Week 33

Another week has zoomed by. I am boringly repetitious in saying so, but it has. Our service in the temple continues to bring us joy even though each day is a little difficult to get our stiff bones up and moving. I am amazed at John’s ongoing, day-in-and-day-out courage to get out of bed. It isn’t easy but he does it and I am reminded that “we can do hard things!”

John was busy training a brother, here with his wife, for several days from Leipzig, recently called as ordinance workers. Brother Ortlieb really appreciated John’s style of training—as others have, since he really encourages and builds those he trains. I’m sure he thinks often of the new worker who told him that the first time he was called to serve in the temple, he came once and was told so many times that he had done this wrong and that wrong that he went home and wept . . . and didn’t come back to serve for nearly 20 years. That kind of criticism would never happen on John’s watch. Instead people return home feeling as if they had really succeeded—maybe they weren’t perfect but they learned what was necessary and did so with joy. I think he is pretty awesome.

1985 Freiberg Temple

Thursday evening we enjoyed a FHE with our missionary group. This time Rolf Metzner, now 1st counselor to Pres. Husz, spoke to us about his experience as the architect for the renovation of our temple in 2002, resulting in the adding on of the baptistry as we now know it, the moving of the tower and the adding of the angel Moroni, the building of the underground tunnel, temple housing, and the president's apartment. It was interesting to hear and see the photos and drawings he showed--and I forgot my camera! Darn.

Our temple, when no large groups are here from Hungary or somewhere else, often could be a lot busier, but Friday that was not the case. The morning session was full but the second session, for which John was responsible for overseeing, was the largest session this temple has ever had—65 patrons attended in the endowment room which has seating for 48. Every available chair was brought in to fill every available corner. It was likely that every fire code in the country was bent on that one, but it was exciting to be part of it. Many who attended were young single adults who were also attending a YSA conference in our meeting house. The baptistry was also full to capacity so things were hummin'! We enjoyed it enormously. . . except for John’s having hauled chairs, which is a no no for him!

Kymora Joslin Perry--One year old!

Saturday was a bright spot in our week as we celebrated from afar, our little Kymora’s first birthday. She was born May 19 while we were still in China, and now is walking and talking—as precious as they come. We did get to actually see her while we were home between China and Germany but that was not enough. Her Opa is absolutely smitten with her big eyes. We look forward to talking with Chi and David every other week and being amazed at Chi’s managing all those cute little people at her house—usually all simultaneously on her lap while we chat on SKYPE.

Part of the Perryposse--no more room on this lap!

Patrick just returned home from his Fathers and Sons outing with his three boys. Patrick said of their outing, "We camped, cooked s'mores, slept in the tent, caught sand crabs and collected shells, played frisbee, played capture the flag, played on the sand dunes, ate Tillamook ice-cream, saw a light house, drove up the coast, ate beef jerky . . . and caught 25 TROUT!"

Patrick and his boys at their Fathers and Sons Outing

They all look like they had a super time, as they always do with their dad! He looks pretty happy too. He loves his boys . . . and his girls, and his wife. We love them all!

Today in our ward we had the privilege of hearing from the young men leaders—deacons, teachers quorum presidents, and priests quorum assistant, and three others who spoke with power, commitment, and faith. I didn’t understand much of what they said in their strong Sachsen accented Deutsch, but the Spirit with which they spoke was palpable. It was one time I longed to be able to capture a picture during church. Every one of them was clean and shining, with suits, ties, and crisp white shirts. They and their adult leaders had just come back from an overnight camp and had won some top honors both in sports events and in quizzes on gospel topics. Other people around their activity asked the YM president with them, "Who are these boys? What group is this that has such amazing young men?"

We think that the Church is going to be in great hands in the years ahead after they have served missions and taken on leadership roles they are surely destined to hold. The 12-year-old deacons quorum president, a good 18” shorter than the other Aaronic priesthood leaders stood tall (for him) with his hair all askew, and said it all when he spoke with courage, giving a talk an adult would have been proud to have given about the responsibility and honor that was his to set an example to those around not only in his quorum but also at his school or wherever he might be. It was hard, he said, but important for a deacons quorum president to speak up when friends said or did things that were not right. Good for him! What a power he will be in the years ahead.

John spoke today with a young professor from Guangzhou, China, teaching at Freiberg’s university, who has committed to being baptized in weeks ahead. The sister missionaries have been teaching him, in English, since he speaks little German. What an amazing gospel we are part of with its variety of peoples and languages, each one of which comes to hear that familiar ring of truth. We are so grateful to have a small part in it.

Our one non-temple, non-church activity for the week was to watch another good movie we had downloaded from iTunes. War Horse is one we can recommend as a powerful story, based on real events during WWI. I understand from my brother George that it is also a book and a London and Broadway play, though how it can successfully be the latter is beyond me.  Of the three media, however, he says the play was his favorite. In any event, the movie is worth seeing.

Have a wonderful week. We plan to.