August 22-25 Part 2

Disclaimer:  This must be a long post because it would not let me put any more on the last page.  If you do not want to read all of this - just enjoy the pictures.

One of our assignments is to inspect the apartments of missionaries in our area every 6 weeks.  This was the week.  We have three apartments to check and currently only 1 has missionaries living in it.  We started the morning with our local missionaries, Elder Batzke and Elder Silva.  We love our missionaries and we have a responsibility to them and to our mission President.  Keven Crawford, I was thinking of you - what would Keven do?  I made up individual packages of cookies with a little note that said:

 "But verily I say unto you, that I , the Lord, will contend with Zion, and plead with her strong ones, and chasten her until she overcomes and is clean before me." D&C 90:36

I gave them each a bag when we were done with the inspection.  I told them when I was in college and lived in the dorms I had to pass inspection every week.  If we passed one week, we did not have inspection the next week.  I said, I am not asking you to do anything I have not done myself.  I told them the night before, Just make sure your toilet is clean - and all else will be OK.  They had done a good job, but did not clean the toilet!  I showed them how to clean it and made it shine.  I really don't like cleaning other people's toilets!  We laughed and talked and had a good time, but in the end they said, "now we know what is expected."  They are asked to wash sheets weekly, but at least monthly.  One Elder said he had not washed them for 6 weeks. We still have a little teaching to do - his future wife will be grateful for the training we will provide.

We then drove to Lahr, the same city we visited on Sunday.  There currently are no missionaries living in the apartment, but our missionaries stay there once a week so we needed to check it out.  It was a nice older apartment and just needed a little polishing up.  We spent about an hour cleaning and then headed back home to attend a bar-b-que with the Young Adults.

People own these little garden plots all through the city.  They go there since most of them live in multi-family dwellings with no yard.  Each one has a little shed and most have a place to cook or grill.  It is amazing what they grow in their gardens from vegetables to lots of fruit trees.  It was a beautiful evening to be outside and especially after the sun went down.  

 

It was a nice way to end a long day.  The Elder's asked for banana boats for dessert, so we took all of the fixings to make them.  It brought back great memories for them of home and scout camp outs. 

A young man from Ecuador who moved here recently from Spain asked if he could come and talk with us.  He was introduced to the Church in Spain because of an interest he has in genealogy.  He got a Masters in English in Spain and has been teaching English to the Chinese people.  He
has lived a hard life.  He turned to alcohol and drugs in his college years.  He married the love of his life and they moved from Ecuador to Spain.  After 3 years his wife wanted to go home to visit family.  She was gone for 1 1/2 years and then came back - and asked for a divorce.  He has not gotten over that - guilt on his part for his actions.  So, he moved to Germany to get a fresh start and he contacted the missionaries.  They have been working with him.  He had some questions and really just needs friends - he says a father figure in his life.  We had a wonderful visit with him.  We hope we can help him overcome his alcohol  addiction and turn his life around.  He is young and still has a lot of life to live. 

 Friday morning we were off to inspect another apartment.  This one has not had missionaries since June, so we were just to check and make sure it was OK.  We thought it would be a great drive and then lunch on the Rhine River and back home.  It was an hour and a half drive on a beautiful overcast day.  This picture is the Rhine River and we are looking to the other side that is the Swiss border.  If you look close you can see the Swiss flag on the orange building.  We walked across the bridge, but did not go off into Switzerland.  There was a Lindt Chocolate factory just to the right of the picture.  I almost

