Oct. 1-7, 2018

IT'S OCTOBER IN GERMANY
  
OCTOBER FEST IS IN FULL SWING -
Not very big in Freiburg - just nice decorations and clothing.  I have been looking for a Dirndl (authentic Bavaria dress) for many weeks.  They can be very expensive and several different styles.  We found one that had two different aprons and was really good quality.  I went back to the shop several times and finally Saturday we decided it was the very best deal and it was still available.  It will be nice for Christmas and parties (missionaries don't do much partying, but I will have it just in case)
Russ also is decked out in his new Leder Hosen.  Everyone has them on sale because it is the end of October fest.  We are really ready for a party, German Style!

It is a beautiful Sunday and I love the Fall flowers.  It is starting to turn cooler and the gardens are beautiful.  We have been traveling a lot the past two weeks and have not had our normal routine.  I don't think there is a normal in missionary work, but we are getting used to it.

We got a new Dryer on Sunday and that will be nice, even though I like putting my clothes outside to dry.  That takes a lot of time and you need a good day.  We are spoiled with convenience.  The machines here are very different.  You have to empty the water from the dryer every load as they are not vented to the outside.  The water from the clothes goes into a tank and you empty it.  There are three filters and they also have to be cleaned.  The washing machine also has a filter that has to be cleaned, but that is good - it catches anything that was in your pockets or wash that should not have been.  I am so glad to have the facilities in my apartment.  We just have been on a real learning curve to figure everything out.

We started the week on Monday with a ZOOM Conference for all missionaries in the European Countries working with the YSA (18-30 year olds).  It was nice seeing people we met in the MTC and also some from our conference in Salzburg.  We were hoping to see the Quinn's in England, but they were in a different group the week before.  We are in an area that is well organized and functioning.  They really do not need us, but they like the help and support we are able to give.  Other areas are not functioning and the missionaries have a lot of work to do building the programs.  Just like in the US - every area is unique with their students and needs.
We also cooked for FHE on Monday night.  We had Chili over rice with homemade bread and cookies.

Pres. & Sis. Brown

Tuesday was P-Day.  We were supposed to travel and have a District P-Day, but it was cancelled and scheduled for this next week.  We were glad to have a day at home to catch up, clean and shop.  We had a very busy Wednesday planned so I cooked a lot to get ready.
We had our 6 week interview with our Mission President.  It is always nice to be with him. He asked us to share our Conversion Story.  Russ shared his story of being a 20 year old missionary 48 years ago.  He had prayed about going on a mission and knew that is what he needed to do - being drafted was the other option.  He had been raised in the Church and knew the stories and teachings and had just accepted it.  He was in the LTM (language training mission) in Provo learning German.  He was reading the Joseph Smith pamphlet as part of his studies and he received a personal witness that it was true.  He knew then, that he was going to go out and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and had a testimony of the truth of the doctrines and principles.
I shared the conversion story of my father who joined the church when he was about 32 years old after 10 years of being married to my mother and after the war.  His conversion has always been very special to me and a guiding force in my life.  He has always been a great example and I knew that if it was important enough for him to change his life after many years of living and believing differently, it was what I wanted in my life.  My parents taught me and prepared me for my baptism when I was 8 years old.  I have held on to those teachings and truths and continued to study and strengthen my knowledge and beliefs of the Gospel.  Pres. Brown is a very tender man and very close to Heavenly Father.  He left a blessing on us and each of our children.  Words cannot express the value of that blessing and our need for it at that time.  Prayers are answered when we ask in faith.
We then went to our favorite corner cafe.  It has become one of his favorite places so he makes time to go to dinner with us.  We love the extra time and fun conversation in a less formal setting.

 Wednesday I made my first apple strudel.  I am always afraid to try a new recipe that does not have specifics but is just a little of this and a little of that - till it feels right.
I followed how they demonstrated to us last week and got some hints on the internet.  IKEA dish towels are the best!  You roll the dough thin until you can see the pattern of the towel.  That was helpful.  Apples, cinnamon sugar and butter all wrapped up in the dough. 

 The apples are just now being harvested here.  We can't believe how many apple trees there are.  They are all along the highways like the wild flowers we have in Texas.  You slice them very thing for the strudel

 Fold in each side about 2 inches and then roll like a jelly roll.  Dot with  more butter.
Bake in oven

 I cut this to try and show the inside.  Sorry, not a good picture.  It was wonderful.  I learned some things I will change next time, but it was a success.

