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| Elder Grimmett and Elder Ballard |
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| Elder Grimmett with Pres. Broberg 1970 |
3rd Generation serving in Vienna, Austria
This has been one of the most special weeks in our mission here in Vienna. So much to report on. The time is going so fast and we have so much to accomplish, we are moving at lightening speed to get it all in.
We started the week with Sunday dinner with the Renweg Apartment of Elders. We had two
special occasions to celebrate. As most of you know, Russ served his mission in the Austria Mission from 1970-72. His mission president was Pres. Charles Broberg 1903-1998. Elder Ballard, pictured above is the great-grandson of Pres. Broberg and is serving in Vienna. We had him for dinner and then took he and his companion to see the Mission Home where his grandparents lived during their time here. What an amazing experience. The picture above is of Russ sitting at the dinner table with Pres. Broberg and 4 other missionaries. Russ is on the left of Pres. with the glasses on. This is a picture that Elder Ballard's mother sent him to see pictures
of his great-grandfather and Russ just happened to be in it. We gave them some time to look at the house and talk. He asked Russ some questions to know a little more about this wonderful man. He passed away before Elder Ballard was born. It really meant a lot to have someone who knew him talk to him so he could learn a little more about him. The old Mission Home is in one of the finest neighborhoods in Vienna. It is currently vacant and on the market to be sold. They have added a glass elevator and glass atrium on the back of the house. It is currently owned by one of the owners of the newspaper here in Vienna. We then took a walk around the area to show him places that his grandparents would have gone. It was such a wonderful evening. When we were at the Mission Home looking around, the neighbor came over and said, "Your Back"! He saw our name badges and said he remembers when he was a young boy and the missionaries lived there. He asked if we were returning. Great memories that continue to future generations.
So, back to the dinner - it was also Elder Christiansen's birthday on Sunday so we celebrated with him with a cake. It is always so good to have the Elder's in our home.
This week was Annual Deep Clean Inspections of all of the Missionary Apartments. That means long hard days for Elder and Sister Grimmett. We started on Monday with District Council and then reinspected one of the apartments we helped clean last week. A clean apartment really makes a difference. We then picked up some Sisters and went to their apartment to do the inspection. They were the only apartment we did not help clean and they did an amazing job. They have a nice apartment to begin with, but they really worked hard and had it nice and clean. We finished just in time to return the car home and go to the Institute for Family Home Evening. That means Waffle Time and I added fried apple topping and hash browns. We had a small group with two visitors. A girl from England who is currently living teaching school in Milan, Italy. She is from Leeds, England where my parents served a mission and it was fun visiting with her.
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| piano stairs |
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| large drum |
Tuesday was our District P-Day and we went to the House of Music Museum. We all had a great time learning about sound, instruments and various composers. The musical stairs were a lot of fun - harder than you think to play a song. We learned a lot about sound - Russ definitely
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| Ballroom instruments |
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| garden bench in museum |
will be visiting the ear Doctor when we return home!
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| Landmark McDonald's |
This is the very first McDonald's in Austria. It opened July, 27, 1977. It was on our bucket list of places to visit and it was just down the street from the museum so we all went there for lunch. Check!
Wednesday was a very busy day of Inspections and cleaning. There were some frustrations, but I worked through it and put my energies into the next apartment. It is so nice when the missionaries try to be obedient and do their very best. Sometimes I have to show them some things to clean better, but I always help them and show them what needs to be done. When we work together, we get a lot more done - and not just cleaning. It is a great time to talk and get to know them better.
Wednesday night I taught the Institute class and it is one of the best days of the week. I love watching lives change as they embrace the teachings of the Gospel and seek truth. We are having a great time learning together and building bridges. We had a Conference Call with the European Area this week regarding the Pathway Connect On-line University Program. We are so excited that as of January 1, 2020 it is now available in Europe, including Germany. We worked with the Pathway program for 2 years before coming on our mission. We saw lives change during that 2 years as well as students learned and improved their lives. We have some YSA here that will really benefit from the Pathway program. The Education system is very different here and while it is currently free - it has some challenges and it is difficult for some of the students. This will give them new opportunities for learning.
We often say it only takes one phone call to change your day - well, we received a phone call from the Mission office on Thursday that there was a problem in Graz with a washing machine and we needed to go either Friday or Monday to take care of it. We had inspections scheduled for Friday and had planned to go to Graz on Saturday. So, we cancelled our Friday plans and made plans to go to Graz.
