stay and handle starting the third session and directing the veil at the end. We were happy to do so though we were a bit groggy. Fortunately there is a day couch in our downstairs office on which John can occasionally catch a wink or two to get through the day. Well, it turned out that the last session was huge, hard on the heels of the second which had been even larger which we had also supervised. Because of these added assignments we had not finished printing the plan for Tuesday—when the onslaught of Polish saints arrive for their week.  The last patron left about 3:00 but we stayed to finish printing up and marking schedules. 

We finally dragged home just before 4:00, bringing with me another little task to highlight for the president. I quickly finished those and took them up to the president’s apartment. While there he asked if we were going to the BYU Wind Symphony concert, which we (and everyone else) had bought tickets for weeks ago, to be held at the Nickolaikirche in town. I replied “no—there was no way we could get there on time. Besides, neither of us had the energy to walk down.” It was to start at 5:00—With no rest and our early morning we had ruled out even considering going to the event.  President responded by inviting us to go with him—he would drive down. We had 20 minutes to get ready!  

BYU Wind Symphony concert

Though neither of us felt up to going we didn’t want to refuse the invitation so quickly changed from our whites to get ready. It turned out to be one of those wonderful occasions that would have been a great loss to have missed. At the beginning the president made a presentation to a representative of the city of Freiberg of a “big check”—of 8,500 € as a gift from the Church (illustrated by means of a huge check-poster) in honor of its 850-year-old birthday in 2012 and its goals of being a “family friendly city.” The young woman from the city council who received the check enjoyed the concert and there was a lot to enjoy!

Jon and Karen Green with Br. Jentsch--bishop and temple engineer

The music of the wind symphony was inspiring and the BYU students’ spirits shone through their music and lifted everyone’s hearts. We heard everything from classical numbers to “Stars and Strips Forever,” “Bugler’s Holiday,” and “Theme from Silverado.” We loved the music, loved seeing ward and stake members, and so many of our local temple workers from as far afield as Leipzig, and even Jon and Karen Green visiting from Utah—we had heard from our temple engineer (bishop in Chemnitz) who had told us that he had a friend coming who had also taught in China. What a small world the Church is. 

We came home tired but so happy we had made the effort to go.

Today we went to our sacrament meeting and discovered the BYU group was there in full force, and they provided the program, both talks and music. It was another delightful event for us and the whole ward. I have never heard such a beautiful rendition of “O Divine Redeemer” than that played on a soprano saxophone!

They stayed on for Sunday School, which John was to have taught but since sacrament meeting had gone way over we shifted ground and had President Husz give the history of our temple and answer questions of the students. It was delightful and now John is all prepared ahead of time with his lesson for next week.

During the class President Husz mentioned that on one occasion President Hinckley had made the statement that “we know how to build temples; now we need to learn how to fill them.” Then Pres. Husz talked about how it happens that when people have to sacrifice to attend the temple, as do those coming from Poland and Hungary, etc., they make great preparations to come—ask for time off from work, make all their travel arrangements, figure out how to manage their children and the expenses involved, etc. etc. Then when they are here they “live” in the temple, attending nearly ever session each day as they can, often a husband and wife alternating to care for the children in the Herberge while the other attends.

And so they do not allow little obstacles to divert them from their goal to come to the temple. Not so when people live close by a temple. Then they too easily let little things get in the way. For example, this past week has been slow at the temple until Saturday—it was Dresden stake’s week (only 30 km away) and each time their turn comes up it is the same. The temple is in such easy striking distance that they do not make it the same priority as it is for those who sacrifice so much and drive 12 hours each way such as those coming from Budapest. It teaches us a very important principle that I hope we will remember when we get home.

In our ward are several American wives married to German husbands. One of those couples are Becky and Manuel Dzierzon. Becky is from Michigan. They met while both serving in the Hamburg mission a number of years ago. Dzierzons are a stalwart family in our ward and Manuel is a member of the bishopric.  Not long ago Becky’s sister Lisa came for a visit and stayed for a number of weeks—until her visitor’s visa ran out and wasn’t extended. Meanwhile she met Manuel’s brother Christoff, fell in love, and got engaged. Becky and her three cute little kids came to borrow suitcases from us today. They leave Thursday for Michigan for the wedding. Lisa, too, will make her home in Freiberg, adding to the American women in the ward. I think it would be difficult on Becky and Lisa’s folks to have their daughters marry and move so far away, but that said, they are lucky to have the Dzierzon boys added to their family. I guess it isn’t all bad to think that they will undoubtedly travel with some regularity to Deutschland to visit their grandchildren.