After I made the strudel we had to do Apartment inspections. The Elder's were great.  It makes it so much nicer when they do what they are supposed to do.  We then had a lunch appointment with Katrina.  We said we would not go back without the Elder's so they could eat the food.  She was so glad to see us.  She cooked the same potato soup with salad, tomatoes and cucumbers.  She made rice, potatoes and stuffed peppers.  It was much better than last time.  At least it was cooked.  It was nice having the Elder's to eat and to talk with her.  They are amazing as they can understand her mixed language.  Always an adventure.
We then took dinner to a Sister who is going through Radiation Treatments.  We took homemade chicken noodle soup, homemade bread and one of the apple strudels.  They live about 20 minutes out of Freiburg on the Rhine River.  France is on the other side of the river.  I can't believe I am so close to France and still have not been able to cross over.  (It is out of our Mission) We had a really nice visit.  He is turning 80 next Saturday and a delightful man.  She speaks English so it was good for me.
We raced back to Freiburg and had two appointments with the Elder's.  We visited one family in the park and spent about an hour with them.  It was nice and the children enjoyed playing while we visited.   It was a full day and we were ready to be home.

Thursday we shopped again and cooked for a Zone Meeting in Zurich on Friday.  I made cookies and brownies.  Still trying to get the recipes right with the different ingredients here.  The oven cooks a lot hotter and it is a trial for me.  Learning is good.

Friday was another travel day.  We drove to Zurich for a Zone Finding Day.  It is a nice drive until you get to the outskirts of Zurich and then it is like driving in Dallas at Rush Hour.  Lots of construction just like everywhere else.  We had a nice day with a Devotional and then the young Missionaries were given assignments and divided to different areas of the city to find and talk to people.  We stayed back as support.  We put cards on flowers for them to give out, and then we made packets for each missionary with our testimonies and shared some experiences with them to read.  We also prepared Pizza and salad and the dessert I made.  It was a nice day.  The missionaries talked to a lot of people and gave out many Book of Mormons in many languages.  People really liked the chalk art they did on the town square showing the Plan of Salvation.  It was the highlight for all of the missionaries.  The City of Zurich gave them permission to be there and to do the drawings.

Saturday was Cinnamon Roll Day!  I made Cinnamon, Lemon and Nutella.  The Nutella was amazing.  I have been trying to make a good chocolate roll for a long time and this is it.  The cream cheese lemon were a close second.  We had several people over for General Conference Saturday evening and everyone enjoyed the Rolls.  With the time difference, we listen to the Saturday Morning Session of Conference at 6:00 PM Saturday night.  General Conference is a meeting held twice a year in Salt Lake City for all of the Church to attend or listen to via Internet.  The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ speak and it is something we look forward to every 6 months.  Tradition is I make Cinnamon Rolls to enjoy while we listen.  We missed the "Group" coming over to our home on Saturday night, but we enjoyed the conference here.

A few highlights from Conference:
Come Follow Me - Home centered - church supported effort.
...is designed to help the members study the gospel at home.  It is designed to help us better to learn the gospel on our own and in our family.  As a result, Sundays meetings will be a 2 hr. block instead of a 3 hr. block.  Living in a foreign country with different needs, transportation and buildings than we are used to helps us see the real value of this new schedule.  We know there is great potential for all families to develop a plan that will help them Keep the Sabbath Day Holy with a more gospel centered focus in our homes.  Pres. Nelson said, "Home is a sanctuary of Faith.  We need to remodel our homes into gospel learning centers.  Your children will be excited to have these changes.  The Spirit in your homes will increase.

We have been asked to use the official name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Pres. Nelson said, "Our rigorous efforts to use the correct name of the church will increase our faithfulness."

12 New Temples announced around the World.  I was touched to hear of the announcement for San Juan Puerto Rico.  Pres. Nelson recently visited the people there and told them better days are ahead.  He told them to endure this trial of rebuilding and that blessings would come.  This will build that storm ravaged area in a way that they never expected.  It is a new day for Puerto Rico.

I loved the quote that was shared that has always been dear to my heart because of a friend who shared and lived by this quote, "We are not Human beings having a Spiritual experience, We are Spiritual Beings having a human experience."

"Repentance is not a back-up plan in case we fail - It is the Plan"  Lynn G. Robbins

Choices - it is not Do What is Right, it is Choose What is Right.

I am grateful to be serving a mission at this time of my life.  I know we are being blessed as we pray, study, learn, share, act in faith and trust in our Heavenly Father to go forth a act upon the promptings we receive to serve others.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children (and grandchildren) walk in truth."  
3 John 1:4

Viel Liebe
The Grimmett's

Stilt Houses and village - Lake Konstenz, 3500 BC