This is a picture of missionaries and some of the English class students. WOW - What a group. They really enjoy coming and learning English and are making so much progress. More than anything they like the social environment with us and the other students. So many of them are here alone and they like the new friends they have made.
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| Dirndles in shop window |
We went to Graz on early Friday morning and met the Elder's for their inspection and to take care of the washing machine. Due to lack of space in the car with the washing machine, I stayed at their apartment and did some final cleaning. We had a great time with them and they were so happy with their clean apartment and all the work they had done. We took them to lunch - the local Dorner and really enjoyed our visit. We checked into our Airbnb and rested a little before checking out the town. It is Fasching this week in Austria and there were celebrations all around. The Ward in Graz was having a party so we decided to drop in. It was
fun seeing how they celebrate fasching. We then went down town and walked around the city center. The dirndles in a shop window were so beautiful. The ones in the picture are for very special occasions and cost about $1,000 each. Nice to look at.
We had an early morning of phone calls as it was Transfer call day. We have 5 missionaries being transferred to new places and it is always sad to say good-bye. Wednesday we will be seeing them off at the Train Station and welcoming in the new ones.
We finished our Inspections with the Sister's apartment and then we were off to the Southern tip of Austria to a city Russ served in 50 years ago. We visited Klagenfurt. What an adventure along the way.
The missionaries told us about a mountain you can drive up and climb the lookout tower and see all of Graz. We decided to take the drive up the mountain and it was great. It was a very narrow one lane road with lots of bikers and walkers sharing the road. At the top is a restaurant and the lookout tower. The view was wonderful. On the top of the hill in the middle of the city is the castle that I shared pictures of a few months ago with the clock tower. You can really see why it was a fortification back in the days it was built. The mountain is also where the shelters were dug during WWII.
It is amazing how your perspective
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| Graz |
changes with a different view.
We were so glad we took the drive. So, now we were on the back roads to Klagenfurt and we also were told about the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum and home. It was just a little off the way so I decided to take the detour and at least drive by.
Russ was not real excited about it, but it ended up being a beautiful place and a nice drive. As you drive up the hill you see Ruine Unterthal. His family home is on the same property. Nothing like climbing around the ruin and working out on the mountain. This is where he did training to become a world class body builder and the beginning of his fame. The head below is a map of the area and all of the places that were important in his training and childhood. Since 2011 he is considered the most famous Austrian and the museum was opened. He visits the area about 3 times a year.
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| map and story of life |
It was certainly a beautiful place to grow up and for a boy to get big and strong.
So, now we are really on the back roads and are driving toward Klagenfurt. I am driving along and there is a new sign I see . . .
Yes! the Piber (Ranch) where the famous Lipizzaners of Vienna are bread, raised, trained and retired. I love these performing horses and knew I could not pass this up. We had no idea how far we would have to drive, but we just started following the signs. It was about a twenty minute drive and was soooo worth it. It just happened that it was one of the best days of the whole year to be there. It was the unveiling of the new foals that had just recently been born. They show them once a month at a 2:00 show and it just happened to be 2:00 and the lady was closing the ticket window and asked if we wanted to see the horses. We paid and joined the group.
The Lipizzaner is an elegant, medium-sized and compact horse. It has its roots in the old-Spanish influence. It has prominent cheek bones, a high set neck that is strong and not too long. The legs are short and strong. The movements appear graceful and are characterized by a springy gait.
This is the Castle. Benedictine monks build the baroque Piber Castle between 1696 and 1716 as the estate of the St. Lambrecht abbey. In 1798 it was put under military administration. The latin inscription above the main portal of the castle are translated as:
Franciscus built this building.
Antonius enlarge and perfected it,
Kilian embellished it.
These are the names of former abbots and Priests of Piber.
Today it is the administration offices, reception rooms for seminars and events.
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| new foul |
Stud horses are predominantly greys, the color being fully developed at the age of approx. 10 years. They are born black or dark brown and over the next ten years turn from grey to white. The foals spend 6 months in the Lipizzaner Stud Piber before they get weaned from their mothers. They spend the next 6 months at the foalraising farm "Kampi" or kindergarten. As horses get pubescent at the age of one year, the mares and the stallions then are separated from each other. Only the Stallions are used in performances in Vienna. The stallions between the age of 1 and 3 years spend the summer months on the alpine pastures. This is important for the young horses to get mature.
The stallion yearlings spend their next two years at their rearing farm.
The 3 year old colts are examined by a committee and the ones which are selected for the Spanish Riding School then leave Piber to start their training in Vienna.