The little professor and John

Becky and Nora

James having a ride in the suitcase

Becky and Manuel have three children. Each Sunday at the end of sacrament meeting three-year-old James (the little professor), in his pin-striped suit and tie, marches up to sit on his daddy’s lap during the postlude music. John thinks he is the cutest thing ever. He has a lazy eye so wears a colorful patch most days to strengthen the weaker one. Today he climbed on John’s lap and then wanted a ride in the suitcase so we tucked him in and wheeled him around 

while Nora tried to destroy my computer, rifle our medication drawer, and generally do other 18-month old things. My goodness, I think I had forgotten just how busy little people can be. Fortunately Amelia slept through the whole visit. Thank goodness! It reminded us of our own children’s families at home that are all growing up so quickly. Our youngest grandchild, Kymora, Chi’s youngest, turns one this May and is already tottering around on her own!

We were delighted to have a chance to talk with Adam as he drove home to Logan from Salt Lake airport having returned home from his first trip to India. It had a huge impact on him and we look forward to seeing his pictures when jet lag has worn off enough that he can send them.

Homemade ice cream time! Yum!

The only other event of our week is that we ordered and received a tiny little ice cream maker that fits in our freezer, which we bought to satisfy John’s craving for the cold stuff. It is quite a little battery-operated gizmo. I fill its twin sides—just enough for two—put it in the freezer, turn the button on and come back in a couple of hours to homemade sugar-free ice cream. Pretty fun!

Now John thinks life is sweet

Hope your week is a sweet as ours is. We love you all.

Week 29

Here we are in the third week of April and we still have not really seen much sign of spring. It is easy to tell by my wearing my wool scarf and down coat that though the sun is shinning from time to time, warm it is not! But we are still enjoying the chance to get out for a walk in the woods.

"Spring"time walk in the woods

This month has been an important one for our daughter, Chi, and her wonderful husband, David, and we celebrate with them from afar in our thoughts, prayers, and baskets of love sent their way.

First of all, was the birth of their first grandchild—and our first great-grandchild. Chi’s eldest son, Trevant Musgrow, and Carmen had a baby girl on April 12—Tayia Murae (I think Tre and Carmen inherited his mom’s talent for selecting unique names!). After a lenthy labor Tayia arrived safely and all is well for mom and baby. David and Chi went to the hospital to see everyone, and gratefully, to take pictures for us. Pretty cute.

Trevant, Carmen, and Tayia

Second, on April 16, we always remember the birth and death of Chi’s first child, Kenishia. Had she lived she would have been 22 this year, two years older than 20-year-old Trevant.

Third, David, after five long years and five children, just completed his MBA, having gone straight through his associate’s, bachelor’s and now master’s degrees. We are very proud of both of them, for his determination and diligence and for Chi’s unfailing support. What a great couple they are! We so appreciate their keeping in touch with us each week to give us updates and see them and all their cute little people growing up so quickly. Asia begins kindergarten later this year.

This week is full of family happenings. Adam, who has recently been appointed general sales manager at New Dawn Technologies, in Logan, the software company for which he has been working for the last couple of years. His territory seems to cover the globe. He left for his first trip to India this week, seeking to market their court-system software to the Indian government. We pray for his safety and success and for his Kimmy and children at home while he is away.

A visit to the Tierpark

Well, Hello to you too!

A touch of India on the table

The Taj--decor at "Vilvaldi"

Yesterday we decided to get out for a walk through the Tierpark and enjoy the cool “spring” weather. It was our first time to wonder quite so far from home and it was delightful. The animals (Tier) mostly consisted of deer, sheep, and birds—not a major zoo, but it was fun to see them and the deer seemed very happy to see us too. In honor of Adam’s Indian adventures we stopped by Vivaldi, an Indian restaurant close by where our walk led us and enjoyed our first dinner out since Poland. The décor was very memorable for John’s earlier travels when it was he who was off to such far-flung places. (He encouraged Adam not to miss seeing the Taj Mahal while near Agra—Pres. Kimball, on the occasion of John’s first trip there, ordered him not to come back without seeing it!) Adam hopes to do the same.

