We had a delightful week as we gathered with the other Senior Missionary Couples in Innsbruck, Austria. We have made lifelong friendships with so many and it is always so good to be with them.
We ended last week with our grandsons, Kelly and Shannon celebrating their 18th Birthday! We are so proud of them in the fine young men they have become. They are both Seniors in High School with Kelly in Home School and Shannon at Arlington High. We will arrive home just in time for Graduation. Looking forward to their futures.
We continue to love having the Missionaries for dinner on Sundays. We
had Sisters Daynes and Breinholt. We served with Sister Breinholt in
the Freiburg District and it is so nice to have her serving here in
Vienna with us. The Sisters bring a delightful spirit and are wonderful
to be with.
Sunday night was a beautiful Fall evening and we decided to take a walk on the Ring (city center). We had planned to go to a free organ concert, but when we arrived they were having a special concert that you had to have a ticket for so we will return on another day. The walk was festive and so enjoyable as we saw the sights at night and so many people eating at the many cafe's and walking around.
This picture, The Plague Column is a Holy Trinity column located in the inner City. It was erected after the Great Plague epidemic in 1679. The Baroque memorial is one of the most well-known and prominent sculptural pieces of art in the city. In 1979, Vienna was visited by one of the last big plague epidemics. Fleeing the city, the Habsburg emperor Leopold I vowed to erect a mercy column if the epidemic would end. A provisional wooden column was erected. Four other designs were added to the original resulting in the final pyramid in 1694.
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| St. Peter's Church |
This Church offers free organ concerts in the afternoons - we look forward to attending at least once a week on our way to the Institute.
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| Hofburg at Night |
This is St. Stephans Cathedral at night. This is the Church we visited a few weeks ago and went below to the catacombs. The night pictures just give it a majestic look.
We continue to enjoy having the BYU Study Abroad students at the Institute. They had class on Tuesday night and so I made cookies for them to have at the end of class. It is nice to see what a little cookie will do brighten someones day. We want them to know the Institute is a safe haven from the world and a place they can come and feel the comforts of home.
SENIOR CONFERENCE! Lots of Photos
The Hyundai I-30 brigade arrived in Innsbruck, Austria. We are the "lucky" ones and drive a stock model I-20, but we have a car and that is all that matters. (That is not me in the photo, Sis. Russell who is returning home on Monday)
We have lots of photos to share. Innsbruck fast became one of our favorite places. It is a quaint little city with so much character and charm. The people are so friendly and the best hospitality we have seen. We saw as many sights as we could between meetings and eating. It was 4 days we will never forget.
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| Hotel BierWirt |
We started our stay at the Hotel BierWirt. It was a lovely place close to the mountains and a beautiful setting. I loved the flowers!
Our first adventure was a small hike in the Tirol Alps.
The clouds made it so we did not see much of the Alps, but it did not deter us from hiking and enjoying the beauty of the area.
We came upon this memorial to a B-17 that went down in this area and the wreckage that they have collected. On June 9, 1944, 500 USA air Force bombers left the Foggia region in Italy for the 19th airborne attack on Munich. 2 airplanes were hit by two attacking Messerschmitts of the German Luftwaffe. They tried to make it to neutral Switzerland, but it only made it to Innsbruck airspace. The plane crashed close to this memorial site. The crew bailed out and landed in various places in the area. The were captured and taken to a prison camp (Stalag Luft in northern Germany. After the War all airman were released and returned to America. Over the years pieces of aircraft have been recovered by local people and in many cases melted down. Recreational hobbyists also put the wreckage to good use.
This is the Axamer Lizum area of the Tirol Alps. The clouds lifted a few times for us to get a view of some of the peaks.
We ate a wonderful Austrian dinner at this Gasthof on the mountain. The views were absolutely wonderful. Russ is looking smart in his Tirol jacket. He received lots of compliments and he fit the part.
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| loved flowers and door |
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This was a cute wood train on the patio of the restaurant. The flowers were beautiful and the quaint round door was a nice photo op.
We walked to the top of the hill, about a 15 minute walk from our Hotel to the SCHLOSS AMBRAS INNSBRUCK. It has been turned into an art museum of all of the paintings of the Royalty. It was the home of Arch Duke Ferdinand II who lived from 1567 - 1595 in this residence. He was a collector of art and this is the oldest museum in the World.
