June 16-22, 2019 Transfer Day

VIENNA AUSTRIA HERE WE COME!  This week we hit the 11 month mark with 10 months to go.  We received an email 2 weeks ago confirming our release date of April 2020 and we were anticipating the next 10 months and all that we wanted to accomplish.  The time has gone so fast and we have so much we still need and want to do while we are here. 

I have said many times how much we enjoy being in Freiburg and especially our apartment.  My balcony with all of the flowers is my happy place.  It is a lot more work than I thought to take care of them with no water outside and having to haul the water from the apartment.  It is worth the effort as I watch it grow and enjoy the beauty.  We finally can find our way to places without using the Navi in the car and it truly feels like home to us.  People recently have asked how much longer we will be here.  We assured them we had 10 more months so they were not loosing us anytime soon.  It is interesting how things happen in our lives that prepare us for what is to come.  I think it was finally purchasing the Kuckoo clock that sparked a change for us!  We received a call bright and early on P-Day, June 11 from our Mission President.  He explained about a phone call he had received the night before from Salt Lake and that some changes would need to be made in assignments.  Now, normally Senior Missionaries DO NOT get Transfer calls.  We certainly were not expecting any changes especially with our confirmed release date, VISA and drivers license in order and new medical cards reflecting our new release date.  We pray for President and Sister Brown every day and I told him that and that we would support him in whatever he had to say to us.  (We were thinking there was another change needed with the Young Missionaries that he needed our help with.)  He said he was relieved to hear that.  We have been asked to move to Vienna Austria on August 1 and to take over the responsibilities at the Wien Institute.  There is a Center for Young Adults with about 70 active YSA who attend.  We will be at the Institute from 4PM to 9 PM Monday through Friday.  It will be very different from what we have been doing in Freiburg.  There are 5 Wards in Vienna and about 22 Missionaries that we will work with.  Elder and Sister Hansen who are currently there will be completing their mission on July 28 and returning home to Utah.  They have been wonderful in their assignment and will be hard to follow.  We left the next morning for our Switzerland trip and were still in shock.  It gave us a lot to talk about and also to plan.  We have less than 6 weeks to finish up here, pack, close the apartment and get a new apartment ready in Lahr (the city we visit once a month) for a new Senior Missionary Couple.   We will not have a replacement here in Freiburg.  We are a little overwhelmed and wondering what lies ahead for us.  It will be like starting a whole new mission.  We will still be in the Alpine German Speaking Mission, but will be the furthest East in the Mission instead of the farthest West in the Mission.  We will have to learn all things Austrian and will be living in the middle of Vienna - a very large city.  Russ served there for 8 months and is looking forward to this new experience.  We will be flying to Wien in two weeks to learn about our new assignment and take care of some paperwork.  We will return and then take care of an assignment we have been given to attend a YSA Conference in Feish Switzerland for a week and then we will have 4 days to finish packing and saying our good-byes and be off to Austria.  I am excited to be working in an Institute again and being with a large group of YSA.  Setting up a new apartment and learning where to shop again  and how to get around will be a challenge, but as we always say, "When you are with the Grimmett's it is always an adventure."  It will be a welcome sight to all of you to have new pictures to look at as we will explore new lands and places.

The District

 Monday was our final District Council with this wonderful group of Missionaries.  Elder Janousek, Elder Baird and Sister Penner were transferred to new assignments and will be leaving on Wednesday.  We have loved serving with them.  We have served with Elder Janousek in the District for 9 months.  He has been assigned to Linz Austria - we will be in the same Zone when we move - he just can't get away from us! 

saying good-bye to Elder Janousek

Bright and early Wednesday morning at the Train Station.  We will truly miss working with these Missionaries.  We have traveled the whole Black Forest with them and had many adventures as well as many wonderful teaching experiences.