Patrick and Tessha are enjoying these early days of their marriage—as Tessha puts it, “Life is sweeter together”; they have adopted our motto for their own, “We such a team!” We are most grateful that each of our children has a wonderful supportive companion. Patrick sent us an update of his remarkable resume as he looks to potential new opportunities for the two of them. We know they will find something that is just right. He is amazing at interviewing and finding employment options. They too are much in our prayers.

Tuesday the new missionary couple from Bozeman, Montana, Elder and Sister Despain, arrived (and yes they brought with them our ExcedrinJ). John had emailed Mark and Sylvia—who had served in the Billings Temple with them—that they were coming to dinner at our place Wednesday evening and so Mark Skyped us to say hi to everyone, just as the Despains were ringing our doorbell. They will be here for two years.  We had a delightful evening getting acquainted.

Wyoming Skype visit with the Despains--it is a small world!

Not only did they bring John’s pills, they delivered to us missionary tags with our names on them. We have not had them, since we didn’t attend the MTC and John had mentioned that fact to them in a phone conversation. They thoughtfully ordered some for us at the bookstore and brought them to us. Today we wore them for the first time to our church meetings so now fit in with the rest of the missionaries.

Elder Laing

We continue to be very grateful for the opportunity to serve in the temple here, to spend this window of time focused on studying the scriptures, family history, and the temple. John has been making a comprehensive study of the laws we covenant there to live by and thus far has only scratched the surface thereof with writing 38 pages on the topic.  He is amazing with what he is learning. His other study effort has been to ponder and write about each phrase of his patriarchal blessing. That process too, has been a wonderful illuminating effort that teaches him much about the things the Lord desires him to know.

Sister Laing

For my part I continue with my close reading of the Book of Mormon and my written form of pondering has taken me some 40 pages to get me to the first of I Nephi 17. I suspect that my study will take me years, if not my lifetime to complete. I am very grateful for my cousin Elaine Harris’s instruction to me while she served on the General Relief Society board, where she was “over literacy for the whole world”—we laughed together at the weight of that little assignment! It was she who introduced me to the idea of a four-step process in studying the scriptures: 1) Pray that the spirit will guide your thoughts as you read, 2) Read, but don’t worry about covering any particular amount; rather, just read deeply, 3) Ponder how what you are reading applies to your own life—liken unto, and 4) write about the thoughts that come. I have found this a rich process of mining the scriptures for what the Spirit would have me learn about me, and about my life, at this particular time and place. I have been promised that the “direction of the Spirit would be with me continually.” It is through this study process that I have come to recognize this promised blessing much more in my life.

Our weekly family home evenings often are devoted to each of us reading to the other the things we have written.  It has been an ongoing joy each week.

We hope you know of our love for you and our gratitude for your examples in our lives.

Week 28

Easter has come and gone, leaving in its wake an increase of gratitude for our Savior and the doors he opened for us—from the grave, delivering us from death through the Resurrection, and that leading to Eternal Life, if we choose to do what is necessary to walk through that one. What magnificent blessings are ours!

Easter Pussywillow tree with wooden eggs

I enjoyed the German celebration of Easter, lasting as it does from Good Friday through Easter Monday.  It gave us the opportunity to think more deeply on the great gifts of the Savior. We have enjoyed seeing the Church’s new Bible video: “He is Risen” and others that are available. It is great what the Church is doing in an effort to reach out in this way. These make great little clips for FHE, classes, or just personal uplift. They can be viewed at Bible-videos.org. 

Pot luck contributions!

Herbert and Heidi Zymla

Monday we celebrated with a missionary gathering pot luck—super food, good company, and lots of laughter. I made celery, avocado, and shrimp salad, as well as a wonderful Italian Lemon Chicken pasta dish. (Thanks to Dreamfields Low-Carb Pasta, we have really been enjoying an occasional pasta dinner. I’m not paid to advertise for them but we really do love it, and so did everyone else. It is fun to have a mix of cultural backgrounds to pot-luck with. The Germans and Austrians among us always bring what I call “German” food—Spätzle, Klöße, Wurst, etc. They don’t seem to do much with other cultural foods as Americans more frequently do. But that said, it all tasted great.

