Week 54

Another week has flown by. Some days I long to be five years old again when time for me hung, not moving ahead for days, on Christmas Eve, certain that morning would never ever come. Instead I turn around and another week is gone. Perhaps this slippery slide of time is just part of getting older.

We have entered the everyone-around-us-wanting-to-do-something-with-us-before-you-go-home mode.  We love spending time with good friends and already are feeling the pangs of parting, but we simply are running out of available time slots and have to say instead, “Come to Salt Lake and visit! We’d love to welcome you there!” If everyone takes us up on that we will have a parade of wonderful people to try to speak German to for years to come.  Meanwhile we hug them then provide our email addresses.

Doug and Louie Geary

Monday we did get away with the Gearys, our newest missionary arrivals, who came in August. They are delightful kindred spirits, and we will miss them a lot.

Tuesday we were back in the temple with a busy Berlin week. It was fun to welcome the crowds who came, so happy to be in the temple for their week. Knowing we too would be traveling to Berlin on Sunday to hear President Monson, we avoided having to say “Goodbye” to those we wouldn’t see again, and instead said “bis Sonntag!" (See you Sunday!) though certain it wouldn’t be likely in a crowd of Saints from multiple stakes gathering in a huge hall.

Sister Husz was looking a little less like a pale ghost, and assured me she was feeling better.  I was relieved but now felt I was coming down with her persistent cold myself and began doctoring and plying John with preventative therapy—my worst fear was having him come down with something  just before we were due to leave.

Wednesday I did my assignments in a fog, then worked with the counselors in rolling off some remaining projects. By the end of the day when I waved goodbye to the president, he took one look at my face and ordered, “I don’t want to see you here tomorrow!”

Kiki's "Bs"

Following his direction I stayed home Thursday, ate nothing, soaked in a hot bath, babied my cold until I couldn’t stand being in bed any longer, and then worked on my farewell talk and wrote letters to grandchildren—we have loved our Oma and Opa letters, and have tried to answer each one individually, until we received three this week from our Kiki, who was showing us her accomplishments with a whole page of “Bs” (though they look more like 8s) she had written herself.

In the afternoon, after John and Bernd Suckow (our 2^nd counselor) came to give me a priesthood blessing, Sis. Husz brought me her special cold-curing lemon, honey and cinnamon/clove tea, followed an hour later by the president delivering a pot of pumpkin soup, I began to make progress on feeling better, much relieved that my prayers had,
thus far, been answered—John was not showing signs of catching this rotten bug!

Friday I was back in the temple all day and again in the evening—except for a two-hour nap in the afternoon (my sister Kathy would be proud of me!). I am so grateful for the blessing and the kindnesses that have shortened what had appeared to be a lengthy bug-battle in the making!

Saturday in the late afternoon, our friends from Munich, Norbert and Antje Primas, arrived. They had planned to come next Friday night, stay over the weekend, help us take care of last-minute matters, go to the temple Tuesday morning for our last session, then haul us and our stuff home with them before sending us off to Barcelona to catch our ship.

When it was announced that the prophet was coming to Germany just after conference to speak in Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich, we were concerned that their coming would cause them to miss seeing him in their city on Sunday, October 21. They discovered that tickets were limited in Munich since a large hall was not available. We suggested them come early and go to Berlin with us, as a huge place with no ticket requirement was rented. They decided to come go with us to Berlin, and spend a week in the temple then take us back with them.

Primases arrived--to feed us, of course

We enjoyed dinner together—most of which Antje and Norbert brought with them. Those two are just incurable givers. You can’t keep them from it! We have long since given up trying to match their efforts. We did secure tickets on a bus for Berlin for the four of us on Sunday morning to avoid Norbert’s having to drive an additional two-plus hours. Then Sunday morning, an hour before we were to leave, while I was just trying to figure out what to take for snacks for our long day, our bell rang and I found Antje there holding out a lunch bag she had packed us for the journey. You just can't keep her from feeding us! On our turf or hers.

Norbert's Kofferwagen

We went up to their room in the Herberge to see one of two luggage wagon he had built and brought to give to temple housing. Norbert, an former building missionary, can't be kept from giving his skills and time either. They are a happy pair who know how to find joy through service. We can learn much from them.

Now THAT is a big windshield!

Norbert and Antje ready for the Berlin bus journey

The drive to Berlin was pleasant with a riot of fall colors outside our front-seat view through the enormous windshield of the tour bus much of our ward was aboard. We had left Freiberg in time to arrive an hour early and all went well until we got downtown Berlin, on the Autobahn, and were stopped dead still in a famous Berlin Stau—a traffic jam--of enormous proportions. It appeared our trip to see President Monson was doomed unless prayer could get us through—and I believe in prayer! After an hour of inching along, we got to a blocked exit. The bus driver climbed off and spoke with the police who amazingly allowed our huge bus to exit. We made it 20 minutes late but the program had been delayed to accommodate those caught in the reported traffic problem and was just beginning as we walked in.

It was marvelous to attend. We from Utah—who see the prophet now and again—do not realize what it means to Saints worldwide to see and hear him in person--especially these East Germans, whom he has served so much over the years with prophecy and miracles.  They came from everywhere, at great sacrifice, just to be there with him and to mingle with the Saints. One of our favorite young Hungarian temple workers—Zollie Szücs—took a bus all the way from Budapest to be there for the event--some 15 hours. 

Pres. Monson in fine form

He had emailed John asking how we could meet up in the crowd so he could see us once more before we leave. We thought such a likelihood next to impossible given the promised size of the crowd, but after the meeting, there he was waving from below toward our upper seats. 

Zoltan Szücs and John--an unexpected reunion

Berlin Sunday with Primases

We were astounded at how many people we did actually get to see after the meeting as members were exiting. In the hour’s wait we had before our bus returned we hugged and greeted so many we had not hoped to see again. I think this experience gave me a little feel for what it will be like in the Spirit world to greet those we have learned to love and been separated from for a time.

Pres. Lehmann from Görlitz--one of our dear friends who we will come to SLC!

We came home to eat chili with the Primases that I had made ahead, and then turn in. 

I am so grateful to be well again, and so grateful to be home!