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| Courtyard gazebo |
He was the son of Emperor Ferdinand I
Paintings were of exquisite colors
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| Wall of Royalty |
Wood ceilings in many of the rooms were very detailed and massive beauty. These paintings are in a large hall where concerts are held.
The walls of the Inner Courtyard were painted with the
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| Frescos in Courtyard |
frescos in the grisaille technique, in which an image is executed entirely in shades of grey to create the illusion of relief. They are the best preserved frescos of the 16th century. The paintings at Ambras assume an architectonic role in compensating for the narrowness and height of the courtyard. The latest restoration took place from 1984-1991.
Family chapel in the residence. One of the few rooms still intact for the purpose it served when it was occupied.
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| 3 year old princess |
This was an interesting painting of the young girl. They looked like little old ladies. She died at age 6 from illness.
The armory was so fun. We walked in upon this duel and immediately saw the plight of BYU and Utah rivals.
The German course was a more sophisticated variant of the Joust. its goal was to unhorse one's opponent using a sharp lance and at the same time to splinter the lance upon striking the adversary. The jouster's arms were protected solely by a targe (a type of round shield), his right hand by the vamplate on the lance, and his legs by leg armour, or cuisses, fastened to the saddle. Characteristic features include the sallet (jousting helmet) with its streamlined shape, and the lance rest attached to the breastplate and used to support the weapon.
Bartelma Bon came from Riva del Garda near Trento and was a living Wonder of Nature - with a size of over 2.60 meters. He served as a court giant with Archduke Ferdinand II. In 1560, he accompanied the nephews of Ferdinand II to the imperial tournament in Vienna. The wooden manikin in its typical lancer's attire is a unique original of the 16th Century. The cuirass of Barlma Bon was manufactured by Ferdinand's II armourers workshop in Prague.
The second armoury presents Archduke Ferdinand II, as the host, organizer and director of courtly fewtivities and tournaments. Free tourney is the term for the athletic battle of knights that was performed first with sharp lances and then with swords. The foot tourney was fought in an enclosed space as a duel or in a group, using various club and thrust weapons.
This is the magnificent wedding armour of Ferdinand II in classical style, commissioned in 1582 for the festivities on his second marriage to Anna Caterina Gonzaga.
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| City Mime |
This is the city center of Innsbruck. It is a charming city with very quaint streets. We loved the feel and festive atmosphere. The shops were unique and fun to sightsee in. The Swarovski Mines are in Innsbruck and they have 2 shops in the city that are like museums of all of the crystal works of art. It was amazing to just walk through the store.
We ended our day of tours and sightseeing with the beginning of our Conference at 3:00. The theme of the Conference was:
Making a difference . . . .
We presented a class on Friday morning entitled "Making a Difference with the Young Single Adults." It went really well - so grateful for Power Point to enhance the presentation.
These are some of our favorite people!
We ate Breakfast and Dinner at the Hotel. It was a wonderful Restaurant with more food than we should have eaten. The wait staff was superb. Their pumpkin soup was outstanding. It is pumpkin season and lots of good offerings. When it came time for dessert, they offered Vanilla ice cream infused with pumpkin oil. About 6 of us jumped at the chance of trying this. It was definitely a taste experience. Not your typical pumpkin dessert. The pumpkin oil is a dark green and it was mixed with with vanilla giving it an interesting green color mixed with cream. The vanilla ice cream with warm raspberries and cream was a better choice the next night.
