News from home is both sad and exciting. My first cousin, Stuart Biddulph, died at age 76. Of all the cousins, I felt the closest to Stuart. We even looked a lot alike, right down to the gap in our two front teeth. He was a good friend and I will miss him deeply. The happy news is that my older brother, Howard, is getting remarried at age 80!!! His health is dramatically improving, he is losing weight, and doing really well. This new love in his life has brought great energy and happiness to him. We are very happy that at the ending years of his life, after sacrificing so much over the past 11-12 years, he is finding this wonderful change in his life. We are thrilled.
Today (Saturday) we went with Elder and Sister Smith for a long drive in the German countryside. We drove south from Frankfurt to Bensheim (near Heidelberg) and then drove east through the Lindenfelds (field) and mountains (Berge) and Odonwalt (forest). There is considerable granite (granit) in these mountains with many rock quarries and headstone companies. Now I know where they get all the granite for the large tombstones in the cemetery (Friedhoff) where we walk (wandern). It was a beautiful drive. The forests of pines and hardwood trees covered the rolling hills, and the interspersing fields (Feld) were brilliant green. Flowers (Blumen), buds, and new life are springing up in all quarters. We stopped at a dorf called Lindenfels. Here we climbed up a hill to the ruins of an old castle dedicated to Kaiser Wilhelm 1st. It was build in 1100 and then expanded in 1350. In August they hold a medieval festival there. We also stopped in Michelstadt, which isn't really famous for anything. It is a typical, quaint, village deep in the mountains and forests of lower Germany. It has narrow, cobblestone streets (Strassen) and quaint old houses (Hause). We then returned home.
The missionaries at Offenbach called and wanted me to go with them to teach Herr Schilds again. I drove to Offenbach at 1830. In thinking about what to say to him--who is so resistant to praying to find out the truth--I love the "doctrine of Christ" taught by Nephi: that Christ showed us the way to enter into the strait gate by baptism by immersion (Taufe durch Untertauchung), and that to those who would follow his example, He would give to them the gift (Gabe) of the Holy Ghost (Heiligen Geist). The Holy Ghost teaches us all that we should do, and if we will enter into the way and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto us all things that we should do. Nephi noted that his brethren still pondered in their hearts about these things (still with uncertainty), and it grieved him. He knew that if they would hearken unto the spirit, which teaches a man to pray, they would know that they must pray. The Spirit teaches a man to pray, but the evil spirit teaches a man that he must not pray. If he can keep people from humbling themselves and asking God in the name of Jesus Christ if these things are not true, he can keep them from receiving an answer. This is this man's problem: he will ot pray because he does not believe he will get an answer--he does not believe that there is really anyone who will hear or answer his prayers.
Our work with the missionaries throughout Europe hasn't let up. As fast as I get one finished, two more pop up from mission presidents. We delight in helping lift the load of mission presidents. We delight in strengthening missionaries. This weekend I received 3 more from France Lyon Mission. All of them are emotional problems that have roots before and during their mission.
Here are some of our latest photos taken of Lindenfels, Odonwalt, and Michelstadt.
![]() |
Lindenfels and countryside from castle rampart |
![]() |
Lindenfels Castle build 1100 AD |
![]() |
Gordon & June Smith and Elaine |
![]() |
Countryside in Odonwalt Area |
![]() |
Fleamarket in Michelstadt |
![]() |
Inner Castle of Lindenfels |
![]() |
Marker for home where a Jewish Family lived and was removed to Concentration Camp 1941 |
![]() |
Lindenfels Dorf from Castle |
![]() |
Lindenfels |
![]() |
Michelstadt |
![]() |
Lindenfels Castle (ancient Burg) |
![]() |
Hiking up to Lindfels Castle |
![]() |
Vine tree inner Castle |
![]() |
Catholic Monument in Frankfurt Cemetery |
![]() |
Elaine in front of Alzheimer Monument |
No comments:
Post a Comment