Most of you already know we have been transferred to Magdeburg. As we close this chapter of our mission we would like to share our feelings.
While we sat on the stand and sang with the choir during the Dresden Stake Conference we were overcome by the powerful spirit of the meeting. The choir sang so beautifully and we were in awe that we were part of it and this meeting.
Sister Gill wrote of feelings that we both felt.
Dresden Stake Conference November 2008
I wept today as I sat in the choir seats and viewed the chapel, cultural hall and side halls filled to capacity with the wonderful people of The Dresden Stake. I have been reading,” Behind The Iron Curtain”, stories of the members who lived here during World War II and survived the almost total devastation of Dresden and the 40 years of Communist Rule. It is a miracle what has happened! A beautiful building, strong faithful members, loving families, children singing their hearts out, “ I will go, I will do, the things the Lord Commands”. Spiritual talks given by devoted Priesthood Leaders, and most especially, a choir, angels, singing praises to the Lord. Christi and I sang in this choir. It was an honor for us to blend our English accents with their beautiful German voices. This is as close as we will get, for now, to singing with a heavenly choir. Thank you, thank you, Heavenly Father, for my mission here in Dresden.
I have written my feelings as poetry
Beings of Light
Another time, another place
Another people full of love
And devotion and the spirit
Doing and becoming
Beings of light, leading
Heavenly Father’s children back
To Him to whom we belong
Love expanding to fill
Our hearts, our souls
Our very beings
Overflowing into the lives of others
Creating peace and joy
And a happiness rich and full
We share together
A glimpse of our Eternal Family
Where we long to be
Here is the last report we sent to our Mission President.
When we were called to Frankfurt Area Office we were excited to be coming to Germany.Our desire was to work with the people but we wanted to go where the Lord wanted and needed us.We purposefully did not put any requests on our papers for that reason.When we were told our assignment was changed to the Outreach Program in Dresden and it was explained to us what we would be doing our hearts rejoiced.When we arrived we were immediately taken in and loved, for they had “prayed us here.”We have worked hard to do what was expected of us.We have learned about all the JAEs.We have worked diligently to get the reports and the budgeting done right. We have started a history and put out a weekly newsletter.We have cooked for, loved, and nurtured our young people.Even though we could not speak German we have been able to work well with the Student Council.As a “couple” we do not have the Priesthood but feel okay about it because there is such a strong Priesthood support in this Ward and Stake.We have joined the choir and supported all the Ward and Stake activities with smiles, hugs and love. We have been invited into several homes, some where there was no English spoken.Members are beginning to have confidence in us to help with their inactive family members and many want to teach us German.The young missionaries are using us to work with some of their investigators.We have made friends with our neighbors and many store owners in our little neighborhood. We truly have felt that this is where the Lord wants us and have been happy here.We were so sure of this that we began to tell people, who asked, that we would be here 2 years.All of the above is why it hurts our hearts to think we may have to leave it behind sooner then we thought.
However, we know that you are led by the spirit and even though a move would be difficult for us, we will be ready for the challenge, knowing that there is something to be learned from every circumstance.Of course we will do our best to serve where ever we are sent and continue to work on our challenge of learning the language.
We love Germany and the people here in Dresden.We love the missionaries and we love you and your wife.We feel very blessed to be in this mission.What a wonderful opportunity for us to be serving here.We honor you and your inspiration for the missionaries in the Berlin Mission.We will go and do as the Lord commands and all will be well.
We will be busy moving and getting settled in the next few weeks. It also may take us some time to find an internet connection. Don't give up on us we will be back......with a new title.
This is the Leipzig Chapel where the Conference was held.
We are so glad we found our cousins Elijah and Marjorie Cardon in Germany and it was wonderful to see them again at this conference.
This is Elder and Sister Kearon with President Borcherding. Elder Kearon is an area authority from Great Britain.
The Elders. This was Elder Stevens last day before he went home. An awesome missionary.
The Sisters. Some of them sang a beautiful song and and Elder Walstrum did a great job on the piano. Love the talent and that they share it.
We want to share with you some of the teachings and advice from the Kearons. They were very inspirational and the spirit was strong.
Sister Kearon: " The spirit that we feel when we are together in this way is all that matters. This spirit has washed over you time and time again and you don't realize how different it is for those who don't feel this spirit" "Remember what you have and can bring to others" "Read D&C 27:15-18 Everything is for your protection except for one weapon, "The sword of my Spirit" Don't choose to put your weapon down when you are discouraged, instead of complaining, you kneel down.
Elder Kearon: "In Alma 62:41, many were hardened and many were softened because of the War they fought. It is a choice, we choose whether we are hardened or softened. Unless we choose to be softened we will harden. We can choose our mood. We can choose how we react. We can plan and choose the night before how our day will go. Never be the victim of your circumstances.
When we walked into the church this night the organ was playing. They really don't like you taking pictures so I was trying to be really inconspicuous about it. Hope it does not make you dizzy. It is a cool video.