Thursday evening we were given the opportunity to hear Steve Rona speak. He is the son of Daniel Rona and they are both renowned tour guide in Israel. It was a real treat. He told his families story of his grandfather being a German Jew in the 1930's. His family was very wealthy and had a family business. He was educated at Oxford in England. His grandfather was in the theater and did not want to join the family business. One night after a performance some friends came and told him not to go home, there were people waiting for him there. Because he had papers for England, he was able to escape to Holland and then to England. His family was not so fortunate. They were eventually sent to Auschwitz and killed. He made his way to Israel. He met another German Jew there, a woman, and they were married. They had a son, Daniel. They eventually divorced and he took his son and immigrated to New York City. He was seeking answers for all that had happened during the War. He did not like the answers the Jewish faith gave him. He asked, "Why all of the devastation?". They said we will know when the Messiah comes. That was not good enough for him. He sought out other religions until he found The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Bishop in the Church was able to answer his questions about God and Jesus Christ. He related to the story of a 14 year old boy, Joseph Smith who was also seeking answers about Religion. He was grateful to know there is a Prophet on the earth today. He and his son were baptized in New York City and eventually made their way to Salt Lake City. The son Daniel, was called on a mission to Germany when he turned 19. When he finished his mission he returned to Israel to visit his mother and found out he had two half sisters from his mothers marriage years before. He became one of the leading tour guides in Israel. He and his son, Steve continue to give tours today. He shared some of his experiences with us. He likened his family story to that of the story found in Jacob 5 of the Book of Mormon. His father went to the nethermost part of the vineyard (New York City) looking for truth. It was an enlightening evening.
Friday afternoon after classes we went with a group to the Nordkette.
We road a train up the mountain about 1/3 of the way and then 2 trams to get to the top. We then climbed to the top of the peak. We were in the snow - we could not see many of the Alps, but it was beautiful being on the mountain in the snow.
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| Tram station at the top |
Group picture at the top. We said we would go to the first rest stop and then go down. At each bench mark we would spur each other on to continue the climb. We then said we can't turn back now, we will regret not going to the top. Elder Blanchard did not want to go but his wife pressured him. He is very afraid of heights and close quarters on the trams. He overcame his fear and joined us on the climb. He was so glad to say he made it. Strength in good friends and company.
View across the valley to the other side.
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| 3 musketeers |
Elders Grimmett, Blanchard and
Bretzing
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| Sister Russell, Me and Sister Bretzing |
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Friday evening after dinner we returned to the Church for an Evening of Music.
I played "Bring Him Home". They had asked us to share something about our talent and why we picked the song we would perform. I shared my love of the musical Les Miserables and this song Bring Him Home. When my oldest son, Joshua was deployed to Iraq, I would sing and play this song and plead with my Father in Heaven to Bring Him Home safe to me and to his wife and children. When my mother passed away 2 1/2 years ago, I would play and sing this song with the hope that my father would be called "home" to Heavenly Father and be able to be with my mother. Home has many different meanings and this song brings peace to many situations. So many people came up after the performance and expressed their deed feelings that the song means to them. Every performance became a spiritual experience. It was a night filled with love and testimony. Music can really touch the soul.
We arrived home Saturday evening just in time to watch the Saturday morning session of General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ. We stayed up till midnight watching both sessions back to back.
The tradition continues. I made Cinnamon Rolls today and had the Missionaries over after conference to enjoy them. I made 40 Cinnamon Rolls 14 missionaries over and they were all gone in about 20 minutes. I did not even get to taste them - I think they were good. I made apricot, cinnamon and chocolate cream cheese. We had 4 Sister over for soup and bread between the two sessions. It was really nice having them in our home and spending time with them.
The Elder's really enjoyed coming. They would have enjoyed dinner as well, but I could not feed all of them. Several said they were so grateful - it was a tradition for them at home to have cinnamon rolls or donuts at conference and they really enjoyed the memory. I love the Elder's and being able to mother them just a little.
This has been a very eventful, fun, rewarding spiritual week. We are so grateful to be serving here at this time. We are grateful for the guidance we receive from our Mission President and his wife and for the association with the other Senior Missionaries. There is not a better way to spend retirement. It is a time of spiritual growth instead of spiritual retirement. The Lord promises unlimited blessings to his servants in the vineyard (missionaries). He says there are people who need you. Please Go. We have witnessed some of those promised blessings.
After listening to 5 Sessions of General Conference, our cup is overflowing. Pres. Russell M. Nelson is a Prophet of God on the earth today. He guides the Lord's Church in all the world. He spoke to women and empowered us to learn and know who we are as Daughters of Heavenly Father who loves us. I am grateful to have access to the authority and knowledge that helps us prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
May you be blessed in all that you do this week.
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's
So fun to read about your adventures. Thank you
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