15-21 March 2015
Most days this past week have been more springlike. Warmer temperatures, bluer skies, and sunshine prevail. Elaine walks with other senior sisters most days at 11:30 while their poor husbands slave away in their offices. We try to find time to walk together, also. Our favorite place is the huge wooded cemetery across the street from our apartment. However, we have found other walkways that offer some variety. It is just nice to be alone together and talk. Elaine also participates in a senior sisters weekly gospel study group and a German language group. We both enjoy attending the weekly "Lunch and Learn" class taught by Elder Johannsen, who serves as the executive secretary for the Europe Area Presidency. We have been studying the Book of Mormon, and are currently into Mosiah. He makes it enjoyable, as well as enlightening. Stephen reads aloud most evenings before retiring to bed. We have read the History of Joseph Smith and the Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt.  Both histories have given us such a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices these early leaders and saints made for the establishment of truth in this dispensation of time. Our lot is to build upon that foundation and enlarge and strengthen the church for the last time. What a joy it is to be engaged full-time in this work. We love it!
   

The Study Group

 Friday evening we attended the Senior Missionary English session at the Friedericksdorf Temple. Several of the senior couples serving here in Frankfurt or in Bad Homburg attended. It was our first opportunity to attend there, and we so enjoyed being back in the temple. No matter where on earth you go where an LDS temple exists, one always feels at home. A certain feeling of peace and safety abides within its walls. Knowing the calamities that would come upon the earth in this last dispensation of time, the Lord knew that temples needed to dot the earth, not only to perform the work of salvation for the dead, but to also offer a sanctuary of peace, learning, and healing for the Saints. How grateful we are for these temples.
     Sunday (22 March) was our branch konferenz in Offenbach. Members of the stake presidency and other leaders visited with us. It was nice to have more people in the chapel than just our scanty few that are active in the branch. We are working to get two more senior missionary couples to be assigned to Offenbach, and our branch president is hoping to get a few more families (with children) to be assigned to Offenbach, although they may live outside its boundaries. We are striving to identify less-active members and invite them back into activity. We believe that we can make some progress in this area. Stephen is trying to go with the missionaries, whenever he has time from his calls, to teach the gospel and to contact less-actives. He received a rather interesting request on Sunday from the mission president in France Lyon, wondering if he would call two of his sisters and give them suggestions on how to teach a woman who was mentally slow. Stay tuned on the outcome of that one! 
     Seven of the 10 mission presidents that we support in Europe are being replaced in July, and one

Elder Biddulph and Companion

new mission is being added, making 11 missions that we will support. Portugal is being split again into Portugal Lisbon and Portugal Porta. We are making email contact with these new presidents to introduce ourselves and explain our support services in the mental health areas. We support the Cape Verde (Praia) Mission (off the coast of Africa), and discovered an Elder Cameron Biddulph (from the Ogden area) serving there. He was originally called to serve in Africa, but caught a bug and had to return home for treatment. The Church sent him to Cape Verde after treatment so that he could continue to use his Portuguese language.
     Stephen's work with mission presidents and missionaries seems to be yielding good fruit. The presidents all seem appreciative of his support, and he seems to have an ability to quickly win the trust and ear of these messengers of truth and joy, even if they are struggling somewhat with their own anxiety and discouragement. It is busy and challenging work, but brings great satisfaction. These are great youth of the Church. We go home tired at the end of the day.