Stephen and Elaine Biddulph

10 - 16 AUGUST 2015

Another very busy week with missionary calls and consultations with mission presidents. We have a good relationship and reputation with the mission presidents, and they seem to feel that they can rely upon us. We try to be prompt and efficient in our responses. We also have a deep testimony that they are called of God for this work, and we have a great respect for their consecration to spreading the gospel and caring for their chargers. We also have a great love for the young missionaries who daily try to do their best in serving, sometimes under difficult circumstances. I think that I am working with missionaries from every mission to which I am assigned: Denmark, Belgium, France Lyon, France Paris, Spain Malaga, Spain Barcelona, Spain Madrid, Spain MTC, Portugal Lisbon, Portugal Porto, and Cape Verde Praia.

WWI and II graves

I forgot to mention that one Monday evening we had a senior FHE that was a walk through the Frankfurt Hauptfriedhof (cemetery) which is just across Marbachweg from us. We visited special grave sites where 6 crew members of the Hindenburg airflot are buried from the 1937 accident in New Jersey. We also visited a mass grave for Holocaust victims that lives in Frankfurt area, the grave marker for Dr. Alzheimer who first recognized the malady that bears his name, and the graves of WW I and II victims/soldiers of Frankfurt.
One day, I unexpectedly received an email from a German man named Joachim. He asked me if I was the same elder Biddulph who served as a missionary in Berlin some 50 years ago. He wrote his name and a nickname that I immediately realized as a man who I had baptized in Berlin in 1966. Perhaps inappropriately, I had nicknamed him "Kartoffelgesicht" (Potato Face). I really can't remember why I did that, only that I came from Idaho (Land of famous potatoes) and the fact that I was probably more light-minded than I should have been. Anyway,

Elaine at Alzheimer Grave

Joachim had never forgotten his nickname. I immediately responded to him and said that I was indeed the same elder Biddulph. He knew that I was in Frankfurt, and it turned out that he was living in Offenbach where we are serving in the branch there. I was astounded at that little miracle. I believe that he probably came there to live with one of his children, perhaps, I don't know for sure. I wanted to meet with him, but he was a little reticent for whatever reason. I did speak with him one time on the telephone. He sent me a short video clip of him 3 days after a major open heart surgery that he had had to prolong his life. I wrote back again wanting very much to see him, but he responded that it had been a very long time between Berlin and Frankfurt and that we lived in two separate worlds. I responded that despite the time lapse and our differences, he was still my friend! he was Kartoffelgesicht! and that

Hindenburg Monument

perhaps it would be good for us to one more time in this life meet and seal our friendship. I am waiting to hear back.

I baptized him and his wife, Doris, when he was about 22. He is now 73. I believe that he and his wife, Doris, have long since divorced. I don't know what happened to Doris. I would dearly love to see and speak with him again. I hope he will allow that. I find it amazing that of all places he could be living was in the very part of Frankfurt that I had been assigned to serve in the church.

In our branch we are forging ahead with following the counsel of our church leaders to focus on keeping the Sabbath day more holy and make it a true delight in our lives. I have been assigned to organize sacrament meeting topics and resources, and among those have been May: the family, June: marriage, July: Sabbath day holy, and August: sacred ordinances and covenants. On the fifth Sunday (30 August) we are having a joint meeting with the adults and discussing how we as individuals, families, and a branch can keep the Sabbath holier and honor it. I loved President

Holocaust Mass Gravesite

Nelson's talk in general conference on the Sabbath. He said the Sabbath was a sign between God and man of God's love for us and our love for him, a gift to us to rest from the world of cares and efforts and focus on him and our spiritual nature, and a covenant between us that God was able and willing to sanctify us. I've been asked to lead the meeting. I plan to talk about President Nelson's talk and then have a German couple lead a discussion because my German is a little too weak for that kind of stuff. Life is good. We are enjoying our time together serving throughout Europe. Our Europe Area Presidency has changed. Elder Kearon is now president with Elders Johnson and Dyches as counselors. Onward and upward!!! I've added a few more pictures from our recent Rhein River boat trip with the Cluffs.