This is the way the mail is delivered in our neighborhood.
This is the train we rode from Berlin to Dresden when we first arrived. We are just now recovered enough from that experience to share it with you.
A random building we saw in our travels.
The train station in Leipzig when we went to the Mission Conference.
The Hauptbahnhof (main train station) in Dresden. This is the train we when we aren't riding the buses or trams.
A great idea! The shopping baskets are linked together. You put a Euro in and it unlocks. When you link it up again you get your Euro back. You don't see any baskets around town and no one has gather them up.
Coming down.......
Going up.....
Inside the big cathedral that is connected to the castle..
One night we found this grand piano being played in the open areas in Dresden He was pretty good and people were actually giving him money. I think he was also selling his CDs. You see the mural of the history of the royalty of Saxony in the background. I think it begins in the 1200's.
Inside the Frauenkirche. This is the church that was completely distroyed during WWII and the restoration was completed fairly recently.
This is the night one of our Chinese investigators came to our English Book of Mormon Class. Lucy loved being with us and accepted all that was taught. She will return to China this week. Hopefully she will remember what she heard and the good feeling she had and find the church there. She loved sister Gill because she reminded her of her grandmother.
Caro, president of the JAE Council, is giving the the spiritual thought in Institute. She served a mission in Spain and is waiting for a missionary. She is a great leader and a good friend.
Family Home Evening....A Night in China. We had a presentation about China given by two of our recent converts and everyone helped in making Chinese dumplings. This brought in eight non members. It was a very successful, fun evening.
Making the dumplings. Shu and Jeff, the ones who gave the presentation, are the two on the right. The missionaries are finding and teaching many Chinese students. There were several who were interested in this group and three are being taught.
When we're helping we're happy.....
At this Family Home Evening we celebrated Andreas's birthday (the one in front). They played soccer (his favorite game) with a very soft ball in the cultural hall and then enjoyed the cake he brought.
This is a game they love to play and they play hard.
This is the Family Home Evening where we did a service project. We put away the chairs after Stake Conference.
They celebrate Halloween in a small way here. Yes that is a green cat on Sister Wells cheek.
Antje gets a pumpkin painted on her face by Caro.
There was a whole plate of spider eggs but they were eaten so fast we didn't get there in time to take the whole picture.
The inside is beautiful with it's architecture, marble and woodwork.
This is the entryway. The missionaries got in the way.
This is just a cool picture. You see the marble stairs on the right, another kind of green marble on the railing and the marble on the floor on the left.
The circular coat room behind the entry way. It is full of coats and umbrellas now that the weather is cold. It is much bigger than you can see here.
The hallway behind the coat room. Each end leads to the stairs that go up to the chapel and the cultural hall. In the middle is a door that goes to the basement where the YSA lounge and office are. The Stake offices and Family History Center are also found down there.
The overflow in the back of the chapel.
This grand piano and organ have a beautiful finish that matches the wood in front and the pulpit.. There is also a grand piano in the cultural hall. We have many musically talented people in this ward.
A full view of the chapel.
One of the two stairways to the chapel and cultural hall.
The foyer at the top of the stairs before you enter the chapel or cultural hall. The picture of the cultural are in the Ward 20 year celebration and some of the activities of the YSA.
This building was built during the Russian Occupation under their watchful eye. It is one of the most beautiful chapels in Germany
Front View from across the street.
Some of the foliage around the church.
This statue of Carl Maeser was made for his home town in Meissen. A missionary couple went into the local churches with fliers about the placement. This upset the local clergy and the town leaders refused to let them put it up. They ended up bringing it to Dresden and putting it in the church yard since he was one of the church leaders here.
The fence and sidewalk in front.
The back of the church and the entrance to the Family History Center.
When we arrived at church one Sunday Morning we saw this beautiful tree. Fall had arrived!
Our Ward building is 20 years old this month and they had a three day celebration.
On Thursday we had a missionary concert given by our Choir director, who is in the bishopric and a well known tenor soloist and teacher in this area. We invited our neighbors to come and we actually had one show up with her daughter. He has an awesome voice and sang some pretty high classical music. This is Brother Olaf Heller.
On Friday we had a big banquet and program. Here you see the tables set up in the Cultural Hall for the banquet. We helped do this.
We had the program before we ate. Bischof Bartsch was the MC.
There was a variety of entertainment and all very well done. This was the only picture that came out well enough to see. This is the Heller family. Brother Heller and daughter on the piano and Sister Heller and the other children with musical instruments. Of course they were wonderful.
This is one table out of three laden with 75% meats and .05% vegetables. The grapes you see was the only dessert and were scarfed up in a hurry at the end.
It was an overwhelming and delightful feast.
On Saturday we had a service day. Many went into the city and dug a trench for a water pipe and several, including us, worked at the ward building cleaning the inside and raking the fall leaves on the outside.
