We started the week with a visit to the Hand Specialist for Russ to have a procedure on his right hand. He has had surgery 2 previous times in the past 10 years for a condition called, Dupuytren's Contracture.
The connective tissue in his hand overproduces and creates excess connective tissue so the tendons in his fingers contract and start pulling toward the palm of the hand. We knew there was a new procedure to inject the area with enzymes that dissolve the tissue and allow the Doctor to then manipulate the finger to straighten. This was much better than surgery and we were so grateful he was a candidate for the procedure. So, it is a two day process.
Day 1: Injection of enzymes
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| 5 injections in finger |
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The hand looks a little beat up. He had 5 injections in his finger and it immediately causes blood blisters and in some places the skin splits from the blisters.
Day 2:
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| day 3 |
The best way to describe the process is to say they pop all of the lumps like bubble wrap and make them all smooth and manipulate the finger until it goes straight. They gave a local anaesthesia before the procedure. It is healing nicely and he can already tell a difference in his hand. As you can see in the picture, it is flat with the other fingers. He will get a splint next week that he will wear to keep it straight until it is trained to stay that way. We feel very blessed to have been referred to a hand surgeon that was very qualified and so good to work with. If all goes well, it should last about 5 years before he will need another procedure.
Sunday evening we had a New Member fireside where several new members bore their testimonies and stories of joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our Mission Pres. Brown came and spoke and sang and it was a wonderful evening. We had about 50 people in attendance. Elder Luke is serving his mission here and shared his story of growing up in Egypt and moving to England in his teenage years. It was a difficult move and hard to make new friends. He made a friend and was introduced to the Church and was baptized and a year later he is serving a mission.
He has helped 7 other people accept the gospel of Jesus Christ while he has been on his mission. One of those people spoke and told their conversion story as well. It was a very nice evening. It was great for me because I did not have to do anything except attend. They had the event catered by a lady and it was wonderful. She made several cakes and a traditional Austrian food of sliced bread with a cream cheese spread with garnish. It looked very impressive on the table.
We enjoy meeting new people and being able to show people the Institute Building. It is really a crown jewel in the Church in Vienna.
I taught me second Institute class and had about 12 students. I love teaching and being able to help others learn and understand the teachings and doctrines of the Gospel. We had about 30 students in the German Class and a total of 53 people in the building during the evening. It was so empowering for the YSA to be with so many others of their age and to socialize, eat a nice dinner and learn all in one evening. We hope it continues to grow and be a great place to gather.
I have mentioned before that celery is often hard to find in the grocery stores. I asked about it and was told they use the celery root more than the stalks. I had never heard of celery root. Sure enough, it is in all of the stores. This giant root that you peel and then slice. It is wonderful. I used it in my Chicken Noodle soup and it turned out great. It is actually easier to slice than the stocks of the celery and a little milder. I continue to learn so much about foods and new ways to use them. It is very inexpensive and yields a lot. I am sure it is available at home, but considered exotic and a lot more expensive.
Fall is Here. We also spent the week doing Apartment Inspections. We were able to drive through the Wien Woods to go to one apartment and it was absolutely beautiful! It was a very foggy morning with a thick haze, but the hills were alive with color. It was the first time we had driven this way and we really enjoyed it. We have been so blessed to see so much beauty and so many different landscapes. We are also so grateful to have a car and be able to drive and see these out of the way places.
We are so glad to have inspections done for another few weeks. This is Transfer Call week. We cannot believe how fast this transfer has gone. We will truly miss the missionaries that will be moving on to new assignments and a few completing their missions and returning home. Next week we will have many new missionaries arriving. We received word Saturday that 10 of the missionaries in our zone of 25 will be transferred on Wednesday. It will be a big change and a new opportunity to get to know the 10 new missionaries.
I thought this would be a short post this week as we did not have many adventures until we had P-Day today and visited the KlosterNeuburg.
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| Composite Picture |
Klosterneuburg Monastery owes its foundation to the marriage between Leopold III of Babenberg and Agnes of Waiblingen, the daughter of Emperor Heinrich IV, in 1106. According to legend, Agnes lost her bridal veil shortly after the wedding. Leopold vowed to build a monastery on the very site where the valuable textile would be found. And indeed: Nine years later the veil was found completely unscathed in an elder bush, above which the Virgin Mary appeared. This is what the legend tells us however, no legend is the rich dowry of Agnes, which made it possible for Leopold to keep his vows and enabled the the foundation stone of the collegiate church in 1114. The Church was built between 1114 and 1136 as a Romanesque Basillica with a transept and crossing tower. Present-day appearance is a result of restoration from 1882-1887.
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| Organ |
They Church was very ornate and majestic especially with the age of the building. They were setting up for a wedding and it was fun to see the Bride and Groom and wedding party in the beautiful setting.
After the plans for the foundation of a new diocese had foundered, Leopold III transferred the collegiate church and building to the Augustinian canons in 1133 and they still live and work here to this day. Due to his generous endowment, the monastery quickly developed into a spiritual and cultural center. Centuries of pastoral and intellectual activity as well as the extensive library and art collections testify to his generosity and the monastery's prominence. They currently have 47 men living in the monastery with 1/4 in training and the remaining are Priests. They have large vineyards that are in idea growing conditions on the mountainside leading down tot he Danube River. It is the oldest winery in Vienna.
RULE OF ST AUGUSTINE
The first purpose for which you have come together is to live in unity in the house and to be of one mind and one heart on the way to God.
Therefore, let all live together in harmony and love. And in each other, honor God, whose temples you have become.
This is a Nativity (Weihnachtskrippe) in red coral made in Trapani Sicily in 1650.
Ceiling in the large social hall of the personal residence. There is a cornucopia filled with children as a depiction of Maria Theresa and all of her children.
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| Ceiling of dining room |
This is the Dining Room with the ceiling a relief of King Solomon at his table. He was an idle of the Royalty and was used as a symbol of power.
Picture in private chapel depicting 5 scenes in the Life of Christ.
This is one of the only original rooms. It is still in rough stone and was only opened to the public in 2011. It is used as the gift store and cafe.
These two figures were made
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| Day of Judgement |
from 1 elephant tusk that was split in half and each piece was intricately carved from the one piece of ivory. They depict the Day of Judgement and the evil spirits being cast down.
I am teaching this week about the War in Heaven with the Plan of Heavenly Father to send His Son to to earth.
In Revelation 12:7
"And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." When I saw these pieces I thought of the War in Heaven and Satan and his followers being cast down. For me, the Day of Judgement will have more mercy and hope because of Jesus Christ and His life, atonement and resurrection. He created the earth to provide a place where God's children could live and progress toward eternal life. He wants us to return to our Heavenly Father and has provided a Plan and a way for each one of us.
The History and the Art is so important for us to learn about and to appreciate for what it is. I am grateful for those who came before me and also for the preservation of historical things.
We ended our afternoon at an Eis shop (gelato shop). It was recommended to us by one of the YSA and it was the best we have had in Austria. It is a good thing it is out of the way and not close - so we can limit the times we will visit. It was a great way to end the week.
Wishing our oldest grandson, Adam a Happy 20th Birthday this next week! That was hard to type - where has the time gone!
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's
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