After dinner the Zymlas, our new couple from Switzerland, introduced themselves. They have been married only 5 years after meeting at the temple in Zollikofen where she was serving a mission. They “dreamed” about each other that night and soon after were married, when he joined her on her “mission.” His first wife had been very focused on the world and the things he could provide—furs and jewels. But then she disappeared, taking with her all their goods and money and leaving him destitute. It was after that, that he heard the gospel message and joined the Church. He married again and that wife later left him for another man. We are happy to have them among us, especially since he is a baker by trade and showed up with an onion tart that was to die for!

Rolf & Gisela Metzner at FHE

Thursday we got together again, this time for our monthly FHE with the Metzners in charge. Pres. Metzner is the first counselor in the temple presidency. They are due to go home in July.  The evening focused on having everyone review their favorite conference talks. It was a nice event. Rolf speaks little English but Gisela is awesome.  

President Ernst and Sch Marikka Husz

Just after the temple opened following our maintenance closure, President and Sis Husz had the opportunity to have all their children come for the sealing of their daughter, Sandra, to a returned missionary from Canada. The president performed their sealing in English. His English is really very good. It was fun to see them with their two sons and their wives and a bevy of Austrian friends and Canadian visitors as well. Now after the young couple’s honeymoon Sandra and Eric are headed to Canada, where they plan to live for now. Yesterday, the president drove Sis Husz to Vienna (a seven hour trip) to put her on the plane with their children to go to Canada for a reception and to spend a few days there. President Husz drives back to Freiberg on his own on Monday. We will miss our tiny Oberin (matron) while she is gone.

We were grateful to have the chance to talk with John’s folks again this week. John’s dad is wasting away to nothing with his cancer but his voice still perks up when we call. We are so grateful for the tenderness that Carl and Becca and their family provide. They are a marvelous example of true charity in their care giving.

John and I are continue to enjoy our separate scripture study each day. He is focusing on learning more concerning the laws and ordinances of the temple and I am continuing with my close reading, and writing about, the Book of Mormon. We especially enjoy sharing the week’s efforts with each other on Monday evenings in our FHE. We are so blessed with the gospel of Jesus Christ!

We went this morning to our church meetings, arriving to find that the first two hours were to be spent listening to the Sunday afternoon session of conference, followed by fast and testimony meeting.  Since they did not have a room set up to listen in English, we came back to our apartment with Sis Tollefson (who speaks no German) along with us, to watch it in English over the Internet. By skipping the music we got through all the talks and walked back into the meeting just as the Tabernacle Choir was singing the last song. It was great to again hear the talks that way. The Internet is truly a blessing to us between the Church’s sites, New Family Search, and Ancestry.com. 

John's drug of choice--it gets him through his day! We are grateful for it.

The week ahead should be a fun and challenging one with the Hungarians arriving Monday night for their week in the temple and with Elder and Sister Despain, from Bozeman, Montanta, coming to join our missionary ranks. They served in the Billings Montana Temple with Mark and Sylvia. We look forward to meeting them (and collecting from them the BIG bottle of Excedrin they are hand carrying for us—it is not available in Germany!)

May your week be wonderful with no headaches two Excedrin can’t quell. We love each one of you.

Week 27

Yep! I missed a week. I guess it was bound to happen but ich bin umgekehrt (I have repented) and am starting again! These two weeks have flown by and we have less than one year remaining until our extended release date of 25 March 2013.

Last week, as you well know, was general conference, and we loved it. We didn’t want to wait even one day before watching it so saw the morning sessions live at 6:00 pm and the afternoon sessions from 10:00 pm to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. What a marvelous experience that was. John did go to priesthood Sunday morning at our ward. How blessed we are to be led by living prophets and how important it is to follow their direction in this (and every) day and age.

