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.