went over so we could get some chocolate! All through the cities they have these libraries.  We have little boxes in Arlington, but these are really nice.  Some of them are in old telephone booths that are no longer in use.  This one is in a park next to the museum.  
We arrived in Bad Sackingen about 10:30 AM.  We drove through a beautiful neighborhood to the missionary apartment.  It was newer and more modern that the other ones we had been to.  There were just 8 units in the building with each one having their own garage. That is unusual, especially for missionaries.  We were thinking, this is really nice and we will just stop in and check everything out and be one our way.  We walked in and OH MY. . .is someone living here?  I will spare you the details
but we worked for 5 hours cleaning.  We filled 5 garbage bags with garbage and cleaned until it shined.  It is ready for new missionaries or to be closed down when the contract is up.  So, we missed that lunch we were hoping to have and worked to finish the job.  We were exhausted and hungry when we finished.  We drove into the City Center and walked along the River.  We found several Cafe's on the river, but they only serve drinks and ice cream.  We needed dinner so we found a nice Italian place and had dinner.  We were the only ones eating food.  Everyone else was stopping after work and having drinks before going home.  Great food - No pictures! The wind came up and rain was threatening so they had to take down all of the umbrellas and so we forgot to take pictures before we hurried to eat our food in case it rained on us. 

This was a fun art piece on one of the streets.  These characters were all over the city.  This was the largest display.  That is a water fountain in the middle. 

There was a mall of just grocery stores.  I had never seen anything like this before.  Every store I shop at was in this mall.  The Swiss come over the border to shop because it is much cheaper.  So, they built this grocery mall so they can shop at all the shops in one stop.  It is a great idea - no running all over town to find your favorite things.  

This is the town Munster.  It is very different architecture to the others ones we have seen.  It was a very nice little city.

We drove home and were really glad to be safe from traveling and inside watching the rain.  It dropped to 58* Saturday and rain.  A big difference from Wednesday that was in the 90's. 
We just received a call that Russ is needed to help in the Lahr Branch tomorrow.  All of the leaders are on vacation and they need him to conduct Church tomorrow.  So, we will be off to Lahr for another Sunday.  It is harder for me as most of them do not speak English.  I just listen and smile.  I also will play the organ for them and that makes me feel useful. 
We love being here and meeting the people and seeing the beautiful sights.  It has truly been a learning experience for both of us.  Russ is getting more comfortable with the language and with mission life.  It has been hard for him to have such a flexible schedule.  (I think that is why he stayed in Airline planning for so many years - he likes to schedule things)  With no TV he is reading a lot and sampling the food that comes out of the kitchen.  This has been one of the hardest challenges of my life.  Not communicating with people is VERY hard for me.  So many times I want to say something and don't know how.  Boy, did the Lord know how to humble me.  The people are very nice to me, but not  being able to participate in class discussions or conversations in groups is very lonely.  I am getting better at reading and understanding more words.  Keep praying for me.

My love and prayers of comfort go out to my friend, Wendy Collmar at the passing of her dear sweet mother, Virginia Lorscheider.  She lived a great life and fought courageously to the end.  I am so glad Wendy was able to be with her and her family. 

This week at District Meeting we were given as assignment to teach on one of the Chrislike attributes.  We chose Virtue.  I was looking up scriptures and came across a reference in Titus, found in the New Testament.  It is three short chapters, but filled with wonderful teachings.  I went back and read the three chapters and was amazed at what truth and doctrine is found there.  I would encourage you to go look it up and study it.  This is an epistle (yes, I know this post is long and appearing to be an epistle) of Paul to Titus who was baptized by Paul, was his traveling companion on several occasions and was a leader of the Church in Crete.  Verse 2 talks of a "hope of eternal life, ...which god promised before the world began."  In Chapter 2 he tells him to "speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" and continues to tell him to teach the attributes that men and women should have and what they need to teach the younger generation.  It is beautiful doctrine and still relevant today.  He concludes with how one should live their life after baptism.  He says, "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. . .That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  He ends with, "let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. . .Greet them that love us in the faith, Grace be with you all." 
I know that we are doing good works and bringing hope to those who desire a better way, faith to those who are seeking Christ and Charity to those who are down trodden and know not where to turn.  There are many ways to show love and I am learning to communicate in new ways as I serve others.  May the Lord continue to bless each one of you in the coming days.
Viel Liebe,
Linda Grimmett