One of my favorite talks was Elder Holland’s, about the parable of the vineyard and the Lord’s desire to be merciful, though there were so many wonderful uplifting messages that I’d be hard pressed to say this or that was my favorite.

Hard on the heels of conference was the reopening of our temple here in Freiberg and it was a joy to return. Having a little break in the demands of serving full time provided a pleasant change, but it is now so nice to be “back home” to the temple, participating in things of eternal import. Even though we spend much of our time in the administrative end of the work, we are still very much involved in things that matter and are glad to have it so. 

We seem to have left spring in Poland and came back to the tail end of winter, again though Spring is trying--unsuccessfully--to arrive. We do have purple pansies in front of the church but . . . notice John is also still wearing a fur hat for much-needed warmth!

Our first day back it was fun to see the little changes that always take place during a shut down. We are now cozily ensconced downstairs in the Kinderraum (youth center), which is used rarely, where we can prepare the daily plan without disrupting the office upstairs.

John has been busy training the brother of our brand new missionary couple from Switzerland, the Zymlas. It has been fun to welcome them and their amazingly musical Schweizer Deutsch so different from the Sachsen German we hear around us.

Our ranks have also been increased this week by a single senior missionary—the first the temple has ever had. Sis Tollefson was transferred here from the Berlin mission and it has been fun to get acquainted with her. She hails from Manti and knows John’s cousins Gary and Monte from the temple there and is cousin to John’s first mission president, Blythe Gardner, some 47 years ago. Amazingly small world in the Church.

The missionary couple living in our condo in Salt Lake sent us stunning pictures of the springtime views from Trevi. They provide quite a contrast from the blanket of white stuff that greeted our walk to church this Easter Morn.  John was singing “In your Easter bonnet, with all the snow upon it!” on our way out—good thing I had no Easter bonnet.

We enjoyed a really wonderful Easter weekend with a very busy temple on Good Friday evening, with a large group of senior singles here for a conference that continued Saturday morning.  After they left, numbers were pretty lean so the missionaries themselves participated in sealings and initiatories. I was actually able to be a patron in both for some for whom we have been doing family history research.  These are tender and lovely experiences for me.

Generally speaking we are doing pretty well--for us. John constantly feels that he is walking on toothpicks for legs with gum drops attached for feet--that are usually on backwards. I have been attacked by my first experience with severe hay fever. But life is bright--especially if you don't forget how to laugh! 

We enjoyed hearing this week from Patrick and Tessha, home from their honeymoon, before they immediately left for a few days at the beach with Patrick’s 5 kids, wanting them to feel included in their new life together. They all had a wonderful time. After taking them back home, Patrick and Tessha drove to Utah, where they took care of some important business and visited with Chi and David and Adam and Kimmy and their families. Back home now they are busy and happy and we are glad they are such a great team together. Marrying your best friend is always a good idea!

We are proud of David and Chi’s amazing stick-to-it-iveness as he approaches the downhill run towards completing his master’s degree in the next few weeks, when he will finish up his last class. Working full time, going to school, and being a great dad and husband is a marvelous accomplishment. 

I’m sure he would be the first to admit that he couldn’t have done it without Chi’s great support. We think they are pretty awesome with their passel of precious kids, who keep them both running. Chi & David are going to be grandparents this month when Trevant’s Carmen has a baby girl. Good grief! We are going to be great-grandparents. That gives one pause!

Adam and Kimmy are busy as ever—we don’t have the chance to hear from them as often as we’d like but know they are balancing all the important balls in the air of family, church and work. Adam is high priests group leader and has a very demanding travel schedule that takes him all over the world for his company. I guess he is following in his dad’s footsteps. I can relate to the challenges Kimmy faces having him gone frequently but there are blessings that come from it—you really appreciate having a husband home when he is able to be there. Together they try to be good parents who “teach correct principles” and have fun with their kids along the way.

We are grateful for the marvelous Easter Sunday we have had today. Each of our meetings was filled with the Spirit as speakers and teachers testified of the Savior, his supernal Atonement, death, and Resurrection. I couldn’t understand all the words but was pretty amazed at how much I did catch—certainly enough to be overwhelmed by the Spirit confirming the truth of their words. We are greatly blessed—Praise be to God for His magnificent Son.

Have a wonderful week.