We had Corinna, Sonka and Thor over for dinner on Tuesday night.  They wanted to come and learn how to make SALSA.  We had taco Salad Bowls and then made Salsa.  It was so fun and they were so happy to take home a large container of Salsa.  They have been wonderful friends to us.

 On Wednesday we visited the city of Breisach located on the border of Germany and France with the Rhine river being the border.  The Viking River Cruises have a stop here and we got to see one of their River Boats in port.  The pictures below show the lock system that is used by the Cruise Boats and other boats.  This picture is of St. Stephans Cathedral built in the 1200's.  We walked up to tour it and to see the beautiful view of the city and surrounding area.  They did not allow any photos inside the Church.

We went there to visit a Sister who is in the Ward.

Rhine River

We were able to visit 1 of the 2 Sisters who live in the area and it was a delightful day.  We did not know this Sister lived in a Senior Living Center and she was so happy to have a visit - even the staff were excited for her that she had visitors.

 HAPPY 44TH ANNIVERSAY!
We spent the day with our friends, Elder & Sis. Blanchard, at Insel Mainau - the flower island on the Bodensee.  We  had a delightful day seeing all of the beautiful flowers, especially the roses.  We visited in April when the Tulips were in bloom.  It was amazing to see completely different flowers in bloom.  The Ducks were yellow and purple pansies in the Spring and now they are white and red begonias.  They also have a Butterfly garden pavilion and it was spectacular.  Below is a picture of a blue butterfly - see if you can find it.  It is amazing to see all of the color in the flowers and the butterflies.  God's creations are truly a miracle.  How does that one little seed produce the vibrant colors and in so many different colors.  I love the beauty of nature and the wonder of it all.

Blue Butterfly

 Passionsblume - Hybrid, Passiflora
Amazing flower that came in several different colors.  This purple was stunning.  The center was so delicate and intricate. 

 THE ROSE GARDEN FOR THOSE WHO LIKE FLOWERS

4 stages of growth on one bush

The Rose Garden

We ended the day at a wonderful restaurant in Constance that specialized in Potato dishes.  Delicious food and great company.

We welcomed a new Elder to Freiburg on Wednesday evening, Elder Brown from Oregon.  They stopped by at dinner time so we added two plates and fed them dinner.  It was a nice evening getting to know him and welcome him to his new area.  We will just be with him for the next 6 weeks and then when we move he and his new companion will move into our apartment.  They are very lucky to be moving into such a nice place.  He was already looking forward to it - two bathrooms and a shower that he can stand up in! 

We have been on the road a lot these past few weeks.  We will travel a lot in the next month and then will settle down a little in Vienna.  Saturday we helped with a Baptism for a Sister from Bad Sackingen.  They do not have a Baptism font in their building and Freiburg was a good central location for her friends and family to meet.  We have had a nice day at the Church with many missionaries and members from all over the area.  Today is what our service is all about.  We love and support our missionaries as they serve to help bring others to Jesus Christ.  A friend of the missionaries who was visiting with them asked the Sister who was being baptized what brought her to look at and come to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She was sitting at our table eating when he asked and she bore a beautiful testimony of her why.  She said it started with The People.  She saw how a few families were living their lives and wanted to know what they were doing.  She was first drawn to the people and then she started studying and reading the Book of Mormon.  She had many struggles along the way, but she knows she made a decision that will bring her true joy.  I don't think he was expecting such a heartfelt response, but he was appreciative of her honesty and deep feelings.

Lantana Tree

I am so grateful for the promise given in Doctrine & Covenants 84:88 to missionaries: "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."  I receive strength and comfort from this and I know I have been blessed by angels who bear me up as I face new challenges.
I love this quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: "Don't wait to live.  This isn't a rehearsal; this isn't a dry run; this isn't a pre-performance routine.  This is it.  This is real life.  Don't wait.  Savor every minute." 
We are trying to do this on our mission and we are having wonderful adventures.

 We appreciate your prayers and love hearing from you.
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's

cactus garden