12-19 APRIL 2015

Cousins (Steve Edmunds and Elaine)

Tomorrow we celebrate our 3rd month in Frankfurt. Several senior couples are ending their missions beginning this month and continuing throughout the summer. We hate to see these newly made friends leave our happy clan. However, we know that replacements will come and we will enjoy their friendship, too. Last Tuesday, Steve and Liz Edmunds arrived to replace the Harrisons who are returning to Orem, Utah. They work in the real estate office right next to us. Strangely, Steve is Elaine's 1st cousin, so, it was a fun reunion. We fed them supper the first night they were here and have been showing them around. Liz (Steve's wife) is the infamous "Food Nanny" on BYU television who goes around saving the family meal time. I've never quite seen anyone so enthused and happy and hyper-excited about the smallest things as Liz. I've also never seen anyone so focused on restaurants and food. She would make a great politician, as she really knows how to work a crowd. I get worn out just being in her presence. We are sharing a mission car together and are planning a trip to Berlin perhaps sometime in the near future.
     We were given a new car! The little Toyota that we had was fairly new and just fine, but the Harrisons (who were leaving) had us assigned a new car that has Bluetooth capabilities so that we can travel around and still be able to do my missionary calls. This is a little Hyundai. All these cars are small (only occasionally do you see a larger vehicle) because the streets and parking places are extremely cramped.

Amy, husband and daughter.

     This week has been a very busy week for missionary work, along with other things. On Wednesday we had a zone conference for senior missionaries at the church next door to the temple in Friedrichsdorf. Elder Dyches (2nd counselor in Europe Area Presidency spoke to us). We attended a temple session where we ran into Amy (Harlow) and her daughter and husband from France. Amy is the daughter of David and Helen Harlow of Oak Lane in Provo and friends of ours. It was very nice to see Amy again and meet her husband.
     Thursday evening I had branch presidency meeting (which I did by WEBEX- kind of like Skype). Friday evening we went with the Johansens and Sister Schott (a member of our Offenbach branch) to visit a Burmese woman in Offenbach. She is not a member of the church, but her husband is (he is also Burmese). He is a student in Norway and can only visit his wife and little son (Jon) every six months. She lives alone and can use friends and people to help. She lives in an apartment right across the street from our meeting house in Offenbach. So, we are enlisting the ward--especially the sisters--to serve and be friends with her. We may even be able to interest her in taking the missionary lessons.
 

Elaine in the elevator at Porthstrasse building 11

 Saturday afternoon I attended a priesthood leadership meeting (Priestertumfuhrungs Versammlung) in association with stake (Pfahl) konferenz. That evening we also had an adult meeting. Both meetings on Saturday were held in Offenbach. Sunday's session was held in Darmstadt chapel, about 30 minutes south of Frankfurt. After Sunday session, we went to Bro and Sister Obst's home for lunch and also so Elaine could do some visiting teaching.
     My work with missionaries has been heavy lately. Several new cases of depression, stress, and anxiety have cropped up. One sister had to leave on Friday and return to New Zealand because of severe depression. I spend much of my day speaking with mission presidents and missionaries in need. In conjunction with the medical advisor, we help mission presidents consider needs and find resources for medication (licensed psychiatrists, etc). Work on the telephone is not easy. It requires that I have a pretty congenial and trustworthy approach in speaking with these young missionaries so that they can trust and confide in me.
     We truly enjoyed watching general conference on-line. It was fun to see Utah and Salt Lake City

Steve and Liz "Food Nanny"

again. The talks were inspiring and seemed so focused on individual and family strengthening. Elder Dyches mentioned in our Zone Conference that the apostles were going to focus us this year on keeping the Sabbath Day holy. As I consider how the world is so rapidly falling apart and evil is springing up like spring flowers before our eyes, our willingness to honor the Lord and keep our covenants is vital, especially if we are to remain aloof from wickedness. We enjoy this mission because it draws us continually closer to our Father in Heaven. I could not think of trying to counsel with missionaries in their problems without pleading for the Savior's help. This is his work and we can't do anything without his Spirit to guide. We are working very hard, but we're loving it.

Our Assigned Car