Feb. 3 - 9, 2019 Farewell to my Hero

Schwenningen District in Eisenbach

 Monday started with a District ZOOM Meeting at our home.  It is always nice to have the Elder's over.  We were having a ZOOM meeting because on Tuesday we were having a District P-Day.  It will be the last one for Elder Fishburn before he leaves to go home.  We wanted a super activity.  It is hard to find activities that we can all get to because we are not a normal District that is in the same city.  We are 1 1/2 to 2 hours apart.  We had planned to visit a Castle and Weapons museum but when we called to check on it we found out it was closed for Jan. and Feb.  They open for groups larger than 100.  We will plan to go in the Spring.  We organized an activity to meet in a mountain town called Eisenbach.  We were hoping for nice weather and to be able to hike in the mountains. 

 This week will go down in the memory books.  Time is going so fast and this has been a very difficult week.  There have been many late nights as our family kept a vigil watching over my father in his final days.  On Monday the papers were finally signed and he was placed in Hospice Care.  I was able to talk with him and tell him how much I love him.  So grateful for technology.  I have also been trying to take care of his estate matters so things will go easier in the coming days.  We have tried to keep focused on our missionary work, but it has been a stressful week.  So glad however to be so busy and also having a wonderful experience.  I was so glad for P-Day to be out in the forest, in the snow on a beautiful day and feeling at peace.  Tender Mercies amid the storms.

 Tuesday was an absolutely gorgeous day!  You could see for miles and miles.  Below you can see the Swiss Alps.  We had never seen so many jets in the sky over here.  We have missed seeing planes every day - it is in Russ' blood.  We loved watching them leave their trails against the deep blue sky.  We were at a recreation area for hiking, cross country skiing and snow shoeing.  The missionaries loved it.  It was good for them to be out in the wide open spaces and taking it all in.  It was the perfect place to spend the day.

 Russ along the trail.  We are so glad to have our walking poles.  They really help and especially when the snow was up to our knees in some places.  We do pretty good keeping up with the young missionaries.

 I have been wanting to make a Snow Angel since we went hiking a few weeks ago and I didn't want to get wet.  So, here we are - I convinced everyone to do it.  Hardest part was laying down.  As a child we would just free fall backwards and land in the snow.  I was not so brave to free fall backwards.  It was fun.  I felt the angels close to me this week and this was my special snow angel for the day.

 This was a beautiful scene as we were walking down the road.  I man with horses and a wagon came down the lane.  He was very friendly and stopped to talk with us.  10 Missionaries coming towards him was probably as daunting as he was to us with his horses and buggy.  Great winter scene.  It would have been really fun if he would have offered to give us a ride. 

 We had a Texas Tailgate in the parking lot.  My Mother taught me so much and putting out a nice spread of food no matter the circumstances was one of those things.  We had a feast of meats, cheese, breads, rolls, fruit, vegetables, chips and lots of chocolate.  I took hot chocolate and everyone was so glad.  It was wonderful.  The Elders took off their coats and look macho, but they were freezing by the time they finished making the snowman.  They decided to make this snowman right outside of the entrance to a restaurant.  It turned out really cute and they had so much fun.  Team building - always lessons to be learned even when having fun.
Wednesday we were off to Lahr to fulfill our cleaning assignment for the apartment building.  We did not know we had to have someone cleaning the common areas every two weeks and we don't have missionaries living there full time.  So, we went and took care of it.  There are only 3 residents so it was not hard to do.  It just took most of the morning.

  We are registered with Find a Grave and occasionally  we are able to go take pictures.  We had a cemetery that was close to us so we went on the way home.  It was a small cemetery and thought it would only take a short time to find it.  We walked down each of the isles and most of them were from 1995 to current.  We could not find the grave we were looking for and there were only about 100 graves.  There was a caretaker working on one of the plots planting flowers and we asked if he had heard of this person.  He walked us to the entrance and there was the stone.  Who would have thought it was under the name of the Cemetery.

  He then took us around the corner and in a separate section overgrown with plants was a shrine to several people and there was her grave and her husbands.  He was famous and we were told to go and look him up.  It was a neat experience and it is interesting how connected you feel to the people when you find their grave.  We had a really nice drive in the countryside in a part of town we had never been to.  So fun exploring.  We were then off to Institute.
Thursday was Apartment Inspection Day.  We drove to Bad Sackingen and took care of that apartment.  They needed a new shower head so off to the store and back to install it.  By the time you drive and do all that has to be done it is a 4 hour adventure. Highlight of the day is always going to visit Amira. We are so glad that she is reading and studying the lesson before we come and we are having some really good discussions.  She was at the store this week and a lady come up to her and said hello and asked what made her so happy.  She feels like her personal study of Jesus Christ and praying more has really blessed her life.  We left her home and took our Elders to dinner at an Italian Restaurant that serves a huge plate of spaghetti for 2.80E from 6:00-7:30 every night.  It is a local favorite.  We had a really nice dinner and then we went to their apartment for their Inspection.  I told them if they cleaned really good and had a good inspection we would take them to dinner.  It worked better in our schedules to take them to dinner first.  They came through and had the apartment in good shape.  Win Win for all of us.

Friday was a catch up day at home and lots of phone calls taking care of business for my Dad.  It is nice when you finally get someone who will help you on the phone instead of a computer or someone who says call back tomorrow after you just spent 30 minutes on the phone waiting.  I have felt an urgent need to get all of his financial affairs in order before he passes away. 
We started playing table tennis every morning for exercise.  It has really been fun and we are getting pretty good.  It is great exercise and they say the very best for brain health.  I need a lot of that.  It is a great way to start the day.  We watched a Hallmark movie and tried to have a relaxing Friday night.  The phone just kept ringing.  Lots of District things happening - Its transfer day on Saturday and Elder Fishburn is counting down his last few days.  Russ was just heading off to bed and I was working on the computer and I received a call from my Sister Pam. 

George E. Haney, Jr  1921-2019

 This giant of a man and my hero took his final breath and left his mortal body allowing his spirit to return to heaven.  The veil of Heaven and Earth was very thin the past few days.  He asked who was going to take him to Heaven.  Would it be a man or a woman.  My Sister told him Mom would come and get him.  He appeared to see angels from Heaven and said, yes, I want that beautiful lady over there to take me.  He asked if he had fought a good fight in this life.  He was an amazing example to everyone he came in contact with.  He loved life and all if its derivatives.  He loved his family and was so proud of his posterity.  6 Children, 29 grandchildren and 79 Great grandchildren with 80 and 81 on the way.  He wanted each of them to know they are a Child of God and there is a purpose to this life.  He loved God, his Family, and his Country.  He was passionate about everything he did.  Everything was bigger than life to him.  When asked to describe his family they were always the very best framer, realtor, school teacher, nurse, scouter, secretary - the story would always get bigger of how good they were.  You knew he believed in you.  I am so glad to be able to call him MY DAD. 
We will be flying to Utah on Tuesday.  I am looking forward to being with my family. It will be hard to say good-bye again at the end of the week.  His funeral will be Friday in Filer Idaho where he has lived for many years.  He will be buried in Salt Lake City Wasatch Lawn Cemetery on Saturday. 

I did not get to bed until 4:00 AM and we have had a very busy day.  We had three appointments and we are having the Young Adults for dinner on Sunday.  I hope I can get everything done before we leave and still have energy after the long flight.  Life is good.  I am at peace with all that is going on in my life.  So grateful for the great Plan of Salvation that teaches me the purpose of life.  I'm Homeward Bound!
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's