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| Mares |
The three year old mares are then trained in carriage driving and riding each for 6 months at Piber. After the training period a performance test is taken.
Carriage driving is a serious sport which demands a maximum of body control, endurance and skill from horse and rider. The horses have to demonstrate their endurance over long distances; the driver must have a feeling for the right speed.
Below is a picture of the horse pond the horses can cool their joins in. After a hard day's work, from spring to autumn, the horses are ridden through the water under the saddle or in front of the carriages. This exercise also constitutes a test of character and is part of the training. (info from signs along the way)
Water will not be filled until April.
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| watching the new foals |
We spent 2 hours at the farm and learned so much. It was much better than the practice session in Vienna and a lot less money to see. It is where it all begins. After about 25 years a horse is retired back to Piber the place of their birth to enjoy the rest of its days. I could not help but think of my Dad and his love of horses. He would have loved seeing them in this setting.
So, on to Klagenfurt to check in to our Airbnb. We selected an old restored farmhouse outside of the city.
We were on the third floor in this newly
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| Barn |
remodeled farm house. It was just charming and cozy. We loved it. There was only one other guest in the whole building. The barn across the lawn is where we parked. It looked like a house to me, but it was the barn when the farm was in operation. The owner said it just has cats roaming around now. They built a new home on the back of the property.
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| living room - kitchen |
I loved the wrap around kitchen. Sink, dishwasher and fridge on one side of wall and stove and oven on the other. The owner recommended a Gasthaus just down the street for dinner. That sounded good instead of driving all the way back into town. We walked down the street and it was a real local gathering place. Very small with about 6 tables or 40 people.
The food was delicious. Authentic Austrian!
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| cheese filled dumplings with bacon |
Pork chop (2) notice one ended up on Russ' plate - with fries and vegetables. Russ had cheese filled dumplings with bacon and a salad - and the added pork chop. It was really good. The fun part was watching the locals. Look closely at the table and see if yo see the special guest. Yes, all three couples brought their dogs.
One large German Shepherd and two little dogs. At one point one of the dogs jumped up and sat next to Russ at the table. I could not get the camera out quick enough to take a picture. It was just like being home with the family gathered around the kitchen table.
We love these adventures and the fun people we meet.
We went to Church at the same building Russ attended 50 years ago. It was really nice for him to be back. He actually knew a few of the people and had nice visits. They wanted to take pictures of him and really made us feel welcome. The one man we really wanted to see who he helped teach is in the USA visiting a daughter and helping her move from Austin Texas to Twin Falls Idaho - small world. We left our contact information with his son and daughter-in-law and so it will be nice to be back in contact with him.
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| Symbol of Klagenfurt |
The emblem of the city is the Lindwurm, a winged dragon, shown here on the town square.
Legend has it that Klagenfurt was founded after a couple of brave men has slain the abominable "Lindwurm", a winged dragon in the moors adjoining the lake, the staple diet of which is said to have been virgins, but which did not spurn the fat bull on a chain that the men had mounted on a strong tower. (Wikipedia)
This is the inside of St. Egid Catholic Church. There were many memorials to veterans of the World Wars.
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| organ loft |
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| war memorial |
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| St. Egid |
Heiligengeistkirche -(Holy Ghost Church)
Very small but beautiful church. 1563-1600
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| organ loft |
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| Mary in the Garden |
Russ really enjoyed walking around the city and enjoying the memories. A lot has changed over the years - lots of new buildings and a much bigger city.
We then began our journey home. We wanted to visit a castle on Saturday, but found out it was closed for the Winter and would open on April 1. We decided to just drive to it on our way home on Sunday so he could show it to me. I had to stop on the highway and take a picture it was so breathtaking as you approached it. When I saw what I would have had to climb on Saturday, I was glad it was closed - not really, but it did save me this trip.
Burg Hochosterwitz
We drove a very narrow road to almost the top. You begin at the back and would walk around the mountain stopping at each station along the way. The have added a tram that can also take you to the top.
I would love to return some day and see the inside rooms. The view would be wonderful.
Klagenfurt is only 40 km. from the Bosnian border and you can see the mountains.
We truly enjoyed the quick weekend away. Even though we were doing Inspections, the time driving and just being away was just what we needed. We are so blessed to be serving in such a beautiful mission.
"Be patient with yourself. Perfection comes not in this life, but in the next life. Don't demand things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement. As you let the Lord help you through that, He will make the difference." Russell M. Nelson
Viel Liebe, The Grimmett's
